Merry Day After Christmas!!

Oh I hop you all had a wonderful day yesterday - I know some were filled with family and others with quilting!  Ours had a little mini blizzard pass though, and leave us covered in ice!

Walking dogs this morning ( in the dark as well) was a crunchy slippery experience! Ha - but I survived.

Right before the Day - I even finished!! all of my Mystery Clues!

After the making of the Pumpkin Pies - I got them all cut out!!

After the making of the Strawberry Pretzel salad - I got them stitched

and PS

 my Mom or Mother in law always makes this salad - and I did it this year

and it was EDIBLE!!! Ha!!

and because I am actually keeping up

here's an ALL clue shot!

Wednesday was the Winter Solstice

Last year we were jut beginning our RIcky Timms Photography class - and we were told to take a photo on the solstice

This year he gave us the same assignment and I headed out to the same place.

The reason - I wanted to see how far I had come

And although I LOVE my old solstice photo - I did edit it a bit

This one - Straight out of  the camera

To me - that is a great thing, I have learned so much on how to use my camera first to set things up - so it made me happy!!

The LinkUps

Bonnies Quiltville Mystery

KEvin the Quilter ( we are doing the mystery in Patriotics together)

Cooking Up Quilts

Patchwork Times

Love Laugh Quilt

2017 Blogging/Planning Party

Don't Laugh....

I am planning.... yep - me....   The fly by the seat of my Pants QDD girl...is thinking about a plan!

Alright - in reality I always have goals, but very rarely do I tell people about them....

But Quilting JetGirl is hosting a Blogging planning party, and I thought - well - let's see what I can write down....

Here we go:

• Write 3 Mystery Quilt patterns for MysteryQuilts 4 Military : ( This is my Yahoo group - we do a mystery quilt that fits the requirements of a Quilt of Valor, with the intent that the quilt will be awarded to a Veteran - here is the link https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/MysteryQuilts4Military/info  just in case you want to join in: )  and you can see some of the older ones we have done here

• Finish 12 UFO's this year - Judy at Patchwork Times is going to host a UFO draw and I think I'll join in - I'm not sure how many UFO's I have - and I refuse to count - but I am sure I can find 12 of something to do!

• Participate in the Rainbow Scrap Challenge with Angela at SuperScrappy. I have done this for 2 years, and didn't get to in 2016 - so I want to step back in for 2017

• Quilt/Piece 12 Quilts of Valor - this is a goal I always try to do, and usually I do more - but to know I have a minimum keeps me moving ( i did 28 in 2014, and 33 in 2015, and forgot to count in 2016.... hmmmm I see a trend ha ha)

• Continue hosting a QOV show on the blog - I am not sure if it will be weekly as it has been for the last gazillion years, or if I will change it to monthly.  My group produces a LOT of Quilts of Valor, and you all make some amazing ones..... so we will have to see about the timing

• Continue to share my photography on the blog

• and make time to Hike and see the state!

There you go!! I am linking up with Quilting JetGirl and hope to remember what I told you all!!

Ha ha!!

Free Quilt Patterns ( and more)

I know I usually do QOV shows on Wednesdays - but today I wanted to highlight a Tab on the top of my blog  - and lead you that way!!

I have a tab ( surprise) of all the Quilt patterns that I have on my blog - and I updated it!!!

( Round of applause please)

I planned at the beginning of the year to do a Scrappy Block pattern and post it, and I also had planned to do some quilt patterns - now they are all listed for you to be inspired and maybe use them to make a Quilt of Valor or Two??  ( or 12 if you are really ambitious!!)

http://alyciaquilts.blogspot.com/p/free-quilt-patterns.html

That is the link - I hope you find something you like!

From So Cal QOV using the LCT Tutorial from Colorful Fabriholic

an easy strip pattern

Quitville Mystery Clue 4

Happy Monday!!!
Our weekend was Oh So Cold!!! and we headed out to watch my son play basketball.

Down in Denver they got way more snow than we did, but most of the roads were plowed well enough to drive - until you got to the one right by the school .  ( in the snow plow drivers defense - we were WAY early in the morning)

As we are turning onto the road - I scream (to my little car)  Don't get stuck - and Wrangler man yells at me to gun it.... and we made it - who knew you would need to go 4 wheelin' in town - ha ha!!!

On to the Mystery!!!

This is Clue #3 .... and I am going to be the first to tell you - I made a new Design Element with these - and my fingers are crossed they will be ok!!  I didn't read well - and I didn't read that you were supposed to use a light and a dark (Purple is my Navy)   and so!! They are all dark.....

We will see what happens????

and because it makes me happy - Clue 1-3

And then...... Clue 4

Remember the basketball thing?

Yep - it was ALL day

and when we got home - we had chores to do, and then it was bedtime

since I am sure you want to see my kid?

He is the one in White ;-)

( and I took that photo - I am just so happy!!!)

Alright!! The deets!!

The Quiltville Mystery can be found here:

EnProvence Mystery

and you can find my buddy in crime ( and quilts)

also doing his patriotic here

Kevin the Quilter

Happy Quilting!!!!

Linking to:

Quiltville

Love Laugh Quilt

PatchWork Times

Cooking Up quilts

Em's Scrap Bag

Last Retreat Day

The last day of the Quilt retreat was a short but sweet morning - I stitched till 9 am then headed down the mountain.


BUT!!! If you know me well, it was not a straight shot down for me... there were so very many trails to discover and , well, take a photo or three......

This block is now finished and was a test - 

Mama Sparks is going to host a Quilt A long for 2017 and I wanted to see if I could use this as a leader ender project. So it was my Leader ender for the retreat - and I finished enough to make one whole block..... so it is feasible

And then.... My Outdoor Photos!!

