My house smells soooooo good right now! Love that pumpkin bread!
Category: daily life
Just Some More Christmas Fun
Oh, the weather outside IS frightful! But here in my livingroom, it’s delightful…at least to me. I’m not much of a decorator, not at all. It’s something that really does not come naturally to me. But I did get some candles for my new fireplace candelabra, and I love the way it looks in there. So, even though everything around it is quite an ecclectic mix of stuff, I thought I’d share it with you anyway. I’m sure it wouldn’t pass the Martha test, but I like it.
My big snuggly reindeer:
Mmmmm….gotta have something sweet.
Look at this adorable birdhouse I bought today. It’s a chicken! And y’all know how bad I want some chickens!
Hope you are staying warm, dry & safe. It’s icy here and will probably ruin my chances of making it to the longarm meeting I was hoping to go to in Amarillo tomorrow. I’ve been trying to go for three months now, since I found out about them, and something has ruined my plans everytime. Oh well, I guess it will just leave more time to quilt! I think I will go work on my courthouse steps blocks now. Thanks for stopping in for a visit!
Merry Christmas!
I like the blogs that have a little pic of the blog owner in the sidebar. However, I can’t figure out how to do that here…it may not even be an option, but if it is, I can’t find it. So, I added a new photo to my About Randi page. I thought I might as well have some fun with it while I’m at it. Some friends emailed themselves to me like this the other day, and then I saw that Gayle & Steve had done it to themselves, too. So I couldn’t resist. I elfed myself. Enjoy a laugh on me 🙂
WIP & Other Ramblings
Since it’s Wednesday, I’ll start with a WIP update. The courthouse steps blocks are coming along, mostly on my lunch breaks from my day job. Two more strip sets to sew on and they will be ready to become rows.
I got a goodie in the mail today. We have a pretty fireplace, but it had an ugly brass screen from the 80’s, and the doors didn’t even work right anymore. I’ve been pondering getting rid of it for awhile, and after seeing this post on Kelli’s blog, as her Show & Tell Friday, I was inspired to actually do it! So Friday, I ripped off the old ugly screen, and ordered this awesome candelabra from Pottery Barn.
I hope I get a chance to stop by the store for some pillar candles tomorrow. I can’t wait to see them all lit up in there. We haven’t used it to burn firewood in a few years, so I think I will really enjoy the candles for a nice ambiance. We need to find a good chimney sweep and get it all cleaned out in there before we have a real fire again. Anyway, thanks Kelli, for the inspiration to do this! I love it! And, this candelabra is 50% off at Pottery Barn online, while supplies last.
I am going to get to take a few vacation days, in addition to the two days I get off for Christmas. I am really looking forward to a nice break from the real world, and getting to spend some quality time here at home. I’m still stitching the binding down on my Starry Log Cabin, but we already have it on the bed 🙂 . I’m just turning it as I stitch. I should have it finished and labeled before Christmas. Speaking of, I ‘spose I need to get off of here and go do some stitching right now. Later ‘taters!
I want some chickens!
Unfortunately, due to city ordinances, I can’t have chickens. I don’t want a huge flock of chickens, mind you. Maybe five or six at the most. Just two to start with, then add a couple more in a year or two, so that the peak egg laying years are spread out among them. As I’m sure, when they are past the egg laying prime of their chickie lives, I will NOT be able to eat them. I even researched which breeds were well suited to a small backyard flock, most docile, and easiest to handle, etc. I even had names running through my head for them…Ruby, Maude, Mable, Darcy, Fancy….Yes, I realize chickens require some effort. I know you don’t just throw them back there in a pen and be done with it. I have a rabbit, and they require much of the same type attention. Yes, sometimes it can be a pain or inconvenience, but I enjoy the caretaking responsibilities that come along with my animals. It gives me a deep sense of satisfaction that I can’t really explain. Like it feels a void or basic need in me. I was hoping that maybe there were some minor restrictions, like no crowing roosters, or not over “x” amount. Actually, I was told I could do it, but IF a neighbor complains, you have 24 hours to get rid of them. I love fresh eggs, and have a local source I buy them from, but I thought it would be so enjoyable to have a small flock of my own. I thought about approaching my neighbors to see if they would mind, and offering to bribe them with fresh eggs, but I guess I will just let it go, and dream of the day when I can find the perfect place to live, where I can have a few chickens of my own. In the meantime, I don’t think Lulu cares for my attempt at disguising her as a Plymouth Rock hen 🙂
Enjoy your Saturday!
