Beneath the Surface

I have a friend that is totally fantastic.  But many people never know just how really great she is. See, you have to get to know her. On the surface she is rather quiet and reserved.  But Beneath the Surface? 

She is also our chronicler. I found a cool purple camera fabric that screamed her name when I first saw it. She also loves to scrapbook so I thought she might like it. 

This is one of those people that you know your life is better just by knowing them. You can't wait to find out something else about them you didn't know...because its always so great.

 Of course she gets a glitzy pony and lots of hearts quilted in. Love you girl!

You are an amazing person. I love it when you start goofing off and getting sassy. And as you are always under a blanket in the Circle of Death....you have a big role in how all of you ended up with quilts.

Stay beautiful!

Wishing Well

I have no ideal where I even came up with the name of this quilt.  It happens that way sometimes.

Of my group of friends, I know this one the least as she was just starting with us when we moved. What little time I did get to spend with her was a blast.  Love her sense of humor.  And the silent laugh is just awesome.

I kept the quilt simple as this is another friend surrounded by boys. Although maybe flowers should have been in order!

The quilting echos the "tumblers" and turned out really neat.

My friend, I hope you enjoy your quilt.  I love each time we get together and we get to know each other a little better. I love your heart. I love your practicality. I look forward to the years to come!

Midnight Garden

This quilt struck me as perfect for my friend, The Only Girl.  I thought you needed a little girly in your life since you are surrounded by all boys.  It just seemed necessary.

This quilt actually started with the center - which is a pillow panel. I loved it and decided it was a quilt panel instead. LOL.

How I treasure this friend.  She is one of two people in my life that has the gift of prayer. And her heart is burdened by things that go on in our lives and she is quick to pull us together and pray. It is awesome to hear and be a part of.

My friend has been through many trials and tribulations the last few years. Some were very heart breaking, and I laid my head down and cried tears from my mothers heart more than once for her. And yet through it all she was faithful to believe it was in God's hands and stay true. I really admire her faith.

Friend I have missed you. I am glad you are a part of my life...even so far away.

Transformation

Transformation is the perfect name for my wonderful friend.  It seems like every season in her life brings a new and wondrous work of God and transforms her even more. It is wonderful to watch and share in her life and story.

This was the hardest quilt to come up with.  I had finished everyone's but hers and still could not figure out what to do.  Since I had done some Africa related quilts for her children I decided to just do a google search for African quilts, and came across a quilt in a museum in Africa made from animal skin fabrics. So this was my second try at printing out a picture and trying to recreate a quilt on my own.

Love the way it turned out.

And since Africa is near and dear to her heart, I was actually able to find an African print for the back of the quilt to keep it a little in line with her kids quilts.

My friend, and the other women in her family all have the most amazing smiles. I LOVE to see her coming because her smile just makes me happy.

I am thankful for the things I have been able to do with her. Whether its camping or just riding in a car with her, the more I get to know her the more I love her.

You are an incredible person my friend. And you and your family are such an incredible blessing in so many young lives.

I so miss you!

Happiness Squared

My friend Sunshine must have a quilt named Happiness Squared.

My friend is happy.  She is a ray of sunshine. She is the definition of the word smile.

Not to say she is ALWAYS bouncy and happy.  But even when she's feeling blue, she radiates a light from within.  She has obviously been well loved all of her life.  And her husband and children are well loved by her.

And she is also a animal print kind of girl.  I love how cute she always looks....even when she's rocking the pony tails! And since she is so versatile, I free motioned around the design of each fabric which makes it a mish-mashed kind of thing.  

Everyone should have a friend that brings a smile to your face and joy to your heart whenever you see them. That is what Sunshine is to me.

I love you friend!

Tantalizing Possibilities

I grin every time I think of my friend Tantalizing Possibilities.

You see, that's what her life is.  You never know what the future brings and you never know what kind of fun you will have when you get together with her.

This is the kind of friend you want to go on a girls only cruise with.  And get into...fun.  The possibilities are endless, and so is the fun when you hang with her.

Yep. She's an animal print kind of girl.  And do you know how hard it is to find animal prints in purple????

I put the walking foot to use again for some nice clean lines. If I could have figured out how to quilt tiger stripes I would have done it! LOL!

My friend, I miss you so very much! Wish I was around more to be a part of the every day of your life.

Stay beautiful and hang tight. You never know what tomorrow brings!

