Rainy Days = Finished quilt tops

I don't like to be on my longarm when it is raining because, for some unknown reason (other than we live in the country), our electricity tends to go off.  So I have taken advantage of these rainy days by finishing two quilt tops.  The Quilt Show BOM is ready to be quilted.  I added an extra border because I wanted it to fit my king size bed. 

Yes!!!  Finished the top BEFORE the end of the year!!!! 
And then I finished my lemoyne star quilt -- it is large:  101 x 110. 

Any suggestions on how to quilt it????  
I have ordered the backings for both quilts from Delta Patchwork and they should be here next Tuesday.  Now if it will stop raining, I'll get back to my butterfly quilt. 
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO EVERYONE!!!

Ruffled Roses BOM

Almost through with The Quilt Show's 2011 BOM.  Just need to finish appliquing the four corners and then I can sew on the last two borders. 
I love these pieced swag borders:

And I have two of the appliqued borders finished.  Two more to go.

And I wasted 3 hours making piping because I thought it would really set off the next borders on the quilt.  It was a wasted effort because it doesn't really show at all.  I had made enough piping to put on both sides of the border but decided it wasn't worth the effort.  It shows up pretty well in this photo but you can't really see it on the quilt top.

Two of the swag borders are sewn on.

I have expended a lot of wasted effort lately.  I am working on my butterfly quilt and don't think I like what I am doing around the butterfly.  What do you think?  I think it needs to come out but don't know what to do to make the butterflies zing.

Hope I have a better week this week because I am not looking forward to removing those tiny pebbles.

Two more finished quilts

This is a quilt I did for Marquerite:

And one for Barb -- the Hobo Quilt:

I now have my butterfly quilt on Matilda (as in waltzing matilda -- my longarm).

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

My nieces, Paula, Pat and Phyllis, were here yesterday and we exchanged gifts.  We try to meet once a month to sew together.  I wish I had taken pictures while they were here!!!!
Pat gave me this beautiful pillow.  They come to McKenzie from Nashville and she has written on the pillow:  "Over the river and through the woods to Aunt Joyce's house we go to sew, sew, sew."   She even stuck a deer behind the tree for David.

And from Paula, a needle holder. 

And from Phyllis, a beautiful box with a cross stitched top:

Can't really read it in the picture, but it says "home is where the heart is".
I am so blessed to have 9 beautiful nieces and  5 handsome nephews!!
I scaled down on decorating this year and like it much better.  Two trees:  the big tree and a small one with hunting and fishing ornaments for David.  And my mother-in-law's old Christmas ornaments (from early 1930s). 

I have a few other knick-knacks around -- my snowmen collection, a ceramic Christmas tree that my daughter made before she died, and my Christmas salt & pepper shakers and two navitiy scenes.  Simple and uncluttered.
  HOPE EVERYONE HAS A  VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS AND PEACEFUL NEW YEAR!!!