Welcome to My World

Sew Blue or Possibilites

2012-01-15T09:28:00.000-06:00

Project Quilting Season 3 has begun!

The first challenge: Architectual Elements

Our inspiration needed to come from architecture, it had to be a quilt (i.e. three layers), and it had to be constructed completely in the challenge week. Other than that we were pretty much given free rein. There were no limits on size or methods or material.

Here's my inspiration:

I'm a contast new home window shopper.... always searching for the next best home. I love looking at the floorplans and drawings available on new home sites, imagining what could be added, detracted, or moved around to suit me and what I percieve as the ideal living conditions. It's only a drawing so it holds infinite possibilities for the end product!

My quilt is a whole cloth, small quilt with a plain white base and only blue stitching. To me, it feels full of promise and is calming to view. I'm re-doing my sewing room and this will hang on the wall after I paint..... this may have helped me decide on the color blue for the walls :)

New for this season of Project Quilting:

no judging (this was one of my favorite parts - I was never a judges' favorite but I found their critiques to be extremely helpful and inspiring)
no voting for viewers' favorite
ANYONE that enters has several chances to win a prize.... and the prizes are pretty good!

Sewing Room Blues

2012-01-11T14:04:00.000-06:00

After a flurry of quiltmaking, I took some time to clean up my sewing room.

It's definitely neater than it was, and a little more organized but I think some major changes are in order.

My poor ironing board with the sock to cover the rusty foot needs a paint re-do, or a pretty sock at the very least. I guess I could buy a new ironing board, but that just seems wasteful.

For a few months my sewing table was our 54" square dining room table. Going back to this sewing machine table now feels like I have my machine balanced on a wobbly stool.... no fun! I need a large sturdy table that sits a little higher.

Inspiration struck. Those orange-ish dressers are going to be pushed back-to-back, the lower one will be raised, and a sheet of mdf will be "installed" over the top. That will make a giant workspace with room for my machine AND a cutting board will room left over (hopefully). All of it will be a comfortable working height. Some bright white paint on the dressers will be an improvement, along with new (fun looking, colorful) drawer pulls. If the dressers aren't touching, but have a foot or so in between the backs, there'll be storage space betweern them. Win/Win

I've already purchased the white paint and lined up the emptied drawers on a drop cloth. I can't wait to use my new table!

And I think it's time to finally paint the walls.

If only I could decide on a color.

Too Many New Projects?

2011-12-30T23:45:00.000-06:00

No.

Just enough!

I've been making Christmas quilts. Lots of them. And nothing but. They are finished. Christmas is past. Time to start something new. Since I can't decide what I want to do most, I'm just going to go ahead and start a bunch!

A couple years ago I made this miniature quilt (12" x 12") from some scrap 1" HST.

I love it still. This same design should make a lovely lap sized quilt. Lovely enough to make two of them. One with these pinks and greens....

And another with these fabrics...

Figuring out which way to press is my biggest problem. HST always mix me up a little (sometimes a lot).

These pinks and greens will be pinwheels and four squares...

Pinwheels and four squares for these, too.....

The Periwinkle Lane blocks are getting borders and each one will be finished as it's own little quilt for the laundry room wall.

This top is heading for the quilt frame. I just can't figure out what to use for binding. It's from a charm pack and I don't have any of the fabric. Maybe I'll drag it to town to find something to match. Or use white? Have you ever used white for binding?

And I went shopping today with some Christmas money. FUN! I'm not sure what I'll do with these but they sure look good stacked up with my stash. The black and red and yellow print is a bit wild, but it kept calling.... I had no choice but to get it.

Add a couple of commissioned projects, a stripey-strippy quilt to quilt for a "first-timer", and another gorgeous blue/green quilt by another special first-time quilter, and I have just enough projects to keep me busy, and happy.

Kindle FIRE - Love It!

2011-11-25T20:38:00.000-06:00

Scott gave me a very early, over the top, extravagant birthday gift. Not that I'm complaining! My Kindle Fire arrived last week and I loved it from the beginning.

And look, it even has my name on it! ♥

Scott has a keyboard Kindle which I borrowed a few times. I liked his a lot but sharing a Kindle is a bit difficult, so after reading a few books on it, I stopped. Using it a few times gave me a reference point.... and a bit of Kindle envy.

Here's a few random thoughts and impressions of the Kindle Fire:

The Fire is heavier. It's the same size (or the littlest smidgen wider). It's thicker by maybe half. But this is all relative.... I think it's pretty light.

It's "glossier" so it collects dust and fingerprints that show more readily. However, the "glossy" is pretty.

The really cool looking carousel type scrolling of all media on the home screen is very touchy. It's hard to stop on the item you want. (I have since found that tapping an item as it scrolls by will stop the scrolling on that item.) I find it easier to go to the category and then choose. Each category (books, video, music, apps, etc) is set up like a book shelf. Touch the one you want and it opens.

I love turning it on.... the start up pictures vary, but each is interesting to look at......old typewriter keys, collections of fountain pens, printer's type sets, and more.

Amazon prime members can watch free live streaming movies and tv shows. The selection is so-so, but the quality is excellent. (I have since discovered that the selection of free is much larger than I thought - gotta hit the right buttons), And, of course, there is a much larger collection of pay-per-view movies and tv shows.

There are lots of apps on it already. And you can shop for more.

I shop in the free column.

The Kindle Fire is full color so I guess that means it's different technology than a regular Kindle. That means a backlit screen for books, which in turn means books can be read in low light.... or no light :) The regular Kindle is great in regular light, and doesn't get a glare in sunlight making it easy to read outdoors, at the beach, wherever. But it doesn't work in low light. I haven't read the Kindle Fire in bright sunlight, but I'm guessing all that gloss is going to create a good amount of glare. We'll see.

I have found the page turning quicker than on the regular Kindle. And easier. You don't have to look to be sure you press the correct button (forward or back); just touch the screen and swipe a bit for the direction you want. Doesn't matter if you swipe a bit or a lot, quick or slow, it just turns one page.

Okay. Enough for now. I have some reading to do. :)

Triplets!

2011-11-07T13:11:00.000-06:00

I know does frequently have twin fawns, but I never saw this before!

Another Crop of Quilts

2011-11-07T09:17:00.000-06:00

And now it's on to Christmas quilts.

Happy 2nd Birthday Dexter!!!

2011-10-22T11:25:00.000-05:00

Big Brother Cooper was pretty excited about your arrival.

A little styling help from Cooper.

You were kind enough to give Lynzee directions.

You've been a fun loving guy from the start!

Party on, dude!

Love you bunches Dexter!

Happy Birthday!

Happy 4th Birthday Cooper!!!

2011-10-20T13:20:00.000-05:00

The Cheeto dance

This is fun, Grandpa.

But my limit is the driveway.... the road makes me cry.

So sweet

You know, I think I've decided that I like cookies.

Yes, I definately do.

Getting so grown up.

Love you bunches, Cooper!

Happy Birthday!

Sew 70's - PPR#10

2011-10-06T14:50:00.000-05:00

Project Runway designers used looks from the 70's for inspiration and were required to create two looks. Project Project Runway designers worked with the same challenge.

I love the earthy colors that were a part of many of the clothes of the 70's, and I loved the long flowing skirts and dresses.

Summer walks the runway in a simple long, loose dress of peachy, flowery cotton with a sweetheart neckline. The open front shows a hint of leg.
I see she kicked off her shoes.
Again.
Incorrigible.

But she still works it on the runway.

Lizbeth is wearing a long skirt, a tank top and a wrap-around vest.... she's feeling light and breezy.

Heidi: "I like the open fronts of the garments.
Michael Kors: "A definite thumbs up on the simple dress."
Nina: "I can't decide if I like that vest or not! I'll give you points for trying something different."

Okay. Ready to fly into the next challenge!

Check out the rest of the designers' work at the ProjectProjectRunway Flickr page or at Just Crafty Enough.

Image Is Everything - PPR#9

2011-09-29T14:22:00.001-05:00

The challenge - create a look for the rock band, the Sheep Dogs.

Rather than rough and tough, denim and leather rock star, I went for an upscale rock star look; kind of country turned rock.

The band was on the road so Summer modeled the look that I created for their lead singer.

Heidi liked the bling on the jacket.

Michael Kors liked the fit of the pants.

(I was pretty impressed myself!)

Nina liked that it was a little different; not the same old, same old.... and there was no embroidery floss to be seen!

In!

See the rest of the designs at the ProjectProjectRunway Flickr page or at Just Crafty Enough.

What Women Want - PPR#8

2011-09-22T16:09:00.000-05:00

This week we had to work for a client that wanted an outfit for a significant other or a friend. Karen requested something for Col, a school teacher, that she could wear to work and would still be appropriate for heading out with colleagues for the evening... dinner perhaps. We had to make the client and end-user happy but not lose ourselves.

Colleen was much too busy with her teaching duties to have time for the runway, so Summer said she would gladly model the outfit. They look pretty similiar except Col's hair is a bit darker and her feet are daintier than Summer's.

The outfit is a below-the-knee skirt with a little fullness for ease of movement in the classroom. A loose fitting sweater in tea-dyed oh-so-very-soft fabric is on top, with a braided belt to pull it together. Of course the belt is from embroidery floss - that's the me part. And there are strands of shiny gold running through the belt - that's for Col - we all know she likes her bling!

That Summer just can keep her shoes on! Not a good example for the kids!

Heidi yawns.

Michael Kors says that it's appropriate for a teacher but thinks it could be found at any store. (Not with that belt, Michael!)

And if Nina liked Oliver's pet store challenge top, she has to love this one, so that should keep me in the running 'til next week.

I'm starting to realize I'm not fashion designer material... shhhh.... don't tell.

Head over to Just Crafty Enough or the ProjectProjectRunway Flickr page to see the full Runway show.

