Progress report

Well I can call my FNSI a success! This is what I accomplished;


Yes, I know it is a bad picture. The lighting is pretty low in this room, the lights and flash made it look worse. Soon I can be finished, take it outside and have someone tall hold it up for me. Stay tuned.

I have the first borders cut out. I need to sew them together and then sew them to the quilt and then get my outer border strips cut. I would say that I usually cut everything before I get started but this time I just wanted to SEW, so I cut the bare essentials and got to work. I actually like doing it this way as it breaks it all up a bit so nothing gets monotonous.

I know that I said I liked ALL the fabrics in this line but if I HAD to choose one favorite this would be it;


College Girl is still six hours away (spending some time with College Boy this morning) so I can get quite a bit done if I just get to work. Off I go.

Praise - for cooler temperatures for the house building work party that hubby is taking part in today. I hope they are all safe and make a lot of progress.

Prayers - for College Girl and her boyfriend's (hmmmm, I need a 'name' for him)safe travel back home today.

Be still my heart

My all time favorite scrapbook paper will soon be fabric!!!

Basic Grey BLUSH - January 2010


I actually sent an email to Moda and/or Basic Grey a long time ago and suggested that I would love to see this line in fabric (as well as Bittersweet). What a SWEET surprise. There are a few different prints, they didn't include the stripes and they aren't offering the Dark Chocolate solid or the Tangerine solid. I'll take what they are offering. I can't wait to see some patterns made up in this line so that I can decide what to make.

Sure hope the guys leave change in their pockets so the laundry lady can afford some BLUSH come January.

Praises - friends from church are now the proud grandparents of a sweet little girl, born today. Our travels were safe!!! Long (due to construction), but safe.

Prayers - for college girl's busy week ahead. Praying that she gets enough sleep and is up to participating in all the activities to get ready for welcoming the freshman.

My only excuse -

would be called LAZINESS! That is why I haven't posted. That is why I haven't chosen an April Challenge. That is why I haven't sewn an April Challenge. That is why I haven't gotten very far on the project that I should be just about done with. I have been fighting off a cold on and off over the month. When my head is clogged I don't trust myself to sew because then I just don't concentrate so well. I procrastinate and I don't like it. I am working on overcoming that trait. I have been making lists for the past week or so. Trying to get everything on the list checked off before bedtime. All that to say I can't believe this is the last day of April. That is when I realize how much time I waste, what I could have accomplished and didn't. Sometimes I just disgust myself. When I read other blogs and see what others are getting done I can either feel motivated to do the same or I get fed up with my sorry self.

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I did make it until April 15th without buying any fabric and I am still trying very hard to refrain from buying anything but the necessities. These first two pretties were bought in March. So there. This first one is by Alexander Henry and is called Pink Surfin' Pareo. I am going to make a simple peasant style summer dress for college girl with this. She helped pick out the fabric.

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This print is Rebel Roses by Anka's Treasures for Henry Glass. Heather Mulder-Peterson designs such pretty fabrics. I LOVE how she drew these roses. I really like this entire line. Again, college girl decided on the fabric and it is going to be a skirt like the Al Fresco one that I made in March. In real life the fabric is a bit more gold and not so sunny.

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Now this was really purchased in April. Actually I purchased TWO of these charm packs because I want to make the Pinwheel Baby Quilt that was featured on the Moda Bakeshop site and I don't want to use any of the pink from the Neptune line. The quilt is going to be for my newest great nephew who was born early this week! That event totally snuck up on me!! I have seen a few of these quilts done online and it was shortly after the project was posted at the bakeshop so I am thinking it shouldn't take that long to do...you know, if I actually DO IT!

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This is a Layer Cake of Moda's Fig & Plum. I have dreamed of owning one of these since I first saw the line. I saw a GREAT deal on it and could NOT let it go by. You see how weak the flesh is? I think I am going to make the very simple big block quilt from a recent Quilts and More magazine. That way I get to see each beautiful print (well 36 of them at least) and in theory it shouldn't take long to do at all.

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The problem with that theory is of course all the things that I HAVE TO get done first! I have a big project I am working on now, then the baby quilt should be next, then the skirt or dress for college girl. I would LOVE to do my April Challenge AND my May Challenge and get caught up on that. On top of all that I realllllllllllly want to join in Amandajean's Quilt Along. Crazy I know. But if I would be as productive as all of you out there in blogland it SHOULD BE possible. Yes? Or am I kidding myself?

