Gone Fishing! Yahoo!!

In just about 2 hours hubby will be waking up to finish loading the kayaks up on the truck and then we are on our way! Yahoo! Vacation time! Every year for the past 16 years we head up to Great East Lake for some kayaking and fishing and some fun in the sun. Great East is located half in NH and half in Maine so you never know which state you are in when you are paddling. I figured since it's already near 1:00 I might as well stay up and sleep in the car on the 3 hours trip north.... I'm sure Rob will like that as he won't have to listen to me yak all the way LOL!

Bags are packed and I'm ready to roll. CQ goodies packed - check, CQ Books packed - check, Dyes & Laces packed - check, Cross stitch mermaid project packed - check! Looks like I'm all set for a week of doing what I love to do most.... have to be prepared as you never know what kind of weather you might end up with. I like knowing that if I get stuck inside because it's raining I will have plenty to keep me from getting bored.

A Whole Lotta Summer CQing and Sewing

Let me see, this past month has been a busy one for me - trying to get caught up on a bunch of different projects all the while having a fun summer seeing old friends and actually spending time at home for once.

I belong to a great Group called the Bakers Dozen. Each month a group of us have a specific project that we have to create using any technique we want. For the next 12 months we will all make a project, be it a mini quilt or whatever. Our first project was to represent the word "Freedom". These mini peices of art are not for swapping - once the projects are all done we are hoping to have them all shown in a Gallery.

Now, I could have gone the route of making up something that was patriotic in Red, White and Blue but ya'll know me by now.... I have to find a way to incorporate my pretty dyed laces. So... I decided to cut up one of my beautiful Victoria Secret bras and create "Freedom - Let the Girl Fly" - This little mini quilt measures 13x15 and is complete with "stuiffed bra". You can read the full story behind my creation at : Bakers Dozen Also, while you are there check out some of the other creations - simply awesome!

Notice the little pair of gold scissors? Yeeeehaw! Cutting them free!!!

Another fabulous group I'm in is called "The Twelve of Us" a fun group of talented ladies who love to sew. Each one of us picked a project for the next 12 months and have been matched up with a different person each month to make that particular months project. Our first project was to make a purse using yo yos. I made my purse for Amanda and had a blast - it was the first time I ever used these big grommets. I've been so afraid of trying to use them and was laughing at myself when I realized how easy they were to put in. You can see all the other beautiful purses at: The-twelve-of-us

So... now on to some Crazing Quilting. My new friend Susan (from Canada) and I started our friendship by swapping out her tatting for some of my dyed laces. We decided right away that we would love to do a 1 on 1 CQ block swap and picked a theme "All things that fly". Susan made her block and sent it to me for embellishing as I did mine to her ... of course you already KNOW what color my block was LOL. If you'd like to see her work on my block please check her blog out: Suztats I can't wait for it to arrive. BTW - her tatting is fabulous- she sent me some really cute seahorses that will appear in one of my next mermaid projects.

I dyed up tons of laces to match the color of her fabrics. Beaded, layered and stitched my way into a flower garden with bees, butterflies, birds and bumble bees.

A Group which is the brain child of Pat Winters is for the making of CQ Puzzle Pieces. Pat provides you with the Puzzle Pattern and you in turn make 4x4 little CQ pieces. I had a ball making these and received some gorgeous pieces back in the latest swap. Think I will have to get myself busy and make some more to swap as they were so much fun.

Ahhhhhh isn't she just adorable!!! One of the CQI RR's I'm in calls for a block to be CQ'd in Luscious Laces. I received Colleen's block and on it was a picture of her beautiful grand daughter Annebelle. Being the first to work on her block I was so excited I just had to give Annebelle a pretty little headband.... after all..... her Gramma is an old hippie LOL!

Next I wanted to create a little garden for her with a momma kitty and her baby. I found a couple of these wooden kitties at a dollar store - would you believe a $ for 6 ofg these?! My wonderful hubby drilled two small holes in them so I could sew them down by inserting a bead.

Of course the kitties had to have a pretty playground so I layered tons of dyed lace over a piece of lattice lace ... oh..... and check out the little bumble bees - my friend Carolyn taught me how to make them - aren't they adorable!

If you want to be a part of a Grrrrrrreat Crazy Quilting group click on the button on the right hand column of my blog -you can't miss it - CQI. You will love all the wonderufl ladies that come out to play and swap with you and above all ... you will learn so much!

I've ton more than I've been working on and need to be working on but I also had to take a break and get some more laces dyed. I've loaded up RavioleeDreams so please stop by for a peek at some CQ pretties. If you see something you like and want it in a different color range please let me know. Slowly but surely I will be loading up 100's more pieces in all colors and designs.

For those of you interested, I am heading back out to CA in a couple of weeks for another CQ Treasure Hunt: LA Fabric District - CQ Treasure Hunt - if you are interested in this awesome CQ Buy In, please contact me.