A Mixture of Success and Failure

2011-09-22T08:06:00.001-05:00

Three days into the SNAP Hunger Challenge my attempt to eat on five dollars a day crashed and burned. A simple invitation to taco night at the local bar (with good friends that we don't hardly ever get to see so I wasn't going to turn it down!) ate through almost two days worth of my food budget. Prior to that dinner I had been managing, but just.

So if making it through the entire week determines the success or failure, failure it was. However, if the point is to gain a better understanding of the challenges of eating on a very tight budget, it was a huge success.

I approached the week thinking that being careful and making good choices would be all that was needed. But it was much harder than that. I was mildly hungry a good part of the first day but the newness of the challenge carried me through. I ate dinner v e r y s l o w l y so I'd feel full at the end of it. Even with a half cup of ice cream the day ended with a surplus of fifty cents and I thought "winning!"

The second day breakfast and a mid-morning snack cost more than the same for the previous day. I finished my lunch of salad and a scrambled egg and it should have been enough, but a leftover from before the challenge of half a bacon cheesburger practically screamed my name. Rationalizing that it wouldn't be right to throw it in the garbage, and really how much could it have cost? I ate it. And two cookies (it was only two little sandwich cookies, and generic ones at that!) Then I figured the cost. $0.99 Geez. That meant only tea ($0.04) for an afternoon snack. I finished the day with a penny left over. And hungry.

The third day went okay until dinner. Done.

This lunch of one piece of whole wheat bread with PB&J, half an apple, plus two little cookies cost $1.02 and is sure to leave a person looking for a snack sometime in the mid to late afternoon.

The knowledge that healthy food is more expensive than nutrionally deficient food became reality. A piece of whole wheat bread cost $0.30. I could have eaten bargain white bread and had two slices for less than that. Eating enough fruits and vegetables seems nearly impossible. At $0.80 an apple, just half had to suffice. Bananas proved to be a better choice at $0.25. But I want both! At who wouldn't want and need both?

I learned:
Creating an inexpensive, diverse, healthy menu is hard.
Beans would need to appear often on the menu.
Cooking from scratch is a necessity, not an option.
One serving is all you get. Seconds? What's that?
Prepared foods are a costly treat.
DQ? Forget it.

Writing that check to the local food bank got a whole lot easier. And the check got bigger.

A Bumper Crop.... of Quilts

2011-09-22T08:05:00.000-05:00

SNAP Hunger Challenge

2011-09-18T12:17:00.000-05:00

While researching local food banks trying to find the best place to donate money for hungry people, I discovered Feeding Illinois. It just so happens that September is Hunger Action Month and part of that is the SNAP Hunger Challenge. In Illinois, if you qualify for monetary assistance to feed your family, you are provided with $5 a day per person. As an exercise in awareness and empathy, the challenge is to eat for one week on just $35. I'm accepting the challenge!

Today is the first day.

So far I've had:
a bowl of cereal with milk for breakfast
5 generic Ritz crackers with the slighest smear of butter for a late morning snack,
coffee.

I still have to figure out the cost of coffee with milk and sugar, but I think I'm up to about $0.85

It's now lunchtime and I'm hungry!

Why Can't We All Get Along?! - PPR#7

2011-09-15T23:07:00.000-05:00

For Challenge #7 the Project Runway designers had to work in teams again (ugh!), create their own fabric, and each create one look for a collection. Their inspiration had to be drawn from the city. They did NOT all get along. Joshzilla and Baby Bert clashed and clashed.

Since the Project Project Runway designers would be working on their own, only one look was necessary. We were, however, admonished by Just Crafty Enough to try to get along with ourselves.

In any city in the summer time you can find kids playing with chalk, creating art on the sidewalk, and playing hopscotch. I was inspired by the colors and the relaxed, fun feeling one gets when playing with chalk.

I made two fabrics . . . . .

One is brown zigzag stitches and straight line stitches of orange and green in chalk-like shades on a background of gray.
The other is strands of embroidery floss in chalk-like shades of pink and blue, zigzag stitched with pink thread, again on a background of gray.

My mini-collection, Sidewalk Chalk:

Dressy enough for a lunch date but casual enough for a pick-up game of hopscotch!

Heidi: I like that Summer's dress is tight and shows off her figure. Lizbeth's skirt is almost short enough.
Michael Kors: What is that on Summer's dress?! Is it a cowl? Is it a collar? I don't think I like it.
Nina: I like your inspiration and your "collection" is cohesive. I wonder, though, if you aren't a bit "one note" - we've seen embroidery floss on nearly everything you've made so far. You really need to step it up!

Sounds like I squeaked by again.

We did all get along. I think the girls had fun. Lizbeth was happy to help out and be modeling again. Summer really enjoyed herself and even picked up some chalk and doodled a little . . .

Extra points to anyone who can guess her last name and her true love's name ;)

Check out the rest of the designs at the ProjectProjectRunway Flickr page.

The Art of the Matter - PPR #6

2011-09-08T16:23:00.000-05:00

Project Runway designers paired with art students to create a piece of artwork that would be the inspiration for an avant garde garment.

Since we can't go to Harlem School of the Arts and create artwork with a student, Just Crafty Enough gave us Project Project Runway designers the option of using an existing piece of art for our inspiration. Bad enough that I show my lack of fashion design here - I'm not about to show a piece of what could not by any stretch be called art. So off I went in search of someone else's art.

I chose this art photo of a mountain stream . . .

Dee Parniske

BlueRidgePhotography

After soaking up the essence of the photo, I sorted through my stash. Though the colors in the photo are more in the greys, greens and whites, I felt a brown batik I had with swirls of turquoise conveyed the feeling of the water.

Texture Magic was stitched to a large square of the batik, then steamed to give it the texture that imitates the rise and fall and rush of the water over the rocks. The back of the garment has shredded fabric for a flowing feeling.

I was tempted to string some blue ribbons through Summer's hair but I kept hearing Michael Kors (channelled through Karen) say "too matchy-matchy" so I resisted.

It won't be the best on the runway but here's hoping I can slide by in the middle again!

Siblings!

2011-09-03T21:28:00.000-05:00

Half of Scott's siblings came down for a visit today. The oldest. The youngest. And a couple in between. It was a great time!

Lots of food, some yummy cake and brownies, and so much good talk and laughter. There is something about family history that makes the laughs flow freely.

Two of his brothers brought new friends.... lovely women.... so glad they all found each other.

Joeanne's Michael came, too, with Trevor. It was fun to have a little one around and nice to see Mike being a dad. Just wish I had remembered to get the camera out before he and Trevor left.

Thanks for visiting y'all. It was a wonderful time!

Off The Track - PPR Challenge #5

2011-09-01T15:22:00.000-05:00

Heidi Klum has a line of New Balance shoes. Who knew gym shoes could be fashionable?! I never think of gym shoes when I think of fashion. I guess that just shows how much I know. The challenge for Project Runway, and so for Just Crafty Enough 's Project Project Runway, was to make a look to go with Heidi's shoes. Think fashion and not just gym.... a dress, a suit, classic with a twist. Denim or suede must be used for at least part of the design - they are materials used in Heidi's shoes.

Now that I don't hang around horses, I wear gym shoes just about every day. And I don't think I've ever worn anything but jeans with them. Okay, maybe occassionally a pair of khaki shorts.... but I always feel like I have the wrong shoes on. So I'm not sure about a dress with sneakers, but that's what I made. It took three tries but finally one worked. Sort of. I'm hanging on by a thread here.

Summer is going for a walk in the park and then to the mall. She wants to dress up just a bit but needs to be comfortable for all that walking.

A Double Dose

2011-08-31T23:12:00.000-05:00

My lovin'-on-the-grandkids tank was getting pretty low. It was Cooper and Dexter to the rescue. We were blessed with two visits in less than two weeks. Grandma's feeling better :)

A week and a half ago they came down (with Sarah and John in tow) and spent the weekend. Old Settlers was going on so they took in the parade and enjoyed the rides.

It seems the park was as fun for the boys as the rides!

Monday of this week, they came down with just Sarah for an overnight visit, as soon they will be moving twice as far from us and visiting will be a bit harder. I'm sooooo happy that John won't be driving four hours a day to get to and from work. Lots more family time for them. Their new home will be less than a mile from his work!

While they were here we painted some pictures.

Well, Cooper did. Dexter did some experimenting with different surfaces for his paint.

We held car races.

Pretty nice of Grandpa to have that ramp put in for the toy cars.

A walk to the park for a picnic and some play, more outdoor play with bikes and bubbles and chalk. Coloring, puzzles and Grandma is feeling MUCH better.

I learned again, as I learn everytime grandkids visit, that

- kids grow fast

- kids are pretty darn clever.... it's hard to stay one step ahead

- I don't appreciate all the free time I generally have

- my grandkids have great parents

All About Nina - Project Project Runway #4

2011-08-25T13:18:00.000-05:00

Project Runway designers were tasked with creating a look for PR judge and Fashion Director of Marie Claire magazine, Nina Garcia, that could be worn to work and then out in the evening for an industry event. Nina was not bashful about her "don't wants" and listed loud patterns, loud colors, pleats and voluminous clothes as dislikes. She does like tailored clothes, clean lines, classic with an edge. A look at some of the clothes she has worn was provided to help start things.

Just Crafty Enough tasked the Project Project Runway designers with the same!

Here is my day look for Nina to wear to work. A simple black and white skirt with a (hopefully) not too loud pattern. And a sleek black tank top embellished with a bit of gold stitching along the top.

At the end of the day, Nina can just whip off those straps (they use velcro), add a gold necklace and she's ready for evening!

I don't know how close Nina and Heidi are, but if they like to share clothes, Nina can lend her top to Heidi, who will totally rock it as a short-enough-for-Heidi dress. Hope that wins me some points with the judges!

Check out the rest of the runway at

the Project Project Runway Flickr page.

