Happy Birthday to Me!

I celebrated a birthday this week which typically does not get me too excited except this year my husband bought me a wonderful gift - the book, A Bountiful Life.  To be more accurate, I bought this book at the quilt show last month so he could give it to me! : - ).  So I decide to mark my special day by starting the first block of this magnificent quilt.  This week was also marked by some unseasonably hot weather.  Last week when I said cooler temperatures still prevailed, someone must have been listening.  The first three days of the week were remarkable with temperatures well into the 80's.  On Tuesday my car registered 88 degrees when I got into it!  Whew - it was an unexpected blast of summer!  But very welcomed after the cool Spring we have had.  Everything is now blooming!

 I have decide to size my blocks down to 12" from the 14" in the book and piece the backgrounds.  I have not decided whether I will include the groom in the quilt or not.  The original quilt, The Bird of Paradise, does not include the groom block.   Some speculate that perhaps the intended of the bride was killed in the Civil War.  However, Karen Mowery did include a groom in her adaptation.

Karen Mowery's A Bountiful Life quilt.

I also picked up this little stack of quarter yard fabrics at a shop on Saturday to use in this quilt.  Love the colors!

The Octopus's Garden and Goddess of the Deep

This week I also packed and shipped my quilts for the International Quilt Festival of Ireland.  I only had to get them to Illinois, luckily avoiding the cost of shipping them to Ireland!  I guess I won't be seeing these for a few months!

Sea Gem

Each quilt has its own bag to keep it clean.

Also this week, I finished the Sweet Sixteen block from last week.  This little kitty is Lucy's understudy. : - )

 

 So sweet!

The best of all - were all the cards!  It was a great birthday!

Happy Stitching!

Deb