How does your garden grow?

I LOVE my "Elsa Spath" clematis. I have to say that it was one of those plants that was growing like a weed (oh wait, everything was) when we bought our place, and I had no idea what it was. A neighbor told me "oh, I think that has flowers on it or something". I decided not to rip it out of the ground and let it grow.

I'm really glad I did! There's nothing quite like a giant bouquet of purple flowers to welcome you home.

And I actually have pictures of quilt I finished! Of course I finished it in the car on the way to the baby shower, but that doesn't matter, right? And the pictures were taken at the shower after giving to the recipient, but I don't think she minded.

I've decided I'm quite a fan of the wonky long cabin blocks- I liked not trying to make them "perfect". I tried to make something neutral, since we don't know the sex of the baby, so I chose orange, yellow, green, and gray.

Now if only I could finish a project of my own!

Peonies

*Sigh*

I know I've been gone for far too long. So sorry.... I think about writing here all of the time. I take the pictures, write the stories that go with them in my head, but then I sit on my back porch with Duncan, or take a bike ride with Husband instead of posting all of it. Not that I'm using those things as an excuse to leave this space unattended to, but really, I am. I can't resist summer, what can I say?

What do you do when you have these beautiful flowers opening up all over your yard?

Or when your dog wants nothing more than to roll around on dead worms in the dirt pit that (was) your backyard?

I promise it's all green and lush and beautiful now.... if I can find another "before" picture, I'll happily post an "after" one too!

Yep, I think it's time for someone to go on a walk....

Playdate

It's always entertaining to watch Dax and his best friend Charlie play together...

There's a constant need to steal toys from each other so that somebody can be chased...

And then there's Charlie's tricks, that he's trying to teach Dax how to do.... unfortunately, his legs are just a bit too short...

And Charlie hasn't quite figured out how to run while wearing his hula hoop.

He looks like a circus dog instead...

I promise there's been work around here, and not just puppy-lovin'! I'll post a few pictures of quilts and other handmade projects next, okay?

Mail Time!

My mailbox has been getting quite the workout lately. AND. I. LOVE. IT.

I received a package the other day from the one and only Sandi Henderson! It was a lovely prize of patterns, fabric, a cupcake pincushion kit, and tiny baby set of crocheted cherries! I am so excited to dig into all of this:

Here are those teensy-tiny cherries up close:

*Swoon* If I ever thought I had the patience to try to make my own, I totally would. But I totally don't. At least not today, after getting soaked by a sudden downpour during my walk with Dax.

During "I'm and Ginger Monkey's" Fabric Swap, I won another wonderful prize from Amy, of Seven Stitches. It came with four yards of beautiful Japanese kimono fabric, and a host of cute bookmarks. I couldn't resist giving two of the pieces of fabric to my co-worker, as she is of Japanese lineage, and had been looking for this exact thing!

I know exactly who's getting this postcard, but I won't say who... hehehe ......

And last but not least, I finally, finally, finally, have a walking foot. I felt immediately relieved upon seeing it in it's tiny box.
And who else happened to be cleaning out their stash? My wonderful neighbor Gayle, who not only lets my pup have an occasional (hilarious) romp in the backyard with her dog, but who also used to love to do needlework.
Now I know the rules here. If I'm going to get this much great stuff, I'd better be ready to pay it forward! I've got quite a few things in mind for another giveaway soon, because I know you love mail just as much as I do!

Blossoms

I promise I didn't mean to be gone for such a long time....

This warmer weather means I'll be spending much more time in the sun with a certain fuzzy face.....

He looks so serious and studious, and he's really just patiently waiting for me to tell him he's allowed to go eat his treat that's just out of the frame. Either that, or he's trying to use his mind reading powers to figure out whether or not I'm going to take him on a walk after his portrait session. You can almost see his mustache here.... Monsieur Le Dax.

Duncan is apathetic, and therefore must also endure having a camera block his view of the birds in the yard. He'll get me back for this at about 2 AM, when he decides it's time to lay on my head while I'm sleeping.

All of my bulbs have finally opened up and are happily showing off their bright colors...

I'm not the only one who likes to sit outside and enjoy the spring flowers....

I did tell Husband that this looks like a posed senior picture, to which he laughed and agreed. Dax almost looks like he might be fake, just little stuffed Corgi toy.

Would you believe him if he told you he didn't like dogs?

Yeah, me either.

Spring Buds

Winter has finally given way to Spring in Indiana...

The warmer weather has meant long walks with the pup, daily checking of the flower beds, and the need to pull out t-shirts and put away coats to encourage Summer to hurry up and get here.

It's funny when you wait all Winter to see what flowers will bloom. There are things blooming where they shouldn't be, but I don't mind...

And this change in the air means I need to hurry up and finish our summer/fall quilt...

So that new quilts for soon-to-be-born babies can be started on...

Platters, Piecing, and Scraps

A Valentine's present to myself....

That just happens to match my very-favorite Easter candy...mmm... Cadbury candy coated chocolate eggs.  I would happily eat a bag a day of these little guys!

I'm still very very slowly working on my fall quilt.  I find that I have to take my time on large projects, or else by the time it's done, I won't want to look at it. I've done a lot of chain piecing, which has helped it to go faster, but I'd still rather just twitch my nose and have it all be done! 

I've accumulated a nice little container of scraps from this quilt top:

And I have considered giving them away...

I'll have to think about it though (or be talked into it)- I am just so in love with these colors!