Picture Show, Life in the Pam Lane

Seems Blogger likes me again, I don't even have to sign in any more, I get re-directed to my dashboard each time so evidently I am back on their good list...I'm not questioning this as this arrangement suits me just fine.

Life, boy, it sure has a way of getting in the way of life from time to time, doesn't it? Someone very close to me has been very ill for a few wks, no explanation as to why...no answers. It hit me pretty hard. As a result I have come face to face with my own mortality. My grandmothers both lived into their early 80's. My mother just celebrated her 80th birthday. Hmmmm...with 25-35 years to go I wonder....what I could be doing differently...what priorities I need to re-evaluate. That sounds rather depressing, but I am not looking at it that way at all, I am looking at it as a challenge to be the best I can be, do what needs to be done, to stop putting things off until tomorrow. When I look back 25-35 years and see what I have/have not done I realize I need to make up for some lost time. This past week a friend sent me a card with this saying "Now that it is over, what did you do yesterday that made a difference in the world?" What a great question to ask myself each morning, what a great way to challenge myself each day.

Here are a few pics of recent things I have been working on that have not been posted as of yet...

August, December and March Snowmen Purplework BOM....6 down (minus the embellishments), 2 more started (April & September) and 2 waiting their turn. I have cut out the setting blocks (Broken Wheel) and will be working on those in the next few wks with the hope of getting a row or two done since January, February and March blocks are done. Antenna Ball update...in honor of Spring, Mr. Sun is on the car.

This is a donation top from Nancy, it was quilted during my first machine quilting trip. Barbara finished the binding. We had so much fun quilting around the shapes. Thanks Nancy!!!
Quilt top donated by Jeanne, again quilted in January. Thanks Jeanne!!!! Both Nancy's quilt and Jeanne's quilt have been added to my ever growing stack of quilts headed to AMOR Ministries. Check out Lydia's blog...she is my main contact with AMOR and does all of our trip planning into Mexico. What a wonderful woman, when I grow up I wanna have an unselfish heart like Lydia!!
Lucy and Me...this quilt was made on my new treadle...yep...every stitch of the piecing was done on "LucyLou". She sews really nicely and will sew even better after a good cleaning and oiling. Barbara (who I bought LucyLou from) said LucyLou has not been used in over 25 years, and yet I was able to sit right down and put this quilt together. I loved loved loved the process of treadling and was thrilled with how this first project turned out...can't wait to start a new project but will refrain until LucyLou gets a good cleaning and oiling. I ordered a manual and expect it to be in the mail sometime this wk.
This is Spinnin a Weave, I showed a pic of this last week but that was before it was quilted. Yesterday Barbara and I had our 3rd session of machine quilting. I took my Harlequin Weave to quilt but it is too too big to fit on the machine, which I thought might be the case so I took both this SAW and LAM along as back ups. The panto is one I drew up for HW but used it for these two Building Block quilts. I totally love the effect. Spinnin a Weave is a thank you gift to be given to the man who gave me his late wives cutting table. He just became a great-grandfather so I thought he might like to send this to the baby...if not it is plenty big enough for him to use as a lap quilt. This pic is a bit dark, I didn't use the flash (on purpose) so you could see the quilting a bit better.
My sister is going to be a Nana again (maybe today! I just got a call that they are headed to the hospital!!!) I made this coverall bib for Nana to keep at her house. I have made these coverall bibs for all of my great-nieces and nephews. They are quick to make, fun to use and really do keep young ones clothing clean, especially when they start feeding themselves. I have a few more fun prints to make up and will make some in a larger size as Gabe grows. These are front and back pics as this bib is reversible, it velcros at the neck and around each ankle.

With the weather warming up we are working a bit more in the yard each week. I am so ready to be outside!!! We tore the pond all apart so we could get the plants divided and re-potted, also installed a new filter system. The bonus in doing all of that is seeing our Koi and how much they have grown. We knew they had grown but did not realize until Friday how much!!! Wow! We might have to put in the new larger pond this year and transplant a few, I would hate to loose any of them due to over crowding.

Daffodils, iris are up. Trees are blooming. Grass is a beautiful green. The birds are tormenting the cat. The frogs are hopping in and out of the pond... AHHHH Spring...I love Spring!!

March Madness...our Ducks won their first game on Friday....and are playing again today. Unfortunately our Beavs lost their first game and are out. We will keep cheering our Ducks on.

So, there you have it a quick peek into Pam's-world-of-late. And one last pic if I dare....

Quilt Tester...Akira