Jack, Jack The Pirate Cat

If you are looking for quilty content today is NOT your lucky day. 

 I wanted to share a little story about my favorite of the 5 cats I own. 

 His name is Jack. 

If you have followed me for very long you know my  Jack.  

He found his way to us one day many years ago now and we took him in. 

 He didn't know how to purr but would make a sound like "ARRRR" 

hence the name Captain Jack (Sparrow). 

We had him neutered and when the time came that he could go back outside I let him out.  

We didn't see him for a year and a half.  

He came back to us in a blinding snow storm, declawed, and has never left us.

He is never far from wherever I am and I love him so much.  

He was diagnosed with kidney failure on Thursday.  

I am beside myself. 

 I am giving him subcutaneous fluids once a day and have him on a special diet 

(which he hates BTW).  

He has gone from 16 pounds to just over 9 pounds.  

I'm not sure what is happening in my life at the moment between him and my dad and sisters.  

Not as much time to sew as I would like but sometimes life just happens doesn't it?  

Please keep us in your prayers.  

We lost our dog to this same thing last fall. 

I'm not going to give up on my BFF, Jack just yet.  

I think we have a few more snuggles in us yet, but it is difficult.  

Thanks for letting me share.

~XOP~

Finally a Finish I Can Post About

I finished the binding on The Ugly Quilt Part Deux. 
I got it back from Liz and it was fabulous, of course.

Here is the back

This shows the amazing quilting, in teal thread!

And a close up of the front.

This quilt is now available for purchase in my ETSY if you are interested.

I have been working on some other projects too. 

 I joined a AMH charm swap and am looking forward to that. 

I went to my dad's on Friday and now I am officially paying all his bills for him. 

 YIPPEE! 

 I still need to get the POA so it is official but online doesn't ask.  

How was your weekend??

~XOP~

Swapping and Friends

I decided to bite the bullet and bought some of the Crafty Chloe fabric. 

 My friend Cori at Crazy Quilt Girl has some for sale if you are looking 

and she ships internationally! 

I have to say that I love the creepy monkey fabric even more in person 

than I did when I saw it online. 

 Those pin people are pretty cute too!!  

You just might "need" some!!

I received some fabric in the mail from my friend Yolanda recently too. 

 Some was swap and some was because she is my friend! 

 Thought I would share some photos with you too.

Munki Munki and Mendocino

Laurie Wisburn's Jack and Jenny donkeys! 

Some little Red, and some Tula and Jay too.

Sweet, sweet KJR as well. 

 I feel so blessed!!

 

I am working on a new quilt but again was asked not to share. 

 Sure makes some boring posts = (

I am going to show you a sneak of one block though, just for you so shhhhh, ok?

I leave you with a photo of Fatty McFatty "trying" to lay on the couch near me.

See how she depresses the couch??  

HAHA, oh Aiden! 

 I hope you are all being productive!!  

I finished binding a quilt but it was too dark for a picture but hopefully soon.

I have to take my BFF Jack to the vet after work today.  

He has been losing a lot of weight lately and I am worried about him. 

 Please keep him/us in your prayers!!

~XOP~

Margaret's Hope Chest Work Day

I hope everyone here in the US is enjoying their holiday weekend. 

 I was ill most of yesterday, food poisoning, but am feeling ok today. 

 I had to drive an hour to pick up DH yesterday and

 had to stop at a rest area for awhile, if you know what I mean. 

 I wasn't sure I was going to make it. 

 I went right to bed with my heating pad, when we got home.

Last Saturday I spend a wonderful half a day with some amazing women

 making quilts for Margaret's Hope Chest.   

Amanda Jean Nyberg was there and who doesn't love to spend time with her?!  

We all worked with blocks that others had sent in. 

 It was a block that Amanda Jean had done a tutorial on.  

Oh look, Amanda Jean was sewing too!

 This was the set up and there were ~20 women there working.

It was fun day with a lot of wonderful women, making quilts for a great cause!

