Elvis lives!

Well, he lives on this quilt I am working on anyway. 

I have several yards of different panels, and am trying to figure out how to frame the block, I have several ideas, and will post some ideas later. I also got a really good deal on a closeout fleece with-yes- Elvis all over it for the back.  This is going to be a gift for my second oldest son who will be 18 just before Christmas.  It was supposed to be his gift last year, but we all know how that goes, LOL.
I have been busy baking for the holidays, here are some of the results:

pumpkin raisin cookies

cinnamon sugar cookies

I took the day off from baking today, there is such a thing as too much of a good thing!  My stand mixer died a couple of months ago, and using a hand mixer hurts my arm after a while.  It's a running joke in my family though that I kill hand mixers every year, my record was 3 in one holiday season!  I have a tendency to overuse them!  My stand mixer lasted a good 3-4 years though, I'll get another one before next Christmas. 
Last week, I went shopping with my mom at the local Goodwill (I love that store), I try to go about once a week, and like with the quilt top, I got lucky with thread:

About 60 spools of superior thread, all but one unopened, for 39 cents each.  Plus, I have my student discount.  I was so happy, my machine loves, loves, loves this thread!  They are more of country colors, like rust, brown, etc, but the majority of them will blend with the scrappy quilts I make.  Sometimes, I just get lucky.  I will miss that store when I move over the summer.  I'll have to haunt thrift stores in South Dakota after I get there. 
I have been busy making some gifts for the holidays, and trying to get more stuff done to sell eventually, but we have created a monster:

My son's girlfriend, who never really sewed before she met us, is now hooked!  I took a nap (I was up kind of early this morning), came out to do some sewing, and there she was, sewing away. I think we
have another lifelong sewer in the works.  Now, if I could just get my daughter interested...   
 Happy quilting,
Marianne              

Orca bay mystery clue #2

So, this is the second Bonnie Hunter mystery quilt I have participated in.  I love the way she does these mysteries, the small pieces and the scrappiness of it all!  I kind of follow her suggestions for colors, I am not very brave otherwise :).  I have been looking at what others are doing colorwise, and they are all going to be so beautiful.  I can't wait to see how everybody's quilts turn out.  So, here is my clue #2 pieces.

pile of strings

untrimmed blocks

trimmed blocks

I can't wait for Friday, seriously, it's like early Christmas for me every Friday morning. 
Oh, before I forget, here is my stack of blocks for clue 1:

Since I'm done with both clues, I guess I'll spend the rest of the week baking holiday cookies:

double chocolate chip cookies, YUM!

This week is the start of all the holiday baking, this house smells so good.  Also, working on a crocheted afghan as a gift, and a Raggedy Ann doll for a 1 year old, and the doll is bigger than she is! The hair on the doll is driving me crazy however, it just seems to take forever.  But, it'll keep me busy until Friday morning.  It would be really great if the clues came out twice a week now, wouldn't it.  Hint, hint.  :) Just kidding (maybe). 
Happy quilting,
Marianne

time to catch up

Ok, time has just been flying by!  Is anybody ready for the holidays?  I'm not.  When I went for my morning walk, my neighbor was putting his lights up outside.  I am so not ready.  It's going to be a very lean Christmas, with me in school, but the kids are pretty ok with that.  We have all talked about how commercial the holidays have become, so we are talking about giving some homemade gifts, as well as thoughtful gifts.  Where, rather than just buying willy-nilly, putting a lot of thought into what we get each other- quality vs. quantity.  So, that's what we are going to do this year. 
On the sewing front, I have been making some little girl dresses- and also working on this quilt:

I love the smiley face!

see the feather quilting in the red border?

My homemade template.

It's so cute!  I got the pattern out of an older Love of Quilting magazine.  It was a much smaller pattern, but I just went and made it bigger.  I'll put up more pictures when it's done. 
I also made some new velcro leaders for my frame:

 They work really well so far.  I got so very tired of pricking myself pinning onto the leaders.  It just took a few minutes, and voila! done.
Well, our puppy has grown so much, and has discovered he loves to sleep under his bed!

did you need me for something?

He is just too cute!  From zero to sixty in 2 seconds flat! 
Well, I had better go, I am trying to figure out fabrics for Bonnie Hunter's new mystery quilt, coming out on Friday!   Here is the link orca bay mystery she has had some great mystery quilts in the past, I can't wait for this one! Maybe I'll find the fabric I need in these piles:

This came out of 2 of the totes I had.  Think I can find something there?  LOL
Well, better go, got one sick older teen here today.  The daughter had it over the weekend, now it's his turn.  Wonder who's next to fall?
Happy quilting,
Marianne