Go Big or Go Home - PPR Challenge #3

2011-08-18T15:53:00.000-05:00

Project Runway designers had to create a look for a stilt-walking model. For Just Crafty Enough's Project Project Runway we had to create a look for our stilt-walking dolls. And we had to make the stilts. I used dowel rods and fastened them to Summer's legs with bread ties. (She didn't want sticky tape on her legs.)

When I realized we were designing for really tall girls I thought of a men's tux with tails - they look best on someone that's tall. So I started there and girled it up.

I loved the striped pants that Julie and Josh made. They really had a lot of fun motion on the runway. Not quite ready to get that flashy, I just added one wavy stripe to the side of the pants.
Summer is loving her outfit but is afraid to walk. She insists that she'll fall. I promised to catch her but she doesn't trust me. She says I'll give priority to the camera. (She may be right!)

Black buttons accent the short front of the jacket and the pleated back hangs past Summer's knees.

The outfit just screamed for something more, hence the glorified top hat.

The judges could go either way.... "it looks sophisticated and stylish" or (please, no!) it looks costume-y.

Fingers crossed!

You can see the rest of the BIG designs at the Project Project Runway Flickr page

Another Weekend, Another Visit

2011-08-16T13:15:00.000-05:00

This time it was Marylou (Scott's sister) that came to visit. Her GPS took her to the farm. Oops. At least it wasn't far to get to our house from there. She brought D and Rachel and Bobbie. It was great to see all of them.

Part of the purpose of the visit was that she would test drive each of Scott's mobility vehicles and choose one to borrow. Somehow this doesn't quite look like the plan....

There were a few rides on the road and trips across the grass. There were also a few attempts at races but with 5mph being the top speed that was kind of hard! Both girls decided that any one of the vehicles would work! But mom did get the final say.

D found a vehicle he liked.

D is so cute. He loved smiling for his picture and wanted to see it right away. He's not afraid to show his emotions and he says what he is thinking. We loved having him visit.

He has a pretty big surgery coming up so we'll be praying for him, and asking our Lord to help Marylou as she waits for it to be over and deals with the recovery.

Pet Project - PPR Challenge #2

2011-08-11T14:34:00.001-05:00

Challenge #2 for Project Project Runway was the unconventional challenge. Not my favorite to watch and, now that I've done it, not my favorite to do! The rules from Just Crafty Enough: Use anything from a pet store to make your design. (If you have pet stuff at home you can use it rather than buy something.) You can use a base fabric like muslin to build your outfit on. Tim reminds us, “The judges do not respond well to looks that come out of unconventional challenges that use a lot of fabric."

With no pet store close by, and a limited selection in the pet department at the hardware store, I chose to use items from home.

Dog fod bag and vet office leash.

I was pleasantly suprised at the way the bag handled. It was easy to cut and easy to stitch. It was NOT easy to turn right side out. And it did not drape well (surprise, surprise). I got just a tad frustrated and decided to forego traditional closure. Out came the scotch tape. I don't think the judges will notice.

By the time I was finished, the work room was a mess. Scraps and discarded attempts littered the floor. The Pepperlove Accessory Wall arrived and was installed, but it still needs to be stocked.

As I mentioned after the first challenge, my first model needed to be replaced. Lizbeth is doing well and rather relieved that her secret is out. It was a pleasure to work with my new model, Summer. She was good natured about all the fittings - there were LOTS! - and was very reassuring whenever I expressed doubts about my design. I knew she was just being kind, but it helped nonetheless.

The dog food bag was fussy cut to make use of the colors. The diamond design was cut and stitched to the bottom of the shorts. The top is a simple sleeveless blouse. The leash is made from, um, well, er, the leash.

When I told the judges my client was heading to the dog park, Michael said, "Well, that's a good thing, because she isn't fit style-wise to be seen anywhere else!" Ouch! That's okay. I finished and at least all the important parts were covered.

I'm so looking forward to using fabric. Those little seams and darts and closures will now seem so much easier. And rumor has it we'll be working in a larger scale for the next challenge ;)

You can see all the work from the other designers at the Project Project Runway Flickr page. Some of them are pretty impressive.

Thanks for Visiting!

2011-08-06T20:03:00.000-05:00

We had a couple surprise visitors today.

They just came walking right out of the field.

You have to look very closely....

way out at the end of the line of brush....

where the hay field meets the corn....

There was time for a short chat, a sandwich and drink. It's always nice to have a bit of company. And we haven't see Payton in a long time... my, he's grown!

Soon it was time for a little re-fueling, and then off they went again.

Have a safe trip home. Come again!

Come As You Are - PPR Challenge #1

2011-08-04T12:39:00.001-05:00

Challenge #1 – “Come As You Are”

The first challenge of this season's Project Runway had the designers creating an outfit using their pajames and a bed sheet.

Modified for Project Project Runway the designers' rules from Just Crafty Enough:

"You can use either the clothes your model is currently wearing OR a 10″ x 10″ square of fabric similar to your own pajamas. On top of that, you can use a handkerchief worth of white cotton or cotton-ploy blend fabric. The standard woman’s handkerchief is 10″ x 10″. You can manipulate the fabric anyway you want with dye, fabric paint, etc… You can also add things like buttons, velcro, and trims."

Since my model was, at that time, wearing a layer of PlayDoh (trying to make a mold for a dress form....fail) I was glad we had the option of using our pajamas for inspiration!

my pajama top

similiar fabric square and square of white cotton

I used colored pencils to draw a plaid design on the white cotton for the bodice. It shows up better here on this discarded piece that it does on the dress.

The skirt of the dress is from the pajama design fabric. The back closes with velcro. Embroidery floss creates the strap design and waist embellishment.

Heidi will say "It's ok. A bit boring. It could be shorter"
Michael... "Where is she going?" My answer... "Sunday brunch at the shore with girlfriends"
Nina..."what is that mess in the back?"

There was a bit of a learning curve as I've made less than a dozen garments in my lifetime, and never clothes this small. Darts, waist adjustments, hems.... yikes! But it turned out okay. I think I'll make it to the next round.

Lizbeth, on the other hand, may not. There was not full disclosure during the contract negotiations. Turns out she is bald . . . . not that there's anything wrong with that . . . . but it kind of makes her one note in the styling department. I feel bad with the tough current economic environment that she no longer has the Dollar Store opportunity so I'll keep her on. She can help in the workroom, and she has expressed an interest in child development.... when the grandkids come she can try her hand at entertaining them.

This week I'll be making a trip to the model casting department.
And I'm expecting delivery of the Pepperlove Accessory wall.
(So excited!)

Can't wait to see what the next challenge is!

Happy Birthday Lynzee Ann!

2011-07-29T14:27:00.000-05:00

I can't believe you're two already!

Brand new

"Okay, Grandma. Put down the camera and push me!"

"Heard any good jokes lately?"

Indoor picnic with Grandpa.

She dressed for the occassion with her little black dress.

Lynzee and cousin Dexter

Happy Birthday Sweetie!

I love you bunches!

Project Project Runway

2011-07-27T21:50:00.000-05:00

Oh, how I loves me a good challenge!

I'm a relatively new (in the last year or two) Project Runway fan. The new season is starting tomorrow.... woo hoo! Last season, just at the end, I discovered a couple of talented, fun bloggers, Kathy and Susi, that were creating collections along with the Project Runway show, but in miniature... on Barbies... sooooo cute! They are doing it again this time and I'm joining in the fun.

I contracted with my model several weeks ago in hopes that I could participate. She was having trouble finding modeling work and was stuck at a Dollar Store - I saved her from that. Meet Lizbeth.

We're going all the way to Bryant Park!

The first challenge will be posted Friday morning and finished garments will be revealed the following Thursday on the Project Project Runway Flickr group.

Join us?

Happy Birthday Caycee Kathleen!!!

2011-07-24T19:25:00.001-05:00

Oh, so long ago.

Caycee loves to help out.

And she loves a good dance.

Caycee and cousin Cooper.... I think they are making plans.

"Ohhhhh, it's so much work!!!"

"Ahhhh, my turn.... a ride and a drink."

"Where's Grandpa? Why didn't he come with you?!"

"Take a picture and I'll wave 'hi' to Grandpa"

Love you sweetheart! Happy Birthday!

Sweet and Sour Pair

2011-06-24T15:13:00.000-05:00

This quilt top is Sweet and Sour Slices . . .

And this one is Sweet and Sour Sampler . . .

The quilt tops are piling up... I really need to get on the frame. Hmm, maybe I should move it upstairs. That's something to think about :)

Today's Sunshine

2011-06-24T15:01:00.000-05:00

I could find any sunshine today, so I brightened my world with some flowers.

Now if I could just get a chance to spend some quality time with my quilting frame, all would be good!

Little Quilts

2011-06-17T17:05:00.000-05:00

I've been playing with little quilts in between the big ones. These sure do finish a lot faster. And I'm loving the new embroidery features I discovered on my machine.

I'm not sure where this one came from. I haven't been to the beach in forever. And the last time I wore a bikini was waaaaay longer ago than that!

But, hey, a girl can dream!

My second little quilt attempt came out a little neater.

Being different sure makes one stand out. I guess that's the good and the bad of it.

Pattern Testing

2011-06-16T20:35:00.000-05:00

Jennifer of All Things Belle made a Paper Pieced Patriotic Pennant Pattern (phew!) and when she was looking for testers I volunteered. Fun pattern! I love patriotic and I've recently come to love bunting so this was just right for me.

It was a relatively easy pattern to do, and it's super cute.

I learned a few things...
1. I really have to concentrate when I do any kind of paper piecing.
2. I love the precise results you get from paper piecing.
3. "Prim" means primitive art.... all you arty people probably already knew that.... I didn't. I asked Jennifer if she had a typo on her pattern... color me embarrassed!

