family · knitting · quilting · quilts · stash busting

Sunday Reporting, 6-7-09


This past week has sure been a busy one! I was very busy at my day job last week, so I didn’t get a lot done on my quilting projects last week.  I did get some more sewing in on my sawtooth star blocks, during my lunch hours.  And since I’m not sure how I’m going to use them, I th0ught I better make sure I had some border fabrics on hand, just in case, you know. 🙂

That means my stash report is all about fabric coming in this week.  And it felt good! 14 yummy yards to fondle and fold.

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YTD numbers:

  • Incoming Yardage to date: 52 yds.
  • Outgoing Yardage to date:  35.75 yds.
  • Total Stash Busted to date: – 16.25 yds.

Yeah, I’m going the wrong way.  Oh darn.

I have picked my knitting back up, for something to do when I’m just chillin’, watching TV and relaxing.  Or when it’s nice out and I want to sit in the yard under my shade trees.  However, I don’t think I’m ever going to graduate from knitting kindergarten.  Oh man, I seem to take out more knitting stitches than quilting stitches.  I make so many mistakes.  And I’m only doing a stockinette stitch.  I started this sweater completely over several times.  Hopefully, I’ll make it to the finish! And it will actually be wearable.

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I bought some other quilty goodies this week. Connecting threads had a 30% off notions sale, and I have been wanting to try Clover yo-yo makers, so I got one of every size.

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I’m a little too busy to be making yo-yos right now, though, so don’t expect to be seeing any soon.  I also got this cool stencil from Full Line Stencil.

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They are made of a mesh like material.  000_9029

Even though I’m not using it on my 9P & Stripe, I tested it out on it, just to see how it works.  I like it!

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And here is where some of my time has gone! Every minute worth it!  The first two pics are after the NTPGA junior tournament here in Perryton.  1st place with a four under par of 68!

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And a first place in his age division at the Jim Hitch Memorial tournament in Guymon, OK.

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I have gotten some more, though very little, quilting done on my 9P & stripe, but it’s just more of what you’ve already seen.  So I’ll save posting more pics til the end.

Have a great week, and remember to spend some time doing something you love,  and hopefully spend some quality time with someone you love!

family · longarm quilting · machine quilting · quilting · quilts

They Really Do Grow Up Sooooo Fast


Until I was a mom, I didn’t realize how fast it really flies.  Happy 17th!

I also didn’t know how much I would miss that sweaty, smelly little boy that used to run around this house.  The one that played Bomberman, Jurassic Park, Monopoly and other games with me.  That dyed Easter Eggs with me, colored coloring books with me, bugged me to the point of insanity to open his Christmas presents early.  The one that sent me searching for Power Rangers, Megazords, and Transformers.  Oh, let’s not forget the Pokemon cards.  I can still see his face light up brighter than the brightest Christmas tree when I would show up to get him at the end of the work/school day, or to eat lunch with him at school.  The one that insisted on this routine, every night:  (me) Good night (him) Good night (me) Sleep tight (him) Sleep tight (me) Sweet dreams (him) Sweet dreams (me) Don’t let the bed bugs bite (him) I won’t, you either (me) I won’t, I love you (him) I love you, too.  Yes, I miss that boy.  He left so quickly…But what a wonderful young man has taken his place.

DH & I did a bit of yard work Sunday evening.  I found this.

This is what yard work does to me.  Nice hair, huh?  LOL  And yes, my glasses are crooked…I really need some new ones. 

And I have gotten to play with my new embroidery machine a little.  I made this label for my friend, to put on her snowman quilt.  She loves it and I got a hug!

I’ve had a customer quilt on the machine ever since I got done with my Storm At Sea.  It’s not a big quilt, but it’s custom, and it’s going slow.  It’s been one of my biggest longarm challenges so far.  I’m anxious to see the final result.

daily life · family

Where have I been all week?


At the Texas-Oklahoma Junior Golf tournament in Wichita Falls.  DS didn’t play as well as we hoped, or as well as he is capable of, but that’s golf for ya.  Still, we had fun and enjoyed some good family time.  We stayed at the Candlewood Inn & Suites, a pet friendly facility.  I give the one in Wichita Falls two thumbs up, and would definitely stay there again.  I’m going to take a moment to brag on my son, and to rant a bit.  As frustrated as I’m sure he had to feel at times, he carries himself with dignity and grace on a golf course.  Of course, he knows if he were to act the way some of the kids are allowed to act by their parents, that we would pull him right off and take him home.  What is up with parents standing by while their 16 yr. old is throwing his golf club, even dropping the “f-bomb” or other curse words?  I cannot stand tantrum throwing on a golf course. 

