Trying to Type

Block Number Two
š Charlotte’s Ribbon š

Now join your hands and with your hands your hearts
~ William Shakespeare

This is exactly how I'm feeling right now. I'm working on the part of designing that I like the least...writing the patterns! It's this tedious little nagging thing that has to get done, but it's never really fun and I'd much rather be quilting! Every time I start this process I feel like the little symbols you see above by the end of the day. I mean look at them! There's a little ambulance in there and question marks, and some kind of megaphone. So are you wondering what this says? Yes, it actually says something! It's that silly font called Webdings. Blogger doesn't offer many fonts, and this is actually one they offer. How silly is that? Here's the translation...

Block Number Two
Charlotte’s Ribbon

Now join your hands and with your hands your hearts
~ William Shakespeare

So what is block number two? Well, it's giving me a writing challenge! I'm laboring on how to tell you to do the ribbon...it's not always so easy! I mean the ribbon is easy, the directions are not. (:

So now that you've seen this block go to our local quilt store's web site and see if you can pick out my very first quilt. http://www.thimblecreek.com/designersquilts.htm?PHPSESSID=e9b27a5dd1cd9d1ef7894715326cc746 Thimble Creek is having such a fun contest! Every designer in our area brought in their very first quilt and you have to match the quilt to the designer. I guarantee you will not be able to select my very first quilt! This is just too funny!

Back to work...(:

Cherry Baby Kitty Bib!

It's awful how spoiled my animals are! Chelsea and Spunky have been driving me nuts all morning. They want to go over to Holly's blog (Lakehouse Fabrics) and win a Cherry Baby Kitty Bib! I've tried to tell Chelsea she is NOT eligible, but she won't take no for an answer. Chelsea actually suggested that I shouldn't tell you about Holly's give away! She wants to be the only one to comment. This is where I put my foot down. No means no, right? So go on over to Holly's blog, http://www.hollyholderman.typepad.com/, leave a comment and check out the darling Cherry Baby Kitty Bibs! You could win one and lots of other things in the next few days.

No, No, No and I mean it!

As if Holly hasn't done enough putting together this fun blog-able feast, look what arrived in the mail the other day. A big box of her brand new fabrics! I am in heaven. I'm working with these for sure! Don't you just love them?

I think you'll be seeing this fabric in all your local quilt stores very soon. It's a winner! (:

A Summer Day and A Blog-able Feast!

Oh my gosh, what a story I have to tell you! Who knew that applique and cooking go together? Here at Bunny Hill they really do...especially on a summer day! (I know, it's a little late for summer, but remember I live in California!)

It was one of those really hot




I put on my

and my new pink and I was ready to go!



I left my in Discovery Bay.

The were sailing




and the were singing.




The sun was shining, not a drop of rain in sight!

No need for my



I thought about going to the



But then I remembered!

Holly over at Lakehouse http://www.hollyholderman.typepad.com/ is having a blog-able feast and I have to make a dessert! How could I forget? Maybe all those little applique blocks I've been working on are giving me freezer paper brain!
I need a break because I've been a little lately!

So cooking might be good for me!



So, I found some and cracked a few and now...




I'm happy as a ! What you say? You can't see the little pictures well enough? You'll have to wait until I'm done cooking, cleaning, and resting up from cooking! Tee Hee!

So bring on the scrumptious Peach Cobbler . It always makes my family happy! (:

Serves 8

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

3 pounds ripe fresh peaches
1 tablespoon lemon juice
¼ cup firmly packed light-brown sugar
1 ½ tablespoons cornstarch
½ cup water
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup unsifted all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter softened
1 large egg

Lightly grease a 2 quart casserole. Peel and slice fresh peaches; place in greased casserole. Stir in lemon juice.

In 1 quart saucepan, stir together brown sugar and cornstarch. Gradually add water, stirring until cornstarch is dissolved. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until sauce has thickened, about 5 minutes. Pour sauce over peaches in casserole.

Set aside 1 teaspoon granulated sugar. To prepare topping, in medium-size bowl, stir together remaining granulated sugar, the flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir in butter and egg until a soft dough forms. Drop spoonfuls onto peach mixture (topping will spread as it bakes). Sprinkle with reserved 1 teaspoon granulated sugar.

Bake cobbler 40 to 45 minutes or until topping is golden brown and filling bubbles. Cool slightly on wire rack. Sprinkle with additional granulated sugar, if desired. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

Bake at 400 for 40 to 45 minutes...

Ta Da! Get out the ice cream and let's eat! (:

Galveston in October

Galveston in October...she puts on a show. If you're going to Quilt Market you might be lucky enough to catch a glimpse. Last year the Bunny Hill team took an extra day after Market to relax and explore the areas around Houston. I'd go back just to Galveston just to catch a look at these beautiful old houses. I mean a cat on a porch swing and pink houses? What more can you ask for! (:

So this year we're taking another day after Market is over to shop and have fun in the Houston area. It's become a tradition. To think it is almost time for market again! Am I ready for market? Are the patterns done? Silly question! I'm still sewing quilts, I'm cooking for Holly and it's almost post # 100! I'm about 3 posts away! You know what that means....a give away! I'm not sure I can find much in this mess I've created, but something will come to mind....stay tuned!

