It's about time . . .

Wow, I can't believe how quickly this summer has passed.  Well, the whole year for that matter!  My last post was in JULY! ! !  I guess there is lots to fill you in.

For half of July and almost all of August we were traveling.  We spent three weeks in Dayton, OH helping my step daughter after her back surgery.  Her little one was only 18 months old at the time and she couldn't pick him up for almost eight weeks, so she needed us to help out with him.  We had so much fun.  She is still recovering but she can do whatever she wants now.

After leaving Ohio, we stopped in Illinois to visit with my Mom and Dad.  They are still in the nursing home and doing OK.  We are seeing signs that they are going downhill, but they are still with us.  I also got to see one sister and my brother and his wife.  It is good keeping in touch with family.

Next, we stopped in Arkansas to visit my DH two sisters and their husbands.  They are always fun to spend a few days with.  We ate out a lot!  One BIL has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's so it was important to see him before he starts to decline in health.  It was a good visit.

While we were in Ohio, I got to work on a few more blocks for "A Life of Plenty".  Here are the newest ones I have done.

 Acorn

 Bird

 Flower Pot

   Sunflower 

I think that leaves two more appliqued blocks, two pieced basket blocks, a paper pieced star and four corner blocks for the border and the borders to work on before I can put it all together.  I have enjoyed working on this one whenever I have had time. 

Right after getting home we made a weekend trip to Colorado for my grand daughters first birthday party, then the next weekend we were in Arizona for my daughters baby shower.  

My big projects since I returned home have been making a baby quilt for my newest grandson who is due in a couple of weeks and a quilt for my 11 year old step granddaughter.  I figured I should go ahead and make his big sister a quilt, too.

Here is the boot quilt for Amberly:

The back is pieced

The pattern is "Texas Two Step" from the July/August 2015 issue of Fon's & Porter's Love of Quilting magazine.   This was so much fun to make even though choosing and cutting out the fabrics took a lot of time.  Each of the boots is different and I think each of the background fabrics were used twice in the design.  Here are some of my favorites:

I tried to use fabrics for different holidays and different interests she has.  I played with embellishing each one with ribbon, lace and decorative stitches.   It was a lot of fiddly work, but I enjoyed doing it.  You can click on the pictures to make them bigger.

Here is the baby's quilt:

Little Cowboy

I wanted a cowboy theme since they used the western theme for their wedding.  I googled cowboy quilts and came up with a lot of ideas.  I found this idea on Pinterest.  I don't remember the designers name, she did not have a pattern, just a photo of a baby quilt she had made.  I drew out the little cowboy and changed a few details to make it easier.  Her cowboy was twirling a rope but I didn't want to attempt the rope idea so my little guy has a stick pony.  The border fabrics are from a line by Michael Miller and are really cute.  I love the outer border fabric, the back of the quilt uses the same fabric.  I cut the borders to highlight the rows in the fabric.  I hope they like it!  

I will be going to visit in December for the babies baptism and I can' wait to give him his quilt.  

I got both quilts finished two weeks ago and have been working on one of the applique blocks for "A Life of Plenty". Life has just been so busy!

I have another project I am stitching on, too.  I belong to a group of ladies who get together once a month to have dinner and play Bunco.  At our December meeting we have a gift exchange, so I decided to make a table runner for my exchange gift.  It is from the Art to Heart pattern booklet A Star is Born by Nancy Halvorsen.  I have all the applique finished for it, now I just have to put it together and do a little quilting.  I have a couple of weeks to finish it before our next game night.  I love it and will be making more for myself and family.

This has been a long catch up post with lots of photos.  Thanks for sticking with me.  I will make a real effort to keep posting and following all of your posts.  I have seen some wonderful projects you are working on, I have just not had a chance to respond to them.  I will do better!

Now I am just waiting for little Joey to be born and life to settle down a bit, but the holidays are right on top of us.

I will leave you with one last picture.  Here is my grandson with his quilt.  He has been deployed so he left the quilt with his mom until he returns.

I am praying for his safety along with the rest of his team and all of our young men and women serving our country in the military.