The pattern is for the pennants themselves and you'll find a free tutorial on Jennifer's blog using the pennants to make a Prim Patriotic Banner. She used a ruffly holder but I had a length of leftover binding that worked just right. I embroidered stars near the hanging ends. I folded over a few inches of the binding at each end and stitched it to make loops for hanging.

How do you like my bunting holders?

Jennifer plans an entire line of paper pieced patterns that she will be selling in her All Things Belle Etsy Shop. I've seen the next one and can't wait to test it!

Here a Bag. There a Bag.

2011-06-15T09:41:00.000-05:00

A few weeks ago I made these bags by request. I became addicted to them. They are large flat bags with batting and lining. The top is folded over so the lining shows for the accent. Both fabrics are used on the handles and there is a little pocket inside. It was fun to match the fabrics and then to find different ways to quilt each one. A few have wavy lines, one is meandering. One has veins quilted on the leaves. The black and white one has white buttons; the smokey one has glass beads and glittery floss flowers. The reddish one has white french knots.

There were scraps leftover so they became tissue holders and zipper bags. What else could I do?!

The bags have gone to their new homes but, in between making quilts, I keep making bags. I can't help it.

I have two more finished and a few more in progress.

Yep, I'm a bag lady.

Happy Birthday Zak!

2011-06-14T18:08:00.003-05:00

I can't believe it's been five years already!

We sure made a lot of memories in that time.

You are such a sweet, handsome, smart boy.

I love you to pieces!!!

(Just checking to see if y'all are paying attention :) )

You are such a good big brother.

Sweet boy.

I hope you had a great birthday.

Sunday Breakfast With Family - The Aftermath

2011-06-12T23:00:00.000-05:00

Whenever I'm able head North of a Sunday morning, I always enjoy breakfast out with Mom and my siblings. Sometimes a niece or a partner will be there too :) I LOVE having someone else cook for me and serve me! And someone pouring my coffee for me. Okay, I have to pour the coffee myself. But someone else made it!

But, really, the best part is the visit afterwards, back at Mom's. The restaurant din is gone and we laugh and joke. We feast on whatever sweet Mike happened to bring (thanks, Mike!) and enjoy more coffee. And laugh and joke and converse some more. This time I happened to have my camera . . .

Mom hangs out with people in high places

Pat hangs out with everybody.

It was great to see you all today!

The Battle Rages On

2011-06-05T09:53:00.000-05:00

I think I won the latest skirmish.

First up, this nasty tangle of weeds.

The weeds are gone.

But the daffodil leaves still need to come out,

more flowers need to go in,

and a border needs to be added.

The Johnny Jump-Ups are now relatively weed-free and happy.

Unfortunately, a recently planted Lily of the Valley was lost due to friendly fire.

And speaking of friendly fire, the toads better stop hanging out with the enemy or they aren't going to fare too well either. I'm trying to watch out for them but it's hard to see them in the weeds!

The Petunias are flourishing!

The Pansies need work. And they aren't helping.

They are holding their own but don't seem to be spreading out.

I don't know what to do with these guys. They are right smack in the middle of a bunch of plants that I know are weeds that need to come out, but I don't know if these white flowered plants are weeds or not. The long skinny leaves are the ones that go with the white flowers.

What do you think?

Are they a perennial that someone lovingly planted years ago?

Or are they a weed cleverly masquerading as innocents?

So many of the flowers that bloom here survived because I procrastinated when it came to weeding. The first happy weed-turned-flower incident was the group of Lilies in front of the house. Imagine my surprise!

The Johnny Jump-Ups were another.

The Petunias another.

And most recently . . .

Common Sundrop Primrose surprised me yesterday.

I had told Scott the day before that this mound of weeds was next to be eliminated but before I could get to it they bloomed!

All in all it was a good day in the garden yesterday.

I know the weeds are even now gathering reinforcements so I can't wait too long before launching another attack.

Stitching My Gratitude

2011-05-30T21:08:00.000-05:00

I spent Memorial Day stitching my gratitude into this quilt that is for a WWII veteran.

It was a pleasure and an honor.

Have you ever noticed (I'll bet you have) that when you thank a veteran, they usually get embarrassed and don't get why you are making a fuss. They write a blank check that includes giving their life if necessary and then think it's not worthy of thanks.

Thank you doesn't begin to cover it.

Happily Quilting Away

2011-05-19T20:40:00.000-05:00

Three quilts finished . . . .

and lots more on paper . . . .

The Graduations Begin!

2011-05-18T14:39:00.000-05:00

Zak graduated today from preschool. Seems like it wasn't that long ago that we learned we would be grandparents for the first time. Now there are five grandkids and this is the first of a long string of graduations. With four more (for now) grandkids yet to attend preschool and graduate, I figure by the time Cooper's and Dexter's little sister* graduates from Kindergarten, Zak will follow soon after with a grammar school graduation.

It wasn't a good day for us to travel so we couldn't be there, but Dayna took lots of pictures and I "borrowed" a few.

"Ready! Let's get this show on the road!"

"I'm so stinking proud of me!"

Class of 2011

Lynzee, Zak & Caycee

Zak and the proud mommy.

It would appear the proud daddy is camera shy.

* There is no happy news.... little sis has yet to make it out of the twinkle in the eye stage. I'm just being positive and hopeful.

New Friends Mini Quilt

2011-05-18T09:12:00.000-05:00

This is my quilt for the first round of the Flickr Mini Quilt Exchange. The theme was New Friends.

I used neutral fabrics and Friendship blocks for the background. And then two appliqued flowers that are the same but different.... kind of like friends who have interests in common but each brings something new to the friendship.

It needed a little more so I used floss to add bits of grass and added glass beads around the edges.

My new friends and I have at least two things in common. We like quilts and I have a feeling we all have a tendency to procrastinate!

Recycling Drain Tiles

2011-04-26T19:44:00.000-05:00

WOW challenge #17: "With Earth Day this week, let's create something in honor of our home. You can focus on recycling, nature, etc. Maybe try your hand at gardening or find a great new use for your soda cans."

These tiles (I think they are leftover drainage tiles that the farmers use in the fields) were laying under the bushes when we moved into our home here about three years ago. I've been trying to think of a use for them. I finally figured it out!
I stacked four small ones on one side of the garden shed door and three larges ones on the other side. I filled all of them about half way (or more) with dirt, finished filling them with potting soil, then added flowers. I had wanted to plant flowers in front of the shed but wasn't looking forward to digging up the ground there and it hadn't ever had anything but grass and weeds... it was really hard. This worked out great.

Flowers in front of the shed.
Check.
Very little work.
Check.
Tiles no longer looking messy and abandoned under the bushes.
Check.

Hmmm.
All this "Check-ing" . . . .
can you tell I've been watching American Idol.

Next I have to figure out what to do with this odd piece. It's square and clay-like. It looks like the square things at the top of our fireplaces' chimneys. I'll probably fill this with flowers too but it's HEAVY. And I have to find a place for it.

Family At Easter

2011-04-26T13:16:00.000-05:00

All the kids came done for Easter this year. It was great to see them all together and listen to them talk. Old stories had to come out again and be retold for the benefit of Adam's girlfriend as it was the first time she was at a family gathering. (Poor Nancy) And we had our first official kid's table.... and they wanted to sit at it! We'll see how long that lasts.

But before dinner we had an Easter egg hunt . . .

All the kids managed to find enough eggs to fill their baskets. Except Dexter. He got sidetracked when he realized there was candy inside.

Then it was time to move on to our arts and crafts project.

A large piece of MDF was left over from making a shelf for the living room. I primered it before the kids got here. An old bag of Scott's uniform shirts that I had never gotten around to throwing out made great smocks.

All dressed and ready to paint!

We had crayons and markers and colored pencils but everyone chose to use paint.

I plan to cover it with polyurethane and add legs. It'll make a great kids table for next time they are here.

The two youngest weren't quite as entertained by painting as the older ones. They moved on.

"Hop on Dexter! I'm going that way!"

"Fun!"

"You're a little slow. I think I'll walk."

After Lynzee and Caycee got some scrapes and some bandaids, Caycee and Cooper decided the stone deer needed some first aid and bandaids.

Gramma wanted a group picture with all her grandkids.

It was a whole lot easier sitting down in this thing than it was to get out of it.... a tight squeeze!

Dexter showing off... he can walk on the wall and drink at the same time.

I'm Glad You're Here

2011-04-06T19:55:00.000-05:00

Iron Craft Challenge #14: "Wish You Were Here" . . . . make a postcard.

Mine is "Spring"

Strips of Spring-like fabric,

embroided leaves and flowers,

pink and green ric-rac, yellow beads

and, embroidered in hot pink, the word "Spring!"

This was as much fun as an inchie.... I just didn't have to squint!

Get Your Binding Ready Karen

2011-04-06T15:29:00.000-05:00

.... it's heading your way!

Funky Froggy Flowers

2011-04-04T14:30:00.000-05:00

The final challenge for this season's Project Quilting was "Large". We had to use at least a quarter yard of a large scale print. We also had to use at least one stripe or plaid.

I had some large scale colorful frog print squares that equalled somewhere between a quarter yard and a half yard. I chose one subtle stripe fabric and one stipe fabric that was just a little bolder.

Though I like the frog fabric, I didn't want my piece to be all about frogs. I really wanted to play with textures and that helped to disguise the frogs a bit but still let the colors shine. I made three different kinds of flowers.

One had petals that became very textured and bumpy through the use of Texture Magic and batting.

Another flower had petals with batting and straight line quilting. All of these petals were appliqued to the background with a zig-zag stitch.

The three smaller flowers are circles of fabric each gathered around a circle of very stiff stabilizer that's just a little too big. Gathering tightly caused the stabilizer circle to bow and bend a little, adding an extra element of texture to the gathers and keeping the flowers from laying flat on the background. Yellow buttons are in the middle of the flowers.
Several shades of green embroidery floss were braided together for the stems of the larger flowers.

