One Stitch at a Time

Quilt Designs

2012-02-07T04:12:00.000-08:00

Good morning quilt world! Do you ever have that Aha! moment?! Well I just had one! I have designed a quilt a while back and could not get the center medallion to come together nicely. I have figured out just how to do it now. I think I'm going to attempt to do Sally's suggestion...she said to hand sew the center points...or maybe I will bring it up to her today and get her to give me some pointers...that sounds like a plan too!
What is everyone working on these days?

I pulled out another UFO yesterday and made some serious progress on it! I'm very pleased with this!

Happy sewing!!

3 broken bones and a surgery

2012-02-06T04:27:00.000-08:00

My husband survived his ankle surgery. He is now learning and trying to deal with the pain of recovery. The blocker wore off Saturday evening and he has been uncomfortable since. He is learning how to stay on "top of the pain" rather than wait to be in pain and take the meds. He has also found that he can enjoy movie after movie on Netflix! lol this helps to keep his mind busy and not focus on the pain.
I was able to go sew for a good while yesterday. I needed it! I began looking for a specific UFO from about a year and half ago....and then I thought well, lets look for a different one....I could not find the first one.........I found the second UFO...now listen, I have probably 23 UFO's ....so this is not putting a dent in my UFO number. I was able to piece and put borders on it. Just a lap size quilt. If I can figure out how to use my new LG 3g enlighten smart phone I could download the pictures.....That quilt is on my design wall, I should probably make a quilt back for it. Get that quilt moved to the next pile which would be my binding pile.
I found another quilt that I began working on 2 years ago. I squared up the finished blocks and began piecing the rest into blocks....progress! This quilt makes a nice quilt for any room because it looks scrappy. I can't wait to finish this one.
I have some deadlines looming over my head, but I'm not inspired to work on them...not good!
Went to bed around 10:30 thinking that PBS Masterpiece Theater was on...I am enjoying watching Downton Abby! It was not on!! something was on its place. I went back out to the kitchen to chat with my sons for a bit, then went back to bed around 11. My husband had worked his way into bed, pillows and all to prop that leg up and he found that Downton Abby was on at 11!! YIPEE!! Needless to say we watched it!
Well, I'm gonna tell the world that I'm going to be a grandmother! My step-daughter is going to have a baby! I'm so excited, she is about 4months and is feeling the baby moving often. I've decided that I want to be called Me-maw. Me-maw was my favorite grandmother when I was a kid.
Well everyone, have a wonderful day!!

Life brings on new challenges...

2012-02-02T04:33:00.000-08:00

Yep, Life brings on new challenges almost daily it seems. Why do you ask? Let me see...I've gotten accepted into a 3rd magazine, yipee!!! This one is slightly different the other ones, but I can't say yet, so....I will just say I have a very soon deadline! LOL And, I'm sitting here at the computer not working on it....it is one of those mornings where I'm not what to begin to tackle first, that is why, so I sit and play on the computer.
Here is the biggest latest challenge: My husband fell last Sunday on the ice and broke his ankle in 3 places: trimaul is what it is called. It is a really bad break-repair...surgery tomorrow, poor man! My challenge is of course taking care of him, the family and having some fun time to piece and make my deadlines...I'm thinking that I will bring my main sewing supplies upstairs and sew in the living room. This way I will be on the main floor and can help him when he needs it. I just can't bring the longarm machine upstairs...well I could make my boys do that!! LOL But that thing is big! 14ft. table!! They would have to take out the basement door, through the backyard, up the big steep hill through the mud, into the garage, then back into the house...hey, maybe just maybe this is a doable plan....hmmm...nope! not gonna do it! LOL Also, I won't have my tv or my music to listen to if I bring my sewing supplies up here!! I tend to turn up the music really loud!! I love to sing and dance with the tunes! LOL what a sight!
I have more exciting news, but I'm waiting for the ok to pubicly announce it.
So....till then everyone...happy sewing!

Hello world! It is Saturday morning and it is ....

2012-01-28T05:54:00.000-08:00

Snowing! I can't complain though, we have had a mild winter so far. One week we are in the 40's and then the following week we have snow. Not bad, really not bad. But it does make me wonder about what our weather will be like this spring? Will have a spring? What will summer be like? Too Buggy? Since we are the Great Lakes state...we have lots of water, lots of water means ....mosquitos!!
So, what is the world up to these days? I got accepted into a 3rd magazine! I'm waiting to hear when I can say which magazine it is!!
Yesterday I put 6 of my own little wall hanging size quilts on the longarm machine, Rosie. I made a large backing and away I went! One of the quilts is a shop sample for the village quilt shop. I will have to take pictures and post them. I used the new 120degree ruler by Creative Grid. I love this ruler and the units go together so easily!
Well, I'm off for now... have a great weekend everyone!!

Weight Loss and its FRIDAY!!

2012-01-13T05:22:00.000-08:00

Its Friday!! And we finally got a little ity bit amount of snow! Just a dusting, which is ok, but dang honey, it is bitter cold temps out there...I want to stay home, but I have a few errands to run today. I will bundle up nicely to stay warm.
Yesterday I worked on a couple of designs, tweaking them so the colors stand out better or the block units make themselves known!! I have found that I continue to design in the same colors, even though I love so many other combinations! Why oh why do I do this....I'm gonna have to make myself come out of my comfy box and explore!!
Yesterday morning my son Chris was watching music videos and I heard Adel singing. I love Adell! Is it 1 "L" or 2 "LL"s? Anyway, I told Chris that I love her voice!! and her music. Well, what a wonderful son he is! He arrived home around 9:30pm from college class. He came down to my sewing room with a bag in his hand, here mom I got you something. What?!! What did you do? He bought me an Adell cd!! Oh my gosh! I gave him a big hug and thanked him over and over, what a great son!!! I put that cd in so fast...and you know it is hard to open up those dang covers! I could not get it open fast enough, I was so excited! Anyway, I jammed for a bit, dancing around my sewing room and just had a blast! I cranked that music up! Wow, thinking back, you know that is really not a wise thing to do...I woke myself up...it was time to wind down and go to bed.
Weight loss. I've been walking on my treadmill almost daily. If I can't get to the treadmill I'm making certain I do some form of exercise daily. I've lost 5lbs and that was just enough to put me in a pair of jeans I have not worn comfortably in a while...my goal....get down to a size 10.....Hopefully that won't take me too long. I'm not necessarily going to go for weight loss numbers, my goal is to be healthy, build my muscles up and be a little toned...I'm thinking I might go to a tanning bed, just to get some color...I'm so dang milky white!! a little color is ok, I have no desire to look like a piece of leather!
Happy sewing and Happy weekend everyone!

Good morning world!!

2012-01-06T05:12:00.000-08:00

Good morning world! Today is going to be a great day! It is Friday!! I woke up thinking that it was Thursday, holiday schedules always throughs me off!! Tomorrow I have two friends coming over for sewing. I'm hoping that today I will have my quilt blocks all pieced, ironed, squared to the correct size....and best of all have the blocks put into rows!!! I need to get this quilt on the longarm machine and sent out to the magazine.
Last night my husband and I went over to our oldest son Joe's girlfriends home and had dinner with her and her parents. Abby made us a chicken dinner with curry, rice, brocolli and greek salad. It was delicious!!! Oh and she also made us chocolate moose with a candy cane for dessert. Just scrumptous! We had great conversation with them and Mr Lee, feel asleep in his chair by the end of the evening...that I ok, because my eyes were beginning to glaze over!! LOL My left back shoulder muscles were pulling so bad though, it was time to head home. After a great nights sleep, my back feels so much better.
They took pictures of us last night, I'm so hoping they don't put them up on fb!! I hate having my picture taken. It just shows how fat I am...ugh!! I know I need to loose weight, but you know, coffee with creamer just tastes soooo dang good...who wants to give it up in the early am? Not me! I need to figure out another way to loose some weight. I know I will be happier and my body will actually like to do what I tell it to do....like get out of the chair easily, or walk the stairs without my knees going "snap crackle pop"!

For your viewing pleasure....

Just wanted to add something to look at. I think I've already posted this quilt on my blog....I love this quilt, I need to make it, but it a "doosey"....
Happy Sewing!!

Behind the 8ball...lol

2012-01-04T05:57:00.000-08:00

My goodness, I need to get on top of things! I have been extremely slacking when it comes to my blog. So today we are going to attempt to put myself back into my old routine.
My family and I had a wonderful quiet Christmas. Christmas Eve I made prime rib for dinner. I was thinking that I would not have to make a dinner for Christmas, but I was wrong....glad I thought that through before the actual day! My gang demanded that I make homemade macaroni and cheese casserole. I kind of gave it a "kick", I added pepper jack cheese to the mix! mmmmgood! My oldest son Joe, did not care for it, but the rest of the family loved it.
My hubby bought me the large 3 piece cutting board set for my sewing room. Unfortunately we had to return it. My tables, even put together, were still too small in the length....I was bummed. oh well.
Son Steve finished his Eagle Scout project on Christmas Eve!! Talk about cutting it close! You have to have your project completed by your 18th birthday, he turns 18 in less than a month!! phew, he made it! His project was helping to restore a historical church's outside lanterns and the side ramp. Now remember this is Michigan and it is cold here!!!! Yes, they were working outside to complete this project. My husband built a "dining tent" to protect the ramp that was painted. Lots of men from the troop donated their torpedo kerosene and propane heaters to help the paint dry. I'm glad this is finished.
Joe and Chris did very well with this past semester of college. This coming semester they are taking a biology course together...this will be very interesting....I'm thinking a little competition! we will see.....I do love that Chris is enjoying biology, becoming a doctor is exactly what he needs to do.
Our youngest son John wanted a new drum set for Christmas. We could not afford that, so he asked us to give him the cash that we had to spend for Christmas for him and he would find himself a new drum set along with taking $$ from his savings. Well, he found himself a used Pearl drum set that he loves!! I did not want to do the give me the money idea, but it was the right decision in the long run.
The kids band had two gigs last week. They did fantastic!! I love going to hear them play, I'm so proud of them!
Kate is back from NY. I missed her. She is such a beautiful young woman!
I heard from Quilter's World magazine this morning. My Double Dutch quilt which is featured in the latest issue Jan/Feb is on its way back to me!!! Woohoo!
Speaking of quilts, here is a sneak peak of my latest project:

What a mess!! Talk about using your scraps! These are all Hoffman Batiks from their 1895 collection.

I recently designed a quilt that I submitted to a different magazine that has over 7,000 pieces....don't even ask me what I was thinking!! That one will be a huge task for piecing and overcoming the "I'm now overwhelmed" feeling that I get when I have to tackle that big a of project!! But I hope I do get that one accepted to the magazine, I feel in love with the design.

Here is another block I came up with (the block on the left)...still working out the details with this one....

My husband and I were driving home the other day from a day of shopping...I hate shopping....he loves it...go figure....anyway, I was telling him about a quilt...blah blah blah....and he for some reason threw out these words which are all names of other blocks but he came up with this funky name!!! " Flying Dutch Star". I cracked up and so did he! So this quilt is being named just that. I'm still working on the deminsions and straightening up the drawing, I had a hard time with getting my lines and angles to work with this block in eq7. So, what do you think? I'm submitting this pattern once I get everything worked out....but is filled with lots of small pieces...not 2 1/2" strips....this one might take a little more effort to piece. If you did not know, blue is my favorite color, just throwing that out there...just saying....

Well, I think I've caught this blog up....now lets hope I can keep it up!

Happy Sewing everyone!

Christmas is 10 days away....

2011-12-15T05:19:00.000-08:00

My word!! Christmas is 10days away! I can't believe it! We have not even shopped yet and my husband is heading out of the country for almost a week. I don't know how anything is going to get done. I have so much to do and yet I have almost no energy these days, we need some sunshine so I can get back into the swing of things. Need to take that vitamin D the doctor ordered!
Today I would love to just sew for myself, lots of ideas floating around in my head, but I have all my customer's quilts to finish first. So, it is off to work I go!
Happy Sewing!!

oh me oh my....

2011-12-13T03:06:00.000-08:00

It has been a month since I posted in my blog! I knew I was behind so I guess it is time to catch up.
I've been working my fingers to the bone! I had an order to make 14 pillowcases out of the Maxine (old grumpy lady cartoon character) fabric!! What a blast that was. I took one to church and showed all my friends, they loved the Maxine-iums.
Well let me see, what have I finished since my last post:
2 quilts for Quilter's World magazine, customer quilts (longarm quilting), a couple of baby quilts....oh yes, we moved a friend's son into our home....he should be moving back home in about a month...should be sooner rather than later....Kate moved back home...ok, that makes 6 kids now..total of 8 people living in our home.....plus my 4 birds.
Yesterday I could not take the stress of all that was going on our home and I let everyone have a little piece of my mind. Funny thing, when I woke all these 15-25yr old kids up and called a family meeting before 9am....well lets just say I think they were not happy with me, but they took me pretty serious...and they worked their butts off in this house getting it back in order. The chaos and the absolute mess that my house turned into turned me into a not so nice person. I got my office back, Kate is no longer sleeping in here....John and Steve are now sharing a room (they did not want to though...tough!) Josh went to the basement spare room (not a bedroom) oh yes, Kate got her own room with a bathroom.....Steve was gracious enough and totally understood that I had to make him give up his room for Kate.
I could not take Kate being in the office. I could not get any work done. Matter of fact, I feel like it was the reason that I did not get some designs accepted. I could not get into my office to focus and design. My sewing room is a disaster. I made room for kate down there too. She said she wanted to "create" .....did not happen...oh wait, one or two days she came down to sew, the rest of the days she was watching tv. sigh......now she works at Toby Keith's Bar and Grill and loves it! I'm so happy she got this job! She wanted a "career" change, well she got it. She was working at Wells Fargo. She is a happy girl!
On a very sad note, my sister Gail lost her battle to colon cancer this past weekend. I will miss her! I would like to be able to go see my other sister Renee as soon as possible. We are all that is left of our family.
Happy note: lets see if I've got anything from quilting I can post.....

I like this one! I will be making on similar for a magazine! Just waiting on the fabrics to arrive.....

Happy Sewing everyone!!

the world is closing in...ahhhhh

2011-11-13T03:58:00.000-08:00

LOL, I only have some serious deadlines approaching me and I'm really far behind! But hey! at least I am working with fabric! I just can't express how much I love to sew. I never knew this as a kid, teenager...or even in my early 20's. My husband was the one who encouraged me to learn the skill. I love him! He is sooo supportive with this.
When he realized that I needed to have big tools to finish my quilts:

He said, "Yes" to this purchase!

This is Rosie, my longarm quilting machine. She is actually my 2nd longarm machine. I had an APQS Ultimate II, smaller machine, but she sewed liked a work horse. My Gammill, Rosie, also sews like a workhorse for me. She puts up with me! Today, I'm going to have to give her a good cleaning. I've neglected her the last couple of quilting jobs...she is a little too dusty.
In this last year, life has changed for me in the quilting world. I've gotten a total of 10 quilts accepted into magazines/books. Only one has been published as of now, the rest are coming. This is soooo exciting for me.
Yesterday I was searching around reading a few quilters' blogs and I came across a picture of a quilt that caught my attention. The quilting was outstanding. So, I printed the picture and began started to draw the quilting. Each time I look at this picture I see something new. So here is my drawing:

Pencil drawing of a new feather design I want to master

Turned off the flash from the camera, turned image orange...interesting.....

Last night I finished putting the borders on a customer's log cabin quilt. Today I will piece the backing and get it on the longarm machine....This one will be easy for quilting, she does not want anything fancy. Once that is finished I have to put the binding on and walla I will be finished. I have 2 other customer quilts that need to be quilted on the longarm machine and then I can work on the magazine quilts. Wish me luck everyone!!
Happy Sewing!

oh me oh my

2011-10-28T05:05:00.000-07:00

Yep, our first Frost! Son Joe found out early this morning that there was frost last night...he was not a happy camper! Next weekend, first weekend of November, we will be setting our clocks back an hour. UGH! That messes with my sleep.
Yesterday I was able to finish a customer's quilt on the longarm machine, pinned a second one, but never got back down to my sewing room. This morning I will work a little bit on a quilt that is due for a magazine and then I will finish up customer's quilt on the machine.
I think by the end of the weekend we will have to do some "winterizing" of the house/yard. The side porch glass needs to be put back in so screens get taken downstairs to storage. I will have to clean that porch too....I will need to remember to clean the front porch, I have some empty pots that need to be taken care of. For the last several years in this house, I have not done anything to "winterize", I keep telling myself...oh you've got time...go do something else...then winter hits....I don't like snow and cold so winterizing did not get done. I would like to decorate this year too, don't know if it will happen. Most of the time I have to make myself get up and just do something...I would rather be sewing.
This past Tuesday, I cleaned up the office. I boxed up 5 boxes of books (2 book shelves), had the boys take all the boxes to the attic. I also had boxes in my sewing room that needed to be taken to the attic. DONE! Got rid of lots of paper too. Now to take the bags of paper to the recycle bin and get them out the house. Cleaning up the office felt good too! I was able to hang 3 pictures and a quilt in here. I'm enjoying this room, now to get the carpets cleaned...got bring out the kirby!
Once I emptied those book shelves I had the boys carry the 2 book shelving units to my sewing room. I'm always looking for better ways to organize my room. About 2 weeks ago I purchased three cone/spool holders at JoAnn's. 2 of them are cone holders and 1 is a regular spool holder. I now have my cone holders on top of the 2 shelves with all my thread in my sight. Next I have to hang my spool holder, but I have to reorganize another area before I do that.
The previous owners did not know how to hang pictures and such. They used HUGE nails and screws. They hung an acording style coat holder right outside my sliding glass doors in the sewing room with 2 HUGE nails and I cannot budge them out of the wall!!! I don't how they secured them, nothing will pry them loose!! I would love to get rid of this thing because my spool holders need to go there....oh well...I will have to figure something else out. We've been in this house for 4 years and I still can't figure it out! LOL
I've been designing with my eq7. I'm going to submit two designs over the weekend and next week...I need to tweak the quilts first then submit.
I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!
Happy Sewing!

TGIF!!

2011-10-21T04:34:00.000-07:00

I'm so glad its Friday! I have no reason other than ITs FRIDAY! I'm hoping the rain goes away and it turns out to be a sunny day. The weather man said the clouds were going to go away and we should see some sunshine today.....winter is coming though....

Yesterday I pieced about 50 blocks for neice's quilt. Today, I have to press all seams open, I know this is such exciting news for you to read. There is something exciting though, while I was pressing the seams open I got this urge to come check email. It was about 5:30pm. So, I came upstairs to check my email and there was an email I've been waiting for. Actually, I had convinced myself that my quilt pattern had not been accepted since I have not heard anything so I was expecting a reject letter/email. I was wrong! My quilt was accepted, F&P accepted another one of my quilts!! How Sweet!!
I don't have all the details yet, that will come soon.
Today, I will be heading over to Sew Many Things for their Open House event. They want past students, who have completed projects to come in and show off to prospective new students. Pam showed me how to recover a cushion with welting. Pam is a great teacher! So, I'm going to bring my cushion.
No pictures to post, sorry....
Happy Sewing!

