Redefined

PRODUCTIVE WEEK

2011-08-07T12:17:00.000-07:00

Greetings.
Don't you just love it when you can look back on the week and feel like you have accomplished something worthwhile. I sure do. For starters, we got the quilt shop back in shape. We had quilts packed from our trip to Sister's and a quilt show last week. They are home now in their appropriate places for all to see. We did a lot of house cleaning and rearranged things. We do have a variety of styles and it's nice to have them displayed.

We moved our notions wall to the front of the store and it seems to be paying off. I've had a few customers tell me that they weren't aware that we had all those little treasures.

Friday was slow and we didn't have any scheduled classes so I took one of my projects in to sew the boarders on. This quilt is a gift and I need to get it quilted. I always hang my quilts up and take a picture of them. I study the picture to determine what kind of quilting I want to do on it. This quilt pictured below spent half the day on the design wall being admired by me and others and nobody noticed the mistake I made, not even me. When I was sewing my strips together I had the quilt on my design wall at home and I didn't see it. It wasn't until I downloaded the picture and looked at it on my monitor that I noticed. Do you see it?

If not, you might see it now. I hate it when I mess up like this. That's right, it's not the first time. I am thankful that I do catch it before the quilting is started. I must admit, if I had started quilting this quilt it would not be fixed.

This quilt was made from a Hoffman's Bali Pops. You need to add two other fabric's for the borders and that's it. It's for a young man and I thought this quilt looked masculine.

The week ended with a mini-retreat at church, which has turned into a new beginning for me. The focus was on restoring our souls with a day of rest. It was written by Zona Wilson. We learned that work and rest are both part of God's plan for us. We learned the importance of reflection and spending time meditating on His word. Relaxation is important and you can lay your head down and rest because you can trust the Lord.

This really hit home with me, Refreshment, the Beauty of God's creation refreshes our souls. I am in constant amazement of the beauty that I am surrounded by. The hill sides and flowers blooming everywhere. The rivers that flow all around us. The sky and beautiful birds flying overhead. It seems like every day is a little different. I am truly surrounded by his beauty.

We also talked about the importance of balance in our life and keeping focused on the Lord. To accomplish this we must look to God for the power. All of this was supported with scripture. We got a great workbook so we can go back and reflect on these lessons when needed or share them with others that might have a need. I was also blessed with two new friends.

I hope your week went as planned. It's our anniversary today and I'm getting ready to celebrate 35 years. I don't want to keep him waiting so I better close for now.

God's peace to you and yours.

HELLO AUGUST

2011-08-01T07:55:00.000-07:00

Does time fly, or what. What happened to July? Looking back, we did have a very busy July and accomplished a lot.

Kids Kamp at the shop is behind us. I don't think that is my calling. I had to work all week and I got behind on so many things including laundry and house cleaning. The latter I could live with. My quilting projects are a different story. Below is a picture of three completed projects. The youngest here is seven and the oldest is 10. They picked out their fabric and learned things like the 1/4" seam, RST, and butting up edges, just to name a few. Now I'm on to a new project. This quilt pictured below is the Nursery Rhyme quilt. Four of the blocks are embroidered and five are smocked, embellished and sewen to the background fabric. The sashing strips and borders are also embroidered.

This is a close up picture of a completed block with a smocked and embroidered dress. I have another doll dress quilt hanging in the shop and our customers are so impressed. Our regular's have been looking for something new to do and this seems to be the ticket. Starting the end of September I will be teaching the smocking technique and we will do this project as a BOM.

This little dress is called Candy Cane. If you want more information on these beautiful little dresses go to www.kreationsbykaron.com and check out her entire line of patterns. They are wonderful.

This week I will be finishing my oldest grandson's quilt and starting on my daughter's wedding quilt. Yes, you heard it right, Tami is finally getting married to that awesome, one of a kind guy, Joe. We are so happy for the two of them. I really feel this is a match made in heaven. They set February 2012 for the month and haven't picked a date. I'm making the Bali Wedding Star quilt for them. A friend just made one for her daughter and she started it in January and finished in July. I think the pressure is on.

Speaking of pressure I better log off and get busy. So much to do and so little time. Have a blessed week.

Oregon's Covered Bridges

2011-07-23T08:19:00.000-07:00

When you get off I-5 and start driving from one town to another in Oregon you will come across lots of rivers and streams, not to mention the mountains and trees. It is so beautiful. An added attraction are the covered bridges.

In the 1930's there were over 300 covered bridges in Oregon. Today there are 53, the largest concentration in the Western United States. On one of our drives we came across this bridge. There is a nice parking area where you can get out of the car, walk around, take in the scenery, and read about the restoration of this beautiful bridge. It has always bothered me the way people in the US are so welling to tear down and get rid of the things of the past. When I was traveling in other countries I became very aware of this. Seeing and reading the history of these bridges gives you a feel for the past.
You can't drive across the bridge but you can get up close and check it out.

For a little family news. Congratulations to Tami and Joe. My daughter called to ask her Dad to walk her down the isle. We are planning a February wedding and I have a special quilt to make and I know just the one. I'm so happy for them and us. We love Joe and his family. He is a very special man and I know they will be very happy together.

I have lot's to do so I better get started. Have a blessed week and enjoy your summer.

Something New

2011-07-19T07:52:00.000-07:00

Greetings. The week is starting off with a bang. As hard as I try to have everything ready ahead of time it still seems that I'm doing last minute tasks. I'm doing the laundry so I can justify sitting at the computer and posting some news on this blog.

I was blessed last week by a very quick visit from Bonnie, a former co-worker and quilt guild member from CA. She and her husband stopped into the store. They had been up North for the Sister's quilt show and we stayed at the same place and didn't cross paths. I didn't see her at the quilt show either. There were a few people that were there and I missed seeing them. I saw Georgia's husband but didn't see her. What's up with that?

For years I have wanted a sewing cabinet. They were out of my budget range so they have been a part of my wish list for years. One of the perks of business ownership is purchasing wholesale. I was finally able to purchase my quilters cabinet. I also purchased the 4 drawer storage caddie. The extended length in the back and left side make quilting and sewing binding on large quilts so much easier. I also like the ability to organize everything in one place so I can find things with ease.

When everything is put away the room looks so much neater. We agreed at the quilt store that we would make something out of any fabric we purchase so our customers can see the possibilities. This requires more sewing for all of us and my new cabinet will make it much easier. The drop down feature for the sewing machine makes a big difference when you are trying to establish an ergonomic sewing environment. I highly recommend a sewing cabinet for anybody who sits any length of time at their sewing machine. I'm getting things ready for Kids Quilt Camp next week. I'm gathering some information and a few small projects to work on the first day, just to break the ice. We will be making a lap size quilt. I'm not sure how it is that I ended up on this project but I'm sure God has a reason. I will keep an open mind and pray a lot. Two of the partners said they will help out and I am counting on that.

Sew, it's off to finish laundry and all my little projects. Have a blessed week.

Sister's 2011

2011-07-15T19:35:00.000-07:00

Sister's was fabulous. The weather was great and we had such a wonderful time shopping, eating out, and taking classes. I didn't get as many pictures as I wanted. This is an old favorite.

I wouldn't be interested in making a quilt like this but I really admire the talent it takes to do it. Most of this quilt is all about the thread painting.

The highlight of the week was the class I took from Barbara Shapel. I learned so much and we got to see some of her work. This quilt is the sun setting behind the bird. The detail is all about the threads and her quilting.

This is the other side of the quilt when the sun is coming up. I wish my photo show the detail.

This is an example of some of the quilting stitches she was teaching.

This quilt is one of my favorites. That is Barbara explaining how she quilted this beauty.

This is a the head of one of her birds and it show the quilting.

This is a better close up of her crane quilt.

This is a wall hanging class I took and the piece is called Quail Family. Since I live in Quail Run I thought I would hang this in my entry hall. It was fun to do and a totally different method of applique.

This was a painted wall in Sister's. I wish we could paint something like this on the front of the quilt shop.

We had a great time and I saw a couple of friends from California. I'm looking forward to Sister's 2012.
The quilt shop looks like we're going out of business because we were so successful at the show. We are getting ready for Kids Camp at the shop and some new quilt classes. So much to do and so little time. I will keep you posted on what's new.

Have a great weekend.

Heading to Sister's

2011-07-02T17:11:00.000-07:00

I will be at Sister's over the 4th so I'm taking this time to wish you a safe and happy 4th of July. God Bless America. I pray for our country every day and feel so blessed to have been born in American. The quilt below is an X-block pattern. There is a quilt for every season and every occasion. Don't you just love it?

This paper doll dress quilt picture below will be my project when I return. I will be teaching smocking and how to make these darling little dresses. I have shared these pictures with some of our customers and they are very interested in learning something new and getting started. This quit is the Paper Doll Nursery Rhyme.

This is a close up of the Makanzie dress. We will also be selling the patterns in the quilt shop. I'm so excited about sharing them. We have so much traffic from people traveling from Washington to California that there will be some great exposure.

This is another example of one of the dress patterns. If you want to see more go to www.kreationsbykaron.com and check them out. Here is one for those hot summer days. I have a granddaughter, or three, that might enjoy hanging one of these quilts on their wall. We'll see.

I must close for now and finish packing. I will have lots of pictures and stories to share when I return.

Be safe and God bless.

ARE WE HAVING FUN YET?

2011-06-28T07:51:00.000-07:00

It has been a fun week. Our nephew was visiting with his two children. I quilted and gardened and we had a family dinner at Larry and Mary's. Sutherlin celebrated their centennial with a parade through town featuring all the usual like cars, horses, the band and lots of people.

This little beauty belongs to a friend. Her husband built it and did all the work. It's yours for 30K. Of course I had to experience the ride. I could hardly see over the steering wheel. I'm thinking that those who are 6 feet or taller are looking over the windshield. My DH birthday is the end of July and I'm wondering if he would like that for his birthday.

My life isn't just quilting and fun. Our yard has presented some unique challenges for me. I can't tell the plants from some of the weeds. This tall specimen happens to be a weed, according to my friend Barbara. The blossoms are so fine and pretty I thought for sure it was a plant. The stock has a three inch diameter. Oh well, it's coming out. I'm clearing the entire corner and will replant. I haven't decided what plants will be part of the plan.

Down at the quilt shop we are getting ready for Sister's. Mary and I will leave Sunday because we enrolled in some of the class that take place the week before the big quilt show. Cheryl, the cutie on the right, just finished the quilt below. It's for her daughter's wedding present. It's paper pieced and she used batik fabric. She did a beautiful job. This is a new quilter, which goes to show, it only takes a desire.

This is a quilt that we will be offering at Sister's. We have 15 kits made up so I hope people like it. It's a panel and very quick and easy to pull together. The stars glow in the dark. The panel includes a realistic image of the solar system and constellations including the asteroid belt adjacent to Mars and Jupiter. Take note, quilts can be educational too.

I have one last quilt to finish for the show. I'm working on Annabelle's Alphabet. The quilt is complete and quilted. I'm doing a ruffled border. My ruffler doesn't seem to work correctly and I'm breaking needles. I'm taking it to the shop and trying it on one of the machines there. I will post a picture. It is a perfect quilt for a little girl and we have ten kits ready to go. Next week at this time I will be sitting in a class learning something new about quilting and meeting new quilt friends. I'm very excited and ready to go. I will try to make time for one last post before I'm off.

Wishing you a blessed week.

SUTHERLIN'S CENTENNIAL

2011-06-16T10:35:00.000-07:00

American Veterans Traveling Tribute, The Wall, will be in Sutherlin, OR from July 27 - 31. Sutherlin will be saluting America's heroes during their 100th. birthday and as a gift to Douglas County they are bring the Wall here. If you want more information go to www.sutherlintributewall.com If you needed an excuse to visit here, you got one now.

I'm getting things together for Kids Camp at the Sewing Basket that week. It's going to be sewing school at the quilt shop for kids. July is going to be a very busy month. I have also gotten word that my daughter will be coming up with my grandson. If I'm lucky both of them will be with her and maybe even my mother. I'm looking forward to sharing this wonderful area with them.

As usual my To Do List isn't getting any shorter so I need to close for now and give Missy a bath and a hair cut. That should be fun.

God's peace to you.