Using the subtle stiped fabric I sewed a few dozen pleats very close together. I cut a vase shape and sewed the pleats down along the edge of the vase. Down the center of the vase I pushed the pleats in the opposite direction and again sewed them down. This gave another element of texture and also formed a new look to the stripes. Sewing the pleats was much harder than I anticipated but I love the look.

The piece was quilted with slightly curvy diagonal lines and bound with the brighter stripe fabric. I thought I'd cut the binding on the bias but after the diagonal quilting decided to go with straight stripes.

The judges have a few good suggestions on how this could have been better... I might not be finished with it.

You can see the rest of the entries at Kim's Crafty Apple and at the Project Quilting with KimsCraftyApple flickr group.

The season had ended. It was fun to see all the different interpretations of the challenges. I loved having the challenge to make new projects and the judge's critiques were so helpful. They gave great tips for improving and I seldom disagreed with anything they said. I would find myself looking at my works-in-progress in different ways. We all help out each other on our blogs but I think we tend to only make supportive comments. The Project Quilting judges were anonymous - that may have made it a little easier to offer constructive critism. Thank you to all the judges for your time and advice!

And thanks, Kim, for another great season!

Sashiko Pillow

2011-03-22T14:04:00.001-05:00

WOW Challenge #12 theme: Japan

I made a Sashiko pillow. The hardest part was chalking the first lines. After those were stitched I used a pencil to mark the wrong side of the fabric for the rest of the lines. That was easier to do and it was also easier to follow with the stitching. Next time I try this I'll do all the marking on the back as it's more precise and the pencil isn't as messy as the chalk. My stitches aren't uniform in length but they got better as I went. This was relaxing and it really turns out pretty.

Deep In The Middle

2011-03-20T21:08:00.000-05:00

No finishes yet - just in the middle of lots of projects.

I did most of the work on this quilt, Ramblin' Rose in February. This weekend the ric-rac stems have been sewn down. I'm working on the flowers, then it needs to be bound.

I have a good start on my version of Sashiko for this week's WOW challenge - the theme is Japan.

Sharon from Kentucky made this Quilt of Valor. I always audition several thread colors before starting to quilt. White / off-white is seldom my first choice but with the red, white and blue quilts it usually seems to be the best.

The final Project Quilting challenge of Season 2 is large scale prints. This looks large, doesn't it? A striped or plaid fabric still needs to be added.

These are pieces for a Quilt of Valor that is going to a wounded hero that I know. 108 rectangles that have one bit of blue and 54 rectangles of white/blue/white will yield sets of little triangle that will make 216 HST that are 1 3/4" square. I'm still working on what to do with them. Several red and white blocks are already finished... no pic.

This is probably the reason I have so many middles and no finishes ;) It's almost finished. Tonight? Tomorrow? Then I plan to have a week full of finishes.

Feeling Lucky?!

2011-03-17T21:53:00.000-05:00

Enter the giveaway for FOUR tickets to Legoland Discovery Center. But hurry, tomorrow is the last day. If you've never heard of the Legoland Discovery Center you can learn all about it at the giveaway.
It's in Schaumburg Illinois, so I guess if you live in another part of the country it won't do you much good. Unless you want to plan a vacation. Legos are enough to plan a vacation around, aren't they?

That's all Legos... isn't it cool?!

Legos were a favorite at our house when the kids were little...

I loved playing with them!

(I let the boys play, too)

IC#11 and Lessons Learned

2011-03-16T12:14:00.000-05:00

Iron Craft #1: something green

I made a mini green pincushion. And I learned a few things.

1. Hot glue is HOT! 'nuf said.

2. Cotton balls are the not the best option for stuffing a pincushion.

Detour: I have a whole bag of cotton balls for my Brown Paper Bag, of which I only used two. I have another large bag for medicinal purposes. Did you know that about a gazillion brands of alcohol wipes (the kind you use to prep the skin for an injection) were recalled about two months ago and they still didn't have more on the shelves when I looked last week. So we use cotton balls and a bottle of alcohol (no, not that kind - that comes after the shot). Okay, back on track...

So I wish cotton balls worked well for stuffing pincushions. But they don't.

3. Bigger is not always better.

In the case of mini stuff I think a smaller glue gun would be better.

4. I learned, again, that I like mini stuff!

I really do!

Mini Bunting

2011-03-15T21:52:00.000-05:00

WOW Challenge #11 theme: Birthday!

I made itty-bitty birthday bunting. Red felt squares have fusible web appliqued purple fabric letters. The squares were zigzag stitched to a piece of white yarn. Enough yarn was left at each end to make hanging easy.

It's just the right size for hanging on the refrigerator or maybe on a mirror.

Hang it on the wall,
or even down the hall.
Hang it on a door,
let me think some more...
maybe on a hook,
in a cranny or a nook.

Mini Quilt Exchange - Practice Piece

2011-03-07T23:19:00.000-06:00

Jennifer of All Things Belle (and the force behind Make It WOW) has started a flickr group for a mini-quilt exchange. It sounds like fun! Of course I joined. And of course I'm impatient to get started, so I made a practice mini quilt.

I had one lonely flower made from a log cabin block. It was one of my cast-offs from last season's Project Quilting. All that was needed was a stem, with a leaf. Fusible applique held the pieces in place while they were stitched down with an applique stitch. No binding this time, just the front and back RST with the batting behind the front, stitch and turn inside out. Echo quilting was done in one of my new favorite thread colors - antique. A length of embroidery floss stitched to each side of the top for hanging completes the mini quilt.

It's just 3" x 5" which is the smallest size in the mini quilt exchange. The largest size is 15" x 15". I might just make a practice 15" mini quilt tomorrow.

Want to join the fun? Just one project per month. That's doable. Come on. Join in. You know you want to.

MS Awareness Month - I'm So Done With It

2011-03-03T10:02:00.000-06:00

A few days ago Facebook statuses started popping up with "Tomorrow starts Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Month. Copy and repost this if someone you know/love is affected by MS....." I'm paraphasing but you get the point. Not being satisified with just copying and reposting I thought I'd make up a few (31 really) little snippets about MS that involved the letters M and S and post one each day of the month of March. Just to bring a little more awareness and maybe a bit of humor at the same time. Here's a few examples...

MS makes Minestrone Sipping difficult.
MS causes Missteps and Stumbling.
MS causes Mishaps and Staggering.
MS is a Merry-go-round of Symptoms.
MS can Minimize your Self confidence.
MS got My Sweetheart

As you can see the humor was sadly lacking. Just two days of posting quick thoughts on FB and I'm rethinking that idea.

Before you think I'm whining, please know that I know that we have been so incredibly blessed that we had so many, many years when MS was just lurking in the background and was not a large, everyday part of our lives. With the first mention of it as a possibility nearly 35 years ago, things could have been so different if it manifested itself more quickly and more powerfully. Being able to raise his kids was always Scott's prayer and it was answered. And so much more. Listing tidbits about this Maddening Scourge of a disease makes Me Sad and gets me nowhere and doesn't really make anyone more aware of what this disease is or does. It's like so many other diseases or disabilities - you 'get' the two-line-basics of what it is. But each disease or disability has its own heartaches and challenges. You don't really understand - or need to understand (who has that kind of time or strength) - the implications and nuances until you or someone close to you is affected.

With MS, when you do really understand, one of the hardest things is hearing about someone young who is newly diagnosed. It's heartbreaking. The best you can do is pray that MS takes its sweet time to manifest itself fully, that they have time to live a full, active life (and truly appreciate it) with just occasional inconvenient attacks before it all goes downhill.

So. Be aware. MS exists.

And now I'm done. Time to focus once more on the positive.

And the sun is shining again today.

He Leads Me

2011-03-01T23:14:00.000-06:00

The theme for Make it WOW #9 was spiritual.

I made a mini-quilt. Just 6" square quilted with ribbon paths and "bound" with couched ribbon.

and titled it "He Leads Me"

There are so many paths to take in life, so many choices to make. I'm not always sure of His reasons, but I do believe our Lord leads me. He puts up roadblocks to the paths I should avoid, and I try my darnedest to get around them sometimes. He guides down the path I should take. I don't always go along willingly, with a smile and glad heart. Sometimes I go kicking and screaming. But when my tantrum is over and I calm down I realize I have taken the best path, that He has chosen well.

From Hardware To Soft Quilt

2011-02-27T14:42:00.001-06:00

The Project Quilting Hardware Challenge required at least 3 items of inspiration from a hardware store.

While I don't normally shop there for quilt stuff (although it has happened), I love the hardware store here in town, Knapp & Steiner True Value. A visit to the hardware store in Chicago would generally make me uncomfortable. I'd have to admit I didn't know what I was doing, didn't know what I was looking for, and was probably using the wrong words to describe it. All this to a stranger. But here, you walk in and they call you by name, help without making you feel stupid, or leave you alone if you need to look around. There is usually a pleasantry exchanged, a smile, a laugh. And, as often as not, you run into someone else you know. Always a pleasant visit.

So here is how my quilt came to be....

Walking through our local hardware store I am always drawn to dowel rods. They are just the handiest thing.

I love the way they are all stacked and poking out of their holders. On this trip I also noticed all the coiled objects, all in lots of colors... the wires on spools, extension cords.

I noticed the stock had changed and Spring items were taking their places on the shelves. There were things for planting and many decorative items.

One display had oversized objects (butterflies, birds, etc.) on long poles to stick in the garden for decoration. And through it all an old wood floor worn by years and years of town people wandering the aisles looking for just the right part to fix something. Anything is possible with the right part!

The background was inspired by the wood floor. All different boards worn in different ways depending on the foot traffic, or stock placement or sunshine. I used pieces of tans, browns, neutrals and wavy line quilted with several different threads: browns, beige, gold, peach.

The flowers (inspired by those colorful coils) are biased strips of fabric gathered and stitched in circles on a stiff fabric circle background. Each have three beads for the center. Dowel rod stems insert in to bits of fabric on the back and entire flower can be removed from its holder.

