Keep Smiling

Keep Smiling

Thursday, December 15, 2016

Cowgirl Up!





My “Cowgirl UP” quilt is finished!




I'm really enjoying 
being out in my barn . . .

I'm loving my barn fireplace:)

 Our temperatures are dropping.
How does -1 degree sound? 
☃☃☃☃☃☃☃ 


But it is cozy and warm inside.


The Front.


The Back.





 The Label.

It always feels good 
to say, Completed!

Now, on to another project.


☃☃☃☃☃☃☃

Keep Smiling!

☃☃☃☃☃☃☃

Your blogging sister,
Connie :)
 

53 comments:

  1. I love your Cowgirl up quilt. And your Art Barn....I would love a place like that just for my stamping stuff. Who knows I might even pull out the sewing machine too. I am amazed at the energy you have for everything you do. I think we are the same age???? 70???

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    1. Hey girlfriend, I'm one year up on you 71, but who's counting, LOL You are as young as you feel, and my age changes daily . . . some days I'm 40 again and some days I'm 90 :) I am delighted that you like my quilt, it is always fun working on them and seeing the finished product :)

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  2. The barn is always such a delight to visit, I would love to join you for a browse around. The quilt is a delight, beautiful.

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    1. Thank you :) I feel very blessed to have my barn, it's a great place to unwind, to create a mess and not have to clean-up until I'm finished with my project. I wish everyone had a place like this. It's fun to let it explode with color and decorate in ways that I wouldn't in the house. I am happy that you like my finished quilt, thank you for your kind words :)

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  3. Connie, I love your barn and all the goodies. Your quilt is wonderful. That is one thing I wish I had learned to make. Blessings, stay warm. xoxo, Susie

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    1. Hi Susie, it's never too late. I have only been quilting for around 5 years or so, and I learned from You Tube videos. Thanks for your sweet words of encouragement; I'm delighted you like my quilt and my barn :)

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  4. Wow, I love your quilt, Connie. That's an heirloom piece, absolutely unique and beautiful. And your barn - my goodness! It's the coziest place on Earth. Hahaha! No wonder you create such lovely things in there. I wouldn't be surprised to see little giggling elves peeking over the balcony. Happy Holidays to you and your family.

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    1. During Thanksgiving holidays I did have little elves giggling over the balcony. I have created a space up there for our granddaughters to hide-a-way and even sleep when they come to visit. They love it up there :) They have twin bed mattress, book selves and reading lamps and they are both avid readers.

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  5. It's cold over there! Here too and we still have the snow from yesterday. Love your craft barn.. you have lots of nice supplies. What kind of paint do you use on your signs? I have some little projects on wood I want to paint.

    ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉
    *M*E*R*R*Y* *C*H*R*I*S*T*M*A*S*!*
    ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉ ❉

    ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

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    1. Hi Teresa, you know I use exterior house paint, but I also use outdoor craft paint from the little bottles at Walmart. They seem to hold up very well in the weather. You can also get great outdoor sample paints, mixed any color you want at Home Depot and Lowes.

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  6. Great quilt! And I love your chandelier! You're so clever. Will you come decorate my house????

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    1. Oh, I don't think anyone would truly want me to be turned loose in their home, LOL. I come up with some strangle ideas :) I'm happy that you like my chandelier. That wreath hung outside for many years, then after I attached the lights I started piling fallen branches from your pines tree to the top, just to give it a more woodsy look. It's kooky but fun :)

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  7. what a great looking quilt. Your barn looks like so much fun to hang out in. Nice that you have a fireplace in there to keep you nice and cozy warm

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    1. I'm so glad that I decided to take that fireplace out there. We weren't using it in the house, but I love having it going out there. Especially now that there's snow on the ground.

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  8. Beautiful quilt and your barn! Oh my! I love it. It was -4 on our back deck yesterday. Colder this weekend. Can we say spring now?
    Blessings,
    Betsy

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    1. Spring will be something to truly look forward to, but for now I'm enjoying not having any gardening and lawn work to do :) It makes me smile every time someone says nice things about my barn . . . I love it and will never get tried of being out there.

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  9. Oh that quilt looks good, and so does your Art Barn!

    Now -1 degree sounds pretty chilly to me ... but apparently our evening/night temperatures may drop to that at the weekend!

    All the best Jan

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    1. Well, the good thing about a cold winter is that we can look forward to a few less bugs next summer. At least that is what I have always heard. I love my barn and consider it a blessing. I wish everyone could be so fortunate . . . it's nice to have a space to just do your own thing in :)

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  10. Well done Connie, it's looking good :-) YOur room really does look like a cozy spot - I would love a fireplace in mine in the winter months! Have fun with your new project.

