Challenge Me!

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

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

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

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!

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

This is why I don't bake Christmas Cookies

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

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

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

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

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

 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

Happy Package

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

Lucy!

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

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.

Proof

Sarah and the boys were here and gone much faster than usual.  It was crazy chaotic commotion while they were here ... and for once it had nothing to do with the kids!  As a result I barely had a chance to enjoy visiting and, except for the fact that Sarah was my rock for the day (thanks Sarah!), once they were gone it felt like they hadn't even been here.

But this morning I opened the cabinet to get some tupperware....

Yep.  They had been here.

 

Quilting Again

Anita made this quilt.  And I had the pleasure of quilting it.  It looks so fresh and clean to me.  The fabrics look like a Spring or Summer or Winter depending on your mood.  The only season I don't see is Fall.  Lovely quilt Anita!

The backing is white and I was tempted to use white thread (and really scared to use anything else) but it really seemed to call for light green.  So every blip shows on the back.  But I think green was the right choice.  It blends beautifully and looks great in the white areas.

Sorry about the picture quality. So much harder when you can't photograph outside, but it's been much too windy.  I didn't want the quilt to wind up in the next county!

10 years ago...

An afternoon out would be spent hiking through the woods with Scott.
Now its a drive through the country.... farm fields all around - sometimes a few trees if we follow a creek.

Exercising meant a two or three mile run.

Now its a walk for a mile or two.

I'd walk up the long steep flight of stairs at Decorative every weekday morning eagerly anticipating a fun day at work ;)

(really, I was thankful for the job and a great boss)
Now I'm there on the computer while still at home at my desk.
(still thankful for my job and a great boss)

I'd spend weekends hauling Beau to gaming shows so we could run barrels (but never quite fast enough).
Now I watch him graze in the pasture when I drive past the farm.

I wondered if we would ever realize our dream of getting our own horse farm.
Now I have fantastic memories of doing just that.


I wondered if my grown kids would find jobs and live on their own.
Now they have and they do.  
And I miss them.

I also wondered if they would bless us with grandchildren.
Thanks be to God, they have blessed us with five awesome grandkids... so far.
(the 'so far' is on the number five.... they'll always be awesome)
(and no, that's not a hint that there are more on the way. I'm just saying...)

A run through the woods on horseback was the exhilarating highlight of my week. 
Now its a hug from a grandchild as they say "I love you".

I didn't worry about my sons going off to war.
Now they have been there and come back, by the Grace of God .... whole in body, mind and spirit.

I thought "we already have two little dogs, what's the harm in a few more?"
Now I think "what were we thinking?!"

I wished I could someday make a quilt.
Now I quilt almost daily.
And love it.

I'd think "if I could just lose 10 pounds I'd feel a lot better and that sweater I like so much would fit.
Now I think "if I could just lose 15 pounds I'd feel a lot better and there are more sweaters that would fit.

Coffee was my favorite beverage and ice cream was my favorite food.
Now coffee is my favorite beverage and ice cream is my favorite food.
Some things don't change.

The Power of a Seam

la de dah... sewing along... nesting seams just the way they should be...

then the moment of truth...

will the seams match up?....

THEY DO!!!  "Oh, I'm getting so good.  I really know what I'm doing.  I'm such a pro."  smug smile

Time for another one.... la de dah... sewing along... nesting seams just the way they should be...

again, the moment of truth...

OH FUDGE!!!  "After all this time sewing and I STILL can't match up seams. I can't sew.  grrrrrrr.  #(%&!@#%*"  big frown.

time for another one....

On My Way Back to One Flower Wednesdays

Hand sewing hexagons flowers is relaxing and enjoyable.  A cup of coffee, some tv to listen to and before you know it, a flower has bloomed.  BUT, tracing all those hexagons and then cutting them with scissors is anything but relaxing and enjoyable!  I tried with a rotary cutter but that was a disaster.  I haven't been in the mood for the tedium, nor have I had time for it, so my Wednesdays have been without flowers for weeks.  

Enter the GO! cutter that Karen so generously lent to me.  I ordered a hexagon die and I'm back in business!

 Perfect hexagons so very quickly and easily!

Look at them all! 

I'll have flowers to show next Wednesday for sure!

Thanks again Karen!

A Quick Finish for A Quick Test

The new foot for my quilting machine is different from the broken one it replaced.  I didn't want to put someone else's quilt on the frame before testing it so I made a quick table runner just to have something to quilt.

 Yep, it worked just fine!

The binding still needs to be done but that can wait...  there's quilting to do!

Happy 1st Birthday Dexter!

As you can tell, Dexter is one fun loving guy! Getting to be more fun every day!  Right, momma?!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEXTER!

Happy Birthday Cooper!!!

Happy Birthday to my friend and grandson!

Love you!!!