Santas Workshop

Hello Out There!  This is sadly a no-sew post.  We've been busy with other Christmassy stuff as I'm sure you are too.

The 2016 Craft Project was........Shower Tabs to Steam Away Colds.  Everyone pretty much guessed bath salts which was close.

They were fun to make and smell wonderful.

Giveaway Winners: Alicia B (even though she commented on FB and not officially here and cause we're friends).  I also picked at random from those who guessed bath salts or bombs and Janet O was the winner!  Send me your home addresses and santa will bring them your way.

I made my own labels with Avery.  Did you know that you can print your own at home through their website? they have a gazillion designs.  So easy!

 And here they are ready for gifting.

I love setting up crafting stations here in the DR.  Hanna is busy assembling our guild favors.

 We decided a little "treat" was more fun this year than the same old recycled FQs.

While ordering Christmas Stamps I saw this on the USPS website and all I could say is "Merry Christmas Barb".  

 This came as is, fully framed, for $39. with the newly minted stamps.  I just love it!

 It was released the day before my Birthday last year.  How fun.

 I've hung it in the "Hall of Presidents"  which I need to do a post on.  You can see some of my collections of  Lincoln here.

I found a vintage tablecloth at the antique mall.  These are almost always card table size and imagine they were used for bridge parties or bunko.

Here is a video of the windowsill Hanna and I arranged in our kitchen.  We wanted a theme that would work through February.  We bought almost everything at the Dollar Store and most of it is Plastic but I think it looks like a million bucks......ha ha....get it?

Hope you are enjoying all the sights, smells and sounds of the Holiday season.   

I'll be back soon to share a Christmas quilt that I made start to finish in 2 weeks.  

xo

Civil War Wonderfulness

Of course I know that the Civil War was NOT wonderful.  Having said that, it has provided our country with an indelible historic saga of struggle, heartache, loss and ultimately redemption and pride.  I have a strong passion for all aspects  of Abe Lincoln and the Civil War and the quilts that were created during this time.

Here is my quilt:  Thane of Cawdor (from Macbeth) made in 2006.  Many of these blocks were swapped with friends in Illinois.

And my latest:  Reconciliation - made with last years FunWithBarb swap.

On my recent trip to the Garden State Quilters, Barbara presented me this copy of a piece created by her grandfather, Stan Bower, in 1930.  When she was in grade school these were passed out to every student on Presidents Day.  I am overwhelmed to have such a lovely gift.  This is Hand Lettered folks!  I intend to frame and display it in my home.

Here is a link to her blog where she posted about a special civil war quilt and go here to read about her grandfathers Lincoln artwork.

Last Saturday, the American Quilt Study Group, New England Region, had a study day the New England Quilt Museum in Lowell, MA.  It was a wonderful day of civil war history.   We enjoyed a lecture, admired the special Sesquicentennial quilt exhibit and shared show and tell.  We also discussed the 2017 AQSG Seminar, which will be in New Hampshire.

Here are lots of photos from the day - I am so sorry that I have not included the names of those photographed.

It was so wonderful to have some of the quilt makers in attendance to tell us about their quilts.

Show and tell - a small sampling.  When I'm ogling, I forget to photograph.

Bonus - I met fellow blogger and BB SIATW Cynthia of wabi-sabi quilts!

It was a great day filled with new quilting friends and lots of inspiration.....then this happened.  The Barb Mobile needed a new battery - STAT.  My hybrid was totally dead.

After a little hand sewing in the car, Mr. AAA came and fixed me right up with a brand new battery.  AAA is a traveling girls best friend.

Viewer Mail (again)
I have been overwhelmed with kindnesses!  Thank you Nancy, Debbie and Lori

Laurie, Diane and Rondi

Thank you all for your sweet surprises and thoughtfulness.  I'm sure my mailman wonders just what is going on around here.

Finally - a special thank you to all the GSQ members who came out for dinner, the lecture and workshop.   It was a treat to see so many quilt friends!

Framing Lincoln

Since it was Presidents Day on Monday, I decided to finish up a little quilt that I started last year.

Mr. Lincoln:

This may seem quite simple, but when only a few fabrics are used, I find it quite challenging to pick just the right ones.  Notice it is log cabin style piecing :)

On the back I used a toile' with a river scene.  In the foreground is a flat boat, much like the one that Abe traveled down to deliver goods to New Orleans.

You can see with the spool of thread in this photo that it is quite small.

I was inspired by this little quilt that my friend, Susan McD made with the first four Presidents.  Isn't it great?

This week I started reading "The Invention of Wings", Sue Monk Kidd.   You can click here for the page on Amazon.  It is a story of a slave girl and her abolitionist "owner".   There are references to patchwork quilting, and also primitive applique' - my favorite!

Happy Friday everyone and enjoy the weekend - Closing Ceremonies on Sunday!

Thinking Spring

The groundhog says that spring is coming.  I have seen the signs.  It is light out until 5:00 pm and this morning I heard birds chirping and coco didn't just sit on the back steps, she laid down.

I hosted a sew day last week and my friend, Pauline, brought me this lovely yellow primrose.  I popped it into an empty tea tin for a instant little display.

We decided to get together and make this "pin minder".

It's from a book called "Bird in Hand" by Renee' Plain.  It has wonderful projects.

Here are the leaves and berries, cut from hand dyed wools.

We had a wonderfully sunny day to work.

We each completed the cylinder part and we'll get together again to finish it up.  Isn't it funny how with the same pattern they each have their own little personalities?

From the top it's mine, middle is Susan's and Pauline's is the red bird.  She is originally from South Africa and finds the Cardinal amazing when she sees them at my feeder.

I'm currently working on 2 challenge quilts and a doll quilt swap, so I can not share those at the moment.   I'm finishing up marking my Abe Lincoln quilt and hope to start machine quilting it this week.  I've chosen a different design for each round.

I hope you are enjoying fun quilting projects while you wait for spring!