Sweetness of Nature

This is for my friend Confidence Personified.  She is a force to be reckoned with -- in a good way. She is smart. She is funny.  She is beautiful inside and out.

She is also classy and a perfectionist.  As a matter of fact, she is so hard on herself, that I got nervous about making her a quilt and got too caught up in trying to make it perfect for her.

God laughed.

Because I have never been about perfection.  So I got slapped on the wrist and taught a lesson.  When I was half way done I was checking it out and found three very serious mistakes.  Mistakes that I didn't have the fabric to fix.

At first I was devastated.  And then I got A WORD.

My friend will laugh at that because she is ALWAYS getting A WORD.  And God uses her to share those words with us.  And I always want to run away screaming when she looks at me and says: Autumn, God gave me A WORD for you.  Oh. No.  Its always straight to the heart of a matter in your life and most of the time she doesn't know where that arrow lands, she just knows she's passing on a message.

Its always right on.

So, this time I got A  WORD.  And that word told me that I knew better.  All my other quilts I was pouring prayer and memories and love into......while this one I was trying to be perfect.  I was sweating it.

So I didn't rip out those errors.  I kept them. Not only to remind myself...but to share with my friend...who will always have a much less than perfect quilt from a friend that loves her with all her heart.

   This quilt I actually saw a picture of and tried to recreate because I had the flower panel.  Why I would pick my first quilt to recreate from a picture for someone I wanted it to be so perfect for I have to clue. The quilting in free motion butterflies.  I watched a video on a blog written by a friend in England. Her's are much prettier than mine...but I can claim to be a beginner. Hah.

So my friend. I hope you enjoy your less than perfect quilt from your less than perfect friend.  Lots of love to you!

Shining Star

My friend the Shining Star is just that....a shining star.  Always she is thinking of others and giving of her self, her time and her home.  She opens up her heart over and over again....even though she has been hurt badly by some of the closest people in her life.

And to know her is to see God at work. Every day.

I love being at the lake house and looking off down by the lake and seeing her there with her Bible and her Father, starting the day.  Without fail.

For her quilting I followed those stars (which are actually the first traditional quilt block I've ever done.). For the squares I tried my hand at free motion star bursts.

I love the stained glass look of the borders. For you quilters: if you haven't used the "quilters linen" you should get your hands on some. It looks so elegant and its 100% cotton. I love the colors you can get it in.

To my friend, the shining star, I'm so excited for your new adventure in life. I'm also living vicariously through you as I'd love to do the same.  Always I remember your family in prayer and LOVE knowing you. You are the real thing.

All the best on your adventures!

Perpetual Motion

My first finish of the purple quilts was for Mrs. Perpetual Motion.  I swear she never slows down.

She's also a classy yet clean lines kind of girl.

I picked a very modern pattern with clean lines and then quilted it in the same.  With lots of lines.  Lots of motion so to speak.

I love my friend. She goes and goes.  Her sense of humor is so in line with mine that I always look forward to seeing her.  Love the quips and sarcasm.

And yet....

She has a spirit that thirsts after God. She wants to "line-up" with His will, and stresses it when she thinks she doesn't. She is much too hard on herself and too much of a perfectionist in some areas.

And I love her.  All of her.

Although there's only about enough of her to fill the shoes of a ten year old boy lately. (Just sayin' girl!)

 More 'clean lines' on the back.  The modern looking fabrics with the couches and chairs are all in honor of "The Circle of Death".  Had to do it just for you friend.

And her pony made with the Asian purple fabric.  Heather made me do it.

Love you girl!

The Big Reveal

So its time for the big reveal.  All that sewing I've been doing for months and months.  A big secret and surprise.
You see, last trip to the lake house with my friends, one of the mama's got to snuggle under her baby quilt while nursing.  And then she made a comment about it....to which a couple of sideways comments started flying about wanting their own Autumn Quilts.  And of course The One Who Thinks Too Much had to rub it in their faces that she had TWO Autumn Quilts at her house. Grumble.

And it occurred to me that it would be so easy to make my favorite friends their own quilts.

We have our own little "name" of our group which included the word Purple.  So that was easy. Purple quilts it is!  And I started collecting purple fabrics of all kinds.

11 quilts -- including myself.

I had been collecting free patterns off the internet so I thought this was a good way to use them. Each person would get their own unique quilt. I'd piece the backs with left over pieces to keep the cost down.

And then I found a horse paper piecing pattern -- again, an inside thing that won't make sense to anyone else.
And each of those darn ponies took a week apiece to complete.  Geesh.

