Friday, April 20, 2012

The best of days...and some Show & Tell!

I spend almost all my waking hours inside my cave; cooking, preparing Mr E's special diet, cleaning , washing, cooking, mopping etc - and of course, stitching and sewing! I go out to take Blossom to work, and again later to pick her up - but apart from that my Monday-Friday existence is spent here at home.
Yesterday I did something different and after dropping Blossom at work I kept on driving - about another 95 kilometres! I headed south to Brandon for a day with my gorgeous friend Wendy. I call Wendy my 'happy friend' because she is a natural ray of sunshine, and someone who lifts your spirits with just one infectious smile - but Wendy smiles constantly, and by home time I was filled to overflowing with love and happiness. 
I think God will have her manning the Happy Booth if they have a fetes in heaven. ;-)
I couldn't believe it had been over 2 months since we last caught up, but when she handed me a belated birthday present it really hit home! 
Look how she spoiled me!
Lots of gorgeous gifties, but knowing I have a thing about pears, her choice of a small quilt kit was perfect!!
Beautiful Robyn Pandolph fabrics (swoon, swoon!!....), to make this Pear quilt she saw in the magazine she'd given me...
Blessing is spelled W-E-N-D-Y, in case you didn't know.
She made us YUMMY chicken and corn pot pies for lunch (her handsome lad, Nick, joined us in his lunch break from work)...
...and then we spent a good 20 minutes taking photos with her phone! Honestly, we were like 14yo's in the photo booth at the local Show!!
See what I mean?! 
Mr E rang just after we'd finished our photo shoot and suspiciously enquired, "Hey, you girls sound like you're having too much fun!?" LOL!! Yep, we sure were. 
We actually took these photos (and many others of armpits, necks, noses...we are not professional photographers okay, and we do have some goof ups) to send to our buddy Dawn, because after I caught Wendy with a happy face whilst reading a text from Dawn...
...we started sending photos back and forth. (Dawn, I wish you'd been there in person, hon!! Can you see how happy you make our Wendy-girl?!)
It was a really great day, and we DID get a little bit of stitching done between the laughter and food. ;-)
Of course, Miss Sophie was not impressed at being left behind at home. She strategically placed herself next to a 'home' pillow to get her message across to me...
Wendy and I are going to do this regularly from now on - no more months between visits!
~~~~~
 How about I share some Show & Tell?
Margaret used Block 1 from my "Promises & Borders" BOM to make a cushion. Honestly, it's just beautiful, Margaret!
Margaret has also been busy re-purposing! (see the blog posts about Re-purposing in 2012 HERE).
Aren't those owls adorable!?
 Katherine used part of my "All You Need Is Love" design to adorn this needlebook set as a swap gift - so pretty!!
Kristen stitched my free "True Love" stitchery onto a cushion. What a beautiful reminder to us of the love Christ has for all!
Jeanne made a table cover using one of my "Promises & Borders" blocks as the centre. She added a second bluebird, enlarged the design, and added the wider fabric border - it's so lovely!
Arianne finished her Shabby Roses quilt and kindly sent me the photo - ooooo, love it!!! This was my very first Shabby Roses design and will always be special, so seeing how others have used it makes me so excited.
Lynelle has just completed Block 3 from "Promises & Borders", and when she sent me the photo she was so eager for Block 4 to be released. Thank you for your excitement and encouragement, Lynelle!!
~~~~~
I would love to sit and chat with you a bit more, but if I do there will be no setting for the Shabby Roses Alphabet. The original idea I had is no longer appealing to me, so this afternoon I will be experimenting with something different...love that word "experimenting" - it's a great excuse when something doesn't work out the way you'd hoped. ;-)
Just for fun, leave a comment and share with us your worst experimental failure. 
Mr E will tell you that my latest one was a gluten-free banana & apricot bread last week. I won't say anymore. It was THAT bad! ;-)
Hugs
Jenny
xxxx


16 comments:

Larissa said...

Certainly looks like you and Wendy had a great day from the look of both your blogs!!! ... All the different versions of your patterns look lovely! Always nice to see different ways of using a pattern!! ... Hmmm, my worst experimental failure? I honestly can't think of one! ... Doesn't mean to say there haven't been!!! I am sure there have been dozens, just can't think of any atm! ... Have a great weekend Jenny!!!

Quilt Kitty said...

Love the pear quilt & fabric, great gift from Wendy. Looks like you two had a magic day together. Tracee xx

Michelle said...

I don't have a failure but I do have a success to share, gluten free flour makes the best shortbread! DH refuses to eat anything made with gluten free flour, but once I had made some shortbread and unbeknown to him he ate most of it before he realised what was in it now he only likes shortbread with gluten free flour Lol But that's as far as he'll go ;o)
Oh and I love the pear quilt too the fabric is perfect!

Anonymous said...

lovely post Jenny and i so love the birthday gifts you got the fabric for the ear quilt is gorgeous.xx

Maria said...

I saw on Wendy's blog how much fun you ladies had. Yes you should do it more often. So good for the soul to laugh with friends.
Just love the photos of you both. Remember when you'd go to the photo booths and do that LOL.

Peg said...

How lovely for you to spend time with your friend, you both look like it was soooo fun:0). I think making a definite monthly date is spot on, I attend a 2hr class each week which has quilters, xstitchers, seamstresses and complete novices. It's wonderful, we chat, we sew, we laugh and most lovely of all we care about each other and any new comers feel like old timers in a couple of weeks. They're a wonderful group of ladies. Love your photos.

Peg x

Abby and Stephanie said...

Regular outings with a fun friend is certainly rejuvenating. Love the show and tell. So many pretty projects.

Dawn said...

oh I had fun just reading and tecting, BUT you gals had a heap of fun...looks fabulous...wish the distance was not so far...I love the pics...glad I didn't get the armpit ones...he he
oh I have a huge smile cos you both make me HAPPY
Big Hugs Dawn x x x

Wendyb said...

Love you Jenny girl! It IS too long between visits...yesterday only proved that!!! So.... Next week??? Hahaha.....xoxoxo big fat sugary hugs sweetheart!

Michelle said...

Jenny, I am so glad you and Wendy got to catch up with one another. My BFF and I meet once every other week to have a "sew day" but I can tell you more laughing, talking and eating goes on than sewing! We just tell our husbands it's a sew day even though we don't have much in the way of sewing done when the day is through. We all need our "girl time" God just made us girls that way.

Wendy said...

Chicken and corn pot pies! Sounds yummy! You ladies looked like you were having a ball. Good medicine I think. I hope you are right about how to spell Blessing; W E N D Y because that's my name I would love to think I am a blessing to someone today. thanks for a fun post!
Wendy

Allie said...

Too bad you girls don't live right next door - but the road to a friend's house is never long! Well, unless one is in Australia and one is in the U.S.....then it gets a little dicey....I'm so glad you had a great time, love the pics, it's so fun to be silly with a girlfriend!

I love all the pics of your projects that people have made - well done!

Vicki ♥ said...

So good to hear you had a great time together with Wendy and those chicken pies look soo good! I too love the pear quilt and look forward to your version of it Jen :) hugs Vicki x

picpic said...

très contente pour toi quel beau cadeau que cette couverture de poire
bon dimanche
amitiés

Sue from Cyprus said...

Oh Jenny, as I said to Wendy, she is so lucky to have you as a friend and you're so lucky having her as a friend. Hope you spend more time with each other. Girlie days are so much fun!!
Hugs, Sue from Cyprus x x

Michelle May-The Raspberry Rabbits said...

What a wonderful day. Friends make the world such a fun place!
You are a lady to be spoiled for sure!
Hugs!