"It is a pleasure to a real lover of Nature to give winter all the glory he can, for summer will make it's own way, and speak it's own praises." Dorothy Wordsworth i have been kept away from blogland by one thing after another for far too long and i've really missed it~!~ it's good to be back with a post of my own and i am getting around to visiting a few each day. yesterday i visited Carolyn at: http://www.love-stitching-red.blogspot.com/ and Pom Pom at: http://www.pompomsponderings.blogspot.com/ . these two blogs were an excellent place for me to start as they both have created such wonderful "be happy" blogs to visit. if you are looking to be delighted, inspired and encouraged these two blogs will not let you down.

i realized that i had never posted a photo of the finished gift quilt that i made. it's been back from the quilter's for quite some time now and what with the holidays and all that goes with them, i ended up forgetting to get it in here. so this is the official "ta-da" moment for this child's quilt. it measures 36 inches x 44 inches and i'm very pleased with the small stipple pattern that was quilted into it.

see that bright yellow monkey print that i used for the backing~!?! it reminded me of Curious George and so i have purchased a boxed set of Curious George board books to go along with it. as a child i was a big fan of Curious George and all of his mis-adventures~!~ i think i still am~!~

now, with all of that monkey business going on, i've convinced myself that i need to add an adoreable handmade sock monkey to the quilt and books . . . i've never made one and will have to search for a pattern . . . or find a seller of fine handmade sock monkeys . . . if there are any ideas for me out there please feel free to speak up.

this gift set will be ready and waiting for the next gift, donation or raffle that comes up. my goal is to get (and stay) three quilts ahead (for this purpose) so that i'm not scrambling around at the last minute trying to hurry up and finish something (which is my usual mode of operandi) generally speaking they fly out of the house as fast as i can get them made so i better get out the fabric scraps and start another one very soon~!~

but before i do that i have to finish the current quilt project that has exploded all over my studio . . .

this is an almost completed top that i've been working on for the last couple of days. for the past several years i've made a quilt top and then handed it off to my guild sisters who pitch in and volunteer what they can (batting, backing, quilting, binding, etc) to get it finished for an annual senior graduation party. this party is thrown by the school, community members and parents for the graduating class. it is held (in June) as a way to encourage them to celebrate sans alcohol. it will be only one of the many (donated) raffled prizes. as much as i've enjoyed doing it, i've decided it's time to "pass the torch" and encourage someone else to take charge of this activity. there are many talented ladies within the guild who could bring great new inspiration to this and i need one less thing to do~!~
this top is being made using blocks that i won in a guild block exchange the year before last. i asked for half square triangles made from a black and white print on one side and a bright "happy" print on the other. my cup runneth over and i was given enough to make more than just the one quilt top. i used the remainders for this years top and added in the necessary blocks needed. it's going well and i hope to be done with it by the end of the week.

as you can see i've been quite busy and am so very glad that the pace has finally slowed down enough for me to jump back on the blogging merry-go-round~!~ i hope to be visiting a few of you each day and posting a couple of times a week now that i'm back on track.