What a weekend whirlwind trip!

2011-10-17T06:04:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I was invited to go to Chicago with two sisters who own a new business called Sew Many Things. This shop caters to ALL sewers! They teach everything about sewing, it is great! Anyway, their employee, my friend Dawn, could not go with them and she is in charge of the "quilting dept.". So Dawn suggested they ask me to go with them. At first I was dreading it, the drive all evening on Saturday and then drive back home the next evening.
We arrived in Chicago about 1:30 in the morning, so that was actually Sunday. Got checked into the hotel and all of us hit the hay. Woke up between 7:30am and 8am got dressed, checked out the hotel and headed over to Troy.
It was fantastic!! Troy had great seminars, small in attendance, but none the less they were great! And the fabric, oh the fabric! RJR, Windham, Blue Hill, Timeless Treasures, Henry Glass, Benartex!! Troy has their own line of fabric called River Hill, I think that is the name. I enjoyed every minute of it and I am soooo glad I went! We were the last ones to be checked out at Troy. I think we left the building by 8pm. I pulled into my driveway at 2am.
I'm exhausted, but I had a wonderful time! Thanks to Sew Many Things for inviting me to go!

Beautiful weekend

2011-10-09T04:14:00.000-07:00

What a beautiful weekend we have had!! The sky is blue and temps are perfect...80 degrees...love it! Not to hot, nor is it sticky heat...you know humidity....
Our quilt show was fantastic! We had lots of "traffic", great attendance and all the silent auction quilt sold! Amazing!
Yesterday I made a neat remote control holder, here is a picture:

See, the remote control is in the middle poking its little head out....
That is all for now, I'm off to prepare Sunday dinner, tortelini soup. Then head to church, and allow the soup to cook while we are gone.
Happy Sewing!

Quilt Show!

2011-10-07T05:16:00.000-07:00

Today and tomorrow is Quilt show!! My guild is having their quilt show this weekend. I was there yesterday helping with some setup and got to look at some absolutely beautiful quilts! My brain was just in aw of the workmanship, the creativity of all these quilters! Amazing!
Unfortunately, I waited to late and did not get my forms in for my own quilts to be displayed...sniff sniff...I was just swamped with life and did not stop to do it...my fault, no one elses. I will survive.
Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!
Happy Sewing!

New block I attempted this past weekend

2011-10-04T03:20:00.000-07:00

This past weekend, I had planned on working on other projects but I just could not get this one out of my head. I made 3 different ones, trying to make the block end up at 12-1/2" unfinished. Here is what I finally finished with and I can thank a friend of mine, Margaret Serda for the cheddar color going into this block as my background. So, what do you think:

And here is another picture of it, I'm trying to show the black fabric, I love it!

Today's agenda: longarm machine! Oh wait, I have to finish piecing the last row of my Dr. Suess quilt. Here is what I would like to have finished on the longarm machine by Monday:
3 crib size quilts
1 lap size
6 customer quilts....I wonder if I can get all this finished with hurtin' knees?

Happy Sewing!

Working on crib size quilts

2011-10-03T14:22:00.000-07:00

These past few days I've rotated from working on crib size quilts to queen size to just trying to figure out the math for a new block. My knees are killing me though, especially my right knee. I'm thinking that maybe we will have to bring my sewing studio up to the family room and let the boys have my studio for their music room.

Designed this quilt yesterday, I love it!

Happy sewing everyone!

"Its Sew Easy, its sew easy, woa oh its so dog gone easy"...

2011-09-25T04:59:00.000-07:00

LOL...sometimes I just crack myself up! I was coming up from the basement, retrieving my camera to load the latest pictures, and I began singing that song...and I changed the spelling of "so" to "sew"... I'm so clever! LOL
Yesterday while I was working at the longarm machine I decided I needed to bring our cockatiels down stairs with me. I've been neglecting my birds, especially Lily. Here is proof of how much she is missing me:

She was trying to climb up my leg so she could cuddle with me! She likes to cuddle, actually there really is no cuddling, she just wants me to scratch her neck! It is ALL about her! LOL She is a sweet bird though. I don't let her on the quilts, notice she is on the floor. She can't fly, she walks. I was ignoring her at one point, I could hear her walking on the foam mats there in the picture. Then I did not hear her...hmmm where did she go? I found her under the longarm machine fussing at the quilt!! What a bird!
Our other cockatiel, Brad, stays at his cage and looks at himself in the mirror...he loves himself. Actually he loves Lily, but she wants nothing to do with him.
Speaking of yesterday, here is a teaser of the quilt that I was working on for a magazine. This quilt will be going into the April issue 2012:

Just the top border...what a teaser I am!

I call these feathers, kidneys!

Here is something else I'm working on, I bought a new ruler. I did not have much time to put this together, I'm hoping to make a queen size quilt from this, just different fabric...I only had a little of this. I think I will just put these together as a table topper.

It is kind of busy...needs something else, suggestions please...

I've received lots of emails from people across the nation about my quilt on the magazine cover. Thank you! And thank you to those who have posted here on my blog. I'm hoping this week to piece just for me, but who knows, maybe I will get to have another quilt in a magazine! I am teaching a lot this coming month! I mean every weekend!
Tata everyone and Happy Sewing!

My youngest son is in driver's ed...

2011-09-23T04:30:00.000-07:00

Tell me how this happens? He was only born 15years ago, who said he could get taller than me, taller than 2 of his older brothers and that he can drive???? Who?!
John is our youngest son, he turned 15 on 9/11. He is amazing! He is independent, disciplined and driven! He rarely needs my help with any school work, usually it is history, he does not like history...does not get down to business fast enough for him...I understand that! LOL He is an amazing drummer!! One day I hope to get a video of him and older brother Joe in "wipeout"...remember that instrumental from the 60's? I think that was when it came out.
I need to find a picture of John to post. Well, since I don't have any, I think I will take a picture of him today and post it later on.
This was a short post today...got to get to work today...take John to Driver's Ed.
Happy Sewing everyone!

Here is the magazine cover!!

2011-09-19T05:21:00.000-07:00

Ok, I hope this works. I had to go capture the picture from facebook because my camera battery is dead. So, what do you think??? Please let me know if you find the magazine in your area, thanks!

Happy Sewing!
Before I forget, my quilt is the first one featured in the magazine! Page 8! woohoo!!

The magazine is on newstands....

2011-09-16T04:38:00.000-07:00

My sister flew in a couple of days ago and we when she arrived we went on a mad hunt to find the magazine. The magazine: Fons & Porter Easy Quilts Scrap Quilts edition....it has my quilt on the cover! How sweet is that!!? The magazine was no where to be found!! I was pretty bummed. Two days later, we found it on the shelves at Kroger!! Renee was outside talking on her cell phone so I went into the store to see. Standing up front was Kathy, she is one of their managers. I walked up to her and told her about the magazine and wanted to know if the newest magazines had been put on the shelves yet? She said yes, that the girl just finished. So off I went and my son Steve was the one who found the magazine! It was not with the other quilt magazines though, that is why I could not find it. I grabbed a copy, and took up to the front to show Kathy. You should have seen her face!! She bought the magazine and had me autograph it! How funny! Honestly the funniest part of it was when I handed her the magazine and she yelled to the entire store "we have a celebrity in the store!! Right here, Chris, your mom made the cover of the magazine!!" and yes, she was yelling...and everyone looked! oh my that was a little embarrassing and funny, but she meant well and I just laughed.
Steve ran back to the magazine stand and grabbed one for Renee. We bought it and took it outside to show her. You should have seen her face! She got off the phone so fast and took off into the store and bought the rest of the copies!! That leaves no copies for the quilters, lol...oops.
Hopefully other stores will have the magazine and I also hope that subscribers of the magazine will send me an email about my quilt! I love to hear from others!
Happy Sewing everyone!!

Who said September could arrive so fast????

2011-09-02T05:26:00.000-07:00

Ok, someone needs to fess up now! Who in their right mind said September could arrive so fast?!! I am not ready for this month to be here! We begin school next week, am I ready? nope! I have quilts that are due right now, in house, are they there?! nope!
Matter of fact, I just sent a reminder email to the editor saying I have till Monday.
You know I really work well under pressure, unless someone bugs me! LOL then, well let's just say, don't talk to me! LOL
Yesterday I received two wonderful surprises in the mail!!! Fons and Porter sent me the copy of the magazine my quilt is in!!! I made the front cover and my quilt is the first quilt in the magazine!! Then, as I was walking to my bedroom, which is in the front of the house, I saw the UPS truck out front. Who ordered something?! The driver came around the back of the truck with a nice size box in her hands....my eyes got real big!!! It is my quilt! Yep! Fons and Porter sent me my quilt back so I can have it for show and tell with the quilt guild! I met the driver outside, I was so excited...I'm so silly....and I told her that is my quilt that made the cover of the magazine!! WooHoo!! She was also very excited for me and congratulated me!
Last night, my son Joe and I sat on the living room couch and chatted about our day. I love that boy!! He had run into a couple of snags with his classes at OCC and had spent the entire day getting everything taken care of. He did a fantastic job, and I believe because he dressed nicely, with a tie on, that helped the professors and deans that he spoke with take him very serious. What a kid! oops, what an adult....oh heck, he is still my kid!
Chris on the other hand came home with a migraine last night. Not good, he had one all day and was getting sick to his stomach. I'm gonna tweak his diet again...but I also think the migraine could have come from the front that is coming through bringing all this heat and humidity.
Pictures for you to enjoy....

trying to figure out what to do with these blocks....

things on my design wall.....

just something I'm working on....

I tweaked this applique design, I did not like the original, so I took out the stems, lessened the number of berries and moved the center flower petals...what do you think? oh and I don't really care for applique, that is the process of doing it....so I did raw edge machine applique.
And yes, it is on my longarm machine, I quilted it to death! LOL

Happy sewing everyone!!!

Designing all week

2011-08-27T04:50:00.000-07:00

Yep, I've been designing one quilt all week...or should I say all morning long for this past week. I worked on this quilt for 2-3 hours every morning. I've submitted this quilt to the magazine, I hope they accept it...it will be a hard one to piece! So, what do you think?
Would you tackle this one?

Today is my final class of "jazzy" valances over at Sew Many Things in Clinton Twp. I'm enjoying learning the correct way to sew valances!
Happy Sewing y'all!

Again, no picture day

2011-08-22T04:59:00.000-07:00

Sorry no pictures today, but I did find my camera. I was very busy this weekend. Friday I began piecing early in the morning and I pieced until 10pm! I was determined to finish and I just kept plugging away. I was unable to piece the borders on but I did manage to get them cut. Saturday morning, bright and early, I went down to my sewing room and packaged all my supplies up for my valance class. I brought my quilt along with me so that I could piece the borders on to the quilt. I knew I would have time because there were two other students that would need Pam's attention, so I took advantage of waiting time.
As for getting anything done after class on Saturday....did not happen! I was soooo sick to my stomach I could not do anything, I was miserable and uncomfortable. All I managed to do was lay on the couch and channel surf...I found nothing on tv...wouldn't you know it!
Sunday came along and I felt much better. Went to church, came home, made salsa soup for dinner, watched Big Bang Theory (dvd) and then headed downstairs to begin cutting out applique pieces...I don't like applique....but I'm the one who said I would do this quilt so I'm committed....
I was able to get about 30% completed, that is just the cutting out part, not the actual sewing down part. I will have to go up to the Village Quilt shop today and buy the right threads for the job. Hopefully while I'm there Carroll will be able to let me know if he ordered Block Base for me. I hope he did!
I'm also hoping that today I will go work outside in my yard. It is an absolute mess!!! I have not worked on my flowerbeds in weeks again! And the weeds are so high and I can't seem to get control of them. I want to start all over with this flower bed, but who has time for that?
I have a couple of quilt submissions to take care of this week also. I hope everyone is enjoying the last bits of summer, I can't believe school has and is starting back....summer is just never long enough....
Happy Sewing!

Guild Meeting

2011-08-17T04:48:00.000-07:00

Last night was Townhall Quilt Guild meeting. I love guild now. At first I did not because I was the "new kid in town" and knew no one. Now, I'm getting to know everyone. The meeting was fun and our new guild president tried to talk us into a "chinese fire drill" activity...hahahaha no one was going for it! LOL Not a one of us was willing to get up and move around. She tried though and it was a good idea, but the ladies were just gonna move....I think it is funny.
At a recent visit to my one my favorite quilt shops, a student of a class I taught came in. She was not there to see me, but when she saw me she thought it was necessary to tell me that I need to use a different method of constructing triangles for my projects....I had to inform her that I don't care for that method that I like the one I used, and that I've been quilting for 15 years and I've seen that method....I choose to do another one...she was not impressed with me at all...sorry!
So, when I see that a pattern calls for hst's where you draw a diagonal line on the back of the square and then sew 1/4" seam on either side of the line....I look to see the finished size and use my method...what is the big deal? As long as your block/units are the right size you are fine! I can chain piece my hst faster with this method, so that is why I use this method.
Yesterday I stopped into the Village Quilt shoppe and asked Carroll (is it two l's or one?) if he could order Block Base for EQ7 for me. I checked EQ7's website and they are on back order. I checked a wholesale distributor's website and they had it....so hopefully he will be able to order it for me.
Today is an all day sewing day! I'm not leaving the house if I don't have to!! I pieced 28 blocks yesterday, and today I need to add the sashing and cornerstones. I also have to cut out my applique pieces. The applique is going on a different quilt, just need to get it moving too....phew....lots to do lots to do....Happy Sewing everyone!

Random thoughts

2011-08-15T04:51:00.000-07:00

This past weekend, for some unknown reason, I ventured into my son Chris's room...he is a pretty tidy young man...I can't call him a kid any more...he is 6'2" and he is 19 yrs. old...he no longer fits the "my kid" category..hahaha....
Anyway, I went up to his room looking for something, probably my camera. He likes to use it to film his mini-videos. Oh, now I remember why I went into his room, his bathroom window was open and it was raining outside. So, I go to close his window and I noticed you could NOT see out of it! My thoughts, "Chris, clean off this screen!" I realized what was on the screen...cottonwood fuzz! IT has been there forever! The screen is sooo tiny, there is no reason why he can't do this job. I will tell him today.
Cottonwood: I never knew what cottonwood was until we moved to Michigan. In the spring when these trees bloom and the wind takes the little "fuzzies" away with the breeze, it looks like it is snowing. Yep, and the little fuzzies, seeds, line all up along our driveway, in all of our windows....and make me sneeze! they stick to your screens and you can't see out. Once the trees are done dropping their fuzzies, we can clean our screens...but I guess Chris managed to get away with not cleaning his.
On Friday, I went to Maybellena's quilt shop to meet Sharon to pick up two of her quilts. While I was in the shop I saw the prettiest and easiest blue green quilt to piece. I wanted to take it and wrap up in it. They had the kit for sale, but I did not want to spend the money for the kit, so I bought 2 yards of fabric there, and two yards of fabric at the Village quilt shop...and started piecing it last night. Actually, I'm not piecing it the way they did in Maybellena's...I'm doing my own pattern. I hope it works! And as soon as I can find my camera I will post pictures.
I have 3 quilt projects that are due to QW magazine on Sept. 2. Last night I dreamed all night long that I was teaching people to make these quilts. One particular student was a little boy, who did not listen to me and my instructions. He cut out all the fabric that I gave him in his own way! He ruined the quilt! In a nutshell I had this nightmare all night long!! I would wake up everytime this little boy would show me what he did, get frustrated, roll over and go back to sleep...all night long people, all night long...sigh!
Well, I'm going to go cut my fabric for Quilter's World magazine mystery that is listed on Facebook. I forgot to cut my blocks this weekend...so I better get busy! Hope everyone has a wonderful week!

Raspberry Chocolate!

2011-08-12T05:21:00.000-07:00

I began playing with EQ7 this morning. I was inspired by a new shop that has opened up in Clinton Twp "Sew Many Things". Their business card's colors are pink and brown. So I designed this quilt with their colors in mind:

Raspberry Chocolate

What do you think? It is the same layout as the quilt in the previous day's post, but I changed it up a bit. Not as many blocks to construct...and yes, I know there is a LOT of pink! but remember, you can use any color scheme/layout you desire! Be creative...if you are interested in this quilt. Give me some time to get the instructions together. It would be a nice "quilt along" don't you think? Think about your colors now....could you make with your scraps and have it a variety? Or do you need to control the colors? I would love to hear your responses and ideas!!
Happy Sewing!

Fabirc is HERE!!

2011-08-11T05:30:00.000-07:00

Scrumptous, Scrumptous, Scrumptous!! Love my fabric!!
I've designed a medallion quilt this past weekend, I've been tweaking it too. There were some things that I forgot to do. Here are a couple of pictures for you to enjoy! I'm actually going to make this quilt from my stash...some how, some way...I'm gonna do this! Once I get everything together and all the instructions written, I will let you know.

Please don't copy this pattern and try to get published...I'm already working with a couple of editors and they are aware of this quilt...so please respect my design and my work. Thank you!! Now for some eye candy!

This is with a solid border
Little bits of Chocolate

Little Bits of Chocolate with blue border

This was the original design, I've changed a few things, such as baskets and colors in the blocks....this is my favorite border though!

This is with all the baskets going in the correct direction so that there is a definite top to the quilt..as you can hang it either way....and I recolored some of the corner blocks.

So tell me what you think?

Happy Sewing!!

Waiting on Fabric!!

2011-08-10T05:39:00.000-07:00

Today I'm waiting on fabric to arrive. It should have arrived yesterday! I canceled my serger class that I was signed up for because I thought my fabric was going to be here....it never arrived...maybe it will arrive this morning and I can get busy cutting! I have 3 projects due at the beginning of September and 1 at the end of September.
Anytime now, fabric can arrive...lol
Yesterday was a blast though, I had a wonderful day. Lots of birthday wishes, one of my best friends took me out to lunch, my boys bought us Jet's pizza for dinner!! and When I walked in to the quilt show board meeting, the ladies started clapping!! HA!! That totally surprised me! I was somewhat embarrassed....I should have broken out into a happy dance, but my mind does not work that fast! LOL I think I would have totally shocked them if I broke out into a dance!! oh I crack myself up sometimes!
I've got about "up-teen-million" quilt designs in my head and I can't seem to focus on one of them....How does one do this? I try to keep a notebook with drawings or printouts, but honestly, because my computer is upstairs and my sewing room is downstairs...I find it hard to stay organized...I leave a paper trail! Any suggestions!? Help please!
Last night our temps dropped down in the upper 50's, great sleeping weather! This morning I'm in my "comfy" warm pants and a light jacket....I'm a bit chilled not being under the covers. I love this kind of weather! The sun is shinning so brightly, the grass is green and the wind is blowing! I'm keeping my house open all day long!!
My youngest son, John, asked if he could sleep on the porch. We have a screened in side porch that my sister, Renee, dubbed as the "passion pit"...don't even ask!! Let me see if I can find a picture of it, bummer! Can't find one. We lost our computer over a year ago and I lost lots of pictures and files. Maybe I will retake a picture of the porch.
So, back to John sleeping on the porch. He went up in the attic and brought down the cot, set it up, sheets, blankets and all. Now sometime during the night, he must have decided it was either too cold or uncomfortable because when I got up at 6:15am he was not on the porch, but in his bed.
Today, I'm going to try to tackle several things....lets see how much I can accomplish. Normally these cool temps inspire me to work. I hope it does today!
Happy sewing everyone!