DS did win the long drive contest for his age group, and got a little trophy for that.  We got home yesterday, and I’m so glad to have the weekend before having to go back to work.  Four days on the golf course, in the high 90’s and low 100 degree temperatures, wore me out.

And in case you didn’t know, real men use pink golf tees…lol!

family · longarm quilting · machine quilting · quilting · quilts · stash busting

Sunday Reporting


No new stash usage to report.  No new stash bought.  I was hoping to have the pillow shams finished today, but I didn’t manage to get that accomplished.  I do have the tops quilted and cut out.  Just didn’t have enough steam today to do the backs.

I’ve been playing with the block layouts for my dad’s log cabin quilt.  I am emailing him pics, as I lay them out.  So far, we both like the barn raising layout better than anything else I’ve tried, including the windmill layout I had planned on using.  It just wasn’t doing it for me.  The “windmills” kind of got lost.  I am proud to report that as I was piecing the blocks, I went ahead and cut the scraps into 2.5 inch strips or squares, for a future leaders/enders project in blues & creams. 

I’m trying to keep up with the scraps as I go from now on. I am still trying to get the sack full I already had cut into strips & squares.  I did get more bricks and squares cut from that sack this week, to use in the Oklahoma Backroads quilt.

In non-quilting related news, my son won 1st place in his age division in the Jim Hitch Memorial golf tournament, in Guymon, Ok.  He played in it Friday and Saturday.  I thought the wind was going to blow us completely away yesterday.  My face was just gritty feeling from the dirt.  Yuk.  This is his 2nd year in a row to win first in his group.  If he plays all four years of his high school term, and has the lowest cumulative score of all the boys his age that played all four years, he will win the four year trophy, also.  It’s a very nice tournament and we really enjoy it. 

 

daily life · family · longarm quilting · love of my life · machine quilting · quilt top · quilting · quilts

Ick! Wind! And other things…


Oh JOY! The wind is supposed to be really bad today, gusting up to 50 mph.   Y’all know I hate that, if you’ve been reading my blog for any length of time.  It  is supposed to be that way tomorrow, too.  That prolly ‘splains why my head hurt all day yesterday and my sinuses feel swollen and stuffy today.  My head seems to be very sensitive to weather changes.

Onto other things…Happy birthday to my DH today! Love ya babe!

Remember the printed panel quilt I quilted with the Cutie Patootie panto? And when my customer came to pick it up she brought a top with her that is 60 yrs. old? I posted about it here, https://allenquilts.wordpress.com/2008/03/18/tuesday-tidbits-2/.  Well, she called last night, and she does want me to quilt it.  She said she decided not to remove the pencil marks, so I will try to quilt over them as best I can, and she said if they don’t come out, she will live with them.  I’m excited about working on it for her…it’s really pretty, and I hope I do it justice.  I didn’t get to finish the one I have on the machine yesterday, as my head was really throbbing by the time I got off work.  And tonight, there will be birthday festivities for DH.  I will be sad to take this one back to it’s owner.  I LOVE this quilt.  It is sooooo pretty.  It’s a  Fons and Porter Stars & Stripes Sampler.  My customer did a beautiful job on it, and I really love the fabrics she used.  In fact, I like hers so much, I ordered the booklet from Fons & Porter last night, so maybe, someday, when I have time (LOL), I can make my own.  Since I was ordering, I also ordered Marianne Fons’ Fine Feathers book, as I have read so many great reviews of it. 

Time to get up from here and get ready for work! Have a great day!

family

Just a bit of bragging!


I’ve been recovering this week from walking along for 18 holes of golf on Monday.  I went to watch my son in the final round of District play.  He played very well, and was only 2 over par going into the last hole.  However, that hole did not go well, and he made a double bogey on it, ending his round at four over.  That knocked him out of the individual medals, and he ended up in fifth place, one stroke behind his best friend and a  boy from a rival team, who had to go to a play off for third.  DS’s best friend won the playoff by chipping in for birdie on the first hole of the playoff.  Our team placed third.  But DS & his friend were the top two individual players not going to regionals on a team, so they both advance to regional as individuals. 

