All Through the House

Happy New Year!

2012-01-14T15:18:00.000-06:00

Okay...I'm a little late. Yes, it is the middle of January, but as the saying goes, "better late than never". Right?

I've been working on a Block of the Month with Jo's Country Junction called "Quilt Square Quilt Along". We will be using 3 different patterns from Lori Smith's designs, specifically Quilt Squares #1, Quilt Squares #4, and Quilt Squares #6. Each month, Jo will select a block to make from one of these patterns. This is the block for January. I used my leftover Kansas Troubles fabrics. The block measures 12" square. Why don't you hop on over to Jo's Country Junction and join the fun!

Finishing

2011-06-30T08:16:00.000-05:00

I have been working on finishing up some of my UFO's. I recently took a trip to my sister's house in Arizona, and made some progress on my slowly, but surely, dwindling pile of unfinished projects.

My sister owns a Gammill, so that made quilting the completed tops a breeze!

This was made from blocks from a BPF swap.

This UFO, entitled "Red Tidings" was made using scraps. It measures 80" x 80".

In all, 10 UFO's were quilted, bound, and crossed off the "To Do" list! Hooray!

Sweethearts

2011-06-16T18:33:00.000-05:00

My little Sweet Pea has been here for the past few weeks. We have had loads of fun and made just as many memories. Sweet Pea loves to watch the Food Network and is constantly coming up with new recipes, like her special "Veggie Pizzaz"! Our trip to the library resulted in a cookbook entitled, "Mom and Me Cookbook" by DK Books. She picked out the recipe she wanted to make, and we began...

First, we made jam from the strawberries from Papa's (great grandpa) garden.

Then I mixed up some cookie dough, and Sweet Pea rolled out and cut the cookies. I placed them in the oven to bake.

When cool, I frosted one cookie with butter cream icing, and my little Sweetie tenderly added the jam.

Next, the second cookie was placed on top, and voila!

Strawberry Jam Sweethearts!

They were sooo yummy...and they went very fast. My compliments to the Chef!

Finally, A Completed UFO!

2011-02-27T08:43:00.000-06:00

I am finally able to work on whittling away at my UFO list. This Zigzag quilt was on the list (notice the past tense here!!) It's now finished and donated to my local Project Linus chapter. The fabric for this quilt came to me as a bag of scraps. Putting it together was quick and fun. I did the machine quilting myself, although it has been more than a year since I have quilted anything on my machine, and it shows! Boy, was I out of practice. I thought about taking the quilting out and starting over, but that's not going to happen. So I officially declared it DONE!

Now on to another UFO, as well as getting projects ready for the upcoming retreat in May. I'm way behind!

Snowman Gift

2011-01-01T00:38:00.001-06:00

Recently, two of my friends(Michelle and Peggy) have posted on their blogs, cute little snowmen quilts displayed on a wire frame. I just loved them! I became inspired to make one, too, but knew it would just turn into another UFO. Really, I'm trying very hard not to create more UFOs. To my surprise, a package came from my sister the other day. Can you guess what was inside?!! Yep!! My very own snowman quilt in a cute little wire frame!! My sister embroidered the snowman in red (my favorite color) and embellished him with some cute snowflake buttons. Woohoo!!

Wool Round Robin

2010-12-30T07:25:00.004-06:00

I'm taking part in a Wool Round Robin with some friends from my May Retreat group. We will be passing these around each month until May, when we will reveal the final results at retreat. Each person in my group (there are 4 in each group) will add to the wool round, that I started at right, bringing it to life with cute appliques and embroidery embellishments. I started my "on the farm" themed wooly with a little sheep. Baa!

If you want to see what several others in my group have started off with, check out Michelle's and Laura's blog.

Using It Up

2010-12-15T08:18:00.003-06:00

This past year, I've been trying to use up the vast stash of fabric that I have in my house. I've made a number of quilts from my scraps, but the pile just isn't going down! This quilt is one I made yesterday from a dozen fat quarters that I had on hand. Even the borders came from my stash. The pattern is one I have had for many-a-year...it's a "stack and slice" technique...and is extremely easy and fast to construct. It will be quilted and given to the child of one of our fallen troops through my local Project Linus Chapter.

Has anyone else been successful at using up their stash? I know there are lots of blogs out there that are dedicated to stash busting if you are needing ideas on how to sort, cut, and use up that ever-growing pile of fabric!

...And All Through The House...

2010-12-11T10:12:00.004-06:00

...not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse! It is soooooo quiet here. My little Sweet Pea went home on Thursday, and now the house is practically empty! I miss her already.

I was finally able to get back into my sewing room. It's been a very long time, and much has been neglected. I was able to make a set of tea towels for a friend's birthday. Our birthdays are a day apart, and we were going to go to lunch today, but the icky Midwest weather decided to show itself, so we have put it off until next week (hopefully). The poor quality photo shows the towels. I hope she likes them!

Now, off to find another project to work on...the Good Lord knows I have way too many started!

Shoe Box Love

2010-11-17T06:31:00.005-06:00

I returned home from retreat on Sunday in time to start packing shoe boxes for Operation Christmas Child. Filling shoe boxes with gifts for children in need is an annual event for my family. We gather and collect items for the boxes all year long, and then in early November, the boxes are assembled, labeled, and taken to a local drop off center. This year, my little Sweet Pea was here to help...she packed 10 boxes herself! She had so much fun picking things out to put in the boxes, especially the candy. She said, "Everyone needs a little candy! It wouldn't be Christmas without it."! This year, my family was able to pack 74 shoe box gifts. If you would like to fill a shoe box for a child this Christmas,
there's still time. Just go to Samaritan's Purse to get all the details
and to find a drop off location near you!

It's Here!

2010-10-31T08:48:00.002-05:00

Happy Reformation Day!

An End to Summer

2010-09-15T13:04:00.004-05:00

Summer officially ended last week...at least for my house! Sweet pea spent most of the summer with us, and we have enjoyed her so much. There's never a dull or quiet moment when she is in the house...just the way a Grandma likes it. We ended her stay last week with a trip to the Putnam County Fair! She and Grandpa rode the rides (Grandma's not so good on these!!), ate hot dogs and popcorn, viewed the livestock exhibits, and topped the evening off with the demolition derby. I think Grandpa has found a new demo derby buddy. She was sooo cute yelling, "Go, Derby!"!!!

Butterfly Kisses

2010-07-22T07:58:00.004-05:00

My little Sweet Pea loves to draw! She spends hours each day drawing and coloring her favorite things...cats, Mommy, flowers, and butterflies, to name a few. Recently, she asked if we could make presents for her Mom. So we took one of her creations and made it into a kitchen towel for her Mom. Allyson picked all the fabrics for the towel, including some from her own stash. I think it turned out pretty cute, and her Mom will L.O.V.E. it!!

Mystery Guest

2010-07-11T15:56:00.003-05:00

Can you guess who has been staying at my house?

Feathered Star

2010-06-12T12:23:00.004-05:00

May was not only the big wedding month, but it was also the time for the annual BPF Retreat in Indiana. Six fun filled days of quilting with liked-minded friends! A group of us hit up a great quilt shop, The Back Door, on the way to the conference center, where I purchased this star quilt kit. It's a paper pieced Mini Feathered Star pattern by Cindi Edgerton of Little Bits. The fabrics are reproduction Colonial Christmas and it measures 17" square. I was able to start the flying geese units while at retreat, and then came home and put it away until after the wedding. It's now pieced and ready for quilting and binding!

Think I might have to make another one!!!