So I sort of let the fabrics and the patterns tell me who got what. Some came real easy...others I had to go looking because none of the patterns I had really fit my friend.  In the end one quilt started for one person and ended up morphing into another.

All the quilts are a different size....partly because I have no concept of size with the measurements. Some I added onto even.  I was going for a couch throw size.

After I finished everyone else's, I threw mine together using the leftovers and just putting it together like a jigsaw puzzle. No actual pattern.....although I did try a few things I saw online that I thought were cool.

So that's what I spent months doing.  Each quilt I worked on reminded me of the person I was making it for and was sewed with lots of memories, love and prayers for them and their family.

And I'll actually start showing them tomorrow.

Because I'm mean like that.

Cinder Speaks

So, I've been hanging out here for a while now, and I have to say it ain't so bad.  Sure beats the life of a stray. No more trash cans for me! (No really, they lock them up where I can't get them. For some reason they HATE shredded trash all over the place?!)

I'm happy to say that my bones are not visible all over my body. Why I'm positively fat compared to before. But I'm not fat. The vet says I'm perfect so I get a very regimented amount of food.....and almost no people food at all....except what I can pull out of the baby's hands or sneak off the table when no one is looking. And my coat? My do I shine.

They also put all their shoes up.  I LOVED those shoes. I know I must have consumed at least 4 pairs. No, more than that....I got that many of the baby's shoes alone. The Mom had a couple of really cool screaming fits....something to do with Sketchers and a pair of expensive black dress shoes. So why the heck did she leave those under the bed in box anyways?

But you really want to see my humans dance? So EASY!! All I have to do is swallow a pair of the baby's underwear! Hey, isn't that what they are on the floor for??? A Cinder snack???  And when I puke them up in the back yard it causes all kinds of excitement. They are so impressed with my skill set of swallowing them whole without even chewing them up first.  Heck, those things are stinky enough that I don't have to CHEW the flavor out of them!! And I don't know why they scream about this -- its not like I actually digested them and had to go to the vet with a blocked bowel.  And its not a bad idea to buy all new undies at the beginning of vacation season anyways. Geesh.

I have my own bed. It rocks.  But I LOVE to curl up in that rats bed.....just to make him mad. He is toooooo easy.  But that Mom picked it up and put it in the great big plastic bin under her sewing table....and now the rat lays in there where I can't get at him without a kick to the ribs from The Mom. But I am patient.  And I wait......

So lets talk about The Rat.  Talk about a stuck-up, spoiled momma's boy. And he's not big enough to qualify as a dog.  And oh my word!! I can make him scream louder and whimpier than ANY girl I ever met!! I love to grab his whole backside in my mouth and then spit him out!! Talk about insulting him! He hates it!  Almost as much as when I get my nose under him and flip him in the air!!  Hah, hah! You should see that! Yes, he hates me.  And I practice my mad stalking and pouncing skills on him every chance I get.  He tries to attack me when I do, but PLEASE! Unless he catches a lip there is no way he can do harm.  And he better watch his back...all that screaming he does gets me in trouble. All I want to do it play.  But if he can't be bothered to play with me, well I'll use him for target practice instead. A girls got to do what a girls got to do.

I also have lots of toys here. I love my tug-o-war rope.  And its real fun to walk up to one of the humans and whip my head around so I can bust them with that big knot in it.  Hah.  And do you know I've given My Master three black eyes???? Not kidding. The Mom is afraid they are going to start accusing her of spousal abuse at his work.  Hah!  No way!  Its me! I am the wrestle master of this house.

I also have my own blanket.  I LOVE to suck on it.  Yep. My own personal Binkie.  No, I'm not chewing it up, I'm sucking on it.  I have no ideal why these people think that's weird.  Tell me these other kids didn't have a pacifier!

Right now I am in school. Apparently they are not very happy with my behavior on the leash.  I guess it can make it tough when The Master and I go for a jog.  But you know, that jogging stuff is over-rated! I get so tired I just DIVE into the grass and make Him pull me.  Dude! I'm beat! It's hot! Slow up!  (***We are actually wondering if the dog has a weak heart this is so strange.)

And when they went on vacation? They got me my own private assistant to come stay right here at the house with me.  Does that not rock??

So, I think I did really good.  And I LOVE MY MASTER!  The rest of them are pretty cool too, but OH MY MASTER.  I LOVE HIM!