April finishes and OPAM

A surprise visit

Last saturday Irene and I went for a surprise visit to another friends cabin. They did not know we were coming for a visit, and they became so happy when we drove up in front of the cabin. Brought only some stitchery and we had a lovely time out in the sun chatting and stitching.

Sunday we went for a long walk up in the mountain. Look at the wiew. Norway has such beautiful landscapes with all our mountains.

And I love this road sign up in the mountain.

April finishes

I do not know where april has gone. The days have passed to fast for me. I have so many plans and ideas, but just a few of them are done. At least I manage to sew the binding on my five placemats. And I really look forward to set the table with these. I have some fabric leftovers from this and think I will sew a little tablerunner for my kitchen desk.

And yesterday I finished this wool pincushion. My first attemt working in wool. It was made in a hurry and I know I will make the next one different. The flowers should have been embroidered at the sides, not at the top. But things made in a hurry makes you not thinking.

APRIL OPAM

Can you see me sitting here, waiting

for all OPAM girls to register

their finishes in their blog sidebar.

Remember the finishes will not count unless they are listed in your sidebar.

Today I am going away on a quiltweekend with Hanne and Bente. That means I will not be able to check the sidebars until sunday. Which again means the winner of april OPAM will not be published until sunday evening/monday morning. I have some prizes here for the winner, but I will keep it a secret right now :)

My suitcase is packed with fabric, patterns, rulers, red wine, chocolate, thread, batting and sewing notions....................................and yes of course a few clothes too. Looking forward to meet Hanne and Bente (no blogger.....yet) for a lovely sewing weekend. Will bring my computer (and so will Hanne), so perhaps there will be some photos during the weekend.

Look at this giveaway over at Dawn. Tell her that I sent you (maybe she'll give me extra points!)

Saying for today:

Equal amounts of dark chocolate

and white chocolate is a balanced diet

Happy Birthday Hanne

Today it is my dear friend Hanne's birthday,
so visit her blog and tell her Happy Birthday.

Saying for today:

"The best antiques are old friends."

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR FRIEND!

Another saying for today:

"A Friend is someone who knows
all about you and loves you anyway!!!"

A wonderful weekend.

Four quilters in a little cabin looks like this. People are laughing of us when I tell them I'm going at a cabintrip with sewingmachine, pyjamas and redwine. But they do not understand how fun we are having on these cabin trips. All the laughter, smiles, projects, threads, good food and happy moments. This is a lot of vitamin Q. And we quilters need a lot of vitamin Q.

Some where making a lot of bias.

I started on a new project.

And so did another of us.

Outdoors sorting fabrics for the project. It is strange how the colours of the fabric changes when you take them outdoors.

Lucky girl with all her bias.

And this is the new blocks I had to try out. I found this pattern and I knew I had to give it a try. I brought some of my japaneese taupe fabric. And they were so fun to make. Of course I had not enough fabric to make more blocks, so I will continue making more blocks at home.

But I finished quilting five place mats and sewed the binding on. Now I have to just sew the binding down.

I also did a lot of sewing on block 8 on the Joy of Life BOM, will show you later when I've done some more.

When do I get some time to read my newest book????

I feel the time is running faster and faster.

Saying for today:

For every minute spent in organizing,

an hour is earned.

(not in my sewingroom)

Some sewing

When Hanne visited me this weekend she had an inspection in my sewingroom. I have done (read; are still doing) some big organizing in there, and she wanted to check it out. Guess what.......she found several kits/patterns/projects she told me to start working on.

So this morning I listen to what she had told me. I bought some fabrics last year at our annual quiltmeeting and I had planned to make some new placemats. It took me only two hours to cut and sew these 5 placemats together. Tomorrow I will look for some fabric to have on the back, and I think I have enough batting to get them basted and quilted. The colors on this photo is not correct. Will show you another photo when they are finished.

And while watching tv this evening I finished block 7 on Joy of Life. Our next prep meeting is on tuesday, so I finished it in time. I really enjoy working on these blocks. They make me feel happy.

Saying for today:

Dull women have neat sewing rooms.

Some giveaways

Here are some giveaways you have to visit:

My friend Nancy is giving away three cute bottle covers.

Also a giveway over at My little raggedy blessings.

Pigtails and quilts are giving away 30 fat quarters!!!

Vitamin Q

Frida is having great fun watching cat tv. This is her special place and she wonder what all these flowers are doing at her special spot. But they flowers do great to hide behind while watching all the interesting things outside.

Everyone who guessed it was Hanne who was coming for a visit guessed right. We have had two great days together. Today it was lovely sunshine and we could sit outside almost all day.

Chatting, laughing, eating "sun buns", sewing, taking photos and just having a lovely time together. I have been working on block 7 of Joy of Life. And I started a new stitchery too..........just had to hehehe

I am sewing those crazy easter bunnies that Stina also have made. First block finished today. So perhaps I will have a easter wallhanging finished next easter. And I really need that, because looking around my home I have no easter wallhanging.

Saying for today:

A best friend is like a four leaf clover,

hard to find and lucky to have.

Guess who's coming tomorrow

Saying for today:

Every time you cross my mind,

I think how lucky I've been,

to have you as my special friend

A little bit of sewing

Easter holiday together with my two children is always playing games. And we had some big laughs while playing this game. And I lost ...........as usual.

And I have done a little bit of sewing these days. Now six blocks of Joy of Life is finished. We had a "block preparing"-meeting last week. When I arrived there I had forgotten to bring my background for the new block, so I just got to trace the pieces and cut them.

And yesterday I prepared block 7.

And out sewing in the sun. We have had marvellous weather for several days now.

But today...................rain rain rain rain. I knew the wonderfull weahter would not stay for long.

But at this time I love the rain too because the snow is melting. We now got a swimmingpool in front of the garage.

The weather news are telling we are going to have sun again on friday, I really hope that because Hanne is coming for a visit and it would be nice to sit out on the porch stitching.

And that is perfect sewing weather. So today I pulled out my red fabrics and prepared all blocks for Gail Pans "A Christmas Wish" BOM. I do not know if this is the way Gail is going to sew them together, but I take a chance. Now I have to trace block 2, 3 and 4 (I'm so behind on these blocks)

And I finished the third block in Bunny Hills "A tisket A tasket Twelve months of baskets". Block 4 has been released so I will prepare that one too today I hope. I love this baskets, they are soo cute. So thank you Anne for giving these blocks for free.

Saying for today:

Life is like a rainbow.

You need both the sun and the rain
to make its colors appear.

Easter holiday has started

First day of our easter holiday has started. And what a weather we got today. The sun was shining all day through. And it was warm and we could hear the snow melting.

First we enjoyed some time out at the porch. And guess who enjoyed that all the snow is gone from the porch. Frida loves sitting in the sun. But you can see all the snow on the ground. So we still have some weeks before all is melted.

And I guess all my friends will be shocked when they see me with skis. It has been some years since I last used them :) But today my DD and I prepared our skis and went out in the sun.

My DD is studying photography and of course she brought a camera.

Long time since I last went skiing, but it was so fun.

And of course the traditional chocolate and orange had to come with us.

And a little rest in the sun.

eating the chocolate and just enjoying the sun

And with this I wish you all a