And The Two Became One

2010-06-02T14:20:00.002-05:00

My son, Jacob, married his beloved Rachel on Sunday! It was a beautiful, simple wedding ceremony held during the Sunday morning worship service. I hope that some day these two will share the story of their courtship. It is an encouraging one, and one that our children should hear. I know that they don't want to be in the spotlight, but they are a true testimony to what serving God with their heart, mind and body looks like. I cried on Sunday! I'm crying now!! Tears of joy!

Mrs. D's baby boy has taken a wife!!

Hope to post a few more pictures as soon as my darling daughter sends them to me!! Hint-hint!

Hiding in Plain Sight

2010-04-29T16:08:00.003-05:00

My husband has always liked to play games with our kids, from the time they were little into adulthood. Now he has another generation, with our adorable granddaughter, to play games with. One of their favorites to play is "Hide and Seek"! Grandpa always hides in plain sight...like the photo at left, where he is laying across the chairs under the dining room table. He is calling to her to come find him, and yet, she just doesn't know where he's at. She looks and looks, calling "Grannnndpa! Where arrrrrrre you?!!". And he replies, "I'm right here...in the dining room!". Finally, she spies him, and they both start laughing. It is a sound that brings me great joy.

The second photo is of a dish towel that my sister brought me in February. She machine embroidered the towel. Isn't it adorable!

"And I Made My First Block on the Sewing Machine!"

2010-03-29T08:32:00.006-05:00

My little Sweet Pea was here for the past month, and what a fun time we had! She got to use my sewing machine for the first time...and at age 4, that's a pretty big deal! My little travel machine, a Janome Jem 760, is just perfect for her...especially since I can slow the speed way down for her to learn to sew. Her first block was a simple strippy block, and she LOVED the process of picking her strips and sewing them on. The blocks are 12-1/2" and she was able to make 2 that day (we were at a Project Linus sewing day, so her blocks will be made into a quilt for another child who needs a blanket). Her enthusiasm spilled over into the following days and weeks, where she daily asked to sew! She also enjoyed her first Shop Hop, where she eagerly collected new fabrics for future projects. I am so excited to have another quilter in the family! She also made her Mom and her soon-to-be Auntie Rachel custom potholders! She drew her art work on squares of muslin, and then was able to sew simple borders on the squares. They are so cute, don't you think!

Oh...and while my little Sweet Pea was here, she learned to use her scissors...to cut her own hair!! Not suppose to happen at Grandma's!! Her Mom will be taking her to the hairdressers for her first haircut.

I'm My Beloved's and He Is Mine

2010-03-08T12:56:00.003-06:00

Happy Anniversary to my sweet hubby, Paul!

I know this sounds cliche-ish but, it's hard to believe it's been 29 years already. 1981 was a very good year!!

String Beans

2010-01-16T14:20:00.004-06:00

OK...so these don't exactly look like your favorite garden veggie variety, but a few weeks ago, when I was itching to sew something...anything...I sat down and made 83 of these green string blocks!! They measure 6.5" square, and I just randomly pulled from my green scrap drawer. Now, after 83 blocks you would think the scrap drawer would be noticeably less full. But, alas, NO!!!! I still had to hold the contents of the drawer down as I slid the drawer in!!! What is up with these scraps??? Don't get me wrong, I LOVE scraps! Love scrap quilts! But, I have been trying, and trying, and trying to use them up to no avail! I think it is hopeless, or at the very least, a conspiracy!!

So, what are your scrap busting ideas???

Merry Christmas

2009-12-25T07:32:00.001-06:00

Happy Birthday,

Jesus!

Tu-tu Cute

2009-12-13T12:55:00.003-06:00

What do you do when it is a very cold, snowy day and you have 6 yards of tulle??? Why, make a beautiful princess tu-tu, of course!!

My little Sweet Pea helped with this no-sew project, selecting all the colors of tulle, and then, their position on the elastic waistband. She embellished her tu-tu with ribbons and ribbon rosettes. I believe I hear the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies waltzing in my living room!

Tu-tu cute!

Christmas Lovin'

2009-12-12T07:03:00.005-06:00

For a number of years, I have participated in a retreat with women that I met through an online quilting e-Group. The retreats are wonderful, and I have met many great ladies that I now call my friends! This year, it was decided that the retreat group would do a little bit of Christmas Swapping amongst ourselves, drawing names and being matched up with those that wanted to "play". I had 2 names...which meant 2 boxes of goodies arriving at my house! The goodies on the left (snowman, lavender sachet, pink zipper bag, and faith sign) are from our retreat hostess, Angela. She is such a talented artist on so many fronts, and sells her original designs and patterns on Etsy and through her web store at www.thecountrycellar.com. Check her out...and maybe order a hand-did item or two!!!

The items on the right (hand dyed yarns, handmade soap, knitting needles, and dish cloth) are from Penny. Penny is one of Angela's sisters, and is quite talented in her own right. I'm excited to start a new project with the yarns Penny sent.

Thank you, both, for sending the lovin'! Looking forward to our retreat time in May!!

Where Does The Time Go?

2009-12-05T19:12:00.003-06:00

November was such I busy month! I celebrated another year, and my son announced his engagement to his beloved Rachel. She is so sweet, and a real blessing to our family. The above photo of my Mom, Rachel, and my son Jacob, was taken at my birthday luncheon at Honey Creek Resort on Lake Rathbun in Iowa. Oh, and guess who else joined us for the festivities...

...yep...my sweet little bundle of joy!! Do you know how hard it is to get a 4 year old to smile for the camera!! For some reason, she just wants to give a "posed" smile. Oh well!

Autumn Friendship Swap

2009-11-02T07:24:00.007-06:00

I recently participated in an Autumn Friendship Swap with an online group. Kate' from Washington state was my partner, and she made me some beautiful hand embroidered dish towels with coordinating crocheted dish cloths. They are wonderful, and great examples of fine workmanship. Also included were some fabulous recipes that I am anxious to try. Thank you, Kate'!! In return, I made Kate' the following fall wallhanging and apron. The apron had matching potholders, too, I just forgot to take a picture.

Needlebooks

2009-10-16T08:38:00.005-05:00

A few months ago, I participated in an online needlebook swap. The swap required participants to make 3 needlecases per set, and then send in your sets to be swapped. I just made and sent in one set, and the 3 needles case I received are posted at left! My needlebooks came from Holland (basket of flowers made from wool), Maryland (30's bowtie wallet style), and Texas (cute chicken...the wing lifts up to store your needles!)! The needlecase that I made and swapped, below, is made from 30's reproduction fabrics and was an original design.

Happy Birthday to You!

2009-10-07T06:57:00.009-05:00

Look who's having a birthday today!!

I bet you can't guess how old the birthday boy is!

Let me see...

Is it his first birthday? No.

Or his 7th birthday? No.

It's his 24th birthday!!

Happy Birthday, Jacob!

Who Loves Ya, Baby!

2009-09-28T09:51:00.004-05:00

It's not Kojack!! It's me!! It's me!!! Love you bunches!

(She was having some fun at her local county fair over the weekend!!)

Sing A Rainbow

2009-08-30T15:24:00.005-05:00

This picture was taken outside my back door a few weeks ago. It was one of those days where the sun was shining, and it was raining at the same time. Just knew there had to be a rainbow!! If you look carefully, you can even see a double rainbow. This had me thinking about, and remembering, my sweet granddaughter who was just here for a month. Every day she wanted to sing...and we had quite an extensive list of songs to sing! And ALWAYS there was at least one song about a rainbow. "Red, orange, yellow, green and blue. Don't forget there's purple, too! Rainbow colors for me and you!" was her favorite. I'd sing her several other rainbow songs, but for her, there was only one...HERS!! "Over the Rainbow", "Sing A Rainbow", "All the Colors of the Rainbow"...none of these would do! And no matter how hard I tried to teach her another one, she would sing loudly over the top of me to drown out the incorrect rainbow song!! LOL!!! "No, Grandma, it goes like this..."!!!

