A generous surprise!!

Hi everyone,

I had to tell you about a new favorite thing!!! Actually it is my daughter's new favorite thing, but we were both overcome with the generosity of the gift. Saturday we went to a birthday party for a long time friend that was turning 50! It was given by my friend's brother-in-law and his sister. Well, my dear friend has been bragging about my daughter and her wonderful connection to horses. The brother-in-law, Gary is an ol' horseman himself that was a professional rodeo man!!! Quite good from what I have learned....when he was introduced to our daughter...he said I have a saddle to give you. Of course my daughter was like wow, ok. Thinking it was probably an ol saddle, but she would be happy to use it. Out from under this blanket came a beautiful hand tooled, hand made trophy saddle that he won in 1987. The saddle was very expensive when he won it and made so beautifully. He said that he wanted it to be used and enjoyed since he can't ride anymore. We are just awestruck by his generosity! My daughter is beside herself and of course it is sitting in her room!!! (where she can see it all the time, unless she is riding in a show of course!) So here are a couple pictures....Saddle making is such a lovely art form, I just had to share...enjoy!

Wow, has it been a week since I've said Hi?

Am I ever amiss in my posts! I finally got a chance to sit down for a moment to say hello. Guess my week has been busier than I thought. I turned 47 on monday. Had a lovely day doing absolutely zilch. It was great, nothing to do but putter around the house all day, all by myself. Does anyone else think that it is heaven to just putter around a quiet house all alone? So there I was alone with my thoughts wondering how did I ever get to be 47? I don't even remember turning 37 yet alone another whole decade. So here is what I've decided after this birthday...remember when we were younger and someone would ask your age and they were always surprised because you look sooooo much younger. Well, I admit it. I like that, but alas I look my age these days...then it dawned on me. After this year on my next birthday when I turn 48 glorious years, I am going to tell everyone that I am turning 53! See I figure I look decent for 48, but I will look great for 53!!!!!

Finally, I get to open my package!!!

Happy International Woman's Day!!!

Okay, so I'm a bit early. Really it is tomorrow on Sunday March 8th!!! But I couldn't wait any longer. So here is the quick back story for those who don't follow each thrilling moment of my bloggy world. I signed up to do a fat quarter swap to celebrate International Woman's Day!!! We had to send 4 fat quarters in white, purple and green. Well, let me tell you, was I ever lucky. I was partnered up with Marian of Australia. She makes the most beautiful scarves, very talented! We had fun emailing each other and found out we had some similar quirky backgrounds like, skydiving, collecting flour sifters and we both owned a beat up VW bug as our first car!!!! So after finding out where we lived we sent our parcels off. Check out her blog to find out what happened to the package I sent!!! Apparently the parcel fairies were not with my package! But, my package came in a lovely, clean and spotless padded envelope that must have just floated through the mail.
So, I patiently waited and waited and waited to open it....luckily Marian came up with the great idea that since she would arrive on March 8th before me, I could open mine too. Except it would be Saturday March 7th for me....I know I know...no fair, but hey what can I say??? I was too excited to wait! Open it I must!! and I did....

Hey Marian, could you hear me squealing with delight all the way down under??? Look at all the lovely goodies she sent me. I love my little koala bear. He is officially my new sewing buddy! The Green and Purple fat quarters are perfect!! and Marian is a tricky one....she even played hide n seek with the buttons (which I just adore) They were tucked inside each little origami packet of fabric. The rickrack ribbon tied everything up in a sweet little bow complete with a post card from Australia which I promptly put on my inspiration board over my sewing table. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE me goodies. Marian, you are a sweetheart. We have to keep in touch....I want to see how your trip to USA goes!!! Everyone else....seriously check out her blog. It is full of visual delights!!! And the music she uses to weave to is FAB!!!!!!

Hurray I finished another project!

So here it is, my cute little horsey wall hanging. This is my first attempt at a freehand quilting and landscape quilt. I also didn't buy any new fabric for this quilt. I've been trying hard to reduce reuse recycle this year as my part of being thrifty. There are also some fabrics that came from my grandma's sewing box. Sentimental me!!! This was a lot of fun. I had a hard time with the quilting because my 30 year old trusty Kenmore sewing machine had to learn some new tricks! but we struggled through and had a lot of fun. There is allot of detail in the horses face that isn't showing in the picture. Darn it! I just couldn't get the camera to cooperate with me. And yes that is my goofy self holding up the quilt. Now the quilt is on its way to my momma for her birthday. Good thing she doesn't blog or else I would have just spilled the beans! OOPS!!!