I made the cover!!!!

2011-08-09T04:38:00.000-07:00

Oh my gosh!! I'm soooo excited that I made the cover of one of Fons and Porter's magazines!!! There is a scrap issue, editor told me that it is one of their largest issues, that will be on newstands Sept. 13!!! Dang I'm excited!! And my quilt made the cover!! Thank you Blank fabric for making that quilt shine!! And thank you to Diane at F&P for giving me such a great honor to be on the cover!!!

This is not the cover of the magazine, I don't have a picture of that yet....Maybe she will send me one? I have no idea! LOL But I'm so excited I just can't help myself!!! And to top things off, today is my birthday!!! How sweet is that?! Go buy the magazine when it comes out!! Check out the beautiful fabrics that were chosen!!
So, for my b'day, I'm going to lunch with one of my best friends Carol. We are going to go to Culver's...my son Steve, just got a job there too. Tonight I get to go take serger lessons at Sew Many Things over in Clinton Township. I'm really looking forward to this. All of this month, August, I'm taking sewing lessons over at this shop. Not quilting lesson, but home dec. I can't wait!!
Well everyone, You have a wonderful day! I'm gonna go play with fabric!!
Happy Sewing!

August is here and we are heading towards mid month....

2011-08-08T05:13:00.000-07:00

Sigh...I can't believe August is here and tomorrow is my birthday...that means that we are heading towards mid month...then we head towards September...that means school and fall/autumn temps....oh I don't even want to think about what comes after fall! Make it go away! LOL
I've been working on a quilt in EQ7 that I so want to piece right now! And I bet you if I could just sit down in my sewing room for the rest of this week, with no interuptions I could get it pieced!! I would love to get this quilt published, but I'm not certain where to get started...why? because it is big, lots of paper...paper as in instructions.....so it will not fit in a magazine.....I have not decided if I'm going to show this quilt on my blog yet, I don't want it shared with more people than it should be...just in case I do go through with trying to get it published.
Actually, If I could piece it in a different color pattern, I would at least see if my instructions/measurements are correct...hmmm, now there is a thought....

Another design I've been working on....opinions please?

I really like the looks of this quilt, I've been playing with eq7 for a while, just trying different things out. I came up with this quilt you see above. What do you think? It reminds me of bowling alley shirts??? I don't know why either. And it looks like it should be in the 1950's....So tell me what you think?
Happy sewing!

what to do what to do....

2011-08-01T05:23:00.000-07:00

I have so much on my list to accomplish I don't know where to begin. I have a couple of fun things to work on and then I have some "must do"...but they are not fun....what should I do today? Fun or work? Logic says, get the work done so you can have fun! Ok fine, but I'm hungry! I think I will eat some breakfast first. While my bread is toasting I will type for a few moments....I'm posting some homeschool text books up for sale on the vegsource list. I've been wanting to sell these books for a while. Hopefully someone will jump on my prices and take it all!
Last night was wonderful! We had the acteen girls over. We are doing a study called "No Other Gods". With this study we are going to teach the girls how to cook. Most of them know how to do basic things but I was surprised that one did not know how to chop veggies. She knows how to now! She did a fantastic job! We made chopped all kinds of veggies, sauted them and added them to pasta which I showed the girls how to cook your pasta in chicken broth...tastes soooo much better. cooked up some chicken and a dessert and we were good to go! Last night was great!
Today, like I mentioned before I have lots to do. I need to put a customer's quilt on the machine, work on Quiltmaker magazine's project, do submissions..clean my house weed the flower beds ( it is too humid outside though), go to the quilt shop for some "sit and sew" time with friends.
Ahhhh breakfast was good! I love Italian bread toasted! Breakfast was toast, but with Italian bread...I love the texture and the "crunch". Time to get to work people......

Sigh....

2011-07-30T18:04:00.000-07:00

sigh...it is time to go back to loosing weight and getting myself in shape.
My sister sent me an email with a link to photos online and I saw exactly what I look like. How depressing! I don't want to be this size any more....Wish me luck and pray for me!

I love designing quilt tops!

2011-07-28T06:02:00.000-07:00

I absolutely love designing quilt tops with EQ7. I will admit though, that I don't know how to work the program totally yet, but I am learning! This morning I designed this one. I've seen tumbler blocks recently showing up in people's quilts so I thought I'd try it out on EQ7. The tumbler block/unit is a great stash buster. So here it is:

Just use all of your greens, reds, blues, browns, yellows, oranges...whatever you have! I do plan on attacking my stash and putting this on my design wall. Hopefully that will happen sooner rather than later. Oh what the heck! Get your quilt guilds, sewing groups to join in and make it a charm stash buster! If you want the pattern just send me an email and I can send it over to you for only $5. I use paypal, just shoot me an email and I send you all the information.
I also designed another quilt yesterday...ok, well I designed more than one....but I will show you this one:

The center squares, the ones that read "solid". I will be strip piecing different shades of creams to tans. Once the strips are pieced I will then cut the squares, but they will be on the bias. I'm getting brave these days and I'm not afraid of working with the bias. This pattern is also only $5, so if you are interested, shoot me an email via the blog and I will send you the info.
Time to get off the computer, I have some sewing to do!
Happy quilting everyone!

Sneek peek.....

2011-07-27T06:42:00.000-07:00

For those "enquiring" minds....I have a special quilt that I will be revealing later on....it is for Quilt Maker magazine...I've made 12 blocks and now on to the applique...as soon as I can begin revealing I will....
Happy Quilting folks!

July is almost over!

2011-07-26T08:26:00.000-07:00

I cannot believe that July is almost over and August will be here...that means school begins again! UGH! I'm not ready for summer to be over and for fall to be here...not only does that mean school, but then preparing for the holidays!! I don't remember life going by so fast! what in the world has happened?
I wanted to show a picture of a pillow that I made the other day.

I swapped the colors around. Instead of making it look like a log cabin block where all the dark colors are on one side of the block, I rotated them...kind of. This was very easy to make. I think I might make another one!
I got another project accepted by a magazine!! I'm totally excited about this one. I now have 6 projects that are due "in house" by the end of September...well some are due before the end of September...they must be there by the beginning of Sept. I'm a little nervous about all the sewing, but I'm totally geeked!
That is all for today, hope everyone is having a wonderful day! It is beautiful here in Michigan! I have the house opened up.....if it gets too hot we will close it up, but at least this way we are saving a little bit on electricity costs!
Oh, I can't go down to my sewing room at the moment...the kids are having band practice...it is a little noisey for me to concentrate....I will hang out upstairs and get some cleaning done....
Happy sewing!

My weekend...so far....

2011-07-24T04:27:00.000-07:00

This past Tuesday, I submitted 4 quilts to a quilt book publisher. Three out of the four were accepted into the book!! I received my email yesterday...actually the email was sent to me on Friday, but I did not read it until Saturday morning. I was so excited, still am actually!
I also learned the other day that my quilt for F&P is one of the several that is being voted on for the cover!! That one totally shocked me. I emailed the editor wondering how my quilt photographed. When she sent me a picture of my quilt, it looked like one that would go on the cover...so I asked....Did it make on the cover? She then told me that it is being considered!
I have not heard if my quilt for QW will be on the cover or not, that will be a while before I hear anything, that would be so very exciting!
Yesterday after a few errands I came home to begin sewing. I really did want to work outside but it was way to hot and humid. The air felt saturated. So I cut 80 strips of fabric and sewed the strips into 40 strip sets.

Now I need some help, I made 9patches the other night and I have two ideas and I'm not sure which one I should go with. Here is a picture of the 9patches:

As you can see, I've added triangle units to all 4 sides of the 9patches. I'm thinking of either adding sashing and cornerstones between the blocks or adding larger triangles to all 4 sides, giving it a "snails trail" look to attempt to create a spin. What do you think?

Today we will go to church, come home, feed the gang, then I have to prepare for this afternoon's lesson for the teen girls. I'm suppose to do, as Cassandra dubbed the class, "Cooking with Jesus". That one cracked me up! We are trying to teach the girls how to take care of themselves by giving them life skills while doing our Bible study. We are going to be starting the "No Other Gods" study tonight. It will just be an introduction night because I have a leadership team meeting.

Time to get ready for church!

Have a wonderful day everyone!!

As the Village Quilt Shop says....

2011-07-22T05:37:00.000-07:00

As the Village Quilt shop says (Lake Orion Michigan at Canterbury Village) Reuse, Recycle and I'm adding Repurpose! That is if you can! LOL
Last night I just wanted to sew, I did not care what I worked on, but I do have somethings that I *NEED* to work on right now! Often times though my mind says, no work on this instead....you can play catch up with that project later, lets start a new one!" oh joy! me, myself and I having a discussion!
~a little funny note here~ I just walked into the kitchen to get a refill of coffee. (We have 4 birds: 2 cockatiels and 2 Quaker parrots) The birds are still covered up and they are suppose to be asleep right now, it is 8:15am, they are not asleep...they are waiting very patiently for Steven to wake up and uncover them so they can tell the entire world about their night! Anyway, I am pouring my cup of coffee and Henry the Quaker hears me...he hears everything....and then I hear "Good morning" I giggle and say "good morning" back to him...he continues this Good morning, good morning, good morning game until I no longer respond....Sometimes he will just hollar when I stop talking back to him....other times he will say other things to me such as " is it good" "eat" "give me a kiss" Henry is quite the character...Gracy on the other hand is a sweet bird, she is the other quaker...she likes giving kisses and she is learning more sounds and beginning to talk like Henry. She is about 7 years old though.
Back to quilting!
Here is what I did last night. Since 2 1/2" strips are in and reusing, recycling, repurposing is so "in", I ironed a lot of fabric (fat quarters, 1/2yards, yardage...) then I cut 5- 2 1/2" x wof dark strips and cut 3- 2 1/2"x wof light strips. Sew your strip sets as a usual 9 patch formation (DLD-2 strip sets and LDL-1 strip set), cut into 2 1/2 segments and sew your 9-patches together.
Next: I used my Companion Angle ruler made by EZ Quilt, I cut medium to dark 3 1/2" x wof strips with my 6" wide strip cutting ruler. Now pick up your Companion Angle ruler and do the cut and flip method to make triangle units. Lay the Companion Angle ruler on the bottom of the strip of fabric on the 3 1/2" line and the tip of the ruler should rest at the top of your strip. I layer cut!! 4 Layers! If you have 2 strips folded in half and placed on top of each other you can do this. I get at least 4 cuts from this, you could possibly get 5(20 triangles)....I was being lazy last night and stopped at 4(16 triangles). I wanted to sew!
If you are unfamiliar with EZ Quilt rulers, you cut and flip with these. You make the first cut with the ruler then you flip the ruler. Just look at the directions that came with the ruler or go to their website you can download the instructions.
Back to the block. Last night I made 16-9patches. Take your 9 patches and find the mid point on all 4 sides, either pinch to mark or place a pin to mark. Next you take one of the Companion Angle Triangles (*****You are working with the bias!!! Don't stretch then, don't press them roughly, treat them gently***), I place the same color of triangles around 1-9patch. I also fold the triangles in half so that I get mid point on the base of the triangle. Line the midpoints up, triangle to 9patch, and sew. Go around all 4 sides of the 9patch with the same color triangle...I know I said that already.
This is going to be a king size quilt.....choose your colors, I want mine to look warm and scrappy... I will be making my 9patches and triangles from a variety of colors.
I will post more tomorrow.....Happy sewing!!!

Chris is 19 years old today!!

2011-07-07T04:49:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Chris!
My son Chris is an absolute wonderful person! I enjoy having him around. I'm not like other parents that just want their kids to move out, I truly enjoy having all my kids here at home! I will miss them terribly when they move out.
We gave his b'day present to him last night because Chris and his older brother Joe are heading over to the youth pastor's house tonight for college night. Apparently Josh is hosting a get together of some kind. So we gave Chris his present early. He was quit thrilled when he saw it! Dad picked him out a set of drum mics for his recording set up, stuff??? I don't know the real name for it, but Chris was thrilled! and very appreciative.
Quilting: I'm close to be done with the quilt that is going to Quilter's World magazine. I've already sewn the binding on by using the longarm machine. I know I should have sewed it on after I finished the quilting, but this way, I won't sew into the "binding" seam allowance...I have a bad habit of doing that.
Sorry no pictures....I do have some exciting news and when I can share it I will!
Happy sewing!

July is here

2011-07-02T18:19:00.000-07:00

July is here! What does that mean.....well in two days everyone will be celebrating freedom. I hope everyone remembers how America has gotten her freedom and honors our men and women of service, past and present!
Today I went down to my sewing room and began sewing around 8:30am. I really thought I'd be done by noon....not a chance...it took me two extra hours of piecing to get my "special" borders on my quilt that is going in the magazine. And from that sewing....I'm totally exhausted! It is only 9:15pm and I'm ready to crawl in bed.
We had some storms move through here this evening, I was very thankful for the rain, our yard and garden needed it. I have neglected my yard and garden this year. I don't know why though. Since the storms have moved on and the sun is setting the air has a yellow hazy tint, very interesting. I want to go to sleep, but I know if I go to sleep now, I will be wide awake at midnight! I hate when that happens.
Oh my, I forgot I was suppose to make the quilt back tonight, shoot! Ok, I must do it tomorrow...darn it...I hate when my brain is tired! lol
well everyone, what are you doing this holiday weekend? We will be heading over to a friend's house in the late afternoon. I don't know if everyone is coming with us, have not heard what the boys want to do.
Have a wonderful holiday weekend!!

It's almost July

2011-06-30T05:09:00.000-07:00

It is almost July! This past week the weather has been absolutely gorgeous!!!! No air conditioning, just fresh air. We have been pretty busy too. The boys have had several things to go and I have had a couple of dr./dentist appts.
Doctor appt....well I have a ruptured blood vessel in my right hand just below my thumb. I'm well aware that it is there, but it only hurts when I try to hold something in my hand...say the round brush when I attempt to pull the curl out of my hair so I don't look a frizz ball....or the rotary cutter to work on my projects....life is good though!
My husband comes home today from his trip to Mexico. He had to go there for work. How interesting, as soon as I finished typing the previous sentence, my husband called from Mexico! He was on the plane and just wanted to let me know that he was thinking about me!! Love that man!
Quilting: I'm working on my quilt for the magazine, I'm behind but trying to catch up. Hopefully today I will be able to do just that. I have a quilt on the longarm machine that I need to get done, plus all the other customer quilts waiting to go on the machine. I will finish her's first, then I will put the magazine quilt on the longarm. Once that quilt is done I will be able to focus on the rest of the quilts....BUT, I received an email yesterday from a magazine requesting that I submit a design for a book! How cool is that?! I did not seek them out, so I'm excited!!
Got to get a movin'!
Happy sewing!

Big Bang Theory is so funny!

2011-06-18T04:01:00.000-07:00

Last night after Kate arrived, we all sat in the family room and watched 4 shows from season 1 of The Big Bang Theory. I'm so glad my hubby's co-worker sent the series home with him.
Today I teach at JoAnn's. It is a 2 hour class for the "kids sewing class". I'm not really thrilled about it, but hey I will earn a little extra fabric buying cash. After class is over, I'm coming home to pick up Kate and we are going to go to Sam's to buy the leather recliner for hubby, that is his Father's Day present. He is going to be soooo shocked! And I don't know how we are going to get into the house, because there will not be any boys home!!! Chris, Steve and John are all going to go work at my friend's house today. They are preparing their house/yard to go on the market.
That is all for now.....later everyone

Life for the weekend

2011-06-17T04:36:00.000-07:00

Today our daughter arrives home for the weekend! Kate is 25 years old and she is a beautiful young woman! I can't wait for her to arrive. She is coming for the weekend, cause it is Father's Day this Sunday. It will be nice having another female in the house again. I think she hinted to me that she wants to pick out fabric for a duvet? I'm not certain....we will see. I have no problem looking for fabric!
Someone from my husband's work brought in 3 seasons of The Big Bang Theory. We love that show! Needless to say we have been watching the dvd's!! Our son Chris said we should have a marathon of watching them over the weekend. Ok, let's do it Saturday night or Friday night while Kate is here. I'll make some good finger foods for munching and we can all just veg in front of the tv! What fun! LOL Actually we have done this before but it was with Third Rock From the Sun. We literally sat and watched 6 hours of tv and none of us moved! LOL
Last night I sewed 32 sets of fabric strips together to prepare for my quilt that is going in QW magazine. I power sewed! Now today after I run Steve and John out to Rachel's to help her father clean up the yard, I will come back home and iron all those strip sets. I'm hoping that I can cut the strip sets into the sub units that I need and begin to prepare them for sewing. I will have to lay all the pieces out to make sure I achieve the "right" look. My goal is to make this quilt look like suede! How cool is that?!
Speaking of yard clean up, the boys are helping one family today, and another family tomorrow. They will be completely worn out by Sunday, Father's Day.
Well everyone, I will post pictures of my quilt in stages as soon as I can.....

Later and happy quilting!

I got fabric in the mail!!

2011-06-16T11:47:00.000-07:00

What a great day when you receive fabric in the mail!! I did not order the fabric either!! A manufacturer sent me about 40 pieces of 1/2yard or larger pieces for my quilt that is going in Quilter's World...Feb. 2012 issue!! oh my goodness is this fabric scrumptious!! I pressed and cut last night and this morning. I am ready to assemble the pieces into units. That is my plan for the evening.
On Tuesday and Thursday I teach a group of girls sewing (quilting). Today I had the little chatty girls! Lord have mercy were they chatty and they are all around the ages of 10-13. They were so dang cute!
Well, I have to get moving, we are heading out the door to go to some thrift stores. I need to buy a desk for my hubby for the computer room. Nothing fancy, obviously, just something that he can sit at more comfortably and I can have the 8foot long buffet table back down in my sewing room.
Happy Quilting everyone!

What a day!

2011-06-01T05:35:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a great day! It was hot here and humid but all in all I had a wonderful day. I heard from the fabric manufacturer and they are going to help me with fabric for another quilt design!! WoooHooo! This made my night!
I've also got another quilt pattern in my head and I need to piece it now! I just have the image though, no measurements....wonder how it will go! LOL
Today's weather is suppose to be absolutely gorgeous! 78 is our high, now that is just down right fantastic, don't you think?!
Tomorrow night is Oakland County Guild meeting. I have only been able to attend 2 meetings at the most. No one knows me. Hopefully, I will begin to start making some friends there. I truly hate being the "new kid". I had to deal with that all my life from being a navy brat...we moved all the time! So....make friends with me, I'm shy!
I think that is all for now.
Happy quilting!!
oh! I can't figure out how to comment to any followers that post comments to my blog. If you know how, please let me know! I went to the help section and well...it didn't help! lol

Design Wall Monday?

