History In the Making...

I love that Darius Rucker song, History In the Making. It's about being in love and making a life together - making memories. Making history. That's how I feel about quilts. Do all you quilters out there realize that when you make a quilt you are making history?

Sweetie and I went on a day trip a few weeks ago and I went antiquing at the shops there. In my favorite shop I spotted this beautiful basket quilt. I thought about it for a while (ok, 10 minutes) and then snatched it up. I have quite a nice collection of old quilts and I have a number of wedding ring quilts. What I didn't have was a basket quilt. When I redecorate the guest bedroom it's going to be soft yellows, blues and pink so this beauty needed to come to my house.

What I don't understand is how people can part with their families treasures. Not that I'm not glad that they do. I paid a mere $55 for this quilt. Knowing how merchandise is marked up, it was probably grabbed up at a yard sale or estate sale for $15 or $20. Now don't think I'm criticizing what antique stores charge. I know what they go through and the hours of work they put in to bring us all these lovely items to buy. I am not fond of garage sales and crowds and getting up at 5:00 a.m. to fight my way through only to have something snatched out from under me. No, I'll gladly pay a little extra and let them do it. Besides, $55 was a steal for this treasure.


She's hand pieced and hand quilted with the prettiest soft colors.

There is only one little area with any problems which doesn't bother me at all.


Have you ever taken a nap under an antique quilt? It's soft and dreamy and heavenly!!

This quilter was my kind of gal. She put in some dots to brighten it up, something I like to do.


I was just so ecstatic to see that the maker had embroidered an initial on it as this is rare to find. I have a quilt made by my Great Great Grandma Vernon and she embroidered "VV" on it for Virgil Vernon. So what does "R" stand for? Was it made by Rachael or Rhonda or Rose for her dowry? Was it made by Roberta in her older years to comfort her in her solitude? Since my favorite movie is Somewhere in Time, in my romantic mind I think the R stands for Richard. A quilt made for the love of a lifetime by Elise, while waiting for his return. History in the making....

Another Win

I mentioned the other day I had won another give away. I was going to post about it earlier but blogger wasn't cooperating.

No, Maggie didn't bleach her hair! This is our darling little friend Becky from The Strawberry Mallard. Her mommy had a contest to celebrate Becky's one year "Gotcha" anniversary. All you had to do to win was be the ninth person to leave a comment. There were eight other comments when I saw it and as per usual, I was having a terrible time leaving a comment. I finally found out the solution at, of all places, Facebook.

So this is what arrived in the mail one day. I love to get packages in the mail, don't you? Even if I know what is in them. In this case, I didn't know. All the more fun!

Inside, the goodies were wrapped up in darling Scotch plaid paper. Apropos, don't you think?

Maggie and I were just thrilled! She got something and I got something!

This is the cutest little collar charm. Saying that Maggie is spoiled is almost redundant!! LOL!

The darling card is sitting on Mary Englebreit fabric. Who doesn't just love Mary Englebreit!!!!!

"Mommy, this looks like bubble gum but it doesn't smell like bubble gum!"

"Mommy! It's pink and I just love my new chew toy. Don't even think about trying to take it away from me."

Nancy: Maggie and I want to thank you so very much for the gifts. We are so very glad that through this wonderful world of blogging our paths have crossed and we have become friends.

ARROOOOO!!!

A Bee-utiful Prize!

I'm so lucky! I won a give-away recently from the fabulous Penny at Comforts of Home!!! I'm sure you all "know" Penny and if you don't (where have you been?) run, don't walk, over to her blog and sit and visit for a while. She is so talented and such a kind and caring person. Did I say talented? Her give-away was a fabulous glass hand-crafted honey dipper!!

The quilt group I belong to is called The Busy Bees so I was doubly excited to win as I collect bee "stuff". Isn't it gorgeous!?! Notice the card it came with? Penny won a giveaway herself a few years back. It was a painting from a photograph that she sent in. You can read all about it here. So I feel like I won two prizes! I'm going to frame the little card and hang it in my sewing room when I get it redecorated.

One thing that I really appreciated about Penny's giveaway is that all I had to do was leave a comment. I didn't have to "follow" her, although I do. I didn't have to do a post on the giveaway, like her on Facebook, put a link to her blog on my side bar, email my second cousin twice removed in Michigan to go check it out or stand on my head while reciting the Gettysburg Address. Do you see what I'm getting at? Sometimes I don't enter drawings because I'm expected to jump through too many hoops to be entered. Just saying....


Until I can find the perfect glass honey jar I'm putting the dipper in my glass spooner with my collection of silver spoons.

My favorite spoons in this collection are my U.S. Navy spoons, being the proud Navy mom that I am!

Thanks Penny, I'll treasure my honey dipper for years!!!

(I actually won another giveaway but will post about that later this week. Each wonderful person deserves there time in the spotlight!)

Catching Up

Hi, there, everyone! Maggie here. Mommy has asked me to help her catch up on her posting. She's been busy watching the grandsons and between that and the terrible heat we have been having here, she hasn't had the energy to do much of anything. What have I been doing, you ask? Part of the day I sit in front of the screen door and do my Scottie guard duty. When it gets too warm and Mommy puts the air conditioner on, I take long naps. Where is my favorite nap spot, you ask? Under one of the beds, of course. Nice and cool and private!!

Mommy and Daddy spent a day a few weeks back doing some errands up in Sacramento. It was too hot for them to take me along, so I stayed home and, er, napped! One of the stops they made was at a garden center they had never been to before. From all accounts, it was wonderful. Lots of perennials that Mommy doesn't see too often. The picture above is an artichoke that has been left to turn into a thistle.



I'm rather glad I stayed home or I would have met the nursery kitty. They were having a special Father's Day celebration that weekend so the nursery people thought it would be cute to dress her up. From what Mommy has said, that was one mad kitty. She wasn't too terribly happy at having to walk around looking like a court jester. She wouldn't even make eye contact with anyone! I'm sure if I had been there she would have been even more embarrassed.



After the nursery, they drove to a new quilt store that had opened. Mommy says you can read about it here. Mommy had met one of the owners when she worked at another quilt store in the area that has since closed (insert frowny face here).



The shop is new and still small but has so much great potential, mostly due to the fact that it is such a warm and friendly place to go! I wonder if they let dogs visit?




Here is Mommy's friend, Shirley, but everyone knows her as Gran. She even has a blog! Mommy thinks she is the sweetest person and wishes her and all the other owners the best luck in the world. They don't have their web site up and running yet, but the link she gave you has the address in Sacramento. Stop in and tell them hi and ask if they will let me come in next time.

Next Mommy and Daddy went to a couple of antique shops but forgot to take pictures. I think it was because Mommy was so excited about seeing an antique store that was that HUGE!!! After shopping they went out for lunch here, ate waaaaayyyy too , stopped at a used book store for Daddy and then came home. Where was I when they came home? Under the bed, of course.

Mommy will be back in a day or two. Something about her winning something bee-utiful! Excuse me while I go check the front yard and then go take a nap...........

Maggie out!

Fourth of July

Happy Birthday America!!!