Quilting Gallery, Lemon Tree, Packing Packing Packing....

Well, I'm almost packed for our trip, I haven't done it in so long I forget how.  I keep taking things out, and putting things back.  I really need to stop drinking coffee, it's making me take things out and put them back faster, and we're going to try to sleep starting at 7pm tonight....we're leaving at 3am.  Which means getting up at 2am.  Are we crazy?  Wait, don't answer that.

I have to show you what Fiona at BubzRugz did.  She made my Lemon Tree quilt, BRILLIANTLY.

Don't you just love the colors!!!!!!!!!  Fiona, I love it even more than the original, that blue is wonderful!!!  It really makes the lemons POP!

And speaking of Lemon Tree, I've entered it in this week's contest at Quilting Gallery.  The theme this week is Leaves, Trees and Flowers, and there are some wonderful entries!  You can vote for up to four quilts this week.  I'd love it if you vote for mine, but please don't if you prefer four other ones!  I'd rather have an honest vote than a "just because".  Go look at the awesome selections - great eye candy.  I love the weekly contest because I find new blogs and gorgeous quilts!  Check them out here.

I think that's it.  Wait - if you order Sailor's Delight sometime between now and Tuesday morning [Sept 4, EST] you won't get it in your inbox until sometime Tuesday.  I'm not taking my computer with me.  I'll see you with [hopefully] lots of pics when I get back, have a wonderful weekend everyone!

I just noticed that my pattern page is gone - no idea why - I'll figure it out when I get back.  Yikes.

Birthdays And Stuff

Hey, how's that for a catchy title?  *G*  Saturday [yesterday] was my youngest son's 18th birthday....it totally amazes me that my kids get older and I don't.  No clue how that works, just glad of it.



We went out for dinner at Bob Evans, and guess who came with us...



Yep, mum.  They had a straw war.  You know, blowing your straw paper at each other across the table....sigh.  SHE taught them that.

Hubby made a nice chocolate cake that I couldn't have.



It smelled wonderful, and I'm so glad they ate it all up so I wouldn't be tempted any more.

Now for the other stuff.  Next weekend, this coming Saturday, my two boys and I and my mum are heading to New York City.  I can't believe we're actually doing it, we've talked about it for months now.  We're staying at a hotel in Secaucus, NJ, and taking the bus into the city.  I need those of you who have been there to tell me what I shouldn't miss....I know we're going to Central Park, the Garment District, possibly Chinatown, Times Square, Broadway, and other than that I have no clue.  I do believe there is a quilt shop somewhere, does anyone know the name of it?

You know, I grew up reading books about children who lived in New York, and always wanted to see it....this is a dream come true!  If there are any must-sees on your list, I'd love for you to share!  The ONLY bummer is that my camera is broken.....wah....

It's Time!

Give-away time, that is!  Are you ready?  Let's get the jar....



Ok, it's a pitcher.  Let's fill it up with names....



Give it a good shaking, and pull out a name....



And it's Sunny, from Quilting Dreams!!!  Sunny, your pattern will be on its way shortly!  Congratulations!

I want to thank you all for playing along with me - if you would like to purchase the pattern, you can get it in my store!  I still can't believe I'm saying "my store", lol....

And I have to tell you, I'm amazed at the number of folks who have never cooked a whole chicken, I don't feel quite so odd anymore, lol!  I thought I'd be the last hold-out on the planet.  You all made me feel so much better!

Random Thoughts On A Thursday

Now, folks, I am not a cook.  I think it's time that could better spent sewing, truthfully.  All that work, folks eat it in five minutes, then you have to wash dishes?  Sigh.  So today, for the first time ever, I boiled a whole chicken.

One word.  YUCK!

Hubby does our turkey every year, brilliantly.  I'm happy to let him.  But cooking a whole chicken....first you have to give it a bath, and take out whatever it is it's wearing internally....then boil it....then you have to let it cool...then you have to touch really gross things and remove them while the dog climbs your legs...I'm sorry, I've seen things today no quilter should ever have to look at.

And that was only the first step!  I made a casserole with the chicken.  Of course, I now have more chicken for next week...but still.  UGH.  If any of you do this on a regular basis, you have my utmost admiration.

Have I told you my camera is broken?  Yes, I'm very sad.  The shutter button fell off, and about three hundred little parts fell out of the opening.  I'm using my son's Nikon CoolPix.  I like the little size, but I don't like the way the pics turn out.  That's why there's no pics of my chicken here.  But then, thought you really wouldn't want to see it anyway....you can thank me now.

I guess that's it.  There's a few more hours left to get in on my give-away, I hope I remember  - please someone remind me.  I'm exhausted from my domestic duties.  I'm heading over to Pinterest to do some massive, relaxing pinning....meanwhile, for your viewing pleasure, here are some funnies.....