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By the way, I have been scrapbooking. A young gal from church asked me about it at the Women's Retreat the first weekend in March and we have been getting together once a week to scrap. She comes here, along with her adorable six month old little boy, because there is NO WAY I am packing up and hauling all of my scrap stuff somewhere else. I like that we have sort of a scheduled time to scrap together and we spend a full day working on some pages. We have such a nice time together and when I am tired of scrapping I entertain the baby. :D

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Praises - My son worked so hard on the backyard and has really made a HUGE difference in how it looks. It is almost ready for grass seed. It is going to be lovely when it is no longer brown.

College girl ran unopposed for Hall Council. Her first taste of politics is going smoothly so far. Hubby is getting great feedback at work about his contributions.

Prayers - continuing to pray for a buyer for our house. We are expecting someone to come view it this next week. There is also a lady that has been interested in the place for a couple of months but she hasn't been able to get here to see it in person yet. This is who I have been praying for since I first heard about her. She is really hoping to come sometime in May. Prayers for my kids as they finish up their school years. College girl has until June and my son has just over a week.

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See you in MAY!

Before the month of LOVE is gone

I thought I'd better get these Valentine photos blogged. LOTS OF PICTURES DES!!! :D Des likes lots of pictures.

So I had two families of 5 (our very dear friends) coming to visit for Valentine's weekend (also known as President's Weekend) and my college girl was hitching a ride home with one of the families! Now I always make frosted sugar cookies for Vday for my family, and it is the one time that I don't let the kids help me with the process. It is my Valentine to them. I usually wait until they are in bed to bake and decorate the cookies. Side note - This gets harder to do as they get older and stay up later. Some of the guests were to arrive on Thursday. I needed to get my act in gear since everything had to be done and put out of sight before they arrived.

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This is what I made. A LOT of cookies. More than I usually make. The cutting out and baking is the easy part. I also made a big batch of cake balls on a stick and got those in the freezer.

Oh yeah....did I mention that I was trying to make the Happy Zombie's Pennie Pockets for everyone? Yeah, call me crazy. These are 'supposed' to be embellished and bejeweled. I tried to make a yo-yo and it was more like OY-OY! I knew that was going to be TOO time consuming and I should have started in October. I gave up that dream and just got them all sewn up. I had a few different prints but the other picture did not turn out. I filled these with foil wrapped candies and conversation hearts and hung them on each chair.

I got a reprieve.

The guests that were to arrive on Thursday had a change of plans and would not arrive until Friday. Whew! More time to frost the cookies. (should read - more time to procrastinate on the frosting of the cookies). My plan all along was to use decorating tips and frost each name on a cookie. That did NOT happen. Each person did get a LARGE cookie on a doily, on a plate at their place for breakfast.

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Now if I had started back in AUGUST, I could have made a cute table runner, but I did not. I used my new, clearanced after Christmas at WM, RED place mats and called it good.

I needed two tables so I called this one the kid's table, although there were kids at the 'red' table as well. I see I should have ironed that tablecloth!

Now mind you, ALL of this was set up and set out AFTER my guests had all arrived (some at 11:30pm) and they had all gone to bed! Oh yeah, that was at about 1:30 A.M.! I was going back and forth as quietly as I could, dining room to the garage, as I had the cookies in a big tin in the garage, the cake balls in an ice chest in the garage and the pennie pockets in a box in my closet. I put window cling hearts on the dining room windows too.

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Here is a close-up of the cake ball bouquets. I wish I would have had some shredded, crinkled red paper to fill in at the base of these, but I didn't.

Edited to add link to cake ball recipe/directions. Hey, if you get lost on this site, don't blame ME!

Bakerella is so creative and talented. Go see for yourself.

As I slipped into bed about 2:30 (after I took pictures!), I prayed that neither guest family would let their dog out of their room during the night. That would have made me cry.

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Everyone was so surprised in the morning that the Valentine fairy had visited during the night. I got lots of hugs and kisses and requests for yearly Valentine Day visits. :D

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Prayers - for a friend's mother who is not doing well at all. The family has been gathered around her and are wondering how long they have with her.

Praise - College girl has made it through an especially stresssful week and has registered for the new quarter, getting all the classes that she NEEDS. My son is doing well in school, staying on top of things. Hubby is enjoying his new adventure.