Sun is a circle plus separate rays, all reinforced with heavy stablilizer. It's fashioned after a large metal decorative sun that was hanging in the store.

Sun is stiched in a few places but left free in others to highlight the 3D effect.

Spring quilt is pieced bright colors with appliqued letters and winding leaves (soon to sport flowers?). Instead of binding, ric rac is peeking out of the edges that hold the front, back and batting together. Quilt can be removed - it is hanging with another dowel rod. With the flowers and quilt removable, the entire project can be changed to adjust for the seasons. More fun!

Finished quilt measures 30" x 22" and is titled "Spring IS coming".

Head on over to Kim's Crafty Apple to see a dozen more hardware store inspired quilts. Such variety and creativity! You might also win a coffee cozy!

Me, I'm heading back to my sewing room as I have enough left over inspiration from the hardware store for another quilt. Maybe when I emerge Spring will be rounding the corner.

Inchie Luck

2011-02-22T21:59:00.001-06:00

I made an inchie for WOW #8. The theme was lucky.

My scraps yielded seven green fabrics

I started with a paper piecing pattern with seven pieces.

All the fabrics are sewn .... needs to be trimmed.

Trimmed, shamrocks stitched, edges zigzagged. Baaaaad picture.

Finished Inchie Luck:

green fabrics, 7 pieces, shamrocks, and 7 gold beads.

I learned again, inchies are fun.

I missed WOW#7 as it involved spray paint.

I didn't have any and was too cheap to buy some.

And I had crafter brain freeze.

Hardware Stores and Quilts

2011-02-21T08:54:00.000-06:00

I'm starting a new quilt today.

I need to head to the store first for supplies.

No, silly, not the quilt shop . . .

. . . . the hardware store . . .

. . . . for the latest challenge from Project Quilting.

Come on. Don't you want to try this too?!

Join the fun:

http://kimscraftyapple.blogspot.com/2011/02/project-quilting-season-2-challenge-4.html

There should be some interesting entries this time.

Again.

Olde Cedar Chest Finish

2011-02-21T06:31:00.000-06:00

I made this last spring and it's just been waiting for binding for the longest time.

Just the right size for a large table or a small baby.

Meandering quilting with a soft, dusty rose kind of pink.

And it lays flat - love that!

Happy Birthday Sarah!

2011-02-15T09:40:00.000-06:00

Party on!

Our Love... Our Life

2011-02-15T08:22:00.000-06:00

The lastest challenge for Project Quilting is up for voting. And there's an awesome prize for the public comments. ;)

As I waited last week for the new Project Quilting challenge rules I just hoped that it would be anything but a Valentine theme. The last few projects I made had been valentines and frankly, I was tired of them. Call me a Valentine Grinch. The rules came out and "Be My Valentine" was to be our inspiration. Groan. Moan. Whine. When I got finished moaning and groaning I settled on a project and finally started to get into it. Turns out I loved the process and, while it won't have a lot of public appeal, it's one of my favorite quilts.

I started with our wedding invitation. I enlarged the graphic and traced it onto fabric with a brown pigma pen.

We chose these invitaions because that's how we felt.... like little kids playing dress up. Little did we know! That's just what we were.... so young and clueless! But it sure turned out great.

Then I began creating squares that represented different parts of our life together.

We quickly became a family of five. Sorry boys. Aside from the button heads, they look like they are running around in their pajamas - poor choice of fabrics.

We didn't have a lot of extra money for entertainment. Walks in the woods were free so we spend a lot of time doing just that, plus picnics, bike rides, cross country skiing, sledding.... we spent a LOT of time in the woods.

Car rides were another inexpensive form of entertainment for us. (back in the old days when gas was so much cheaper!) We would take long car rides and usually find somewhere to get out and walk for a while, or a park for the kids.

I rode all through my teen years and then Scott and I met on horseback. We rode for the first year we knew each other. It got too expensive and we started a family so horses faded for a while. When Justin was around 12 or so he wanted to learn to ride. We took him and Adam for lessons and within in a year we were back into horses with three of our own boarded not far from home. Trail rides, horse shows, teaching, hanging at the barn....

At some point we had enough money for a weekend home. Not enough money for a lake home or anything like that, but we discovered that you could buy an old farm house for not too much. Lots of room for the kids to run around and ride bikes and explore. In the city we didn't let them roam to far at all so this was just right for us.

There is a tree in the back yard of the second country home we had with our initials carved in it. By this time the kids were getting older and didn't want to leave their friends to hang out with mom and dad miles away in the country. Read 'boring'. Sold the house. Sad dad.

Bird watching was one of the things we did in the woods. The kids didn't quite share our enthusiam but did learn a lot about birds anyway.

This led to buying birds and then raising birds. We had all kinds... Cockatiels, parakeets, Nanday Conures, a Timneh Grey, Love Birds, and several different kinds of finches.

And then there were the other critters. A stray dog and a stray cat started us off. Then another stray dog joined with the first (literally!) and started a family. They had two litters and we kept four of the puppies. So at the farm we had six dogs and one cat. Poor kitty sometimes thought he was a dog too. Our pound is a wee bit smaller these days - but not much.

The farm. Another old farm property we purchased just before retirement. A place big enough to bring our horses to. We turned it into the horse farm of our dreams, renovating the buildings with new stalls and other horsey things, added an outdoor and indoor arena, a few small fenced pastures and filled it with horses. Even a few babies. We lived our dream. Awesome.

And this is how our family has grown. An additional daughter and son came to us through marraige. And five beautiful grandchildren. So blessed.

Our future is a blank canvas.

I can't wait to see what our Lord paints for us next!

Toddling Around Chicagoland

2011-02-13T20:28:00.000-06:00

If you have kids and live near Chicago, OR if you ever visit the Chicago area with your kids, OR have grandkids near Chicago, then you must follow this blog: Toddling Around Chicagoland!

The blog author, Sarah [my daughter :) ] is always exploring new places with her two little ones. On her blog she gives the nitty gritty about each place.

You'll find answers to all the questions you didn't know you had but can't always find out about on the attraction's website. You know, things like 'what are the bathrooms like?' and 'is it convenient to use a stroller?' and 'is there a place to nurse my little one comfortably?' and 'what is the parking really like?' and lots more.

She also highlights the different areas of a particular place and lets you know what her kids (the real experts) thought of it.

Sarah is a bargain hunter and rather frugal so you won't be breaking the piggy bank as you entertain your kids.

Check it out. You can thank me later. ;)

Park Hours: Dec to Feb

2011-02-10T11:10:00.000-06:00

Flurry Park

The Iron Craft #6 Challenge was all about Winter. This was lots of fun to do...... probably 'cause I put a bird on it. As usual, I was working on it late and pushing the deadline. I finished with a couple hours to spare, shot a pic and headed to the computer. No internet. grrrrrr. Thought it was my computer and spent thirty minutes trying to fix it before I realized that it wasn't just my computer. Our service was down. I tried uploaded a pic with my phone. Tried that for 30 minutes and learned lots of ways NOT to do it. Finally decided I'm just too technically challenged for that. I missed the deadline.

So, just for fun, here is Flurry Park.

Open Dec to Feb.

A couple skaters on the ice. A pair of sledders who look like they are on a collision course with the skier. That's an optical illusion though because they are on completely different slopes so they'll be okay. However, Mr. H.D. Snowman thought he could sit on the wall and look what happened to him! Not to worry, Bluebird is calling for the King to send all his horses and all his men.... they can fix things, right?

UPDATE: I just read the rules and I might not have missed the deadline after all. This challenge is going to be open for voting and says it needs to be posted by Thursday at 8:00 pm to be included in the contest. Usually it's by end of the day Wednesday.

Bag It

2011-02-08T16:45:00.000-06:00

The WOW #6 theme was "Travel".

I don't travel much these days but when I do head out for a few hours or for a day trip, I inevitably bring everything that I might possibly, in the biggest stretch of the imagination, need..... as if I'd be away for days. And lots of things get lost in my purse, or lost in the bottom of the extra bag I need to bring for all the stuff I think I might need. Often the bag comes back home untouched. But, hey, you never know! So, for all those little items, I made a set of bags.

All three bags are zippered pouches.

All are black and white.

And all are lined with the same fabric.

Now. Where can we go?

The Foundation Has Been Laid

2011-02-07T19:55:00.000-06:00

...... for the next home on Periwinkle Lane.

In the past I used a black pigma pen for the first step of tracing the pattern. I found that the black was sometimes visible after coloring and after adding the embroidery floss. I thought I'd try a brown pigma pen. I love the way the tracing looks with the brown.

14 Reasons

2011-02-02T22:58:00.000-06:00

This week's Iron Craft challenge (#5) said to make a valentine. I sewed this happy looking, heart and flower filled fabric to a piece of colored paper using a heart stitch and red thread.

Inside I wrote "14 Reasons I Love You" and then wrote 14 reasons. This idea came from a post last February on Tea Rose Home. She was brave and actually showed her list. Me, I'm not so brave. I wrote my list but I smudged the picture. Yep, I'm a scaredy cat.

Tune in tomorrow for the Krafter Show challenge which will consist of a valentine, a new-to-me technique/project and, from the Brown Paper Bag, crayons.

Box o' Bobbins

2011-02-01T21:11:00.001-06:00

This week's WOW challenge said to try something new, and to use letters. I've never done decoupage so that's what I tackled. With no Modge Podge in the house and not even any white glue, I used flour and water paste.

This empty box had been sitting in a drawer forever. I thought there might be jewelry in it. But no, just a lonely quarter.

After mixing the flour and water I cut bits from old quilt magazines and dragged them through the mixture.

It still needs to be sealed but that will have to wait for another day as it will require a trip to the store. The blizzard is raging.... I won't be going anywhere for a day or two!

