Easter!

He Is Risen!

Hello! It's been awhile! I could say that I gave up blogging for Lent, but that would not be the case. No, I simply have had neither the time nor the interest in doing it since we returned to Ohio after a winter in Florida.

This long absence left me without a documentation of March highlights, a welcome April post, and a plethora of other events going on around these parts. Perhaps I can refocus on quilting and blogging now that things seem to be settling into a rhythmic routine around here.

Let's start with the two main reasons I've not been blogging: GRANDDAUGHTERS!

The very same day we got home, we unloaded then hopped back in the car to go to Columbus to see our sweeties. Oh, what delights they are!

Much time has been spent catching up with family and friends, as well.

A lunch date with nearly all the siblings and our Mom occurred early on. 

And a day with the Frienzies for a trip to Kentucky to see Lyn. She's had a rough 2025 with a couple of serious health worries.

Have no fear, friends! I have made time for quilting! The Frankfort Girls and a few extras attended a 4-day retreat at which I finished piecing Smoked Cheddar.

 I was really happy to get this completed, and now I will add this top to the massive stack of quilts needed quilted.

I continue most of all to work on Grandmother's Flower Garden. I did acquire more hexie papers, have made more paths and more flowers. And the garden continues to grow! 

How will you all be enjoying your Easter? We'll be at my sister's house for an afternoon with all our siblings, their kids and grandkids. DH and I will pick up Mom on our way. Family, food and fellowship - what a great way to spend a day.

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Jayne

Quilt Retreat

Sometimes it feels as though life is a series of events we tend to one right after another, you know? It has seemed that way to me for most of this year. Florida x 2. Cate. Appointments. Adam home to visit. Easter. Retreat. So far, 2023 has been a whirlwind.

Easter dinner was a huge success. We had 27 here for a noon feast, and the weather cooperated so beautifully. The sunshine was definitely a welcome sight! Here are a few pictures to capture the day.

My mom holding our sweet Cate, her great-granddaughter.

DH, Grampa Kevin, enjoying the backyard with Cate.

Nephew Will and his very concerned son Archie, wondering about this other baby on his Daddy's lap.

Uncle Adam met his niece on Easter!

No sooner had we cleaned up the kitchen and all the leftovers, than I began packing for quilt retreat. Yes, I'm here in Nelsonville this week with some fun quilting friends. And gosh are we getting stuff done! 

I brought UFOs with me. I did not have time to prepare (cut) a new project, and these UFOs have been niggling at me for long enough. It's now or never, I guess! My first efforts have been on Blockheads 2. Here are several early blocks made on Monday and Tuesday.

Block # 3; 6" square. It looks wonky, but trust me, it's okay.

Block # 5. This one is 24" square.

Block # 10; 12" square.

Block # 2; 6' square.

Block # 6; 12" square.

I feel like I am plodding along. Doing one block at a time is so very slow. Some of the other girls here are making entire quilts in the time I get a couple of blocks made. That is discouraging, but I also know that sampler quilts are fussier in their construction. This may have had something to do with my having this UFO from 2018!

Hope you are having a wonderful day that includes some bit of time for stitching!

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Happy Easter

GLORY HALLELUJAH!

 

 We are celebrating our Risen Lord! I hope your Easter Sunday is blessed and prayerful.

I offer up Sarah Lizzies, a quilter/blogger I follow. Her reminiscence about the old-time hymns really struck a chord with me; I remember most of the ones she mentions. Not only does she write a nice blog, her photography is magnificent. Click here for yesterday's post with the hymns.

We are hosting the family for the Easter feast. Four of we five siblings and various offspring will be here, as will my own sweet Mom. We are at that in-between spot where we have no one in the range for egg hunts - it's all big people and babies this year!

Happy Quilting, Friends! 

Blessed Easter

 

Easter has been a low-key affair here today.  Son is way out west; DD1 and her hubby are with his family; DD2 joined us for Easter dinner. Gone are the days when candy and bunnies take center stage. We enjoyed good fellowship and a right fine feast.

Since coming home from quilt retreat, I finally succumbed to the head cold I was holding at bay all week. I tried warding it off the best I could while camping, but once at home have let the meds do their work and and have slept and slept and slept. It was a good thing we had a low-key Easter planned. I wasn't up for too much fuss. I believe I have turned the corner and intend to have a productive week here in the quilting room.

One plan is to do a proper round-up of quilt retreat. We had many finishes and celebrated quite a productive week together. 

So while we enjoy the remainder of this quiet Easter Sunday, I hope you and yours have had a blessed day!

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Happy Easter!

