Spring in Bloom...

The day was very warm yesterday...

but the trees are in beautiful bloom.

These are blooms on the apple tree we planted in our back yard when we first moved into our house.

It is lop-sided because it had an accident with a snowplow the winter after it was planted. Amber tried to eat the blooms during picture time.

There was some thunder overhead at the time, but I loved it...the sound, the smell of the coming rain, and having fun with the baby! The neighbor has some great flowering trees, I love getting pictures of them in the spring.

Then when I went into the house I watered my window flower...which I am surprised is still alive...I do NOT have a green thumb.

And then a little more of a surprise when I looked a little closer...a baby!

I can't wait to watch it grow!
While Amber and I walked around the yard, Liz took her afternoon nap with her Easter pillow...it made me smile and happy that she likes it and got it for her nap.

Then last night I had my 'personal' Friday Night Sew-in, because I'm not able to do it next week on the scheduled night. I worked on the Americana Star Pillows for my secret sister (SS). I did some free motion quilting... and think I need to add the word primitive to the title of these pillows! However on the red one I ventured out and added words to the border...Psalm 33:12a.

All together I like the way they turned out. I hope my SS enjoys them. (Sorry if the 'secret' part is lost because I'm sharing them here...but we'll have fun with it anyway!)

Today, I've been browsing through the long list of the Bloogers' Quilt Festival over at Amy's Creative Side. There are so many to get through...but I'm trying. In the next few days I hope to post for the festival too. It's making me want to quilt a larger quilt for the fall festival. Enjoy the inspiration!
Here is the timely verse quilted onto the red pillow...

 Blessed is the nation

whose God is the Lord:

Psalm 33:12a

Now, off to design a quilt...hope to 'see' you in church tomorrow!

Amanda

The Results...

Last nights Friday Night Sew-in didn't feel very productive at first, but once the baby went to bed more was accomplished. First I wanted to finish piecing the pillow tops, because this is how they've looked for almost a week...

First mission accomplished!

Next I decided to work on my oversize mug rug. I had the pattern picked out and some of the material I wanted to use. However, once I laid out the material to get started, I added some from my scrap basket... so my choices were from these...

Earlier I was going to go with blue, green, and yellow...However, the yellow & red material won out...so I went with yellow, red, and green...

So I cut the pieces...

And sewed the squares together and then cut where needed...

Now, I just have to press the triangles open to squares and then piece them all together and quilt.

I made a mistake - I didn't add an extra 1/2 inch to my small squares...I should have done this because the pattern was to cut triangles, and I thought it easier to make squares and then sew 1/4 inch both ways from the center diagonal line, then cut then apart there, but I forgot to do that the material should have been a little bigger because of the way the pattern was first laid out. (I should probably try this way on something small to make sure I thinking about this accurately!)

Oh well - so they are smaller than I first expected...but I had enough material for the size I did make :) All it means is that the finished block will be a little small...which for a mug rug exact measurements aren't as necessary as if I was making something more important. It's great practice...a trial and error kind of thing!

It's windy, rainy, and cool here - so I've changed my plans for the day...I'm going to stay home and sew. I think I'll work on the mug rug and Easter pillows for the girls.

This morning I read Psalm 48 and liked the confidence that God will always guide...

For this God is our God for ever and ever:

he will be our guide even into death.

Psalm 48:14

Have a great day...hope to 'see' you in church tomorrow!

Amanda