2011-05-31T04:14:00.000-07:00

My completed Dahlia Blooms.

Quilts on my design wall, I have several on my wall, but I will show this one. I'm still working with blues, but this color will be ending soon and I will move on to the next color. In the picture, my husband is holding the quilt up at the quilt shop. I will be teaching a class on this technique.
I thought I had taken a picture of another quilt that is actually on my design wall but alas I did not....and I am presently looking all around this room trying to find my camera...again, somone has taken it...who keeps doing this?????
So, what do you think of my finished quilt top?

Playing catch up!

2011-05-26T04:53:00.000-07:00

This entire week has been nothing but playing catch up! The house needs to be cleaned from top to bottom, the flowerbeds need to be weeded....flowers need to be put into the ground...quilts need to be quilted and patterns need to printed off! Oh, and I have a few quilts that need to be pieced. Do I have the energy to do any of this??? no...I don't know why? Could it be because there is almost no sunshine this week???
On Tuesday, my husband's b'day, the kids and I cleaned out his suv, and I worked on the flowerbeds...actually all of us worked on everything together that day. Allergies kicked in and did me in...also did Steve in. Poor kid!
Well, I'm gonna make this short today, lots to do and I need to go eat breakfast!
Happy quilting everyone...what are you up to? Any new projects?

Oliver! Boy for Sale!!!

2011-05-18T04:25:00.000-07:00

We are in the throws of the play!! Oliver! Today is dress rehearsal, tomorrow is 1st play night! I'm so excited!! I'm going to bring camera today and take pictures. This morning, I'm picking up my sister Renee at the airport. She flies in every year to help us out with the play. The other moms love it when she comes up. Renee is a HOOT!! She is a lot of fun!! and the girls love it when "Aunt Nay-Nay" comes.
What for pictures over the next week. It may take me a few days to get the pictures uploaded.
Later gator!

I found it!

2011-05-14T04:33:00.000-07:00

My camera has been returned! My son, Chris, had my camera up in his room....I had not dared to walk up the stairs to check out his room...I knew it would surface sooner or later .... or just ask, "ok, who took mom's camera?"
Today we begin moving the set for "Oliver". It is 7:30am and it is raining, I'm hoping the rain is going to stop soon....and I'm glad I have a covered truck bed to help move the set. My son, Joe, has been helping to build the bridge for the play. I'm going to take pictures of our work today and attempt to take more pictures throughout this week of all we do for the setup and then the performance. These kids work so hard to put on these plays, actually, all involved works their butt off! Those that don't....well lets just say....just kidding! LOL
I worked on a design yesterday on my eq7 program. I submitted it to a magazine. I'm hoping it gets accepted! That will make 3 quilt designs that have been accepted.
Well, lots to do today and I am no where near prepared for this week of work. I have not prepared for the bake sale like I should. For some reason I just can't get my head wrapped around it ...bake bake bake...I'm not in charge of like I have been for the past couple of years....which is actually a good thing.
Got to run....

ok, fess up....who took mom's camera!?

2011-05-10T04:29:00.000-07:00

I'm sitting here at my desk looking all around me for my camera. I pulled the battery out of it the other day to charge it. Left the camera sitting right here on the corner of my desk so that when I was ready to take more pics everything would be within arms reach! But someone has removed mom's camera....hmmmm....I wonder which child has borrowed mom's camera? OH and the battery is missing too.....
The last two days I have made several blocks for my "Farmer's Wife" quilt. I have finished blocks 1-6. My goal, set on Mother's Day, was to complete 7 blocks that night. I want to set Sunday evenings aside to make 7 blocks...well I'm behind already! I wanted to take pictures of each of the blocks and post my progress....well I guess I have to go on a mad hunt for my camera!
That is all for today.....later everyone! Happy sewing!

Getting inspired!!

2011-05-05T04:50:00.000-07:00

The creative juices in my brain are working! I have 7 patterns that are in the works...well lets just say 6 since I have already accomplished the first one...
I was wondering what quilters like the best when it comes to patterns. Do you prefer black and white computer generated images, or color images directly from the author as she/he is creating the block?
I personally prefer the color image. I'm very visual, yet I still have to read the instructions...I get myself into trouble when I don't follow through....you know, you look at the image and go "oh, I can make this, who needs instructions!" ummmm I DO!! Raise your hand now if you are guilty!! See, I've got both hands up in the air \o/!
Also, I like to create one block and place it in clear sight so I can make certain that I am placing everything in the correct order!!! Ask me how many times I get things out of order and have to rip, rip and rip!! ugh! I hate Frogging! (rip it, rip it, rip it - - - frogging)hahaha

This week I have to begin working on my neice's wedding quilt. I want to create something very special and original for her. I need to attack the double wedding ring, but not for her quilt though...like I said, I want something original that I've designed...what to do what to do.....

This is my son Steve. He is pondering for me...
"what to do mom, what to do?"

Yep, he is quite the handsome young man! For those of you new to my blog, we have 5 children: 1 daughter and 4 boys....our youngest is 14, Kate the oldest just turned 25. I will try to post pictures of my family when I can.
Now, back to sewing....need to work on Ashley's quilt.....
oh I thought I would share this. This past Sunday I had a lady at church come up to me and tell me that art can sometimes get in the way with your relationship with God. You see, I doodle when I am in church or in class. I need to keep my hands moving...I'm a kinestetic learner...I squirm a lot!! She did not understand this about me. She thinks I'm off in lalalalala land when I begin drawing. I was coloring in a pattern that I had drawn earlier. I was coloring this pattern in between Sunday School hour and the 2nd Service. Nothing was going on...people were just chatting with each other and I had to sit down and do this or I might loose the idea. I will be honest, I rolled my eyes and thought, "Lord have mercy, you don't understand me at all" and continued coloring.

Later everyone...

Thank you everyone!!!

2011-05-04T05:02:00.000-07:00

THank you everyone who posted comments about my quilt!!!

I have several other quilt designs that I am working on. My brain just does not shut off and I love sharing the passion I have for quilts with everyone!!
Just this morning I thought of a pantograph pattern, and guess what? I don't do pantographs!! See what I mean?! UGH! LOL Now to see if it will actually work! How in the world will accomplish this one, no clue but I will give a good try. I drew the pattern out on paper, but to get it to computer to print it out is another task in itself.
I have another piecing pattern that has been accepted by another magazine, it is more of a new technique that I came up with than anything else, but if I go with this magazine, then I loose all rights...no discussing that one! I don't want to loose all rights. I feel as if I came up with this technique then I should keep it...it is mine...and I want to share it!!
what to do, what to do.....

Later everyone...having a end of the (homeschool) year party today, gonna have lots of people in my home...I think I might want to go take a shower and get dressed...do you think that would be a good idea? or just stay in my pj's??? LOL....

This is my son Chris, quite the handsome young man!!

He is pondering...what to do, what to do, mom?

Haha, this is a picture of him from 2yrs ago heading out to prom.

Happy sewing everyone!!

Quilt I shipped off yesterday....

2011-05-03T04:21:00.000-07:00

Here is a picture of the quilt I shipped off yesterday:

Friendship Rings quilt

This quilt was pieced for Fons and Porter Easy Quilting Scrap issue for this September. I'm so excited!!! I have made 4 of these quilts now, so I have the pattern in my head at all times. The pattern will be pulled from the local quilt shop now that it is officially going to be in a magazine. The one in the quilt shop is this one:

this is before I pieced the blocks together into rows and before borders were put on....oops...need to take an updated picture!! lol

I've also made this quilt in this color wave:

I think I need to take some finished pictures of these quilts!! This one is before I quilted it....lol what a mess I am!
Today I am working on a friend's quilt. She is giving this as a mother's day present...and it is not a freebie, she pays me for the work. I also need to work on the pattern for Double Dutch, Dahlia Blooms, Sweet Gum Ball (pinburr variation) and my Caribbean Salsa (cool layout of the Northwind)....
Lots to do today and go to the dentist! Have a wonderful day everyone....

She is finally finished!

2011-05-02T12:39:00.000-07:00

I finally finished my quilt for Fons & Porter!! I shipped it off today! Now to wait for it to arrive. I hope nothing happens to it.
I've been cleaning up the house. I think I have not vacuumed and dusted in weeks! The house is a disaster! Now to work on my next project...Ashley's quilt...actually I have to finish Janet's quilt first. That is top priority!
Later everyone......

Today at the quilt shoppe

2011-04-30T12:55:00.000-07:00

Today I had an absolute wonderful day at the quilt shop teaching my Friendship Rings quilt. I had 5 students, I knew 4 of them and I think I have a new friend...the one I did not know. And!! Carolyn was there!! I was so shocked to see her!!! Carolyn is the owner of the shop and is now the new editor of Quilter's World magazine. I have not seen her in about a month or longer. I was so happy to see her today.
If you are coming back to my blog to get the rest of the pattern for Dahlia Blooms, I deleted the steps. Why? Because I felt someone was going to try to copy this and take credit for it. I will be releasing the pattern soon, so if you are interested in purchasing it, let me know. Just drop me a line.
I've submitted the quilt pattern/design to a magazine already, hopefully I will from them in about a month.
Later y'all...

I'm back home!

2011-04-26T06:59:00.000-07:00

I'm back home from a ten day trip to the Carolinas! Oh how I miss my sisters and extended family from there!! I wish we all lived closer! My neice, Ashley and her fianc'e (spelling?), Greg, were married on April 16. The wedding was beautiful and very elegant. Ashley is not a flashy person and her wedding showed just how elegant and simple she is. I absolutely loved it! I'm very impressed by her new hubby too. When we were all at the hotel the day after their wedding Greg was the only one who blessed his food before eating. Now that is a southern gentleman!
This past weekend I pieced a new quilt, I'm calling the pattern Dahlia Blooms. This quilt was inspired by two people's techniques: Billy Lauder and Cathy Wierzbicki. Cathy's book is Geometric Gems. I don't know the name of Billy Lauder's book or pattern that this technique came out of. I was told by my friend Dawn, that Billy used this cutting piecing technique in one of her books/patterns. She scanned me a copy last night just so that I could compare the technique. So, needless to say, I can't take credit for the techinique, but the two combined methods make a beautiful quilt...at least I think so!

So, what do you think of the quilt? Hmmm, I hope the image isn't too blury.
I think I'm going to pursue publishing my own patterns. The more I think about it the more I don't want a magazine to "own" my pattern and I no longer benefit from it financially. I need to insert here that I've got a second pattern that I submitted to a different magazine than the first pattern...this magazine reserves all rights....The first magazine returns all rights. I like this better. I still love the other magazine though, and no I will not say which magazine it is.
I have great news!! My sister Gail, is now in remission of her colon cancer!!! Praise the Lord!! Gail had stage 4 colon cancer and I know she was scared!! And I know she is now relieved that her battle is over. I'm going to pray that the cancer does not come back!!!
One more thing: my truck is now back on the road again! lol...her name is Big Red ;o) I love my truck! My husband, my hero, had to replace the ball joints and U-joints this past weekend. The parts cost us $500. My husband being the great engineer/mechanic that he is saved us $1,000 by doing the work himself. Thank you honey!!!
Well it is off to work now!!
To my followers: drop me a line telling me what you are up to!! I love reading our comments!!

She never knew

2011-04-09T03:55:00.000-07:00

I believe my last post was March 24...it has been a while, and a lot is going on.
This morning though, I realized, while reading other quilters' blogs, that my mom never knew I was a quilter. She never met any of my children, nor did she get to meet my husband. Mom died when I was 15. My sister Gail, had her first child in March of that year and mom died a couple months later. So mom, never met any of the rest of her grandchildren. Dad was around for my sisters' other children births, but he never met mine. That is a long story and honestly, that is his fault. He died about 5 or 6 years ago. Wish life would have been different. He walked away from us all. I still don't know and I don't think my sisters do either.
Him walking sealed the deal for me with having a strong family bond with my children. I wanted life to be different for them. Children always need their parents, aunts and uncles and grandparents. Family bonds need to be strong! I love my family!
Quilts: man am I swamped! Pushed with a deadline!! I'm working on the magazine quilt currently (piecing project), I have a clients quilt on the longarm machine (it will be done this morning), 2 other projects waiting to get on the longarm machine and both of those have to be bound, and 1 that I still have to cuts units from and get busy on!!! I'm leaving Tuesday for South Carolina.
My neice is getting married and I am heading down to help my sister Renee. I'm looking forward to heat and sunshine!! Michigan is beginning to warm up, just not a lot. I will have to finish Ashley's quilt after get back home from her wedding! I hate that!! I wanted it done but I did not expect what all occured in "home" life to make quilting go to the back burner. It was nothing major, just things take time and take you away from sewing.
On that note.....got to go sew....later....

Way to go my son Steve!!

2011-03-24T16:17:00.000-07:00

To make a long story short, we were not going to do the play our homeschool drama club puts on every year...we opted out this year to play catch up on things. Well, one of the members has left the play. It is nice role that had to be filled, and my son Steve auditioned for the part tonight...and he got it!!!!! I'm so proud of him! They said they did not think that he could get the singing part because they thought it was out of his range. He did a fantastic job and well the rest is history. They are already into over 2 months worth of practices and off book so....that means Steve has to memorize really fast! The play is in May.
Way to go Steve!!

Latest quilt

2011-03-21T04:23:00.000-07:00

Last week I was able to cut all the fabrics into the sizes/pieces/units that I need. On Saturday I took the medium and light 1 1/2inch strips (8 of each), made 8 strip sets and then cut them into 1 1/2inch subunits. Next, I made the subunits into 4 patches....I have 128-4patch units.
Next, I used my Easy Angle ruler and cut my 2 1/2inch strips into 2 1/2inch hst (half square triangles)....I used light and dark fabrics...and I will have to go down to my sewing room to see just how many of those little buggers I cut up...lets just say A LOT! I will post this information tomorrow or maybe later on today when I come up for air! LOL
The hst units, I took them with me somewhere and pinned all day!! I mean that, there are a lot of them. Oh yes, I pinned them at the guild meeting and at homeschool co-op day. I was able to piece one basket of the hst units, I still have another basket to sew. That is today's project. Honestly, I can sew those this morning...it is going to be the ironing of these babies that is going to take forever!! I will set up my iron by my tv so that I won't be so darn bored!
Once those hst units are completed I can move on to the other units. These are 9-patches. I have made them from all darks! The measurements for the strips are 2 1/2inches, so if you wish to cut some and try to follow along with me, go ahead! This part you can figure out....9-patches are easy. And I don't remember how many of each for this, so I will get the information and post either this afternoon or tomorrow.
I can't post any pictures at the moment, my camera battery is charging. Hopefully it will not take long and I can upload some pics.
That is all for now!
Happy sewing!

National Quilting Day...are you quilting?

2011-03-19T04:31:00.000-07:00

Today is National Quilting Day....I read that from Judy L.'s blog of Patchwork Times. So, today I am quilting!
Here is my list of to do's for today:
1-finish 9 fans on longarm machine
2-iron Ashley and Greg's quilt pieces and get to work on it
3-before working on Ashley and Greg's quilt, make one block from Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt
4-eat lunch? sometimes I like to just bring munchies down to my sewing room, then I don't have to stop and I'm more productive
5-Get samples ready for shop classes!! I keep forgetting to do this!

Last night's 50-60's talent show was fantastic! Those kids are so talented!!
OH, Chris's doctor appt went wonderful! His A1c level is 6.1. His doctor gave him a smiley face and really spent a lot of time talking with Chris about becoming a pediatric endocronologist! I hope Chris sticks with this! The doctor perked up when Chris said he is going to go into the medical field and become an endocronologist. And I can't forget that Chris's results came back for his celiac test and he was originally at 90trig. and it has come down to 20!! That is amazing! Way to go Chris!!

and my son Joe. He was so happy up there playing that guitar last night for the show!! And being Laura's helper! He loves to serve and be a part of things. I so enjoyed seeing him smile! Way to go son! I need to get some pictures of him and the other boys. Since my old computer died so did all my pictures!
Happy Sewing!!!

It's Friday!! And the weather is ....

2011-03-18T05:14:00.000-07:00

It's Friday and the weather is...not snowing! LOVE IT! This time of year is when all northerners (Michiganders in general) look forward to spring. We are all thankful for rain! lol...we don't have to shovel rain!

Look! someone cleaned up her sewing room! LOL I even vacuumed!
I just could not stand the mess any longer. I need to learn to put things away or at least make nicer looking piles! LOL
So today I'm going to sew on the longarm machine for a bit. See the fan quilt. I'm almost finished with it.

Presently, I'm filling in the white area of the quilt. The borders are finished. Once I finish the white area, I'm going to go draw/stitch cherry blossoms or dogwood blossoms in the fans...I think....we will see which ones look better..I will try it out on paper first.

I'm also working on another client's quilt. It was her first time working with bias and well lets just say she had lots of fullness in her quilt. I had to take the quilt apart...with her permission of course. I thought it was only in the outer border, the fullness, but as I took it apart I had to go all the way to the center. So, for those of you who don't know how to work with bias, please follow the author's instructions...don't stretch it out, measure, measure and measure....I'm not saying that my client did not do that....just giving a little tip! I'm not posting a picture of her quilt, that would not be very nice of me. She has worked hard on her quilt and it is a king size..that is all the needs to be said. And when it is put back together and quilted she will be very proud of her work! No one has to know more than that.

At lunch time Chris and I will be heading to Royal Oak Beaumont hospital. He has his appt. today with his endocronologist. Type 1 diabetes. My son, Chris, has a good handle on his diabetes...it is the celiac that is getting to him.
Tonight my guys and their band McPeakeLee are playing at a fund raiser for our drama club. It is 50's-60's night. I so love hearing them play!! These are some very very talented kids!
Yesterday I was chatting with our oldest, Kate. Kate is 24 almost 25 and she is so pretty! I miss her! She lives in NY. I was so hoping that she was heading over for a visit, but money and time are an issue. We just miss her! Sending love your way sweetie!
Well everyone, hope you are having a wonderful day!

Happy Sewing!

Designs in my head!!

2011-03-17T05:07:00.000-07:00

OH my goodness do I ever have too many designs in my head this morning. I think it is because I actually had a good night's sleep! Yesterday warmed up nicely here in Michigan. When my husband arrived home around 5pm, very unusual by the way for him to get home that early, we decided to go for a walk around the neighborhood! Oh it was so nice breathing fresh air!! Today the temps are going close to 60! WOOOHOO!!
Fabrics arrvied yesterday from FP...man did they send a lot! I was not expecting that ! Thank you! It was wonderful touching the fabrics!!
Last night I spent the evening pinning hst (half square triangle) units together. I think there are over 500! The pile just did not seem to ever disappear, but I did reach the end. After I finished pinning those units I continued on with ripping stitches from a quilt top that I don't like the quilting on....can't give a customer a quilt back that I am not happy with. I just don't like the way it turned out. It is not a large quilt, so that makes it nice, and hopefully I will be able to finish ripping out the border stitches while watching tv tonight.