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    1. Thank you . . . anytime I get a good job, from a quilt master like you, I feel great.

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  11. Connie- Your quilt is just beautiful! LOVE it! AND I love your workspace. What a dream to have a workshop like that with room to spread out and do all sorts of things. what a blessing!!!! Have a wonderful weekend. We are well below zero and have a huge snowstorm coming in tomorrow and continuing until Sunday morning. Dreading it- I don't like the cold. xo Diana

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    1. Oh Diana, I remember the Midwestern winters of my youth. Do you know where Michigan City Indiana is? It is at the southern tip of Lake Michigan. My childhood home was about 4 blocks from the beach and those winds would blow over the lake and bring in the snow in huge drifts. Fun when you're a kid, but not if you're an adult driving in that weather. I don't think that my old bones could take in now, LOL.

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  12. What a wonderful quilt to finish the year with. Your barn/quiltstudio looks like a wonderful place to be on a cold and snowy day.

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    1. I spend more time out there in the winter than any other time of the year. Mostly because there's no gardening and yard work . . . I love living in an area where we have the four seasons. To me Winter is quilting season.
      Thanks for your sweet comment about my latest quilt :) Happy Holidays!

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  13. Oh my! Just what every cowgirl needs...it's perfect! And you have made such a beautiful place to work...and play! Holiday hugs sweet friend, Diane

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    1. Hi Diane, thank you. Every quilt is a new adventure and in the winter when there's snow on the ground and the weather is cold is the perfect time to catch-up on sewing. Spring will come and then there's lots of outside work. I think the saying "Make hay while the sun shines" should also be "Make quilts while the snow flies" LOL

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  14. I love your craft barn, Connie. It must be wonderful to create lovely items in that delightful space. Your cowgirl up quilt is beautiful. Enjoy all your creative hours! xo

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    1. Thank you Nancy! around here winter is for quilting and that space gets used more in the winter than any other time of the year. It's funny because winter has always been my most dreaded time of the year. Now that I'm retired and have this wonderful place to spread my work out and play, I actually look forward to winter :)

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  15. Connie,,, you have way to much fun in your "She Shed" even at -2 degrees...
    I really do miss Spokane and the snow,,, and if all goes according to plans we'll be back by the end of 2017... until then I will live vicariously through your blog even thou you are on the west side of the state... it's all good!
    HoHoHo

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    1. When you move back maybe we could get together and meet. I love meeting blogging sisters . . . say Ritzville for coffee or lunch :) Do you want me to send you some snow? We have plenty at the moment, LOL.

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  16. Your barn looks so cozy and organized. And, I can't believe how productive you are.

    Happy Christmas

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    1. Well, thank you. I try to be organized, but mostly it's just an allusion, LOL.

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  17. Oh my goodness, Connie, I am drooling over that quilt...and you little barn, too! Beautiful! It is cold, cold, cold, here in my neck of the woods. Stay warm, sweet girl!

    Grace & Peace,
    Pam

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    1. I'm delighted that you like my barn and my quilt. That barn is my winter get out of the snow place to play . . . I love spending time out there. I've already started another quilt :)

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  18. Lordy Lordy I am LOVING that barn! You have such an eye for decor and it all looks so gorgeous! And your quilt….MMmmmmmm! Now then, we feel the cold at about 3 degrees, but it does get colder though not yet. I think it's about 6 degrees at the omen but feels chillier because we've not had much sun today. Never mind - I'm warm and toasty under my latest crochet project! Lxxxxx

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    1. Hello Lynne, I wish there was a way that I could copy and paste and put a copy of my barn in your backyard. It's wonderful having a space to spread out a project and not have to clean up until it's completed. I do not take it for granted: I know it is a blessing. I just wish everyone had one :) Stay warm and toasty, my friend.

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  19. You are amazing! You got that quilt done so fast! I love it and the name is perfect. Is the picture in the middle an old family picture? I love all the quilting you did and the QAYGO strips. I've been watching more YouTube videos on that method. The teal blues are so pretty and the little loft for the elves/granddaughters is so perfect. I bet they absolutely love their little "playhouse". That fireplace I'm sure does well to heat your barn too... we have one, but pulled out the inards to use in the fireplace in this older house we bought a year ago... the real fireplace doesn't work, so we put the inards inside and plugged it in and voila! Instant ambience and it heats really well.. we hung a little fan above it to blow the warm air into our living and dining rooms. Wow -1 degree! Yikes. In Madras we're having about 10 at night and maybe down to 4 tonight.. that cold front is sure mean right now. I kind of have my own craft room in our house.. is quite small but I still love having my own space... except when company comes and then it is the "guest room" and I have to clean it all up! That doesn't happen very often though. Hope you are staying warm and cozy.. you'll have to wrap up in that quilt! Marilyn

