Cathy K from http://www.cathyscrazybydesign.blogspot/ is in the puzzle swap that Pat winter is hosting. Cathy showed pics of the puzzle pieces she had made and I was intrigued by the size of the little silkies. I asked her how she made them so small and she offered to send me a couple. Well like all cqer's she was over generous. The envelope arrived and not only were there some small sweet pics but a couple of larger ones, a beautiful piece of fabric, a piece of lace and some great trim. I snapped a pic to show you her generosity.

I also made my plane reservations for the CQ retreat in Omaha July 9-12th.

Hope to see a lot of old friends there and to make new ones. It is so nice to meet someone whose blog you have been following or reading on the lists.Just waiting for the classes to be announced and I will be all set.

We have had a couple of good rains that Florida really needs and it is amazing to see how the grass greens up so fast after a good rain. The frost turns the golf courfse brown and now it has sprung to life also. Just like being up North. I will be having two springs this year. We are planning on returning around beginning May - time to get in the garden shops and start potting things up. I really enjoy the time I spend in the garden up north.

Maybe it doesn't appeal to me the same way down here because it is the same almost all year. I will miss my orchids here - I will put them outside under the irrigation and see what is alive when I return. Last year I had a couple that fully flowered. They probably do better on their own anyway.

I meant to add that every year since Kyle was 3 and we built our house down here Sue has been bringing the boys to Florida and every year we have taken a picture of Grandpa and his boys. The older they get the funnier the faces. Where did those sweet little guys go?

Daughter, SIL and 3 boys came up yesterday for lunch and we had a great day. After lunch Sue & I went to downtown Mt. Dora where they were having an antique show right out on the street. They close off quite a few streets and the vendors set up tents, tables, whatever and sell their wares.

We had a good time. One lady was selling great jewellery, very inexpensive. I bought myself a pendant and a bracelet. Sue did the same and then bought a couple for gifts. She is into wire wrapping now so she bought a half a dozen great stones and cords in various colors to go with them. They were great cords with clasp closures and were only $1.00 each.

Then I came across a very nice young gal selling purses made out of cowboy boots. Sounds strange but she makes them using the tops of the boots as she said the tops are covered by blue jeans and are protected. They had beautiful beaded handles that were made to attach to the purse or could be removed and used as a necklace. I kept eyeing the one and we went past a couple of times then Sue said how about if my 3 kids go in together and get you one for Mother's Day and I said great. They are always asking what I want and I never know. I will try and get a good picture of the bag and post it. She lives in the St. Cloud, FL area south of Orlando and her husband is a cattle rancher. Hence she gets a lot of boots in that area. She had decorated the front of the purse with rhinestones but left the bag plain so it can be used either side.

Harv & Jon took the boys for a ride around seeing all the lakes then ended up at a great park and spent a couple of hours. We all went to an Italian restaurant (very family friendly) for dinner. Sue ordered a large pizza for the 3 boys and it was the largest pizza I have ever seen. I said they won't eat that but it was all gone by the time we were finished. Growing boys.

Finished 2 more squares but had a little problem on one when coners would not meet. Was working with black velvet and crinkly black & silver & the mauve fabric. Took it apart about 3 times then gave up and thought that is what buttons and trim are for. The fabric kept fraying and getting smaller. I took a pic of the square with a button sitting at that point then took another with some glitzy black and silver trim strung over it. Which one will it end up being. Maybe neither.

The next block I sewed right in the largest piece of rick rack you have probably ever seen. It came off a t-shirt I bought must have been 20 years ago. Can't believe I ever wore it but never gave it away thinking some day I will pick the rick rack off it and use it. Well this is the day. I showed a pic of part of the shirt with its rows of rr and then a closeup of the rr. If this quilt gets much glitzier it may be appropriate for some madam's boudoir.

Not mine - I am a flannel pj type of gal.

Since the new sun room has a deadbolt lock on the door we leave the sliding glass doors open from morning to night and even overnight sometime. Well I just went to walk out and snap some pictures and walked bam into the glass slider.I must have been ging fast because I felt like I had broke my nose and my big toe on my right foot. Both my sister and grandson have walked into it closed and almost knocked the little guy out. Bent my sister's glasses so wouldn't you think I would put something up there. Now I am going to have a funny looking nose for awhile and it will serve me right. I will try and find a decal so we don't have this happen again.

There was talk on the sil ribbon list about the beautiful lingerie case that Cath K from Utah bought at an antique store. The two large roses are just beautiful and Barbara B and Martha D W both want to try and make these roses. I mentioned that I had purchased from a local shop in Mt. Dora last year a bag that I have no idea what it was for but had such pretty rosebuds on it. It has hand made buttonholes on top where the ribbon goes thru. There was no ribbon so I bought some and then just hung it in my sewing room. I took some pics of it that I will post.

Both son & daughter & families are in Orlando this week so we are going down to Sue;s house and all getting together for dinner. Haven't seen them since Christmas.

We have a group of gals who meet every second Mon. morning in each others home. Some knit, crochet, just chat, quilt, whatever but I am the only cq gal. It was at our house today and we sat out in our new sunroom. Well today I brought out my latest one with the pink sashings and one of the gals really was interested. After everyone else left she came in my sewing room and asked me questions and I could see that maybe I may have a person who may want to try it. Would be great to get a group not just 2 of us but 2 is better then 1.

Carol Kramer from Claremont, FL, Joyce boudreau from Nova Scotia, Canada and is visiting at the Villages for 3 months and then our Willa from Orlando are coming out to have lunch with me on April 1. It is a workday for Willa so she will try to come. The gals are going to bring their projects they are working on so it will be fun just to have the time to sit and chat, etc. Will let you in on any great secrets or projects I hear about after april 1 - he he.

I am posting block 3 and actually have 4 done but did not get the picture taken so will do it tomorrow. I am having fun with these. The colors are growing on me and I picked up a lot of black trims, old black velvet flowers, black rick rack with silver at the flea market sun. Boy I am going to miss that place when we go home in May. I tell myself I have to buy for the next 6 months = good excuse, eh?

I made another block yesterday but unfortunately the camera ran away with the man who ran off to play poker at the club last night. Hence no pictures until today. I was hoping to squeeze in a block every day but I have a late start today so maybe it will be every second day. I am beginning to like these colors. Looking at the calender which I am not following color wise I noticed they actually have a lot of white mixed in and I haven't used a piece of white yet. Maybe off white in laces and trims. I have a lot of black and silver trims so I am sure they will be on there. A few posts back I showed you the lovely beaded lace and metal beads I found at the flea market. Thought of them in bed last night and decided they had better go on there somewhere. Don't know where else I would use them.

I also put a butterfly on this one that is silver rather then the glitter one on the first post. This fabric was black sheer with shocking pink color on the one side. thank goodness I turned it over because there was all silver on the other side. I backed it with black interfacing and it turned out great. I actually like it better then the glitter silver one. I may do half the blocks with one and half with the other or sneak both into some squares. It i such fun to get back into putting squares together. Remind me of this when 6 months down the road I am embellishing and agonizing over what goes where.

I also showed a pic of a sheer black fabric with gorgeous embroidery already on it. The pic does not do it justice. It is very pretty in person. Trouble is to get the whole spray you have to have a very long and wide section.