STILL TOO BUSY

2011-06-15T18:33:00.000-07:00

My intentions are good but there is just so much going on that I don't take time to post an update. This is a picture of the water source for the garden. This river runs through Mary and Larry's property. It is so beautiful and I love the sound of rushing water. In the summer when it's hot this is a great place to cool off. By the end of July, first of August, the water won't be so swift. The weeds are growing great, unlike the vegetables. Have I ever mentioned I like instant gratification? When you plant seed you don't have that. Because of the late rains some of our seeds rotted and we are seeding the garden again. We do have radishes to harvest. Just before the picture below was taken it started raining. I was kind of glad because I was tired of pulling weeds.

Below is a picture of more blooms in my garden. The oriental poppy's are beautiful and there are a lot of buds waiting for their turn to open.

We are keeping busy getting kits made up for Sister's and cutting fat quarters. I've been finishing up another quilt for display. Friday is our second Bible Block class and I'm preparing for that too. There is always something. I love it.

Until next time stay safe and be happy.

THE RHODODENDRONS

2011-06-05T13:46:00.000-07:00

Greetings.
I am having a hard time posting on a regular basis. I have been so busy doing so many things. I still make time to enjoy my surroundings, mostly outdoors. Since we moved into our home in September I am experiencing something new every week in our yard. It would appear from the landscape here that we live in Rhododendron land. These beautiful bushes are everywhere. They come in colors ranging from reds to white. The one pictured below is a very dark pink. It bloomed in a matter of days and I think it is beautiful. I have a red one at the other end of the yard that is just starting to bloom and two lavender colored ones in the front of the house. There are two light pink ones starting to bloom under my dining room window. I need to get pictures, but I was waiting until they were in full bloom. I have been planting flowers all round the yard. I found a place that sells plants for half the price as the other stores. The fuchsia does well here too. I have two of these beautiful baskets hanging outside windows.

How about an update on our garden? We had to re-plant some of our vegetables because they didn't like being without sun. It seems that the rain isn't going away. I think some of our seeds rotted too. We did have some sun yesterday and so far today, no rain but lots of beautiful fluffy clouds. On the bright side, the lettuces are doing okay. The bugs really like it. I pulled a lot of weeds, as they are doing very well, and thinned out some of the lettuce. I really like instant gratification and this garden isn't doing it for me. There is something planted in every row.

The picture below is lettuce and some onions to the right. We stuck some marigolds in there because I read that they help keep the bugs away and the color is nice too.

As if I don't have enough to do, my DH had to have this rabbit. To keep it simple, he named it Bunny. Our children wanted a rabbit when they were young and they were told no. I can't wait to see how DH is going to explain this new addition to the family.

As you might notice from Missy's expression, she is not too happy about sharing her home with this furry little critter. She is acting up and too bad if you don't like it. Talk about attitude. So now I'm looking through my stash for some fabric to make a bunny wall hanging. It is a sweet little bunny, I just wish it lived someplace else and I had visitation privileges.

I praying for a sunny week so I can get some of the weeds pulled in the front of the house. I have a wall hanging to finish and two blocks to cut out for my Bible block project. We are also getting things ready for Sister's quilt show. I need a to do list to keep me on track.

I pray God's blessings for you and yours.

WHAT'S UP?

2011-05-21T19:00:00.000-07:00

I have been on the go. Two weeks ago we went to Oakland, OR, a small town just outside of Sutherlin. First off, there is a wonderful place to get great sandwiches called Old Town Tavern. I should have taken a picture because it looks like it's from out of a western movie. As you walk through the little town you will notice that no two houses are the same. This little town has a lot of history. This is a picture of a Bed and Breakfast that's for sale. I didn't dare ask how much. I can just imagine my quilts on the beds in this beautiful home. This is another house that really caught my eye. I wanted to knock on the door and ask for a tour. I love the red door. It's like going back in time. Do you remember Murder She Wrote? That's what I kept thinking about as we walked through town.

We have been working on the garden. We planted everything but corn. It was a lot of work but it will be worth it when the vegetables mature and we can start eating. We planted enough of some thing so we will be able to do some canning. The herbs are planted in containers. I still need to pick up some dill for our pickles. The picture below are tomatoes.

This is where the poll beans are planted. We also have peas too. Down the middle of the polls we planted spinach. Now we need a lot of sunny days so everything starts growing. I will post pictures of the growth progress taking place in the garden.

There is always time for quilting. I started a Bible study with ten other women and the study includes quilt blocks. Below is a picture of the book. The first block is Jacob's Ladder and the next block is Joseph's Coat. The story behind the blocks can be found in the book of Genesis. This is great fellowship, quilting, and learning. We meet once a month. Life is good.

My fabrics are out of my stash so you could say this will be a scrappy quilt in blue, green and yellow.

I'm also working on a quilt for my oldest Grandson, Ben. When it's done I will post a picture. We are also getting things ready for the Sister's quilt show and a week in Sister's taking classes. I'm looking forward to shopping in Bend. There are some great quilt shops there.

So there you have it. I seem to be on the go every day. I'm going to start planting flowers in the yard on Monday. I have them in the patio ready to go.

Wishing you God's peace

THE AMERICAN BEAUTY

2011-05-03T20:16:00.001-07:00

I have finally finished piecing this quilt, now to get it quilted. It is too big for me to attempt although I do have some ideas on what I would like quilted on it. I was on a time schedule so it wasn't as much fun. I needed this quilt completed for the Sister's quilt show. We will be selling kits in the dark fabric and white. These blocks have a lot of pieces and you have to pay attention when you are sewing them into the block.

This is an example of what you get when you aren't paying attention. I'm just thankful that I caught it before I pieced the quit together.

So now I'm starting a quilt from the Strip Therapy 5 Bali Pop Mania book. I'm making this quilt for my grandson Ben. I will post a picture when it's done.

Happy quilting.

HE HAS RISEN

2011-04-24T07:51:00.000-07:00

At Easter and always, may you feel HIS presence, know HIS peace, and rejoice in the gift of HIS life.

HAPPY EASTER

QUILT SHOW

2011-04-18T08:13:00.000-07:00

This weekend was the Umpqua Valley Quilters' Guild quilt show. On Thursday we spent the entire day setting up everything. There were over 300 quilts entered so it was an all day project. I spent the morning setting up the General Store. Members make quilt related items for sale. It's a great way to earn money for the guild. When that job was done I helped set up The Sewing Basket booth. This was the first time the store had a booth at a quilt show and it turned out to be a lot of work and worth it every minute of it. The pictures below are quilts created by the featured quilt artist Cassandra Williams. She is from Grants Pass. Her work is incredible. Who would have thought you could do all this with fabric?

Since we just moved here in September I am not aware of what kind of Spring or Summer flowers are planted in the yard. Everyday I find a little surprise somewhere around the house.

I love the tulips. In the fall I will plant more. They last a long time in the garden and make a great cut flower to brighten up the inside of the house.

Last week we celebrated Mary's birthday. We took her and Larry to dinner and came home for cake and ice cream. This is the cake I made for her. I thought the squiggles down the side resembles the meandering we do on our quilts.

This is why we don't let our non-quilting husbands in our quilt studio's. This guy was getting way too much attention.

This is a shot of The Sewing Basket booth. We sold kits, fat quarters, notions, patterns. We did very well and made some new customers who haven't visited the store yet.

These are some pictures of some of my favorite quilts. I can't post all of them but I wanted to share some of my favorites.

I love the rich colors of brown in this one. They incorporated embroidery in it.

Mary did this wall hanging. I couldn't get a picture without the glare of the lights. She got a third place ribbon for this work of art.

This quilt was done by my friend Cheryl. This is her second quilt. I think she almost fainted when she found out she got a second place ribbon. She is such a natural when it comes to quilting. She is working on a wedding ring quilt for her daughter's wedding. I can't wait to see the finished quilt.

This quilt was done by Barbara and she got a third place ribbon. I think it should have gotten first or second place. She started this at a retreat in Gold Beach a year ago, as did I. I put mine aside and she kept working on hers. I know what work and skill went into this one. Good job Barbara.

So there you have it, a few of my favorite things. Today the sun is out and it's going to warm up. The Plant and Garden Expo is coming up on May 7 so I want to get my gardens ready for some new color. We sure have a lot of weeds here. I'm also looking forward to Easter and I have some preparations for that.

Have a blessed week.

APRIL GREETINGS

2011-04-04T09:58:00.000-07:00

I've finished writing out checks, balancing bank accounts, wrapping a present, signing a birthday card, getting ready for a BD party tomorrow, cleaning my desk, etc. and it's already 10:00 a.m. and I haven't touched the surface. So why an I posting on this blog when I have so much to do? Because I'm retired and I should have plenty of time for blogging. NOT! I'm always so busy, but I'm having so much fun. Our weather has been very mild with some scattered showers so I've been doing some gardening. Every week I find a floral surprise in the yard. The people we bought this house from really enjoyed planting bulbs. I'm loving it and this fall there will be more to come. Meanwhile, Friday a car load of us took a field trip. We visited a great little quilt shop in Canyonville. This purse pictured below was made from the pant leg of a pair of jeans and the daisy's are painted on. The lining on the inside has lots of pockets for organizing your things. This will be a new class and the Sewing Basket. I bought the pattern and some fabric for this wall hanging. I will make my with two additional circles and use it has a table runner. I'm thinking this might be a great X-mas gift. It's never too early to plan.

I love this little rabbit. I'm not going to make, only because I don't have a place to hang it but I think it is so cute. There are some beautiful panels available and I would to love to buy them all.

The lady working at this quilt shop was showing this quit she made for a challenge. I wish you could see the embellishments. It was very long so I'm showing only two rows. She let me take a picture of it and was really flattered that I asked. What's up with that? Her creativeness and workmanship is fabulous. She had so much detail, like beads around their necks and tiny buttons.

This is a picture of a pincushion we saw at Thistleberries in the little town of Riddle. It's a great quilt shop and the people who owned lived in Alaska and have items from there. The doll heads are made of wood. They were very cute.

So I have been busy in the garden, at the sewing machine, quilting with friends, and running around Oregon with friends. I'm having way too much fun. So I'm off to work. I have lots of stuff to get done.

Have a blessed week.

THE GOOD, THE BAD, THE UGLY

2011-03-14T11:21:00.000-07:00

THE UGLY. I had my taxes done Saturday by a CPA. I thought this was the best way to go because we lived part of the year in CA and the other in OR and income taxes needed to be divided between the states. In addition to that was my recent retirement and the purchase of a new home. Oh my gosh, we owe so much more to the Fed's and States' than I had projected. Thank God that the Bush tax cuts are still in effect.
Sunday afternoon we experienced a real storm. I don't ever remember such terrible winds in my life. As my DH and I sat looking out the window we saw our beautiful tree leaning dangerously close to the ground. The root system was starting to bulge from the ground. At this time I can sit anywhere in our home and see the signs of spring and I would hate to lose that beauty. My DH grabbed his jacket and was off to the rescue. He took wood 2 X 4's to support the tree against the wind. At times the gusts were 75 mph. The sky was black and the thunder sounded like it was overhead. There was freezing rain coming down in sheets. The heavy rain and wind was over after about an hour but we lost our power. That was around 2:30 so my Sunday To Do List is carried forward to today. We didn't get power restored until after 11:00 p.m. I am grateful to report that our beautiful tree is still upright. Latest weather report, more high winds and rain tonight.

The BAD!!! The earthquake and tsunami in Japan is such a nightmare. As I watch the TV coverage my heart breaks for these people. I can't even imagine what it must be like to have everything around you destroyed and not know where your love ones are. I hope you will join me in praying for Japan and the people. We need to pray that God gives them the strength to overcome this disaster and that their leaders will have the wisdom and knowledge to handle the crisis in the nuclear plants. This disaster effects the world and we need to stand together.

The people of Bahrain amd the middle East need prayer too. Our world is in a bad way and I do think it's a strong sign.

THE GOOD!!! I went to an embroidery seminar and the presenter, Gail, works at the Viking dealer in Medford that is going to fix my Designer I. What's good about that you ask? She is taking my machine back with her so I won't have to make two trips to Medford spend the day waiting for the repair work to be done. At the price of gas this is a very good thing. My embroidery unit hasn't worked since I had it cleaned last year. I'm looking forward to having access to embroidering again. I am making good progress on my American Beauty quilt top and looking forward to starting a special quilt for my oldest grandson, Ben. We are doing well and very happy in our new home.

Praying God's peace for you and yours.

