Backing for SNACK ATTACK.....

I've decided the quilt top I showed in the previous post needs to be called "Snack Attack".  I had hoped to do chocolate chip cookies for the backing but was unable to get the fabric as quickly as I needed it.  SO...I shopped around locally.   I bought 3 more fabrics.......cupcakes, donuts, and ice cream cones.....then added them to small pieces of the snack fabrics I used on the front of the quilt.  It made for a WILD backing, but I think my granddaughter (who will be 7 when she gets the quilt) will love both sides of it.   This photo shows just one section of the back.  I have it all pressed and folded neatly and didn't want to unfold it for a full photo of it, but I think you'll get the idea of how wild it is by looking at this. (You should be able to see it enlarged if you click on it once or twice.) What a fun quilt this was to make! I think 2 of my quilting pals....Gyleen and Gene (both of whom love pieced, unique backings) will approve of the back I did on this one.  :)

A start on Christmas gifts.....

My granddaughter, Jessi, is going through some rough stuff right now (family situation), so I thought I'd make her a fun "snuggle" quilt for Christmas, which is shown above.  For the front, I used fabric that looks like popcorn, pretzels, and goldfish crackers.  I have yet to buy the backing fabric but am thinking it might be chocolate chip cookie fabric I've seen or maybe some candy fabric.  It will be a fun backing, though.  I think she'll enjoy this quilt.  Once I get the backing, I am going to send it off to be quilted.  I am thinking I'll send it to Mary at Quilt Hollow as I've seen she does beautiful work and I've been wanting to have her do one for me.  Don't mind the camera angle used for the quilt top photo...hard to get it to look right with the quilt on the floor when the picture is being taken.  If you click, I THINK it will enlarge so you can see the fabrics up closer. 

Checking in......

Houseguests left today.....had a nice time while they were here and got my mind off the stressful family situation, so that was good.

Today in the mail I got a really nice surprise...sent by a blogging friend who knows how stressed I've been and why and made me something really nice so I'd know she was thinking about me.  I'll put two photos below.  I love it!!! And you can see there is a pencil next to the item she made me so you can get an idea of its size.......it will get a LOT of use, that's for sure.  THANKS, Rhonda....for the gift and the touching note you included with it.   Rhonda is a really talented gal.  If you haven't seen her blog yet, check it out by clicking HERE.

Isn't this a TERRIFIC tote?  (Sorry my camera skills weren't so good, but I hope you get the idea that it is super-sized and well-made!)

Guests on the way.....

We have houseguests arriving on Friday.....folks whose house we've visited in the Atlanta area but they've not been here before.  You know how that goes (and how hard we work when out-of-town folks are coming for the first time).  I did finish the throw for the guest bedroom and that is pictured below (although you can't see the whole thing...bad photo, sorry)......and also the pillow I made to go along with it.  The photos posted in reverse order as I still can't get the hang of photos with the newer version of Blogger, but.....such is life!

In addition to getting ready for this, there has been a pretty much overwhelming situation in the family that has demanded a lot of attention and will also take up a lot of time until, probably, the end of June.  So.....I won't be able to keep up on reading a lot of blogs or posting here.  Don't give up on me, though, and think I've lost interest, because I haven't.

Oh, yes...mixed in with that is working on projects for classes that my quilting partner and I will be teaching as well as working along with a magazine that is interested in us designing a few things for them.

Busy is the word...some "happy" busy and some "stressful and somewhat sad" busy, but......things will all work out well in the end.   For now, here are the two photos I mentioned above.