Christmas in July with the Island Batik Ambassadors

Oh, the inspiration my fellow Island Batik Ambassadors

have given us this month. 

I just love Christmas in July.

It really gets me geared up,  to start planning for the holidays.

They always come up on us, so fast.

Once the kids go back to school, it's a blink and it's Christmas.

You can read more of each and every one of these delights 

on the links below.

Purrfect Spots

Pamela Quilts

Lemon Tree Snippets

Ark Angel Creations

FreeMotion by the River

Quilting Affection

Stone Cottage Quilts

BejeweledQuilts by Barb

For Quilts Sake

Sallys Quilting Corner

InchWorm Fabrics

Kauffman Designs

BeaQuilter

Adele Mogavero

Patchwork Breeze

Kissed Quilts

Knitbug 2

MooseStashQuilting

Patchwork Pearl

Maria Michaels Designs

Webster Quilts

Mary Mack Made Mine
Desert Bloom Quilting

Oh but wait! 

You won't want to miss us next month.

It's our big summer blog hop.

Yes, we will be sharing the brand new lines 

coming to a shop near you!

Even this land-locked girl can dream...

I can hardly wait to share it with you!
;-)

till then...

Keep on Stitchin'

Wild and Wacky Birthday Week

You've not heard from me much lately, but I've been busy

working away on my Alaska Row by Row kits!

Here are a couple I managed to get done in between 

the festivities.

There is something to be said about getting old...

At least when your having a landmark birthday.

I hit the age where I could retire if I choose.

That's not happening soon. 

There is just too much fabrics to buy yet.

I'm going to need to stay working for a little while longer.

Or a lot, if my quiltin' habits don't change!

LOL!!!!

It all started last weekend when my girlfriend of 51 years,

(yep, 51 years), came up from Albuquerque.

She brought me 35 yards of fabric.

The girl went nuts when Hancocks fabrics closed down.

:-)

I love ya Laura!

Then my Flying Quilters quilt group kept the party week going, 

with a fun filled day of stitching and laughter.

These 2 girls know how to have a good time.

Joi made this layered salad that was absolutely to die for.

If you've got a special occasion or just love a great salad, check it out 

HERE

We just about cleanup up the entire bowl, it was so good!

Had I really known just how fabulous it was when I was serving it up...

I would have dished up 

much smaller portions to everyone else!

tee hee!!!!!!!  

Just kidding girls!

This was one of my birthday gifts...

Oh those girls know me so well!

Now I am wondering...

What does it mean when your husband runs over and turns 

the light on, all the time???

He sure seems to love this thing!

Hummmmm.... maybe I don't want to know.

I spent the day with an old friend yesterday.

                        She took me out for lunch and Margaritas.

We chatted for almost 5 hours.

Thanks RaLynn for a great afternoon.

It all wrapped up with the family taking me out, for a Sushi dinner!

Yummmy!

Today the party is over and all there was to do, was clean up the mess!

:-(

I had such a wonderful birthday week, that I decided to share a little of the joy with one of you.

I'm hosting a post birthday give away

All you have to do is answer the question 

Are you older or younger than you think I am, in the comments below.

(I gave a hint above)

;-)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I've got a nice little surprise package for one of you.

It does include some Island Batik fabric!

winky winky!

I'll pick the winner next Tuesday August 2nd!

OH,  and I've got a question for you.

Any idea what this is?

My son and his girlfriends found it at an antique store.

They bought it for me because it was old and said Alaska on it.

A Google search of old Alaska tools, found the answer.

(How would we survive without Google)

It's an ice shaver.

Anyone want a snow cone?

:-)

Keep on Stitchin'

Summer Sensations Blog Hop

Hip hip hooray!

I get to help kick it off, today.

Are you melting from the summer's heat?  

Here in the USA, most of us are.

Well, do I have a solution of sorts, for you....

It's a potholder Palooza!

It might not do much for the summer sun,

but it will sure help in the kitchen.

I just love potholders and all the crazy fun ways we can make them.

No matter if it's Strawberries

Apples

Watermelons

Funky Chickens

Chefs

Happy Campers

Or a sittin chickin

They're sure to delight.