She also sang the cutest version of "Baa Baa Black Sheep". Her version went like this..."Baa baa black sheep, heavy heavy world..."!!!

Lions, and Tigers, and Cheetos! Oh My!!

2009-08-20T15:35:00.003-05:00

Have you seen these new Cheetos? They are huge! They are shown, at left, next to regular Ritz crackers and string cheese. They remind me of golf balls. I don't know what Chester Cheetah was thinking, but my sweet little granddaughter had a hard time taking a bite out of one of those monster snacks. However, she did manage to eat them all!!

Mini Road Trip

2009-07-26T06:00:00.003-05:00

We recently took a little trip from our home in northern Missouri to St Stephen, Minnesota to pick up my father-in-law, who was visiting from Seattle. On the way home, we paid a visit to some relatives in Iowa. While traveling across northern Iowa, I was amazed at the number of wind farms that have sprung up and now blanket the landscape! I know these have been in California for years, but to see them by the hundreds in the middle of the beautiful corn fields was a little disheartening. You might even say ugly!! I wonder if the farmers will regret allowing these on their land??

We ended our little trip in Columbia, Missouri where we met up with my son, Jacob and his friend, Rachel. (I think I caught Jacob with a very wide-eyed look!! Was it too much coffee??!!! LOL!!! Sorry, son!!)

Summertime!

2009-07-24T07:56:00.003-05:00

Guess who's back!! My sweet little Tootsie Roll! We are having oodles and oodles of fun. From swimming to playing in the fountain. She's even modeling the little dress I made her!!

I Love You Beary Much

2009-07-03T16:36:00.004-05:00

Another UFO finished...well, almost...it's not quilted yet!! The bear blocks were some of the first blocks that I made when I started quilting. They are hand pieced 9" blocks, and have been sitting in a plastic bag for more than 13 years. I decide this week that it was time...time for these bears to be a quilt and bring joy to a child in need. There are 6 blocks, but only 4 made it into the top. The other 2 will be used on the back.

UFO Finale

2009-06-28T17:51:00.004-05:00

I finished my final UFO, "Fallen Leaves", today! It is my 8th finished project of the 15 on my list. Not a bad finish...just over half of my listed UFO's are now complete, some have even been given away as gifts. The UFO Challenge ends on Tuesday, but none of the 7 remaining items will be done before then. In addition to these 8, I have also completed numerous other UFO projects. It feels good, and as Martha would say, "It's a good thing"!!! Hooray!

Dress Up Day!

2009-06-19T10:34:00.004-05:00

Earlier this week, I made a dress for my sweet granddaughter! I had purchased the fabric while I was in Arizona in April for just this dress. The fabric is Moda's "Summer Fun" by Deb Strain, and I used a pattern I purchased for cutting out the bodice, and then did my own thing for the rest of the cutting and sewing. I even did some "fussy cutting" to cover the buttons on the dress. Allyson will be here in a few weeks, and then we will be off to Seattle for a family reunion. I thought the "Summer Fun" fabric was a perfect choice for the event! I will be making her a matching purse for all of her little girly-girl needs! I tell you, it's like playing dolls all over again!

Progress

2009-06-16T13:03:00.003-05:00

I finished another UFO today! Hooray!! It is not one from my UFO Challenge List, but one of the many that would not fit onto the list of 15. This one was made entirely from scraps, in patriotic colors (I know, the photo is so dark - I even went outside to take the picture but it was overcast, so still not the best!!). The patchwork sashing around the stars are 2.5" squares cut from various red, white blue, and cream/tan fabrics. The inner border is red, and the outer border is blue. This quilt will be donated to the child of one of our fallen soldiers through Project Linus.

Blog Prizes

2009-06-09T15:33:00.005-05:00

I recently won a prize from M y Creative Corner's Blogiversary!! I was thrilled to receive in the mail this morning this lovely tatted cross for my Bible! How did Vicki know that I carry a very special tatted cross in my Bible...one my Grandma made for me when I was a child! It is one of my prized possessions!! So receiving this one was extra special, and will be at home in my Bible with the one from Grandma! Grandma's tatted cross is on the left with a red (my favorite color) ribbon through it, and the beautiful white one, on the right, is from Vicki!! This made my day!

Also in the envelope was loads of charms squares!They all have gold metallic thread in them, and will make for a pretty quilt!!

Thank you so much, Vicki!!

Small Finishes

2009-06-08T08:40:00.006-05:00

This weekend, I finished a couple of small quilts...finished, at least, to the "top" stage! They still need to be quilted.

The first is from a pattern called "Bloom" by Renee Plains of Liberty Star patterns. It measures approximately 25" x 29" and was made with 30's reproduction fabrics. It is sweet, and I made this almost entirely from my stash...almost!!

The second mini quilt was a kit I received while at retreat. We had a Brown Bag Swap, were one or more items of $15 to $20 value were placed in a sealed bag, and then swapped among participants! You didn't know what you were getting until you opened your bag!! It was so much fun, and the bags were filled with oodles of quality quilting stuff. My bag contained this kit, a spool of thread, and a package of cute cupcake note cards. The kit is called "Pat's Fresh Farm Flowers" by Pat Sloan. It was quick and easy to make, but I'm still trying to decide how I want to quilt it.

Finished Objects

2009-06-07T13:13:00.005-05:00

I've been working away at my UFO's for the challenge I entered into in January. So far, I have completed 7 of the 15 named UFO's. The first one is called "Jolene Star" by Laundry Basket Quilts. It was from a kit of Civil War reproduction fabrics I had purchased from Backdoor Quilts while at the AQS show in Des Moines, IA last fall.

The second finish is tablerunner. It, too, was a kit I had purchased from Prairie Star Quilts while at the AQS show. The kit was actually a one star wallhanging, but there was enough fabric in this kit to make 3 stars! So I put them together to make a tablerunner for my long dining room table! This also was made with Civil War reproduction fabrics.

The third UFO completed is a homespun snowball quilt. Most of the blocks were acquired through an online swap many years ago. I added a few extra blocks to make it a usable size, and then added a piano key border.

It is a good feeling to have completed 7 of my UFOs. I may be able to complete one more before the challenge ends on June 30th.

Duty Calls

2009-05-28T14:00:00.002-05:00

We are taking our sweet granddaughter home today...early!! I've been summoned for jury duty, and have to report next week, so home she must go! For her "farewell" luncheon, Allyson chose Pizza Ranch (or Pizza Branch, as she calls it!!)...her favorite!! G.G. joined us and we had a great time! I so hate to see her go, but know that she will be back again in July for a longer visit! And jury duty should be over with by then!

Out of the Sawdust

2009-05-22T06:51:00.005-05:00

Just returned from a very memorable retreat! This was the best retreat...the fellowship was fabulous, loads of laughter, and so many fun projects were made!

The first night of the retreat, a typical spring storm moved in, including thunder, lightening, rain, and straight-line winds. The winds moved in and out very quickly, but not before pushing a large maple tree onto my car! As demonstrated by the photo at left, the car was a total loss. I continually thank God that only the car was damaged and all human life was spared! Just 20 feet in another direction, and the tree could have fallen on the retreat center with all of us in it! My insurance company set me up with a rental car, and I was able to resume my time at retreat and them head home.

This is my new car! It's a PT Cruiser, and it is so much fun! (Yes, Jacob, it's an "old lady's car"!!! LOL!!) This baby will hold lots of quilting stuff for the next retreat! Ladies, I'm so ready...but I get the parking spot farthest away from the trees!!

