What a beautiful, glorious day!!!
I am a sucker for a sunny day! I just feel happy, no matter what. Can't seem to help myself. I woke up to the sun streaming in my window and I can't even remember the last time that happened. The days have been gloomy and wet here for what seems like months. It is still very brisk out-40* and a stiff wind, but sunny, sunny, sunny! The picture was taken in WV, but seeing as how I don't have any sunny pictures from around here, that'll have to do. WV always gets our weather a day later, so I'm pretty sure they'll be in for a pretty day, tomorrow. And don't nice, sunny days help you get all kinds of things done?

• I finished the quilting on the coal mine quilt. I'm actually happy with it. Hope that'll hold through a rainy day. DH keeps trying to get me to keep it. My mom says she might come and help with the hand-binding of it. Now won't that be nice? They haven't been here in about a year and I am always ready to let some one else do the hand-binding!
• I got the guest room all cleaned out. This was the room where my MIL was staying, and I have been putting off cleaning it for a couple weeks, now. It is weird knowing that she won't be living with us, anymore. Taking care of her was a challenge, both physically and mentally, and while I am glad to no longer be burdened with that part of it, it still makes me sad. But life goes on, and she might be able to get strong enough to at least come for a short stay. My nephew, Jonathon, is coming for a visit, next week and then my brother is coming for a day, later on, to pick him up. My brother is one of those guys who closely inspects everything- just the kind of person you'd want to build your airplane- which is what he does- but not the kind you'd leave cat hairs hanging from the curtains, around. So all the cat hairs are out- I'll probably be picking them up for the next 50 years.
• Then I got about 8 loads of laundry done, so far. I know it's a good day when I can squeeze laundry in between all the other things I am doing!
• Then, I made two loves of banana bread. I found a recipe in a bread book, that comes all the way from Hawaii. Hana Bread. So I had to try it as it reminded me of Darilyn. Sorry, had no macadamia nuts and had to substitute pecans. It is very tasty. Apparently, bananas+whole wheat flour=green bread. A lovely shade of green, though. See? Nothing could spoil my good humor, today. Bill bought me a "new" wheat mill, and it is a just a thrill a minute to see what we can do with it, next.
• Then, I pinned on Michael's wedding quilt, and I didn't even get nasty when I spliced the batting- something I normally despise doing. Nope. Not this time. I just hummed away. I did have to stop and take a caffeine break as the pain between my shoulder blades was threatening to explode into the same stiff neck I have been struggling with all week. I finally resorted to using the heating pad- Judy's story gave me some pause on that number, but after three straight days of moving around like a robot- ever try to back into a long driveway when you can't turn your head?- I was all over the yard! Thankful to say, I didn't combust with the heating pad and it did seem to help.
• We found the missing bottle of medicine. Ever read that story in the Bible, "The Kindom of Heaven is like..." and it goes on to tell of this woman who has 10 gold pieces but loses 1. She seaches and sweeps and finally finds it. She throws a big party to celebrate that what she had lost is found. I felt like that lady, today. I gave Eva her medicine, two days ago, and then yesterday... it wasn't where I left it. Now this is serious as the meds can't be skipped and cost is about $275 (it was a brand new bottle.) I had enough of a lesser dose pill to combine and give her, but that was going to run out before long, and I needed to find that bottle!! Joseph stayed home from work to help me and after 2 hours of searching we found it- in the sock basket, fer cryin' out loud!

All in all, a great, great day!!

My first attempt at an altered book...
I have always liked fabric books. My sister made my oldest son one when he was a baby- full of counting projects, pockets and such. I made this as a "get well, soon" card for a friend who is having surgery this week. She is fond of vintage fabric, as her grandma used to quilt and that is what she would have used. This little book was made using a picture board book, bought at goodwill for 69c. - you just peel off the slicky pictures and you are left with a plain book. You have to cut out every other page so that there will be room for the thick fabric you'll be adding. Then you make your pages and glue them in. A very much beginner's project, but a fun little thing to do. I used an old hanky for the cover that I spray adhesived down. The rest of the pages I pieced and sewed to batting and embellished with trim and embroidery- the journaling is mostly on vellum and just sewed down. The next little book I do is going to be for me- I'll probably let my Mom borrow it. I have all of the pages torn out of hand-dyed fabric- that leaves a nice soft edge. And I won't be mounting it- it'll be all cloth. I have some lovely plums and purples and I plan on including pictures of all the kids -printed on bubble-jet fabric. And trimmed out with lots of fun fibers. After working on so many big projects, it's kinda nice to start and finish something in quick order!