Thought I'd better get this going

February is MORE than half over now and I have not even announced which pattern I will be doing for the month. I had a busy first half of the month. Getting ready for Valentine's Day (I'll show you my pictures from that later) and for my house full of guests. So since time is ticking I picked what I think and hope will be a fairly easy project. Another bag from Tanya Whelan's Grand Revival Patterns, the Flea Market Bag.

I have no idea yet which fabrics I will use. I hope to choose them this afternoon and get working on it right away.

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College girl loved the Ava Bag done in the Taxi fabric so she is the recipient of that. She was home for the weekend and took it back to school with her.

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Although I have challenged myself to these 12 patterns for the year I have already bought two more purse patterns and there is another one (at least) that I want. Now it is all I can do to stick to the patterns chosen for the challenge because I want to make those other purses too!! I guess I just need to get busy and actually sew.

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Praise - my friends, two families of 5, came over for the long weekend and they were able to bring my college girl with them! What a blessing that was, for all of us. They had safe travel both ways!

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Prayers - hubby starts a new job today. College girl has a very hectic two weeks - tests, papers due, a big project. My son is busy with his schoolwork as well.

Fabric Friday!

Yes, I know it has been OVER a week since I last posted. CRAZY! I hate that I haven't been here. I hate more that I haven't been sewing. In my spare time (that means when I am not unpacking, cleaning the old house or doing the daily routine in the new house) I am trying to keep up reading my fave blogs and perusing fabric sites. I am usually too pooped to sew by the time I get to sit down here for any length of time.

I DID take pictures of my room in the TOTAL DISASTER state. I will post those soon. I am not ready for the after pictures yet but it is better. I can walk in here. I can find a chair or two. I do not have to straddle piles of fabric or boxes to get to my tables. I still do not have my 'new' sewing machine out. That is going to take some doing to get it out of the closet. Who had the brilliant idea to put it in the closet first? I am thinking it was my hubby. He must have figured if I couldn't get to it I would do other things. Hmph.

I so LOVE when Nanette posts pictures of wonderful fabrics - ALWAYS on Friday and sometimes on some other days. I tried 3 times to link to Nanette's site and it won't work. It is www.fredashive.blogspot.com if you don't already know. I mentioned in my Quilt Show post that I had gotten some special fabrics and would post a picture. Well can you say FINALLY?

This first print is by Alexander Henry and now I forget the name of it. Sheesh my mind is like a steel trap - all rusted and corroded. Anyway I think it is ADORABLE and will really have to talk myself into cutting it. Purse? Tote? Apron? Something quilty??


And then looky here! Look at what I scored!! Ohhhhhhh, how I have loved when others show their prized pieces of Summer in the City birds. When I saw it at the show I think I was looking over my shoulder to make sure no one was going to grab the bolt before I did. I bought all that she had, which wasn't much. I think there is just over a yard. I did buy some of that companion fabric too.

Mmmmmmmm. It makes me smile. So, any suggestions on what to do with it?? :D


I hope to be here more often. I have lots of sewing projects on my planner now. I will be sewing up a storm between now and mid-January. I think it is going to be great since we have chosen to have a VERY low key Christmas. No pressure to do the sewing while trying to shop and ship and so on.

Praises - The old house is EMPTY and 90% cleaned! We met with a realtor today to show her around. That my daughter is doing well at school, will be home on TUESDAY night for Thanksgiving. That my son is doing well in school. That my hubby is strong and healthy and able to fix most anything (well except for the carpet steamer ;) ). Prayers - for safe travel for our friends and my daughter next week. That the house listing/showing and selling process goes smoothly.

I didn't like it ONE bit!

That was THE most difficult thing I have done in my life to date. I would rather give birth every day. And trust me, that girl was no easy labor! 18 + hours!! So this was like a birth of sorts. 18 years and a few month later and she is pushed out. Out of the nest this time. Or maybe she jumped. I am pretty sure that I was not pushing. Here she is in her dorm room, well in a portion of it. She has a double and anyone that came by commented that they had the biggest room in the dorm and that they should ENJOY IT! I think they will.

