Latest "block lotto" blocks

The ladies on the quilt forum that I'm a member of have had a block swap for a few years; last year we changed it to a block lotto. Unfortunately, participation has fallen off a bit lately, so, to mix things up a bit, we were supposed to make two blocks for Dec./Jan. One block was supposed to be the Pinwheel Block from Victoriana Quilters, and the other one was a Sunbonnet Sue block - and we got to chose the block! I found one with a few flowers, and finally put the finishing touches on it last night. It's on it's way to the winner of the lotto, but I think I'm safe posting it here:

New cards....

Two new cards for today - a birthday card, and a sympathy card. I really don't like making sympathy cards, but sometimes you need them....
Both of these cards were CASE'd from Splitcoast albums, but, as the saying goes - "Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery" - and I was really impressed by the cards that spawned these two.

The birthday card was from a CAS challenge to use flourishes, and the sympathy card is from a member's gallery - she had a whole page of white/cream tone on tone cards.

Block #8!

I think this has to be a record - block #8 was posted yesterday, and I had it done by the time I went to bed! I also finished a few log cabin blocks that I needed for a swap, so yesterday ended up being pretty productive!
What's that? You want pictures? Okay - here they are!



The mainly red and purple block is #8; the pink and brown is for my Log Cabin quilt, and the black and white is for my swap partner.

What Was I Thinking?

As if I didn't already have enough on my to-do list, I just signed up for another quilt-along (Amy - you started something!) It's called Raven Stars, and you can check it out by clicking on the button. It's done up in 3 colours, and I should be able to find the fabric I need for it in my stash - which is a good thing seeing as the price of cotton is going to be going up significantly!
Also, I saw a request on someone's blog - there are a number of people working together to make quilts for folks devastated by the recent floods in Australia. I'm going to check my orphaned blocks - ones that I've received in swaps, ones that I've made to check out different patterns, etc. - I should have a bunch to send. I've been so blessed - it's a small thing to give up a few blocks!

The pictures you've all been waiting for...

A few weeks ago, I had a real sewing binge - I quilted two throw quilts, got all kinds of blocks sewn, started a new quilt....and I haven't really had a chance to sit down at the machine since. That all changed yesterday. I didn't want to get farther behind on my layer cake quilt, and I had two challenge blocks that have to be in the mail no later than Monday (my own deadline).
So, without further ado - my 2 layer cake quilt blocks:

I'm not too happy with the second block - I'm trying to use up my scraps, but almost all of them were just too narrow or short, so it is what it is.

Birthday cards

I love it when special people have birthdays - that means that I get to make special birthday cards!
Here are 2 that I've made in the past 2 weeks - one is for a very special friend, and the other is for my (baby) sister. It's obvious that I really like using embossing folders, and I also seem to be on a pink "kick" - I think I've used some pink on every card that I've made in the past 2 weeks! Here they are:

A bit of this, a bit of that....

I'm trying to be a better "poster" of updates - and I'm realizing that my original intention to blog quilt-making posts alternating with card-making posts may not work too well every time. I usually make multiples of card designs that I really like, so when I need a card, I can just grab one from my box. You've probably already seen 4 or 5 like it, so what's the point of putting up another one? So.... you might be stuck with quilt-type posts for the next entry or two (or 3...).
So, what's up, you ask? Well, there's the new "Layer Cake
Quilt-along" button on my sidebar. I'd noticed it on the blog of another quilter, and it sounded really fun! You buy a "layer cake" (a collection of fabrics from a quilt fabric line - usually about 30-40 fabrics - cut 10" square) - then, every 2 weeks, you go to the website to check out the newest pattern that's been posted. You decide which of the fabrics you're going to use, and you make the block and post a picture of the block to the quilt-along site. If you post within a certain time, you become eligible to win prizes. This is the first block of the 5 I've completed so far.
I've also started a quilt that really grabbed my attention the first time I saw the pattern. It's called "Costa Maya", and it looks a lot more complicated than it really is (or at least I hope it is!) Hopefully, this will link you to a picture of the pattern: http://www.kayewood.com/item/Costa_Maya_Quilt_Pattern/834/p3c57 - I've had the fabric in my stash for a bit, so I haven't broken my resolution to not buy more fabric until I finish up a few projects. Here are the 2 blocks that the pattern will build on:
There is another border to go on, and then the magic of the block begins! I'll be posting a few more pictures of the quilt-in-progress - you'll have to keep checking this space!