Hey Ya'll!

What a whirlwind couple of weeks!  Here's what I've been up to:

Drove 940 miles to get here, Pioneer Farm, our family farm in Illinois for a family visit and farm business meeting.

View of the Main House with the new crab apple trees.

still spinning.....

 I always have loved this garden spot hiding (sort of) the propane tank.

 There are always chores to do.  Mr. Fun with his Sister, Nancy.

We (with our farm partner) grow Corn & Soybeans

 Yum - CULVERS BUTTER BURGERS!!!

 We took lots of rides on the Gator.

A view from the front porch where I spend my mornings....

We went to see Hamilton!!!  woo hoo!!!
My Andrew started it all for me with the soundtrack.

Can you tell I'm excited?  The Show was FABULOUS.  We drove home through the night afterward (16 hours)  - but it was worth it!

Look who else was there to see the show?  Cynthia (wabi-sabi Quilts blog)   click the link to read about her trip.

Two East Coast Quilters meeting in Chicago for Hamilton. Cray.

State street was so pretty with these color changing lights and flowers.  It really is a great street.

after being home a couple of days we moved Hanna to D.C.

More road trip food.....yum and ouch.

 Here was the weather on Sunday. 

The key to NOT needing ponchos, is to go to THREE STORES to get them. ha ha.  We had a rain reprieve while unloading the cars.

Mr. Fun has put this bed together so many times.  What a hero.

 She has found a great spot - and she'll be back for the fair in a couple of weeks.

So now I'm doing homework for my fall teaching and lecturing schedule.  

 I'll post my schedule next time and on my FB page.  Lots of circle counting for my new Lollipop Garden workshop.

and supply making.

Back soon with some beautiful quilts I saw in Illinois.

xo

Planes, Cars and Boats

Howdy.  I recently returned from a very busy Labor Day getaway with Mr. Fun.    While away I was able to have a little photo shoot of this quilt that I made for Hanna in 2011 for her high school graduation.  It's called Tropical Breeze.  You can see the original post here (which has better quality photos).

The pool at the farm with the hibiscus seemed a good location.

I finished my Alice Payne Eagle block at 25,000 feet on the way to Seattle.  I was surprised that my stitching turned out so well after drinking a WHOLE BOTTLE of wine lol.

While in Seattle we had an awesome power boat ride, an exciting sail and some paddling in a kayak.  My Brother and Sister In Law have a wonderful fleet of boats and water toys.

Here we are sailing to Bainbridge Island.  You can see Seattle on the right.  Look how far we are heeled over - yikes!

We stopped at Pioneer Farm in Illinois for a few days.   Here is a InstaGram collage I posted.  So happy that the implement shed has a new sleeve.  It looks like new!

I'd say this corn is as high as an elephants eye - I'm 5'3"

Bow Tie Swap Update
Looks like everyone is doing well with the bow tie blocks.  I know some people who are making them even though they are not in the swap.  They are so fun and fast.  I'm starting to receive them and they look great.

Civil War Swapper, Barbara, posted these 2 cute bow tie quilts she made for her twin grandchildren.  Pop over and visit her blog to see what else she has including a stunning star quilt she's working on.

Katy who is also a swapper posted this great bow tie quilt on her blog.  She is a very prolific blogger - check it out here.

Did you know that I have a designated Fun With Barb Facebook group?  Everyone is welcome to join.  It is a place where anyone can post photos of swap blocks and quilts.  I'll be posting my fall schedule there soon.

Thank you all so much for your wonderful and generous comments on my Reconciliation Quilt post.  It is so encouraging to hear from so many readers!

Farm Report

Hot and Humid with a Chance of Family Fun!

I'm back from my time at Pioneer Farm in Illinois.  It's a family place that we are lucky enough to enjoy due to the foresight of my late mother and father in law, Geraldine and Blair.  Here are two other posts I've done on the farm.  This one is summer and this one is winter.

Happy Birthday to me!!  Mary brought me two antique R/W quilt tops!   They will be a nice remembrance of our recent trip to Paducah where we saw a great lecture on R/W quilts.

Bear Paw is 70"x82"   the HST quilt is 66"x82"

They are both hand pieced and I would label their condition as Tender but not Fragile. (fra-geee-ly)

Does anyone know the name of the set of the Half Square Triangle quilt?
Here is how she pieced and set the blocks.

This is how I would have done it:

Curious, huh?

Here are three quilts made bySheila.  She used my fan stencil for machine quilting on the far left star quilt.  She also suggests I do a little tutorial on how to mark it.

Sheila's Nine Patch from a little swap we had - love this!

My Step mother in law, Mary's, Prairie Garden.  It was her vision to covert this lawn area by the outer barns into an Illinois prairie.  It blooms from early spring through late fall with different flowers and plants.  It is hard to capture it, but it is wonderful.

I made a few different table displays.  This is one with green apples from the front yard.

This is the view that I LOVE when I'm at the farm.  So Simple.  So Inspiring.

On the way to the farm, we stopped at Ralphie's house in Cleveland.  Here is a sneak peak of a post I'll be doing at Christmastime.  

Here is Andrew and Hanna's BF, David, playing with BB guns a the farm.   The only thing we killed were cans.  Yes, that is a real Red Rider BB Gun in the lower left corner - so funny!

Thanks for making to the end.  I will be back with a 4th of July post.   and a few more farm photos.  Hopefully I will soon be backing sewing.......what's sewing???

Happy Friday Everyone!

Postcard From The Edge (of nowhere)

Greetings!  I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas.

Pioneer Farm 2010 (we don't have this much snow this year)

I have escaped the Northeast to spend time with family and freinds at Pioneer Farm in Illinois.  I had a one day delay in Columbus due to blizzard conditions but we made it.   I love to return to the Midwest farm region to take in the big skies and fresh air.

Barns at sunrise (2010)

Here are the Christmas projects I made with the Nevermore fabric.  Composition Notebook Covers -

I made 6 to give as gifts and one prototype to keep.  I adjusted the pattern width by reducing it 1/2 inch for a tighter fit.  I used this blog post to make them.

It was a bit like making 6 little quilts.

I added a label to inside back cover.

For my friend, Diane, I made an oversized mug rug.  I knew she would love the fabric.  (sorry bad photo lighting)

I used this piano print for the backing of hers.

Well, I'm off to boot up and take a walk in the woods with my puppy.

Enjoy the last couple of days 2012!