The view from my Deck

Sunday we spent the day working in the garden...

Well - Our way of working - I tell my husband what I would like him to grow and he plants it, while I read in a chaise lounge next to the garden,   Its the best of worlds!! haha!!

A little storm came in so we all rushed inside and when it was over....

This was the view from my deck:

Not a bad way to end a little storm 

That brought just a little rain,

And this is the book I am reading now.

It is one that I really don't want to put down, as I want to know what the end is.

but it also makes you think about our way of life

and what we take for granted

I am not to the end yet - so I don't know if I 100% like it

( endings are very important to me)

and this below:

This is my Flashback photo for today

This was 3 years ago - 4 of them were quilted in the photo and 3 were in line

This was our Block drive block

designed by Jan over at the Colorful Fabriholic

and it was so cool

Here is the link to the free pattern.... I think I might want to make more:
Half Square log Block

RSC for April and Scrappy QOV blocks

I thought I had better get my action in motion for my RSC blocks for April!! Did you know that April is on its way out?  and I sure didn't want to miss making my Blue Blocks.

So!!
Here are my RSC blocks for April

I really really really like this color of Blue!

 I kinda think I want more of it - just to have it around and pet it and tell it that it is pretty!

It is a hand dyed from Colorways by Vicki - her stuff is SOOOo yummy!!

and then...
I have been working on my Double 4 Patch blocks ( our QOV Colorado's Block of the 3 months) as my leader enders... since Sunday was kinda the *end* of the month - I thought I would check in and see how many I have made!

Not too shabby!! 15 blocks are now finished and I have parts for others - so will keep working on those!!

also - I read!

I think it was Cathy and Sane and Crazy Blogspot that mentioned this book - anyways - I ordered it and I LOVED it!! Took it to my Mom and Dad - so now they are reading it!

In short it is the story of 3 women during WWII who were Red Cross Clubmobile Girls and their adventures during the war. A while ago I had the privilege of meeting a Woman who called herself a Donut Dollie during VietNam - so this book appealed to me, as it sounded very much like what she did. I highly recommend it.

Linking to:

Monday Making

Design Wall Monday

Pointed Fun Mystery..... and Finished or not finished Friday!

Welcome to!!!!! 

FRIDAY

Did you know it was Friday? Since no one leaves our house and no one comes home ( like to town) the dog and I are getting a bit lost on what day of the week it is!!  So I thought I would remind you!!

and! It is FINISHED FRIDAY!!

Today's Finish is my latest Mystery Quilt - called *Pointed Fun*

QOV #8 for 2020

This was a fun one - and Version number two is in progress as we read blogs today! 

The full pattern for this quilt is in my Etsy store if you are interested....

https://www.etsy.com/shop/alyciaquiltygirl

This was a fun thing to do for the first 5 weeks of our Stay at Home.. Colorado is transitioning to *safer at home* this next week - which for us ( My immediate family) ... means nothing - ha ha! 

but I like the name of it better - sounds nicer!

Alright!! Lets get to what you all finished this week!!

Remember Direct Links to the post.

Think about linking back to this page

and Have fun!

Oh PS!! I also updated my Free Patterns page !! I think it might have been the second Dr Pepper I drank - but Whatever - I have been updating things!!

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Linking to:
Can I get A Whoop Whoop
TGIF Friday

Quilting Away

I have had some AMAZING quilts lately to quilt on from Awesome Clients!

I love seeing how creative quilters are!!

Here is a sneak peak of a cool corner of one of them!

And T Shirt Quilts!! I really do like making them - but what is even more fun is how encouraging some of the quotes are!!! I love seeing what clients want included in their quilts. 

And check this fabric out !

Doesn't it look like water?

Or maybe that it is just .. I want to go swimming?

and a funny

My son - putting his mask on before he runs into the store for us.

With the hat, the mask, and his height a lot of people stare at him

Happy Wednesday!

I will see you early Friday morning for Finished (or not) finished Friday!!

What a difference a Year makes

Last year at this time... my whole family congregated for a wedding on the coast of California..

This year at this time... well - we aren't! Ha ha!!

Here we are at the beach - we think we are pretty cool - we were wearing shorts and flip flops - novel for those of us who left snow.... haha!!

