Surprise!

I'm back! Oh wait, you didn't know I was gone.. I'm just back from a lovely week in sunny warm Florida. What a treat it was! Blue skies, green grass, palms waving in the breeze, bougainvillea in bloom... Sigh.

(On cloudy dreary days, remember, above the clouds, the sky is always blue and the sun is shining...)

My wonderful friend Sandi Mac invited me down and she always coordinates my visit with a big quilt show. This year it was the biannual Broward Quilt Expo held in Fort Lauderdale, a large show presented by six quilt guilds of Broward Co. in southern Florida. Sandi picked me up at West Palm Beach airport, and we headed directly to the show after dropping my luggage at our Pompano Beach accommodations. As always, we agreed to "do the vendors" first, then look at the quilts the next day, but as we entered the show, she said "Just come see this one thing first." I was expecting to see a spectacular "Best in Show" or perhaps an amazing art quilt that she loved, but we rounded a corner to see a display of miniature quilts. (Ah yes, she knows me well.)

Do you see anything that looks familiar?
















Look a little closer...

Do you see what I see?






















It took me a few seconds to realize I was looking at "my" quilt (made by me, now owned by Sandi) with a first place blue ribbon on it!!! What a thrill! She had entered "our" miniature without telling me, and that 1st place ribbon made the surprise all the sweeter. Oh yes, there was a sweet prize cheque too, in US dollars of course. What a great way to start off a wonderful week! THANK YOU Sandi!!!











The ribbon is larger than the quilt! :)












You can read the background story on the miniature quilt here and here. It was made from the trimmings when Sandi squared up the blocks while making this king size quilt. Yup, one extreme to the other.. king size to miniature!











I have lots of photos to share with you, from the show and otherwise. I've been busy catching up today, unpacking, laundry, watering my plants. etc. but once that's all out of the way, I'll be editing photos, so come back soon.

Happy St. Patrick's Day! I hope you've been wearin' the green today!



Piece!
Linda

May the dreams you hold dearest be those which come true,
And the kindness you spread keep returning to you.
~ Irish blessing