Burned Hard-Boiled Eggs

2009-05-11T09:19:00.005-05:00

Yes, hard-boiled eggs, do, indeed, burn! As I was attempting to get myself ready to head out for a retreat tomorrow morning, I was making sure my sweet husband had some food prepared in my absence. This included some chicken, and 9 hard-boiled eggs. I put the eggs on to boil, and headed upstairs with a load of "put away" items, then I'd come back down stairs and set the timer for the eggs to boil their allotted 10 minutes. While upstairs, I found some binding for a quilt ready to be sewn together, so I quickly made the binding, and then decided to apply it to the quilt. That didn't take long, either. I was feeling pretty good about the entire process...only an hour to do the binding and the "put aways". I had laid the quilt out on the floor to admire it's beauty, when I heard a loud "pop"! I thought to myself, "Wonder what that was?"!! Then, the smell of burnt toast was enveloping the room. I thought to myself, "Wonder what that could be? Is one of the neighbors burning tree limbs again?". So, I decided to investigate. As I made my way to the staircase, it occurred to me what the smell was!! I panicked, and ran! THE EGGS! I had completely forgotten about them! The loud "pop" I heard was the eggs exploding! The pan had boiled dry, and was not far from catching fire! I turned the gas burner off, and thanked my God for sparing me a house fire! Think I might have to buy a new pan, too!

Bunny Update!

2009-05-01T07:28:00.004-05:00

Here's a little update on the bunnies...there are 5! The Momma moved them this week...a whole 2 feet north of their birth location!!! Still in the middle of the lawn, next to the dog pen. They are not under the the clothes line anymore, but beside it. LOL!!! The Momma Bunny has been spotted tending to her young, and they are growing rapidly. I find it interesting that the only protection these babies have is the taller grass around them. Nothing over the top to shelter them from the daily rain we have been having.

Bunny Fever

2009-04-28T19:09:00.003-05:00

It's spring in Northern Missouri, and that means new life on the farm...including the rabbits! A wild rabbit decided to give birth to her new babies right in the middle of our lawn! 10 feet from the dog pen. Under the clothesline. In the middle of the back lawn. These are brand new babies...they're still furless! The baby bunnies (in the picture at left) are hidden under the fur-lined nest their Momma made them. She was nowhere in sight when I took the picture, but I'm sure she was watching nearby. My husband is out mowing the lawn this evening, and I told him to be sure and skip that part of the lawn for a while!! Usually, these little bunnies are born in less obvious places..not sure why the Momma decided to choose a very open, visual spot. It will be fun to watch them grow and leave the nest!

All Dressed Up

2009-04-13T18:40:00.003-05:00

This is my second "cuddle quilt" for the retreat I'm going to in May. The pattern is called "Darci's Dress Up" by Quilted Quickies. There is also a modified version of this pattern in the current issue of Quick Quilts magazine. I used Mary Engelbreit's "Recipe for Friendship" fabric (layer cake) to make the quilt. The little purses in the corners were my idea!!

I'm off to Arizona in the morning to visit my sister, and to quilt my large stack of quilt tops!!

He Has Risen Indeed!

2009-04-12T06:34:00.002-05:00

A Joyous Resurrection Day to You!

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who according to His great mercy
has caused us to be born again to a living hope
through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
to obtain an inheritance which is
imperishable and undefiled
and will not fade away,
reserved in heaven for you,
who are protected by the power of God
through faith
for a salvation ready to be revealed
in the last time.

1Peter 1:3-5

Cuddle Quilt

2009-03-31T08:09:00.003-05:00

I've been working on a couple of baby quilts for a retreat I will be attending in Indiana mid May. As an "entrance fee" to the retreat, we are to make and bring a baby quilt for the local crisis pregnancy center. I have made two -- one for a boy and one for a girl! The baby boy quilt, shown at left, is made of flannel, and is so cuddly soft! The little girl quilt needs the borders sewn on, and then it will be ready to be quilted. Will post a photo as soon as the borders are on!!

I am so looking forward to the retreat in May! It is with a group of wonderful women from an online quilting group that I have been a part of for many years. We come from all corners of the U.S., as well as one from Canada, to Indiana for 4 days of quilting and laughter.

Spring Shop Hoppin'

2009-03-21T08:00:00.006-05:00

Yesterday, I participated in my first Shop Hop of the year! It was a small Shop Hop, as most of the stores are very rurally located, and travel between the shops was long. But the weather was great, and I managed to hit all 6 shops, and submit my card for entry to win some great prizes.

At left are a few of the goodies I bought on my Hop! I'm planning on making a tote bag with the "Fresh" charm pack and coordinating fabrics, and a quilt with the Mary Engelbreit "Recipe for Friendship" layer cake and coordinating fabric. The pattern, called "Bloom", is so sweet, and I will make this one up using my 30's reproduction fabric stash.

Each of the participating shops on the Hop were giving away packets of quilt seeds...twenty 2-1/2" squares of coordinating fabrics! In addition, each shop gave away a free pattern representing their take on the "Springtime Garden" theme using the quilt seeds. I came home with several really cute embroidery and wallhanging patterns. I'm ready to get started on a few, but they will have to wait until I finish up a few more UFO's!!

Lessons From Mama - Block #4

2009-02-28T09:05:00.003-06:00

Month four from "Lessons from Mama" is complete! I picked my kit up yesterday, and made the block this morning. These are not difficult blocks, and I'm so glad to be completing these, in a timely fashion, as I get them. In the past, when I've participated in BOM programs, I would procrastinate on getting started, only to have the blocks pile up and become overwhelming. This is why last year's Thimbleberries Big Quilt BOM is still sitting on the floor in my sewing room, incomplete. I am working on it, and plan to have it completed by year's end.

Because He Loves Me

2009-02-14T09:53:00.005-06:00

My sweet hubby
sent me this
bouquet of tulips for
Valentine's Day...

...because he loves me!

For the Love of ME

2009-02-02T08:01:00.004-06:00

...Mary Engelbreit, that is! This is one of my UFO's (not on the challenge list), and it is now a quilt top! This is just a panel that I put several borders on, and paper pieced the little pinwheel corner stones. Quilting to come soon, as I hope to give this as a gift to a friend.

Yesterday, my local quilt shop hosted a "Quilter's Rumble" at a local community center. This was an all day event for those of us who are Super Bowl widows or non-football enthusiasts. It was a time to sew on any project you wanted and share in some good fellowship. So, I brought my ME fabrics that I purchased several years ago, and started on my top. I finished up the last border this morning.

An Honest Tag

2009-01-30T07:58:00.004-06:00

My friend, Angela, recently tagged me for the "Honest Scrap"! It is my duty to reveal 10 honest things about myself that I have never blogged about, as well as list 5 addictions. Then I'm to tag 5 of my blogging friends to do the same.

1. I meet my husband on a blind date. We were married 10 months later.

2. I love bread...especially homemade bread. Had to quit making it though, as it seems the bread loves me back just as much!

3. I used to be very skinny! My nickname in school was "Twiggy", and I weighed 107 lbs when I got married.

4. I cut my fabric using the lines on my cutting mat!

5. I have a fear of heights. Consequently, I don't like to fly, or go up into tall buildings, etc!

6. I'm a "saver"! My daughter was recently surprised to learn I still had her Popples and Trapper Keepers from her childhood!

7. I have always loved dolls! I still have most of my dolls from childhood, too...Barbie, Mrs. Beasley, Chrissy, and numerous others.

8. I play the guitar.

9. I wanted to be a forest ranger.

10. I'm, technically, a high school drop-out! Yes, I have a high school diploma, but I had to drop out of high school in order to graduate a year early!!!

Five addictions: fabric, granddaughter, antique sewing cabinets, Bath & Bodyworks glycerin bar soap, and bread!!!

So, now I tag Peggy, Michelle, and anyone else who would like to share, honestly, about themselves!