Good Sunday Mornin’! Edited to add some Stashbusting
One last day in my four day weekend. I’m so sad to have to go back to work tomorrow. Yesterday, I did something fun. A few months ago, I was watching one of my Linda Taylor dvd’s of her PBS series, Linda’s Longarm Quilting. She had an episode on quilting vintage tops. That set me off on an Ebay binge…lol. I finally got an opportunity to work on one of them. Isn’t it a beauty? I tried to keep it as square as possible, but it is a little wonky. Now it goes on the WOB list (waiting on binding). I hope it also qualifies as part of my stash busting effort, as it was on the shelf with my stash, and I used backing fabric for my stash, and will use the same for the binding.
Just look at all the beautiful fabrics in here. I love them!
I used a repro backing that I got from Christian Lane Quilters.
The story, from the Ebay lister, is that she purchased this top from an elderly woman named May, who she reckons to be in her 80’s. But get this…there wasn’t just this one top…there are two of these beauties! The tops were pieced by her mother, from May’s and May’s sister’s dresses. She said there was no one left in her family that would want them. They are from somewhere in Missouri. The seller had them listed separately, and I won them both. Here is the other top.
This is a pic of the backside, showing all the handstitching.
Now then, if you are reading this, and have fallen on the floor hyperventilating because I dared “machine” quilt these old tops, sorry, but you will have to get over it. I know there are some that are totally against this, but please save yourself some time and do not bother to send me flaming comments. I know, as a piecer myself, that if years and years down the road, some future quilter comes into possession of some of my unquilted tops, nothing would make me happier than for her to love them and finish them in whatever manner suited her. I think May’s mother would be tickled to see her projects finally finished, and know that they are in a good home where they are loved and appreciated.
I had some spare backing and batting left at the bottom when I was done quilting, so just for fun, I pulled out a strip of scrap fabric and did a quick feather practice.
Yes, yesterday was a good day! I got some of the ornaments hung on the tree, set out a nativity scene, and made more progress on my cousin’s binding. I hope your weekend is goind great, as well! Even though I am not done decorating it, I will conclude this post with some pics of my tree and nativity scene for Kay.
Also, on the stashbusting topic, I would like to add that I resisted the tempation to even go look at the end of bolt Thanksgiving sale at Thousands of Bolts. When I got the email, I deleted it and did not go shop for more fabric!
What’s on my bed?
I have a cheap bedspread that I bought from JC Penney’s. However, on top of that, I have a queen size quilt that I made. It’s an oak leaf reel from a Fons & Porter issue. Since my bed is a king, it doesn’t cover, so that’s why it is on top of the bedspread. Not the greatest decorating touch, but I am hoping that before too much longer the starry log cabin I am working on will take the place of both of these, and be the “star” of my bedroom.
Yesterday, I did get the binding stitched to my cousin’s quilt, and last night I began the handstitching to the back. The finish line is getting closer!
As I was complaining to my husband that I needed to put up the Christmas tree ( I am so not in the mood for Christmas decorating this year), he reminded me that we threw our old tree out last year! I forgot this! Why didn’t I remember when we were at my parents the day before, when I was five minutes from a Walmart, rather than an hour from one? Crud! So we go out shopping here for a Christmas tree yesterday. They had some really ugly, pitiful looking ones at our Alco, but they weren’t exactly “cheap”. Well, not proportionately cheap to the ugly, anyway. Then we went to the local flower shop. Beautiful trees, but I was gonna have to drop over $450.00. But they did have a 25 year warranty. Finally found a new tree the local True Value. And it was more than I wanted to spend, also, but I guess I’ll get over it. It’s prelit with the hinged branches, like the ones at the flower store, but no 25 year warranty. I might want a new one before 25 years is over, anyway. I thought I was never gonna finish “fluffing” the branches last night. Also, it looks much larger in my living room than it did in the store. I was kinda wanting to downsize, but I didn’t manage to get that one right…lol. We usually put the tree by the fireplace, where my new leather chair and ottoman are now. So I had to find a different corner to tuck it into. I guess I’ll start putting the ornaments on today.
