Back from Branson

Hmmmm....I wonder if anyone will read this, since you have all probably given up on me! We returned a couple of days ago from a vacation in Branson, Missouri, the entertainment mecca of the Midwest in the Ozark Mountains near Tablerock Lake. We went there on that particular week because the Silver Dollar City theme park was hosting their annual Bluegrass and BBQ festival. We got to enjoy 6 bluegrass groups and eat a wonderful beef brisket lunch.

When traveling I always carry a bag full of applique projects, and this trip was no exception. I finished Block 5 in Susan Guzman's free block of the month series as well as several daisy blocks for a quilt for our second granddaughter, who will be born in about two months. I'm also making flip flop blocks. They're going to be "designer flip flops" because I'm using my novelty fabrics to make each one different--animal print flip flop, western flip flop, ladybug flip flop, etc. You'll see!

Another of my favorite things on the trip was getting to see Yakov Smirnoff, the smiling guy on the left. Yakov is a comedian who immigrated from Russia at the age of 26, having little money and knowing no English. His perspective on American life from the immigrant perspective is insightful and hilarious! (He has made a darn good living with it, too!) We went back to the theater another night to be in the audience for a talk show pilot hosted by Yakov. We got to give feedback, and I really hope that his show will be picked up. It wouldn't be all comedy. Two years ago he earned a Master's degree in Psychology from Penn, and he is very interested in using it as part of the show.

Finished Some Stuff!

I just finished the binding on this quilt last night during "Desperate Housewives". (Is it just me or does Justine Bateman look really old all of a sudden? Oh, well, so do I!) This quilt will go to St. John's Mercy via Project Linus. The pattern is by Sindy Rodenmayer, my favorite applique designer. I enjoyed dipping into my stash of "food fabric" to find carrots, cabbage, lettuce, and radishes for the bunny to snack on.

This is the April row from Debi's BOM. It is starting to get a little ahead of me--I didn't get finished during the month it was issued. Now I am already behind on May's row!

If you are making this quilt, would you tell me your plans for setting the rows together? Are you going to put strips of sashing between the rows or just sew the rows together? (I was thinking that the sashing would prevent having to match up a lot of seam lines.)