Sewing Some Love

2009-01-26T09:07:00.004-06:00

This morning, I made this little tote bag for my sweet granddaughter. It was so much fun to make, and took no more than an hour of my time! I will fill it with other goodies that I have been collecting for Valentine's Day. My granddaughter is such a little girlie-girl...and a pack-rat!! What better than a new purse to carry all her treasures in! The tote/purse measures 7.5" x 6" (not including the handles), and was made with the "Strawberry Lemonade" fabric line by Moda.

Red Roses from the Garden

2009-01-24T14:39:00.002-06:00

This morning, I have been working on a very old UFO. (And this one happens to be on my UFO Challenge list! Yay!) This is one of my early quilting projects, and I had originally planned on making this quilt for my bed. But, I was still new to quilting, and I did not buy enough fabric, and, as you may have guessed, the fabric was no longer available (it was a WalMart find). So, I put it away for many years, and came across it several years ago. I almost scrap piled it!! I'm glad I didn't! I like the little quilt (it's lap size), and I'll be even happier when it is quilted, bound, and on my quilt rack!

Thanks, Jacob, for the "EV Settings" suggestion on my camera. I have been playing with it, and it has helped! I will need to play more, but at least I know there is a solution! This picture was taken with the new setting, and although one side of the picture is still dark, it is mostly due to the fact that the top is not laying flat and creating its own shadow.

Lessons From Mama - Block #3

2009-01-24T07:24:00.004-06:00

Here is the January block from the "Lessons from Mama" BOM. The colors are pink and green (not the peach and brown that they look in the picture!!) This was a quick block to make...just a nine patch variation!

Does anyone have any tips for taking better pictures?? I sure am frustrated with how the colors turn out so dark when I take photos indoors. ~sigh~

No Longer An Alien!

2009-01-23T10:16:00.004-06:00

I completed one of my UFO's this morning! Yay! It's not one of the "chosen 15" for the UFO Challenge, but a UFO none the less! And I'm so glad to have it finished! It is a charity quilt, and will be given to a little girl in need of some huggin' in about an hour. I should have taken a close-up picture of the main fabric...it's adorable. A little girl, wearing a big floppy hat, playing in the big ol' hat box, with 3 sweet bunnies looking on! The border fabrics are pink and blue mini dots, even though the pink looks red in the photo. I still haven't figured out how to get a better quality photo indoors!

2009 UFO Challenge

2009-01-18T09:15:00.004-06:00

An online quilt group that I belong to has started their 2009 UFO Challenge! For this challenge, I was to pick 15 of my UFO's and complete them by June 30th! The hard part was choosing just 15! I'm sorry to admit I have many more than 15 unfinished projects. But I have been chipping away at my stack of UFO's over the past 2 years, and it is getting smaller (although hard to tell!!). In addition, I've been trying to use up lots of fabric in my stash...you know, to make room for all of the new pretties coming out! The blocks in the photo are from one of my UFO's. It is a scrappy pineapple block using up some of my blues, greens, and white "leftovers". I am always amazed at how many quilt tops I can make from a little drawer of scraps. Just doesn't seem to make much of a difference in the volume of scraps...I'm convinced they must be reproducing in the bin...or something! Do you have UFO's to complete?

Playing House

2009-01-06T14:49:00.003-06:00

My sweet granddaughter is here! We've been having so much fun playing house! I always wanted a dollhouse when I was a child, but never had one...at least that I can remember...so I bought my granddaughter one!! Isn't that how it's suppose to work!! Sounded like good reasoning to me! Anyway, granddaughter is standing in front of the "inside" portion of the house. We have a tub full of furniture, dolls, and horses to go with, but she had not, at this point "decorated" the new house! According to Mommy, "decorating" is my granddaughter's new hobby!!! And Grandma loves to be able to play dolls once again!

Lessons From Mama - Block #2

2008-12-23T12:24:00.002-06:00

Yesterday, I picked up the December kit for the "Lessons from Mama" BOM. I came straight home and cut out the pieces for the block. Then, this morning, I sewed them together...and it's done!! Yay! I'm really trying to complete each block when I receive the kit so that it will be complete at the end of the year. I'm implementing new habits!! So far, so good! The picture is dark (going to have to learn about lighting and taking pictures!!)...the color of the stars are a pretty cranberry-ish color. The block measures 18-1/2".

TAG! I'm It!!

2008-12-19T13:12:00.004-06:00

My friend, Laura, tagged me to share about the 6th photo in my 6th folder! I was a little worried at first, because I don't have 6 folders of photos!! The computer I use belongs to my son, who now uses a Mac Book and has no current need for a desktop unit. He has loads of photos neatly arranged in folders on the computer, and I was afraid that folder #6 would be one of his. But it's one of MINE!! Yay! So, without further ado, here is the 6th photo in folder #6! This photo was taken on May 12, 2007 on the occasion of my son's graduation from Hillsdale College. He is holding his niece (my sweet granddaughter), Allyson. Hard to believe that Jacob graduated college almost 2 years ago! He is now teaching high school Latin and Humanities at a private school in St. Louis.

A Little Bit of Nostalgia

2008-12-13T07:16:00.004-06:00

While cleaning out the linen closet last week, I came upon this old pillowcase from my childhood! I received this pillowcase as a Christmas gift from my brother when we were both in grade school. Craig has always been a talented artist, much like our Dad, and this is evidence of his early start. He used a set of those ball-point paints (something "new" at the time) to create the image, and if memory serves me well, he also made several other sets of pillowcases that year, for our grandparents, as gifts.

Paid to Shop!

2008-12-11T15:50:00.004-06:00

I was paid to shop today! I was paid $11.02 for buying the items in the photo!! I received 1 box of Rice Krispies, 1 bottle of Arm & Hammer Laundry detergent, 4 bags of Hershey's holiday chocolates (in various flavors), 4 Hershey's candy bars, 3 toothbrushes, 8 rolls of Scotch brand tape, 2 Johnson & Johnson First Aid kits, 1 package of Cascade dishwasher soap, and a roll of Reynold's Wrap! My total at the store, after coupons, was $1.68, but I will get another $12.70 in rebates, resulting in the $11.02 overage! Did I mention that I had $41.37 in coupons...making my store purchase $43.05 before coupons and rebates! Another "Cyndi" for sure!! I am a long time coupon shopper and rebater, and I so enjoy finding the bargains, especially the ones that "pay"!!

Removing Wallpaper

2008-12-04T07:33:00.004-06:00

Yesterday, I began the process of removing the old wallpaper from the master bedroom closet. We already went through this process for the master bedroom, itself, when we moved in, but did not have time to do the closet. So the closet has sat empty (well, sort of...it had become a "collect-all" for various odds and ends!!), waiting to be finished. There were only 2 layers of wallpaper in the closet! The top layer, the oh-so-pretty green, was applied in the late 1970's or early 1980's. The second layer, the lighter color on the plaster wall, was probably original to the house. As I remove the old paper, I am finding an occasional horse hair from the paste used to apply the wallpaper! There are a few minor cracks in the plaster that my husband will repair, and then I will apply the new wallpaper. It will be soooooo nice to have my clothes back in the closet!! They have been resting on racks in the bedroom since we moved in!!!

Lessons From Mama

2008-11-30T16:09:00.004-06:00

My local quilt shop started a new Block of the Month last Saturday. For the past 2 years, the shop has had the Thimbleberries Big Quilt Block of the Month program. This year, the shop owner decided enough of the Thimbleberries BOM, and decided on "Lessons From Mama" by Atkinson Designs. I purchased the book, and then, each month, I will get a new kit for that month's block! I'm excited that I have already completed the first block before November ended!!! Perhaps I'm on to something!!

