Sum Sum Summertime!

Wow, who turned on the heat, summer time has arrived! 

Being as today was to be the coolest day of the week, a mere 87 degrees, Hubby and I decided this should be our outdoor adventure day, a picnic at the park. I made yummy egg salad sandwiches, I just love egg salad don't you? All packed up in my cute little basket with some sketch pads off we went. The quilt under my basket which you can hardly see is the 1st quilt I ever made 41 years ago! There was no pattern involved, or fabric purchasing. I used scraps of our 1st daughters outgrown clothing and sewed squares together with some applique tulips in the center of every other square, it was just a home sewing scrap project for her bed. It is now pretty tattered and has become the picnic quilt. What a nice memory of a cute little girl and all those sweet little sundresses I had made for her. 

And look what I found, a very old picture of our Melissa on her quilt with just a few of her stuffed animals lol. The photo quality is poor, what a long way cameras have come since then, but you get the idea! What a cutie :)

Well to tell you the truth Hubby and I just had to laugh. Our picnic lunch was great but sitting for a long spell on the ground was not as easy as it used to be so out came the soft fold up chairs. 

I brought an Annie to stitch, as you can see she is nearly finished. Fish were jumping from the lake and birds were chattering, it was a relaxing way to spend the afternoon. 

I have several projects in the works right now. This little reindeer wall hanging will soon be a new pattern, just as soon as I get a cover for it off to the printer it will go.

My next design arrived in todays mail, home from Brenda's expert quilting. I have to sew the binding on and start writing the pattern, I better quit goofing off now and get busy! 

A little Fun In The Sun

Home again after a little vacation time. Each year Hubby and I make our annual trek to Florida to visit his Dad, I think this makes year #24! We were more than ready to leave behind the chilly weather here in Kansas. And leave it behind we did, our week was glorious and full of sunshine. Afternoons were spent lazily soaking up rays by the pool. We ate out nearly every night and came back to play cards. Grandpa loves cards and he is a master of all games. We so enjoyed our stay with him, and at 91 years old it is a joy to see how blessed he is with good health. 

Next we drove farther south to visit my sister who retired in Sarasota a few years ago. The boys golfed and we sisters enjoyed girl time, something I never seem to get enough of. A little shopping, sight seeing and lunch, perfect! One of our stops was to visit Laura, owner of Cotton Patch Quilt Shop.

The day I visited was Laura's birthday, they had cute cookies for her customers. I was happy to have the chance to see her beautiful shop, and meet her doggies in person! 

At the shop I had the pleasure of meeting Suzi who was working that day. Suzi is an avid stitcher and shared with me one of the blocks she had stitched from my "Annie Loves Christmas" pattern. Well the funny part is she changed the cat in the block to a chihuahua (her pet), we laughed and laughed! Suzi has an Etsy shop called Oh Suzanna. A very pleasant shop visit, stop by if you live in the area!

I have a new pattern release, the "Three Scarecrows" table runner pattern is fast and fun to make with easy piecing and fusible web. It is now available on my website at CleoandMe.com.

I am still catching up from being away, you play you pay they say! Finishing laundry this Memorial Day weekend. Hubby loves to cook out, he made his famous beer can chicken for our picnic of two! 

I sat outside sewing the binding on a wall hanging, another new pattern to write. 

Thankful to those who serve and have served our great country. I hope your weekend was fun!

A Happy Mothers Day

Mothers Day... come and nearly gone now. This morning my son arrived with a basket full of laundry lol... AND and a beautiful bouquet of flowers. He had also stopped at Dean & Delucca on the way and brought me chocolate and 3 special dessert confections. How absolutely sweet is that, I'll tell you, I must of raised this boy right! 

He and Hubby then prepared a fabulous brunch. The sun was out and shining, we sat out on the patio for the 1st time this year soaking up the warmth.

Both of my daughters called, you know how those phone calls just make your day so extra special. 

After brunch we went to see "The Great Gatsby". Loved the movie, elaborate backdrop of mansions rich with opulence, beautiful costumes and characters depicting the fabulous lifestyle of a great novel come to life. 

Last but not least Hubby had a special gift for me, charms for my bracelet. Two girls and 1 boy charm, 1 kitty charm for my sweet Cleo who I still miss so very much. 

I am so lucky to have such a wonderful family. I hope your Mothers Day was filled with love and extra special too! 

Over The Rainbow

My sweet Cleo went to kitty heaven this morning, my heart is still heavy accepting her loss. A recent checkup found she had stomach cancer and she was barely eating. Although we could hardly bare the thought of letting her go, we had to keep her best interests in mind. With great love, Jerry and I by her side, she went peacefully.
Many thanks to my family, friends and FaceBook friends, for their compassion and kind comments while I faced this difficult decision. 
Cleo was my constant sewing buddy these past 13 years, she loved to hang out with me while I worked. She had many friends in the quilting community who sent her notes and pictures of kitty friends, we read and enjoyed them all!
In her honor I put together a slide show of some of my Cleo inspired patterns, as you can see she left some very big paw prints on my heart! 