CIVIL WAR QUILTS

2011-03-04T11:14:00.000-08:00

T.G.I.F. What a week it has been and I'm glad it's winding down. I'm so thankful for my quilting because it takes my mind off things I have no control over and an opportunity to create something beautiful for myself or somebody else. I've posted this quilt before and it's at the same stage of completion now as it was then. I need to quit it and I'm not sure what design I want to use. The fabric used in this quilt is 19th Century Reds.
So I'm searching the web for quilting ideas and I come across http://www.civilwarquiltsblogspot.com and found so much more. History was never a favorite subject in school but link it to quilts and it's a different story. I really like Civil War Reproduction fabrics. Not many of the quilters around here do, so I'm often on the Internet looking for fabric and patterns. My favorite quilt shop is Bonnie Blue. Twice a year there is a Web Sampler Celebration on the net which involves 12 different quilt shops around the country. It's very cool, check it out. Google Web Sampler and it comes up. I hope you will check out this interesting blog. I think quilting will have a whole new meaning for you.
Have a blessed weekend.

A NEW MONTH

2011-02-28T20:08:00.000-08:00

Greetings. It's hard to believe that tomorrow is the first of March. Where have January and February gone? I still have things on my monthly To Do List that aren't completed. I did start something that wasn't on my list. I'm making a purse. I'll post a picture when it's finished. The new quilt project I started had to be put on the back burner because the measurements published in the pattern are off 1/2 inch on one of the blocks. This quilt top has two block designs, they have to match. So I need to re-figure the measurements on one block and see if I can salvage the blocks. The fabric I used was purchased a few (4 or 5) years ago so I can't just go out and purchase more of the same fabric. So, I started the American Beauty quilt designed by Marti Michell. I'm doing the black version. I love this quilt and it will be on the bed in my guest room. When the blocks are done I will post pictures and of course, the completed quilt.

Tomorrow is our Quilt Guild meeting. Helene Knott is the guest speaker and she will be doing a trunk show. I get so inspired after seeing what other quilters have accomplished. I will try and get some great pictures to post.

I was visiting with one of my new quilting friends and she invited me into her quilting room. Check out the wall paper. How cute is that! Everything was so neat and organized. Her quilting is beautiful. She inspired me to organize my own quilting room. I must admit, I feel much better working in a neat and organized area. I just hope I will be able to find things when I need them. I'm waiting for Mike and Molly to come on and I think I should tidy up the kitchen before that. My cookies are baked for the meeting tomorrow and I have everything ready to go. I will start the new month organized and ready to go.

Have a blessed week.

WINTER IS BACK

2011-02-17T08:28:00.001-08:00

Look what I woke up to. Would you believe that less than a week ago we were having spring like weather in the 60's? I hope summer is as much fun as winter has been. I love it here! Have you seen this pillow advertised on TV? You don't have to order it on TV, they are in the stores. I've been having problems with my shoulders and neck so I thought I would give it a try. I picked one up for my Mom and me. When I removed the packing there was a tag attached that read:

WARNING: Small lightweight beads present a severe danger to children if swallowed or inhaled. The total pillow is not a toy. Choking/inhalation hazard: keep product away from infants, children and pets. Avoid inhaling microbeads. If inhaled, seek medical assistance promptly. Keep the Total Pillow away from sharp objects. If the Total Pillow is pierced or torn, please notify us before disposal at: www.HamptonDirect.com/support. Keep the Total Pillow away from excessive heat, flames and cigarettes. Do not put in dryer. Not for Therapeutic use.

Want to guess where this product is made? This is almost as bad as the warning on the new light bulbs we get from China. I'm thankful I don't have to call the Hazemat team when the beads spill. What's up with China?

Today is a quilt day. I'm having a problem with my latest project. The measurements are way off and I need to figure out how to remedy the problem. The quilt top would be completed if it weren't for this minor little detail.

Happy Birthday Mike and Tim.

Have a blessed.

RETIREMENT ANNIVERSARY

2011-02-14T09:03:00.000-08:00

Today marks the one year anniversary of my retirement. After 44 years of working for somebody I am free to work for myself. As I look back on the past year I must say, my greatest accomplishment was moving to Oregon. The one thing that surprises me the most is that I made three quilts, have five started and finished a few UFO's. I thought I would have finished more quilts. Oh well, there is always the next twelve months.

Wishing you and yours a day or romance and joy.

TA DA DAY

2011-02-10T07:46:00.001-08:00

Greetings. Remember the blocks I posted on January 22? This is the finished quilt. Paul is on a step ladder trying to hold it up but it looks like his wing span was not sufficient either. So, here is it on the floor. I love the fabrics in this quilt. There is one block pattern in the light color way and the same block in the dark, 12 different blocks done in the light and 12 in the dark making 24 blocks total. Love It!!!!

Below is the fabric I will be using on my next project. Kinda crazy but I have a vision. The pattern for this quit is in the book Cottage-Style Quilts by Mary Hickey. I think I bought this book about five years ago at Pacific International. I don't buy a lot of books because I can never find the fabric that works for the quilt pattern I want to make in the book. These fabrics are nothing like the ones used in the quilt featured in the book but I think they will work. I do have reservation on the second green in the line up. I might have to dig deeper in my stash. My goal is to have this finished this month. It will be a surprise so stay tuned, film at eleven!

To help take our minds off Max, and ease the hurt in our hearts, we visited a couple of quilt shops. Details on Max at the end of this post. Greenbaum's Quilted Forest was like walking into a quilt show. They are located in Salem. They had so many beautiful quilt hanging all over. They were hung high from the ceiling so it was hard to get good pictures. The staff there were wonderful. The quilt below was so simple but the quilting on it really made it stunning. I love the soft colors.

This is the back of the quilt. It's hard to see the quilting but you could show either side of this beauty.

These tea pots are so bright and fun. The fabrics in this quilt are my inspiration. Mary has the pattern so I'm going to start my hunt for fabric.

This next picture is a darling wall hanging that measures 27" x 33" finished. There are 100 little rice lights on it that light up and twinkle. The pattern is very easy, the challenge will be finding all the embellishments. The pattern is by Cheryl Ennis at The Teddy Bears Quilt Workshop in Lebanon, OR.

This next quilt is amazing. It's called A Birds Eye View buy Terrie's Quilts in Dallas, OR. At first glance I thought it was a panel. It's appliqued and then you bring the quilt to life with crayons, colored pencils and markers. There is a Melt 'N' Blend technique that she teaches and uses on this quilt. The picture doesn't do it justice. This is a quilt I want to hang in my home.

So, about Max. Max is Larry and Mary's nine year old Rottweiler. He was diagnosed with a cancerous tumor on a bone in his left front leg. They were not happy with the options given by the Vet in Roseburg so they decided to get a second opinion at the Veterinary school at the University of Oregon in Corvallis. I went along for support. This experience brought back memories of Herkie and I thought Mary could use some company on the drive up and back. Max stayed for surgery and they will be picking him up on Friday. They are removing the part of the bone with the tumor and he will have chemo treatments and hopefully live cancer free.

The picture below is of a friend I made while waiting for Mary. I don't remember what breed this dog is but he is very big and acts like a big kid. His hair was soft and silky and I think I pet and scratched for about four hours that morning. His Mom gave me permission to take his picture. They drove down from Washington to get care for the other dog and in my books that speaks volumes about this teaching hospital. They were waiting for his brother, who also has cancer. What's up with all this cancer?

It's 30 degrees outside and the sun is burning away the fog. It should be in the 50's and sunny all day. I'm going to start cutting out my surprise quilt. Until next time have a blessed day and take care.

MONDAY'S MUSE

2011-02-07T08:17:00.000-08:00

It's the start of another week here in Sutherlin. Our weather last week was incredible. The sun warmed the days to 60 degrees and I wasn't motivated to be indoors working on my goals. We have a park bench on the porch and that's where I felt I needed to be with book in had and a cup of tea. Why waste a beautiful sunny day indoors?

This morning the ground is wet and it looks like it rained. That is a good thing because people around here are worried about the lack of rain fall. Last year it rained up until May and people couldn't get there gardens planted. If it rains today there will be a possibility that I will get some of my "STUFF" done.
Yesterday we spent Super Bowl over Larry and Mary's. Mary and I had a table stacked with food and we were going to sit in front of the TV and graze all day. I couldn't waste the day like that. Mary and I hung out with her four legged friends and the feathered one's too. The all have names but I don't know who's who. These guys a very noisy. It was okay watching them bath and play in the water but the best part is when they turn their heads around and nestle them on their backs and sleep.

I have made progress on these cute totes. This is my favorite. I love the cherries. The black doted pocket is where you fold and stuff the bag.

Here are three other fabric choices. I like the lemon one too.

Our church is rinsing money for the Mexico Mission Team. Thursday and Friday I baked cookies and cupcakes and decorated them with a Valentine theme for a bake sale that was held Saturday and Sunday. Today we will be getting things together for a garage sale. Garage sales are very big in Oregon. I would like to work in the garden or just watch the birds feeding on the lawn but I must stop the day dreaming and get to work.

Have a blessed day and a productive week.

Saturday Sampler

2011-01-22T08:48:00.000-08:00

Greetings and happy Saturday to you. When I was working Saturday's were a very special day for me. Now that I'm retired, everyday is Saturday, except Sunday. So this Saturday I will be doing various things. I want to finish my star block quilt. I have laid the blocks out in various order, on the floor because my design board isn't up yet, to determine what looks best. The blocks will be sewen with sashing and corner squares. This picture below is what I'm going with. This quilt is all about half square triangles. I will post a picture when I get it sewen together.

Thursday night I hung out with the girls at the Sewing Basket and made Tukaway Tote bags to sell at the Sister's quilt show. I love them so much I brought a few kits to sew up at home and I'm making a tote for myself, Mom and Daughter. I want to make a few extras to have around for last minute gifts too. They are 20" x 22" and fold into it's own little pocket and fits in your purse or where ever you want. I'll post a picture.

So, we are all sitting in the back of the store sewing our little hearts away and somebody yells, "Come on out here, you gotta see this." Well of course everybody jumps out of their seats and runs out of the store. You can't see anything and then everybody looks up to the West at the sunset. I gotta say, there is beauty all around here. I wonder if it was like that in Stockton and I just couldn't see it. I had to grab my camera and get a picture of this. I wonder if the people in the passing cars thought we were all nuts.

I know my photo's didn't capture the true beauty of this but I'm sure you get the idea. I was trying to get a shot without the traffic signs and buildings.

When I got home that night I noticed Paul had his camera on the counter and I asked why. He told me about the beautiful sunset I missed and when he was outside taking pictures some of the neighbors were doing the same. I need to check out his pictures because there isn't street signs and polls to obstruct the view from home. Oh, the 10 o'clock news showed shots of the sunset and commented on it too.

So I have some reading to catch up on, laundry, bags to sew, a quilt to finish, vacuuming, and grocery shopping. It's just a sampling of what I'm going to do this wonderful Saturday.

Wish you a blessed day.

MARVELOUS MONDAY

2011-01-10T11:29:00.000-08:00

Greetings. As I start my week I can't help but wonder how I was able to get so much accomplished and work full time. Now that I am retired and have more time it feels like I am accomplishing less. What's up with that? On Monday's I review the past weeks To DO List and carry forward the things I didn't get done to my new list. Some of the things get deleted because they are no longer important or necessary. It's a beautiful day, the sun is shinning bright and the blue sky is dotted with puffy clouds. I want to sit in front of the window and enjoy the beauty of it all. It's truly marvelous. We have a lot of days like this and that could be part of my problem when it comes to getting things done. Ya think?

Thursday I attended the Umpqua Valley Quilters Guild and joined. Cheryl Malkowski did a trunk show and shared stories of her adventures. I wasn't sitting where I could not get the best pictures of her quilts but here are shots of a couple of my favorites.
I love the colors in this quilt. I was told that Cheryl's quilts hang at the Country Lady quilt store so I will have to visit with camera in hand. If I get better pictures I will post them.

You can check out her web site. www.cherylmalkowski.com She sells her books on the site.

I'm working on a quilt that contains about 340 half square triangles. It's like a sampler. I love the colors and I have some great ideas on how I want to quilt it. I will post a picture when it's done. I'm hoping that will be some time this week.

Have a blessed day.

SUNDAY SHARING

2011-01-02T14:04:00.000-08:00

Sunday Greetings.
It's a bit cold outdoors and the sky is grey. I was going shopping after church but it felt like a snuggle up at home kind of afternoon so I came home. Paul is watching football and I thought I would check my emails. I surfed over to Proverbs 31 and there was a post on a new book by Lysa Terkeurst dealing with craving and diet. Just so you know, diet was not on my list of resolution's or goals. I started WW January 2010, lost 25 lbs and the thrill is gone. I know what to do and what not to do and it is a struggle. My biggest problem is not getting enough exercise. This book sounds like the key. So, check it out at www.proverbs31.org and see what you think. I think I will curl up on the couch with a quilt, hot cup of coffee and a good book.