I was pretty good during the two days of meet and greets and various functions we had to attend. A few tears were shed but I expected that. When it was time to say good-bye I still thought I was going to be able to hold it together. We hugged and hugged and hugged. She got teary before I did but then that was my undoing. I cried as my hubby and I drove away. I woke really early the next morning and could not control the tears, so I just let them flow. I tear up when I think of her not getting daily hugs. How sad for all college kids. NO HUGS! My friends that live nearby to her have orders to give her hugs on my behalf. It won't be the same but it is better than nothing. I miss her hugs too.

She says she is doing pretty good. A video sent by phone from her brother set her off a bit. Seeing him AND hearing him was too much I guess. Her roommate is very homesick. Her family is back home now too. Many more miles and hours away than we are. My daughter says she feels like she is just at camp and the reality hasn't set in yet. I told her by the time that it does it will be time to come home for the holidays. She will be pretty busy since the school is on the quarter system.

After seeing the survival kit that was posted at Covered Porches and Screen Doors a few weeks back, I decided that I needed to do something similar. Into a big ol' popcorn tin that I had, I put in these items. I gave it to her before we left but told her she couldn't open it until Sunday or Monday sometime.

Two different devotionals, if and when she has time for them;



Some of her favorite candies;


This set of Sharpies that she would fondly look at in the store;


She loves canned chicken noodle soup and doesn't get it at home;



and just in case she might forget...

The shoes are teeny, made for a little, little girl. But a perfect size to have as a little reminder, on a shelf or in a keepsake box.

I miss her lots. She is going to do GREAT and I am so excited for her. I will really be looking forward to her birthday in November. We are going to see her then. I have told my son he is not allowed to leave home. He just rolls his eyes and says "Whatever, Mom".

So we came home late Saturday and hit the ground running. We had a wedding reception/potluck at church on Sunday. We had 'guests' move into the guest house on Sunday night. Family of church friends that are getting married THIS week. The only sewing I have done is adding some netting pouf to the bride's slip. What a job that was! So much netting, slippery fabric. I ended up having to HAND SEW the netting to the slip. Ya KNOW how I love me some hand sewing...NOT! I ended up sewing it to my jeans TWICE! I finally quit for the night and finished this morning. I was able to secure it all with a machine zig zag this morning. Reminder to self: do NOT go into the wedding dress alteration business.

The weather was GORGEOUS here today! I made a list of things to do today and I think I have gotten them all done! Oh yeah! That's a great feeling. Sewing will be on my list for later this week. A little packing or organizing each day too.

Praise - our travels to and from college were safe. Our daughter is happily moved into her dorm and underway with her classes. Prayers - that we would be an encouragement to her, although we all miss her terribly. For the weddings this weekend. Our daughter will attend one there and we will attend one here. That the young people getting married would truly strive to have Godly marriages. Also praying that the weather would cooperate for the Idaho OUTDOOR wedding.

It has been a GOOD WEEK!

Good but very busy. I have been stitching away on that binding. There were moments that I enjoyed it. MOMENTS. Most of the time it was just 'get er dun' thinking. I had a deadline! My daughter leaves for school on the 24th. I didn't even sit in front of the tv. That would require moving a comfortable chair and a good light and all my 'stuff'. I just sat in the chair in my bedroom and put on some music and stitched. And stitched. And stitched some more. I finally had to put in the mouth guard that I bought the other day when I realized that I was clenching my jaw. Hand sewing is NOT relaxing to me. ;)

But before the binding was finished I remembered to call and order some bobbins for my machine. My daughter picked them up for me on Thursday at the LQS. The Bernina repairman makes a stop there each Thursday and had some on hand so he brought them. Now I can use different colors! Now I don't have to unwind other bobbins so I can sew in a different color! How liberating a few bobbins can make me feel. :D

Then, I had a good mail day! WOOO HOOOO! Who doesn't love a good mail day and then when that mail day means FABRIC, all the better. The rest of the Andover Halfway Cafe fabric arrived. This is for the Galveston Quilt (free patten on the Andover site). I wasn't able to find the brown Dimples fabric that the pattern called for but I found a good substitute last week. I just need some time...

THEN look what I got. FINALLY! I have been stalking Tanya's site to see when she would have the new patterns available. It seemed forever since her last post and then FINALLY a post AND it was about her new patterns. I got an 'old' pattern too. Again with the time requirement...

