Gothic Baby Quilt for sale in Etsy

SKULLS (Click HERE to my Etsy Shop to purchase this quilt)

Fresh and Modern.

Black, white and red has always been a striking combination to me and although this baby quilt does have a "gothic" element to it, it's also really cute. I added a black and white polkadot binding which I love. Washing it in hot water really made the fabric tuck up into the stitches of the quilting - setting it off quite nicely. I really like how the quilting came out on this one.  My Janome machine is the BEST.

 BIRDIES

Also on the table this long weekend are some cool birdies that I've cut out some great bold fabrics. Birdies are turning up everywhere - and I love them. So I decided to make a few just for fun. I vaguely remember seeing a pattern in one of my quilting magazines for a blackbird that had a beaded hanger. I'm replicating this from memory. I wish I could find the pattern - but I have about 50 quilting magazines I've saved and don't feel like sifting through them so I'm improvising.

 

PUPPIES  My son is getting ready to head over to the house he is renting (1 block from the beach on Oak Island) in order to start college in the fall.  Guess who's going with him??? Yep - Harley (the little black and white sheltie/australian shepard mix).  We had the son (and his girlfriend, Lindsay) and the two pups for dinner last night and with Tobie and Gizmo in the mix  - Puppy Palooza!                                                

Because Sabrina has exams next week and then a week or so after that we are all heading in different directions of the country - we're hanging around the house this weekend.  Be sure to check back Tuesday as I'm going to have a giveaway for one of the birdies that I'm putting together.         

Happy Memorial Day!

Gothic Baby Quilt (??) & Book/Kindle Covers ...

Had some quality studio time this weekend.  With chores (both inside and outside) all done by Friday night  - I had an entire day to wander about doing what I please.

I've been doing alot of cutting and piecing of my modern quilt blocks the last few weeks so I decided to take a break from that and did some free motion quilting on my little gothic baby quilt.  I'm actually getting the hang of free motion work.  (click to enlarge quilting pictures) On this particular quilt I'm doing heart shadows (4 deep) and swirls in the plain white blocks and will probably ditch quilt the gothic blocks.

 I finished the quilting yesterday  and am going to start piecing a red, white and black polkadot binding which I think will frame it nicely.  I've had a few e-mails from my Etsy shop(s) asking for gothic baby items, so with this one I gave it a try. Those two words "gothic" and "baby" just don't seem to go together in my mind - but in the spirit of the challenge, I used some of the fabric I made Blaise's Harley quilt and cut it up pretty small.  It's actually cute

(Click HERE to go to Clevelandgirlie's Etsy shop Kindle and Nook Cover Department!  )I also drew up a pattern to make myself a Kindle cover and a large book cover to protect my Kindle and hardcover books I tote around with me in my purse, car and beach bag. (It makes me crazy when my books get damaged!)   Once I started making these - I couldn't stop.  I made some for Sabrina, some for gifts and a few for my Etsy shop.  They are so cute and work really well.  Sabrina also likes to carry around magazines with her in her tote bag and with the price of things like Cloth Paper Scissors and Artful Blogger she likes to keep them nice - so I made her a magazine cover that she can fit two or three publications in and then throw them into her art bag or tote.  They really serve the purpose (and look cute!)

Today I've planned a massive clean-up as I've made quite a mess in the studio!  Hey - has anyone started on Christmas items yet?  I went to my favorite textile shop this weekend and they've gotten a whole bunch of Chrismtas fabric in already.  What's everyone working on?

Happy Mother's Day ...

Dear Mom.....

My family is so lucky that I had you for a Mother - because it is by your example that I have been shaped to be the Mother that I am. You taught me when to go easy, but when to be firm. When to scold, but when to laugh. When to help, and when to step back. You bestowed upon me patience, virtue, kindness and nurturing - not by "teaching" but by showing. Most of all Mom, you gave me unconditional love every minute of every day - and that is the most precious gift that a mother can give of herself.

It is my deepest wish that my life honors you and all you have done for our family by being the best parent I can be to Sal and Sabrina. That I teach them -- the lessons you taught me. And that I instill in them - the wisdom, patience and kindness that you instilled in me. Like me, they miss you every day - and talking about special times we've shared with you can be bittersweet -- as it fills our hearts with deep sadness and joy.

So on this Mother's Day, I hope you know I love you Mom - we all love you. But I love you most -- for all that you have been and all that you continue to be -- in me.  I miss you so.

Happy Mother's Day to all you Moms. 
We ONLY get one shot at this....
Let's Do It RIGHT!

READ MY LIPS.....I Will NOT Camp in Grizzly Country!

Early this summer - Sabrina is off to University of North Carolina School of the Arts for a month  where she has been accepted into the Visual Arts Program.  Quite an honor for a 15 year old.  That gives Blaise and I a month with NO KIDS.  WHAT?????? No kids????  Do corgis count as kids??  Well, not exactly, but family is staying at the house to watch the furry kids so Blaise and I can hit the open road in search of  our next homestead which we plan on moving to when Sabrina is done with High School.

We are going fly from Raleigh

 to Salt Lake City to rent
a car (thank you airline miles!)


drive from Salt Lake to Southern Idaho (Idaho Falls to be exact) to pick up a Harley Davidson

Tour up through Idaho and over to Montana

Down through Montana into

Wyoming

Drive from the top of Wyoming to the bottom, down through Yellowstone Country finally......

crossing back to Idaho to return the Harley, pick up the car, drive back to Salt Lake and fly home.

We've been to all of those places many times - but never on the same trip and NEVER on a motorcycle.  We typically go to Utah, Colorado, the Dakotas and maybe Nebraska on the motorcycle - so this will be a first for us to go up into the extreme terrains on a bike.  I am so excited I can hardly stand it!

My husband has been putting the pressure on me to do some camping up in Northern Montana while we're there - but being an avid fan of Animal Planet's show, "Grizzly Encounters" and huge fan of Brutus (who we're going to see while we're there by the way)  - there is no $&#*@&$#$& way I'm camping in grizzly country.  We've camped in Colorado, Utah, Arizona - and all we've had to worry about (I use the word "all" reluctantly) are, rattle snakes, coyotes, wolves and brown and black bears. But  Grizzly country - THAT'S where I draw the line mister.  No way - no how. End of Story.

Oh, and by the way - the mod quilt I'm working on is coming right along.  So fresh and pretty. I love the bold color blocks that I have now put up on the design wall with stark white plain blocks in between. I have many more blocks to make.  To be continued...

Scenic Sunday...

It's a beautiful weekend here in North Carolina.

The Open Road
is Calling....
I did plan on doing some cleaning today .....  but I think it can wait!  No -- scratch that. 

I KNOW it's going to wait!

I'd rather go for a ride in the country. 

Maybe up into  Virginia. 

Just me, my man, the hills,
the water and the sky.

The car? 

I DON'T think so.

I want to feel the sun on my back... and the wind in my face.  I want to smell the freshly churned fields and early Spring gass - and I want to feel heavy air as the storm from the west approaches.

No - the car is NOT an option. Not today.
It's time to hit the OPEN road. And  for us - there's only one way to do that.

Whatever YOUR plans are...
make TODAY a good day.

"Forever " TWO Wheels.