Just a little something...

a table topper that I made for my friend, Elaine. She is going to gift it to her SIL as she loves Americana. I am not usually a big fan of basket blocks, but I like them set together like this. I had fun making all the little HST with my "new" tube ruler. I got the ruler nearly a year ago, but I haven't been using it much- you know how new toys can be. Great once you spend some time figuring them out. It's just the "spending time figuring" that always gets me. Just not patient enough sometimes. But once you figure it out the fun can begin.

Hope everyone is staying warm!

Ever have a bad hair day???

I sure have. Now my little bone head will go down through the ages memoralizing that fact. Been quilting and quilting and quilting on that ole "bones" quilt. Don't know what I was thinking- should have done an "all over rover" and been done with it two weeks ago. But I sure have had fun and I think that shows with the quilting. I used up ever so many half-full bobbins and nearly-done-for cones of thread. It's gonna be one heavy quilt. And I still am not finished. Wow, do my shoulders hurt.

Newest baby in the house...

Ain't she sweet? And notice the color? I am so tickled with Sweet William's $5 find. I called him- as he was late from work- and all he said was, that I'd forgive him. The man knows me. She needed some rewiring- which I am just proud as a bushel of peaches that Will took care of and away we go. John has adopted it and is woking on getting it all running smoothly. All old machines have their quirks. But ain't she pretty? This is my second Electro Grand. The other is robin's egg blue.

Tribute to Valentines Day...
Sewed up a couple simple valences from some fabric that was given to me- too sheer for clothing and not 100% cotton. I think they sewed up very cheerfully and now you're wondering where the bottom half of the picture is, aren't you? The dishes were clean- for the most part. But the pile of clean dishes didn't need air time and the bottom half of the window is in need of a scrubbin'. Hey, I washed the light fixtures and the shelf and the glass doodads. The window will wait til tomorrow when someone spryer than me can get to it. Have I mentioned how sore my shoulders are?

Goings on...

Not much point of posting on a friday night- no one is out there, right? But I have a few minutes before my date with sweet William. The top picture is my newest project. I just sewed a bunch of strips together- never enough for an entire block, but I figure by the time I have a dozen blocks formed... it'll not matter a bit that it doesn't all match. Right? I see I have a piece inthe wrong place- gonna have to be careful when I put it together. I always find something out of place once the project is all sewn up- and I am not "into" ripping out. I have put this on the back burner as I am out of little strips- plenty of two inch strips, but I kinda like the randomness in widths.

The second picture is my Xmas gift from my second son, Daniel. I was so touched that he thought of me when he saw this orange piece of dia...dio...melted glass. It is such a weird thing to receive gifts from your children other than the many drawings and wildflowers. (Joe and Laurie got me a set of sharp knives- something I have never had my entire life!) Don't make fun of my freckles, I get them honest. We used to tease my Mom that if she sat in the sun long enough they would all run together. Seemed pretty funny at the time, but now... I know for a fact it doesn't work that way. Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Jacob's Feast...

Last be certainly not least. This is Jacob and he is going on 17. Where does the time go? He was always my personable kid- giving a shout-out to strangers in the grocery aisle. Asking personal questions- usually with funny results. He is still talking to strangers and trying to introduce them to the Lord. He is convinced they'd be happier for it, not to mention saved eternally. If I pass by someone that he thinks I should have mentioned that too, he will give me a hard time about it. He just is very friendly and outgoing with a great sense of humor. Hopefully people take him that way. For a couple years now he has been my right hand man- as his older brothers have been occupied otherwise. He is a great help to me and his dad- handy doesn't begin to describe it.