Look at this messy sewing room! I can't believe how messy I can get a room in just a few short minutes...then afterwards, just walk away from it! LOL Someone needs to get on my case and make me clean it up. See the sewing machine on the table? My husband likes to sew on occasion, that is the machine he uses. Ok these tables are just way too messy, I really have to go clean up my room!
I'm considering hosting an ongoing summer "learn how to quilt class" for young girls. I already teach about 10 girls in our homeschool group on Wednesday at our co-op which is held at my church. The girls want to continue this over the summer. I just can't do it for free, it takes a lot of time. Any of my readers...if you have any suggestions for pricing let me know....btw, those tables would be cleared for the girls to come and sew. I think I could fit 4 at a time comfortably.

I'm making another double dutch quilt. I want to submit this one to a magazine. It is very simple and easy, as a matter of fact I have the instructions here on my blog in an earlier post. I think these fabrics are adorable! Makes for a cute little girls quilt....now to find that little girl....lol...I have boys...all big boys...and Kate, well she is 24 almost 25!! Ahhhh! our oldest is almost 25...oh my...ok, let's NOT think about this.
Today I am joining a friend at Olive Garden for lunch. I am so glad she invited me to lunch today. I know that I need to stay home and work, but at the same time I need the friendship/bonding..you know what I mean.
Well everyone, happy sewing and have a beautiful day!

POWER Cutting and Sewing!

2011-03-15T10:33:00.000-07:00

phew! I've been power cutting fabric all morning!! And then I sat down to power sew!!

all strips sets sewn, ready for ironing

Pretty colors!! I love the cornflower
blue background with the
dark brown fabric...
just another strip set....

cutting this 2.5" set into half sq.
triangles, using the Easy Angle
Ruler

more 2.5" strip sets....this is the
background fabric

After I cut all these strips, I sat for some serious power sewing. I have a lot of strip sets to make so I finished that first. The pictures that I have not posted are the over 500 triangles that I cut this morning too.
I will piece those triangles this afternoon....I'm thinking of posting this quilt as a mystery quilt. I have the instructions from another quilter, but I can't for the life of me figure out where I got the pattern from. It came from the internet as a free pattern, so I'm not going to take credit for it. Just come along with me and enjoy the process of making this quilt.
If you do want to sew along with me, drop me a comment and I will send the info.
You can make this scrappy or controled. I believe my yardage for the background fabric was close to 3yards. My little bit of extra that I have left over is going into my Farmer's Wife quilt and Civil War block of the week by Barbara Brackmann. I'm also going to begin the Nearly Insane quilt....that will be in the summer....
My colors for my neices quilt: pear green, sage green, cornflower blue, medium to dark brown...I used a crackle fabric for the brown. If you wish to make this scrappy gather your fabrics now, get the pressed and ready to go. I can tell you that the sage green and light colored fabric were cut in 1.5" strip wof. You need to make 8 strip sets of these two colors. These are going to be made into 4patches. If you are a quilter, you already know how to do this. Cut the segments into 1.5" segments, then sew them into a 4-patch making sure the same colors are diagonal of each other...

Now, onto the other quilt that I am making....here are the colors/fabrics for this one:

My favorite are the two blues, and the cream fabric with the little red roses. Don't know if you can see the little blue accent in the cream fabric...but man do I love these...more to come...

And last the creams to go along with all the autumn colors .....I know I should be thinking spring....but this is not for me. I think I'm going to be making the quilt Hidden Spools by Bonnie Hunter from http://www.quiltville.com/ If you are interested in the pattern click on the link and scroll down...her patterns are listed on the right side bar in alphabetical order.

That is all for now...I must get moving off the computer!! Happy sewing everyone!!

Good day yesterday!!

2011-03-11T06:15:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was a fabulous day for me! I heard from FP, so I have my contract for my quilt to go in the magazine!! WOOHOO!! I'm working on several other designs that I am going to be submitting to QW magazine....lol...I could not go to sleep last night because I had a quilt design in my head! I did not want to get out of my warm bed either to write my idea down .... I would have woke up my husband too.
I spoke with my dad yesterday. We don't talk very often, but it felt good to hear his voice. Long story behind our relationship...got a minute?
Shall I begin at birth? lol..seriously, I'm adopted. I was given up at birth. My biological parents were young teenagers. Life was not great for them at home and it would not have been good for either of them to have the responsibility of raising a child, they were not ready. I was adopted when I was 2 days old. Raised by a wonderful family! I had 2 sisters waiting at home for me...you know how sisters can be...they are little mommas! We moved a lot when I was growing up, from coast to coast basically. I went to lots of schools, my dad was in the Navy. Mom stayed home, sometimes she worked, but mostly stayed at home. Anyway, mom died when I was 15 and dad basically took off before I graduated high school. My sisters were there to help me and we stuck together as a family as best as we could...life happens and you must continue on, you must pursue to survive.
At 19 years of age I decided it was time for me to find out who I came from. And I did. I found my biological mom. I look just like her!! Honestly, that was scarey. Growing up adopted, I always wondered who I looked like, who was I like, who did I take after...why am I the way I am....????? Curiousity takes over and I have a determination that can be absolutely annoying sometimes. When I set my mind to something I don't give up!
Several years later I decided it was time to pursue finding my biological dad. Finding mom was not hard, just scarey...the unknown...you don't know if they (the biological parents) want you...rejection was in the back of my mind. By the way, she greeted me with a big hug and tears!! She did not want to let go. She spent 2 weeks with me.
Back to finding my dad. He was not as easy to convince that he was my dad. I'm not kidding when I tell you that I am a determined individual, and I was determined I was going to get to at least hear his voice!! And I did. You would not believe what I did to find him!! That is another post that would take lots of room...but honey, I found him!! I will never forget that phone call either. WOW, emotions coming back
So, present day...yesterday, I called him, my dad. He was on my mind and figured I needed to see how he was doing...actually I did not call him, I texted him...then he called me! lol...and said, "Why don't you just call me?" Honestly, it is the whole rejection thing that creeps into my head. I can't explain why I feel that way on my blog, that would not be nice to others that might be involved....I will keep it to myself...you don't need to let the entire world know everything, right?
It felt wonderful hearing his voice yesterday. I was on cloud 9 after that! And to top things off he called me 2x! I think that was my clue that I need to contact him more, there is not going to be any rejection. I need to let my guard down.
So my dad is telling me about how our family line is filled with creativity. It is???? Why did you not tell me this before? For years and I do mean years I've wondered where I got the love for singing from, playing an instrument (which I gave up on early because of moving too much), drawing (the longarm quilt machine), piecing quilts...sewing in general....oh my goodness!! The pieces of the puzzle are being found! I can put more of who I am and where I came from together!!! He told me that his mother loved music, was a great pianist (played by ear, self taught), loved to sing...and acting runs in the family...So, not only did I get my creativity from my mom's side (her grandmother was a quilter) but it also comes from the McKnight side...my dad's mom. WOW What a lot of information to absorb! My boys love to play their instruments: guitars, drums, keyboard.....acting! they love acting...me not so much acting...I panic can't do it! lol
Also, yesterday I had emailed my pastor about something that had been bugging for a long time....I hate when I don't let people know how I feel or what's bugging me...but he really gave me some great compliments! Thanks Pastor! You are a great man!
Time to get moving....even though we got snow last night, I'm gonna be happy!
Happy sewing!

Quilt Journaling

2011-03-10T05:31:00.000-08:00

I've got an idea that I might start a new project....this can get me into trouble, but it might be worth it. Quilts have played a roll in US history. I'm thinking of beginning my own quilting journal of historical blocks and keeping them in a notebook....then we will see what happens with all these quilt blocks...ugh...there might be a lot of them. I want to begin when we declared our independence from Britian and take it from there. I don't know how it is going to happen, don't know the layout....but I'm going to take my time and enjoy the journey.
in the words of Abby Galey..."just saying"....I will post pictures as the blocks come together.....later everyone....

Last day of February!

2011-02-28T05:19:00.000-08:00

I've been very busy, just like everyone else in the world, and have not stopped to post to the blog world. So, I thought I'd give it a shot this morning. You know I always have this list of things, the list is in my head, of what needs to accomplished....I probably should write this list down...except it always occurs to me when I am asleep! It wakes me up! This is not good....

sorry so dark, I turned the flash off

I've noticed my eye is back to twitching. I need to go to the doctor about this. It may just be that I'm tired...I'll buy that....I also need to go for an eye exam...but I don't care for that when they blow the air into your eye! and dilate (spelling?). Last time that happened I got an amazing headache! I really need new glasses, it is getting harder to see things that are close up...I'm having to hold things further away...my arms are not that long! LOL

I have to tell you about my newest purchase! I bought the "Nearly Insane" book and "The Farmer's Wife"!! I'm more in love with "The Farmer's Wife"!!

I plan on beginning the little 6" quilt blocks this week.

I have a client's quilt on the longarm machine. This was her first time piecing a seminole border and honestly, that can be hard because of all the bias...and this is a big quilt. There is some fullness...honestly, lots of fullness...so I had to call her to let her know that quilt needs to be repaired before I can continue. I gave her two options and lets pick which ever suits her best. She opted for me to do the repair. I've made one of these quilts before so I know how to deal with the bias pieces....thank goodness this is not a rush job....so I will repair the quilt put it back on the machine and she will have a beautiful quilt. All will be happy in the quilt world.

Also, last Monday I watched Fons and Porter. The assembled a block from a quilt that was published in a 1999 issue of "Love of Quilting". The quilt was named Memories, but that is not the name of the block. The block resembles a Maltese Cross. They gave a few dimensions and walla I figured it out. I've made two blocks...here it is:

Maltese Cross, I love this block!

OH! I almost forgot! I was able to put the border on my Friendship Rings quilt, the blue and green version. Hopefully, Carroll at the Village quilt shop will be able to hang it up in place of the black and tan one. I need to run up to the shop and pick that one up. Still needs more quilting and bound! Which reminds me. I need to piece my Hopkins Square quilt. I'm teaching it next Tuesday.....Got to get busy!

Now I can't forget to post about this! The other night, a little after 10pm, I was in bed watching tv and my husband walks in. He is getting ready for bed and he heard a noise...I did not hear it, but he ran to the window....someone in a HUMMER (H2), was driving too fast down our road and drove into our yard...the roads were icey and snowy...maybe you should slow down hummer or not! My husband heard their tire blow!! You see, we have small/medium size boulders at the edge of our yard by the road...why you say? so people won't drive into our yard and tear up the lawn. This is the 2nd time this week we have had someone miss the road...hmmm....anyway, they blew their tire because their hummer could not make it over the boulder.....they drove down into our yard and back up on the road...there they stopped....I'm sure they said a few choice words...called a tow truck....and off they went about 2 hours later. I kind of feel sorry for them, but not totally....oops....oh well, people slow down up here...it is winter and I don't care what you drive .... your vehicle can and will slide on ice...ice does not care what you drive....

Well, I hope I remembered to post everything that I had intended.....I will figure it out later!! LOL....

Happy quilting everyone!

Double Dutch

2011-02-21T04:22:00.000-08:00

Good morning world, we have snow on the ground. Last week the snow melted! It was wonderful seeing grass, some people don't understand that concept...seeing grass is great. I stopped to get the mail yesterday, reached out of my truck (no snow at this moment), grabbed the mail, came back into the truck, looked up to begin driving towards home and "Whoa! It is snowing..man is it snowing!" It happened that fast! We have at least 6 inches on the ground. I'm glad I had no where else to go!
Saturday I had my sewing buddies over. I love having them over. Helen was able to attend, we have not seen her in over 8 months! We all worked on our own projects. I was able to work on my double dutch quilt. And yesterday I was able to finish putting the borders on. Now I have to put the ric-rac on 3 other sides and walla she is finished. I truly did not want the quilt to turn out as "pink" as it did. I was going for a more spring green look, but alas I did not have the fabric to create that look. I used what I had.
So, tell me what you think:

Double Dutch

Double Dutch with ric-rac on one side
of border...still need to add to the other 3 sides

Just another view of double dutch

Before I forget, my bestest buddy came over to help me clean up my sewing room on Friday! That would be Dawn. We had a great time! I will have to remember what she continued to tell me as we were cleaning up my sewing room, "you don't need to go out shopping for fabric, you need to shop in Nancy's Sewing room" That would be my sewing room!! LOL She has a great point! Thanks Dawn for helping me!

Spring, oh Spring...where are you?

2011-02-16T04:19:00.000-08:00

OH when is spring going to get here? This past weekend I really had a hard time getting warm! I was cold to the bone!!
Last night was guild meeting night. I love seeing everyone's work! Makes me want to come home and sew, then I step out of the meeting to the outside air and just want to run back inside the building! I am not dealing well with this winter. We had our "garage sale" night. I purchased a Jim Shore quilting angel. I collect them. I placed her on one of my antique sewing machine tables. She fits perfectly there. I will have to take a picture of her tomorrow when I have more time.
I'm working on my double pinwheel project but I'm going to name it something else...can't remember what I named it either...I wrote it out on a pad of paper in my sewing room....which of course is not with me. oh well.
Today is our homeschool co-op day. It is more work than I am willing to put into it. For some reason I just don't want to do this any more. But I am committed to next year...I hope my attitude changes....Steve will graduate next school year and then John is only 3 years after him. Wow, that really isn't long...
Time to go...just a little post, hopefully I will have my project pictures up soon.
Take care and happy quilting.

Just figured out 2 things today!!

2011-02-08T14:15:00.000-08:00

Today I figured out how to use my kodak camera. I take pictures often of my quilting (piecing and machine quilting). Often though I will not post my pictures, or at least close ups, because the quality of the picture is poor. My fault for not reading the instructional manual.
Second thing I figured out was how to make a double pinwheel using my Easy Angle ruler. This quilt block was inspired by a clients quilt on the longarm machine. I put the quilt on the machine last night. I just stood there and thought, I'm gonna figure this one out. Why did I not just go buy the book? I looked for the Double Pinwheel (Quilt in a day book by Eleanor Burns) at JoAnn's...not there....not a the local quilt shops either. I've asked a few friends about it, they did not own it either. I really did not have the $$'s to order the book...this was our mortgage paycheck (not much left after the mortgage is paid)...and most of you would agree that out of a need comes a necessity...one to figure things out for myself! LOL
So here is what I did. Basically, I'm giving anyone that would like the instructions on how to make this block. If you don't have the Easy Angle ruler, you can purchase one at your local fabric store or online. Or maybe you use what you have at home!! The angle is a 45degree.
Cut 1- 2 1/2" x wof each of a light and dark fabric. Sew these two strips together down the width of fabric to make your first strip set. Each strip set makes 2 double pinwheel blocks.

1)Begin with two color strip set

2) Fold strip set onto itself, remove selvege edge

4) Use Easy Angle Ruler, line up at 4 1/2" line and cut on angle

3) flip ruler, notice black tip of ruler is resting on bottom of strip, cut on straight side of ruler...flip and cut...continue this down the strip of fabric

5) Open up your first set of triangles. You want to place your fabrics like I have in picture. Same colors should not touch.

6) Here is one block with all 8 units

7) Fold right side of unit onto left side of unit and sew on the angle

8) This is where I learned how to use my camera!!
LOL I'm chain piecing here

9) This is my chain piece separater. I have my seam ripper held in place by a square of fabric. I hold the chains in my hands, placing the thread that joins the units on to the seam ripper and giving a slight tug down the thread gets cut..continue down the chain

10) Here you join the units to make the
top half and bottom half.
press the seams open

11) almost done!!! Sew these together, press open

12) Look! You are done!! Block 1 complete.

Remember, each strip set makes 2 complete blocks. I hope you like the double pinwheel block! I think I'm gonna make some more.
I don't know if there is another name for this block, I can't find one in my book of blocks. My block size is 8 1/2inches....
By the way: I was teaching at the lqs this past Saturday and someone stole my "quilter" front license plate off my truck. I'm slightly ticked about this!! Why oh why would someone steal this?
Happy quilting!

Friendship Rings is finally ready!!

2011-02-05T04:52:00.000-08:00

I finally finished writing my first pattern!! But not without the help of my quilting buddy, Dawn!! Thank you Dawn!
Today I'm teaching at the Village Quilt Shoppe in Lake Orion...and I'm teaching my quilt!! WOOHOO!!

Friendship Rings 2011

I've changed the cover for the pattern(only to resemble the correct name of the quilt), this is the one that is in "my pictures" file. Soon I hope to have everything up for ordering. That will be later, presently, I have to go get all my things ready for teaching today. The pattern is for a lapsize quilt, but I've made in two other sizes: king and twin. The king was a doozy!! I will have the larger sizes available....I believe the king you need around 95 blocks! phew that is a big'en!
Happy Quilting everyone!!

EQ7 this morning

2011-01-29T06:07:00.000-08:00

This morning I woke up around 4:30!! My brain was already trying to plan my day!! I made myself go back to sleep, telling my alarm (my brain) that I would like to be up by 6am so that I could see what Fons and Porter show was on PBS. I woke up at 6:14am, got out of bed, put my slippers and house coat (robe) on and began my walk to the family room. Stopped at the front door to see if it was still snowing and how much we got....hmmm....can't tell it is still too dark....continued my journey to the kitchen, feeling my way to make sure I did not walk into any walls...I've done that before....sets your day off to a not so good start when you walk into a wall that has been there forever! LOL
Poured my cup of coffee and sat down to watch the show. Bummer...I've seen this one...ok, I will finish watching it. My mind ventured into EQ7...I need to go design these quilts I have in my head! Maybe I will do it in a minute, let's see what Sewing with Nancy is about today: sewing with elastics... Ah, nope...lets go play with EQ7....
I sat down, booted up the computer, got EQ7 up and running...and designed two quilts this morning....I finished the first one called Spinning 4-patches, saved my work and went on the next quilt. Well at least I thought I was working on my second one....I went to color in the quilt block and my computer froze up. EQ7 shut down....I was not a happy quilter! What?! NO! My Work is gone!! Yep, the second block/quilt I had just worked on was gone!!! Back to square 1...
So, I did...I started all over and actually changed a few measurements and I have a really nice looking quilt.
Ok...I will show them later though....

