It could BEE and a Shout Out

After yesterdays post the ideas for a new quilt started brewing.  Why not make a Bee quilt!  So after playing around with a few ideas and looking for ideas online it hit me that I had started a yellow and gray quilt a year or two ago.   It makes it easier to start a new project when some of the work is already done, 5 quilt blocks already made!   And it'll get one of those UFO's out of the way.  I'm super excited about this one but I've a couple other quilts to finish before tackling another.

From time to time I run across a blogger that inspires me in so many ways.  Amy over at A Quilting Sheep is a sweetheart.

She's always stitching up a quilt for someone, sharing ideas, and now she's purging her stash and giving it away!

http://www.aquiltingsheep.com/2014/07/pay-it-forward-day-2.html 

Just click on the link above to go directly to the give away, then take a walk around her lovely blog you won't be disappointed.

~ Lea Anne ~

Today's freebie from Amy @ A Quilting Sheep

click here for pattern

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Busy Bee

Mr. Podunk has taken on the new hobby of Bee Keeping.  This is our second year of having hives on the property.   My suggested spot of putting them on the backside of the property was frowned upon, so these Buzzing Boxes are in the backyard.   Every couple of weeks or so he opens up the hives for an Wellness inspection.   My thought is that these little guys have been around for thousands of years and didn't need a wellness checkup to survive, why start now?  They seem to have the survival thing down pat with that pointy little stinger.

He keeps telling me I need to get closer to get a better picture of the bees.  I'm about 20 ft from him,  that's too close for me.  How do I let him talk me into this?! 

 It was at about this point that he angered the bees and they started buzzing around ME.  I'm not wearing a bee suit!  Luckily I wasn't stung, but Mr. Podunk wasn't so lucky, stung once in the hand.  Notice he's not wearing gloves.  Brave or crazy?  Some people need excitement in their life, this kind I can live without.

 I'll stick to the insects that are a little more passive. 

 The bees were given a clean bill of health, but Doctor Podunk reminds me that a few LIVE CHICKENS on the property would help to keep harmful bugs away from the bee hives.    This is how it starts, first it's bees, then chickens...whats next goats?   Before you know it I'll be living Green Acres.  For those of you who don't remember Green Acres below is the intro for the popular old sitcom.

~ Lea Anne ~

Today's Freebie From Little quilts

Click here for pattern

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Design Wall Monday

Good Monday Morning!  Hope everyone had an enjoyable fun filled weekend!   Mr. Podunk and I just hung out around the property as usual.   I managed to get my big block beauty quilt on the frame.  It's moving a long quickly with simple quilting.  There's plenty of room in these blocks for tons of custom quilting but I decided to go a little more modern.  I'm even using 100% cotton batting(Warm and Natural).  Rarely do I use cotton batting it's very linty(dusty) causing me to sneeze and a very itchy nose. 

In between quilting and the garden I did a little loafing.  You know just sitting on the porch just watching life go by.  I had my red white and blue quilts hung out on the front porch to air out before storing them away.  When  the farmer started bailing hay...a picture perfect moment that makes a gal think God Bless America!  I sat there about an hour thinking about how things have changed.  How life just seems to get more fast paced with every passing day for some folks.  We feel blessed to live a somewhat simple life.  It's a choice, and that's what so many around us don't understand.   But that's the wonderful thing about living in America, we can choose to be whatever we want to be.     

After my nostalgic moment it was time to get back to the Studio.

My poor design wall....so neglected.  The plan is to machine applique the centers when my legs and back need a break from the quilt frame.  I have to admit that walking into the studio and seeing the colorful display makes me smile.  

I'm linking up with Judy for Design Wall Monday. and Connie @ Freemotionbytheriver for Linky Tuesday,  Quilters show off design walls, free patterns, WIP, you just never know what you'll find at a link up party... and I saw that today someone has a give away posted!   Hop on over and join in the fun!

~ Lea Anne ~

Today's freebie From Ahhh...Quilting

click here for pattern

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July 4th

This week has flown by.   I've been relatively quiet this week, but that doesn't mean I haven't been busy with quilty projects.  The project for the week was to teach myself to write a PDF quilt pattern.   This is a picture of a typical new project plan.  First I draw it up in EQ, and then start scribbling measurements, cutting directions and so on.  On the flip-side of the large white paper is the printout of the quilt, it to has measurements and scribbles.  You can also see that I'm auditioning some ugly fabrics for the back.  What better way to get rid of fabrics you don't really like.

Two days and two swollen ankles(from sitting so much) I finally have somewhat figured out how to use EQ7, MS Word and an illustrator program to write a pattern.

So here's my question to you.  Do you prefer free online tutorials or do you prefer a free  PDF that can be printed or saved?

The Traveling stash box will be on the road soon, it has a long way to travel this time.  All the way to Texas to visit Cathy at A Quilting Chick!  Congrats Cathy!  I'm sending you an email!

~ Lea Anne ~

Today's Freebie from

Anina at The Twiddletails blog

Click here for the pattern

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