Look at all those pretty colors!

Are you snowbound too? Check out the next challenge and join us! I'm learning by doing and having fun too.

Craftapalooza III

2011-01-31T15:20:00.000-06:00

Oh. What. Fun.

Karen hosted Craftapalooza this time. What a treat to visit with the girls and do crafty things in her super awesome craft room! Surrounded by all her pretty things you couldn't help but think creatively. There is even a sign commanding you to

Jennifer wanted to learn to quilt the top she made.

Karen set her up with a practice piece.

Look how happy quilting makes her!

Karen with her "cheaters".... she looks happy 'cause she's sewing AND she can SEE what she's sewing.

Sarah made a few baby/toddler sized leg warmers for her Etsy shop Cooped Up. Amy is in the background. She's smiling because she just confirmed her travel plans to a warmer place are intact.

Jennifer is quilting away on her first quilt!!!

Look are her go! So happy!

It's going to be a nice comfy snuggle-under quilt.

Here's Colleen in a rare moment between crafting.

Actually Col has been in crafter-denial for a few years.

Her craft was paper grading. She's funny.

Sophie was a great hostess. She made everyone feel noticed.

And she dressed for the occassion.

Col brought cheese cake.... Mmmmmm.

Ahhh, sitting in a beautiful craft room among family and friends,

with cheese cake and coffee.

Doesn't get much better!

Karen and I had a camera shoot showdown.

She let me win.

It was wonderful to abandon responsibilities and just enjoy the day, recharge the batteries, and talk and laugh and create.

I didn't create much but I did soak it all in.

Thanks Karen!!!

You and Me and You and Me and . . . .

2011-01-27T06:19:00.000-06:00

Welcome to the fourth episode of the Krafter Show. (I can't believe it hasn't been cancelled yet!) Please remember all stunts performed are done by a professional and on a closed course. Don't try this at home!

I like it!

Look what came in the mail!!! It feels like Christmas. I want to peek!!! Karen wrapped up items to add to my Brown Paper Bag. I think I guessed what one is .... of course I had to play with the packages . . . . but the rest - I haven't a clue! Now I just need to figure out how to put them in my virtual bag. Oh, the troubles I have. Thanks Karen!!!

Rae says I need shrinky dinks in the bag. Good idea! Gotta get me some. Rae says a sewing machine is in her future... another convert.... she doesn't even know the fun she is in for!

Simply Dotty

2011-01-26T11:01:00.000-06:00

Take one plain, boring, bland, white mug.

Add a pink and brown polka dot mug warmer wrap and it gets better.

Add hot chocolate and it gets even better!

I made this for the Iron Craft challenge. There are some really creative ones at the Iron Craft Flickr site.

I Heart U

2011-01-25T12:03:00.000-06:00

For the WOW challenge.... a valentine with no red or pink.

Can't Wait To Dig In!

2011-01-24T19:25:00.001-06:00

Doesn't this look like fun?!

I'm making this pattern.....

Rambling Rose

I just can't decide on a flower color, but I want it to be anything but red. With the green ric rac for stems I thought red would look Christmas-y. Maybe it should be a few colors????

A Long, Slow Finish

2011-01-24T19:17:00.000-06:00

We all know the housing market has been slow, but geezzz. I've been working on this one since last Spring. Finally finished.

Lust-y Bunting

2011-01-20T18:19:00.001-06:00

From the WOW challenge... one of the seven deadly sins.

From the Iron Craft challenge... "just bunt"

And from my Brown Paper Bag... paint.

Next week will be a combination of a valentine with no red or pink, a coffee cozy and some buttons.

I Spy Bunting

2011-01-19T11:04:00.000-06:00

For Iron Craft #3 "Just Bunt" .......

I have 200 4" squares of novelty fabrics from a swap I was in last year. The intention was to make several I Spy quilts. It hasn't happened. But ten of those squares made some fun bunting. Fits just right on the kitchen window where the grandkids can see it at meal times. 190 squares left. I can make bunting 19 more times :)

Envy

2011-01-18T11:09:00.000-06:00

It's funny how we sometimes envy someone else's clothes, homes, life styles, etc. And then there are those that envy ours. But when we think about whether we really would like to trade places, we discover we're pretty happy with the way things are.

We moan and groan about our lives and our problems. Then we learn about the things that other people have to deal with and somehow we're content with what we have and wouldn't want to trade the problems either.

The WOW challenge this week said "take one of the Seven Deadly Sins and craft it". Homespun Sue is living in the city and longing for the country. Fashion Loving Sue is living in the country and longing for the hustle and bustle of the city.

Flights of Fancy

2011-01-18T10:49:00.001-06:00

Project Quilting Season 2 has started!

The first challenge rules said:
- use at least one 6" square each of red, blue, and yellow
- all of the that fabric needed to be on the front of the quilt
- cuts were allowed to make no more than 4 pieces
- any other fabrics or materials could be added

I decided I wanted to use ONLY those three squares. I cut lots of paper squares trying to figure out how to use the rest of the fabric after the balloons were cut. Cutting the balloons left a funny curved piece with sharp corners that was the biggest challenge.

After playing around I finally discover that cutting the triangle off left a piece that could be folded so the long edges met and it looked (sort of) like a kite. Adding embroidery floss tails completed the look.

The triangle became an airplane. And the little triangle from the bottom of the balloon became the propeller or nose of the plane.

The balloons were quilted with a layer of batting, then another layer of batting was added before they were appliqued to the background. The baskets are open at the top and made of tea-dyed burlap.

The quilting is lots of puffy clouds.

What flight would you fancy?

The Krafter Show - Episode 2

2011-01-13T21:31:00.000-06:00

This week's rules...
WOW: anything with a moustache
Iron Craft: make a draft dodger
The Brown Paper Bag item: glass beads

The next challenge includes...
WOW: something inspired by one of the seven deadly sins
Iron Craft: bunting!
The Brown Paper Bag: paint

The Brown Paper Bag isn't nearly full. If anyone has suggestions for additional items to toss in there I'd love to hear them.

Iron Craft #2 - Warm

2011-01-12T13:43:00.000-06:00

The instructions said "make a draft dodger". I made a few last year and stuffed them with batting and fabric scraps and had a really hard time stuffing them. Iron Craft suggested pipe insulation as an option. So much easier!!!

The materials...

Pipe insulation for innards, green fabric for body, brown felt for legs, black foam for antennae.

I sandwiched two long strips of fabric with batting and quilted straight lines to simulate body sections. Then cut 24 legs and glue basted to the edge of the fabric and sewed another long strip of fabric on top. Switch sides and repeat.

Two brown beads for the eyes were sewn on before the face end was sewn together. After all sides were sewn and the face end sewn it was easy enough to turn right side out. A little bit of batting went in for the face, followed by the pipe insulation which went in with little trouble.

Another nice thing about the insulation is that it has a hole in the center that's just right for stuffing the tail end into if you don't want to sew it closed. Or you can sew it closed and still stuff it for a neater look.

The Password Is.....

2011-01-11T05:00:00.001-06:00

Does this sound familiar?

Not so very long ago I had only a password for my ATM card and for voicemail for my pager. That was it.

The pager is gone, thank goodness. And the passwords have taken over.
There's still one for the ATM card.
Another for the bank account online.
A password for the mortgage website.
One for the credit card account.
And for the gas card account.
Another for the cellphone website.

One for the blog.
One for each of two e-mail accounts. (There are at least three more e-mail accounts but they don't get used because I can't remember the password.)
A password for etsy.
For Flickr.
For Facebook.
And Amazon.
And iTunes
One for Piknic.
Another for YouTube.

And since I telecommute...
One job has a password to access the program that will connect to the computers.
More passwords for actually connecting to each of three computers.
And one to log-on to Windows once I'm connected.

The other job has a password for the website.
One for the blog.
Another for e-mail.
And one for Facebook.

HELP!!!!! (That should be my new default password. Hmmm)

I lost count a long time ago. Each time I have to create a password I think I'm being really smart and choosing one that will be easy to remember. Hah! The smart thing would be to use the same one for everything but they all seem to have different requirements. And besides, I'm not that smart.

So I need to write all these down. And now I have a place to do it....

WOW Week 2 Challenge - Moustache

2011-01-10T21:31:00.000-06:00

What?!

Moustache?!

This definitely was a challenge.

(And I definitely have been spelling definitely wrong for the past three years. ooops)

Until I discovered the Moustache Convention....

Thanks for the challenge Jennifer!

The Iron Craft challenge requires a draft dodger.

I drew glass beads from my Brown Bag.

So this week's episode of the Krafter Show will feature a moustachioed draft dodger with glass beads?!?!?!

Inchie Wallhanging

2011-01-07T23:02:00.000-06:00

.... or "Bulletin Board Art".

Three inch sized quilts on a fabric tube with a key ring for a hanger.

Love

Heals

All

And three beads at the bottom on another key ring...

These inchies are addictive!

The Krafter Show - Series Premiere!

2011-01-06T11:54:00.001-06:00

The first challenge is complete. I won't get the extra points for having an item that can be gifted or listed on Etsy, but I will use it in my sewing room.

I like the "I'd rather be quilting" magnet but it looks kinda big and funny. Thanks to Lois I had a brilliant idea. The size of the magnet and lamp seemed just right for an "inchie"! So I made my first one.

So fast. So fun. So cute. So small. Really. They are small. Just an inch! Do you know how small an inch is?! Just the right size for this project.

Wrap up:
1. Iron Craft ... repurposed a lamp
2. Wow ... used yarn to gather the lampshade cover and to dress up/weight the bottom of the lampshade cover; used magnet to cover a blemish on the base of the lamp
3. Brown Paper Bag item ... used cotton balls as pom poms on the end of the yarn bow
4. I'll use it!