Now for a funny story..kind of funny. Yesterday I wanted to visit all the local quilt shops so that I could pass out my longarm quilting brochures and cards. I called a few shops to make sure it was ok. First shop I called was kind of snotty to me. The owner told me right off the bat that they push a longarmer that has 2 machines, only charges a penny per inch and has a two week turn around time. I thought, "well dang....I shop at as many quilt shops as I can because I want to support all of them. Each one has their specialty of fabrics and such that they offer." Same with longarm quilters....we all have our own "specialty" that we can offer. Do you only shop at one grocery store? Or do you shop where ever you can get what you need at the price you need?
Now this quilt shop is over 30minutes away from my home...and I drive a big truck...seriously...it is an F250 (It is one of those big trucks that will shine its headlights in your rearview mirror and there ain't a thing I can do about it! sorry)...plus this truck takes diesel...has anyone other my family priced diesel lately???? Last fill up was $3.37 a gallon...times that by a 30 gallon tank...how much does it cost me? and I only get 15 miles to the gallon...ok, enough about math...I arrived at the first store, Maybelena's in Ortonville...love her store!! Walked in and there was the most perfect fabric for my latest project...it must come home with me! So it did (giggle)...I gave Brenda my brochure and cards...at this point in time...I only had a handfull of business cards!!! I left my cards sitting on my cutting table!! UGH!
Funny part: I had changed my mind about driving out to the quilt shop that was so picky...so glad I did not go cuz that would have looked absolutely ridiculous on my part for not having my business cards with me!! Lord have mercy!! LOL
Lesson learned: check and double check your supply list and what you should have on hand with you...your memory is not as good as it used to be!
That is enough rambling for the day...chow!

The mind of a quilter...her sewing studio

2011-01-28T14:44:00.000-08:00

WARNING!! You are about to view my favorite room in the house, but IT IS NOT CLEAN! I'm warning you now, if you love your rooms to be neat and tidy do not view!! This is NOT for the faint at heart!! LOL Ok, here goes....I'm going to show you what my sewing room looks like when my creativity begins to flow....

Here is my ironing station...notice the fabric hanging off of it...I have a new project I'm working on....

This is my cutting board tables....somewhere there is a table surface!! I know there is somewhere buried below all that clutter...Can you guess how many different quilt projects I have on this table? I'm not even going to dare show you what is under those two tables...LOL....

This bag of strips was hanging on a chair, I decided I needed to show the "innerds" of the bag so I poured them out on the table...strips at 1 1/2" wide...hmmmm

This is the table beside my sewing machine...what a mess!! There is a small ironing surface buried, notice the clover iron in the left corner...a cutting board (small one)....and strips, piles of strips..all 1 1/2inches wide...what is going on with these strips of fabric....

oh! this is my plastic bin that I store on top of my cutting table. I throw all the tiny pieces of fabric that I can no longer use into this bin...it is full, someone needs to get on the ball and empty it!

This is a picture of the quilt I made yesterday. I woke up in the middle of the night thinking about it...

Oh yes, there is more of a mess....look at my sewing machine!!

And this is a basket of scraps that sits behind me at my sewing machine....I need to organize it....nah, I have more fun piecing.....

This Mildred the Moose. Carolyn from the Village Quilt Shoppe designed her....Well, now that I have allowed the world to see my sewing room, I feel as if I need to go clean it up....well, maybe later!! I'm tired today...I would rather sit and sew strip sets for my next pattern....

Later....

A new perspective on things

2011-01-24T04:43:00.000-08:00

My plans for this past weekend did not pan out like I thought they would. Let me tell you what happened...
Saturday morning, we had a come and work on your own craft day at church. I was so excited about this!! We did not have as many show up as we were hoping but that is ok. We had wonderful fellowship and food!! oh my goodness! Anyway, we are working on projects and just chatting away when one of our member's husband (who had been working on the furnace back in the nursery comes rushing up to where we were) and says to his wife "get a trash can we have a leak!" Doris and Robin go flying back there, I go back there and oh my goodness!!! The water was pouring from the nursery ceiling!! We all go into action grabbing all the wooden furniture, books, blankets...everything we could get out of the rooms as fast as our little soaking wet feet would allow us to on a slippery floor!!! They get the water turned off..now to focus on the mess.
I called my husband to bring up the shop vac. Susan called her husband to see if he could come help. I called a Larry, I knew he was the one that could tell me where there were more mops and such...next thing we knew we had a slew of people, the deacons actually came up to help and assess the damage. There was no church on Sunday morning, but a group of helpers gathered yesterday and the we are back in working order now!
Needless to say we, the crafting ladies, gathered our things and the crafting day was over....it is tiring work moving wet things and pushing water to a drain.....
Yesterday, which was Sunday, I had planned on sewing all day. Not what happened....I finished the quilt on the longarm machine and brought up to the quilt shop. Handed it over to Carol so he could hang it up. I'm teaching it in February.
My husband announced, I know this was inspired after he watched hoarders on tv the previous night, that we were cleaning the basement....giggle...that means I am cleaning my sewing room!! And that means I'm touching fabric...giggle....the laugh was on me! LOL My sewing room did not take as long as I was hoping and we soon moved up stairs and began working on the main level of the house.
Actually, what happened was I, because I was cleaning my sewing room, I discovered that there were 3 finished quilt that needed to be hung up in the house!!!
And here they are:

Asian quilt 2010

French Toile Galactic Explosion finally hanging in dining room!!

Mystery Quilt 2008 placed in hallway

Now I have these wonderful quilts hanging up!! I'm so thrilled!! We swept floors, vaccuumed, dusted and had poor man's steak and potatoes for dinner! Finished the evening off by watching two movies! First was Despicable Me, and Downton Abby!!
I plan on continueing my cleaning spree by dusting family room, cleaning this nasty computer room (office) and finally washing all the throw rugs!! I've been avoiding that task (throw rugs) forever, and I have no clue why!!!

Quilting: I'm going to put up on of my easy patterns in the next few days. I have the strips cut. So, if you are interested in seeing this easy pattern, shoot me an email and give me your thoughts on it or better yet, make one and send me pics!

Happy quilting...

Lord closes doors

2011-01-13T04:47:00.000-08:00

You know, no matter how much I want to do something, if the Lord does not want me to do it HE will let me know by closing the doors!! Even if I try to open them back up, He will close them even harder! OK, I get the message now! LOL

New Year, New Focus!

The new focus: getting life back in order!
We moved back to Michigan almost 4 years ago. When we moved I never planned on getting as busy as I allowed myself to get these past 2+ years. Now, as of this morning, we are going back to our old life.....family time. Our boys and each other are the most important! Outside activities have taken over our family time. We still have young men that need our attention and we need to pay attention to each other....and the house could use some serious clean up!! Oh my goodness! I can't stand the dust and the piles any more!
I have a couple of friends who say my house is clean...no it is not! It is a mess and I need to work on it! I need to allow myself time to get back into my old routine of cleaning. I had it down so well!!!
I need to focus on homeschooling, we still have two boys left to graduate! WOOHOO!! 4 years and I retire!!
I need to focus on my quilts! I truly believe that if I can keep my house clean, keep all distractions that are outside the home at arms length then the quilting world will get organized with the home life....
Quilting: Dawn and I want to have a charity division of the quilting. Teddy Bears and Quilts. But this will come in time, not right now. Focus on what is most important. Get the home life in order and your relationship with the Lord and everything will fall into place...actually the relationship with the Lord needs to come first then family life will fall right into place.
So....it is time to go work on what I said I needed to do....Later everyone!!

Interesting conversation...

2011-01-10T05:40:00.000-08:00

Last night my husband and I were chatting right before both of us fell off into sleepy land. We were discussing the importance of family. Extended family. The family that most people, generations ago were close to. You had all your family gatherings with them...you know holidays, birthdays, recitals, plays, choir performances, etc...
Grandparents, Uncles, Aunts, Neices, Nephews, Cousins!! Everyone was around! That was generations ago. Most families today don't have that closeness any more.
Think back to when our great grandparents imigrated to this great country. Think back to how everyone helped each other...am I making any sense? Today, most families don't have this closeness...we don't have the same "togetherness". Families are so split up across the country.
Some grandparents choose to move away from the northern cold states to head to warmer climates ( I don't blame them! I can't stand the cold either). But what happens is the grandparents don't develop the relationship with their grandchildren and then they wonder why their grandchildren don't try to visit them or write letters...communication...well, honestly, you broke the lines of communication when you moved away...far away.
I think too, that grandparents forget just how busy life is when you have children still at home. It is not as easy for parents to pack up the family and travel several hundred maybe even over a thousand miles to visit grandma and grandpa. We are still raising our children, we are not retired we are still working.
I wish families were closer together. Joe and I have been alone since the beginning. Shortly after we married we left beautiful South Carolina, for Joe's job, and moved to Michigan. Joe has family here, but it is not mom and dad, sisters and brothers family. It is aunts, uncles, cousins...but Joe had been gone from this area for over 15 years....when you have been gone that long...things change. The family traditions which used to include everyone are not the same because people move, people change...people change things to suit them. No hard feelings at all, just stating the obvious. Speaking of moving....lord have mercy! We moved out of Michigan, to IL (just outside of MO), then on to Mississippi... and now we are back in Michigan...talking about full circle!
People get used to you not being around and they change accordingly. Is this bad? Absolutely not, you must adapt and move forward.
Moving forward: can we bring family back? Can we begin a new tradition with our own children and promise to stay with them so that we can help them when they reach adulthood, parenthood? Watch those beautiful grandbabies? I truly don't have the mindset of raising my kids and then moving away. I love my kids! I want them around. I don't even say, "I can't wait for them to move out, because I don't want them too"! LOL I hope they live close by so we can have wonderful family gatherings...I just promise not to be the mother-in-law that is so nosey and controling that my daughter-in-laws hate me. Ok, enough said....I'm gonna go enjoy my day....I think I just figured out how to make a pine burr block! Ha! Yep, that came way out of left field didn't it?!
Happy day everyone!!

Yesterday's progress....

2011-01-09T05:08:00.000-08:00

Oh my goodness!! Dawn and I made great progress. Dawn is my favoritest (if that is a word) quilting buddy! We have been friends for over 10 years now. Yesterday, Dawn and her husband came over around 10:30am and stayed till almost 9pm.

Block A

cool colors for block B

this is my chain piecing separator!

Dawn brought over her computer to help write my quilting patterns. She is also my tester! Interestingly enough she learned just how important, and so did I that 1/4inch seam is and how different everyone's sewing machines are. Took her a while, due to the fact that she had been garment sewing, to find where her 1/4inch seam was. We made an executive decision during this process yesterday...have that seam permanently marked .
We managed to get 20 blocks together and Dawn made notes for the pattern. Today I have to send her pictures, my yardage and piecing instructions.
Happy sewing!

More pattern writing today and hopefully...

2011-01-08T05:40:00.000-08:00

More pattern writing today and hopefully we will have hot water also. My husband found a great deal at Lowe's last night. There were two 50 gallong hot water heaters that were in the "scratch and dent" area and the employee offered us to them for less than what they were marked! We got a sweet deal on them! I had to bring my truck up to meet my hubby, he drives an explorer...I drive the F250...big ol' truck you know! After we purchased the heaters, we drove home and then headed out to dinner...all the kids were gone! All four boys, gone!
We were just going to go to a local Coney Island, but plans changed just a bit. Instead he took me to the local Salvation Army store. You see, I had seen an antique Singer Treadle sewing machine (made in 1906) with a wooden puzzle box inside one of the drawers. The puzzle box had tons of accessories inside! It is the coolest thing I had seen in a long time! As soon as we walk into the store I head straight back to the furniture section to see if the machine had sold. It was still there!! You won't believe though what I saw! Someone who had no idea what they were doing had destroyed the front drawer!! Broken the belt, taken the one screwdriver (looks almost like an ice pick) and well, I was so upset over this! I wanted that machine! Not now, someone ruined it. I can't believe how they busted up the front drawer. I was soooo bummed.
After my disappointment we did find a couple of shirts for me, and then we went to eat at the local chinese food restaurant that was located in the same strip mall....
No pictures for today, hopefully by the end of today I can load some of pics that I have been taking for my quilt pattern...maybe give y'all a sneak preview!
Later y'all

Writing out my quilt pattern

2011-01-07T14:44:00.000-08:00

I have spent the majority of the day designing my quilt in a new color wave. The first one I made was in denim blue, green and tans. The second one was black, tan, cream, white and gray....now today's is in vibrant blue!! lime green and whites! I'm loving it!
I've been taking pictures as I go along, making sure I've done the math correctly, by remaking the quilt. I really hope quilters like what I've created!! I'm gonna teach the quilt at the local quilt shop in Feb. I think I need to contact a few other quilt shops to see if I can sell my pattern there too!
I've completed the 128 four patches, 64 center squares, and now I'm working on the next unit of block A. This quilt has two blocks. I'm also going to redesign the border!! I'm getting brave, I tell ya!
This morning though, I spent my time deciding if I should do some longarm work or not. I really wanted to, and I had the desire to, but my legs kept telling me to sit down! We did not sleep enough last night...our boys did not go to bed at a decent time so that kept my husband up and everytime he got out of bed to see what the boys were up to it woke me up...sigh...go to bed boys and honey, please learn to sleep through some things...LOL....
K, gotta go cut more fabric!

Quilt guild meeting last night

2011-01-07T06:43:00.000-08:00

Last night I attended, for the first time, the Oakland County Quilt Guild in Rochester. They had a special guest speaker: Edyta Sitar!! At first I was thinking that I would not go to the guild meeting because of the temperature outside...brrrrrrrr, snowing, the distance and driving to an unfamiliar area at night. But I told myself, you are a big girl and you can handle this task!! I am so glad I did!! I loved it! Edyta's quilts were beautiful and inspiring. I'm not totally a fan of the coloring on her quilts, but that is ok, I was focusing on the "piecing".
I loved seeing the show and tell of the other quilters also. I will comment though, I've noticed a lot of longarm quilters have computerized machines....I have a gammill but there is not computer...only a stitch regulator....all my designs come from head and go to my hands to the machine. I just sat quietly and looked at the beautiful work....and thought....I can "maybe" draw that? lol...and maybe not! LoL....Needless to say, I'm gonna go play with a whole cloth today.
oh on a different note: we have no hot water today...joy joy joy....

And thanks to everyone's compliments on my French Braid Blue ice!! The pattern for the braids comes directly from the French Braid book, but the rest came from my head!! LOL....I will say that I am using the EZ rulers more and more in my designs. I love these rulers/templates!

Take care everyone and drop me note!

2011 is here!

2011-01-04T04:52:00.000-08:00

Well, I will begin with saying I did not make any New Year's resolutions...nope, not a one! lol I'm going to continue what I began last year and that is to attempt to not start new quilting projects...but I've already blown that one out of the water by viewing several tutorials on youtube! (I'm one of those people that will say, "I can do that, I don't need any help") I'm kind of an over achiever! I just can't help myself though, I want to learn new things...not reading and learning- I like to look at pictures or videos...I need the visual! Then I'm off and running. I find it very difficult to learn when someone is teaching and they don't let me "touch" or "do the task" myself. Let me at it! Actually, all my senses need to be "engaged" in order for me to remember and learn...sometimes that is a problem. I do try to be very polite and patient when someone is instructing. Honestly, I've passed that on to my sons too...with homeschooling my boys I know them very well and they too need to do the "task" themselves...very hands on family...my poor husband tries so hard to teach me things but he won't let me do the task...he just keeps showing me! I get so discouraged cause he won't let me touch and do...lol....ramblings are done now...

Blue Ice finished January 3, 2011

close up of Blue Ice January 3, 2011

So...now on to more important things. I finished my French Braid quilt (2nd one in 4 months) I'm naming this one Blue Ice. I love it! I will admit that I had some issues with the border. I made several mistakes and had to rip stitches out often!! I was beginning to think I would never get these borders on. I made the first one and attached it just fine, the second border...when I pieced it, I had the 4-patches going in the wrong direction. I wanted the white to run down the quilt like the sashing...I took that border with me to church on Sunday and rip stitches out durning Sunday school...they did not seem to mind one bit. I also needed to make the top and bottom border pieces smaller. I thought I had worked the math out but I was off so my 4 patches don't line up correctly. That is ok, I'm not entering this into any show!! It is going in my foyer!! Now just to figure out the backing..... I have enough scraps left to piece the binding so that will look very nice!
Oh I must add that I had to piece together my side dark blue triangles. I was using scraps to make those because there was no more fabric!! My favorite quilt shop had sole ALL of that fabric and I could not find it anywhere online. On a good note I was frugal...but we all know what happens when quilters walk into a quilt shop...we must leave with something in our hands!! LOL...yes, I did purchase some fabric...then I went back and purchased more!!
Time to get moving, lots to do lots to do....

Christmas 2010

2010-12-29T05:22:00.000-08:00

GI Joe's climbing the tree

Christmas season was hectic and great all at the same time. I think we planned too many things for each day of December. Dentist appointments (wisdom teeth, crowns, cleanings for a family of 6), chiroprator appts, parties and just trying to get normal life accomplished. Oh yes, I can't forget the flu...son Joe got the flu first, then it spread around us. Joe really had it bad. I got it last and it hit me hard. I know it is because I had been doing too many things and not getting enough sleep. I needed down time and well the flu made me stop and rest.

Christmas day was great. I loved see the boys get their presents. They all pitched it and bought me a new griddle and so I had to make them pancakes for breakfast!
Quilting on Christmas day? You betcha! After all the present time was done and everyone had settled into the normal swing of activity I headed down to my sewing room. I had creativity just flowing through my veins and I could not stop it.
I made a bag, measurements: 18x18inches, with 3x3 notches cut out at the base. Pieced it together with a lining and handle...I love it. I made another one the following day slightly smaller 15x15. I added some holders on the inside to hold bottles (wine bottles...I don't drink, but I know some people do) and it looks really neat. My sister loved it. I have to make her one. Oh speaking of her, I made sunglass holders for her and her daughters...she ended up giving them all to her daughters and so now I have to make one for her. I will do that today.
I watched a video on youtube on the construction of a pineapple block. I loved it! I went down to my sewing room immediately, used what I had available...no measurements were given because this quilter has this pattern in her book...but anyway, I made it using the tools I had which were the EZ quilting rulers!! Love it! I'm going to make more today! I've always wanted to make one of these quilts.
Oh yes, my french braid quilt. I've pieced all the ''braids" together and put a narrow white border on to the quilt. Now I'm piecing a pieced border...except I pieced one of the borders totally wrong!!! I was so upset with myself when I realized this....
well, I am ripping it apart and taking care because it is all on the bias!! eek!

Pineapple block

French Braid border

Wine bottle bag

book bag with lining

Good morning world

2010-12-21T04:35:00.000-08:00

Good morning world! I feel as if a huge load has been taken off my shoulders. I was able to finish several quilts yesterday, including the binding, placemats, and to top things off I was able to get them in the mail!!! But wait, then I realized I left the grandparents presents at home!! go figure! lol....sigh....I really tried hard too. Not all is my fault though. I ordered dvd's from a friend over 3 months ago. These dvds are of my kids in the plays that they have been in for the last several years. We have been promised that we would have them by Christmas, but nothing has showed up as of yet. These dvd's were supposed to be part of the Christmas presents sent to family members. I guess they are not getting them again this year. What a bummer.
I'm applying to the Southern Christmas Show that is in November. My sister goes there every year and just loves it. I want to be able to attend and show my crafts. I also want to get on the ball get some more patterns published. I feel as if I don't have enough time to do anything lately, with taking the boys to their dentist appointments (wisdom teeth being pulled->ouch!) many doctor appointments...homeschool events, church events....
I have all these ideas in my head and I just can't get them on paper. Today I have to take Joe to have his wisdom teeth pulled...I'm going to bring graph paper, colored pencils and I'm drawing!
This past weekend my husband I rearranged our bedroom. I love it! He was right, the room would look so much larger if we rearranged things. I'm so glad we did.
Not much left to tell...women's banquet went over well. We were down 2 tables due to the canceling 2x due to our weather, but I think we had a blast!
Got to run, I should be downstairs playing with fabric!

