Merry Christmas to Everyone

I can finally show this.  It's been unwrapped and taken home.  Middle child (Andrea) told me last January that she didn't have a quilt that she could use on her bed.  I made the top in February, but my quilter was busy and didn't get it done last winter.  It sat at her house all summer, then I changed my mind about the backing.  So it's done in time for this cold winter.
Andrea and Patrick loved it!  And Timothy sneaked into the picture.

It's all flannel (mostly batiks) with a batik backing.

A few projects, a few grandboys



Whenever we add a new member to the family, I have to make a new Christmas stocking.  This is Wesley's....



...and he LOVED it!

And in case you've forgotten I have 2 other grandboys, here are  Timothy and Gabe at their school Christmas program.  And yes, their PUBLIC school called it a CHRISTMAS program.  Hats off to you, Grisham Elementary, Tulsa, OK. And hats off to Mr. Schmidt who directed the music.

Here's Gabe who wore his elf hat in the program.

Wesley's shirt says, "Here comes trouble".  He doesn't look like trouble to me!

I made this Christmas ornament for my sister Greta for her birthday.  She was born on Pearl Harbor Day when I was a senior in high school.  She's truly my "baby sister".

I also made her this notebook cover.  It's left handed 'cause SHE's left handed.

Here's another one just like it, only this one is for a right handed person.  I made this for my stitch group Christmas exchange.  Donna was the lucky recipient.  Wish I had one for myself.

I DID make one of these for myself.  I really don't like to embroider, but these were just so darn cute, I couldn't resist.

I died and stamped these little onsies for a baby girl who is expected on Dec. 22.  Soon I'll have her quilt done to show here.

This is a sample of the "10 Minute Block" class I'll be teaching at the Cotton Patch on Feb. 21 and 23.  It's a method by Suzanne McNeil and is so much fun.  It's almost magic how the center dark squares are set in.  (They're 3 dimensional)

The "10 Minute Block" can be done with any size squares but you can save a lot of time by using Layer Cakes (10 inch pre-cuts) or Charm Packs (5 inch precuts).  (Don't you love my model?)

Time Flies When You're Havin' Fun

Yes, we Marlers can have fun.  Most people think we're totally nuts.  And by the time you finish looking at these pictures, you may agree.

We had a great Thanksgiving with Tim's dad and step-mom here from Springfield, MO.  All 3 of my kids were here with 2 sons-in-law, 3 grandboys and 2 friends.

It started like this:

Aaron thought his Grandpa Jasper might enjoy seeing his new hat.

Yes, Jasper liked it and described it as a 10 gallon hat on a 2 quart head. (or something like that)

On Thanksgiving morning we answered the door and found this.  He resembled the rest of the people standing at our door demanding entrance....

What can I say?  Yes they're related to us.

Now this is a fun thing....Some years ago Tim wanted a grapefruit on Thanksgiving morning.  It's a long story, but somehow it stuck and now every year we have to have the "Traditional Thanksgiving Grapefruit".  Oh well...at least it's good for us and doesn't take much prep time.  And the kids love it.

Now, speaking of crazy traditions.  Thanksgiving at our house would not be the same without "the roll".
One of the kids will say to Tim, "Dad, can I have a roll?"  And this is what we get.  It's been going on for more years than I can remember. 

Andrea and Patrick "got to" sit at the kid's table this year.  So as usual I'm shooting tons of pictures (even though SHE'S the  PHOTOGRAPHER   http://www.amurphyphoto.com/).  So she says, "Hey let's do a silly face".  And guess who ends up being the silly one?

We had fun being tickled by Grandma Linda.  Some of us seemed to enjoy it more than others. (He really DID like it...the picture just doesn't show it)

We also had lots of fun eating (and squeezing Wesley's thighs)  I think Javier was practicing for when he gets his new baby daughter next month.

Need I say anything about this one?  Fun, fun, fun!

Uncle Aaron gets his nose tweeked.

Aaron with Grandma Linda and Grandpa Jasper.  Sigh....This will probably be Aaron's last Thanksgiving with us for a while.  He goes to Marine Boot Camp in April.

3 Marler Generations.  Jasper, Aaron and Tim.

Now for the "Time Flies" part.    I made this 2 years ago.  I got this much of it done and thought I'd just make a new number every day.  That's as far as I got.  Last year I didn't even bother to take it out of the box and work on it.
So yesterday I decided that this UFO (unfinished object) should get done.

I made all of the rest of the numbers and quilted them.  Skippy seems to approve.  Now I just have to remember to change the numbers every day.


Well, that's all the fun I can stand for one post.    Hopefully, I'll have some finished projects to show next time.

My "loot" from Houston

I LOVE this fabric.  It has 4 huge flower panels and coordinating pieces.  I'll make it into a quilt...someday.

I think I must have been in a brown mood, 'cause I sure bought a lot of brown fabric. 

...and blues, and giant buttons...

...and a few tools and a few fat quarters...

...and patterns

A line of Phillp Jacob's fabric.  Irresistible.

Some lovely wool and a bright fat quarter.

Now how did this get in here?  I didn't buy him in Houston.  Oh well, I guess I'll just have to show another grandbaby picture.  I'm sure you won't mind.

Family pics

My daughter Andrea is an amazing photographer.  We did some family photos this weekend and some of them are on her blog.  So if you want to see them go to: http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.amurphyphoto.com%2Fblog%2Fits-just-a-picture-tulsa-family-photographer%2F&h=92f89

More quilts from the Houston Show



I love the bright colors in this quilt!



More bright colors.

The next 6 pictures are details of this quilt.  It was so amazing!  Lots of fairy tails tied up into one quilt.

Leslie---and more bright colors.

Next time I'll show you some of the loot I came home with.

Famous People at the Houston Show

This is Frieda Anderson and Laura Wasilowski of
The Chicago School of Fusing
I love their bright colors and hand dyed fabrics.  They autographed the pattern I bought from them.

These next two are Janice and Marcea from "Abbey Lane Quilts"  Leslie and I have several of their patterns...
...and now ONE MORE!

None other than Elanor Burns of "Quilt in a Day"  I've been watching her on PBS since I was a very young quilter.





Lynn Roddy Brown.  She had all the quilts from her latest book in the show.  She was very sweet and friendly and of course autographed the books we bought from her.

Alex Anderson of "Simply Quilts" and now she and Ricky Tims have an internet show. 

Victoria of "15 Minute Play". http://www.15minutesplay.com/ I'm part of that blog.  She's from New York City and this is the first time we've met.

And the most famous of all...Our hostess, Rindy Howard.  We stayed at her house 4 nights.  She worked at the show so she even drove us downtown.  Leslie and I made her this quilt to thank her for the "hotel" room.  Rindy LOVES pink and black.

Last, but not least, Rindy's husband Gene and their dog Diamond (with tennis ball in mouth).  I've known Gene and Rindy since 1988 and they've been wonderful friends.  Thank you Gene and Rindy for your hospitality (and the Blue Bell ice cream!)