Have a blessed Sunday.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

2011-01-01T04:41:00.000-08:00

I spent New Years Eve at The Sewing Basket with friends. Everybody brought food and we spent a day sewing, eating, and sharing some very interesting stories. What's said at The Sewing Basket stays at the Sewing Basket so I can't give any details. 2010 was a very eventful year for me. As I reflect on it I would have to say more life changing events occurred in 2010 than in any other year, that I can remember. Some sad events but mostly, all good.

So, now it's a New Year and I'm going to be more intentional in 2011. I have my goals set, my resolutions made and I'm hitting the road running. I know the Lord has some exciting challenges for me this year and I looking forward to them.

I pray that you and your families are blessed in 2011 and you experience great joy in the coming months.
God's peace to you.

PLANNING FOR 2011

2010-12-27T11:25:00.000-08:00

I like making New Year's Resolutions. Most of my friends don't because they claim not be be able to keep them. I'm thinking that if they wrote them down and checked the list at the end of the year they might discover they did keep some of them, even if it was only one. I am making my list and checking it twice to be sure I don't leave anything out. I need to do this because I forget what's on the list.

My first and foremost resolution for 2011 is to study the God's word DAILY. I found this great web site, wendypope.org and when you sign up you receive a daily email. The Bible pictured below is the what we are working out of. So I am looking at 365 days of study. In a couple of months I feel that this will be a habit I won't break. Check it out of the details.
Two other web sites I recommend are ewordtoday.com and biblos.com.

Other goals for 2011 are completing quilts that I have started and not finished. Mastering hand applique and quilting my quilts are other skills I will be working on. I'm going to join the Quilt Guild in Roseburg too. My list will be detailed so it will be very long, pages.

Yesterday I went shopping with Mary. I've never shopped the day after Christmas before. The fact that I was still employed full time does have something to do with that. I was not impressed with the sales. I did pick up some plastic holiday platters for my cookie/candy gifts for next year and some cute little wire Christmas baskets that I can use for handmade gifts. There wasn't a large selection of gift boxes or wrapping paper. There didn't seem to be a lot of people shopping, but that could be characteristic of Roseburg and a smaller town.

Now it's time to work on my quilt top. Have a blessed day.

Merry Christmas

2010-12-25T10:20:00.000-08:00

Christmas Greetings from the great North West. The sun is shinning and it is a beautiful day. We were up late last night and I did sleep in this morning but, I don't even care. As I sat at the dinning room table drinking a great cup of coffee and thanking God for sending his son, and for this beautiful day, I couldn't help but notice the variety of birds feeding on the grass. As I look up I see the gorgeous trees on the mountain tops and their dark green colors against the blue sky. We are so blessed to be here and I am so thankful. I wish my friends and family from CA were here to share this splendor.

These are a few of the things I got. These darling owls are wall hangings. I love owls and these will look great hanging in our home.

This sweet ornament is from Britney, Brooke, and Bree marking our first Christmas in our new home.

We can't forget little Missy. She got a new rain coat. Sometimes when we leave the house for a walk it will start raining. I'm not sure how dry this will keep her but is sure looks cute.

This is Sophie, my great niece and the quilt she made is three days. She is only 13 and she did a great job. She and her brother have been here visiting their Grandma.

This is Paul and Missy after a great turkey dinner. He would not appreciate me posting this picture but I just couldn't resist.

I love to cook and bake and these are a few of the things I baked for family and friends. I actually baked all day.

This is a closeup of a quilt I made for Joe. I mentioned it in an earlier posting bur didn't want to post it because it was a Christmas gift. He is a Harley man and the fabric was perfect. He and Tami did so much work on our old house and he wouldn't take any money. Words can't express how much we appreciate him so I thought he could wrap himself up in the love this quilt represents.

This is a full view of his quilt.

I pray God's peace for you and may your Christmas be blessed with family, friends, and love.

Blogger MIA

2010-12-20T09:54:00.001-08:00

I've been missing in blogger action but not quilting, shopping, baking, eating, and having more fun than you can imagine action. The first week in December I was off to a quilt retreat in Bandon Oregon. The weather was fabulous and we had some great meals in different restaurant every day. I happen to love fish and the selections were great. We visited Forget-Me-Kots in Bandon and had a great time checking out their fabulous inventory. The shop is wonderful and the staff is great too. Of course we traveled up and down the coast and hit quilt shops in nearby cities. Threads That Bind in located in Coos Bay. They are closed on Sunday's but when we called to inquire the opened the store for us. I have to admit, the five of us made it worth their while. I love their sign. It's so quilty.

I love the ocean and I did spend one afternoon walking on the beach and enjoying the wonder. We live a couple hours from the Bandon and I'm looking forward to many return visits.

The picture below is a whale carved out of wood. I didn't want to walk up private property so this is the best picture I could get. Ocean front property is landscaped creatively and on this beach everybody had something unique and beautiful. I'm looking forward to Spring so I can start designing my landscaping at home.

After returning home I got all my Christmas shopping done, wrapped and in the mail. I also did some baking and finished a quilt that is a Christmas gift for somebody special. I will post the story and picture next week. I want it to be a surprise.

This is Missy in her sweater getting ready to take Paul for a walk. She loves to go for walks and for a dog with little legs she sure can move out. We bought her a little rain coat because the sun may be shinning when we leave the house but it doesn't mean the rain won't fall before we get home. We always have breaks in the rain where the sun comes out and it's too beautiful to stay indoors. I love it here!!!!

Mary is coming by this afternoon with her grandchildren, who are visiting from California. I have some quilt blocks to sew and who know what else I will work on. I will try to stay on the grid now that things are slowing down.

Have a blessed day.

Black Friday and Quilting Fabric

2010-11-26T09:01:00.000-08:00

I hope you all had a fabulous Thanksgiving, I sure did. I think I will need to do some walking around the block today and work off some of those extra calories.

Today is all about Black Friday, according to the news. I personally hate to shop, but put me in front of my computer or in a quilt shop and away I go. Quilt fabric is the attraction in my life. I don't need anything and since Christmas is all about the birth of Jesus we don't go crazy with gift giving so my shopping is very minimal.

Have you heard about the cotton shortage? It makes me want to buy quilting fabric. The online quilt shops have their Black Friday sales going and since cotton prices are going to hit the roof and fabric prices keep going up I just feel the need to stock up. Like I don't already have stash! Cotton prices have gone up 30 percent and that is why the $9.50 a yard fabric is now $10.50. In 2011 the cost will be going even higher. The Sewing Basket has been ordering their fabric for Spring and Summer to lock in the 2010 prices. Maybe I should be buying underwear and T-shirts and stop worrying about quilt fabric. I don't have a stash of those. I would hate to make underwear from my beautiful batik fabric. Maybe I should just take that walk around the block.

Have a blessed weekend and stay safe.

Giving Thanks

2010-11-25T08:29:00.000-08:00

May your stuffing be tasty

May your turkey be plump

May your potatoes and gravy

Have never a lump.

May your yams be delicious

and your pies take the prize

and may your Thanksgiving dinner

Stay off your thighs!

author unknown

Praying God's grace and love for you and your family.

Let it Snow

2010-11-23T11:36:00.001-08:00

This is the view outside my quilt room window. I think it is so beautiful. I wish Tami, Ben, and Brandon were here to share this with. The sky is clearing and the sun is warming the air and starting to melt the snow. It started snowing early this morning. I walked outside and stood in the silence watching the flakes as they hit the ground. It is such a peaceful experience.I got dressed and took a walk in the snow. Six months ago I would never have dreamed that I would be experiencing this. This is a picture from the drive way. You can see my footprints leading to and from the house.

This is a shot from in front of our house. I thought I could make a snowman but the snow was too dry and flaky.

This is a shot of a portion of our backyard taken from the back of the garage. So what do you do when it's cold outside and the snow is slowly melting? You cozy up to your sewing machine and quilt. I got all my Thanksgiving shopping done and there is no need to go out. I will enjoy all of this from my window.

Below is a picture of the first of 12 blocks in the 2008 Web Sampler Celebration quilt. I really like the Civil War fabrics. My quilting friends don't care for them and I'm not sure why I'm so attracted to them. During that time in our history quilts were a functional must have. Quilts were made up of recycled fabric from old clothes. I read that an antique quilt from that period of time was quilted with newspaper being used as the batting. That brings new meaning to recycle. Today most of as make quilts to challenge our quilting skills and because we love certain fabrics and designs. We also make them to celebrate a birth, weddings, anniversary or other special occasion, making them an heirloom.

This is the second block in the set. I'm piecing the rows of the 3rd block this afternoon and I'll start cutting out block #4. These blocks do take some time to cut and piece.

When I'm finished with this quilt I will start on Web Sampler 2010.

I hope you have a blessed day and find time to think about all the things you have to be thankful for.

Promised Pictures

2010-11-21T10:29:00.000-08:00

When my computer doesn't function like is should I shut it down and re-boot and that seems to correct what ever it was that caused the problem. I am now able to up-load the pictures I referenced in yesterday's posting. This is a picture of the Cutie Patootie quilt I made and is hanging at The Sewing Basket. The pattern can be found on the Red Rooster web site but the pattern has some errors in it. First error is the squaring up of the panel and the second error is the measurement on the green fabric. The quilt is cute and was fun to do. This is a picture of my welcoming committee at Mary's. These are very noisy geese and if you ever heard that they make good watch animals, it's true. When I drive up to the house they start their honking and come rushing you. I'm not sure which one it is but one of those little rascals has bitten Mary. I'm not sure I would want a pet like that. The ducks are fun and not aggressive. Mary has been giving me duck eggs and I've been cooking with them. Other than the size, I can't tell the difference.

The next picture isn't very clear. I took it early in the morning from my dining room window. I think this is a hawk. It's a small bird and very beautiful. It was dinning on it's prey. Since my camera wouldn't zoom in close enough I got the video camera and filmed it. Just another perk when living out of town.

This is a picture of Brooke, Britney, and Bree in their Halloween costumes. Aren't they cute? Their Mom really enjoys Halloween and her daughters. The older one, Britney, may be spending some time with us next summer. I sure hope that works out.

Signs of Christmas is all around us. Did you know that Oregon is the biggest producer of Christmas trees in the nation, harvesting roughly 7.8 million trees each year? We haven't had a fresh tree in ten years but I think this year will be different. There is a tree farm a few miles from home and on Black Friday we are going to check it out. I have always missed the smell of a fresh cut tree. We will get a small one. One of the boxes stacked in the garage is labeled X-mas directions and I'm looking forward to checking it out. There will be some fun memories in it for sure.

Thanksgiving is just four days away and I'm ready to cook. We will barbecue a small turkey and I'll have all the side dishes to go along with it. I'm baking apple, pumpkin, and pecan pies. Mary and Larry are joining us so there will be plenty to send home with them. I love to cook and the two of us can't eat everything so I love to share.

On the quilt front, I'm working on the 2008 Web Sampler Celebration quilt. I haven't meet anybody here that likes the Civil War fabrics so this quilt will be very different from the others that go through the shop. I'm post a picture of the completed quilt. I quilted and binded a quilt I pieced a few years back. It's a lap size quilt. I'll post a picture next week.

The sun is shinning bright and I feel like a walk with Missy. Have a blessed day.

What's been going on?

2010-11-19T13:05:00.000-08:00

I just haven't had time to sit at my computer and update my blog. We are doing well and enjoying life. It is very different from what we left. We feel so blessed. I've been too busy having fun and discovering all that's new in my life. Today we have sun and rain, at the same time. As I look out my window I can see the mountains with a dusting of snow on the tops. It doesn't seem cold enough to have snow but it's in the forecast until Sunday.

I've been cooking and baking and enjoying my new kitchen. I've also been quilting. I've been trying to upload some pictures but this site isn't letting me. I finished a quilt for the shop and it looks very cute hanging there. I also finished a quilt for a Christmas gift. Can't talk about it yet. I've also been going through stuff and organizing. I'm still looking for stuff, like quilt books and gadgets. I'm getting a routine going and changing some of my goals. We continue to meet new people and are amazed at how friendly people are here.

I will try to post pictures and share more at a latter time.