10 days and counting....

2010-12-15T04:24:00.000-08:00

10 days until Christmas and I'm not finished with all that needs to be done. This has been an interesting week of "weather" related events. Southeastern Michigan received a blanket of snow Sunday night and into Monday. Next the temperature turned to bitter cold artic air...below zero wind chills...not fun and I stayed in the house! Canceled the women's dinner and cookie exchange, rescheduled it for Tuesday night...canceled and rescheduled again due to the roads refreezing. We probably could have had it last night but it turned out better for me. I was not feeling well last night at all. Very sick to my stomach and slightly feverish.
Today, I'm feeling just fine.
Speaking of today, we are having a Christmas party with our homeschool group. I'm kind of excited and kind of lets just get this over with! I have 7 quilts to finish between now and Monday!!! Lord only knows how I'm going to get all this done, cause honey, I have no clue!
I have some ideas on how quilting patterns and need to get them on paper. I know I'm not going to be able to get moving on these ideas until after Christmas, but I hope I don't forget them!!
Bummer, it is time for me to get moving, no pictures today the camera is charging....till next time...

Happy sewing....

Well it is about time...someone has been neglecting her blog!

2010-11-30T04:56:00.000-08:00

Well, I've definitely been neglecting my blog! I've just been procrastinating for the longest time and I don't know why? I don't have a reason. The only thing I can think of is because the camera was down in the basement in my son Chris's area where he was filming and I was too lazy to go pick up my camera. So there! That is my reason, works for me, that is my story and I'm stickin' to it! LOL
I have really accomplished a lot in the quilt world recently. I found another quilter's blog "sew many ways" and I love her ideas on repurposing items, keeping the sewing room organized....just love it...very very inspiring! Now I want to paint all my sewing room furniture the same color so I can be "matchy matchy" . But first, I need to take a shower and clean myself up! LOL I need to get off the computer....I think I will update the blog though before I'm off to the shower....

French Braid

Earlier in November I received an email from Fons and Porter magazine editor. I'm getting published! SWEET! She requested that I pick out a hoffman batik to remake my quilt in for the fall 2011 issue. To get inspired I decided to go to my local quilt shop...The Village Quilt Shoppe at Canterbury Village here in Lake Orion. I love that shop!! Let's just say I got slightly side tracked! Instead of making a decision on fabric for the magazine quilt I came home with 12 fabrics at 1/2 yard cuts! Guess what I'm making? A French Braid: In blues!! The picture looks a little grainy I will try to take another picture of the finished quilt and hopefully it will not look so bad.

So while I was working on this quilt, the cutting process that is, I could have sworn I cut enough for 4 braids. I began searching through my things that I had placed on the cutting table, but I could only find enough for 2 braids...where did the rest go? I could not find the other braids so I decided that I did not cut all that I needed and cut 2 more sets....except I actually cut more than that! Then of course I found the rest of the braids!!! GEE!! The braids were underneath the basket...the basket that contains the Bonnie Hunter Mystery quilt fabrics and pieces....I'm rolling my eyes at myself!

4-patches for Christmas Lights

Yesterday, since Bonnie (http://www.quiltville.com/) put up the instructions for her Christmas Lights pattern I decided it was time to gather those fabrics and save them for the week between Christmas and New Year. This would be a nice project. In the mean time I found that I had pieced some 4-patch units the same size that is needed for the Christmas Lights....and I had pieced a LOT!! Well then I have step 1 finished...except I found in the same container I had the 4-patches in I also have a bizillion 1/2 sq. triangles!! and 4-patches to match these hst. Oh my word!! I spent over 2 hours putting this up:

close up of fabrics

2 hours plus took to add to design wall

I have not pieced this one yet, just putting all those hst's and 4patches on the wall was enough for me...in the close up you can see the white coming through, this is the batting I have pinned up on the wall....I use this as my "design wall"...how clever! LOL
I'm also working on Bonnie Hunter's Double Delight. I made this quilt two years ago, and gave it away to a wonderful friend. Now, I want one for myself. OH! The blue and red quilt shown above, my husband wants this one for our bed!! I was rather shocked by that. So, that is what I'm going to do with it. I hope I can make it large enough for our bed....it is a king size.
My health: yesterday I had an MRI. I will know the results soon. I'm suppose to schedule an ENG, this is all related to my dizziness/vertigo. Hopefully nothing serious is happening in my head and all will be fine soon.
Weather: winter is coming....snow on Wednesday....don't want to think about it.
Kids: Joe is sick with the flu, the real flu...not just a head cold...the flu...poor guy, he has slept on the couch for 3 days...Steve won't go near him, he does not want to get sick.
Thanksgiving Day: What a great time we had with friends Dawn, Joe and David.
Time for me to get off the computer!!! I need to go take more pictures of everything that I am working on....but that will be after the camera battery charges...

Take care everyone and stay warm!

UFO's!! Oh my world the number...

2010-11-15T05:59:00.000-08:00

For those of you who are quilters, you know exactly what I'm talking about when I say "UFO's"! I've been working on my sewing room, trying desperately to clean it up and organize. What I mess! I've moved several times since I began my quilting journey....so I can honestly say, that things get lost in the move. Two weeks ago when my sister, Renee, was visiting we attacked my scraps. I could have never done it without her help! Thank you! After she left to go back home to SC, I found a drawer that had...you guessed it....scraps!! Oh my goodness! sigh....Then I found another quilt that I began over 10 years ago...some of you will know this pattern ...Shakespeare in the Park.....holy moly! What was I thinking!? I was a fairly new quilter and tried to attack that pattern! I actually have two color waves in that quilt pattern and I am determined to finish it. One is in tans and deep purples, burgandy... very scrappy looking and fall like. The other is in blues and yellows....I have lots of pieces and I have decided that it is NOT going to be a Shakespeare in the Park quilt. I'm going to be making quarter square triangles, half square triangles and whatever else I can come up with to USE THOSE PIECES UP! Needless to say I will get more than one quilt from each color wave because I know I cut out way too many pieces!
This is going to be a busy week. I'm suppose to be teaching two days this week at Joann's fabric store, I have not heard from the manager of the education department as to if anyone signed up for the classes. I will call her or go visit the store today or tomorrow. On Saturday, I'm teaching at the Village Quilt shoppe at Canterbury Village!! My favorite quilt shop in the world! I'm teaching the French Braid Table runner. I will need to get my supplies ready by tomorrow. I can't procrastinate on this one, my week is full.
Oh and the best news of all!! Bonnie Hunter's new Mystery quilt pattern step 1 will be ready this Friday!!!! Roll Roll Cotton Ball, I think that is the name! For any followers here is her website: www.quiltville.com
Back to my UFO's. I have lots of them! I'm determined to finish them this year...ok wait, let's think about this! There is less than two months left in this year...I think I will extend my goal to ....the end of next year. I really and truly want to have them all done: done as in quilted and bound!
We do have a nasty cold that is going through my boys. John got the cold first, then it went to Steve....Steve has the nasty cough that will not go away and now son Joe has it. I hope the cold stops with him!
Time to get moving, lots to do today!!! Can't waste a single minute!! OH! I've lost 3inches in my waist!! don't know how much weight I've lost but my curves are now heading in the right direction! LOL
Later Gator!

ahhhh the life of a quilter....

2010-11-02T04:42:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I was able to go on a women's retreat with some wonderful Christian ladies from church. We drove up to Bambi Lake in St. Helen, by Roscommon (spelling?) Michigan. Beautiful grounds to walk!! We were able to take a nature walk on Saturday afternoon. I loved it! Being outside breathing the fresh air, a nip of chill in the air and all the beautiful scenery...just wonderful. Our speakers had wonderful testimonies and messages to share, made you think a bit about your life. I'm looking forward to next year's retreat.
About two weeks ago I began organizing my sewing room. I thought I had it all figured out as in the best way to organize, but I was wrong....I needed a better system and better storage answers. In the midst of it all I realized I had missed 6 drawers of fabric scraps! How could one do this? Well, I was sitting by them every time I sat down to sew and just did not pay them any attention.
When I arrived home from the women's retreat I made a decision to attack those drawers. This past Sunday afternoon, after church, I did just that! I pulled the storage drawers out from under the table and began. I made a HUGE mess!!! I mean a HUGE mess, did I mention I made a mess? Lord help me, now it is overwhelming!! LOL
My next step is to take all the "organizing" of the first set of scraps and combine them with the present set of scraps that are strewn all over two, yes 2 eight foot tables. Instead of attempting to put all these scraps into the tiny plastic bins (just slightly larger than a shoe box) and place all the organized scraps into the plastic draw units. This will be a much easier way to get to them and free up shelf space...I was storing all the small plastic bins on the wire shelving units. I really do need to take a picture of this mess, but I can't seem to find my camera. I think my son Chris has taken the camera down to his "filming" area in the basement. The battery is probably dead.
Yesterday morning I spoke with the manager of the education department from the local JoAnn Fabric store. I brought in samples to show my work and basically I was hired on the spot to help teach quilting. Now this will NOT be a huge income maker, by any stretch, it is just my way of sharing the love of piecing/quilting. I'm not an official employee of JoAnn's I'm a subcontractor...hmmmm interesting title...I feel so important now! LOL I have some ideas on how to bring more people into the love of sewing again. Hopefully, there will be plenty of opportunity to share this love!
Today is voting day! I hope everyone exercises their right to vote!! Go Vote!! I will be voting on my way to pick up my sister from the airport. Renee is flying in and will be staying till Sunday morning. I'm so excited she is here! We are going to have a blast!
Take care everyone!!

Ah, it's Thursday

2010-10-21T05:12:00.000-07:00

Yes, it is Thursday and I am breathing a sigh of relief! Why? Because my husband repaired my Janome MC6500 last night!!! And I get to sew with it today!! I'm so happy! I was somewhat unhappy on Tuesday afternoon when I drove clear up to Flint (Miller Road exit) to the sewing machine shop....I called and asked if they repaired Janome sewing machines. The man answered, "yes, we are an authorized dealer, we do it all." "Great! Where are you located, I'm on my way!" I said....well let me tell you!! I drove all the way up there in my TRUCK that only gets 15miles to the gallon...mind you it is diesel!! Translation...diesel costs more!
So I drive up there....it is 20+ miles only to find out that they DON'T REPAIR sewing machines and their repairman just retired...oh how convenient! He then proceeds to inform me that they have someone drive all the way from GRAND RAPIDS to pick up the machines and take then back to Grand Rapids for repairing....oh my, I would not have my machine for 2 weeks! I was fuming mad! Why did he not inform of that when I called?! When someone tells me that they are authorized that means they do the work! Sheesh! Needless to say I was not happy...
Oh and I can't forget that they wanted to sell me a new machine! Oh my Lord! What are they thinking?!
On to a good topic...I am sewing today! Because of my husband and his gift of being able to repair anything! Thank you!!!
It looks like I might be teaching sewing more often than what I thought. There are so many young girls in our homeschool group that want to learn how to sew. This is just something that I feel is necessary. It is a form of art, sewing that is, and I just love the fact that these girls want to do this. They can take this skill with them and use it for the rest of their lives!! How sweet!
Last night I was back in Praise Team at church. I absolutely loved it and I have not felt that way in a long long time! I just felt like I belonged there. Thank you Lord! The other day Pastor told me I was doing too many activities and he was worried about me. So when his daughter came up and asked if I was going to be in choir I said, "according to your dad I'm doing too much." He was standing right there...hehehehe.....He then told me (he is the Pastor) "Oh you can do choir! it is only 2x a month." He said that with a grin on his face...lol....oh ok, I will then.....someone needs to take over acteens then! LOL gotcha!
I can't wait to sew today, maybe I should get off the computer and go work on something..just something! LOL....I did accomplish a huge task the other day. I was checking out my fabric stash and realized...hey, my fabric is looking kind of pathetic! What is going on here? See, I've been taking fabrics off the shelves and grouping certain ones together to well, make a quilt. I've been storing these groups in different plastic bins. What has been occuring is that I was forgetting what all I had stashed away in a bin/bins and was telling myself that I needed to go buy more fabric!!! Wait a minute, lets rethink this.
I love to shop for fabric, I love the smell of walking into a quilt shop!! Ah, heaven! But I don't have the funds to do this. Where is your fabric? Looked to my right and way across the room are 10+bins filled with "groupings" of fabric....oh yeah, there it is....so I pulled the bins off the shelf, put all the fabrics (yardage) back on to the correct shelf on the other side of the room, where it belonged. My half filled shelves became full!! All the colors grew, they doubled!! OH my, grouping all those fabrics and placing into bins was not a smart idea, but wait...now I have empty bins that I paid for...hmmmmm
IDEA: you have tons of scraps! Bonnie Hunter's scrap system...put it into play! so I did! I began sorting my scraps into colors. I now have organized scraps. Two bags, maybe three still left to go through, but I feel that is such a better plan!
My next step in organizing is to take a few minutes (15-30 minutes) at least once a week and iron/cut a color (bin) of fabric scraps. This is so awesome. Because you know, there are some nights/days where I really don't know what I want to work on, I just want to touch fabric. This is a perfect way to get my fill!!
And last but not least, I was able to quilt 4 quilts on the longarm machine over the weekend! AWESOME!!! I had purchased a wide black sateen backing for one quilt when I realized the backing was way too big and I would be wasting all the fabric backing....so I really did not want to waste it. I came up with a plan to put 4 lap size finished tops onto the backing instead! Sweet deal! With the left over backing, there was still some extra, but no where near what I had calculated from before...I will cut the sateen up in small sizes and either use it for samples or table runner.
Oh and I can't forget to tell about my awesome buy of warm and natural batting!! 3 weeks ago at JoAnn's, Queen size warm and natural batting was only $10 a bag!! My husband bought me 10!! How wonderful is that!? I love him!
Well I have babbled on long enough...

Quilt projects

2010-10-09T05:46:00.000-07:00

This past week I've been diligently working on a quilt, along with getting very distracted by my entire sewing room! I had an agenda! I was to make x amount of 4 patches and x amount of hst for this quilt. But, as usual, I was getting side tracked by all the *goodies* within my eye sight! Maybe I could take this fabric and do this, or what about adding an additional border onto this quilt so I could do some amazing longarm custom quilting...oh wait, I bet, if I combind these 3 quilts onto this one extremely long quilt back (4.5 yards..do the math!) then I could fit all 3 of those quilts on to the machine and walla I would have finished 3 more ufo's!! OH wait....but then I have to consider thread color....do I want to do solid color thread or varigated thread...oh what batting do I need, do I have enough black batting..all 3 of these quilts require black batting..looks like I have to go visit the quilt shop again..oh bummer, Carolyn will be so surprised to see me!! LOL

Now, do you see why I lost what I was attempting to accomplish? Did I loose you? I lost myself!! LOL Finally I remembered what I was suppose to be working on...Cathedral Stars by Bonnie Hunter!! Holy Moly! It took me reading her blog on quiltville.com to realize the project!! My goodness. I'm not kidding, all week I would run down to my sewing room to just sew a few units and then I would rush back up here (note to self: move sewing room upstairs, won't hurt knees as much) to either head out the door or work on something that was needing my attention...like say a child? LOL But I was having the darndest time remembering what I was working on!! I would glance on my tables as I flew by to see if the pattern was laying there...nope I don't that is what I'm working on.....this went on all week!! I just have to say, Thank you to Bonnie for posting on her blog about the workshop in CO.

I was able to finish my "Totally Decaffeinated" quilt, it is too pretty to call it that, but that is name of the quilt in the book. I've showed it to lots of people and they all love it. I need to go replenish my fabric now that I used lots of browns and creams up for that one. Bummer, another reason to go to the village quilt shop!! Carolyn, I'm coming over for a visit!!! I just love those ladies!!! And Carol, who is Carolyn's husband, they are fantastic people up there!! I can't forget to mention Sally! Sally is my altoid buddy! I give her a handful of altoids when I go in....she likes me only for my candy! LOL just kidding, she is great too!

Guess who just found out she did not take a picture of the finished quilt that has the borders on it???? Yep, that would be me! My goodness...back to the workshop...oh no, you know what this means? I will probably forget what my mission is before I reach the bottom of the stairs leading to my sewing room....Pray for me! LOL

Happy quilting everyone!!

Price List Piecing Quilt and Machine quilting

2010-09-26T14:02:00.000-07:00

One-Stitch-at-a-Time

Nancy McNally

Gammill Classic Plus

Janome MC6500

My heart is in piecing. I love to piece a quilt! I can finish your project you started, please, just provide the original pattern for me to follow. If the pattern is lost, I will just do what I can to give you what you originally intended the quilt to be. The price is $10 per hour for the construction of the quilt top. Once I piece the top I will then machine quilt it and bind it for you. The prices vary from the type of quilting you choose. See pricing for long-arm machine quilting. Binding is machine only, no hand binding. Cost $50 – 70.00 based on size of quilt. Deposit of 50% is required.

I also offer piecing from beginning to end. You pick out the fabric, pattern and I do all the work. Cost is $10-$20 per hour. This will be based on the level of difficulty. No appliqué and no paper piecing. Deposit of 50% is required. Give me a call and we can sit down together and plan out the quilt.

I can design your quilt top, or you can choose from my library of books and preprinted patterns.

contact me at:
nancy.mcnally@comcast.net

Long-arm Machine Quilting:

Preparing your quilt top for machine quilting:

-Is your quilt top free of pet hair?

-Please square up your quilt top, no un- even edges.

-Clip all loose threads front and back.

-Press your quilt top to keep it nice and flat

-check seams; are they all going in the direction they are suppose to be?

-Backing: if you are piecing your back, please remove the selvage edges.

- Place a pinned note at the top of the backing that you wish the top of the quilt to be lined up with.

Make sure your backing is at least 6 inches larger than the quilt (length and width)

Type of Quilting with price

Allover (edge to edge) 1.5 cents per square inch

Custom borders with allover in body of quilt 2.5 cents per square inch

Custom borders and body of quilt 3.0 cents per square inch
How to figure the cost: measure your quilt length and width, multiply the two numbers:

L x W= square inch. Multiply this by the cents per square inch x 1.5 Example if your quilt measure 50 x 60 = 3000 x 1.5 = $45

Batting: you provide and it should be 3 inches larger (on all 4 sides) than the quilt top.

Backing: please do not use a sheet for the backing. Make sure if you have pieced the backing that you indicate with a note pinned to the top of the backing the TOP (where you want the top of your quilt lined up) and remove the selvage edges.