My baby boy.

His best friend.

Congratulations, boys! I love ya both!

chickens · family · longarm quilting · machine quilting · quilting · quilts · vintage tops

Vintage Quilt Pics & New Chickens


First, the quilt, since this blog is mainly about quilting.

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Now, my new chicken! Isn’t she adorable? 🙂  I found her in a local shop, in the 70% off stuff.  She cost me thirteen dollars and some change, after tax.  Originally, she was $42.99.  She’s big & heavy.  Some kind of pottery, not resin.  I had to bring her home.

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And I meant to blog about this chicken two or three weeks ago.  My friend’s mother came to visit her, and brought this for her to give to me.  She was helping work and estate sale, found this, and thought I needed to have it.  What a nice surprise.

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I should be at work right now.  I went this morning, and shortly after I got there, I got really sick at my stomach. Hope it’s just a 24 hr. thing.  My son is now sick with that upper respiratory flu that’s going around.  And of course, he has a golf tournament this weekend.  After a big “family meeting” Monday night, things are much better with us.  He seems to be understanding the reasons for the rules we were disagreeing over, and that for now, at his age, the rules stand.  I got a note from him yesterday, laying on a plate of fresh baked brownies, that said “I’m sorry. I love you.”

daily life · family · quilting

I’m Off For a Couple Days


I’ll be leaving town today…won’t be back til Sat. night.  High school golf season is starting.  I will be following my son around a golf course Friday and Saturday, in Plainview, TX.  I will also probably be freezing half to death, as the weather is supposed to be pretty crappy.  I will be without any internet or email access, so I’ll be out of touch til I get back.  Talk to you then!

community · family · quilting

Heartbroken and Helpless


That is how I feel today.  Heartbroken for our dear Ronda.  Helpless, because you wish there were something you could do for this to be better, but there is nothing that can do that.  The pain I feel for her in my own heart is enormous, yet I know that it can’t possibly compare with her pain.  All I can do right now is pray.  Pray and cry.  I know that I am not alone in that.  Ronda, I wish we could take away your pain and loneliness.

Christmas · family · food · quilting

Can You Stand More Domesticity??


I thought I’d share some of my favorite holiday dishes with you.  These are things I was able to prepare today, for our Christmas dinner tomorrow.

Pretzel Salad

Crush 2 cups of pretzels.

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Mix the pretzels with 1/4 cup sugar, and 1 & 1/2 sticks of melted butter.

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Pat out in 9×13 glass pan.

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Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.  Let cool thoroughly.

Mix 1 cup sugar, an 8 oz. package of cream cheese (softened), and 1 & 1/2 cups of Cool Whip. Spread over cooled pretzels.

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Heat two cups of pineapple juice, just to boiling, and dissolve a 6 oz. box of strawberry jello in hot juice.  Stir in two 10 oz. boxes of frozen strawberries.  Partially jell in fridge (this won’t take long – don’t forget about it!) and pour over other mixture.  Place back in fridge to set jello.  It’s delicious!

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I also made a quick cranberry salad.  It’s really good, too.

For it you will need:

1 small can crushed pineapple, one 3 oz. box strawberry jello,  1 cup boiling water, one can WHOLE cranberry sauce, 1/2 cup cold liquid (juice from pineapple can & water to make 1/2 cup) 2 tsp. lemon juice, 1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional).

Dissolve jello in hot water, stir in cranberry sauce & mix until melted. Add 1/2 C of additional juice.  Add remainng ingredients.  Chill until set.

Topping:

one 12 oz. pkg Dream Whip or already prepared Cool Whip one 8 oz. pkg cream cheese, 1 tsp sugar

Blend until creamy & spread over salad.

Before topping:

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After topping:

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The eggs are devilled. My family really loves these, so of course I made extra so they could have some today, too.

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I also made two pecan pies, and one Bisquick Impossible Buttermilk pie.

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I even squeezed in a little piecing while cooking.  I didn’t get any quilting done on DH’s courthouse steps today, though. 

I’m really looking forward to seeing Mom & Dad tomorrow, and having a nice day at home with family! Now I’m going to settle in and enjoy a nice quiet Christmas Eve with my sweetie.  May you & yours have a blessed & joyous Christmas!