The Bowling Tree

I have One More Finish to share.... and it is amazing that I kept it a secret....

I knew that my Mom would LOVE a Christmas Tree Quilt - but I was mean and made her wait till Christmas!

She got into bowling a few years ago - and found out she really likes it! and she even got my Dad playing... as long as he doesn't score better than her!

So I searched and searched and searched for bowling fabrics and finally found some that I really liked ( Thank you SpoonFlower designers)  and ta da!

These are cell phone photos - so look close - but aren't those fun?

She even picked out a few as her favorites

and I used the rest of the fabrics for a strippy background - so its really a two sided quilt

Sooooo does that count as two gifts???  ha ha!

Linked to:
TGIFFriday at Lisa In Port Hope
Finished or Not finished at Busy Hands
Can I get a Whoop Whoop at Confessions of a Fabric Addict

Christmas Tree Pattern

So many of you asked who designed the Christmas Tree Pattern - and I did try to answer a lot of you - but I decided the blog would be better.

I did!

I sat down with my trusty graph paper and started drawing - and then Calculating and then adding in errors for my stitching....

So here you go!

I decided that I wanted to use about 8 fat quarters of focus fabrics, and with that 6 inches in the best way to cut up a Fat Quarter - so each square is a 6 inch piece of fabric

I cut my Fat quarters into 6 inch strips - and used my easy angle ruler for the half squares - that way it was all strips.

I think I got about 1 1/2 yards for the background - you need 52 -  6 inch squares for the background and  16 1/2 squares for the edges.

I used the same background on all three quilts - so I could make better use of my yardage

My goal was 60 x 80 - but real math and seam allowances made them 56 x 78 ish.....

So there you go!
If you make it - share it with me - I'd love to see it!

TGIFFriday - Christmas Edition

Happy Finished Friday!!!

I am so excited to have THREE finishes today!! I worked on them in secret, and even kept it from my husband... which is a real challenge!!

I first thought about giving them as Christmas Presents.... but realized that they would look better all during the Christmas Season. BUT!! I had one small problem!  One of my kids lives out of state and we had to wait for him to get home.

He thought I was really excited to see him, but really.... it was all about me! I wanted them to open their quilts SO I COULD SHARE THEM on my blog.... ha ha ha

So here you go:

My Kids!!  ( and a little bit of mess in the background... I wanted to show real life you know - so you all wouldn't think I was perfect ......  snort snort)

Tada!! Their Christmas Quilts!!

I chose fabrics that they liked, and a theme that kinda represents this year.  Each one of them had fleece on the back - and I forgot to show you that!!

There was  Diagonal, Computers and Sharks on the fleece - so you can imagine it!

and they already covered a kid! Ha!

Now link up your latest finish ( or almost finish ) and let us see whats up!
Please use the direct link so we can visit your post directly




*****************************************************







Also linking up to:

Design Wall Monday
Monday Making

Wednesday QOV show!

Our quilters have been at it again!!

I love the creativity!!

and that they keep me so busy!!

This one was made by Joan!

I think that is a cool pattern!

The one on the left was pieced by Connie out of blocks our group made - and the one on the Right Kim did!! Isn't it cool!

And here is Kims Quilt being awarded!!

He played Santa - and was surprised!!

This next one was made by Kathy!

and Quilted by Angie

and look!!

JoAnne

( who blogs at http://nappinnanaquilts.blogspot.com )

made this one from my Inspired by Cynthia

from Cynthia 's

http://quiltingismorefunthanhousework.blogspot.com/

 quilt that inspired me!

Alycia's Inspired by Cynthia

Don't forget to come back Friday for TGIF Friday - HOSTED HERE!! Whoop Whoop and boy!
do I have a surprise for you!!

Onto the Fall Foliage Tour on the Leadville Colorado and Southern Railroad

Part 1
Part 2

and now we are on the train - riding up the mountain!! 

My favorite part was the scenery - I have to tell you Leadville and the surrounding areas is a spectacular place to see! 

are you ready for some more photos?

This particular photo is really nothing to write home about - but I liked the blur at the bottom and top - kinda proved that we were moving.

We had birds following us  - You all know me - I have my own eagles and I think they are spectacular - so I had to take this photo to show to my eagles ( just kidding - they don't get that close to me!)

We were on the open air cart sorta at the end of the train ( that became the front of the train on the way back) I thought it was so cool that we could see the engine. Can you imagine taking that turn in the winter? 

Check out how close you come to the rocks!!!

As a quilter - Color always catches my eye

I like to see how certain shade can work together - or not

I just like the shade of colors in this one.

Have you ever made a quilt in these colors?  I have not ...

As we were traveling by - we caught these folks on a zip line

Just in case you were wondering - that is on my bucket list for next summer!!!

The water tank.... Its called the French Gulch water tank and once serviced the Narrow Gauge Railroads that ran here

This was our friendly Fellow passenger. He was quite good at pointing out stuff

It was a gorgeous trip and we had a great time

We will go again next year and do the fall foliage one again

and this time.... we may even take my parents ..... if they are nice!

I'm calling this an Almost Finished Friday

Its Friday!! I love Fridays - I love checking out all the finished things other quilters have done....

Today - I have an almost finished Friday of sorts!

First off...