Many of these are from

You can find it right 

HERE

on Amazon

The "Happy Campers" is a free pattern from 

SuziesSitcom.com

You can find it right

HERE

If that's not enough of those heat proof hotties...

Check out all these at 

Crafty Staci

HERE

So keep your cool this summer with some 

quick and easy projects.

Thanks Marian for getting us together for another fun filled

hop.  Talk about one hot chick...

She's the firecracker who keeps us all together.

:-)

Oh and speaking of "all together".

Many of us have known each other for years thru blogging.

We've made many friends thru sweet comments left.

Want a way to really keep these special people in your hearts and 

hands forever?

Why don't you consider joining us in the

Simply Sign Me Swap.

Marian and I and jointly working behind the scenes for you.

You are making 4 1/2" blocks with signatures on them.

They all get mailed to me, and I will separate and mail them back to you.

The rule are simple, as YOU get to make most of them up!

Read more about it right

                                                           HERE

We'd love to have you join us.

I've even gotten Island Batik to sponsor my blocks!

Happy Dance...Happy Dance

;-)

 a Rafflecopter giveaway

 A big thanks to our sponsor for the  great give a way.

You can enter by leaving a comment below.

Tell me what's hot stuff in your world!

:-)

Be sure to visit my fellow bloggers 

July 21

Quilt In Piece
Moose Stash Quilting
Bumbleberry Stitches

July 22

Elizabeth Coughlin Designs
Sally's Quilts
Thrift Shop Commando

July 25

Cloth and Paper Studio
Quilt Doodle Designs
Life in the Scrapatch

July 26

Seacoast Quilter
TeaTme Creations
I Can Quilt 2
Seams To  Be Sew

Keep on Stitchin'

Row by Rowing Along...

...When the opportunity to take a little trip, to collect Row by Row patterns came along, I jumped at the chance.

Can you guess, where I went?

I never turn down and opportunity to take a trip to Alaska.

Call me biased, but I think they have the best rows this year!

I just had to have them all.

Or at least as many as I could collect while I was there.

Don't you just love that top row that I finished?

It's the row from Kenai Fabrics.

It's definitely my favorite and I made it up as soon as I got home.

We had the most fabulous weather all trip, but Homer

was a huge bonus.

There are few days that are this clear there.

The eagles were out enjoying the day too.

This mama, was sitting on her nest tending her little ones.

The Homer Spit is so much fun in the summer.

 

My youngest caught a 40lb king salmon on the Kenai River

 Hard to believe its almost 11pm isn't it?

I love this time of the year. 

The Cabbages love all that sunshine too.

This one is almost 2 foot in diameter.

 

Oh and yours truly even caught a Halibut!

It's hard to pick who is scarier in this photo, the deckhand or me!

LOL!!!!

 

Yes I even found a Moose and her calf!

The view from my friends deck. 

Can't blame anyone for not wanting to ever come home.

:-)

                            But all good trips must come to an end,
                            and these photos taken from the plane,
                              were the perfect way to top it all off.

What a great view of a glacier.

 

Till next time Alaska!

Keep on Stitchin'

Christmas in July with Island Batik...

Christmas in July...

It's like those "chips" where you can't eat just one.

Or those M&M's where you can't eat just one pound!

Oops, I promised myself I wasn't going to air

that dirty little secret!

I was going to take "that one" to my grave...

and no, not from M&M overload,

Thanks for asking!

OK, back on track here!

I got a chance to play around with a little art quilting.

I fell in love with straight line quilting, during our Modern Challenge last month. Then I stumbled on this fun tutorial from Julia Graber.

 It was all the inspiration I needed,  to sit down and play.

Out came the Island Batik Holiday Happenings fabrics and my Accuquilt GO cutter. I was off and running!

I love these 12" projects. You really can, sit down and finish them in a few hours.  It gives you a chance to get your feet wet,

 with new techniques.

You can read Julia's post on making this fun background fabric

HERE

and you can see Oops Lah's results

HERE

Between them, I just couldn't resist!

A big thanks to Island Batik and their yummy fabrics!

Keep on Stitchin'