Free digital slideshow customized with Smilebox

Is it Spring Yet?

Is it Spring yet?? Well I don't know about you but I sure am ready! We have had a bit of everything this month, from our largest snowfall in years to thunderstorms. Temperature swings from teens to 60's in all in a matter of days, those poor little daffodils are too frightened to stick their heads up just yet. 

I have been doing a little Spring decorating, changing out the winter candles, floral arrangements and nick knacks to pastel colors and bunnies. Speaking of bunnies, you know I love my bunnies... I released a new penny rug design this month titled "Easter Egg Hunt". Love these wool felt colors, and the bunnies are just way too cute :)

My currant design I'm working on skips back to a winter theme. I know I know... I said I was waiting for Spring and here I am back to snow and such in my head. 

I did however find the perfect hanger for it. 

So while I'm not sewing I am planning my St Patricks Day feast! Silly me, I'm not even Irish, but on St Pats Day everyone is are they not? Even Cleo! 

The truth is I never even had a corned beef dinner until after Hubby and I were married. And to please  

my 1/2 Irish Hubby this German girl learned how to make his corned beef with all the fixings many years ago. Not all my attempts were too spectacular, sometimes the green beer was probably the best part lol! But I am proud to now say I have this meal down pat and make the BEST EVER CORNED BEEF! Yes I do  Bobby Flay! Our son and his girl friend will be joining us, I look forward to their company and cooking for them!

This St Patricks Day may joy and peace surround you,

contentment latch your door;

and happiness be with you now, 

and bless you ever more!

Bunny Central

Good morning, I should have plenty of time to blog today, our second big snow storm hit last night and I'll just say we are not going anywhere too soon! Hopefully we will be plowed out tomorrow, but for now it is pretty to look at and we have power, who could ask for more.

It is hard to believe just a week ago Hubby and I were in Dallas and it was 72 perfect degrees! We drove down to visit our daughter and cute little twin Grandsons who turned 7 this week. On our girlie afternoon out my daughter and I visited 2 quilt shops near by, Quilt Country in Lewisville and The Old Craft Store in Carrollton. Each store was unique and fun, I bought goodies at each. The flannel pictured below will be stitched in to 2 baby blankets for the expected arrival of my Nieces twins. I am trying the "self binding" baby blanket instructions, I'll let you know how that turns out. I also purchased a Frixion marking pen for my embroidery tracing, it is supposed to disappear with a hot iron. Normally I use the water soluble tracing pens so I am curious to see if I might like this better, have you tried one?

The drive down and back is long and rather boring, I stitched all the way. My bunny penny rug is nearly finished and will be a pattern soon!

Bunny kits and patterns have been hopping out the door since I got home, it feels like bunny central here. Easter is early this year, time to put my few Valentine decorations away and bring out the Spring decor.

And after gazing at this scene out my front window, I know I'm ready for a little Spring, how about you?

Meatloaf, Valentines & Flat Stanley

Meatloaf in the oven.... mmmmm, smells pretty good in here and now I have a little time to

plop down and write a quick post! I love Valentines Day, a sweet little day to break up the winter doldrums. A day filled with hearts and candy, cute little cards that say I Love You.... :)

Do you decorate for Valentines Day? I found darling Valentine kitties to scatter about my sewing room. Add a stack of Robert Kaufman polka dot fat quarters, how purrfect would that be for a Valentine project! 

Valentine kitties tacked to the bulletin board in my sewing room and a strand of vintage Valentines, my sewing room is a happy place to be.

This past week was very busy here and enjoyably so. Friends of ours from Buffalo NY flew in to visit, 

friends of 35 plus years, so special to have such a long lasting friendship. We had the BEST time and did a little bit of everything, their time with us flew by way too fast! 

We had another "guest" during their visit. This little guy flew up in an envelope from Oklahoma City,

meet my "Grandson" Alexander lol! Perhaps you may be familiar with a school project called "flat Stanley". If not, a school age child mails a paper image to you with a request to show "them" around your city and provide information (postcards, maps, pictures etc) telling the class about your city. You then mail all the info you gathered back to the school for their class to learn from. I did one for another Grandson last year. His flat Stanley was only envelope size. This one is actual size and more cumbersome to drag around.

Here he is having tea and pastries with my friend Kathy and I at a local favorite chocolate shop!

Perfect timing, the oven buzzer is going off, time to put dinner on the table. 

Bon appetit!