The First Fall of Snow

2008-11-30T08:33:00.003-06:00

Woke up this morning to our first snowfall! Only received about 1-1/2", and it's a wet snow at that. This is the view from the front porch, looking northward. Sure does put some life into singing those fun Christmas-time songs!!

"Oh, the weather outside is frightful,
but the fire is so delightful.
And since we've no place to go,
Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!"

Mailman's Offering!

2008-11-25T10:45:00.002-06:00

Look what the Mailman brought!! A box full of goodies that I won from Sweet Liberty's blog giveaway!! I still can't believe I actually won all of this...2 "Coming Home" charm packs, 2 patterns, a cute hot chocolate mug, some peppermint hot chocolate, and a box of candy!! Whoo-hoo!! Thank you so much, Jennifer!

(Sorry for the dark photo...again!!)

Birthday Surprises!

2008-11-24T09:31:00.004-06:00

My birthday was Saturday, and I had a fun day! First, my son called earlier in the week and left a message on my voice mail wishing me an early "Happy Birthday", then my husband took the day off from work, and we spent the day delivering shoe boxes for Operation: Christmas Child, searching through antique shops, and enjoying an evening meal at a new restaurant. My sister sent me a fun quilty box full of the goodies in the picture...2 bundles of wool felt, thread, cupcake fabric, pattern book, and a fun tote bag(oops...the tote bag must have been camera shy!)! When we returned home, there was the sweetest message waiting for me on our answering machine...an adorable rendition of "Happy Birthday to you" sung by my 3 year old granddaughter! You can bet that message won't be erased! And to top it off, yesterday, Mom took me to lunch at another fun restaurant in an historic hotel and gave me money for fabric shopping! I am truly blessed!

Shoebox Time!

2008-11-20T16:05:00.003-06:00

It's shoebox time! Every year, for the past 15-16 years, my family has filled shoebox gifts for Operation: Christmas Child. And each year, we try to fill at least one more box than the previous year. Last year we filled 62 boxes...we are hoping for near 70 this time around! This is so much fun, and something that all ages can participate in. My family collects items for the boxes all year long (thereby making it much easier to fill 60+ boxes), taking advantage of sales and other bargains. Then, in early to mid November, we gather all of the stuff we have collected, and start filling boxes.

Mom and I filled about 30 boxes today...we hope to have the rest finished by tomorrow.

It's not too late for you to fill a shoebox! The nationwide collection drive runs through November 24. Check out Samaritan's Purse's website for a drop-off location near you!

Helping Others

2008-11-11T16:52:00.003-06:00

In addition to finishing up on some of my UFO's, I've been working on a few other projects for some good causes! The 30's reproduction quilt is for a friend that was just diagnosed with cancer. Our Tuesday quilting group wanted to wrap her in a great big hug, so we each made a block or two and put them together into a comfy quilt. A friend will be quilting it, and it should be around her shoulders soon!

The second quilt was made for a friend's Dad, who was recently diagnosed with terminal cancer. Again, our Tuesday quilting group decide to make a cozy quilt to comfort Dad while he lives out his last days, and to let our friend know that we were thinking about her and praying for her. The quilt is soooo much more prettier in person! It was made from fall colored flannels, and makes you just want to cuddle up with it! Another friend from the group quilted it and did an outstanding job...unfortunately, you cannot see it from the photo.

Lastly, the third photo is a quilt I made for our local chapter of Project Linus. The fabric came from an online ABC Swap. Each person picks a letter of the alphabet, chooses a fabric to represent that letter, and then cuts out 27 ten inch squares. In turn, each participant will receive 26 alphabetical squares, with the 27th set going to charity. The hostess picked Project Linus, and this is what I chose for the quilt top.

Pinwheels on Parade

2008-11-10T10:55:00.002-06:00

I finished another UFO today!! Hooray!! The 10" red and white pinwheel blocks were from an online swap several years ago. I needed to make a few more to make this quilt the size I wanted. I picked up the pretty red border fabric on Friday at my new local quilt shop, Stitch-n-Tyme , and put it on this morning! The photo is dark, something I have trouble with when taking photos in the house, but the reds are so pretty! Did I mention that red is my favorite color? Can't wait to get this one quilted! I've been working on several other UFO's, so maybe I will get them completed, and photos posted here later!

Side Tracked!

2008-11-02T07:20:00.004-06:00

Yep!!! Instead of finishing some of the projects I've already started, I just had to make something new!! This was a pattern that I bought at the AQS show last month in Des Moines. It's called "Jolene Star" by Laundry Basket Quilts. It was fun to do, although a little bit of a learning curve for me! This pattern came with a set of 3 acrylic templates, so cutting was a bit slow...and I had to cut off a gazillion little "bunny ears"! The table topper measures 24" x 28". Quilting it via the sewing machine is next.

Fall Is In The Air!

2008-10-21T07:35:00.004-05:00

Finished up another UFO yesterday! This was a kit I received last fall in an online swap. The pattern is Little Bits: Fallen Leaves by Cindi Edgerton. It is a paper-pieced pattern, which I love to do!! It is now complete, sandwiched with batting and backing, and I hope to have it quilted this week. Just trying to decide if I should hand quilt or machine quilt. It is small enough (22" x 22") that hand quilting would be very doable for me.

Look Who's 3!

2008-10-20T07:16:00.005-05:00

Happy, Happy Birthday, Sweet Allyson!

Grandma loves you
bunches!

FINALLY!!!!!

2008-10-19T09:41:00.004-05:00

I finished my 2007 Thimbleberries House and Garden Big Club quilt!!!!! Why I waited so long to finish, I don't know. I've had the inner quilt completed, and the borders pieced and cut, just waiting to be put on. For some reason, I thought the borders were not going to go on very easy...but I was VERY wrong! They went on slick! It is a big quilt, so the photo is not so good!! Didn't have anyone to hold the top up for me, so I had to lay it on the floor, and it was too big for the camera's viewfinder!!! Now to get it quilted. And since I've finished the 2007 quilt, I can now start on the 2008 Thimbleberries Big Club quilt!! I think I'm doing pretty good here, as 2008 is not over yet!! LOL!!! One can hope!

A Gift from God

2008-10-07T06:00:00.006-05:00

Happy 23rd Birthday, Jacob!

I prayed for this child,
and the LORD has
granted me
what I asked
of him.
So now I give him
to the LORD.
For his whole life
he will be given over
to the LORD.

1 Samuel 1:27-28

Whew! What A Busy Few Weeks!

2008-10-02T09:27:00.004-05:00

It sure has been a busy few weeks! It started off
with a trip to Tennessee and the marriage of our daughter! She was a beautiful bride. We brought our granddaughter home with us for a week, to play with Grandma and Grandpa!! On our trip home from Tennessee, we received word that my sweet mother-in-law had passed away, and so, after a 12 hour drive from Tennessee, we unpacked the suitcase and repacked, so that my husband could fly to Seattle to be with his family. Did I mention that it's a 3 hour drive to the airport!! Only 3 hours of sleep was had that night! So hubby went to Seattle, and granddaughter and I stayed home and played. Ally went home yesterday, and Grandma is recouping!! LOL!!! Oh, to have the energy these little ones possess!!

Planning Ahead

2008-09-15T09:47:00.005-05:00

I finished up 2 sets of blocks this weekend for an upcoming online Primitive Folk Art Applique swap I'm participating in. The first is from an embroidery pattern by The Country Cellar that I thought would be cute done in applique. The sunflower is from a quilt book I had.

The swap blocks are not due until next month, but I will have my granddaughter here for a week or so and will not have time to work on them once she is here. Then, my sister and I will be heading to Des Moines for the AQS show the beginning of October.

Happy Birthday, Mom!

2008-09-12T06:17:00.004-05:00

Today is my Mom's 71st birthday!