And we had a chance to go paddleboarding on the bay... Newport Beach - it was awesome! I didn't fall in, and! I saw marine wildlife!

My youngest cousin got married - and although it should have been all about her - I think this is one of my favorite photos - The girls in the red and yellow are just friends - but all the rest are my family -
My son, my Sister in law ( with her hand over her mouth) my son, Husband, me and other son. The two girls in the front right corner - my cousin and cousins daughter.... Isn't that a fun capture?

The cousin that got married - married a man who comes from a family of comedians ( I mean TRUE comedians) and one of the brothers did the marriage ceremony. He was SO hilarious - we were all trying not to laugh lour loud.... it was a great ceremony.

The other thing that was kinda cool - all the cousins but one were there. So of course - we had to try to take a group photo at midnight...  Lighting was not our friend - but it was fun to hang out!

and then the sad part

the airport

Where we all had to go back from where we came

I love memories 

And this was such a fun trip.

We had another one planned this year,

but.. it is on hold.

That oldest kid of mine is graduating from Law School! and!

The graduation ceremony is kinda postponed ( or possibly cancelled)

But I am going to claim organization - we had everyone - including my parents and Husbands parents all arriving at the same airport within 30 minutes of each other.  That kind of success may never happen again for all of my planning - ha!! 

Thanks for sharing my Memories today

Diamonds on the Rough... and Finished Friday

Sometimes I name my Quilts and it makes my headline so much easier, but other times... I can't think of a name... so I have to wing it!   And this one was winged...

But it is finished!  Pieced and Quilted - and in the stack for my awesome Fellow QOV'ers to bind!!

Finished QOV #7 for 2020

And Lucky me - we got the photo in before the snow storms came back! We have had 3 of the last 4 days bring snow - and cold  - and more snow.... Really wet snow.... I hope to have an awesome pasture this year!!! and Fat Cows!!

This is the back - Debbe made this cool back out of bandannas and I thought it looked good for this quilt.....

So that is my brag for the week - that and my family got fed every day this week.....

What is up with you??
Share your Finishes with us
Provide the Direct Link to the post/instagram photo
and if you would link back to this post for others to ohh and ahh over our awesome projects!







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Linking to:
Can I get a Whoop Whoop

Photo Class

I am taking a smART phone photo class with Ricky Timms and I am really enjoying it.

There are some days I have just felt like - get outside , do your chores, and get done - but having these photo challenges makes me get outside, do my chores and really look around. I love it!

One of our challenges was in the garden...which we don't have quite yet ... we are still in prep mode...

But my submission can be found here: In the Garden

however - I had a lot of runner ups -

This one was my Favorite Runner up - its our Tree Garden!! ha ha!
Happy Wednesday!

Mystery Progress

I got an email in my inbox this morning that I have to admit, I wouldn't have read before this C19 thing. I usually delete all sorts of  impersonal mail and read the good stuff that comes from people I know, unless!! the ad has a great headline.

This one came from my dentist - and the headline was "Entertaining Kids during the Covid 19....."

He has a 3 year old and a 1 year oldish.. he is just getting started... and I sorta laughed about a dentist sending this... because... dentist... kids... ah well - I read it - he talked about cooking with his son -it made me laugh, it entertained me....

- and then I thought I would tell you How I cook with my kids....

I make 8-10 servings of everything ( for a 4 person meal) and then I get OUT OF THE KITCHEN... and only , very sneakily , do I go back in there!! As you see, they hear you, or see you going in and say -

"Hey Mom... While your in the kitchen can you make me a huge tray of Lasagna"?  Or hey - could you make 47 more hamburgers..... that is my reality. ....

Quilting is not only my job.... my sanity  haha!!

And on to the Mystery that is happening over at Mystery Quilts 4 Military - we are on Clue 3 - and here is my Clue 3!

I make the test quilt, Write the pattern, test the pattern - and then.... I try to sew along with the group!

So usually by the time the group is making their quilt I am on the 3rd one - and this time - I let Little bit choose some of the colors - so it is fun to see it come together!

