Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Happy Summer!

Thank You All So Much!
Just wanted to say thank you for all the wonderful comments you left for me about my Sparrow story.

I'm working on a baby quilt that I promised a friend a couple of months ago.  It is for her first grandchild and the parents are in the Army, so I decided to use red, white and blue.


It's about 44" square, perfect for the car seat, the floor, the playpen, the stroller.  This is the size I used most with my little ones.

It's being displayed on my Christmas gift, the pull down design wall.  I love this!!  It's hung over my sliding doors in the sewing room.

Here is the back.


I always try to have a secret stash of these in my sewing room. The kids kept raiding the carb drawer I would miss out.


There is a new treat in town!  Skinny Cow (don't you love that name?) dreamy clusters.  There are 6 of them and they are really yummy, small, but yummy.  I try to take 2 bites per.


This arrived today - it just cracked me up.  We do all the paying, she has all the fun.  As it should be, I suppose.


Today was the big Butterfly Release 2011.  Hanna received a butterfly kit when she was 4 or 5 years old.   We've continued the tradition the past dozen years.

We had a good crowd on hand, including coco, who was quite interested in what was going to happen.


We turned it this way and that to try to get them to fly out


She had a real close encounter with this one -


We had four beautiful painted lady butterflies.


As usual they all flew out and headed straight for the neighboring yards, lol.

This is the look of bafflement and disappointment.


I hope you had it great First Day of Summer!
Graduation is Thursday, I can't wait.

20 comments:

Judy in Michigan said...

Congratulations to the parents of the graduate! I think they deserve extra points for raising such a beautiful (I'm sure she is) and bright young woman. Best wishes to her - Miami of Ohio is a wonderful school!! Love the butterfly idea.

libbyquilter said...

happy 1st day of summer and what a great way to celebrate it by releasing butterflys~!
that baby quilt is great and i love the way that the middle star stands out.
the skinny cow treats look good but what i really gotta know is where oh where did you get that thimble goodie container~!?!~

:-)
libbyQ

Karen said...

Oh I have to laugh....I work in the Bursar's Office and love the wording on the envelope! Think I may have to pitch this one to my boss...

Taryn said...

I think Coco's look of bafflement and disappointment is better than guilt and smugness at having chewed up an innocent butterfly. Congratulations on the upcoming graduation. We just celebrated no longer being the payers of tuition. It is actually bittersweet.

Quilts And Pieces said...

What an absolute perfect baby quilt! It is perfect! That is the size baby quilt I normally make too!

Dawn said...

Good to know you like the valance/design wall - have had my eye on one....
We are done with the "Payer of Tuition..." mail...TTF.

Like the size suggestion for the stroller quilt.
Thanks!

antique quilter said...

congrats to Hannah, so exciting...
what a nice tradition....
love the baby quilt oh that design wall I had been thinking of getting a portable one, like this idea better.
ok love that Thimble, where oh where did you find that!
thanks for the snack tips will have to look for the skinny cow now that the summer and ice cream weather is here...
Kathie

QuiltSue said...

I love the looks on Coco's face in your photos. Her expressions really tell the story of the one that got away somehow.

Janet said...

Love the bay quilt and the chocolate, lol. Of course congratulations to your Daughter and you for getting her to this point. I think that you have such a lovely tradition with the butterflies and Coco looks like he's trying to figure it all out.

Crispy said...

What a wonderful tradition, it's a shame that they don't hang out in your pretty yard!! Coco cracks me up, it's rather rude that they didn't stay to play with her.

Love the baby quilt :0)

Crispy

Me and My Stitches said...

I really love your baby quilt - the center block with the 4 patch really adds to it. Coco is beautiful!

Pinkadot Quilts said...

It is kind of a cool...the butterlies flying off, your daughter flying off to college. What a sweet traditiion!

Thimbleanna said...

A loaded post! I chuckled at your rendition of the look of disappointment -- I'd be disappointed too, if my babies flew away. (Oh wait ... they did LOL.)

A pull down design wall? Have we heard about this before? I've debated about getting a portable design wall, but I haven't seen the pull down variety before.

Congratulations to you graduate! She's going to Love Miami. If you ever decide to take a detour to Shipshewana on your way back home, let me know. ;-)

And finally (whew!) -- LOVE that baby quilt!

Maureen said...

What a sweet baby quilt! I'm sure they will love this gift.
Wonderful way to celebrate summer! Butterflies are so fun to watch - so elegant.
I think Coco wants to get into those flower beds! That cool soil would feel good on her belly.

Pat said...

Perfect baby quilt for the newest little Army dependent! It will be treasured as they move around from base to base.

Absolutely love your secret stash for the sewing room...one must have chocolate to provide quilting energy!

Jan said...

The butterfly project looks like it was fun; I've not heard of that before. Gorgeous birdbath in those photos!
Your baby quilt top is great - very fresh-looking with so much background.

Jan said...

Oh yes, we can pay the tuition, but we can't see the grades! I remember those days!

Sandra Henderson said...

Congratulations on winning some of my buttons!~send me your address...
Oh, I LOVE those butterfly things, we did that when the kids were little. FUN!!~
I have not tried skinny cow, but see the ice cream in the store. Speaking of which, just got back from Walmart, the smoke is so bad it is IN the store!!! I guess w/the doors opening and closing so much?!!? Wish I'd had my camera. It's the worst yet today.
LOVE the quilt!!!
I've been looking at those pull down design walls for a long time as a gift for someone, but now that I don't have my wall anymore at home, I'm thinking about getting one. Glad to know you are happy with it. XO

Janet said...

That is a lovely baby quilt. I agree - that is the perfect size! My 3 year old is snuggled up on the couch under her baby quilt right now. My kids have played endlessly with their baby quilts long after they're too big to sleep under them.

Ginger Scott said...

A tip for releasing painted ladies butterflies:
I have been doing it for about 12 years with my classes of 5-year-olds. Take a pansy, or other flower with a clear open center; hold the flower inside of the cage and wait for a butterfly to land on it. Slowly lift the flower and butterfly out of the cage, with your other hand lightly clasped over both. If the butterfly is interested in sipping the flower nectar you can get it to stay thered while you watch it.
Ginger