Getting Settled and Checking In

2010-09-30T22:09:00.000-07:00

Greetings from Oregon. It's been twelve days and I'm still unpacking boxes. The weather has been mild and I'm looking forward to some rain. I bought bulbs to plant and I'm planting my flower beds for the spring. This is a first, I have to look for plants that the deer don't like. The people in the neighborhood are very friendly and have greeted and welcomed us to the neighborhood. It's a quite neighborhood and all the homes are well kept. It feels good being here. I got my Oregon licence and plates and I feel like I've been here for ever. As I unpack it's been a struggle figuring out where I want things to go. As I look around it's hard to believe that I left lots of stuff behind. Where did I put everything? One day at a time, I'm not in a hurry, unless I need something.

Yesterday I hung out at the Sewing Basket and helped a lady with her Viking embroidery machine. I checked out the new fabric and the fabric on order. Tomorrow and Saturday are big sale days and I'm looking forward to it.

It's been a long day and I am looking forward to tomorrow. I will keep you posted.
Have a blessed day.

What's been going on?

2010-09-08T09:39:00.001-07:00

As I look around the house is appears that I haven't been very busy but the facts are that I hit the ground running between 5:00 and 6:00 every morning and don't stop until around 4:30 or 5:00. I keep boxing up things and more things appear. What's up with that. I have sorted, tossed and boxed until my hands ache. It's amazing how much stuff I have that I don't' need or want. Then there is the cleaning. I'm looking forward to an end to this real soon.

Paul saw a doctor yesterday about his back and he starts physical therapy Friday. They gave him some meds and he was feeling a little better yesterday. Thank you Lord. There is a possibility that he might have to stay behind a week or so. Time will tell.

Saturday night we did take time out to attend a neighborhood party that our long time neighbors, Rico and Cathy, hosted. Their back yard is small yet they managed to get a band, buffet table and about 30 people in it comfortably. The band was made up of his friends and they were very good. The food was great and the drink wasn't bad either. This is a picture of Rico monitoring the buffet table. They had enough food for an army and he was worried that people weren't getting enough. Me, I was concerned that he might run out of wine. It was for medicinal purposed, I needed to relax my sore tired muscles.

He had people assigned seating around the pool.

This is a shot from where we were sitting. Those are the doors into the family room. His house has the same floor plan as ours but he did a lot of remodeling and customizing. He even built a room above the garage.

Today is feels like Autumn. I love this weather. This is another bell pepper from my little plant. I have gotten five peppers from it and now I can say the plant paid for itself. I will be planting these in my garden in OR.

This is a little visitor I found hanging out on the a plant in the patio. It's the second one I've seen this week. I think they are fascinating.

Last night I attended my last Stephen Ministry meeting. I will miss them so much. The training has taught me so much and I don't' think I've experienced so much spiritual and personal growth in any other group I've been involved in, and if you know me, there are a lot. We shared some snacks and they presented me with three very special gifts. One was the Angel of Hope. It's a little crystal angel in a satin box. In the box it reads: When you need some cheering up, you know just what to do. Peek inside this box to find an angel just for you; Then remember you are special, and may you always understand that as you hold your angel, God holds you gently in His hand. by R. Fogle

Then next gift is a beautiful framed picture with the words LOVE. Where there is a great love, there are always miracles. The colors are lighted muted greens, blues and browns, my favorite combination. I'm going to hang it in my entry hall. I did promise to send a picture of Paul and I standing in front of it after it is hung. I'll post that picture.

The third gift was the gift of prayer. We gathered together and a pray of farewell was offered. Prayer is such a powerful thing and a part of my everyday life. The scripture we focused on was from Acts 20: 1-6, 36-38. If you haven't been in the word, now is the time because I'm not posting it. So, get your Bible out and read. After we prayed I felt so much peace within. I love them all so much and they will be in my thoughts and prayers daily. I will make it a point to be in town on a Sunday so I can attend St. Andrew's and see my dear friends.

It doesn't seem possible but I am surrounded by more stuff that needs to be boxed so I better get on it. My schedule has been changed and I will be leaving on Monday at around 5:00 am with the SUV packed to the max. I'm so excited.

God's peace be with you.

Nine Days

2010-09-04T09:24:00.000-07:00

Greetings on this Labor Day Weekend. I hope you all have some wonderful family events planned. The weather is going to be cooling down a bit here and for that, I'm so thankful. I still have a lot of work to do around here. In nine days I will be headed for Oregon with a car full of treasures. I'll be back again in a few days with helpers and then the big move begins. I don't usually feel a lot of stress. I manage thing with God's help and just get over it. I feel like I didn't have all my trust in him because I have been really stressed. What does a quilter do when they are stressed? QUILT!! I prayed a lot too. On numerous occasions I have had conversations with the Lord while I quilted. I love it because he listens and doesn't interrupt like people do. He is getting my through this.

This block is part of my 19th Century Red's quilt. The block is 15" finished. I love red and the little black corner blocks are a cute little accent.
Here are the blocks pieced into the quilt top. My head is spinning with design ideas to quilt it with. The piecing went fast the the cutting took some time, now deciding on how to quilt it. Sorry about the obstacle in the corner or the picture.

I must get back to packing. I feel like I'm headed for the finish line. Wishing you a blessed holiday weekend and God's peace.

Dejunk Your Life

2010-09-02T20:36:00.000-07:00

Today I finished painting the small bedroom. This means my major tasks are completed. I do have some touch up stuff but nothing overwhelming. As I look back it amazes me that I was able to accomplish so much. I sure have a lot of junk. Tami is going to have a garage sale and get rid of it. I don't want to move anything that I have not used or needed in the past three years. I think it's time to let somebody else have it. I do have a lot of packing to do and as I come across items I don't need or use, they go into Tami's box. In twelve days I will be headed to Oregon with the SUV packed with my sewing machines and other special items. I will return in two days with my brother-in-law and his brother and the 17th we will pack up the BIG truck and off we go. It's a very exciting time.

I'm exhausted from painting all day so I think I will turn in. Tomorrow will be an easier day of sorting, packing, and tossing. As I look around me I'm reminded of how blessed I am.

God's peace be with you.

18 Days and Counting

2010-08-30T08:21:00.000-07:00

Greetings. We have 18 days until the BIG truck is loaded and we are on the road. We are making visual progress. We have been working every day. There have been days when I would be up at 6:00 and go non-stop until 5:00 and everything just looked worse than when I started. I hate it when things are half done. It seems like everything we have done had to be done in stages. The dining room is finally done. It is so clean and new looking. Friday we pulled out the fireplace insert and what a mess. The insert has been in for 30 years. It kept is toasty warm in the winter and I loved it. I will miss it. The EPA has banned them so you can't purchase them anymore and they want to stop people from using them. This is a before picture of the family room. I was getting it ready for it's new floor.

This is the black hole. One of the features I loved about this house was the fireplace. I love the brick. When we first put the insert in I was concerned about hiding the beauty of the used brick and the character I felt it gave to the room. It worked well.

The floor is in. It is so beautiful. I will put the area rug in, hang the vertical blinds and put the furniture in and enjoy it for the next 18 days.

Thursday I attended my last meeting at the Manteca Quilt Guild. I'm really going to miss those people. I'm leaving with so many wonderful memories. I encouraged them all to stop in a visit when they are in Oregon. I know a few who will. The quilt below is the new opportunity quilt for the March 2011 quit show. This is one of the most beautiful quilts I have seen in a long time. The focal fabric was so ugly, I could not have imagined it in a quilt, let alone turning out like this.

I must sign off. I have painting and packing to do and a couple of appointments. I hope your day is filled with blessings, I know my will be.

God's peace.

Are We Done Yet?

2010-08-25T16:47:00.000-07:00

It's 105 degrees and I'm not in the mood for this game. It's too hot to do anything, except maybe quilt or read a book. This move is becoming a nightmare. Everywhere you look things are half completed. This is Missy looking at the new flooring in the dining room. The floor is beautiful but what about the molding? Where is the furniture? Half done! Oh, by the way, Missy prefers carpet. This is a picture of Paul and Joe finishing up the project, minus the molding.

This is the first floor board, where it all started. No molding there either.

Now here is the living room. It's done except for the window treatment. You can't tell because it has the dining room furniture in it and boxes of who knows what. The two bathrooms and the master bedroom are the only rooms that do not resemble this. It's making me crazy.

This is where I go when I'm about to blow. I love this area in the back yard. I hope I can re-create it when I get to Oregon. I haven't checked out what flowers grow well in that area.

This little plant has been providing little tomatoes for us since the middle of July. I know I will have a small vegetable garden at our new home. There is already a raised bed with a small garden planted. I am really looking forward to it. I might even start with a winter garden.

These are my bell peppers. They weren't originally planned as a container plant but things worked out that way because of the lack of time or my failure to management it better. Maybe a little of both. I will be cooking with these very soon.

There is still so much to do I can't even think about it. Paul hurt his back so things have really slowed down. I'm hoping that we can hold off showing our house until we have moved. As I pack things up I have to stack boxes in corners and what kind of staging is that? I'm praying for a sense of humor so I can laugh at this experience, wisdom to know what is right, and strength to get through it. I'm also thankful for the gift a a new home and moving to a new town with the opportunity of making new friends. I'm focusing on the gifts. Thank you Lord.

God's peace be with you.

Middle of the Week Update

2010-08-18T10:10:00.000-07:00

As I review my progress this week I'm feeling much better about the numerous dead lines that are ahead of us. The living room is not complete. I have to buy a window covering and that is it. It looks clean and fresh. The bathroom floor is done and I'm going to paint the doors and do some touch up painting. My master bedroom is almost done. I need to paint doors, finish trim and hang the vertical blinds. I see things coming together now. The credit goes to God because that is who I asked for the patience, organizational skills and determination to get this done. I was doing a lot of praying. Thank you God!!!! I do enjoy painting and that is helpful.

The other task that I got completed is the purchase of homeowners insurance. I have to ask, is everything cheaper in Oregon? Homeowners insurance is half the cost there than in CA. Our new home is rural too. I just don't get it. That sure made the experience a pleasant one. I can't wait to check out the auto insurance.

Between the painting and cleaning I am also packing things that I won't need until we move into our new home. I love pictures and I take a lot of them. This is a picture of a quilt that was in a Modesto quilt show a few years ago. I love it. This is a thread and fabric technique that I'm looking forward to learning. The detail is incredible. I don't know how successful I will be and I won't know until I try. I have so much to look forward to. I must get back to work. The feeling of accomplishment is too good to pass up. Have a blessed day.

Brief Update

2010-08-16T09:49:00.000-07:00

I've been trying to get our house ready to sell. Things are moving along at a snail's pace. There is so much to do and so little time. Then there is the issue of people who don't share your urgency. It took two weeks to get the wall paper off the living room walls, prime, and paint. If I knew how to do some of the repair work I could have done it my self in four days. I visited Home Depot for advise. I researched the web for advice and I read How To books. What a waste of time. The most important details are left out. WHAT'S UP WITH THAT? I had to depend on people who know how to do the work for instructions on what to do. I think I can add some thing new to my repertoire of talents. This week the GOAL is to paint the master bedroom and bathroom and by the grace of God, get the dining room floor in. As I ponder this weeks goals I'm feeling my sore tired muscles and preparing myself mentally to stand up and walk. This is a wake up call, I'm not so young anymore. I wish I was quilting. I miss it so. Missing Oregon and The Sewing Basket too.

Back to work I go.
Wishing you a blessed week.

Sleepless night

2010-08-04T09:42:00.000-07:00

I was up at 5:00 this morning because I just can't sleep. I have so much to do before September 17th. I made a list and that list seems to grow every day. I have been packing things I know I won't need until I move and now I'm not sure where to store all these boxes. I'm not even half done. This afternoon the real estate people will be here to set up the sale of this house. Did you notice I didn't refer to it as home? I'm really looking forward to this move, although I will miss so many people. The last thing to pack up will be my quilting room because I really need the stress release I get when I unwind at my sewing machine. I cut out the background fabric for my Ladies of the Sea quilt and now I feel a bit relaxed. I'm going to organize my projects so I can grab one when the need arises.

Have you seen McKenna Ryan's newest creation. I love it. I think the Sewing Basket is going to offer this one. I can visualize this on a wall in my new home. I think it's great to have something to look forward to so I will add this to my list.
There is so much to do I feel guilty sitting at my computer. So, I'm going to call this a break and since my break is now over, it's back to work.

