Dances With Butterflies

I love it when people "get me".

The Ranger says that if I was an Indian Princess,

my name would be Dances With Butterflies.

He claims that I am childish like a child.

Me:  "I really need to focus and get this done.

Oh, look, a butterfly!"

And off I go, task forgotten.

That said, NO, I didn't meet my September goal for

Sew Bitter Sweet Design's "A Lovely Year of Finishes".

There were just too many distractions.

But you can click HERE to see who did!

Speaking of dancing with butterflies,

I had the opportunity to see

Leah Day's Dancing Butterfly quilt up close and personal.

Well, it wasn't HERS, but it was made during her quilt along

by a very talented Maritimes Modern Quilt Guild member.

I wish I had a better picture to show you,

as it was absolutely stunning.

Now I want to make one, too!
Leah does an incredible job walking you through FMQing each block.

Add it to the list!!
No wonder I'm so overwhelmed!

I am a Virgo.
And true to my sign, I am a perfectionist.
I like a clean, professional finish to my projects.
Whenever I am making something that needs to be
turned right side out and topstitched or handstitched closed,
I always add an extra 1/4" to that seam allowance
to give me something to work neatly with
with no fuss.

Today I am linking up to

Podunk Pickin's

Have a great day.
Take a moment to seek your inner child.


XO, Karen

You Otter Been There

Last week, I had the distinct pleasure

of attending the Maritime Modern Quilt Guild (MMQG) meeting

in Halifax, NS with Linda from Scrapmaster.

(I spent the most wonderful three days with

Linda and her family.)

I'd like to thank all the 'girls' for making me feel so welcomed.

It was just delightful to be able to meet and put a face to

some of the members of that guild who are also bloggers -

Anja, of Anja Quilts

Miss Valerie, of Purple Boots and Pigtails

Jenn, blogging over at A Quarter Inch from the Edge

Adrienne, the pres, of Chezzetcook Modern Quilts

Aimee, from Candy Coated Quilts

Dominique, of The Running Thimble

and Karen, at Sugarfree Quilts, who needs a little 

encouragement to write some posts.
We'll be hearing more from Karen, and I can't wait to share!

During the evening, there was a fun swap.

Linda and her swapmate, Miss Valerie, went first.

Do you think they were excited?

It was pretty funny.  Miss Valerie hadn't even opened hers yet!

She was jumping all around because Linda was.

I couldn't get a clear picture for all the tea in China.

Wish I had thought to video it all.

Valerie made a very special and meaningful wallhanging for our Linda.

You can read about it here.

All the swap wallhangings were amazing.

You otter been there.

*

Speaking of otters...

we went for a little local paddle in our kayaks the other day

and were visited by a new friend.

(Click on pics to enlarge them.)

Isn't he/she just the cutest thing?

They don't appear to be at all afraid, just curious!
I floated up to 15 feet of him/her.
Once I was paddling during the wee hours of the morning
(morning being my favorite time of day)
and  had three swim right by me,
not an arms length away,
and they all three lifted their bodies way up high out of the water
and looked at me as they passed by.
I can't imagine what they might have been thinking!)

This one chatted with me for a few minutes before disappearing.

They grow to about 4.5 feet long and weigh in at 30 pounds.
Experiencing nature like this really makes my heart sing.

I hope something happened during your week
that made your heart sing!!
~karen

Summer's End

There is no denying that hummingbirds are

 one of Mother Nature's greatest gifts.

http://starsandsunshine.com/2012/04/paper-pieced-hummingbird/#comment-22698

They hold appeal to a great many atisans.

http://embroidery.freezer3.net/free-humming-bird-embroidery-designs/

As I say good-bye to my hummers

(there was still one out there this morning)

I'm impelled to share this website with you.

Bottom line, it explains that a hummingbird's migration

is a stop and go journey.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/178259591/easy-hummingbird-2-quilt-applique?utm_source=Pinterest&utm_medium=PageTools&utm_campaign=Share

They travel just so far, then they need to stop, rest, and refuel.
So this is just a reminder that if you think your hummingbirds have moved on,
keep your feeders up,
so mine will have a place to recharge their energies!

Thanks!
Have a happy and relaxing Labor Day!
~karen

Wild Thing, You Make My Heart Sing

Establishing a goal and linking up to 

 ALYOF last month

worked very well for me,

so I believe I will give it another go!
(If and when the internet allows me to.)

I finally have a herd of zebras.

16, to be exact.

All sewn into rows and ready for the border.

My goal will be 

to construct the border units 

and have this quilt finished and bound

by month's end.

I don't think Lorna from Sew Fresh Quilts believes

I'll ever finish this quilt, her amazing design.

The hold up for me was the eyes and nostrils.

I was a little intimidated.

I had to wait until I woke up one morning

with this thought, 

"Today's the day I'm going to do eyes and nostrils!"

It was a while before that happened.

Breezed through the eyes..they probably could have been better.

The nostrils?  Well, I ended up making a template

so that each one was the same.

Worked out pretty good.

Although it has taken me forever to make this quilt,

it has been an enjoyable process.

*

I love wild things, large and small.  Make believe and real.

While I was out picking blueberries late yesterday afternoon,

I stood to stretch my back (our wild blueberries are close to the ground, ugh!)

And what did I see?

A beautiful Monarch Butterfly (Danaus plexippus)!

My heart was singing as I ran down from the meadow for my camera.

It has been a few years since I have observed one on my property.

Hope she finds the Swamp Milkweed I planted!

Here are some interesting facts about Monarch Butterflies:

~Caterpillars eat milkweed, which makes them poisonous to birds.

~Thousands of individuals roost in the exact same trees every year

along their migration routes.

~No other known insect undergoes an annual, two-way, long distance,

large-scale migration.

~It is still a mystery how Monarchs correctly navigate to their

overwintering grounds, since no migrants 

have made the journey before.

Monarch Butterflies like nectar-rich plants such as Joe-Pye-Weed,

Goldenrods, Asters, Boneset, Coneflower, Butterfly Bush,

as well as the invasive and aggressive Angelica, as pictured above.

By planting milkweed as a host plant on my property,

my goal is to help provide a safe, chemical free habitat.

Thanks so much for stopping by!

~karen