Hugging our Veterans

I just LOVE how Quilts can give our Veterans a Tangible Hug

And they remember it ForEver

It is so fun to be able to tell each Veteran about their quilt, who made it, where it came from, How it got started - it just amazes them that each quilt has a story... and a story that finds its way to them.


Check out these lovely blocks!!
Sent in from Pride City Quilt guild in Pueblo and the Scrappy Ladies Quilt guild in Rye  ( Both in Colorado)

This is a Mystery quilt that we did here called:

Stars and Stripes

It was made by Barbara, Nancy and Sara

and Quilted by Cheri D

This beauty was made by Jackie W

in Willcox Az

( and you can see which Veteran got it in the photo above)

This beauty was made by sister Debbe and Joan

and again - check the top photo 

You can see the Veteran who received it

( and the tears in their eye BTW)

And just cuz

I mean

Look at him

We are under snow and ice and warnings to stay off the roads

and I want to be him ;-)

Dinosaurs and Design Walls

My design wall is growing a bit... I can not believe I am still on the same project - usually my QDD kicks in and I have started 32 more.... but alas.... I have not... ( okay maybe 1 more project but who is counting?)

I like how it is coming together!

( it is called Urban Log Cabins - pattern by Terry Atkinson 

of Atkinson Designs)

We went on a Dinosaur Hike!!

It was so cool 

and I learned so much!

 about the Jurassic Period

This place is kinda hidden out in the middle of Nowhere

They have an active Dinosaur Dig site 

and you can see things like this!

Fossils!!

And all sorts of weird rock formations

I kept telling the guys

Doesn't that look like a stegosaurus was found there?

and yes!!

a skeleton was found there

Too cool!

Part of a Backbone

I just think it is too cool

that Fossils are still being found in our earth

Trying to take a Dinosaur selfie

This is just a rock

But what does it look like to you?

If you know me - you know we have had horrible trouble with Natural Gas

and Oil companies closing our gates

So when I saw this - I just had to take a picture

and of course!!

Close the Gate!!

We also went to a The Dinosaur Journey Museum - it is all about the Dig sites

and the fossils they have found in the Morrison Layer

They looked pretty real

and a few were animated

we had a great time with one of our kids

and we hiked a lot and got to be outdoors.

Which was great - as the has snow started now!

Linking to:
Design Wall Monday
Monday Making

A Churning Finish

Ha ha? Right? Aren't we always trying to come up with Catchy titles.... well - I am not sure this is one... but it fits the bill

I have a finish.... Got My Scrappy Churn Dash all Quilted, and ready to go to my QOV sew day and get its binding ;-)

This finish was a part of the My Favorite Quilt Block Hop ( organized by Creatin in the Sticks)

If you remember...my Quilt holders have abandoned me ( mostly) - so I thought - I will use a gate!

and then the wind came up and it laughed at me!! - So I sorta got it stuck against a gate...

And then I tried again - and it just kept falling and the left side kept blowing up - But I like the color with the sun shining ( see there is always a positive!)

Just so you can see where I was.... ha ha

And then! I walked up to the house and there was a flat space with out any animals or *farm stuff* piled on it... that might be because I made a list for Fall Cleanup - AND ! my List actually got read!

It's a little crazy so I converted it to black and white - just to see if the camera really thought my interpretations of Dark and Lights were the same....

So!! Let's Brag about your Finishes or Not Finishes....
It's supposed to Snow Sunday - so I need an excuse to pass chores off.... and get quilty!

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Also linking to:
https://confessionsofafabricaddict.blogspot.com/
TGIF Friday @ Quilting Gail
Beauty Pageant at Bolt to Beauty
Peacock Party and Wendsy Quilts and MOre
Friday Foto Fun

Quilts of Valor being awarded

I LOVE to Make Quilts of Valor - but I LOVE seeing them awarded even more!!!
I LOVE the stories that come out, the smiles that emerge, and the little ( or big) hug you get for thinking of them.....

So....
Here you go:

I love how the right quilts make their way to the Right Veterans

This one below - he was beyond happy with his 

He told us afterwards how they had just redecorated and this was the whole theme

( Diamonds and Patriotic)

This one was in the army and told be he bleeds army green

He quilt had Army Green as the background - 

Too cool!