Iron Craft #1 - Lighting the Winter Gloom

2011-01-05T11:59:00.001-06:00

Candle Holder with Bead Bunting

I knew almost right away that I wanted to use glass beads for this challenge but couldn't seem to get it to work. I'd try something and fail and start something with different materials. Repeat. Repeat. But I really like the way the light was reflected with the glass beads so I kept coming back to them.

I tried rubbing a glue stick on the candle holder and then rolled it in the glass in the beads. This looked really neat because when the glue dried it gave a frosted look to the glass. It was fine until I touched it. Then, of course, duh, the beads fell off. But until then it looked great.

Another thing I tried was ornament hooks to hang the bead rope but the hooks looked bad.

I thought of elastic around the top and was still trying to figure out how to attach the bunting as I searched for the elastic and couldn't find it. (Gotta clean and organize the sewing room!) But I found little girls hair bands in my rummaging. AH HAH!

WOW Week 1 Challenge - Dishwasher Sign

2011-01-03T21:59:00.000-06:00

The WOW Week 1 Challenge items: Yarn and a least one magnet

I had white and brown yarn and a magnet roll...

On a piece of muslin I used various blue crayons to shade the background a bit and then to write the word "Clean" and added a few sparkles. I tried to keep the lines straight and neat.... clean.

For the "Dirty" I used brown crayons and made sloppy letters. Then I couched white yarn to the clean side and brown yarn to the dirty side. After adding borders, each piece was trimmed.

The next step was to sandwich the two with a piece of batting. The plan was to put the magnets on the inside but they weren't strong enough. The sign fell like a lead balloon. Since they had to be on the outside I cut the magnets into different shapes.

Here it is in action.

It's incentive to empty the clean dishwasher right away because I like the "Dirty" side better!

This was a fun first challenge!

Series Premiere... Coming Soon! - Updated

2011-01-03T06:01:00.001-06:00

I asked. You answered. My post "Challenge Me" was answered with encouraging comments and two challenges. I'm pretty sure at least one of those was a "tongue-in-cheek" challenge but I'm going for it anyway!

So, in response to Rae, I am creating my own challenges. And, in response to Karen, I am creating . . .

(insert theme music and fanfare here)

The Krazy Kathleen Krafter Show!

Each episode will consist of a challenge with four elements...
1. Iron Craft rules for the week must be followed.
2. WOW rules for the week must be followed.
3. Must include one item chosen at random from the "Brown Paper Bag" (no peeking!)
4. Finished item must be a) suitable for gifting or b) listing on Etsy or c) at least usable by me. Extra points for a) or b)

Join me as a spectator, or even better, participate! I'd love to have guests on the show!

UPDATE: The "Brown Paper Bag": If you are joining us, YOUR "Brown Paper Bag" is YOURS! Put in anything crafty (or otherwise!) that you can find. Add to it when you can/want. Include a few items that you are scare you. After all, it is a challenge. Mine is a virtual bag and is listed on my side bar. I'm using Random.org to select my item.

UPDATE: My brown paper bag item for this week is Cotton Balls.

Series Premiere is Thursday, Jan 6th, on this very channel. Plan your week accordingly.

Visits from grandchildren and MS flares may create scheduling changes as these events cause sewing/quilting/crafting/leisure time to become non-existent. :)

Challenge Me!

2010-12-30T21:21:00.001-06:00

I'm anxiously, impatiently waiting for the new season of Project Quilting. 10 more days.

So, primed for a challenge, I've joined the Iron Craft challenge.... a new crafty challenge every week for a year. No obligation to do all of them, just the ones you want to do. The first challenge was posted today.
I'm still gathering materials for this one. I can't find my hot glue gun. Do I own one? Can I seriously call myself a crafter if I don't own a hot glue gun?

And I'm doing the "Make it WOW in 2011" challenge. One challenge a week... items will be named that you must use for your project or a theme will be given. The first challenge was posted yesterday. I've started my project....

I'm looking for a third once-a-week challenge. Anybody know of any?

I'm wondering if I can combine the Iron Craft and the WOW as a third challenge... make a third craft that follows the rules of both challenges. It might not work all the time. For instance, if the rules for one say "make a candle" and the other says "make a baby quilt", that might not safely go together.
Unless I made a quilt for a fire-eating dragon baby.

Sisters

2010-12-29T23:40:00.000-06:00

I wasn't able to travel to see my mom and siblings for Christmas Eve this year or for breakfast the Sunday after. :(

But Tuesday my sisters made the nearly two hour drive (each way) to visit me! :)

We talked,

and ate,

and laughed,

and snacked

(they brought cookies and chips & dip

(almost like the kind Mom made when we were kids)

and more cookies),

and played games,

and took a picture.

I so enjoyed their visit.

Thanks Col & Pat! Love you!

Christmas Portraits

2010-12-29T22:58:00.000-06:00

Christmas was noisy, chaotic, and lots of fun. Just the way it's supposed to be.

This was the last time we were all together, which means it's been about 14 months. With the grandkids being so young, lots can change in that amount of time! So we set up cameras - I think there were three digital cameras and one flip video camera - and hit the timer buttons and ran to sit down. FUN! I haven't seen what the kids got but two of my shots turned out.

After we ate and opened presents (not in that order!), the kids wanted to play picnic. Go figure.

All Better or Sometimes You Need The Whole Picture

2010-12-23T15:38:00.000-06:00

Here's the whole picture. It's not my grandkids but a picture of my nieces and nephew... and it made me smile.

However, it doesn't look like it helped Wally the cat.

Love the picture this year (again!) Jim & Tina. Nice job wrangling all those kids and critters.

I Can Relate!

2010-12-23T06:29:00.000-06:00

I'll change my tune when the grandkids get here.

This is why I don't bake Christmas Cookies

2010-12-22T09:46:00.000-06:00

I just can't roll them out. Either it's too cold and hard, or too soft and sticky. Too much flour on the rolling surface, or not enough. I tried powdered sugar too instead of flour... no better. It's just not worth it!!!

Now to find another kind of cookie to make with the dough before I nibble on it until it is gone.

For A Friend

2010-12-19T14:03:00.001-06:00

Update for kwiltmakr

I used colored pencils to draw the scene and added minimal shading.

Next I machine embroidered the words.

Then I sandwiched the quilt and used (crude, amateur, just learning) thread painting to add more color and detail. It still looked a little drab so, as a final touch, I filled and shaded with crayons. I enjoyed the whole process and plan to make some more.

Amy's Quilts - Part 2

2010-12-12T17:06:00.000-06:00

When I was first learning about quilting by watching Simply Quilts with Alex Anderson, many of her guests would say "listen to the quilt". While that sounded nice I thought they were nuts. Now I know better.

This quilt said, loud and clear, "Light green. Lots of loops but not in the squares. Stars in the squares, please."

I listened.

No Doubt About It

2010-12-12T11:35:00.000-06:00

This quilt says "guy". In person it is so soft and comfy.... but all guy.

I love the checkerboard design and the two borders.

And the pockets! Surprise! There are two.
Pay no attention the where the meandering crossed itself. That didn't really happen. It's just a trick of the camera. ;)

This quilt arrived with it's own thread and the batting was purchased by phone and left at my LQS for me to pick up. Another surprise! A gift certificate! I get to go on a fabric shopping spree! WOO HOO!!!

Thank you!!!

Amy's Quilts - Part 1

2010-12-11T17:02:00.000-06:00

Amy sent four quilt tops to be quilted. This little Halloween table topper is quilted with, what else, orange thread.

Light blue thread on this pretty I Spy In My Garden quilt. I wanted to scatter a few butterflies and flowers but I couldn't get my butterflies to behave. They kept listing to one side or the other. The flowers grew just fine.

There were two panels with writing. One was a list of things "to spy" in the garden and the other was a poem. Quilting around the words instead of through them was a variation from the meandering but it made the words legible.

Two more, Amy, and then they'll be on their way back to you!

One Way or Another, The Tree Will Go Up

2010-12-03T21:38:00.000-06:00

So if I quilt this, bind it and hang it on the wall, can I say my tree is up and be done with it all?

Actually this large lap sized quilt is heading to a 'local' hospice, but when I took a picture it got me to thinking. It'd be easier (and more fun) to make another one than to drag out the tree and the lights and the garland and the ornaments and put it all up. bah humbug.

Or I could spike the eggnog. That'll put me in the mood to decorate!

One Flower Wednesday . . . . Plus One

2010-11-24T22:20:00.000-06:00

Happy Package

2010-11-20T21:36:00.000-06:00

A few days ago I walked to the mailbox to collect the bills.

But wait! It's not a bill!

It's an unexpected package all dressed up colorful like.

(I wanted to wag my tail!)

Even had a pretty, quilty picture on the front.

(Should have been a clue.)

And the back was decorated too.

You know I was smiling and I hadn't even opened it.

What was inside?

It was kinda squishy.... but a crunchy squishy.

hmmm

A puzzle! I love puzzles!

A country scene with a house I'd love to live in, quilts, and horses!

The housework won't go anywhere if I do a puzzle instead.

Actually I used it as a bribe.

Made a list of chores.

Each finished chore was rewarded with puzzle time.

Win, win.

Thanks Karen!!!

One Flower Wednesday

2010-11-17T22:21:00.000-06:00

Lucy!

2010-11-17T09:57:00.000-06:00

Karen H (I can't find her blog again for anything - grrrrr) made this quilt top and sent it along to me to be quilted. She didn't let me know ahead of time what it was so when I opened the box I had to laugh out loud. What a delightful quilt.

I thought at first white was called for, but she wouldn't let me near her with the white thread so . . . . loopy meandering with red thread. And I snuck in a Lucy just for fun . . . .

Two Small Words

2010-11-11T04:00:00.001-06:00

Thank you

to my grandfather,

my father,

my uncles,

my aunt,

my brothers,

my cousins,

my sons,

my nephews,

and to all the other veterans.

It seems like such a small thing to say in comparison to what they did, but it must be said.