Customer Order Form

Name: _________________________

Email: _________________________

Address: _______________________

_______________________________

_______________________________

Phone: (H)_________________________

(C)_______________________________

Check appropriate blank

__machine quilting

__piecing, quilting and binding

Machine quilting order:

Size of quilt: width: ___ x length: __

Type of batting you provided, this needs to be 6-8 inches larger than your quilt.

Quilting thread color:

_neutral _variegated _solid to match

Type of quilting: _ meander small, medium, large (circle size desired) (.01-.025 per sq. in.)

_all over pattern from edge to edge (free form no pantograph pattern) (.025 per sq. in.)

_custom borders (extra charge) with all over pattern in body of quilt (.03 per sq. in.)

_full custom heavy quilting (.035 per sq in.)

(L)___ x (W)___= ______ x _____=$______

Piecing your quilt top:

I have a nice variety of patterns and books for you to choose from. I do not offer paper piecing or quilts with appliqué. Call me and we can schedule a time to sit down together to discuss the type of quilt pattern you are looking for. To get started fill out the basic order form below:

Size of quilt:

__baby/crib

__wall hanging

__lap

__twin __comforter __ bedspread

__full __comforter __bedspread

__queen __comforter __bedspread

__king __comforter __bedspread

~ if you choose a comforter will need a bed skirt to match? ___yes __no

~ would you also like matching pillow cases?

__yes __no if yes, 1 or 2

Fabrics and colors. This will be discussed together. I can join you with the shopping for the fabrics or I can do the shopping myself. (fee for this)

Keep this in mind: the more difficult the pattern, the more “pieces” the pattern requires, the higher the cost.

I also offer whole cloth quilts. These can be absolutely stunning and no two are alike!

Deposit: _____Check or ____Cash

Amount: $___________

Signature ______________________________

Backing: please choose one:

__whole cloth backing (no seams)

__pieced backing (if there are enough scrap fabrics left from the piecing, I maybe able to use them. Otherwise we will have to choose a backing. We need to make that decision when all the fabric is purchased for the top.)

Once the quilt top is pieced, I will machine quilt your quilt top. Please fill out order form in the machine quilting section of brochure.

Batting: cotton or poly-cotton blend are best.

I do NOT keep this in stock, we will need to purchase.

Once quilted I will machine bind! I do NOT hand sew bindings on. If you would like for your quilt to be hand bound please let me know:

__hand binding

__machine binding

Fabric for binding: can be scrap strips from quilt top or we can purchase matching fabric for this.

*all quilts will have the first stage of binding machine sewn to the front of the quilt top then for hand binding the binding will be hand sewn to the back of the quilt. For ALL machine binding, I sew the binding to the back of the quilt first then machine bind it to the front of the quilt. Hand binding, I can recommend a quilter for this job, price will be determined by her.

May I use a photo of your quilt for advertising purposes? __yes or __no

If I run into problems with the quilt top you have pieced such as fullness, puckering, seams coming apart, I will do my best to repair.

There will be a repair fee depending on the amount of work that is needed. Fees range from $5-$10 extra per repair. If you prefer that I place pleats in the border from fullness, I can’t promise that seams will match.

You can email me at:
Nancy.mcnally@comcast.net

Big Day today

2010-09-21T04:05:00.000-07:00

First of all, last night while trying to go to sleep, I got a vision of a quilt design!! Darn it! I hate when that happens! I can't go to sleep for a long time after that 'cause my mind won't stop working! LOL My husband told me to write the design down right then, so I did. Got up, turned on bedroom light, "close your eyes honey, I'm turning on the light." drew out pattern, turned out light and crawled back in bed. Don't have time to work it out on EQ7 this morning, but I will play with the design over the week....
Meanwhile, I'm working on a two projects that are coming together very nicely. I don't have pictures to show just yet, but soon. I did make a baby quilt last week that I must put on the longarm and quilt up...need to ship it to SC for my neice's baby shower.
Oh speaking of accomplishments, finishing up projects....I was able to put two bindings on this weekend! I am very proud of myself for this one! I have 4 small quilts that are ready for binding and two quilts that must go back on the longarm machine so that I can finish quilting them. I took them off the machine so I could work on customer's quilts and I was just being lazy with my own projects and did not put either one back on.
This morning we are heading to the hospital. Today, Steve, my 3rd son, has to have an upper scope. We are hoping and praying that we will learn why he has been having problems for the last 6+ months with his intestines. After the procedure, if he feels up to it, I will take two of my boys to drama workshop today.
Tonight though, tonight!! I get to go see Bonnie Hunter from quiltville's trunk show!! I'm so excited! I have 3 friends joining me! I can't wait!! I've been looking forward to this for months!
I hope everyone has a wonderful day!! Later....

Beautiful Calendar!!

2010-09-17T05:26:00.001-07:00

I found a beautiful calendar for my desktop from another quilter's blog: Cabin Quilter, Diane tombal. Love it! Here is a picture of the calendar!!
I hope I remember to download the new one each month!

It's Friday!!!

2010-09-17T05:00:00.000-07:00

I'm ready to attack!! I finished quilting the Autumn French Braid quilt last night. This morning I will put on the binding and deliver it to the quilt shop. I'm teaching this one on October 9. I will need to piece a table runner for the other class, I have not decided if I'm going to piece it in the same fabrics or choose different. I should probably choose the same ones, especially since I have leftovers...that makes sense....
I've added my EQ7 button to my blog. I'm enjoying playing in EQ7 and I've downloaded a few files so I can play more! It really find it easy to use. I think every quilter should have this tool, the only draw back is how long I end up sitting at the computer creating instead of actually sewing.
I've gotten a couple of requests for some quilt tops. I'm looking forward to piecing them.
I recently purchased a purse pattern, not going to name the pattern name, but I think the directions...well there is not enough....hmmm....so I'm left to figure things out for myself. It is my learning style not the publisher's fault.
My goals for this weekend: put the binding on to 3 quilt tops, mail out two of the quilts, start on the new commissioned quilts, get the instructions/supply list ready for the quilt classes, visit the local craft store (just cause I can...lol), prepare for Sunday's class, and all of next week's lesson with our homeschool...ok, I just thoroughly overwhelmed myself!!! I think this calls for some chocolate, oh wait, I have not even had breakfast!!!
Well I better get a move on if I am to accomplish anything. I will be posting some pictures soon!! I've got a few projects in mind....need to write the patterns though!!
Later gator!

School is back in session

2010-09-07T04:41:00.000-07:00

Our homeschool begins today. I'm excited yet I'm also feeling like I had no summer...I need to plan better, just did not get enough done.
I finished by quilting brochure. Now I need to get myself to Pontiac and apply for a dba or LLC, not sure what I want to do yet. At least I know that the name I want to use as a business is not taken.
Last week I had a bad vertigo experience. I want to say it is from my sinuses being blocked from allergies. Both Steve and I have been waking up with nasty sore throats and runny noses. I leaned over to move the box fan, coffee in right hand. I leaned over to pick up the fan to turn it around and that was all she wrote! The room spun around so bad, I could not figure out what was the floor, wall or ceiling!! Coffee went everywhere, I hit the wall 2x with my head! bruised the top of my right hand (it hit the wall too), my right arm by my elbow hit the wall also and my left arm...well somehow some skin got taken off. I don't recall the entire incident, all I know is it happened. Scared the living daylights out of me!!! Going back to doctor today to change medicine he prescribed...made me feel worse! That is ok, he had no idea, it is trial and error, that is why they are "practicing medicine".
I was able to play with fabrics last night, did not accomplish anything other than to confuse myself a bit, but I enjoyed it!
That is all for now....later dude!

Quilts are done...the piecing that is....

2010-08-24T05:43:00.000-07:00

This was a very productive weekend and Monday. I was able to complete 5 quilt tops on the longarm and 2 of my own quilt tops are now pieced. I am still behind on one quilt for the longarm machine and I will be loading that this morning, but first I wanted to put up my two quilt tops!!!

The first is the French Braid!!! WOW did this one turn out beautiful!! Don't ya' think? I'm going to be teaching this one in the fall at the local quilt shop "The Village Quilt Shoppe" at Canterbury Village.
The shop owner asked me when I was going to teach the French Braid and finally said "lets do it!" so we picked out fabrics and I threw in the green centers and bottom triangles from my stash. I think this one is a beauty!

So I had to throw in a few pictures of it....lol
The second quilt is from http://www.quiltville.com/. It is Bonnie Hunter's "Jared Takes a Wife" the block itself I believe is called Blackford's Beauty. This quilt fought with me! But as you can see I won! LOL Actually, it was my fault...the original sashing..well I cut it 1/4inch too short. I was not a very happy quilter when I did that! So I had to rip out what I had sewn between the blocks because it was the sashing and corner stones that went in between the rows that I cut short. I had to change my plans and went with the fabrics that are in there now.

I'm very pleased with my work, now I just have to figure out what to do with these two quilts? I do have leftovers from the French Braid so I'm thinking of some table runners or banner quilts to hang in the foyer.
Yesterday was also an interesting day because our Pastor's wife and their daughter were in a head on collison. It was not their daughter's fault, she was the driver. The other driver fell asleep at the wheel!! My goodness!! Bonnie and Abby are safe and at home now, but that was a scarey evening for them. Bonnie has been through so much in the last several years with breast cancer, death in the family (her mom and Pastor's mom)and now this wreck. We know that the Lord is in control and will not hand you more than you can take. You just have to remember to lean on Him!
My sister Gail has gotten a good report about her colon cancer. Yes, it is stage 4 and it is in her bloodstream, but the only spot they can find that it has attached itself to is her left ovary. Chemo will begin in a week or so.

My Kate is coming home this weekend. I'm so excited to see her!!! She is trying to move back with us, yes, she is 24 but that is ok, we are one of the few parents that don't mind if our kids are still home...hehehe. She enjoys sewing so we will have a nice time together this weekend. I'm hoping she will begin pursuing her life long dream of being in the fashion industry. She is a very talented young lady.

Well it is time for me to get moving off the computer.

Later gator!

The Lord is Great!

2010-08-19T04:53:00.000-07:00

I've been so overwhelmed with all that is going on, health issues, homeschooling schedule and church responsibilities....that I just shut down. Absolutely nothing was accomplished. I said a little prayer, talked with the Lord for just a few minutes and things are confirmed now. I feel somewhat relieved, you know we can't do it all by ourselves, even though we try.
I received a phone call two days ago about my sister, Gail. The cancer has only attached itself to her left ovary, just a small amount(still in her blood stream though). She is thrilled, she was expecting the worst. She will have her port put in in about 2 weeks, then chemo will begin. Her outlook is so much better now, I know she was scared. I was scared for her!
My nephew is having his knee x-ray'd today? for his knee cancer. He is only 16. Somehow he was diagnosed with the same knee cancer that Patrick Kennedy had. Christopher's outlook is "He is claiming victory in the Lord! He is saying after these weeks of chemo that the tumor is gone!" Praying that the Lord has healed him! Mom and Dad say he is walking like he used to, no limp and that shows them that the tumor has shrunk. Praying!!!
Quilting: I think I'm just gonna focus on enjoying the art of quilting, the art of creating. I truly can't homeschool, teach bible study classes, be a mom, clean the house and be a wife to hubby....man just too much to do. I want to do it all, I want to help, serve and share, but somewhere I have to enjoy the process of it all. Find a good medium, you know?
Doctor called last night about our lab results. John is good, no celiac, I'm good...no celiac. Steve, well he does not produce enough antibodies for the bloodwork test to show, so....he will have another type of bloodwork test done. Doctor gave me a choice, scope/biopsy or bloodwork...ummmm I think we are going to go with the bloodwork. If that does not work then we will do the scope.
Step-daughter Kate might be moving in. I'm hoping she does, I miss her terribly! But I want to make sure the timing is right for her to move back in with us. She is 24 and needs to figure out what she wants to do with herself. She has a fantastic job at the bank and she does want to make that work, but she has this creative side that she needs to explore. Coming here allows her space, quiet time for her to explorer that.
Time to get moving, just got an idea for a quilt!! LOL...Have you ever played with your fabric so much and pulled different pieces together, made piles all over your flat surfaces, put the piles in separate bins, with patterns? Oh my goodness, I've been doing that! I have 16 bins, they are slightly larger than a shoe box, enough for yardage to lay flat . I thought to myself, you know if you take all this fabric out of the bins and put it back in your stash...do you realize just how much your stash will grow? Oh my, I'm a fabricaholic! LOL I love it! Time to go create!!

Man it has been a while since I posted...

2010-08-15T13:58:00.000-07:00

Life is getting to be a little difficult but we are adjusting. Chris officially has Celiac disease, biopsy confirmed. Now we are going to work on Steve's GI tract problems. I will say that Steve has had great week!
I've been working on a few quilting projects, but today I'm just feeling a little bit unmotivated. I need to finish several quilts, but I 'm just tired.
My sister, Gail, has stage 4 colon cancer. Hopefully we will have results by Tuesday to learn where the cancer has spread and if it has not spread at all! Let's pray it has not spread at all!!
That is all for now....oh I got EQ7 for my b'day!!

Later y'all....

My Design Wall

2010-08-02T04:56:00.000-07:00

The beginnings of a new quilt. Shame on me for starting another project!! I just could not help myself though. I was looking for some blocks that I had cut a while back and thought I had put them in one of my plastic drawer bins. I opened up the drawer and there I found my original project of Northwind block swap and templates. This got me to thinking! I saw these fabrics stored away in a clear bin for a different project and decided that I needed to use these for my Northwind block. So off I go cutting my 9" blocks and into triangles....this is going to be fun! Except I got carried away and cut too many of the colored pieces to go with the polka dotted background fabric...darn it! This means I might have to make two quilts!! Oh no, what is a quilter to do?!

I began piecing and posting on my design wall. I decided that I am going to make this quilt like a "Blooming 9-patch" quilt. That is starting from the middle and going out to the edge, having the fabrics/colors bloom/blend. I just might have to go purchase more fabric!! LOL
So I have background fabric with some of the colors and some colors with colors...it will be a cool quilt when I am finished! I have the center completed, yet, I may swap out my center colors into the lighter sets so that the colors can explode!!

I've also decided that I just might have to add purple! If you can see the pink/red fabric there is a little purple flower/leaf pattern. Purple would be a great blender for that one. Also, I'm pretty certain that I am going to have to go purchase more of that orangey batik fabric because I want it for the border and i don't think I have enough left. The polka dotted background fabric is going to be my

binding...sweet!
I might have to put this aside and finish my french braid. I want to teach the french braid and this Northwind quilt....fun!

Monday Monday

2010-07-26T04:55:00.000-07:00

Monday Monday...make you think of a song? Most Mondays I hit the floor running!! I always have lots to accomplish, so before I "hit the floor running" I wanted to post what I accomplished and somethings that I forgot to post.

This picture is of my mistake!! I was working on my Jarred Takes a Wife quilt from Bonnie Hunter's website: www.quiltville.com and I cut all my sashing strips 1/4inch too short!! I can't believe I did this!! I had all these pieces ready to assemble. Actually, these are the ones that went in between all the blocks, the sashing that was to be put in between the rows were the ones that were too short!! Needless to say I cut them on different days and I was obviously very tired when I cut the second set of sashing...sigh...these will now go into my new block Pineapple Tidbits seen next.

The next picture is two quilts that I am gathering fabrics for. I need to get them out of the sunlight so that my fabrics don't fade!! One quilt is going to be "Leap Frog", a child's quilt, don't have a child in mind, just want to make something out of brights and I found this pattern online for free. So that basket is dedicated for that project. I found in my stash, which I should have taken a picture of but totally forgot, a fabric that is electric blue with FROGS all over it...bright frogs!! This quilt will be fun.

The other basket on the desk is going to be from Bonnie Hunter's Leaders and Enders book "Bowdacious"!! I have a pile of bright pinks that I may or may not add to it...time will tell if they get to be a part of this quilt. I'm also, not included in the picture, going to piece another pattern from this book "BlueRidge Beauty". I have already cut some fabrics up for this one and I will be using blues. Bonnie is a fantastic quilt designer! Love her work!

The last picture is from Nancy Rink: www.nancyrinkdesigns.com This was her BOM Galactic Explosion. I still have to put the binding on, but she is quilted!! This quilt is going to hang up in my dining room and I am changing the decor to match it!

Well that is all for now! I have to get ready to go out for the day with some friends! The weather is beautiful and I will be some wonderful people today!!

~later everyone!

The HUMIDITY is GONE!

2010-07-25T15:00:00.000-07:00

Finally!! The humidity is gone! I was able to work outside on 2 of my flowerbeds and guess what? I found flowers!! LOL Flowers that actually belong in the flowerbeds! I have not weeded in a long time due to the work my hubby is doing on the outside of the house. I figured that I would just be in his way. And the heat and humidity were just too high for me... so I stayed inside and played with fabric!!!
Today I was able to dig up 3 over grown plants, I honestly can't remember if they are called Russian Sage or catmint...oh well, either way they are now in the backyard. I have to figure out what to put in the flowerbed that now has a big hole...oops! I still have lots of weeding to do. There are several more large flowerbeds. The weeds are so high that some are up to my knees! That is just not good. I just got over heated outside and had to come in. I might go back out there later on, but I already came inside and showered....playing with fabric sounds better to me!
My pedimeter: I took over 8,700 steps yesterday and today I am already at 6,500...I do need to drink some water though.
Last night we were up for over 2 hours with Steve. I can't believe my 16yr old son is still having these problems. The GI dr. still has no diagnosis. I feel so bad for him, last night was scary. I pray we have a better night. Tomorrow is mom's day away. I will not be able to go very far, need to stay close by incase something happens.
Got to get a moving now....play with fabric or go back outside and pull weeds....or I could clean the house? decisions decisions...what is a girl to do? play obviously!
~later dudettes!

Weight loss

2010-07-24T09:43:00.000-07:00

Last summer I went on nutrisystem diet plan. It worked, I lost 20lbs. Then life happened and stress hit and I gained it all back. sigh....
The other day I decided it was time to do something about this weight gain! I need to take it off! I called the local Jenny Craig office and made an immediate appointment. I knew if I procrastinated that I would not do anything at all. I joined yesterday! I have to say I really love the food! The salad dressings are fantastic! Last night's dinner was chicken alfredo, I'm not an alfredo sauce person...but I liked their entree. Breakfast was french toast, mmmgood. Lunch was a chicken corn chowder, very good and a spinach salad. Now my spinach salad consisted of fresh spinach chopped up fine, 1/2 cup of tomato and 1/2 cup of cucumber. Topped it off with their balsamic vinegar dressing, delicious!!
While I was at Jenny Craig I purchased their excerise dvd and a pedometer (I think that is what you call it). My goal is to loose 40lbs! That is a lot but I am trying to prevent surgery on my knees, exhaustion and hypertension...also type 2 diabetes. I have to take care of myself. Let's hope I can stick to it!
There is a friend at church who wants to do a study together, a bible study "First Place" it is a biblical study on nutrition. I think we shall do it! I'm excited! The Lord is taking care of us! I feel blessed that there is someone else who wants to do this with me!
~later gator