His feast was held by candlelight. He had sawed off three sections of logs and carved snowflake designs into the top of them and then drilled holes out for the candles. They are really quite pretty and are still sitting on the dining room table. candles burned down to the nub. He had a pioneer theme- he is like his Grandfather and born 100 years, at least, too late. He loves the old days and how things used to be done. So... he recieved a dutch oven-and a companion cookbook for Christmas. Talk about one happy kid. He can't wait for more mild weather to try it over a fire. In keeping with the pioneer theme, he had jerky and fruit with cheese for an appetizer. His main course was Hunters' Venison Stew- which was fabulous!!! It took three days to make but was worth every minute! (He has since made chocolate cake and the most phenomenal biscuits- I had just a taste as I am off the white stuff- you know, sugar, flour, tators, pasta and rice.) He served garlic biscuits with his stew and then for dessert he had coffee cake, made in a big iron skillet. It is traditional for him to have Jones sodas- they are made with pure cane sugar and I hear they are quite tasty. The kids were certainly revved up afterwards. His gifts were old fashioned lollipops on wooden sticks. And that, my friends, wraps up the feast season at our house. It was fun and it was grand and I'm thinking we need more of that in the everyday. God bless.

Somebody loves me...

How's that Dean Martin song go? You're nobody 'til somebody loves you... Well, I guess somebody does 'cause I gots me some spicy red pepper chicken and rice. And an unsweet tea. Ahhhh.... Life is very good. Being snowed in isn't so bad when you are being catered to. Sorry Sarah, none left- I spread it out over three meals. All I can say was that it was Yummo! When you comin' up to get yourself some?

On the quilting front... well, I've been kinda slow. For me. There is a quilt on the quilting frame and I have every intention of quilting it... it just isn't calling to me, right now. Or maybe it's calling, but it doesn't have a whole lot to say. I go out and visit it and then shortly thereafter, leave the room. It's gonna take a while for us to get a real conversation going. John and Bekah have been quilting up a blue streak- have the top- sans borders- of their first joint quilt all done. A rail fence. In pink, blue, brown, and black. I kid you not. That John. I wonder if it is the limited selection of colors in the scrap bin or his own unique way of matching colors. I have, long ago, learned to keep my nose out of it. I need to take him and the girls fabric shopping. Maybe that would shed some light on that color blind kid.

Cool Dude...

My friend, Annalee, made this quilt for her husband- you knew it was for a man, didn't you? This is her second quilt and I think she did a lovely job. I love her blocks and the diagonal colors. Way cool. I was happy to quilt it for her. Now all I need to do is get it back in the mail to her. I am so postally challenged. It's in a box, now all I need to do is write her a short note and tape 'er up and drive one mile to the post office... see? it gets complicated.

The snow they predicted has come and is still coming. Good news- I had to cancel a dental appointment. (Just a new crown- $1000 for one tooth.) Yeesh. I'll be happy to stay in and work on the laundry. Maybe get the binding done on a couple quilts or maybe start something new... Hey it is a new year.

Something Practical...

Made this smallish quilt to cover a board that is covering a window opening in my son and newest daughter's house. Hoping it's big enough to hide the board- see? Practical. She has decorated some of their house in greens and purples so I hope this blends well. Laurie seemed very happy with it. Now for my dear son, Joe, to get it hung for her. I've barely sewed a stitch this past week- creative juices are getting used up in other pursuits. Knitting socks and cooking for the family. But I figure I'll settle back into routine life soon enough. The holidays really were wonderful. I better run- sweet William is listening to "Find Me Somebody to Love" from Ella Enchanted for the 20th time...

New Year...

new socks! I love socks. I have a drawer stuffed with striped, polkadots, argyle, socks. Knee socks, trouser socks. I just love the ones with bright colors and patterns. These striped socks I made all by myself- with help from an online tutorial- isn't the internet amazing? I have never knit socks- in fact, I have never knit anything beyond a basic scarf and hat. But with the internet, you can look up anything and then if you have problems with their instructions(or symbols) there is always someone else that can explain it. www.knitting-socks.com I had fun knitting these socks. I really did. The trick, for me, was knitting them at the same time- to avoid SSS(second sock syndrome) where you are all happily thrilled with the finished sock but are daunted about starting all over again. So you knit a little while on one and then switch to the other. That also keeps new and more difficult techniques fresh in your mind. These are very simple socks with a reinforced heel. I made them using 5 bamboo double-pointed needles. And the yarn is striped so you just have to start at the same color to end up the same. Pretty cool, huh? Will I ever knit another pair? Hmmmm... I might.