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    1. Sorry to say it is not a family photo. I have one of my Mama in western wear and cowboy hat standing next to a large cactus in Tuscon. It's a black and white and I love it, but it didn't have enough contrast to print well. It's probably from about 1945 or 46. This photo I found on the internet. I've been up since 5 a.m. and the temperature was -4 . . . It makes you wish you could hitch a ride south with a snowbird, LOL. BRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!
      We also have an electric log set in our fireplace in the house. I just wasn't up to the mess of bringing in logs and caring out ashes. It's just to darn messy. Like you say, these give off a nice ambience :) Another thing that I've seen done that is pretty is filling the fireplace with candles of different heights. That's a nice way to use a fireplace, too. Stay warm and toasty and thanks so much for your sweet blogging friendship. I enjoy reading your comments and getting to know you, sweet blogging sister.

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    2. Thank you Connie for the reply about the photo. I bet the one of your mama is so neat! We never got to -4.. just to 2 degrees! the next week should be a little warmer thank goodness. Our electric fireplace puts out alot of heat.. that is our only source of heat in this house, plus a little wall heater in the kitchen, and so far, we are warm down to zero degrees outside! Now if it gets to 20 below... that will be another story. We have little portable heaters, one in our bedroom and one in my craftroom, but so far, have hardly used them. Now if our elec. fireplace goes belly up, we will be in trouble. Enjoy this beautiful Sun-day! Marilyn

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  20. Oh, goodness! I posted a comment to you somewhere! Wonder where it went off too! What did I do wrong? Nancy

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    1. Probably one of the many things that I do wrong, too. I've been trying to get on Jann's "Have A Daily Cup With Mrs. Olson". I do everything that the linking up do-kicky says to do, but it never seems to work for me. Well, once it did, but I have know idea what I'm doing wrong. I hope that you are keeping warm. I remember how bad those Midwestern winters can be. This morning at 5 a.m. it was -4 here. BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!

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  21. Connie, the quilt is soooo cute. I love it. Listen, if you ever decide to rent out your little art barn, contact me first. :) I want to live there. Love, Henny

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    1. I wish that I could copy and paste it and have it appear in your yard. Wouldn't that be nice. It is a wonderful space and I feel blessed to have it :)

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  22. Oh Connie it looks fabulous, I so love those colors, wonderful work!!! Love your chandelier, you have made a fun place to create in!

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    1. Thank you so much! I have so much fun moving things around out in the barn and using lots of colors and patterns. I wouldn't want my home that busy with stuff stacked everywhere but out there it is fun and makes me happy. I hope that you are staying warm and toasty :)

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  23. Hi Connie, Wow, what a nice quilt! There must be a high level of satisfaction seeing the end result of your efforts. And what a cozy place you have there to get work done. I see your comment that you get more work done on the quilts in the winter. I think the same is true for me with blogging. With our summer weather ... both east and west of the Cascades ... it always seems to call me out of the house. Winter in the northwest is perfect for inside hobbies. Well, I guess outside too, for those who like the winter sports. On your quilt the label is just so cool. I am curious about what you do with the completed quilts? Back in the summer I happened to be over on Bainbridge Island when they were having a quilt festival. They must have had a hundred quilts on display in that little town center just up from the ferry terminal. I wonder if you put quilts in those festivals? Have a great weekend, Connie.

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    1. Hi John, actually I am a quilter new bee. I've been quilting now for close to four years. I've never shown my work other than on my blog. Some of my quilts go to relatives and new born babies and some stay right here at home, to keep us warm and spread over our overnight guests :) Quilting is my winter sport, LOL.

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  24. Quilt is very nice!! Good Job!!
    Your barn looks nice and cozy. A great place to stay with those COLD temperatures.

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    1. It a great escape from TV, home hold chores and into a land of creative fun :)

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  25. Your quilt is beautiful and so is your attitude towards life. You just don't seem to slow down and that's a good thing in my book!

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    1. I'm afraid that the day I slow down just might be the day that I never get started again. I'm like and old engine; I need to keep running and to have my joints oiled from time to time, LOL I am happy that you like my quilt, you're so sweet :)

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  26. Everyone needs their own barn. Love this piece. Merry Christmas.

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    1. I agree . . . I wish I could send you a copy of my barn for Christmas :)
      It makes me smile knowing that you like (love) my quilt, thank you.

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