Fall Mug Rug Swap

I love taking part in the swaps that Mishka at the Quilting Gallery puts together during the year and mug rugs are one of my favorites.  They are just the right size to commit to in a short time frame and I love having them fill my home and be a reminder of the person who lovingly created them for me.  This one was especially nice to do because unlike ones she has had us do in the past we were free to create what we wanted for our partners instead of using a common pattern.

I love a good challenge and making a new friend in the process is always so much fun!!!

My partner was from down under and it was fun because her part of the world was coming into Spring as mine was coming into Fall.  It was fun to compare the differences.  Nanette was a delight to get to know and both of us hope to keep in touch in the future which makes it all the better!

I love my mug rugs she sent :)

How did she know I love this maple leaf pattern and have always wanted to make one but have never taken the time to do it???  Love the Batik leaf fabric she included to.  She quilted in the perfect spot to set my coffee cup on the side of both of them so I can view her block without covering up how adorable they are! I love that she signed the second one, it warms my heart when I use them just knowing I have a new friend from down under.  

Thank you so much, Nanette!!!

I've been frantic because Nanette hadn't gotten mine yet... but she just let me know they finally arrived and it seemed appropriate because today is my birthday and it was such a relief that they arrived safely that the news of their arrival feels like a perfectly timed present.

Nanette shared that she worked for years fighting fires although now she works just in the shed (fire station).  I thought she needed a fire truck fighting a burning bush ( I know my bush is the size of a whooping huge tree) and then decided a quilt shop filled with fall fabrics would be a great choice also.  I had a great time with this swap and it has definitely rekindled my love of swaps so I think I will have to do more of them in the coming New Year. Nanette was ecstatic with them and wants to hang them in her sewing room.  I am very glad she fell in love with the pair of them :) 

The Quilting Gallery is hosting a Giving Thanks Blog Hop party starting tomorrow and running through
Nov 26th and I am participating because I am so thankful for so many things in my life that I couldn't resist sharing some quilty fabric love!!!  Be sure to hop on over here to check out the details tomorrow.

Keep Stitchin'

Adoring and Aspen

  I received my mug rug from my Quilting Gallery partner, Holly, this weekend.  I love quilty mail and Holly made me an adorable set of mug rugs that I am so proud to call mine!!!   I have been enjoying my coffee all weekend on them and look forward to many more mornings with them.  These are my only mug rugs which make them all the more special since my daughter swiped my other ones.  Holly's are perfect and they match the colors in my house really well.  Big plus!!!  

Holly's bird mug rug looks so much like the pattern one she really did a great job creating it...see what I mean...awesome!!!

Her applique is fantastic and I love all the quilting she did on both of them.  Thanks so much Holly!!!   I adore them and look what else she included in my package.

Well you know I adore that...that was very kind and thoughtful Holly and I appreciate your kindness and all the hard work you put into my new mug rugs more than I can eloquently express.  THANKS!!! 

I will share a little about Milwaukie's quilt show in a later post but know that we enjoyed it very much and spent too much money there.  Good thing it is a couple weeks before the next one so my wallet can recover.

I shared my woodpecker Forest Quilt A Long Block recently and although the next block is two feathers that I really do look forward to making, the third block in the series really piqued my appetite to see created so I skipped ahead to it.  WOW!!!  This block is entitled Aspen Grove and I love the fall colors of aspen and birch trees...especially since yellow is my favorite color and I adore the beauty of fall trees.   I called this a kick ass design but didn't realize it was my ass that would be kicked creating it.  SIX hours of creating is what it took to put this block together.  Can you believe that!!!  I don't think I will be making another on of these anytime soon but thank goodness it turned out fantastic!!!

If you overlook that thread bomb in the center that I should have swept off there before I snapped the picture...I think you will agree it was a successful endeavor.  This block was designed by Caroline of Trillium Design.  The pattern is available for free to anyone brave enough to accept the challenge she has set for us. 

You know that reminds me of one of my favorite quotes  "Challenge is a dragon with a gift in its mouth.  Tame the dragon and the gift is yours" ---Noella Evans

Well thanks to Caroline for putting this dragon in my path because the gift he held in his mouth is now mine!!! LOVE LOVE it.

Owls mug rug

I finished my second mug rug for the mug rug swap that Quilting Gallery is hosting this month.  I was so excited to have a set to keep myself since these were my first ever attempt at mug rugs.  Well let's just say that it is a really good thing that I have a swap partner out there...somewhere over the rainbow...making me a set because my daughter came over this weekend, got one glance at them and quickly claimed them for her new house.  She called them a house warming present...how was I to say no to that.

Here is a picture of what she found irresistible:

I did briefly get to enjoy a cuppa joe with my new rug and then it left all too soon and I will soon be sending the second one along with one of my birdhouse mug rugs to a special someone this month to enjoy.  I hope my partner will love it as much as my daughter does!!!

Busy weekend doing spring cleaning in the sewing room although it doesn't quite look better yet.  For some reason getting organized always means blowing the place up first and right now it looks like an 'A' Bomb went off in my quilt studio.  Hopefully I can get it under control this week.

Keep Stitchin'

My First Mug Rug

I told myself I would cut back on swaps this year and devote myself to working on my own endeavors.  However, I could not resist this mug rug swap organized by Michele from the Quilting Gallery.  I think I was one of the first to sign up...Yikes!!!!  I have no willpower.  Amanda from the Patchsmith made the patterns for us and they were simply irresistible to me.  One is called Winter Birdhouse and I still need to complete the second one entitled Two Owls.  I figured since I am suppose to be devoting myself to working on stuff for me, I might as well make two of each pattern. One for my partner and one for me.  I have been wanting to make a mug rug for myself for a long time and since I may not get the one from my partner till April, I couldn't wait and made myself one to keep and start using ASAP.   My morning coffee will be as happy as me each morning with such a special place to sit on. This way I will have four mug rugs when I receive the two from my partner and yes I am thrilled I took the plunge on this swap.

I know the picture makes one house look taller than the other but they are identical.  They are due to be shipped by the 18th of March so I had best get going on the Owls.  I have them started and hope to finish them by the end of this coming weekend  if not sooner.