UnDeR A QUiLt.....

Dearest Friends,

In case you don't see me around the town please know that I am working on a deadline for this beauty to be put into the arms of a lovely bride.....

 I think this quilt could have been a little bigger a longarmer NEVER said....lol!

Look at those pretty stars.....and the white on white quilting....my favorite......and now off I go......have a great week!!

BoOkStOrEs, QuIlT ToPs AnD PuPpIeS!

My Dearest Friends~

Today has to be one of the nicest days EVER here in New England! We have had the heat on and then off and then on again but today seems just right~

A great day to take a peek in one of my favorite bookstores in Concord Ma. They often carry the beautiful Australian magazines that I love......

 I could literally SWEEP this shelf of books right into my pocketbook.....so many good books.....

 Here is Millie Vannilly waiting for the arrival of 8 PUPS! When she is not sleeping she is looking around for a snack...lol!

 This is Frans beauty all done and ready for shipping! Batiks are a conundrum for me~They want to hide the quilting stitches from plain sight! I fold and play with the quilt to show you that I did indeed spend some time with her.....

 HiDe And sEeK...

 any threadwork??

 Ahhh...there it is...

BeHiNd ThE LoOkInG GLAsS.....

My Dearest Bloggy friends~

I have a treasure that I keep in my Quilting room and that is my grandmothers mirror...

Along with my cousins I would always stop for a quick pose in front of it when it was hanging in my grandmothers house on Clinton street. That mirror captured images of all who walked by it~my pretty aunt checking her hem before rushing off to work~my grandmother fixing her hat before church~

I'm quite certain my Dad checked his hair in it before rushing out for a date with our Mom~

I never remember my grandfather in front of it....he must have checked in with the chickens in the barn to see if his hair was alright for the day....

I grew up in front of this mirror and so you can imagine how happy I was to have it given to me years ago~ It was a wedding gift of my grandmothers so it holds, now, four generations of images.

Twenty three years ago when we were losing our home in a fire one of the Firefighters leaned out the window and asked me if there anything special he could hand out the window to me.....I said oh yes.....on the wall to your right ...is a mirror....

It was Christmas Eve and out of that window came the best. present.ever.

I walked across the icy front lawn and tucked it in the backseat of our car.

And here we are all these years later 

I rarely see myself in this mirror....I see my family. ♥E

April was full.....and good~♥

My Dearest Bloggy friends~

April was such a busy month for our family~My husband retired from the Police Dept. after a long wonderful career~ with mixed emotions but mostly relief from MY end.....

I don't think I truly appreciated how much underlying stress was involved for all these years, yet I thought I knew....

But that first Sunday drive to Maine after retirement we found ourselves COMPLETELY in the moment~ relaxing...talking...seafood...indian pudding... (only in New England..)

The world has changed since my husband was a young officer. Now a seasoned Sergeant he has seen so much...it's time...

I am so glad he is home.

This little Minnie Vinnie had a birthday.....age one.  I can't stand it...he is pure JOY! He and his brother and sister spent some time at Nana E's this April while his Mom recovered from a spinal fusion. 

We brought Mom home as well!

Here she is saying goodnight to her Vinnie who weighs just OVER the limit for lifting right now....

A cake to celebrate one week of recovery!

Remember the "pixie" quilt I made?

Well here is LUCY with her new quilt!! How cute is she?

 And for today everyone is back home in their own nests and Spring has snuck into the house by way of flowers and Kimballs~♥ We all have a minute to take a breath and get back into that moment.

SuNrIsE QuIlTiNg and Mother Millie

My Dearest Bloggy Friends,

  It was an early morning at the office today~Millie woke up at 4:30 for a quick sprint outside to pee....no fooling around at this early hour...... ....motherhood....

Quickly back up onto the couch in the toasty family room for the rest of her snooze.....

It felt really good to open up the QuIlTiNg room before the world woke up....

a perk..

a silver lining...

Frans quilt colors....so cheerful~

Hot coffee....flannel nightgown...

the job of my dreams....

I love the random piecing in this quilt~Its a bit like life,eh? We are all trying to get it just right....or at least keeping it pretty while we figure it out~♥

Millie assuming the position until further notice.....♥

Lantern Loop then ice cream then couch......An Irishwomans fitness program....

Flowers for Mary, patient Mother Millie and some "hookin"

ahhhhhhh..........Spring........

Millie is asking me, "Please take this collar off.......Sunday? Seriously?"

A special rug~

Looks who's back home.....

It's a cloudy rainy day here in New England but we have a little sunshine sitting in her favorite chair~Millie the new "Mom" has just returned from www.tipoftheshorelabradoodles.com

She is happily exhausted......

Pups due late June.....

Making Wonky Baskets in OUR Wonky World~♥

I have been waiting for a chance to make a 'Wonky Basket" quilt and finally stole some time this week as I watched with everyone our Patriots Day become a living nightmare in Boston....

My nervous energy.....perfect for these baskets.....

We have had SUCH a week trying to sort out all the news.....ending so bittersweetly this week-end with the loveliest of tributes from all over.....near and far....

So much love.....we can feel it....

Boston strong.

And so I am learning the BIGGER lesson once again, that we are ALL connected in an unbreakable way....helping our community to make it "up and over" such hard times and endure the painful growing pains as we all move closer toward one another. This Wonky World belongs to all of us.

And as a world we are closer....can you feel it?

Ebay Listings!

For sale!!! Some wonderful Homespun fabric $15.00 for the lot! ~

http://r.ebay.com/vvyVm3

Vintage Quilted Pillows of Inspiration~ http://r.ebay.com/fjruhg  
9 1/2" x 12 1/2" in size~

http://r.ebay.com/17KvHp

 http://r.ebay.com/JQo5Y5

"Catch of the day" chairpad pattern~hand drawn~finished edge~
http://r.ebay.com/ACGbSz

 http://r.ebay.com/RFerdT