My Son is Visiting from Spain!

My son is visiting from Spain! Before that he would have been visiting from Portugal and before that Germany. Even the word "visiting" sounds so strange to me. Who would think when you held that little baby in your arms that some day he would come back to "visit"? We raise our children as best we can and then send them off to create their place in the world. We can only hope that their part in this world will be a good one.

My youngest son works for a world wide solar company, and travels to help build these amazing creations of solar energy. His company is American based, but most of their work is in other parts of the world. America is behind other countries in this area, although he tells me that they are currently building the largest solar installation in America in the state of Nevada. Maybe we'll catch up!

So while I enjoy my time with him, take a look at these pictures. This is the project he worked on in Portugal! See that grass underneath the panels? It is "mowed" by sheep. Yes, sheep. Now how smart is that?

Good Day Sunshine! (:

Quilt Pink Bookazine

Wow! I was on the phone today with my friend Jane who owns The Quilter's Inn in Danville, California and she told me some exciting news! One of the quilts they submitted for the Quilt Pink Auction was selected to be featured in a very special book by Better Homes and Gardens/American Patchwork and Quilting. Only 10 quilts were selected from the thousands that were donated! Can you imagine how excited she must be? She told me I could share the photo from the book with all of you. It's beautiful! The pattern they selected was based on the French Roses pattern by Heather French, who is herself a breast cancer survivor.

Apparently this book will be a limited edition and if you'd like to preorder an advance copy you can go to Jane's web site at http://www.thequilters-inn.com/ and order your copy now! The book will be ready to ship next month and the shop will call you to get your shipping information and credit card. Congratulations Jane! Your heart of gold is shining! (:

Out and about in Discovery Bay

I've been walking now that I own dogs. It's amazing what they can do for you! They actually get you out of the house and into the neighborhood! Good for me and good for them!

• This morning I brought along my little pink camera and took pictures! It's such a beautiful place, this area called Discovery Bay.

Several blocks from my house I can see water, boats and million dollar homes. If you live on the water it's REALLY expensive. If you live a few blocks away like I do the price goes down.

Just over the hill, about 30 minutes away you'll find PAM http://pamkittymorning.blogspot.com/ and Elizabeth Scott http://the-latebloomer.blogspot.com/. Thank you little pink camera! You're becoming my best friend.

It's A Party!

It's a party and you're invited!

Date: Friday, September 14th through September 26th

12 days of delicious desserts from 12 designers

...with sneak peeks of new patterns!

So come along for the fun. It's a blogable feast for you, our readers!

Here's how to get there...

September 14th. visit Holly's Blog

http://www.hollyholderman.typepad.com/

and you'll find a link to the first designer's blog!

Vist her blog everyday and she'll link you to the next designer!

Make all the desserts and be a hit with your family,

or

Make all the new projects and just have fun! (:

It's Pumpkin Time!

Announcing a pumpkin block exchange created by Brenda at Pumpkin Patch Primitives! http://www.pumpkinpatchprimitives.com/Newsletter.html using a pattern from my book "Country Quilts For Friends". Brenda's part of my yahoo group http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BaltimoreBunnies/ and she's "sew" creative in everything she does. If you want to have some fun join in the block exchange! You don't have to join the yahoo group but you'll never know what you're missing. LOL!

Wish I had time to join the fun myself! Wonder what color palette I'd choose this time!

Maybe a polka dot background with pink, peach, brown and green?

Or a beautiful Japanese floral line?

Who said pumpkins had to be orange? Have you looked at Pumpkins lately? They come in all colors, shapes and sizes! Make the pumpkins in the colors that you love and you'll have more fun! (:

A Bowl of Cherries

If life were a bowl of cherries, I swear mine would be a bowl of plums. Not too far off but just enough to make you wonder. Do you ever feel like that? Right now I'm just shaking my head and trying to laugh. (:

We have a new house. A new house should = everything works. Not so, I guarantee you. For the next two weeks, I have the pleasure of having various workers painting ceilings and replacing hardwood floors. Did you know if you don't put a hardwood floor down properly over cement it will actually come up? Who would have thought? Certainly not the men who originally laid the floor. And how can you forget to paint a ceiling? It's pretty funny. I forget a lot of things, but if my job were painting, I don't think I'd forget the ceiling!

I'm working away in my pink studio with chaos downstairs. Since they had to move all the furniture, I took pictures of all my bookshelves so I could remember how I arranged everything. That's smarter than the average ceiling painter!

I'm off to puppy school with Chelsea...have to get out of the chaos. I'll leave you wondering how this little hat will fit into an entire quilt. It really does, and it will have a button embellishment too! If only I could live in my studio life would be a bowl of cherries.

Where Did The Summer Go?

Do you get that panic feeling when September comes around? Here at Bunny Hill it's the standard. September 1st signals that market is just around the corner and something close to controlled chaos begins.

I hate deadlines, but I have to admit they make me focus. Everyone around me suffers, because I am not an easy person to get along with when Quilt Market is just around the corner. Really.

Even my pets begin to notice the difference. Poor Chelsea was just helping herself to a little bunny on my drafting table. Something I might have overlooked if it wasn't for this market syndrome.

When she took the bunny, yes bunny, I arrested her...

These are her booking mug shots. She was sent to puppy jail.