Making up for lost blogging time…lol
I’ve been going around today taking some pictures to post in the next few days. Today, I will start with some pics I took yesterday. I took my cousin’s quilt to my parents house, to lay out on their bed for better photos. I still don’t have it trimmed, and now that my shoulder is feeling better, I hope to be able to get the binding attached to the front today. Then I can start the handstitching. I think it will be plenty big, even after shrinking when I wash it. I’m sure y’all are getting tired of this one, and will be ready for me to move on to another project…lol. Right now, this one has to be top priority. I think they will love it, especially when they notice the little details, like the horses and horse shoes in the borders, and the stetsons and boots. That is not threadiness in the feather spine, but marking chalk, which will wash out.
Speaking of yesterday, we went to my parents house, which is an hour from where we live. My brother and his family came, too. We had a really nice day. I ate wayyyyy to much and loved every bite! Mom sent us home with a nice bit of leftovers and I am looking forward to heating them up in a bit.
It is freezing cold outside and we are getting our first snowfall of the season. What a great day to get to be home! Ilove, love, love four day weekends! 🙂
Coming up soon, I will have pics of some small projects I managed to work on, even while my shoulder was bothering me so, and I will discuss my stash and the need to be using it up and not adding to it, and catching up with the “what’s on your bed” question that has been going around. Stay tuned! 🙂
Just Checking In…this post is all WHINE…
I’m sorry if you’ve been dropping by just to find nothing new. I woke up Saturday morning with my shoulder/back really bothering me, but tried to keep doing a few things. By Sunday morning, I couldn’t raise up out of bed w/o help from DH. Monday, I got in to my chiro and he worked on my, did ultrasound treatment, told me to ice it and really up my intake of Aleve or Advil. I had a wonderful three day weekend planned to work on my projects and couldn’t do a darn thing. Three glorious days off from my day job and I spent most all of them in bed. Plus I stayed home Tues as I still wasn’t much better, took 12 Aleve throughout the day. Went to work Wed morning, back to chiro that afternoon. He did a muscle stem treatment on me, which has helped some. And he called my doctor and they have me taking Prednisone to reduce the inflammation. Monday morning I go for new xrays. So I haven’t been able to stand being on the computer much and I haven’t done any sewing. Hopefully, I will have it back under control soon and can get back to my normal routines. Oh, and lets don’t even talk about the shape my house is in now….
TTYL
Time’s Up! And the winner is…..
Congratulations Deb Levy! Email me your snail mail, and I will be sending you your fabric prize. I chose five of my favorite “blender” fabrics from my stash and cut one yard pieces from each.
Thank you to all of the 22 entries in my blog contest! I wish I could send you all a prize. I will have to think of more reasons for future contests!
Notice that I used my newly made basket to hold your names!
I think it’s not too bad for a first try, though I’m not convinced I’m finished with it just yet. I think it needs some kind of handles added. I hope to get a few smaller ones made up for some handmade Christmas gifts this year.
I haven’t signed up to be an official PIF participant, (the Pay It Forward movement that is going around on many of the blogs) simply because I have so many obligations to meet in my life already, that I didn’t want to sign up, fail, and feel badly. However, I intend to unofficially participate, and look for ways to bless others with my handiwork. I just don’t want it to feel like another thing I “have” to get done. I hope that doesn’t sound terrible, I’m just being honest. Most days I’m already stretched about as thin as I can go, as I know most of you are, too. I really admire those of you that find ways to handle it all, and still find time and energy to give so much of yourselves.
I am also happy to report that my stepdaughter is going home from the hospital as I type! She had her surgery Thursday and all went well. The doctor didn’t see anything that looks suspicious, but we won’t have the official report til next week. That is such a huge relief! I just wish she didn’t have to go through the discomfort that follows. She is such a special young woman and I love her very much! Thank you for your prayers for her.
Have a wonderful Saturday!
Ramblings From Randi, The Wild Rose Quilter 