Returning With A Quilt Show (Photo Heavy)

Just living is not enough... one must have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower.  
~Hans Christian Andersen


I'm back and ready to return to blogging.  There are times when I just need a break - especially when blogging seems more like a chore and hard work than something I enjoy.  The beginning of the week was spent down in Oceanside where we shared Easter with my BIL and his wife, our niece, and our DD#2 and her hubby.  Lots of good food and great times with family.  Tuesday night was not for sleeping.  Our other miniature dachshund, Snickerdoodle, had me up every 45 minutes to an hour either with vomiting or diarrhea.  Definitely not fun for her or for me.  DH took her to the vet first thing in the morning and she was diagnosed with Pancreatitus.  We have no idea what caused this as she gets absolutely no table scraps.  An overnight stay at the vets with IV's brought her around and we brought her home Thursday.  She is on bland food for now and is slowly returning to her energetic self.  Other than that, my week was fairly quiet and allowed me to get in a bit of stitching, sewing, and quilting.  I hope you all had a wonderful week!


=========================

LITTLE FACT OF THE DAY

Goats

I have always been drawn to goats at the petting zoos.  If I had the land, I think I would own a pygmy goat or two.  Here are some fun facts about these curious creatures:

*  The proper name for a group of goats is a trip

* Goats are great swimmers

* Goats were domesticated around 7000 B.C.

* Each breed of dairy goat gives a different tasting milk. Oberhasli goats give milk that tastes closest to cow's milk

* Goat's discovered coffee beans

* Goats have only bottom front and side teeth, the top jaw does have a large back molar for crushing things

* Goats have rectangular eyes - this allows them to see very well in the dark

* They can live anywhere from eight to twelve years

* Contrary to popular belief, goats have sensitive stomachs and are therefore very picky eaters

=========================

A QUILT SHOW IN LINDSAY

Saturday we traveled up the valley to the small town of Lindsay to visit a quilt show put on by a committee of quilt lovers from Tulare and Kings Counties called Best Of The Valley.  This was their 17th annual show.  It is a juried show and there were certainly some gorgeous quilts to see.  Here are just a few of them...

"Benediction" by Linda S. Schmidt.

This was a stunning quilt!  It was machine appliqued and home machine quilted.  It was the winner for the Best Use Of Color.

"Floral Fantasy" by Molly Hamilton McNally and Cindy Seitz-Krug

The reverse applique was just amazing.  This quilt is both machine pieced and hand appliqued.  

Here is a close up of the quilting.  Would  you believe this was done on a home machine?  This is the quilting of my dreams :)

"Wish Upon A Star" by Sharon Sholta

I have seen this pattern but it is the first time I've seen it in person.  Gorgeous colors and definitely one of my favorites.  Machine pieced and professionally long arm quilted

"Bok Choy" by Kay Pennington

The subtle colors in this made this quilt just sparkle.  And, for all of you who love to make string blocks, pay particular attention to the border.  This wall quilt was machine pieced and appliqued.  The stems are hand painted silk.

"Starry Rings" by Judie Fleming

Lots of beautiful batiks were used in this table runner.  Machine pieced and home machine quilted.

"Back On The Farm" by Marla Roach

I just love this pattern and this quilt was so well done that it was definitely on my favorites list.  This was machine pieced and hand appliqued with fusible web.  The long arm quilting was done professionally.

"Crazy Chicken Love" by DeAnn Farris

There was a story behind this quilt:  My husband, Kelvin, loves chickens.  I asked him to draw me a love story.  The story goes:  Love At First Sight, The Courtship, Sitting On The Nest, and voila!"  The chickens on this were what made the quilt - just adorable!  Machine pieced and hand painted.  The quilting was computer-assisted long arm.

"Piecing The Trail To Kansas" by Carletta Emitte

Sorry for the blurry picture but I thought you Primitive Quilters would be interested in this quilt.  Simple but great use of colors and arrangement of blocks.  Machine pieced, hand applique, hand embroidered.  The quilting was done both by hand and home machine.

"In A Pickle" by Cindy Seitz-Krug

This was my husbands absolute favorite.  He definitely has a thing for batiks - lol!  Machine pieced and home machine quilted.

"Mosaic Mariner" by CeCe Westerfield

I really like the color and movement in this quilt.  This was machine pieced and long arm quilted.

I hope you enjoyed this sampling of the quilt show.  It was such a nice trip up and down the valley because everything is so green.  We did have a mishap with the windshield wipers but at least the driver's side still worked in the brief downpours we encountered.  A day enjoyed with my husband!

=========================

A FEW RECENT WINS

A couple of weeks ago I entered the Quilting Gallery's weekly contest and was the lucky winner with my little Spring Has Sprung quilt.  And this win was accomplished with all of your help by voting for my quilt.  THANK YOU!  Here is what I won.....

Love Bug Studios sent me two card games of Quiltspirationsemail me.  The first two emails I receive requesting one of the yarn packages will have the yarns bits and pieces sent to them.  Thank you Ebony for sponsoring the Spring Time Renewal and a big thank you to Michele for having the weekly contests over at Quilting Gallery.  

My other recent win was.....

a Lapel Stick from a giveaway over at Quilting With Debi.  I had the envelope sitting on my desk for over a week before I opened it and was I ever surprised to see the Debi had included a wonderful piece of fabric, too!  I haven't given the Lapel Stick a try yet but plan to soon.  Thank you so very much, Debi!

I hope you don't take my sharing winnings with you as bragging.  I like to give the giveaway/contest holders their proper thank you's in public.

==========================

TODAY'S GOAL

Today I hope to finish up the little wall hanging I've been making from a Craftsy class I took recently.

==========================

GIVEAWAYS

McQ News is having a giveaway.  You could win 9 pink fat quarters.  This giveaway ends today, April 16.

Koala is having a Spring Klean-Up giveaway.  You could win a Creative Armoire, or Small Storage Center, or Storage Tower.  This giveaway ends Thursday, May 31.

Quilt Doodle Doodles is having a giveaway.  You could win a set of five Bali Handpaint fat quarters from Hoffman Fabrics.  This giveaway ends Tuesday, May 1.


Hawthorne Threads is having their weekly giveaway.  You could win a Riley Blake Woodland Tails fat quarter bundle.  This giveaway ends Wednesday, April 18.


Fort Worth Fabric Studio is having a giveaway.  You could win a sample card of Innocent Crush by Anna Maria Horner, or 3 issues of Australian Patchwork & Quilting, or Sew to Swap book by Chrissie Grace.  This giveaway ends Tuesday, April 17, at midnight CST.


A Quilting Reader's Garden is having a giveaway.  You could win a couple of books, some fabric, a notion and maybe a finished project (this is going to be a mystery box).  This giveaway ends Wednesday, April 18, at 6:00 pm.


============================

FINAL THOUGHT