Introducing Allieoops Designs

Well folks, it's time for a sea change around here, I'm diving into the deep end and I couldn't be happier.  I'd like to introduce my very first ever pattern for sale....

Sailor's Delight



It's a small wallhanging, with all the vintage charm I so love.  Frolicking dolphins, sailboats, a lighthouse standing guard, free-wheeling seagulls and an old sailor's saying to boot.  I wanted it to look like a favorite page from a beloved children's story book, put into a frame and hung on the wall; and that's exactly what it reminds me of.

You'll find Sailor's Delight on my Patterns page, at the top of the blog.  The price is $4.00 US, and I'm praying I got the button on right.  I don't sew buttons on my clothes, but I hope I can put one on my blog!  Payment is through Paypal, and I'll email you the pdf file as soon as I receive notification of payment, or at least within 24-48 hours.  I do have to sleep sometimes, I guess.

EDIT:  I now have a store at Big Cartel, linked on the patterns page.  Still no clue what I was doing wrong with paypal, but Big Cartel is linked to paypal and everything will work the same.  I also have a link on my sidebar, My Store.  Thanks!

So what brought this on, you say?  Oh, you don't?  Well, I'm going to tell you anyway.  *G* If you've been hanging around here, you know I've been looking for a job...and like most folks these days, not finding one.  So I've decided I would try doing what I love, which is creating designs.

I have to say that it's a bit nerve-wracking, this jumping into deep waters.  But I'm terribly excited as well with my new venture.  And because I love you all so much, and have you to thank for giving me confidence, I'm going to celebrate by having a give-away.  Leave me a comment, and one of you will be picked by the old paper in a jar method to win a free pdf pattern of Sailor's Delight!  The give-away will end Thursday at midnight, [my time] and I will announce the winner on Friday morning, Eastern Standard Time.

You don't have to blog it, you don't have to do anything but leave a comment.  I love you, my dear followers, and want to make it easy.  Thank you so much for all of your encouragement over the last 3 1/2 years - you are all the best!

World's Best [Biggest] Street Party

That's where we went today.  The Woodward Dream Cruise.  Fasten your seat belts, we took lots of pics.



16 miles, 50,000 classic cars, 1.5 million visitors from around the globe – New Zealand, Japan, Australia, Russia, England among them.  A couple was just interviewed on our local news, they’re from New Zealand and are back for their second year.  Last year they bought a classic car, drove it to California, and had it shipped home.  This year, they bought another one and will do it again.

These guys did it right - had a picnic table in the back of the truck, just chillin'.



Woodward Avenue is also known as Highway 1.  The first paved highway in the United States, it was lined with drive-in restaurants and popular shops, and quickly became a cruising mecca for hot rods.  My mum remembers cruisin’ on Woodward.  In 1995, a small group of volunteers looked to recreate the good ol’ days while raising money to create a soccer field in a local city, and 250,000 people came – ten times what they expected.  It has quickly grown to become the world’s largest automotive event and street party.

This guy was cruisin' with his doors up.



Cars line both sides of the divided highway, while others cruise.  The smell of exhaust is intoxicating.




With special cars in the grassy median.





I think there is every type of car ever made.





Including the Batmobile.






I know, it's not a quilt show.  We'll get back to quilting soon, promise.  But look...look at that.





And the weather - 76F.  Could not have bought a better day.




This was a BelAir TRULY set up for cruisin'.







After we cruised for awhile, we ended up here....



with all these guys.




Gotta love a drive-in restaurant.  Too bad I couldn't have a rootbeer float this year.
See ya soon.....I'm going to go dream of seeing the USA in my Chevrolet...

Half-Square Triangles, My Way

Not that I made this up - I saw it online somewhere and it looked easy.  No bias edges to sew.  Wendy had asked me to show how I do them, so this is especially for her.

First, I cut 5 inch squares.  I wanted my contrast fabric to be white.



Then I take one white square and one colored square and lay them right sides together.



Using my 1/4" foot, I stitch around all sides, leaving no opening -



Not sure if you can see it really well, but all four sides have a seam.



Then it's over to the cutting table.  Using my ruler and rotary cutter, I cut on the diagonal, from corner to corner.



Without moving the fabric, I then cut on the diagonal from the other corner.



And end up with four little triangles.



I finger-press them open,



And trim off the little corners that stick out with scissors.



Making 5 inch squares, I end up with 3 inch half-square triangles.  Although I think they should be called half-triangle squares.  But that may be due to brain fog.  *G*

If you want bigger hst's,  all you have to do is make bigger squares at the start.  Don't ask me to do the math.  As for putting them together, if you google hst quilts, you'll find hundreds of different patterns.    I like this method best of all I've tried.

And now I'm off to finish writing a pattern before another busy weekend - I hope you all have a great one!

EDIT:  Robin sent me a great link for figuring out what size squares to start with - thanks Robin!  Link is HERE.

Also, I don't notice much stretch with this method - it works fine for me!