Here are a couple of finished quilts. (Both sides)

Carin talked about receiving this old quilt and re-making it into this one. 

 It was really beautiful!

Amanda Jean spoke about her book and was happy to sign a copy for you!

Next was a small show and tell done by Amanda Jean too.  

 

I was the most excited to see Ticker Tape in person!  

This is a beautiful quilt!

 

This is a top that Amanda Jean made using her scraps. 

 I love the Art Gallery solids she used for the backgrounds. 

 I have a bundle of these and this would be a great way to use them. 

 It would also be a good way to use scraps as a leader/ender project too!

 

I am so happy I was able to participate in this great work day and

 look forward to doing so again in the future. 

 So Carin, if you need/want help setting this up again let me know and

 I would be happy to help you out!

~XOP~

AQS Quilt Show In Grand Rapids

I went to Grand Rapids to see my dad last weekend and managed to do a few fun things as well. 

 I arrived on Thursday afternoon and did a lot of cleaning! 

 Then a blog friend and I met for dinner. 

 Brenda from Ladybug Dreams.  

We had the nicest time and our poor server didn't quite know what to do with the 2 of us!!  

Thanks for a wonderful night, Brenda. 

 I am looking forward to seeing you again real soon.

Friday morning I went to the lawyer and dropped off some papers and

 then headed out to the AQS quilt show.  

There were several exhibits within the larger show. 

 There were guild challenges, and the Altzheimer's quilts and an Japanese exhibit but

 the two I was the most excited about 

were some of the works of Gwen Marston and the Egyptian tent makers quilts.  

It was the first time the tent makers had shown their quilts in the US.  

Their quilts are actually the inside of the tents and they are

FABULOUS!!!

I have almost 100 pics from the show so I am just going to show a few from the show in this post. 

 If you want to see them all please go to my Flickr and view them.  

I think you will enjoy the virtual show! 

 Ok so here goes

Two of my favorites from the Tent Maker exhibit

All the bird quilts were stunning!!

Although the tile looking ones were impressive too!  

All 4 of these quilts were HUGE!

One of the artists was there working away.  

Notice his tools, and the backing cloth.

There were some beautiful Japanese quilts but these two were my favorites. 

 Check out the quilting on the dragon quilt.

Then there was the Gwen Marston exhibit.  

Some of the quilts were made by her and some inspired by her.

The quilt called the Loading Dock was there and it was stunning!!!

I loved these robins

I could not even believe how many pieces were in this quilt! Fantastic!

I thought this one was so original and FUN!!!

It's funny but as I have been doing a lot driving lately I saw a scene very similar to this one and thought how it would have made a great quilt.  

I guess she beat me to it!

This flag quilt gave me goosebumps!  

So amazing!!

You know how I feel about Halloween, this quilt was hysterical!!

Another very impressive quilt was this street scene, almost like a photo.

I bet you want to know if I bought anything right?  

There were a TON of vendors there.  

I did buy a few things.  

On the trip to GR I stopped at Keans in Mason and guess what they had in the clearance bin?  

You are seeing that correctly, just over 2 yards of this print!!!  

I was sooooo excited!

I picked up a copy of these 2 books at a very good price! 

 I have taken couple of classes with Suzanne Marshall and her applique technique is so good!  

She was a wonderful teacher too.  

This is a great book.  

I aspire to take a class from Gwen someday too.  

See that little tool in the bottom left?  

My friend Brenda told me about that.

  It is a seam ripper with an eraser type end that works to get the loose threads off your fabric after you break the threads with the seam ripper. 

 I am hoping it works!!

I HATE picking out those threads, don't you?

Of course I can't resist black cats and Halloween but I did try not to go overboard.  

Love these both!!  

Just look at that cheeky grin!

That wraps up the virtual quilt show.  

I have a LOT more photos on Flickr so hop on over there and take a look.  

I have to share my Saturday too as I was at a work day with Amanda Jean and 

some other amazing women!! 

 I promise to share that soon.  

~XOP~