My Almost Finished!!! I am going Oh Sew Fast ....and I am still not done!
But that is ok!! It will be finished NEXT FRIDAY when I host http://tgiffriday.blogspot.com/ 

But this one!!

 The Cancer T Shirt Quilt

It is done

It is home with its owner

and I forgot to take a finished pic

So although it technically is finished....

 This is what I have to show you!

And you know - there are days when you wake up and just want to roll over and go back to sleep?  I am thankful that on this day.... I did not! Look what I saw!

Not a bad way to wake up!!

Linking to:
TGIF Friday at Kathys Kwilts
Can I get a Whoop Whoop at Confessions of a Fabric Addict

QOV Wednesday

Good Wednesday Morning!!

Hope you are up Bright and Early!!  ( I seem to like the early morning hours now!)

Another Flags for Sue Quilt! We are doing good getting them together now!
I pieced and Quilted this one ( with your blocks)

And my Dear Nancy S from Colorado City, CO

and quilted by Shirley in Rye

made these beauties!

Judy V made and quilted this one.... and then gave it to her daughter, who gave it to her husband, who gave it to my son.... to deliver to me!!  Pretty Cool right?

This is my *Inspired by Cynthia* quilt - I wanted to show it all quilted and bound!!

And!! Big STar Country - made by Barb R ( now in Winterpark) and quilted by Me.  I love it!!
The pattern can be found here:

Mystery 6 - there are 5 clues to get

This one I pieced with our Wonky Star Blocks - and sent it to Annie O in To quilt for us!

This one was made and quilted by Michelle in Ft Collins - Its pretty cool!

Look what Joan did with the Flags for Sue!! I LOVE this version!! She is so creative!!!

and another presentation!
None of them had any idea why they were there!
The one on the left was told that his friend was receiving and award and he wanted him to come see
the middle one was told by his daughter that she wanted to check out a new sewing place
and the one on the far right was told - I go to all of your things - now come to one of mine

it was AWESOME!!!

Gluten Free Banana Bread

Recently I have posted a few pics of my Gluten Free Baking - and some have even asked for my recipes.  ( I know - that shocks me too!)

So...  I have been Gluten Free for over 10 years due to Celiacs - My journey to finding foods that I could eat, and also have my family still eat them.... has been long - but I have found two flours that I love to use in my recipes - and NO ONE Complains!!

And today - I will share my recipe for Banana Bread.

Of course, I was going to show you a great photos with butter running down it, but it seems I just got the last piece!!!  Stinkers

That's almost the last of what I saw!!


Banana Bread:

1 1/4 cups Sugar
1/2 cup Butter - softened to room temp
2 eggs
1 1/2 -2 cups Ripe Bananas ( we use 4 )
1/2 cup Milk
1 tsp Vanilla
2 1/2 cups Flour  * I used Bob Red Mills 1 for 1 ( pic below)
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp salt


Turn your over on to 350 Deg. Grease your Loaf pans

Mix Sugar and Butter in a bowl, stir in eggs until well blended. Add Bananas, Milk and Vanilla. Beat until smooth. Stir in remaining ingredients until moistened.

Bake in oven about 1 hour - I used a toothpick to check doneness.

My Flour:

This is the Bobs Red Mill - I really like it. I use it just like I used to use regular flours. I find it on Amazon, and sometimes at King Soopers

This one is great too - Its harder for me to find in town - but Amazon has it too

And look!!! They did save me one piece!!

Leadville Colorado.... Part 2

Part 1 can be found here

There is this painting on the side of the Cycles of Life Bike Shop in Leadville.

it is called "The Ladies of Leadville" and was painted in 1990

Here is the Story that we were told 

The woman in black is said to represent Mrs. Louis Lamb, widow to the man who was shot by the  Leadville Marshall Duggan in a pistol fight in 1880. 

The story says that Mrs. Lamb wore her widow’s clothing for seven years until Marshall Duggan was killed himself, at which time she immediately delivered her mourning clothes to Mrs. Mart Duggan, the widow of the man who killed her husband. 

We finally drove over to the train station - got our tickets and picked which car we wanted to ride in. I wanted one that was completely open - so I could SEE everything.... The men obliged - after all - they were still full from Pizza!

Above - That is the Train Station from our Train Car.

Below:
This is the Old St Vincent Hospital - I believe now you can rent rooms in it.
it was built in February of 1879 by the town of leadville and Three Sisters of Charity.

Horace Tabor ( he was the Leadville Mayor at the time)  Started the fundraising to build this hospital by donating $500, WH Stevens, another successful miner - told the sisters to pick a lot of his property and donated it.

We passed by the Hospital as our train pulled out of the station.   We were on the Fall Foliage Excursion of the Colorado and Southern Train.

Lucky for us so fall foliage was still around - however, it came a little earlier than expected to the High Country.   ( Not the trains fault by the way, this was just the day we could go)

First off - I love dogs, but I was so surprised to see people bring their dogs on a 3-4 hour excursion. My dog would have had to eat, drink, use the *facilities* and lick everyone in sight.   These dogs just liked Middle bit

This was one of the old Train Stations ( if I remember right) and they housed the engines there in the off time...

I just liked this one

and now we are heading out on the railway.... oh man you all! I was so excited to get going!

The Views

The trees

The Colors

it was awesome....


But wait!! I have more photos.... I just didn't want to overwhelm you.... so see you next week  - for Part 3!!!