On The Road to Paducha

On our drive into Paducha each day we passed this very interesting 

Road Side Attraction Called Toy Land.

We just had to stop and check it out.

All the eclectic art at Toy Land was made by Brittney's Dad.

She walked us around the area and told us about

every item her Dad had made. She was a charming guide.

These huge sculptures were near the road and are what 

got our attention. I just loved the gas pump man.

Here Brittney and her sister (left) sit with Paula after our tour.

Paula took this photo of me at one of the many 

interesting items to see.

This road side attraction reminded me of the type of things we

would pull of the road to see when I was a child.

This property has been in there family many years and in the

past their grandparents had an apple orchard and sold cider

from the small building where they 

now have the extensive toy collection.

It was a very fun stop on our ride into Paudchah.

New Edition To The Sewing Room

3 wonderful days in Paducha at the quilt show.

This is one of my good quilting buddies Paula. She and I just got back from 3 wonderful days of quilters nirvana. We went to the AQS Paducha quilt show, the quilt museum and Hancocks's fabrics of Paducha. It was a wonderful trip. We couldn't find a room in Paducah so we staid at Lake Barkley a not too far away state park. It was a beautiful place, so relaxing after a long day of walking and walking. One thing that was nice about this trip was the first day of our trip was my birthday and Paula surprised me with a very sweet gift of a 

Betsy Ross sewing machine. Something I'd wanted for a very long time.

"Betsy" is in very good condition and came with her box and instructions.

My sweet hubby is going to get her all oiled up and I'm planning on 

making a mini quilt with her at some point. It will be a tiny sampler I'm thinking.

If you have a few minutes check out all our photos from the trip.

We had a great time.

AQS Paducah Show...It's Here!

Well just one more day till Paula and I hit the road for the AQS Paducah show. We're both very excited. This will be my second time up there. The first time I went I tried to see the show in 1 day (rookie mistake) tried to see that show in one day. We walked so fast to try to see everything we barely made it back to the car. Live and learn. So this year I started looking for a room by the end of Jan. I was shocked they were all pretty much booked up. Panic stricken I called Paula and went into a whirl of rapid fire conversation about what ever would we do. Paula ask me would you mind not staying right in Paducha ...a quick response was -  no I'll take anything. So she booked us a room at this gorgeous place called Lake Barkley. When I opened up the web site I was thrilled.

We talked this morning and are wavering on wether or not we'll extend our stay. Since we'll be in Paducah several days we'll have time to go to the National Quilt Museum which I've never been to. I just found out last month that on display there now is the Ninth Quilt Japan, which is the biggest quilting contest in Japan. OH JOY just gives me goose bumps. Then as if that just wasn't enough Jim Shore will be at the museum on the 24th. So if I'm lucky I'll get my first one of his sculptures and get him to sign it. I've wanted one of his pieces for years, but just always end up spending my money on fabric/thread at the shows. I do have his web site marked now thou. The fall AQS here in Nashville I was standing there with a pig Christmas ornament in my hand and Paula just came up behind me and said buy it buy it.  I'd like to say I was strong and had will power, truth is I'd spend all my money on fabric and other such wonders. This year I have special $'s set aside for just this purpose. One of my dear friends who understands my "need" for all things pig gave me money for my birthday and said that's for your pig. So to quote a friend - it shall be mine.

All in all we are both so excited to be going, not just to the heart of quilting, but just to get away for a few days. A few days of not fixing dinner and getting up early. Waking up when your internal clock goes off, not the crazy screaming box next to the bed. 

My life is good and I feel blessed every day to have all the friends I have, and I'm very lucky with my sweet husband and wonderful sister and her hubby. 

My family is small but beyond dear.

ATC's

Trying this "tiny" form of art was interesting. 

I don't normally, well never have made anything this small before. 

Even my blocks tend to be bigger than this. 

These little Artist Trading Cards are just 2.5 x 3.5. 

I found it a little hard to plan and sew something this small.

They are good for hand embellishments, being so small you

don't have to worry about wearing your hand out with 

hand stitching or beading. All in all it was fun.

I joined an ATC group on Quilt With Us.

It's got me very interested in these tiny treasures.

Shopping Is Always An Adventure

Last week I got a wonderful new sewing cabinet and it has 2 drawers 

which I put my thread in. These needed organizers in them thou 

and today I ran across these very cheep. 

Couldn't wait to get home and put all

my thread in it's little groups. Now the 2 drawers are full of 

thread and it's all separated into sections by type.

I was also out looking for fabric for a window 

in my living room that needs a new curtain.  

The other 2 windows already had curtains on them that my 

sweet mother made me many years ago. 

The fact that I found the same fabric was amazing...

and it was 50% off.

I was beginning to think I was on a lucky streak so I drove

over to The Fabric Junkie and found this wonderful remnant.

I just love oriental flavored fabrics and 

this photo just can't do this justice.

I started thinking of things to do with it on 

the drive home. Oh can't wait.

I've been seeing and admiring ATC's for years, 

but have never made one. They are having a swap on 

Creative Souls and I think I'll try some of these for this swap. 

I think a bulletin board next to my sewing machine with 

these little wonders on them would be good inspiration.

So I'd better get to planning my ATC. 

It will be interesting to work so small.

Free Motion Practice

The most important tool you need to 

learn free motion quilting is patience.

The first day I was shown how to do free motion, 

meandering by my friend Paula, she told me 

you'll have to  practice and practice and then 

one day it will suddenly become easy.

I must admit I didn't believe her that day, but it's gotten a lot easier.

I do little practice pieces that will never become anything other than

samples to see how I am progressing. I date each one with a sharpie and

then toss it in a basket to compare with my current work down the road.

This is a little practice I did this weekend and it's different from

the traditional continuos patterns I normally do.

I wanted to try something that would look somewhat like 

a pen and ink drawing. It's close.

New Home For My Machine

I've been saving for a good while to get a sewing cabinet. I've been sewing on a folding table for over 2 years, it worked OK. I never had enough room for my quilts to spread out, and they had to be rolled up on all 4 sides and that was a lot of pinning and rolling - unrolling - just a pain. After looking at a lot of cabinets on line and mulling it over for several weeks I made my selection. Lucky for me the store where I get all my other sewing equipment carried the brand I wanted. I drove out there on Wednesday and found the one I wanted in stock and on sale! So after a quick flash of plastic and my head spinning with joy, it was mine. The photo above is from their brochure, but happens to be the same finish I have. Yesterday my husband and one of his buddies went out and picked it up for me. Big thanks to both of them, it is very heavy and no small feat to get in and out of the truck. It was already put together, another wonder (I hate putting stuff like that together). Now it's sitting here, I can't get over it. Ahhhhhh - sewing bliss. My sewing room is upstairs, there was no way we could get this monster up the narrow steps so it will stay down here. Now the room upstairs will be for fabric storage and cutting/designing.