Shall I tell you how my DH made me cry the other night? You might be surprised I am still calling him "dear." But they were happy tears. Years ago, I saw this movie- on A&E, called Persuasion. Most of you know I love Jane Austin (and lest you think I'm high-browed, I also get a big kick out of Buffy, the Vampire Slayer!) I mentioned to DH that I sure would like that Persuasion movie on DVD. I looked for it everywhere, but I could never find it. Finally, about three months ago, DH comments, quite casually, that he found it, but WOW! It cost almost $30. Bummer. I opened a box from the mail last week and there it was!! I cried like a big baby! Now wasn't that sweet? Oh, it is such a good movie! Bill says he thinks Sense and Sensibility is better, but I think that is only because he is the one crying like a baby at that big climactic scene at the end! This also has one of those scenes and I replayed it four times before Bill peeks around the corner of his desk and says, "Are you watching that scene, again?" It is the best letter ever written, I'm sure. It is a BBC film, with Amanda Root and Ciaran Hinds. If you like Sense and Sensability and Pride and Predjudice, you'll love this one.

Monday's accomplishments...
Seems like most Monday's are spent trying to recover from Sunday... and not much of anything getting done. Well, I had a lovely Monday, this week. Oh, it was stormy, alright, but a good day for getting some things done. I've had this little quilt on the machine for two weeks without a stitch taken- he was so forlorn. It wasn't that I couldn't find inspiration, but rather... I just lacked the umption. How's that song go... "Give me umption in my gumption, help me function, function, function..." There's another verse..."Give me gas in my Ford, keep me truckin' for the Lord..." Well, apparently none of you have ever ridden the Joy Bus with my Aunt Dottie. She's still a scream. Anywho, getting back to lack of umption... I just haven't felt like doing it, and so... I didn't. But I had a moment of forward motion on Monday and so the quilt got quilted. Woo-hoo! Good to get it done. Just did a very simple mum meander type thing- as it was a pretty busy top- of left over thimbleberry fabrics. My friend Lynn, will be happy to get it back. The design rather reminded me of Tonya- only, not so much the fabrics. If she has even one piece of Thimbleberry fabric in her stash I would be amazed.

But you know, getting that project done sent me on with some momentum and I am thrilled with the remainder of that day's accomplshments, also.

• I made a list of the 5 projects that have to be done before my nephew's wedding on the 5th of May. I found out, last night, that I get to add making 2 flower girls' dresses to the list.
• I pieced the backing for a quilt that my mom made for my brother's new bed. (He made the most incredible bed!- and no missing appendages, this time! I'm so proud!) So I'm ready to go on that one.
• I loaded the coal mine quilt onto the machine and have it about 3/4 done. Right now I am working with gray thread on a white and gray background and it is driving me a little batty because I can't see a thing- quilting by memory of where I have been and where I am going!
• I got another backing made for the YBR wedding present quilt.
• And I finished an altered book. Not much to look at, but I learned a lot about what I like and don't like in making them.

And those few things really made me happy as I haven't sewn or quilted anything in the past 2 weeks- a record in these parts, I'm pretty sure. I'm really trying to stay focused on my goals- there's lots of new post-it notes over my work table!

Jak's sampler...
Here is a picture, a poorly lit picture, of Jak's sampler which he made up all by himself. I showed him how to make the daisies and the french knots, and he took off with the rest. I especially like the dragonfly. Jak's 9 years old.

Boys will be boys... or not...

Being the mom to six boys... well, it doesn't take long before you discover that there really is a big difference between boys and girls- and don't let anyone tell you otherwise. My sons love to play with "guns." From the time they were old enough to hold a stick, they were pretending they were shooting things. Then, there came the wrestling. Like little puppies on the floor. Never once have my daughters involved themselves in a wrestling match with each other. I must say, that is one "guy" thing that I just don't understand. I must leave the room before the first bloodshed- or the first piece of furniture is broken. My boys tend to like things orderly, where the girls like things pretty.

But they all love being creative. My sons have all spent time at the sewing machine and most are anxious to get their turn, still. Joe and Dan made their first quilt when they were 12 and 11 years old. They seem to like trying whatever I am doing. I was sitting and doing some embroidery a couple of weeks ago and my #5 son comes in and watches a bit. We got him set up with fabric, a hoop, thread and a needle... he took right off- knowing only a daisy stitch and a french knot- he loves french knots. After watching me some more, he figured out how to make a daisy chain and then... well, I'll need to post a picture of his latest creation. He's thinking he'll make pillows for a living when he grows up. Of course, one of the advantages of having so many children is that you rarely have to teach the same thing, twice- I learned this when my 3 year old potty-trained my 1 1/2yr old. Well, DS Jak sits down with his older brother and his cousin and sets them up with their own hoops and thread... they had their own little sewing circle going!! I was curious as to what was going on when I heard Pavarotti singing at the top of his lungs in my sewing room. I stepped in and found them happily stitching on their little samples. How adorable is that?! I was curious as to why they had chosen Pavarotti ... seems they were just imitating me! "But Mom, we can't understand what he's saying." To which I say, "Why muddle up such a beautiful song with meaning? Can't you just feel what he's saying with your heart?" A blank look on their faces... ok, boys are different than girls.

