A MUST READ

Go by and visit WOMEN ON QUILTS on the left side of her blog is a link to a FREE on-line book. It's sixteen short stories about lives of various fictional women from 1902-1942, surviving hard times, quilting, etc. , written by fourteen different women. I've been enjoying reading them this HOT HUMID Tidewater, Virginia afternoon/evening. Only something like 53 pages, has pictures from the period as well as of quilts of that time.

GIVEAWAY ALERT ! !

Go by and visit HAPPY COTTAGE QUILTER ASAP!!! She has a giveaway---her first giveaway and it is a good one! She is giving away 1-1/2 yards of Susan Branch's Tea Party fabric, half a yard of yellow polka dot, a fat quarter of white polka dot PLUS three yards of blue ric-rac!! She says this giveaway will make a great vintage look apron!! I totally agree!!!

See the picture above that I borrowed from her blog showing all the goodies!!!

TEACUP TUESDAY

Can't believe it is already Teacup Tuesday! Where did the week go??? This cup is one I inherited from my great-aunt's collection. It's a small cup...larger than demitasse. It's white with a turquoise design and pretty floral bouquet. There's a floral bouquet inside the cup and in the center of the saucer as well.
And on the self where it lives in my kitchen with three others from her collection.
She was a very proper lady married to a true Southern Gentleman. Every morning he would go make a pot of coffee and serve her in bed. There they would have their coffee, listen to the news and read the newspaper before breakfast. This was also done when they traveled and visited friends and family. He would also do this luxury treat to the ladies visiting them and those they visited. They each had a special cup for their home in Virginia and one for their winter home in Florida. Also special ones they carried with them when they traveled.

MEMORIAL DAY

Please go by and visit Sweet Cottage Dreams for a most meaningful Memorial Day Remembrance.

GIVE AWAY ALERT!!!!----Free Patterns

Go by and visit GREEN FAIRY QUILTS she is giving away over a hundred dollars in patterns. Leave a comment and be sure to tell her AverettLadyNana/Elaine and her neighbor Chris sent you!!!!
the picture above is from her site (which I borrowed to tempt you and hope she doesn't mind) shows the collection you the great selection get to select your favorite 12 patterns should you be the lucky person to win! She has a list of all of them where you see them individually.

So go by and visit her ASAP!!! Tell them AverettLadyNana/Elaine and Chris sent you.

MORNING AT THE PARK

I keep my baby girl's three baby girls when she and her hubby are at work. Some days Papa and I take them to one of the parks in the area to work off some energy on the playground. Last week we went to one which is all woods except for the three baseball fields there. Baby girl/their Mommy and the oldest grandson both have played baseball there during the sanction Little League all-star baseball season and other summer tournaments. They are use to going to see their older cousin play in tournaments there and the three year old always asks if we're going to baseball game when we go here.

I got a new camera that's thin and fits into pocket and easy to take along. I do not get along well with cameras...family always say takes me five minutes to snap a picture and then I've cut off heads, not centered, etc., as these pictures will testify...

While her older two sisters play she'd rather take a nap....

Sometimes it's more fun to go up the hardest way when you're two...

Always fun to survey the view from a high vantage point...
Swinging does not help a bad hair day...

After working up an appetite it's always fun to head to HotDog King or What-A-Burger before heading back to Nana and Papa's for afternoon nap-time or rest-time as whatever the case may be....

CHRISTENING GOWN---EMILY

Well, today I almost finished the front panel in the skirt. Did you noticed I said 'almost'. I have to add the insertion down the sides of the panel. I should be able to do that tonight. Took me three or four days to cut fabric from behind the lace. I need to do a little stitching where it's mitered at the corners. There are boo-boos!!! And it is FAR from perfect. I'd like to do it over. What bothers me the most is one of the rings is crooked and stands out like a sore thumb!

TEACUP TUESDAY

I've been seeing various blogs I follow doing a Teacup Tuesday where they post a picture of a teacup they have and tell something about it. I decided to do this too. This one is to a tea-set I inherited from my great-aunt. It belonged to my great-great-great-grandmother Sarah Wright-Guion then her oldest daughter my great-great-grandmother Sarah Mariah Guion-Weston then her oldest daughter Orvetta Weston-Billups, then to her only daughter/my g-aunt Estelle Billups-Pettit and then to me (skipping my mother) the oldest female in the next line of descent from Grandmother Sarah and so it will go to my daughter and then her oldest daughter.