Born September 12, 1937, Betty Lu, and her twin brother Bobby Lee, are the 10th and 11th of 12 children born to Ada and Dale Fullerton. May God bless her with many, many more years!

Happy Birthday, Mom!

$5.26

2008-09-03T16:40:00.004-05:00

That's what I paid for these groceries...$5.26! 6 boxes of cereal, 2 large boxes of Pop Tarts, 2 packages of Keebler cookies, 1 package of crunchy Cheetos, 1 tube of Colgate toothpaste, and 2 sticks of Right Guard deodorant. This is what my Mom and I affectionately refer to as a "Cyndi" (Cyndi is my sister, and she is the coupon and bargain-finder queen. She is one of those who can get $250.00 worth of groceries for $25.00! The store clerk closes her lane to ring her purchases up, because it takes a while to run the coupons through.)! I have been a coupon shopper and rebater for more than 25 years! As I have not held a job outside of the home for 23 years, I have always looked for ways to save some of the hard earned money my husband makes. And, besides, it's fun to shop for the bargains! Now, I, nor my family, do not always eat or use some of the items that I get, so they are given to friends or family, donated to the local food bank or woman's shelter, or put in shoe boxes for Operation Christmas Child. Just this last week, I took a large shopping bag full of dog and cat food (all free with coupons!) to my local animal shelter. They were thrilled to receive the donation! Over the course of the year, the coupons accumulate to hundreds and hundreds of dollars saved...that means more money for fabric, a new sewing machine, vacation, or ????

Working My Way To Cumberland

2008-09-01T10:54:00.003-05:00

I'm ready for a little update on my "Cumberland" blocks. They are done, and laid out on a bed, for the finished effect. Too bad the picture is so dark. It really does look pretty. I just need to finish making the hst for the border, then I can sew this all together! Stay tuned...

A Day for a Wedding

2008-08-31T18:09:00.006-05:00

Yesterday was a beautiful day here in Northern Missouri. The sun was shining, the sky was blue, a light breeze blew, and the humidity was low! A perfect day for an outside wedding. Our friend's oldest son was married yesterday, outside on the family farm. Although one of the shortest ceremonies I have attended, it was quite lovely in the afternoon sun. Somehow, it made me feel so old when the little boy that use to run around my house and play with my son, grew up and took a family of his own!

We pray God's guidance on their marriage.

Much love to Ben and Molly!

Doing the Triangulation!

2008-08-30T08:53:00.006-05:00

I'm working on another scrap quilt using my leftover Thimbleberries fabrics. The quilt is called "Cumberland" and is made entirely with 3" finished half square triangles (hst). Since I'm needing approximately 300 hst, I decided to use the Triangulation software to make the process faster and more accurate. You can get an idea of what the block will look like from the photo on the left. Just imagine it sewn together!!

Using My Noodles

2008-08-20T08:50:00.004-05:00

I made this braid tablerunner over the weekend from a pattern I bought several years ago! I wanted to give it a try as it is a "quilt-as-you-go" style pattern. The borders were leftover fabrics from an apron swap I was in last fall, and the braids are from a 2.5" noodle swap I participated in from an online swap group! The "quilt-as-you-go" technique was easy and fun, but I did not like the looks of the finished quilting on the back of the runner. I used white muslin for the backing fabric, and I think a print fabric would have hid the quilting! Should I choose to make this again, I will know better!!

Sweet Sunshine

2008-08-08T17:17:00.004-05:00

Just finished some sewing for the day! It's a cute quilt for ME!!! I think this will be a first! I made this from scraps from my Thimbleberries leftovers! That's right...this is a "freebie"! Just love it when I can get another quilt from my leftovers and cast offs. Sad part is, you cannot tell I used up any of my scraps! I used the "Sweet Sunshine" pattern from This & That patterns by Sherri K. Falls. The pattern is charm pack friendly, but I just cut nickel squares from my scrap drawer. The finished size is 60" x 60". Now, to get it quilted!!!

Yodel-Le-He-Hoo!

2008-08-05T12:35:00.005-05:00

One of my husband's and mine's favorite places to go when in Washington is the Bavarian town of Leavenworth. Leavenworth is nestled on the eastern slopes of the Cascade Mountains, just 30 minutes from Steven's Pass. In the 1960's, this railway town was transformed into a Bavarian-themed city, in hopes of bringing in year-round tourism. Well, it worked!! Needless to say, not only did hubby and I enjoy the trip, but I think a good percentage of the state's population was there as well!! It was very crowded to say the least!

Leavenworth was just finishing up it's "Arts in the Park" series for the summer, so we were able to take in some of the traditional German music, as well as arts and crafts booths set up in the park.
Shopping in the shops was fun, too, but so many of them seemed the same!! Leavenworth does have a quilt shop, although quite small, but it doubles as a bed and breakfast that holds quilt retreats and such. I was able to find a fun pattern in this shop!

While strolling the streets of Leavenworth, we happened upon an ice cream shop that actually had "no sugar added" ice cream!! I was able to have a scoop of the Huckleberry Heaven! WOW...it was fantastic! "Heaven" was just about right on this one!! LOL!!! Huckleberries grow wild in the Cascade Mountains, and huckleberry products are found in almost all of the tourist-y places (gift shops, airports, Leavenworth!!). Huckleberries are yummy!

And, finally, what trip to eastern Washington would be complete without some Wenatchee grown Bing Cherries! These are soooo much bigger, and sweeter, than the ones in the grocery store in the Midwest! These little beauties were bigger than a quarter!

Oh, Washington, My Home...

2008-08-03T10:02:00.007-05:00

...Yes, that is the state song!! Spent a week in Seattle...well, not Seattle proper, mostly in Woodinville, where my in-laws live, but most would not know where I was unless I say Seattle!! Woodinville is on the "east side" of Seattle. Before our big move to Missouri in 1994, we lived in Duvall, another "east side" community, set in the foothills of the Cascade mountains. It was a rural community, filled with dairy farms. Now it is a suburb, with all but a few of the farms still in existence. But it is still beautiful country! Just a 30 minute drive up the valley from Duvall sits the town of Snoqualmie. What makes Snoqualmie famous is the Falls!! Just had to go and take in their beauty. There is a wonderfull lodge (Salish Lodge) that you can see to the top, left of the Falls, that has a fabulous breakfast! Wasn't able to partake this time, but will make it a stop on the next trip!

I managed to get in a mini shop hop of my own while home! Went to quilt shops in Duvall, Monroe, Woodinville, Redmond, and Bothell. Keepsake Cottage Fabrics, in Bothell, was by far my favorite. This shop is small, but every inch of space was used! Lots and lots of great fabrics and quilts on display. They even had a room devoted to 30's reproduction fabrics!! I brought home lots of goodies!

A Sweet Companion

2008-08-01T20:28:00.004-05:00

Our sweet "little" Merfie O'Gracie has died! Merf, an Irish Wolfhound, was our son's dog. She was such a love. Irish Wolfhounds are a large breed dog (known as "Gentle Giants"), and Merf was "small" for her breed at 140 lbs. and a little under 6' in height! But she was 140 lbs of lovin'!! She loved human contact, and would lean into you when you stood near her. If you were to sit next to her, she thought she was a small lap dog, and tried to sit on you! What a sight that was! She loved BIG trucks and tractors that went down our street. She galloped after them like a clumsy horse! She will be missed, and remembered fondly!

We're Off!!

2008-07-21T16:47:00.004-05:00

We're on our way to Seattle to visit with my mother- and father-in-law, extended family and friends! The photo is from 1985, on the ocassion of my in-laws' 40th wedding anniversary. This October, they will celebrate 63 years of marriage. What an incredible milestone...one I hope my husband and I can emulate!

