Spring has sprung! Subtitle: Support Hose for Greyhounds

Where does the time go? I wrote on Monday about my wonderful Pay It Forward gift that I received from Jacquie (that I'm still enjoying immensely) ... had other things to write about, but the week slipped away and here it is, Saturday evening.

Well, better late than never, I suppose!

So where does the time go? Well, first of all. I've finished all but the binding of Signs of Spring. I plan to finish this tonight and will (hopefully) show you tomorrow.

Otherwise, I've not been doing that much quilting ... but I have been walking, walking and walking some more ... here's my walking companion.

This is Jolene and as you can see she had a bandage on her leg. Jolene has arthritis in her back legs and was having trouble getting up the stairs of the deck and into the house. She scraped her legs on the steps and had to be bandaged for a couple of weeks. She's doing much better ... no more bandage and, with the help of daily aspirin, is feeling much better. In the meantime, we're walking more ... twice a day ... down to the lake (or further) and back ... good exercise for both of us!

We're experimenting with "support hose" or leggings to try to protect her legs ... I made these from an old pair of leggings ... they fall off when we go walking, but I'm experimenting with the design. She's much happier without them at the moment. Maybe it's the color ... maybe She's worried that all the other dogs are going to make fun of her for wearing stockings ... she looks pretty mortified in the photo ... ("oh mom!").
In the meantime, Spring is finally here ... here's a daffodil in our garden ... (thank you for the bulbs, Dan!) ...And some down the road ...A neighbor's forsythia ...
I love that yellow and green ... so bright and happy!
And Laurel Lake, with beautiful Mt Monadnock in the distance ...
It's a beautiful place to walk every day!

Package in the Mail!

I think I'm the luckiest quilting blogger in the world! I just read on Jacquie's blog that her Pay it Forward challenge gifts were ready and then, what was waiting for me when I got home??? A wonderful package! Here's the beautifully wrapped package ... with real ribbon, that, of course, I saved. Actually I saved the paper too ... I don't usually do this, but I really liked the paper!

And the surprise! A beautiful tea-cup wall-hanging! Designed and made by Jacquie at Tallgrass Prairie Studio.
I joined her Pay it Forward a little bit ago and was so thrilled to be selected as a recipient because I love her creations! What Jacquie didn't know is that I also love tea cups. I'm not much of a tea drinker, but I have some beautiful old cups that I cherish AND I was planning on putting some out this Spring. I haven't done the Spring decorating in the kitchen yet, but when I do, I will show you how I use her quilt and the tea cups ...

I love it!! Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Jacquie included this cheery pincushion too ... how delightful ... I've already started using it!
Thank you again, Jacquie!

Maple Leaf Memories

Like many quilters, I have a pile of UFOs. I have a goal to finish them ALL this year. Ambitious, I know, but it makes me so happy to finish projects!

This is a project that I love, love, love ... I'm dying to finish it, have it quilted (I typically only hand quilt, so I plan to send bigger quilts out to be quilted) and use it on my bed!

This is called Maple Leaf Memories. From a class that I took year ago ... isn't it scrumptious?!?
Fall is my favorite season ... there is nothing that I love more than the changing of the leaves ... I had so much fun making each of these blocks ... it was so exciting to see how each one would come out. I actually made more blocks than I needed ... so I have a half dozen orphan blocks!

Here's a more detailed view (my sock-clad toes included):
So, if I love this quilt so much, what is the problem? It's the border ... the flying geese ... I have to make 60 of these 4 goose units ... I've made 34 ... I'm getting there, but they are time consuming and I find that I can only stand making them for so long. Every week, I tell myself that I'll make two a day, but it doesn't happen. BTW, there will be a thin red border between the maple leaves and the flying geese and the another thin red border on the outside of the flying geese ... love those flying Dutchmen in the corners.
Anyway. My goal ... is to be done with the flying geese, and have it all assembled by the end of April! I know I can do it ... so here we go ... I guess I'd better make a few today ... :-) ... okay, here I go ... what's that? ... is that the laundry calling me? ... oh what, I think one of the dogs needs to go out ...

Thursday Thoughts ...

Spring really is coming to New Hampshire! The snow is melting, the days are longer, the robins are back, the Canada geese are passing through on their way home! I can smell it in the air, feel it in the breeze ... Ahhhh!

I can't wait to get out into the yard and start gardening!

In the meantime, I've been working away on the border for the Angels in My Garden BOM I wrote about a bit ago ... it is nearly half done. I get the directions for the rest next week. I can't wait to have it finished and to start quilting it.

Next, I'll be putting the borders on Aster Blast and begin the applique this weekend.

Then ... I need to introduce to you another UFO that I really want to finish. It's called Maple Leaf Memories. From a class I took one year ago ... I'm still working on the endless flying geese that go around the border. I will take pictures of the center this weekend and share that project with you as well!

I also plan to get to a few other quilt shops in the local area and take you along so you can have a peak ... there are so many great shops around here! It seems like I'm always discovering a new treasure! Look for these trips over the next few weeks. It's a shame that working interferes with my quilting! (Ha!)

Have a very Happy Thursday!
Debbie