My real first quilt

I made this quilt for my best friend's third baby boy. Let me tell you, I would only do it for my bestest best friend. My fingers where tattered and bleeding when I was done. Why, you ask? Only because I had no earthly idea what I was doing.

See that lovely hand quilting? The applique? I don't quite know what was inside this quilt. It sure as heck wasn't Warm and Natural. It probably wasn't even polyester batting from Wal-Mart. Knowing me, it was an old blanket of some sort in there. And I wondered why it was so dang hard to quilt.

I only remember feeling like it was an endless task. And it was pretty small. Meant to be crib sized. Or maybe drag-around-the-house-until-it-is-in-tatters size. I'm glad I did it, though. Her second boy got a basketweave knit blanket. Also an endless task, but it helped me to learn to knit. Oh, that was a long time ago. It was acrylic. Ugh. But the first boy? The first boy got a lava lamp. WTF, Cricket?

But looking at this quilt? The thing that stands out the most? Damn, that floor looks nice. Freshly painted, not chipped or worn, not covered with stickers, paint that doesn't really come off, sticky foam or applesauce. And absolutely no dog hair. Even though I had two dogs. I tell ya, I'd trade that pretty floor for the wee princesses of the household any day. But it sure would be nice to have the magic painting fairy stop by again.

Incidentally, tomorrow I am painting my mother's kitchen ceiling. My mother's cathedral kitchen ceiling. Which is also her bedroom ceiling. Wish me luck. I'm being paid with a Wii. Pretty sweet deal for both of us seeing as how the professional painted gave her a quote of $450.