All the while that I was stitching the binding I was thinking about a quilt label. I have never made one before. I have never labeled a quilt before! Des from Quilt Taffy had told me she was making one the other day. I thought about NOT making one. I thought about making one. I thought about HOW to make one. I thought about how to attach it. I thought about what it should say. All that time to bind a quilt sure allows for a lot of thought. Binding DONE! Label made and on!! Here is what I came up with. I am not sure that I LOVE it. I am not sure that I did it correctly. Seems a little bulky to me. I know some people put the fabric used and the pattern and where the pattern came from. That would have taken the entire back of the quilt. I kept it short and sweet. So what should I have done differently with the label? You know, for next time. (note - the one line I 'smudged' on purpose in photo editing, for privacy)

Now for the washing and drying. I am a bit apprehensive about this. I LOVED the quilt all smooth and pretty. I wasn't sure it was the style of quilt to be wrinkled and puckery. I wasn't sure that I was going to like it still. I wasn't sure that all the colors weren't going to run. I wasn't sure that the binding wasn't going to come undone. I wasn't sure that the label wasn't going to fall off. I forged ahead. I said a little prayer. It seemed so much smaller when it came out of the wash. All the colors were still in place, as was the label. Now for the dryer. When I opened the dryer - puckers! I really liked it! But would my daughter??

YES!! My daughter loves it! She likes the puckers and wrinkles. She LOVES the love note on the label. :D

The quilt top went together pretty quickly but the rest of the process seemed to drag on forever. I am glad to have the hand sewing of a binding under my belt. I won't have to put it off so long for the next quilt. I'm not afraid of that part anymore. I don't LOVE it but I know that I can do it. Next challenge will be machine sewing the binding on and getting those corners right. Always something.

Prayers - I have a LOT of packing to do! That was hanging over my head while I was sewing. For me to stay focused and on task as I get that huge job underway. Prayers that the entire house buying process goes well and we are able to close in early October. Praise that the quilt turned out just fine. An answer to my prayer before sticking it in the wash.

Getting older isn't SO bad

I mean it beats the alternative, right?? Just kidding. I have never had a problem with my birthdays and getting older. We always celebrate our birthdays and it is a great family time.


Today my hubby and kids showered me with presents and attention and food. My son gave me a cute card that he made (with a picture of me on my 3rd birthday) and a frame with the promise to make a collage of pictures of all the things I have made for him, to hang in my sewing room. My daughter gave me a college MOM window decal and a t-shirt along with a multi page card that she made with a list of things she loves about me. My hubby gave me a card - stop the presses right there. I have known this man for 36 years and he has given me maybe 10 cards (includes valentines, birthday and anniversary). It was a hilarious Hoops & YoYo card and in it he wrote that I could have the sewing machine of my choice - price was no object. I KNOW! He said he would have liked to give me a machine but really had NO IDEA what I would like.


He was all ready to head out to look at machines. Ummmm, that requires a one-two hour drive at least. The three of them would be bored to tears. He might renege on the deal when he saw the actual prices. Too risky. Instead we stayed home and did some research online.

ANY input at all is appreciated. My first inclination is the Bernina. Pros? Cons?




Hubby said he doesn't want me to put it off and end up not getting one. It would be fun to get it sooner rather than later!

My friends showered me with presents today too. I received a new cartridge for my Cricut -FUN! Some cabin-y placemats/napkins and potholders and towels. A reed diffuser - mmmmmm, lovely scent and some Bath & Body Works Lavender/vanilla sleep lotion and bath gel and candle. I received phone calls and emails as well.
This afternoon we went to see Journey to the Center of the Earth, but NOT in 3D (podunk town) and it was pretty good. It is always nice to see a movie that doesn't offend anyone in the family. Then we went to a very nice dinner out, overlooking the lake. The place has the BEST chocolate cake but we were all so full from dinner. Hmmmm, how about cake to go?? That was the ticket. Two pieces. The kids shared one and hubby and I shared the other. OY! I really do have to get back on the diet wagon. Tomorrow. REALLY!

On the sewing front...yesterday I was able to get the Warm & White for the quilt I am working on. I hope to get that to the quilters this week or next. I need to call them about the binding. They told me one width but the instructions on the pattern call for a different width. I am ready to start on a new project (ohhhhhhhhhh, or should I wait for a new machine???), but what it will be, I can't decide.

Praises - I thank God for every day that He has given me, for the family that He has allowed me to be a part of and for His saving grace. I thank Him for my brother's recovery from surgery and the adverse reaction to his meds.