Another Happy Dance!

Barbara Carper was my incredibly wonderful classroom helper this past year at The Elly Sienkiewicz Appliqué Academy.  Turns out, she’s an accomplished appliquér too!  Barbara has completed three stunningly beautiful blocks in the past few months.  The first one pictured below is from a two day add-a-day class:

Barbara had this one almost finished before Appliqué Academy concluded.  She accomplished so much AND took care of everyone in the classroom.  Gorgeous color choices!!

Next, Barbara completed a block from my pattern, "Autumn's Promise," but, she is very fond of squirrels and designed her own center for the block.  She inked a gray fabric and did turkey work on this little guy's tail to give him a furry, fuzzy, cuddly look.  Brilliant!  His little eye and ears make him very lifelike. I think she needs to do some more designing!  

But Barbara wasn't finished.  She told me she had completed the little bluebird that was an alternate to the tree frog center above (some people just don't like frogs).  So I sent her a pattern for a sunflower wreath that I haven't even stitched yet.

Lovely!  Barbara's colors are beautiful and happy and her workmanship is impeccable. These blocks are going to be part of an exquisite quilt soon.  Barbara is just an amazing person and being friends with her is on my "Best Things about Appliqué Academy" list.

Way to go, Barbara!!

No such thing as too much fun!

Finally, I’m back to blogging after a busy couple of months.  Have I been sewing you may ask?  Well, no.

My husband and I took a dream trip to Italy for most of May.  We spent three days in Venice before boarding a cruise ship for 10 days, ending in Rome for 3 days.  The ship stopped in a different port each day as we cruised the Adriatic and the Mediterranean.  It was amazing!!

We took a lovely walk in Capri.  Here I am on the path:

We were in Sicily on my birthday and took a tour to the top of Mount Etna to celebrate.

And here we are at the Spanish Steps in Rome.

Jim called it the "three week date" and that it was!  

Since our return, we have been super busy getting ready to go to Boone, North Carolina for the summer.  We finally arrived last week.  All of this activity and our long absence didn't sit well with Stella.

Poor girl, had a bit of a meltdown and didn't sleep for several nights in a row!!  Guess who else didn't sleep!  I called the vet and he asked me if I had any xanax.  "For me or for her?" I asked.  Anyway, after a dose of xanax that would have put me to sleep for days, Stella had a good night and all seems back to normal.  Thank goodness!