My husband (third from right) is the 7th of 10 children born to Andy and Bertha!

And Here's The Second Tote!

2008-07-12T17:22:00.005-05:00

Today, the mailman was gracious enough to bring me the fabric I had ordered! Which means I was able to finish the second tote that I was working on. Ta-da!!

I used Moda's "A Day in the Country" charm pack that my sister sent me a while back. It really is a pretty tote...pinks and browns! And the lining/handle fabric is pictured behind the charm pack...what I had been patiently waiting on!

Not sure why my pictures tend to come out on the dark side! Maybe I need more lighting.

All My Bags Are Packed...

2008-07-10T15:38:00.003-05:00

...well, not quite, but they will be very soon! My husband and I will be heading out to Seattle in a little over a week. Just had to get this purse done so I could fill it with handiwork to take along. I bought the "Freshed Squeezed" charm pack while on the way to retreat this past May, and have been anxious to sew it up! I have another one started, but had to order some lining fabric, so I'm waiting on the mailman.

Braggin' Rights

2008-07-08T09:43:00.006-05:00

Since my Dad retired a few years back, he has been busy making "things"! I've been blessed repeatedly to be the recipient of his handy work. As he is the son of a carpenter, perhaps he comes by this naturally. Today, I found this adorable picnic table on my front porch! It's a "little" version for my grandchildren.

Here's a few more pictures of his creations! This is a mission style chair he made for my husband's 50th birthday this past May (note the hand carved duck decoy on the table...yep, Dad made that, too!)And here's a little table and 2 chairs he made for the grandkids when they come. Allyson and I have been hosting tea parties with it!

And, finally, here's a bench that Dad made for me! My daughter made the pillows.

Happy Birthday, Dad!

2008-07-07T15:50:00.008-05:00

Today is my Dad's 73rd birthday! May God grant him many more!

Terry Dean, born July 7, 1935 in Flora, Illinois, the 3rd of 4 children born to Darrol and Mary Owen.

A Little Bit of This, and a Little Bit of That!

2008-07-06T10:12:00.006-05:00

I've been working on some charity blocks for an online group. July's theme is "Red, White & Blue". Any 6" or 12" block in the theme colors will do! Blocks collected this month will be used to make blankets for veterans. I've been making these paper pieced stars, using fabrics from my scrap drawers.

Also, this past week, the mailman brought me these 2 great patterns and a packet of charm squares.

And, finally, I finished some blocks for an online swap. The picture is dark, but the fabrics are really very pretty...yellow and white...refreshing!

It's A Squishy Day!

2008-06-26T13:52:00.005-05:00

It has rained so hard...and for so long...that the ground is soggy and squishy! We've already had 10" of rain in the past 2 days, with more on the way! Kinda makes for a gloomy day! That is until the mailman comes and leaves a "squishy" in the mailbox! I received a prize package in the mail, not only for having the messiest sewing room, but also for cleaning it up! As you can see, I received a fun Christmas charm pack and a pretty purple fat quarter!

As a result of cleaning up my sewing room, I was able to finish 1 UFO. This UFO was started several months ago for a retreat that I went to. We were exchanging mini quilts, and this is the second quilt that I made for the retreat. The first one is still a mini quilt top, and the third one I made was actually exchanged at the retreat! Why I made 3, I don't know...maybe I was feeling a little inadequate with my quilting skills (so many GREAT quilters at retreat and I didn't want someone to be disappointed). But this one will be used in my guest room, that has a 30's theme to it. The pineapple symbolizes hospitality, and says, "Welcome!". I hope my guests will truly feel welcome in my home!

Spring Cleaning

2008-06-21T17:07:00.006-05:00

I've been cleaning my sewing room, thanks to a challenge put forth by one of the online swap groups that I belong to. I must admit, it was quite humbling posting a picture of my messy sewing room for all to see! But it was the truth! A big mess. I have spent the good part of the week cleaning it, putting things away, giving things away, throwing things out, dusting, and vacuuming. I even worked on 3 UFO's, finishing one of them!! The room feels quite a bit larger...amazing what de-cluttering your room can do!! Now to get busy and finish up my UFO pile! As you can see from the photo, it is overflowing! Also, I've included a photo of my finished quilt top basket. These gems are waiting to go to the quilter!

My Very Own Garden

2008-06-03T15:05:00.008-05:00

Allyson wanted a garden...her garden! So Grandpa told her we would buy some flowers so she could have her very own garden. G.G. (Great Grandma), Allyson, and myself ventured out and picked out the necessary supplies, including dirt, shovel, watering can, gloves, and of course, the beautiful flowers, to make Ally's garden. G.G. asked Ally if she liked playing in the dirt, to which Allyson quickly replied, "No...it's too dirty!"(hence the need for the gloves! LOL!). With the flowers bought, we headed home to plant the mini garden in our pots. Ally had so much fun, and loves to water all her beauties with her watering can.

Train Up A Child In The Way He Should Go...

2008-05-28T14:35:00.004-05:00

...and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

Went fabric shopping with Allyson today! She LOVES fabric stores! This was our second outing to buy fabric, and as you can see, she found some treasures, too! She searched through a store full of fat quarters and found 2 that she just had to have! The clerk at the store asked her what she was going to do with her fabric, to which she calmly stated, "I don't know!"!! Spoken like a true quilter! On the way home, she pulled out her fabrics, and opened them up. As she held one fat quarter up in front of her, she exclaimed, "It's beautiful, Grandma!"!

Yep...I see another quilter in our midst!

Retreat Delight

2008-05-27T14:23:00.006-05:00

I recently went on a quilting retreat with an online quilting group. One of the highlights of this retreat was a mini quilt swap. The minis could be no smaller than 8" square and no larger than 12" square, and must be made from 30's reproduction fabrics. Each person put their mini in a plain paper bag, and a number was assigned to each bag. Then, each person drew a number, and received the corresponding brown bag for their mini!

Here is the mini I made and swapped...

...and this is the adorable mini I received!

New Boots

2008-05-23T13:35:00.004-05:00

What do you do when it rains hard all morning?

You get new boots for playing in the "pud muddles"!!

Ally loves her new boots...and her walks in the water!

They Call Me Mom!

2008-05-11T07:22:00.007-05:00

I count it as a privilege, and a cause for praise, that I would be given the opportunity to call these 2 sweet things my children! And now, to add blessing upon blessing, someone most adorable calls me Grandma! God is so good!

Jacob is 22 years old, and Jamie celebrates her 26th birthday today (how fitting is that for Mother's Day!)!! Happy Birthday, Mabel Magillacudy! And my little Tootsie Roll, Allyson Grace, is 2-1/2!

C'mon, sing with me, "I feel the earth move..."

2008-04-18T12:38:00.004-05:00

...under my bed!! The earthquake that hit the Midwest shook me awake this morning! My bed was rattling back and forth, and the clothes in the closet were swaying on the hangers. It was approximately 4:40 AM! I was upstairs sleeping, and my husband was downstairs, in the kitchen. I quickly raced out of the bedroom and down the stairs, to ask my husband if he was doing some kind of work on the house. After hearing his questioning "No-oo?", I explained what I had just experienced. He politely told me that I probably was having a dream, and that sometimes, when you awake from a dream, it can seem as if it was real!! He also stated that he did not feel a thing! Well, his explanation did not ease my mind. I told him that my immediate thought was, either he was doing some work on the house, or we had an earthquake. He reassured me that neither had happened, and then left for work. At about 6:00 AM, my phone rings...it's my dear husband, calling to let me know that he had just heard a radio report of a 5.4 magnitude earthquake in Illinois, and it could be felt in numerous states! He wanted me to know this so that I didn't think I was going crazy or something! Someone is going to have Humble Pie for dinner tonight! LOL!!