Little Acorns new book sooo cute...

Little acorns having a giveaway...get on over and comment to win!!!!

Joan Shay's Petal Play....

Monet's Water Lily....

The other half of the quilting cruise classes was Joan Shay's Petal Play. When I first learned that Joan was teaching I thought "well dang I'm not interested in that". I went to her class anyway...because the kit she had looked pretty and when I met her at the meet and greet she seemed like a nice gal. I didn't expect to like her stuff....I was so WRONG. She was hands down THE best teacher I have ever had. Her style and her tips and techniques were fabulous. I learned reverse applique with YLI silk thread. LOVED it! We learned her appli-bond technique, embroidery tips, beading and her other little tricks of the trade. It was fabulous, I just said that didn't I? can you tell I LOVED it!. I was with 2 other gals in Joan's class, new friends...Lisa and Rita...they were kinda arguing over who gets to teach the technique at their quilt guild etc. They were floored too. I liked it so much I came home and taught my MIL to do it. She's a quilter too...my inlaws had our girls while we were on the cruise so I wanted to get her something for helping out..what would be better than a couple of quilt kits and a lesson?? ...I taught her in just an hour...her Monet water lily topper was nearly done before she left to go back to Florida the very next day! Incredible.

I was able to take several pictures of Joan's quilts. Again the details are just not as visible in one of my pictures. A professional photographer could probably capture it...but not me! LOL I get no kick backs from Joan for this I might point out.

Even fabric pinecones! They look real...I bought the template for that.
Below is her new pattern set for a baltimore album made with 3-D appli-bond technique that she teaches. The hummingbird with beach roses is a kit as well and so I bought it...I fell in love with that quilt. Joan's quilt kits are so well put together that they number the "logs" for the log cabin blocks so there's no guessing.

I can't wait to start this one.
She had several notions available for us to try. I liked this chalk pencil...it draws as narrow as a #7 lead pencil.
And these finger guard by Bohn are great for shaping your hot appliques.
All in all a wonderful trip. I have lots of other miscellaneous pictures but I put the best on here. I would highly recommend all quilters to try a trip like this. I made several new friends, spent a whole week with my husband alone resting and relaxing. It was worth it. Oh drat...I have one more story to tell...that will have to be tomorrow....

Pat Sloan's Cruise Seminar...Ocean Breeze

Here I am with Pat...what a great lady.....I hope you all have the chance to meet her someday.

Pat brought her new fabric "Nikki" on the ship so I was able to score the whole line in 1/2 yard cuts! Woohoo...love it. I have 2 quilts in mind already.
This is the pattern in the kit for the class "Ocean Breeze". Pat was so prepared that she partially cut the fabrics so we could start sewing with a half hour of class starting.
The most tedious part of the quilt was squaring up the half square triangles. Quilts that Pat brought on the ship...soooo much more beautiful in person. I was amazed at how much can be lost with a picture.



Here we are at the 2nd part of Pat's class. It was very so much fun. I LOVED the Janome Memory Craft 6600....I have no affliation with Janome...just loved using the machine so much that I bought one. They sold 29 machines to the 43 ladies in the class!!! Now that's how great this machine is. A new friend we made...a gal from Kentucky...
Pat gave some great tips. I thought I couldn't learn anything new from her and boy was I wrong. She told us her trick for machine applique and it really worked to my surprise. I don't have tons of pictures of the class room...because I was sewing LOL.

My Annies...

Before I left for my cruise there was a little box waiting at my door....and inside were these.....
Which contained these lovely little Annies....Now I have 2...well one is mine and one is for my 6 year old. She was the one that INSISTED I buy these cute girlies..So be sure to cruise on over and get your own from Nicole!!!!

Port #3...St. Maarten

Another action packed day on St. Maarten. Hubby and I went shopping earlier in the morning and found a few knick knacks for gifts for my staff. We were amazed at the number of locals wearing jeans because this is their 'winter'. It was HOT to us...85 is hot when home is 5!

I tried a Guavaberry Rum drink...

We bought 'special' cigars...and cheap cigarettes...like $12.95 a carton...um but I don't smoke LOL...they are for a relative.

We took a water taxi from one area of the island to another and I spotted this boat. I had never seen a boat that shape or style before. Have any of you?

After water taxi-ing we decided to head back to our boat to get ready for the afternoon snorkling at Yellow Pinot Beach on the French side of the island. It is clothing optional...not something I am used to in the U.S. Snorkling wasn't my cup of tea but my husband LOVED it. He loved the snorkling....

I have tons more to write about but I am just to sleepy tonight...I will try to post more tomorrow.

Port #2 St. Thomas

After sailing all night we ended up in St. Thomas. A beautiful island in the Carribean. St. Thomas is a U. S. territory but not a state yet. It was once owned by the British so they drive on the opposite side of the road...well from our standards! We shopped a bit in St. Thomas but the peddlers of jewelry took their tole after 2 hours. We headed back to the ship. Here's downtown St. Thomas...........as I mentioned, tons of jewelry stores. I didn't buy any jewels...just t-shirts LOL.





Pictures do inspire a 1000 words...

Port #1 San Juan Puerto Rico

Well really this is Miami...we set sail from Miami. A view from our balcony the first day at sea...It was 82 degrees... I had my first half day quilt class with Pat Sloan in the afternoon. Her pattern was easy to make and the kit was mostly cut so that eased you into her project quickly. I have pictures of her quilts in a few days.
Coming into San Juan at 5pm...we could only stay until midnight.


Below is old town San Juan... We took a tour of the Barcardi Rum factory...but they won't let you take many pictures. I did this one...a glass case of Rum...

A view off the water taxi.
More old town San Juan.....
And the ship at night. I don't have a great digital camera so night pictures don't always turn out well but it gives you the idea.

Back home..It's like 5 degrees...

I'm home..and yes oh so happy to see my girls, but freezing my butt off. I have lots of pictures but I hit the wrong button and this posted before I got the pics on so...once I get them loaded I will update this post. Let me tell you...I have TONS to blog about. And I better do it today while my inlaws are here. Come monday morning it will be a race ALL day long.
I also want to be sure to post on my blog that I DID receive emails from Magda and Leanne and that I have finally responded now that I am back. Thank you ladies for your wonderful giveaways.

Out to Sea

Second day out to sea. Had an awesome day quilting with Pat Sloan and I will have pictures tomorrow...

I won...and so pleased..

Just want to say a HUGE thank you to ATET of Quilting in Cornfields. I won this great pincushion from her and I love it. It's beautiful. Not too much happening here except getting settled after the holidays and getting ready for our Carnival cruise. I am taking quilting class on the boat with Pat Sloan...how cool is that? my hubby booked this for us...he knows I love quilting. He's very thoughtful. Except I am not too sure about this boat thing. I have never been on a cruise so...I will have to report back how it all goes.