I was told how to eat an elephant. One bite at a time. That's how I'm dealing with this move. I'll keep you posted.

Wishing you a blessed day.

The Count Down Begins

2010-08-01T12:52:00.000-07:00

As I sat in church this morning talking with friends and singing praises to the Lord it hit me, I'm leaving some awesome friends and a fabulous church family. The Praise and Worship band is incredible and after I leave church I feel the Holy Spirit within. Pastor Dan is incredible too. Am I going to find a church family like this one in Oregon? I couldn't hold back the tears. I have six more Sundays and I know it's not going to get any easier. I'm going to make new cards with my address on it and hand them out. Thank God for email. I have so much work to do in this house to get it ready for sale. I'll keep you posted on my progress. 48 days and counting.
Wishing you a blessed week.

The Big Move

2010-07-31T19:15:00.000-07:00

It has finally happened, we're moving to Oregon. This is a picture of our new home. This has been a dream of mine and my DH for five years. It didn't feel like it was going to ever happen but in less than a month we found a home we love at price we can afford in a neighborhood we like. The house is like new and has all the features we wanted. I'm going to miss my friends but I have already made friends in Oregon over the past years while visiting and I have family there. I invite all my friends to come visit. I'm going to fix up one of the bedrooms into a cozy, comfortable guest room. The other room will be my quilting room and I have some great plans for that. As for the physical part of moving, not so fun. I just spent two days having a garage sale and I find that shopping at one is more fun than having one. I will keep you posted on the moving progress.

Wishing you a blessed week.

Vacation Highlights

2010-07-15T10:18:00.000-07:00

I'm back home and not happy about it. I had a wonderful time in Oregon and didn't want to leave. I spent Saturday at the 35th Anniversary Sister4s Outdoor Quilt Show. I love Sisters and recommend you visit if you ever have a chance. I worked at The Sewing Basket booth selling fabric, notions, and kits. I met wonderful people from all over the world, that's right, world, and saw so many beautiful quilts. I met a lady from England and she was such a kick. She was comparing the style differences in the Oregon area quilters and what they are making in England. I had an interesting chat with a couple of ladies from Canada. In case you don't know, people in Canada are taxed up the kazoo. She had to make sure that she didn't purchase over $400 because of the taxes she would have to pay when crossing the boarder. In Oregon there are no sales taxes so you can go crazy when you are shopping. When you are paying VAT tax and sales tax and who know what other taxes you just don't have any buying power. She said she buys on the Internet because taxes are higher than postage. The picture below is the view from our booth. I love the quilts hanging everywhere. This is the front of our booth. It was a nice day with a cool breeze keeping the temperatures down.

This is a not to close up of my sister-in-law in the booth waiting for the next customer. We had a very successful day and I'm looking forward to next year.

We stayed at the Holiday Inn in Bend. Bend has some great quilt shops and we visited all of them. I didn't buy fabric but I did pick up some notions that The Sewing Basket doesn't carry and some patterns. It's interesting how each shop carries different merchandise. Most sell sewing machine too. We dinned at some great restaurants and I'm sure I gained a few pounds. I'm not anxious to confirm my suspicions. I'm home now so it's back on the program.

I did get a chance to quilt my Sister's Choice quilt. I need to get the binding on and wash it. I'm very pleased with it.

I have a quilt meeting tonight and some work to do so I better get with it. I hope you're enjoying your summer and you have a blessed day.

A Time to Remember

2010-07-04T06:26:00.000-07:00

Wishing you a safe and Happy 4th of July. I hope you will have the opportunity to spend this day with family and friends and take a few minutes to reflect the meaning of this day and how it came about. We are losing a lot of our freedoms, many of which we take for granted. Some of us aren't even aware of it. Maybe that is because the very people who are taking those freedoms are elected officials that are supposed to up hold our Constitution and represent us, the people. Hundreds of thousands of people died throughout the years fighting for our freedom and we should never take it for granted.
God bless you and America.
Stay safe

Friday Fantasy

2010-07-02T08:54:00.000-07:00

I got an email the other day announcing the Gammill Vision 22. OMG, I gotta have it. I went to their web site and watched the demo video and OMG, I gotta have it. The quilting in quilts have always been my favorite part of quilts. I have seen some butt ugly quilts turned into masterpieces by the quilting. I've seen plain simple blocks stitched together and quilting made them spectacular. I have been trying to hone my quilting skills on a Viking Mega quilter. It stitches fine and is doable, up to a point, the point being 8 inches of throat space. It is very difficult and sometime impossible to quit a twin or bigger size quilt in that little space. Have you ever tried stuffing a marshmallow into a piggy bank? Viking did come out with a new version of their Mega Quilter with a larger throat space but I'm ready for the big leagues. My DH is looking at buying a truck to replace my 93 Honda, I'm looking at this New Gammill and to heck with a truck. So I'm cranking up my creative problem solving skills, film at 11:00.
You really should check out this little jewel. I see a road trip coming up for me in my future.

Wishing you a blessed day.

Whoo-hoo

2010-06-27T12:58:00.000-07:00

Yep, that's what we heard off and on for three days. I spent three days at a Ricky Tim's seminar. Alex Anderson and Libby Lehman were part of the fun. I learned so much and got so much inspiration from the three of them. In addition to teaching techniques they also shared their journey in quilting and some about their lives. Ricky started quilting in 1991 and shared his first experiences, first quilt and his goals. He is a terrific entertainer and he performed a concert for us on Friday night. It is hard to believe somebody can be so talented in to many areas. I wanted to share some pictures with you. This is Ricky in front of two of his quilts. We were allowed to go up on the stage and take pi cutes and get up close and personal with the incredible work he does.

This quilt is by Libby Lehman. She is so funny and tells great jokes during her demonstrations. She is very knowledgeable about sewing machines and threads. Believe me when I tell you, these pictures do not do these quilts justice.

This is one of the quilts that Libby demonstrated the technique for us. I do think I could do something like this. She sure made it look easy. The machine attachment she used to do this technique happens to be part of my "what the heck is this thing for" box. Now for those who don't have one of the attachments, Meissner's was there with a store set up and you could purchase any Bernina sewing machine made, including sewing machine tables and quilting frames. They were even offering 36 months, no interest financing.

I have always admired Alex Anderson. She did a trunk show at Manteca Quilt guild and that's when I first saw this quilt. Alex is known for her HGTV show, Simply Quilts, and her hand quilting. When you get up close to this quilt it is almost unbelievable that some one could hand quilt all that. What a work of art.

This quilt is another example of Libby's quilting and thread art. It is so beautiful.

This is another of Alex's quilts that show cases her beautiful hand quilting. She did a lectures on how to chose the right quilt design for your quilt and other very useful information . She also demonstrated hand quilting.

This is another quit by Ricky.

This quilt is demonstrates a new technique he is working on, using photo's. Looks like he perfected it to me.

This is Ricky's quilt tool It was hanging on the stage and I studied this one up close. He quits his quilts too and doesn't use a long arm. That was the message I needed to hear. He explained his process and I'm ready to take on my stack of quilt tops.

This is another one of his quilts. He explained the process, from designing to binding this quilt. He breaks each step into small increments so you get motivated to give it a try. If you ever get the chance to attend a Ricky Tims' Super Quilt Seminar, DO IT. I'm sure you won't regret it.

The quilt pictured below is the first quilt Ricky made. His message throughout the three days is never give up. Everything you do will be a learning experience and a step closer to your goal of becoming the quilter you want to be.

I don't know what's up with the corner of this picture but I think you get the idea. Ricky is a great story teller and when he tells about his first quilt he credits other quilters who encouraged him and shared their quilt tips and techniques with him.

In two weeks I will be in Sister's Oregon for the fabulous outdoor quilt show. I'm working there this year but I will find a way to take hundreds of pictures and get more inspiration.

I hope you enjoyed these pictures, your Sunday is blessed and you have a fabulous week ahead.

Marvelous Monday

2010-06-14T07:36:00.000-07:00

This is the start of a new week and it will be a marvelous week. Today is the beginning of a six week study of Ephesians on a blog. What an incredible tool to use to bring hundreds of people together to study the word of God. If you remember my last post, Saturday we had a video conference wedding linking England and the US. I can't wait to see what is next. It's not to late to get in on this study. Go to wendyblight.com and read all about it. This is a study that will bring joy to your heart.

I have a long list of things I need to accomplish today so I must get started. I pray that your day will be blessed.

Life Goes On

2010-06-13T17:28:00.000-07:00

After a very sad week we are trying to stay busy and keep our minds occupied so we aren't focusing on the loss of our dearest little Herkie. His little buddy, Missy, seems to be looking for him. Maybe we are just reading something into her behavior that isn't really there. We sure miss him terribly.

Check out my newest challenge. This quilt is called Ladies of the Sea and was designed by Susan H. Garman. I have been admiring this for a few months but thought it was to complicated to tackle. I'm just getting into the applique technique. I love the ocean and anything nautical so after admiring from a far I decided to go for it. It's a 12 month block of the month series so I will take it one block at a time and I figure with each block I can only improve. The best part about taking on this project is knowing some very talented and accomplished appliquers that will be willing to help if needed.

Yesterday I had the privilege of attending the wedding of Ashley and Elivs. Isn't she a beautiful bride? She is from England and her family couldn't attend the wedding so one of the guys from church hooked up a laptop with a video camera and connected her family to the church, by video, so they could be a part of this special day. How cool is that? The handsome pastor is Pastor Dan. That was his first video wedding.

It's a very warm day today and the wind has finally calmed down. It's the kind of day you want to stay inside and work on a quilt or read a book, and anything else that doesn't involve being outside in the heat.

Wishing you God's peace.

Good Bye Sweet Herkie

2010-06-10T13:07:00.000-07:00

Our best friends eyes closed last night

as his head rest in our hands.

The doctors said he was in pain

and he could no longer stand.

The thoughts that rambled through our heads

while we cradled him in our arms,

Were of his younger years

and all the joys we shared.

Our bed is empty now

where he once laid his head,

Between the two people who loved him

and cherished the time we shared.

They say memories are golden

and maybe it's true.

But we never wanted memories

We only wanted you.

Throughout the day we think of you

and throughout the day we cry

If love alone could have saved you

You never would have died.

In life we loved you dearly

In death we love you still.

In our hearts you hold a place

No one could ever fill.

Good bye Sweet Herkie.

Thank you Lord for the gift of his companionship and the time we shared together.

Computer Heart Break

2010-06-03T10:09:00.000-07:00

Greetings from a very frustrated computer user. My computer finally died yesterday. All my attempts to revive it failed. I knew this was coming because I've had to use the system disk twice to get it up and running. After three hours yesterday I just gave up. My next step was to decide if I was going to use my laptop or buy a new desktop. I have been wanting to change over to a Mac because of all the problems and security issues with Microsoft but that would require going out of town and a bigger financial burden. I will be in Oregon in July and I was going to shop there, no sales tax. I opted for the laptop. I took the old out and hooked up the laptop and what a nightmare. This is an old laptop and so slow you could bake bread while waiting to get a response from it. By 6:30 I was ready to pull my hair out. I went online and researched systems and prices. I went through the Sunday papers and found a sale at Office Depot. They have the HP Pavilion Slimline Desktop on sale for $529.99. QVC had the same system for a lot more plus shipping. So I decided to take the plunge. Today I'm dealing with set-up. The computer comes with no manuals. I'm searching the system for manuals and what I need I can't find. I can't get my Microsoft Office to load. Half of my software won't run with Windows 7 and some of my software is no where to be found. My HP Officejet 7210 All In One, a purchase I made a few years back doesn't work with Windows 7. I love this All In One. There is an upside to all this, my files are backed up. So I will proceed until I can proceed no more.

I wish I was quilting. Have a blessed day.

2010-05-31T15:09:00.000-07:00

Wishing you and yours a safe a memorable Memorial Day. My DH and I are nursing a very sick dog and we haven't had a good nights sleep for three nights. The upside to that is the down time we have to reflect on what Memorial Day means to us. DH was in the Navy during the Vietnam War and we have a son in the active Army Reserves who served 18 months in Iraq.

I haven't posted for over a month. There has been so much going on and I feel like I'm going non stop. My computer has tried to flat line on me twice. I had to use the system disk to boot up and I think I'm getting an outside sources trying to invade my system because I restore my system to a latter date and it works fine again. What's up with that? So now I don't shut down the computer, I just let it sleep. I'm trying to keep this computer alive until July and then I can purchase a new one, which I hate doing because I like Windows XP and I've been using this computer since 95. You would think a computer would last longer when you consider what you pay for them. Oh well, life happens. I'm thinking about buying an Apple computer.

