Christmas panel

I saw this lovely preprinted gold on red christmas panel made by Stonehenge and knew  I had to have one for my home.  I bordered it with gold trim and embellished the tree with hundreds of rhinestones that sparkle when the light dances off them.  It is beautiful and they also come with a green background if you prefer.

Log Cabin baby quilt for customer

Another quilt for a customer made from her Dad's old shirts.  I made this a reversible quilt also.  Log Cabins on one side and a neutral colored patchwork quilt on the back of it.   She wanted a ' Margaritaville' patch from his old sweatshirt included on the front of the quilt so I awkwardly placed it in a corner although I was not crazy about the idea.  It's HER quilt!

String quilt for a customer

A gal with her deceased Dad's shirts wanted a couple of quilts made to memorialize him.  She likes the traditional quilt look....scrappy and patchwork looking.   This is the first quilt I finished for her in the style of a string quilt.  I used half of the scraps I was able to salvage from her Dad's shirts.  The other half are being used in the next quilt for her which will be a log cabin.
I made this a reversible quilt so there is a quilt on both sides. These are the two sides of one quilt.  The string quilt is the main quilt and the large scrappy squares below are the back of the quilt.

I lost my beautiful little Molly 9/22/2013

Molly was the sweetest little Maltese dog with a happy tail and a loving disposition.  The perfect companion.  So smart, she always let you know what she needed.  She would stand in front of you and stare at you at 5:00 oclock for her dinner in case you might forget.  She would stand up and put her paws on your legs to let you know she needed to go outside and do her duty.  She warned you when someone was at the door and she became anxious when you got ready to go someplace in the car for she feared she might be left home.  She was never left at home.  She was our constant companion.  She was the perfect companion for 13 years.  I knew her time was probably growing short but didn't dwell on that.  It happened in one day.  She only had to suffer for one day.  I think she had a heart attack.  She died in my arms.  We miss her so much.  Everything in this house and outside reminds us of her.  She was as much a member of my family as any of my children.  You invest a lot of love in your pet and they give back so willingly and eagerly.  They accept you on your terms and do not judge you or stay mad at you.  They love you unconditionally.  It's no wonder that your heart breaks when they are taken from you.  I will love her forever and miss her forever.  I love my Molly so much I think that my heart will never recover.  Rest in peace sweet friend.

                                                    4/30/2000 - 9/22/2013
Hopi Prayer
-author unknown

Do not stand at my grave and weep. 
I am not there, I do not sleep. 
I am the thousand winds that blow. 
I am the diamond glint in the snow. 
I am the sunlight on the ripened grain. 
I am the autumn's gentle rain. 
When you awaken in the morning hush, 
I am the swift uplifting rush. 
Of quiet birds in circled flight. 
I am the soft stars that shine at night. 
Do not stand at my grave and cry; 
I am not there, 
I did not die. 

Traditional quilt out of antique blocks

A woman brought me some real old quilt blocks that she had been given and wanted them made into a traditional style quilt.  They were quite ugly with pre-60's fabrics in weird colors and I didn't know for sure what I was going to be able to do with them so just laid them out and followed my instincts.  They were 16 patch blocks and quite uneven because they had not been constructed with precision so I cut them into 4 sections and squared them up.  Then I added the brown & white polka dot sashing (because it was the only thing that seemed to calm those blocks down) and then bordered it with a blue that would compliment the blues in some of the blocks.  I think it worked.  I hope she likes it.  She paid for it.  :)  Since it's not my quilt to keep I'm not going to name it.

California Poppies

This wallhanging was commissioned by someone as a gift for her daughter.  I thoroughly enjoyed making this wallhanging although it was created on satin fabric (which I am not accustomed to working with).  I was very pleased with the end product though.  I used hand dyed Cherrywood fabrics which give the appearance of sueded cloth for the applique and border.

Spring Fling lapquilt 2013

I made this little lovely for a charity auction that benefits kids going to summer camp.

It perfectly reflects how I feel this spring 2013.  Life is good!!!!

Happy Quilt

Denise Jameson (Canada) and I collaborated on this quilt.  It's a queen size quilt with appliqued and pieced blocks.  I did all of the appliqued blocks with flowers and leaves and she did all the connecting blocks and binding as well as the quilting.  We had a lot of fun making this one.  From a pattern by Beth Ferrier called " Happy Place".

Color Me Happy

This is a quilt I made to be auctioned off to benefit a little girl who has cancer.  It's a square in a square which is one of my favorite patterns because of the color possibilities.  It's a lapsize quilt, all cotton, with some handstitched detaiing.  This quilt was sold for $175 at the fundraiser.

LecienUSA.com BOM quilt project

Lecienusa.com has a BOM quilt project I want to participate in.  It's a lovely quilt made up of appliqued roses.  The samples are pink, which I am following, but you could do them any color or many colors.  A very nice project with beautiful results.  Here is Block #1 which I have just completed.

Mug Rug

Stepdaughter Tracy turned 50 so I bought her a 50th birthday cup and made a mug rug to match.  They make fun gifts and are fun to make as well.

Little Boy Blue

This quilt is for my first great grandson, Brycen Davis McDonald.  I will be meeting him for the first time in August (2012) and I will give him his quilt then, along with hugs and kisses and coochie coos.  It's completely machine pieced and stitched in the ditch for wear and tear.  I hope he gets years of warmth from it. The top photo is of a finished quilt and the bottom is just the quilt top not yet sandwiched and completed with binding.

Rainbow Silk Tote Bag

Felt like puttering today so decided to put some beautiful silks I had in my stash to work.  I always love and use tote bags so thought that would be an easy project.  Didn't use any pattern, just drew out what I wanted it to look like and commenced to cutting and sewing and this is the finished product.  I'm quite pleased with it.  I may try making a matching vest next....and who knows what else?  Quilt runner for the bed?  Pillows?  My mind is going crazy.  Life is good!

Made another flip flop quilt because I just love those darned things.  Framed these with black and white checks and used a black and white polka dot for the sashing and binding.  All the flip flops are hand appliqued.  Machine quilting is a large meandering pattern.

I decided to applique some porch panels to hang outside and finished them in time for this spring. 2012.  I lined them with muslin but didn't put batting in the panels or quilt them as I wanted the sun to seep through during the day and give them a 'stained glass' look.    They really dress up the porch area and make me want to create more of them for variety.

Finished the quilt for my grandson Devin McDonald.  We are very proud of Devin who recently passed all the requirements and was made an Eagle Scout.  Huge accomplishment.  You have no idea what these kids go through to qualify.  He's an amazing young man.  I hope he enjoys his quilt which was made with the intention that he would drag it, wrap it, stuff it into a corner and go camping with it. 

Bill's Memory Quilt 2011

I made this quilt for my son Bill. It's a 'bookshelf' quilt with fabric photos from his life. He's very athletic so there was a large source of photos to pick from depicting his Kayaking lifestyle, rock climbing, camping, hiking, surfing and biking. He is a retired Marine Sargeant Major and is currently an IT Technician for Homeland Security. We're very proud of Bill so I hope this quilt does him justice.

Grapevine bedrunner

Arizona Sunrise quilt I made for long time friend Randy

Randy requested a landscape quilt depicting an Arizona Sunrise using the colors
plum, peach and moss.  I have to admit I was a bit intimidated at first but I'm pleased
with the finished quilt.  Art Quilts are a challenge .
March 2011

Pretty in Pink for great grandbaby Alanna McDonald

Alanna hasn't been born yet...she's due any day this week. I've made this quilt for her. She is the daughter of my grandson Seth and his wife Brandy. This is their first child. Congrats to you kids. Can't wait to see her.