bloggers quilt festival: ellie's quilt

Greetings!  It's been a LONG time since I participated in the Blogger's Quilt Festival (hosted by Amy's Creative Side), but I decided this was a new day of the week, and it would be fitting to get back into the swing of things . . . so here goes!

I went back to 2012 for today's offering. It was the year my dear little dolly, Ellie was born. My firstborn's second born.  Her firstborn, Everett, was born to heaven the previous year. I'd made a sweet little owl quilt for him . . . but for Ellie, I couldn't bring myself to make her quilt until she'd made her entrance. It was very emotional for all of us.

Once she was born -- January 10, 2012 -- I hopped to it! 

I pieced the patchwork hearts with scraps of fabric from her mama's wedding quilt and scraps from other quilts I'd done.

The center patch in the center 9-patch was a fussy cut owl from Everett's quilt. ♥

I backed it with pieces from coordinating fabrics we used for curtains, bedding, and pillows for her nursery.

I hand quilted it with hand drawn hearts in all of the sashing . . . 

And a couple of special little love notes, too . . .

I'm pretty sure she liked it.

Precious girl!  Hard to believe she'll be seven in less than four months!

Ah well . . . that's my offering (and bonus trip down memory lane)! Please be sure to head back over to the Blogger's Quilt Festival and check out the rest of the participants!

:)

hooded cats . . .

Jocelyn did me the sweet favor of showing me one of Ellie's Christmas presents ... on Ellie:

Needless to say, Ellie was NOT real thrilled with her gift-to-be.  

Perhaps she was upset that her mommy is already showing her the "under-the-tree" stuff?!

Leia was a better model . . . 

You get the true sense of the hat, don't you?  Isn't it darling?  And I love the irony of the owl face on the cat's head!

Leia, on the other hand, wasn't quite as thrilled.  Or she's bowing down before me, acknowledging my mastery over her.  Bahaha!!

Be sure to check out the rest of the cat antics going on around and about blogland today by heading over to Sarah Did It! and Feline Friday!

:)

two steps behind . . .

There was really no point in starting with "one step forward", because I'm not sure I'm not just continuously taking two steps backward!  Ever feel that way?  I am inundated and the next four days will be gloriously full (much as the past three days have been).  At some point I'll stop, catch my breath, and catch up. In the meantime, it is what it is:  DECEMBER!

I wanted to share a lovely, lovely win from the UR Priceless blog hop.  I'd stopped by Maria's blog, Personalized Sketches and Sentiments, to check out her sweet little purses (and she did a marvelous job, both with her darling purses *and* her fun presentation -- check it out HERE), and since I was already there, I entered her giveaway for a personalized monogram.  I was so delighted when she notified me I was one of her winners!  After chatting back and forth with her for a bit, I chose the name I wanted monogrammed and the font style and sent it off to her.

It came in Tuesday's mail.  I'd used Everett's initials -- I knew that would be something Jocelyn would enjoy -- and since I was on my way to visit with her that morning, I waited to open it until I got there.  Then I let Joc do the honors -- it's lovely!

And it's not just a monogram.  Check closely the lines that make up each letter:

Do you see it?  EVERETT over and over make up the "E".

And yup, SAMUEL is the basis for the "S".

And MERKEL!  Isn't it clever and beautiful?!  Maria did a fabulous, marvelous job and I'm so appreciative!  She does all types of sketches and is very creative. Definitely worth checking out!

While I was there, Ellie and I had some chat time . . .

Look how big she's getting!

Not a bad shot, considering I'm holding the camera!  Ellie couldn't quite figure out what was going on!  Look at her big, beautiful eyes!

And not to leave Leia out . . . she was most interested in my Redwork course exercises.  

She closely inspecting my satin stitches there!

Or perhaps that's her way of saying, "What hand work??  You came here to pet *me*!"  And though it's a day late, my week still wouldn't be complete if I didn't link up to Sarah Did It! and Feline Friday!!

On to the day's (month's?!) busyness!

:)