The last picture of Abe is just included because the boys pitched such a fit to find the girls had dressed their little brother in a tutu. The girls thought it such fun- they were giggling their heads off. The boys are standing there with frowns on their faces, gritting their teeth, chanting, "Take it off!" The head piece was an original- a doll dress. When I grab the camara, the boys about fainted in horror that I would want to immortalize this humiliating moment... Ah come on guys, it's funny! Only if you promise not to blog it. Who made you boss of me? Guess I can be just as stubborn as a boy!

I'm seeing stars...

I think this is the last picture of quilts that I took while in WV, last month. Mom, who made this one? It looks like Oe, but the fabrics remind me more of Grandma Jessie. And she often quilted on the diagonal. This quilt is stuffed to the gills and feels very thick and heavy. I think I need to make labels for some of these old quilts...

We had company over for dinner, last night. I am sadly out of practice. There are several reasons(excuses) for that. When we moved into this house, 6 1/2 years ago, we had no walls. Not conducive to hosting. We have been living in the middle of a construction zone, ever since. And you know, I think that men are even more self-conscious about these things than we women tend to be about housekeeping. I think DH felt guilty about inviting people over- worried they wouldn't be comfortable, or that they would worry that we weren't comfortable- when in fact, we are as happy as pigs in mud. Maybe too accurate a description than not. Another reason is having 8 kids kinda slows you down. I mean the actual having the babies. And then, last but not least, I am not a great house keeper. I know my mom is cringing as I write this, but that's the truth of the matter. It's not that I mind doing it. Though there is that whole, "Didn't I just do this?" sinking feeling when I am washing out the microwave. And the, "This is taking way longer than it ought" when tackling the bathroom. And the, "What's the point?" feeling when I'm sweeping the floor for the umpteenth time... OK, maybe I don't like doing it so much. But I really do think it is just because I would rather be quilting or baking or gardening or reading books to the kids... Plus, I have a perverted way of doing things and so...every time I give the house a good cleaning, I feel compelled to rearrange the furniture and hang new pictures on the walls and make new curtains... my poor DH. I remember when we were first married and he'd come home and find the house turned upside down... Traumatized. Apparently, his mom never rearranged the furniture. He is getting used to it. I told my mom that I was hanging some new pictures, yesterday, and that I discovered that I had very few blank spaces to choose from... And I was trying so hard to go for a more spartan look... Ah well, a busy mind lives here. But! I did get a reasonable amount of house cleaning done, yesterday, and we had a nice visit with friends. Their two boys stayed the night. House cleaning's rather like cleaning out the litter box- you dread doing it, it's not as bad as you thought it would be and then it is so nice to have it done.

Red For Oe...

My great grandmother's name was Oe Miller. My Mom(www.teelsidemama.blogspot.com ) and Aunt Isobel(www.marylandmama.blogspot.com ) have been strolling down memory lane, this week, so I thought I'd contribute a little from my own "stash." This eight-pointed star is one that Oe made and I love it. I am noticing all the water marks on it and I'm thinkin' the next time I visit my mom, I'll have to wrestle that thing into the tub with a bit of ivory snow and Biz. My mom's neck bothers her, so I wouldn't want her to mess with a wet quilt, by hand, but it is really too fragile to machine wash. The fabrics are a very loose weave. I love the string work in the stars. My mom says that Oe was particularly fond of red. It is a cheerful color. My only memory of her is her sitting on the porch in a rocker and her hair hung in braids past her hips. And it was still blonde. My thanks to DS Daniel who held up an entire parade of quilts for me to photograph- no easy feat on the ole arms.

Still a no-go on the quilting front. I did get 3 GM flower garden blocks done, yesterday. Normally, I only get one done a day, but I spent a good bit of time in Dr. offices, yesterday. (Just routine stuff for kiddos with allergies and then the nursing home with Bill's mom. She was having a not so good day.) My fingers are raw, I'll need to take a break for a day or two. I've tried thimbles, but that just seems to sends signals to my brain, "Now that you have a thimble on that finger, hold it clear out of the way!" Bandaids send the same signal. I do have a a quilt on the frame... but I'm just not inspired and I say, "Nope, not today." Needless to say, not a lot is going to be accomplished that way. I did get a book on "altered" book making and I'm having fun looking it over and trying a few of her techniques. Well, I need to make this brief as it is uber-windy, today and that just reeks havoc with my modem connection. Hope everyone is finding their own inspiration.