The set includes a teapot, sugar, creamer, luncheon plates, desert plates, cups and saucers, berry bowls, and cake/sandwich platters. It's by Jean Pouyat , Limoges. Since I've been the keeper of it I have it in my g-aunt's corner cabinet. Part is on display in the top section. Shame on me I've never used it. But I do have fond memories of my great-aunt using it when she had teas and luncheons. I want to do a dress-up tea when my granddaughters are older and serve them tea with tradtional foods served like my g-aunt did for me and my friends.

PAMPERING AND I MUST BE ILL ! !

Today I went to take advantage of a gift certificate and got a much needed pedicure. Then I decided to splurge and get a manicure too. I'd post a picture but pedicure or not-- my bunions do not make an attractive photograph. Nor do my hands...with the liver spots/age spots, popping veins...ugh!!! Both were so relaxing, my hands and feet do look much better and I do feel pampered!!!

I also had two gift certificates for my favorite hang out Nancy's Calico Patch. Nancy's is right there in the same shopping center a few doors down. Now, I normally can't pass by there without being pulled inside by the magnetic forces and never leave without a purchase. Well, today I go in with two nice gift card/certificates in tow and and I left without a single purchase! Not a spool of thread, not a yard of fabric, not fat-quarter, not even a scrap square or fat-eighth. Not a pattern. Not a book. Not a magazine. Not a blessed thing!!!!Now I tell you girlfriend...that is a SURE sign I am ILL!!!

I did bid on a couple Scrap Therapy Patterns on EBay which arrived today! Be a while before I get to them making them... They are some which I wanted to take the class when Nancy's offered it but I had conflicts with the times they were held and couldn't attend. They'll probably be offered again in late summer or early fall and I'll take them then if I haven't found time to make them yet. Heck I'll probably take them regardless as it is MY THERAPY!!! I am also thinking about taking "Blooming Steps" again...I finished the middle section of the main part of the quilt but I am thinking I'll enlarge it....have not finished to inner nor outer borders...I'm thinking another class on it would get me the time in class to finish those sections and enlarge it to fit my bed. We'll see.

GIVE AWAY ALERT!!!--a beautiful totebag

Go by and visit JUST ANOTHER HANGUP ASAP she has a beautiful tote-bag I would just love to win!!! My neighbor Chris told me about it. It's perfect for spring and summer! I love the fabrics and colors used. Can't imagine anyone not wanting to win it! Here is the picture she posted on her blog--hope she doesn't mind me 'borrowing" it to show y'all!

WINNER IS-----

The winner of my "What Was It Giveaway" is "Happy Cottage Quilter". She was the first one to guess what "Spray Ice-Cream" that my three year old granddaughter wanted to eat was Reddi- Whip. She was eating strawberries and wanted some spray ice-cream on them.

Since Laura was eating strawberries Happy Cottage Quilter will be receiving three fat quarters of strawberry fabrics. Well, two are of strawberries and one has all sorts of berries on it including strawberries. She also will be receiving a ruler for cutting circles. Happy Quilter I hope to get it in the mail to you either this afternoon or tomorrow.

APRONS

I love aprons! Collect them, collect patterns for them, etc. I saw this link for a reversible apron which she says takes only two hours to sew up. Which means four for me. Haven't tried it out yet but plan to in the future.

A second thing...today is my birthday...washed the blinds in the garage while DH washed the windows. DD and three DGB came over and sat on porch with us. They played, watered my plants, etc. Her DH and some of the men he works with went to Richmond to the races.

DH kept the baby and she and I took the three and two year old to Nancy's Calico Patch. I bought two feet for my 180E Bernina. I also bought some strawberry related fabrics for the winner of my "Guess What It Is" Giveaway....."Spray Ice-cream". Since we were eating strawberries when she said it. "Spray Ice-Cream" by the way is the whipped cream that is in the cans that squirts out like Reddi Whip. Got some thread and a ruler to cut circles in various sizes using a tiny rotary cutter.

We went to OutBack for a late lunch early dinner. Then over to a neighbors for an engagement party for their oldest son in his forties. He has been through a LOT. He disappeared, they heard from him once or twice a year or two or three and then for years they had no idea where he was living much less if he was dead or alive. Some years back he called out of the blue after seven or ten years of not hearing a word. They sent him a ticket to come home for Thanksgiving, he pulled himself together, fought off his problems and they were major. After many years being out of a classroom he went back to college, got his bachelor's and master's in engineering. Doing great! Marrying a precious lady. I remember how hard he fought to get his life straighten out, after he had been gone for so long. After he came home got help, did wood working, an extremely talented cabinet maker, wonderful and gutting and remodeling rooms. Amazing what beautiful cabinets he made with the most simple tools. I am so happy for him and his family how he had turned his life completely around and wish he and his fiance' many years of happiness! He deserves much happiness after all he has been through and the hard work to overcome the problems.