This mountain was right outside

I saw it every day in the windows 

my Quilting pals love me - they set me at a table facing this!!!!

And there were mountain streams to explore

And pretty trails to walk up.....

All in all - not a bad place to rejuvenate!!

The Betty D - the QOV mystery Quilt

Good Morning!!!

I would like to introduce you to....

The Betty D

The Betty D is the latest Mystery Quilt

that we just finished over at Mystery Quilts 4 Military

( a yahoo group)

This is the 4th Mystery that I have created for the group 

and we have a lot of fun!

Why is it called the Betty D you wonder?

Betty D is the wife of a WWII Veteran who recieved a Quilt of Valor,

and she decided to start stitching for us

She is a mass producer of 9 patches!

This quilt is now in pattern form for you!

It included full instructions for both the

Scrappy Version ( above)

and the Two Color Version

(below)

you can Find this pattern at both my 

Etsy Shop

and my 

Craftsy Store

All three of these are Quilts of Valor

The top one was pieced and quilted by me

The Green and White one Sharon Tested and I quilted

and the Tan one Marilyn Tested and I quilted

Linking to:
Confessions of a Fabric Addict
TGIFF hosted by Sparrow in Flight
Ft Worth Fabric Studio
Finished or Not Finished at Busy Hands

Life on the Ranch - Fences

This is my East Pasture

We are working on a new project

and a new plan for it - that required some fencing on the west side

(below)
Directly from here ( where I am standing)

To there - (the end of the horizon)

It's not asking too much is it?

So my sons

( My wonderful awesome sons)

Pitched in, along with their Dad and we set posts

and strung a guide wire

and got our H Posts all set

( this adds structure and stability on long long long fences)

Plus - since I am the one that planned it - 

there may have been a crook or two in it

Apparently I can't walk straight....

but well ---- 

See that red pickup?

That is my sons

and he is just so kind to let me load all of the T posts

and wood posts in it

( well and , he didn't know it till he came home, but he was nice about it!)

(below)

I'm not sure what we were doing right here - 

but I liked the horizon

and the fact that all of them are in Sweatshirts!

In Winter!!

Up to here we have the H posts, a few Wood posts and a wire strung

You string the wire first - so that you can pound the T posts in along it,

and hopefully make a straight fenceline

Remember Hopefully - cuz - well - I helped ( A lot!!)

Mystery Clue 3 and Retreat!

Happy Monday Morning - hope you survived your weekend.... I'm thinking I barely did.......  ha ha

BUT!!  I finished all of Clue 2 and got started on Clue 3 of the EnProvence Mystery!!!
It's over at Quiltville  just in case you didn't know - I think it might be all over the quilting internet ;-)

So there is all of Clue #2 in it's glory!!

and Clue #3  - Hot off the presses!!!!

And look - 50 of them all bundled up!!!

( yes - I still have more to go, but that is what keeps me going all week!)

I'm Linking to

KEVIN THE QUILTER  

too - he is also doing his in patriotics!!

and to

Quiltvilles Link up

And on to Retreat Day 3

I am home now - but this is what I did for Day 3 of my Quilting Retreat

Here it is growing on the design wall

where I found a repeater!!  I moved him!!

And ta da!!!

The finish!

It is called Tortilla Strips

It is an Atkinson Design Pattern

Her stuff is so crazy easy to follow and work on!

I think this finished at 60 ish by 80 ish 

(it's already in my quilting queue!! so its downstairs!)

Linking to:

Patchwork Times

Cooking Up Quilts

Love Laugh Quilts

Ems ScrapBag

FreeMotion by the river

Retreat Day 2 Continued

So!!!  After finishing my Quilt in a Bag and my Nine Patch - I decided on a more Geometric Quilt!!

A Spiderweb Quilt!!

(Free pattern found here: http://www.maryquilts.com/spiderweb-quilt/  )

I made all my stippie blocks

( And drank more water)

And then I diagonaled them

( And drank more water)

Then I made them into fun blocks

( and drank more water)

and finally I started sashing them!!!

and you couldn't stop there 

I rowed them

( and drank more water)

And added a cool scrappy Blue border

( and drank more water)

And then it was night time

and I kept my roommates awake all night

making trips to the bathroom

( and drinking more water)

linking to: NTT Thrusday
COnfessions of Fabric Addict
Anja Quilts ( TGIFF)
Fort Worth Fabric Studio
Busy Hands Quilts
SCraptastic Tuesday

Quilts of Valor December.....

Happy December!!!  

I know it's holiday time and  a lot of folks are getting Christmas Gifts ready - but I hope you will still find a little inspirations, and Ideas for a Quilt of Valor!!

Below

Made by Paula D

Especially for a VietNam Veteran

Another made by Paula D

Below

Field of Stars
Made and quilted by Alycia

(pattern can be found here:

https://www.craftsy.com/profile/quiltygirl    )

I believe these were made by the Mollahan girls

 And pillowcases!!

Everything is just so beautiful

and so appreciated!

Have a Quilty Day!!

Retreat Day 2

Are you ready to  see my Day Two projects?  I was told to take at least one project for each day..... so I obliged!!!

Julie over at http://quiltdivajulie.blogspot.com/  

sent me this precut Quilt in a Bag .... and I started in!!

Prepping the squares

and stitching along!!

We were up at high elevations - so we had an official "Drink" person

It was so cute - every so often she would yell Drink!

And we would all take big glugs of our water.

No one wanted to get altitude sickness - and staying hydrated was the best way to counteract it

I might have drank enough water though - that I was swimming!!

After all the blocks were sewn this was the layout I decided on

and by adding border

it is 64 x 64

But!!! I wasn't finished yet!!! 

This took me through Day 1 and a little of Day 2 - so I started another project......   

You'll have to come back to see it.....

Linking to:
FreeMotion by the River