 Easter Greetings, Dear Readers! What a glorious day to celebrate our risen Lord!

All the signs of spring are in full view this fine morning. Temperatures are rising steadily, the sun is magnificent in the sky, trees are leafing out, birds are "he-ing and she-ing." It truly is a glorious time of year.

I hope you are celebrating Easter and springtime wherever you are. We have one daughter with us today for Easter lunch; we might find ourselves in the sewing room after that. *wink* 

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Happy Easter!

Wishing all my readers and followers a happy Easter!

On this most holy Christian observance, I hope you are able to reflect on the first Easter morning and all it signifies for us. With our family gathering later today around a lovingly prepared meal, we will enjoy dressing in our Easter best, eating the candies left by the Easter bunny, and watching the children hide and hunt for eggs. But I hope we all rejoice for the wonderful gift our Lord has given us through His resurrection.

Happy Day!

Happy Easter!

Here's my wish to you and yours for a most blessed and wonderful Easter!

Happy Quilting, Friends!

An Easter Project

Hi Peeps! I am back from retreat, but have been too busy and tired to sort my pictures and post here for sharing. That will be a job for next week. In the meantime, I have been holding onto this sweet project that my friend Jan was making earlier this spring. I think you will like it, and you may well be putting this little sweetie on your to-do list for next Easter.

Jan was binding this when we sewed together at Terry's, and later it was on her table when we had Frankfort Girls at her house. What a fun and fast project! The stripe around the middle of each egg looked like large rick-rack to me, but no, it is fabric cut and appliqued on. Simple quilting and a colorful binding would make quick work of this decorative table runner.

Make one to match the Pinterest idea I grabbed last year and shared here. It would make a lovely ensemble.

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Happy Easter!

Celebrate! He is risen!

I hope you all have a blessed Easter!

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Jayne

He is Risen!

Happy Eastertide, Dear Quilters!

I love to find these old vintage pictures to use for holiday greetings. These were both nabbed from Pinterest.

We are having Easter dinner at my sister's. It will be potluck; each family will contribute a dish or two. There's always more food than necessary. I hope your Easter is blessed!

Happy Easter, Quilting Friends

I grew up on the Peanuts Gang. When I saw this pic in the image search for Easter, I just knew I would use it.

As children, we had several little Peanuts books, about 6" square, that we read over and over again until we practically had them memorized.  We definitely wore them out. Last time I remember seeing them, they were quite tattered. We never missed the television specials that were on each holiday - my favorite to this day is the Charlie Brown Christmas special.

Anyway, of all the Peanuts Gang, Snoopy is my favorite. I just love his happy-go-lucky attitude. How he'd take crabby old Lucy's tirades, and then just lean in and giver her a big, slurpy dog kiss. He was so protective of Woodstock, holding that dog dish over him like an umbrella. I loved his imaginative nature - that whole make-believe world of the WWII fighter pilot. Wonderful! Wouldn't you agree that the cartoon above has happy-go-lucky written all over it?

(Here's a pic of one I found on ebay for $3. The copyright date on this one is 1963.)

I need to ask Mom if she still has any of those books we had as kids. I know she will remember them. I'll bet we got them as gifts in our Christmas stockings or our Easter baskets. She might remember that, too! I have to give my mom a lot of credit for creativity. When you have 5 kids in 6 years, I'm sure there were limits on what she and Dad could afford on gift-giving occasions. Easter was always special - hunting for those Easter baskets that she hid all around the house.  What halcyon days they were.

I sure can digress, can't I? I just wanted to stop by today to wish everyone a Happy Easter! Let's remember, though, the real message of Easter has nothing to do with happy beagles, chocolate bunnies and baskets of eggs...

Easter Weekend

You've met my nieces before, but let me show you the sweetest Easter darlings you could ever lay eyes on:

Mary Jean and Anna Rose are 2 years old. Is there any doubt that they are precious?

On Good Friday, we travelled to my father-in-law's for a quick visit. Knowing my love of quilting, he recommended I check out a shop. I didn't think his town had a quilt shop anymore, so I was truly surprised to find Vacshak, Inc. at the Downtowner Plaza in Coshocton, OH. A lovely shop! Friendly salesladies! It's a vacuum shop with quilting fabric, supplies and patterns on the side, as well as a very nicely stocked corner for knitters! Yarns, needles, patterns, samples - even a little class going on! Very cool.

 Here is what I bought. Two charm packs of Butterfly Garden. I've already opened them, organizing for the April Schnibbles.

I picked up a flyer about the 2010 Ohio Amish Country Quilt Shop Hop event scheduled for November. Vacshack is on the hop, along with many others.