On the quilting front, I'm ready to quilt my Sister's Choice and I only have two rows, and the inner and outer borders on my 19th Century Red quilt and it will be ready for quilting. I'm not sure what I want for the blocks but I differently want some full and fancy feathers in the borders. Film at 11:00! I pre-ordered the EQ7 upgrade and I signed up for a block of the month. There are more quilting surprises on the horizon.

On the home front, the main bathroom is done and it's beautiful. I still have to make the window treatment and hang it but after that, mission accomplished. Now it's off to the dining room.

Praying for peace and joy throughout the world.
Sandi

Never enough time.

2010-04-17T09:06:00.000-07:00

Greetings. I was listening to a speaker saying that the only thing that can be stolen and never replaced is time. I have been giving that a lot of thought. Who or what has been steeling my time? My first thoughts are the television, newspaper, telephone, computer, husband, mother, family in general, and poor planning. It seems like I have been work all week to strip wall paper and paint a bathroom. Í started Monday and it's still not done and I find that very upsetting. Part of the problem is depending on somebody else to do their part. I was scheduled to start the painting at 7:00 a.m. today and I'm updating my blog and catching up on emails because the old flooring wasn't removed and that needs to be done before the painting. That flooring was to be out Thursday and no later than Friday. Oh well. Dare I hope for this project will be completed by May 1? I have so many projects around this house that need completing and I can't afford to have my time stolen.

A great use of my time is attending a quilt guild meeting. Thursday night the Pioneer Quilter's Guild brought their 2010 Opportunity Quilt to show off and sell raffle tickets. This is their beautiful quilt. Their web site is pioneerquiltersguild.org and their show is November 5 and 6th.
This is Judy showing off her Dresden wall hanging she started at a workshop a few months ago. She hand quilted it. Judy's work is beautiful.

This is Julie's Dresden quilt. I love her use of blue's and a splash of yellow. Julie is another accomplished quilter.

Barbara did the same pattern as Judy with different colors. She said it wasn't intended to be a Christmas wall hanging but it just might end up that way. When I see the beautiful projects these ladies create I want to start my own. I'm fine tuning the art of self control. It's a very slow process.

The upcoming week should be very productive, that's the plan anyway. I'm hoping to get my 19th Century Reds quilt pieced this week and who knows, maybe that bathroom will get finished. I do believe in miracles.

Wishing you a blessed and productive week.

Philanthropy and Quilting

2010-04-08T16:42:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday's some of the Manteca quilters meet at a church in Manteca to put together quilts and other items for philanthropy. Some of the ladies work on their personal items too. Connie brought in the quilt below, that she pieced and quilted. She still needs to finish the binding. She spent most of the day working on philanthropy projects. I thought she did a great job and wanted to share it with you. This quilt is my Sister's Choice pieced with fabrics from the More Pink and Chocolate collection from Windham Fabrics. I worked on this at the Gold Beach retreat. I have an idea how I want to quilt it but, I'm not too sure of my skill level. We will see.

This is a shot of some of the worker bee's enjoying good company and doing for others.

That's Janice with her arms up. I'm not sure why but I know it wasn't a touch down. In addition to quilts we also make small pillows, hospice gowns, wheelchair and walker bags, and knitted infant caps.

These ladies are pinning a quilt top, batting, and backing for stitching. This is truly a group effort.

This is Rosemary and Judy showing off a quilt that Rosemary just completed. It's a boy's print and I'm sure it will give lots of comfort to the little guy who gets it.

The first Tuesday of month there is a Potluck. There was a lot of great dishes and desserts. Good thing they don't do that every week because I would end up big as a house. These ladies are good cooks. So I have to tell you, meeting every Tuesday with these awesome ladies is just another perk of being retired. I am so blessed. I did a lot of visiting so I brought the project I was working on home so I could finish it. I think it's terrific to be able to help others by doing what you love to do.

Have a blessed week.

Just checking in.

2010-04-05T13:34:00.000-07:00

I hope you all had a blessed Easter, I sure did. The day was filled with so many of the things I love. I started my day with Easter services followed with friends, family, food, and fun. The afternoon was topped off with a steady rain. I worked on a few quilt blocks after I cleaned up the kitchen. Life is too good!
Today is Mary's birthday. I wish I was in Oregon celebrating with her. Happy Birthday Mary, we love and miss you. I'm looking forward to Sister's.

I've been trying to find a way to spice up this blog, hence the new look. I'm not sure I will stay with it. This process takes up a lot of time I should be spending on other things. I thought being retired would free up time but it seems I'm busy doing something all the time. I'm sure that's a good thing, I just need to be selective on the things I choose to do.

I'm looking for ways to arrange my quilting studio and make it more efficient. I want to hang shelving on the walls and and get things off the floor. My hubby is not being very supportive on this issue. I did find some great pic on the web and hoped they would inspire him. If they did he sure isn't showing it. Any suggestions out there?

This week I will post a picture of the quilt I was working on at the retreat in Oregon. I'm joining friends for a quilt day tomorrow so maybe I'll have some other fun pics to share.

Have a blessed day.

Quilt Pictures

2010-03-20T04:58:00.000-07:00

This year I had the opportunity to help set up for the Manteca Quilt Guild's show. This gave me the opportunity to take pictures of the quilts before the opening. This is a specular Baltimore Album quilt made by Sandra Mollon. I wish my picture showed the incredible detail in the quilt. I have added the Baltimore Album quilt to my bucket list. This next quilt was made by my friend Jan Truscott. She was Manteca's featured quilt artist this year. The pattern used to make this quilt is Venice Rose by Norah McMeeking from her book Bella Bella quilts. I will be starting this quilt sometime in April. I've picked my fabrics from the Stonehenge collection by Northcott. If you haven't seen this fabric line you might want to visit Northcott's web site. Quilter's Friends in Lodi carry a few of the bolts. There must be 25 different color's in the line with new ones arriving in the next couple of months. These fabrics are a good change from batik's. They have a marble or stone look to them. The January 2010 issue of The Quilter features a quilt, Rolling Stone, in this fabric.

This is a close up of her applique in the center.

This wall hanging has a lot of detail work and rumor has it, it was a round robin project done my a group of quilters. They seem to be at the same skill level. The trees in the corners are machine embroidered.

This quilt is from the Once-Block Wonders Encore book by Maxine Rosenthal and Joy Peizmann. I think they are very interesting to look at.

I would love to post every picture I took but I don't have time. All the quilts were beautiful and I think the show was great.

Spring is in the air and I would rather be outside then sitting at my sewing machine. I guess had work on a Baltimore Album quilt might be the project to start. I could have the best of both worlds, sitting outside and working on a quilt. Either way I know it will be a glorious day.

Keeping Busy

2010-03-18T11:51:00.000-07:00

This is a picnic quilt I made three years ago. The pattern and fabric came from Fons and Porter. I love their magazine and the quilt kits they offer. I started quilting this soon after I got it pieced but need to put the binding on. Finally, a finished project. I think it is so cheerful. I was putting all my projects together that I need to complete but it has gotten to overwhelming so I have stopped. I will just take them as I go.

I've been spending a lot of time on the Internet because my car has been in the shop. That's not exactly true. I'm going to quilt a couple of tops I finished last year and I'm not sure how to quilt them. I've been spending hours looking at different blogs and trying to find the best designs to use on these quilts. This is really a tough decision. Since I'm looking at three hundred plus to have them quilted I will work through this process. I have taken four different classes on how to quilt your quilt top so it's time to apply some of those lessons.
I'll keep you posted on my progress.

Cars. Where would we be without them? Home!!! That's were I have been stuck a lot lately because my car keeps getting sick. My 93 Honda has 99,580 miles on it. Honda's are supposed to lost 200,000 plus miles so I wasn't worried about it. I have never had any real problems with it but now it seems things are creeping up on me. I get it in the shop to fix one thing and another thing pops up. What's up with that. I keep telling myself it's cheaper than a new car payment and life goes on.
Have a blessed day.

Quilting on the Oregon Coast

2010-03-02T12:58:00.000-08:00

I'm home after a four day quilting retreat at Gold Beach Oregon. It was a long nine hour drive but I didn't mind because it was a beautiful drive. I went up hiway 20 to 101. It rained off and on and the hill sides were green. There were numerous places where patches of daffodils grew. There wasn't a lot of traffic and I cranked up my CD's and enjoyed the drive. Before I share some photos of Oregon I wanted to show you the quilt my friend Cat made. She attended the Dresden workshop in January that I mentioned a few posts back. I should have gotten a close up because this picture doesn't do her quilt justice. Great job Cat. Now, back to Oregon. This is the view of the ocean from our condo. Mary and I lucked out and had to take the condo because the two couples who were booked in it had their dogs and the motel has the pet friendly rooms, not the condos. Being the kind and thoughtful persons that we are, Mary and I agreed to take over the condo. This is Mary showing off fabric she purchased at one of the quilt shops she stopped at along the way. This is her room. Our rooms were the same except for the color.

This is picture of the living area overlooking the ocean. It would have been nice to have spent more time at the condo but we were having such a good time quilting, eating and chatting that it was late before we headed back and we usually were in bed within an hour.

This is a quilt panel Mary picked up along the way. It is so cute.

The room we were set up in had windows along one side and people took advantage of the space between the windows to hang small quilts. This is one of the small wall hangings.

I did a demo on X-Blocks and these were two examples I took. There was fabric, patterns and quilts all around the room.

They were very creative when finding ways to display merchandise.

This is a view from the back of the room. Everybody got a gold bag filled with goodies.

As soon as somebody finished a quilt top they found a way to show it off.

There was a variety of projects going on all around the room.

The top and bottom wall hangings were done by the same person.

This is a picture of one of the tables that was set up next to a window. Friday it rained all day and it was nice to be inside and see what was going on outside.

I did the block in the middle, top row. Mary did the others. They are tonga bitiks and she is making up quilt kits and wanted a completed quilt top to display in their shop.

This quilt was cut and pieced in less than a day. I should have bought the pattern. This was made for a wedding gift. It's a picnic quilt that will be accompanied by various picnic items packed in a basket. How cute it that? The theme has something to do with black birds in a pie.

So after three days of eating, quilting, talking, eating more, quilting more we decided that we would get up Saturday morning and take a long walk along the beach, since there was no rain in the forecast. Much to our surprise, there was a Tsunami warning in effect and we couldn't go down to the beach. The warning wasn't lifted until 2:30 that afternoon. Oh well, it was more quilting and a short walk to a gas station to buy a latte.

This is a picture of the 2 foot tsunami wave. We watched it from the window. It was such a beautiful day.

I think things were just about over when these pictures were taken.

I love the ocean and the day was beautiful. I'm looking forward to going back even if it takes nine hours to get there.

This weekend is the Manteca Quilt Guild's annual quilt show. So, look forward to more eye candy.. I'm going Friday to help with the set up and will be there all day Saturday. My friend Jan is the featured artist. She is so talented and I'm looking forwarded to the vendors and to seeing all the beautiful quilts.

Have a blessed day.

Viola Longacre

2010-02-20T11:20:00.001-08:00

Viola Longacre

March 6, 1923 - February 18, 2010

Farewell gifted quilter and friend. You will be missed by the many who shared in your life. Viola and I had a few things in common, like quilting, painting, and we are both members of the Manteca Quilt Guild and retires from the SJC Welfare Department.
Viola enjoyed sharing her talent with others. She was a generous quilter and donated quilts to philanthropy.

Viola incorporated her painting talent with her quilting. She painted on fabric and sewed that fabric into quilts. Pictured below is a quilt she made that won an award at the State Fair. She painted birds on squares of fabric and sewed them into her quilt. This quilt is beautiful and unique. Because of the way the quilts were hung I wasn't able to get a picture of the whole quilt so I took a picture of the top and bottom.

Memories are stitched with love and your memory will live on in the beautiful fabrics you so lovingly stitched.

X-Block

2010-02-18T11:32:00.000-08:00

This is the fabric I pulled from my stash to make this quilt. It's from the Sweet Dreams line by Robyn Pandolph. The pink is something I just happened to have and it matched perfectly. I played with the idea of using one of the greens but it seemed to fade into the prints. I will use it for the backing. This is the pattern I picked. There is more contrast in the two main fabric they used in their quilt but I was determined to use some of the fabrics in my stash. If I don't, I won't have room for new. That's my logic.

