Surprise !

Hi all, well I just had to post something today. I was SOOOOO surprised when I went to work today ! There were some cards and gifts waiting there for my upcoming birthday !!! Tina gave me this wonderful almond scented hand cream and the best card ever !!! It suits my situation totally !!! Pat gave me a gift certificate for a manicure or pedicure at her nail place (one of my favorite ways to get pampered), but there was also this beautiful bouquet of flowers from Sharon's garden ! They were simply gorgeous. Sharon has a beautiful backyard full of wonderful flowers, hummingbirds, goldfinches, etc.

I was so intrigued at one of the flowers in particular. Tina pointed it out to me right away. It's the most unusual rose I have ever seen. It's actually brown and IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE that color!!! It's absolutely gorgeous. There are also some very different looking flowers that are white and a pink color. They don't even look real, but are. I'll have to ask Sharon what the name of those are because they are really, really, pretty.

Anyway, I just want to say thanks to these wonderful ladies for making my day so special !!! They are so wonderful to work with and to be friends with. I love them all and Thank you all so very, very much !!!

Oh yeah, since Sharon has birds in her backyard too....I thought I'd post a couple of pictures of the birds outside my office window. These are some that I get to enjoy everyday !!! The first picture is a hooded oriole. The next two pictures are a bullock's oriole, and the last picture are my goldfinches.

Well, I hope you enjoy them as much as I do. Happy Mother's Day to all my wonderful family and friends !!!

Love to all....take care

Nicole's Sweet 16 !

Hi all !!! Well, I finally was able to give my niece Nicole her Boyds Bear quilt. What a hard time keeping this one a secret !!!! Ever since Nicole was a little girl, her mother, Missy started her collection of plush Boyds Bear. Well, that's all "Auntie" needed to hear. I love giving my family & friends things that they collect. Anyway, I don't know how many bears I have given Nicole over the years, but I always give her one for her birthday and for Christmas. Well, this year is her 16th birthday, and I wanted to give her something special. So last year around Christmas, I found this Boyds Bear material on E-bay and ordered enough to make a quilt for her. I thought....wow....what a special gift, a Boyds Bear quilt handmade by Auntie, something she will always remember! I wanted a pattern that would showcase the bear material and I found a perfect one. I started making the quilt right away so it would be ready in time for her birthday. It went together pretty easy, but of course the hardest part is actually quilting it !!! But, I did quilt it all by myself on my sewing machine.


Nicole's birthday is exactly one week before mine so I went over this last weekend and gave her the quilt. She was so surprised at the "big gift bag" Auntie brought in. But, was so delighted to see what was inside. The smile on her face was all I needed to see. She loved the quilt and is using it as her new bedspread. However, I hope she uses it and wears it out so I have an excuse to make her another one....although it probably would not be made with Boyds Bear material.






Of course, I always go overboard and bought way too much material...so, I just had to make something else. What better than a matching decorative pillow and pillowcase out of the same material !!! Of course, this was a total blast. I have never made a pillow before and it really came out nice. I was really proud of it. Everybody in my quilt class loved the pattern and colors of this quilt.

I stitched in the ditch around each square and then I stitched around the borders. Finally, I tried something new and "stippled" around the outer bear border going in between bears in a random pattern, as per my extraordinary teacher, Janet, had suggested. I was a very intimidated but of course Janet is always so supportive.

I really can't wait to go over to her house next time and see her entire collection of Boyds Bears, her special quilt, and accessories decorating her room !!! Of course, Amie, Nicole's sister is jealous according to Nicole, but Auntie has a surprise for Amie this year too (she is my goddaughter, you know) !!! Anyway, Missy has put in her order for a "king size" quilt and I told her I would be happy to "piece" it if she picks out the material, pattern, and pays for it !!! I would definately NOT quilt THAT one !!! It's going to someone with a long arm machine because I would want it to be perfect for my wonderful sister-in-law, Missy !!!

Well, back to work for me !!! Love to all !!!!