Real Candy as Eye Candy

I don't think it is a good idea to use real food as home decor.  Just ask my friend Trish S.  She had inadvertently left out a basket of raw eggs for a few months.  I'm sure she was inspired by a photo in Country Living or Martha Stewart magazine.  However, one fateful day, the eggs exploded from the gaseous build up and left a slimy and stinky mess  in her kitchen.  The funny part was that the eggs exploded with such a big bang, sending Trish for cover as she thought it was a gun shot.

That said, I couldn't resist filling this candy jar with something pretty...not just with bulk candy...not just with sparkly ribbons...not just with buttons or any other tschotske...but with AQUA M&Ms.  How pretty is this?

Since a pound these M&Ms cost more than a pound of rib eye steak, they will have to be eye candy for a while...or until a case of an emergency.

Keep Calm and Continue Quilting

Wow!  I can't believe it's been almost a month since my last post.  Can't be for the lack of quilting news, that's for sure.  For starters, I have been busy cramming for the Beach Cities Quilters Guild quilt show.  It will be on June 2nd and 3rd at Soka University in Aliso Viejo.

This year, I am entering 2 quilts.  And I am working on quilting my Paris quilt to get it done by the submission deadline.  I wish I could send it out to a Long Arm quilter but there are so many thread changes that I am sure I will have to pay an arm and a leg for it.

This pattern is from Verna Mosquera and it is called "Mon Ami".  It measures 55 x 64 so it has been a strain on my left shoulder to quilt more than a couple hours at a time.

I started this project in the Fall of 2010 when I went up to Danville, CA to attend one of Verna's very fun sewing retreats.  I went with my friend Lynn and we had a blast!  Verna and her assistant Pam put on such a wonderful event.  They decorate the place so beautifully, take us out on field trips and serve super yummy snacks.

Here are a few photos from the retreat.

I can't believe it's been almost 2 years since I started this project.  I have since grown out my bangs and have laid off my Revlon waver iron.  It was sort of  an homage to the 80s when I used to crimp my hair.

One of my co-workers is moving to Las Vegas and was getting rid of her salt and pepper shaker collection.  I managed to swipe rescue these two sets just because they are so adorable.  

I would have taken her cups and saucers too as I've always wanted to make a mosaic table.  But realistically, I will probably just store them in the garage for the next 20 years so I passed on them.