This one was in Vietnam and he was super quiet about his service

After Receiving his quilt he came up and told me some crazy stories

He was stationed near the DMZ 

This one

Oh this one - what a sweet heart

He is a lot sicker than he looks, but he was just happy to be there.

he could not believe us quilters would make something so beautiful for him

The above photos were all one award ceremony

Below

Another group

I went to their meeting and they were Just Amazing!!

They were just so tickled to  be recognized for their service.

The one sorta Kneeling is a Marine ( on the right)

and when he learned I was a new Marine Mom - he gave me all sorts of tips!

It was cute

This group - What a group - I tell you each group has a different feel - but this one was true brotherhood - and not only Military but in  LIFE!   The 5 on the left and the one below - all went to the same high school .

 They all were in different Branches of the military during Vietnam - and they all went on Honor Flight together.  Isn't that cool - and the one on the far right? He is the younger brother of one of the *group* and he served during desert Storm ...

The man on the far left was the high school quarterback - and the man next to him was the center on their HS football team, and each one of them had the best stories - they were all such Great friends 

We didn't want the Ceremony to end - I loved them all.

So now... go sew 

Make a QOV - I know you want to!

Ha ha!

I went to a Farm Sale.. and my design wall

My design wall has not changed much over the last week...

I blame vacation - 

although if I was more dedicated I could have taken it with me 

BUT! the Farm sale

These sorta break my heart - but they are also pretty cool

We need a Mower for the back of our tractor so that is what took us to this sale.

We got there and they had 7 flatbed trailers filled with their personal items

aren't these two so cool?

That airplane went for $1900

and the car

$450

I sorta liked this tractor but I was told I couldn't drive it home.

and that He wouldn't build me another barn....sigh

I just thought this type writer was cool!

They also had a table of linens and things

They had some Hand embroidered Dish towels and I thought I would bid on them.

They got pretty pricey and it was the guy behind me bidding on them.

being one that always talks to anyone if its cool - I asked what he was planning on doing with all the dish towels 

he said these were made by his great aunt and weren't supposed to be in the auction

Broke my heart!

So he was buying them back for his family to have.

I wish he had told me - I wouldn't have ever bid on them!!

PS - he did win them so yay!

Off to hopefully make some progress! Vacation was fun , but my to do list is rather long. Have to get the horses all ready for winter, Quilt some clients quilts - and then!! I am going to stitch!!!!

Finished or Not Finished Friday

Happy Friday you all!!!
So.... I will sadly admit to not having a finish this week.,.. but!! Do not be sad for me!!

I went on a little Vacation - and I had a blast and I can NOT wait to get back to all my quilty projects now!!!!

My Husband And I headed to the West Coast 

And we had a blast!!

Of course!! More Pics to come!!!

So Link up your awesome finishes ( or not finishes) 

so I can Ohh and Ahh about what you worked on this week!!

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Finished Or Not Finished Friday!!

Above is a Lone Rider in Progress by Karen D

Don't you love all the different Blues?

And below is one from Joan G

She used a directional fabric for the neutral 

I think it turned out so great!!

And look - a little change in the original version!!

LOVE it - and now I want to make another!

This one is from Nancy S

She blogs at Wyoming Breezes

Now on to all your awesome finishes!!

BRAG away!!

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Click here to enter

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Blocks Blocks Blocks and More Blocks ( all for Quilts of Valor!!!)

Back in August I posted a new QOV block that my group was making - and thought maybe a few of you might like to join in... just in case you had a few scraps lying around - and Oh! My! Stars!!

The response was awesome!!

I always believe we have made Quilts of Valor Great ONE QUILT and ONE VETERAN at a time.... and I think this love proves it....

So far - we have a total of 113 of these blocks and I know one amazing quilter is making the blocks assembling the top AND quilting it for us - so that would be 125 blocks!!!

That's at least 10 Quilts of Valor worth to get working on - So THANK YOU ALL!!

Some from Carlie in North Carolina!

Some from the Murphy Family in 

North Carolina

Some from Laura in California

A BUNCH from our Windsor Gardens Group in Aurora

(25 I think!)

Some from Denise in Centennial CO

and Genie in Colorado Springs

and Vicki in AZ

And some from 

Darlene in IL and Carolyn in PA

And from Amarillo TX!!!

And from Sue in TX

And Jocelyn Donated some great fabrics 

for us to make the next month block

We are testing a fun block for November to December 

It takes squares - so When It is all tested

I'll post it!

I love having a block prepped for Leader/Enders at my sewing machine

Have a Happy Wednesday!!

Oh PS - if you want the pattern to make your own QOV out of this block:

There you go!!