My little sister's posts always remind me to focus on the positive...

It's a little hard when you're getting reading for a really big event.  Things are bound to be stressful and to not always go the way you want...

But today, at this moment, I am focusing on the positive.

~ Watching my son play baseball on a warm Spring night.

~ A daughter who tells me I look beautiful.

~ Friends who help, care, understand, forgive, listen

and tell me I'll have to just let it go.

~ 3 new pattern instructions completed!!!

~ News that one set of instructions only needed one hyphenation!  (Usually there are lots more corrections I have to make after my mom edits.  It's a miracle!) 

~ Black bananas (and a date with Calli's banana bread recipe.) 

~ A clean kitchen

Even in the hard times, we are all:

Look for the Little Things...

Christmas Dresdens

If you would have asked me a couple years ago how I felt about Dresden Plate quilts blocks, I would have told you that I had absolutely no interest in making them.  The looks of them didn't excite me all that much and they seemed a little daunting to put together.  Just not my style.  That was, until my SIL introduced me to the EZ Dresden ruler by Darlene Zimmerman.)  These dresdens were actually really fast and fun and super simple to make! 

So, I got started on  this (it's still a WIP).  And another one (it's still a WIP).   And this.  Are you seeing a trend here?

But wait!  I actually finished one!  Several weeks ago!

I can't believe I forgot to show you!

Here she is.  My Christmas Dresden Plates. 

(don't mind me, I'm always a few months behind :)

Kaylene Parry (from My Little Quilting Shoppe) did the quilting for me.

I love that I'm not biased this time!

Do you ever finish a quilt and regret a fabric choice? I know I have done that many times. But with this quilt, I actually felt good about all of it (that is rare). I was excited about the colors and happy with the way everything turned out. I love the binding and thought the back was kinda fun too (can I say that?)  Thank goodness it turned out so different from what I originally thought of doing for it (see this post for where it all started...) 

(Finished quilt measures 52" square)

I haven't washed it yet though.

Didn't even prewash my fabrics.

Are you scared for me (with all of that red, white and green)???

I'm not.

These are a quilting girl's best friend:

Have you heard of them?  They've treated me really well, so far.

I've thrown a few of the sheets in the wash with my polka dot quilt, my zig zag quilt and my Candy Hearts quilt ~ and never had a problem with bleeding!

So that's one less thing I have to worry about.

Now, I gotta jet, I've got one last pattern to write up

(and it needs to be done TODAY).

~Amber

My stack

Hi.  Remember me?

I can't believe it's been 22 days since I posted last.

I've been a busy girl.

Market is in three weeks.

And no, I'm not ready yet...not even close.

But I do have my stuff stack together.

My quilt stack, that is!

All of these quilts will be accompanying me to Market.
Including these three that will be making their debut real soon:

We'll be hanging out in booth #1142

(right next door to a favorite blogger/quilt designer/fabric designer of mine and kiddy-corner to another amazing designer and right across from my bag-people ["Hi" bag-people!]). 

So, all in all, I'm pretty sure it's going to be an amazing time...