Happy Monday....

ps - on March 13th - my Husband was sent to work at home, my two college kids were sent home to *online college* and nobody sent me anywhere... (he he he) - So does this officially make 30 days of "stay at home" 

Linked to:

Design Wall Monday at Small quilts and doll quilts

Twirling at the Disco Top ... and Finished (or not) Friday

Happy Almost Friday!!!

I am getting this in a little early this week as the computer is freed up at the moment - so I am claiming it - haha!!

I finished my Twirling at the Disco top this week - it is such a fun top, and a great way to use those 2 1/2 inch squares I have been cutting... I almost have ran out of them!  ( just the squares, not 2 1/2 inch strips)

With my little border it measures 70 x 70 - so will be perfect for a Quilt of Valor. Funny enough - I had another plan for the border, and then couldn't find what I was looking for. So now that the top is finished - I will probably find what I am looking for ... and then! Will have to make a whole nother quilt!  Such is the life of a quilter right?

I also made masks - I was surprised at how many people emailed me and said I needed to add a tutorial to my blog and promote the making of masks. Not to be snarky - but there are like a million tutorials out there - and I truly did not think another one was necessary - I knew that everyone is pretty internet savvy  - they could find one that worked for them. So I apologize for not linking to one... but.. they are out there ;-)

 These are some from the last batches - the firemen ones were specifically for my Dad - a Retired Fire Chief.






In spite of all the mask making - I hope you got some quilty time in too! or at least enjoyed your mask making moments! ha ha!!

Now link up to your finishes from this week - show me what you've got! What got you groovin' this week?

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Confessions of a Fabric Addict
Oh Scrap at Quilting is more fun than Housework

Colorado QOV's Next scrappy Block

My Colorado QOV group does different blocks every so often and we share them between all the Quilt of Valor Groups here in Colorado -

Our last block drive ended up with enough blocks for 4 different groups to make a Quilt ( or two) ! It was great! And it helps keep our groups awards moving right along!

So the next block we are working on is a Double 4 patch!

:

We are doing reds and blues in the place of the Blues shown

and scrappy Creams and whites 

Here are a couple of sample layouts of the quilts we can make:

These blocks are so great for a Leader/Ender project!

And In the instructions - I even show you how to use 5 inch squares as an option!

Interested in joining in?

Here is the link to the pattern instructions:

Double Four Patch pattern

We are doing this as our April, May and June Block

with hopefully all of them appearing in my mail box by then ;-)

Sticks Infinity ... and Finished ( or not) Friday

Way back in 2015  Cynthia - at Quilting is More fun than Housework started a scrappy challenge and I jumped on it!  I created Sticks.... and I loved Sticks... and I made More Sticks.... and then....

Cynthia made this cool quilt that she called A festive Picnic Quilt.... and although she used stings - I saw Sticks!!! and so I copied ( ish) her!!! ( with her permission - I promise!!) - but I was nice and I named mine 

Inspired by Cynthia

And then.....  I was organizing a pile that I had stacked someplace .. and there was a small top ish type thing - and I said - OH! I can make another sticks..... and so I did...

and here it is:

Ta da!!!

The blue was in my Stack... so I added some cream stick blocks.....

and then I bordered it with An eagle Print!!! I love Eagles!! and it just seemed to look so good!

QOV #6 for 2020

So this one will be awarded as a Quilt of Valor - I think a Veteran will love it!

Alright - Now it is your turn to link up your finishes!! 

Please add a direct link to your blog post.

And go visit a bunch of bloggers!! leave a comment - make them feel not alone this week!

PS - we had 35 people link up last week - Crazy!!! I love it!

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Linking to:
Tgif Friday at Devoted Quilter
Can I get a Whoop Whoop at Confessions of a Fabric Addict

Oh Scrap at Quilting is more fun than Housework

Seeing a theme yet?

I think I have a problem

A Churn Dash Problem

But aren't they just so fun?

and so colorful!!

And then this

This is the Quilt that I am quilting up now.

It is ALL HAND PIECED

and it is gorgeous

and it is probably 100 years old

and the fabric is SO thin.....

and... I am starting another Leader/ender project

This one looks like a good idea right?

Make today a Great one!

Check on someone you can't see in person

Linked to:

Mid Week Makers at Quiltfabrication