This is 6 1/2 inch X-Block. It also comes in 7 1/2 for a larger finished block.

This is so simple. Depending on the pattern you choose you sew strips together.

Line up the ruler on the appropriate lines and cut. The dotted lines is what was required on this quilt. I find it helpful to starch the strips so they stay true.

By flipping the ruler over you get two different blocks, right and left sides.

Rotate your block, chain sew and your ready to put your quilt top together.

These are the blocks sewen together. Now we need borders.

I hung the quilt outside and there was a slight breeze. It was a beautiful 70 degrees so I couldn't resist. Because it isn't quilted yet you can see the seam lines in this photo and and they don't show in the photo above. In March I will focus on developing my "quilting skills" starting with feathers. This quilt would be great for that. Stay tuned.

I'm getting ready for the quilt retreat in Oregon next week and I will be demonstrating the X-Block using this quilt as an example.

Tonight is the Tokay Quilt Guild meeting and I'm putting the borders on my table runner so I can have it for show and tell. I'm anxious to see how some of the quilts turned out.

Have a blessed day and enjoy the sun.

President's Day

2010-02-15T09:36:00.000-08:00

Greetings and Happy President's Day. I hope you had a wonderful Valentine's Day. I woke up to a box of chocolates, Susan Boyle's I Dreamed a Dream CD and a beautiful card. My hubby can be so thoughtful. He got a special card and I will share the chocolates.
Today is a holiday so most of my employed friends are having a much deserved day off. As for me, I'm retired and everyday is a holiday. It is a beautiful day and a great day to work in the yard. Before retirement I had to choose wisely on how I was going to spend my days off because the next day I would be back to work. That was then and this is now. Last week I spent most of my time quilting. I'm currently piecing a boarder for my Sleeping Beauty quilt made with the X-Blocks. (Pictures to follow) The book I'm working out of is Once upon a time in X-Block Land by Patricia Pepe. Check out her web site at http://www.patriciapepe.com/about.html I love her patterns because you can use two or more different fabrics and I'm able to work out of my stash. My goal is to buy fabric intentionally and that is much harder than it sounds. There is so many beautiful fabric tempting me. Next week I'm off to Gold Beach in Oregon to demonstrate the X-Blocks. Life is great!
Wishing you the best day ever.

Things to Live by in 2010

2010-02-01T08:59:00.000-08:00

A friend emailed this to me and as I read it I thought it would be a great affirmation so I printed it and hung on on the wall next to my desk. Maybe I should pin it in front of my sewing machine since I spend more time there than at my desk.

Health:
1. Drink plenty of water..
2. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a beggar.
3. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants..
4. Live with the 3 E's -- Energy, Enthusiasm and Empathy
5. Make time to pray.
6. Play more games
7. Read more books than you did in 2009 .
8. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day
9. Sleep for 7 hours.
10. Take a 10-30 minutes walk daily.. And while you walk, smile.
Personality:
11. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
12. Don't have negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead, invest your energy in the positive present moment.
13. Don't over do. Keep your limits.
14. Don't take yourself so seriously.. No one else does.
15. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip.
16. Dream more while you are awake
17. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need...
18. Forget issues of the past.. Don't remind your partner with His/her mistakes of the past. That will ruin your present happiness.
19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Don't hate others.
20. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.
21. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
22. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.
23. Smile and laugh more.
24. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree...
Society:
25. Call your family often.
26. Each day give something good to others.
27. Forgive everyone for everything..
28. Spend time w/ people over the age of 60 & under the age of 6.
29. Try to make at least three people smile each day.
30. What other people think of you is none of your business.
31. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will Stay in touch.
Life:
32. Do the right thing!
33. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
34. GOD heals everything.
35. However good or bad a situation is, it will change..
36. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
37. The best is yet to come...
38. When you awake alive in the morning, thank GOD for it.
39. Your Inner most is always happy. So, be happy. Last but not the least:
40. Share this with everyone you care about.

It's a new month and the sun is shinning. I think I will go shopping and and focus on #29. The other numbers I can do at home. Thanks Anita.

Have a blessed day.

What have I been doing?

2010-01-29T10:39:00.000-08:00

Where to begin. Life is good. I feel like I'm living this charmed life. I'm retired after 43 years of working for somebody else. Now that I look back on those 43 years I have to say they went fast. I don't have another 43 years to go but I do plan on making the best of the time I do have. There are so many things I want to do now that I feel a little overwhelmed. After being off work for two weeks I do seethe potentioal for wasting time. It's too easy to do nothing and at the time it feels good. At the end of two weeks it feels like a waste. So here's what wasn't a waste.

I attend a work shop with Anelie Belden. She wrote the book Thoroughly Modern Dresden. She teaches her quick and easy construction method. I'm making the table runner so I can use up some of my stash. I picked out some beautiful oriental fabric and I hope it's not going to be too busy. I will post a picture when I'm done. The quilt pictured below is Romancing the Reds, one of the quilts featured in her book. I have the fabrics to make this and it's 3rd on my To Do Lists. I love red and white. These are Alex Andersons fabrics. Love them! That's Anelie on the right, holding up her beautiful quilt.
This sweet wall hanging is Blue and yellow Shineshine. I like blue and yellow's too and this might be added to my To Do List too.

This quilt is named Luisita and is 71" x 71". I looks like a kilidascoup but it is peaked-top blades that are fussy cut. It's very beautiful.

This was a great workshop and I recommend the book. She also has a special ruler, sold separterly, that assists in the cutting of the various blades. The book has a sheet of templets.

This is Tokay Stitch'N'Quilt Guilds 2010 Opportunity quilt. It's called Reflections and I'm proud to say, I helped make the blocks. Their quilt show is November 6 and 7 in Lodi.

On the 17th family and friends joined together to celebrate my Mom's 80+ birthday. I guess after 80, who's counting. Personally, if I make it to 80+ I'm going tell ya about it. I might even give you some tips on how to live till your 80. My Mom is in fairly good health and has a lot to be thankful for. This is a photo of my brother and his son and grandson and my daughter and one of my grandsons. So now she has a photo with four generations. We had a full house, lots of food and a great time. My Mom brought out some very old photo's, from before my time, and shared the life and times of the Donner Party. Just kidding, but that's what it was beginning to sound like. She complained about the white chalk they had to grind and mix with water so they would have something to polish their shoes with. Gee, have priorities changed or what?

What's a party with cake. So here we go, chocolate cake with chocolate fudge filling. I practiced my royal icing daffodils. Good thing this is just a hobby. A scoop of vanilla ice cream really topped it off, in more ways than one.

So now everyday is a weekend and I can do just about anything I want. How cool is that? I would say very cool. I'm going to finish my Dresden table runner and cut out my Turtles 'n Tidepools quilt.

Wishing you a blessed day.

2010

2010-01-01T09:18:00.000-08:00

It was a crazy night in my neighborhood. Now I have an idea what it's like in Pakistan. It's quite now and starting to rain. I love the rain. I have my new year's list before me and I'm ready to start my new habits. Have a wonder start to the new year.
God's peace be with you.

Happy New Year

2009-12-31T17:37:00.000-08:00

2010 is just hours away and it doesn't seem possible that another year has come and gone. My focus for 2009 was redefining who I am. I'm not sure I accomplished that but I can tell you, I have a new attitude about life and how I should live.

Do you make New year Resolutions each year? Are you able to keep them? What ever your resolution happens to be, the only way to succeed is to take it one step at a time. Set specific goals and make the decision to stick with it. So, my first and most important goal is to establish healthy eating and exercising habits. I've read that it take 26 days for a task to become a habit. Since I am retiring in two weeks I will have the time to plan and follow through with purchasing and preparing healthier meals and spending time in action. Being home this past week has shown me how easy it is to get comfortable in front of the television and just sit. I don't want to get into that habit. I am starting with a walking regime. I will start with 30 minutes a day. My other goal is to spend more time reading. I have been putting together a list of books I want to read. They aren't all fiction. I'm going to read Sarah Palin's book, Going Rogue. I admire her so much. More about that in the future. I'm going to spend more time in prayer and reading and studying the Bible. I can add to this list but I want to be realistic. These are the most important things I want to accomplish. I have UFO's to finish and other things I want to do but next year I want to report, mission accomplished.

I wish you and yours the safest and happiest New Year every. God's peace be with you.

Christmas Blessings

2009-12-28T11:54:00.000-08:00

I hope everybody had a wonderful Christmas. We spent time with family and for us that's what it's all about. This is a picture of three of our seven grandchildren. Brook, Bree, and Brit take the most beautiful pictures. Their Mom has pictures taken on a regular basis and I'm so thankful for that because they are miles away.

I'm on vacation this week and so I'm cutting fabric for a quilt class in January. The book we are using is Thoroughly Modern Dresden. I'm going to do a table runner using oriental fat quarters. I want to use up some of my stash.

When I return to work on the 4th I will have two weeks and then I'm off, done, retired. I can't even express how much I'm looking forward to that. I've worked for 43 years and I just want to have fun. I'm looking forward to quilting when I want as long as I want and finishing projects. I want to sleep in during the week and stay up late t night. I want to sit in the backyard and watch the flowers bloom and the birds flying from one tree to another. That is just the tip of the iceberg. I've been cleaning out my office and bring stuff home. Paul asked me to stop bring stuff home so now I'm going to go through what I have and toss or donate. There is still more to come.

Have a blessed week and a very Happy New Year.

Saturday Planning

2009-12-12T09:19:00.000-08:00

Greetings.
It's started raining yesterday and it's been off an on since. I love the rain. When it stops everything outside looks so clean and fresh. The rain relaxes me and my brain kicks into the creative mode. I started listing the creative projects I want to try. It's Saturday and I would like to work on some of the things on my list. Unfortunately I have other things that have priority over what I want to do. In 66 days, everyday will be a Saturday.

This is Ethan's quilt. I finished it Monday and delivered it to his Grandmother Tuesday. I love the little bunny's and the activities they are performing. It's all boy. I quilted airplanes and clouds in the border and stars in the solid squares.
The back shows up the quilting. Sorry it doesn't show up too good in the pictures. I wish I had the fabric to make two. Now I will focus on my Turtles and Tadpoles quilt. Film at 11:00.

This darling quilt pin was purchase by my friend Donna. She isn't a quilter but she does appreciate the art of quilting and what goes into it. This is hand made and she found it in a catalog. I was going to order one until I found out the price. When you look at the detail and workmanship in it, it's worth it. It's beautifully done. When I was in Michael's last week I found some discounted jewelery making supplies and I purchase them. Jewelery making is something I've always wanted to try. I've been buying sale items and putting them aside for the time when I can start creating. The creative list I mentioned early has a make a quilt pin listed on it. I'm always inspired by other's works and I need to work on some original projects.

It will be a busy and productive weekend if I sign off and get busy. I hope you have a wonderful weekend.

Peace be with you.

It's Snowing

2009-12-07T07:26:00.000-08:00

Greetings from the Central Valley. I'm looking out my window at snow floating from the sky. It is so cool. It started about 7:00 am and as I stood under the patio watching it float down, I was amazed at the stillness outside. It was so peaceful, I love it. I've never seen it snow in Stockton, although I know it has. I took some pictures but I'm not sure how they will turn out. When the snow hits the ground it melts so there is no evidence there, you just have to see it. I feel so blessed that this happened when I was home to enjoy it. Thank you Lord.

I've been in a funk for the past two weeks and every day has been a struggle to get things done and take care of business. I spent yesterday shopping for Christmas gifts for grandchildren. I don't enjoy shopping, especially when I can't find what I want. Today I will probably sit in front of the window until the snow stops. I can type and watch at the same time so that's good. It's not so good for the quilt I should have finished two weeks ago. Oh well.

It's been 46 minutes of snow and it looks as if it over. I can get busy on the quilt. I feel great.
Peace be with you.

Happy Thanksgiving

2009-11-26T08:49:00.000-08:00

May your turkey be plump,

May your potatoes and gravy

Have never a lump.

May your yams be delicious

And your pies take the prize

And may your Thanksgiving dinner

Stay off your thighs!

author unknown.

Wishing you, your family, and friends a blessed Thanksgiving.

The Estate Sale

2009-11-15T14:44:00.000-08:00

Greetings.
My Mother called Friday and was bouncing off the walls because of an Estate sale listed in the paper. I have never been to an estate sale before. She and Tami acted like I was from another planet. Why shop if you don't need anything and you don't even know what's going to be there to purchase? Did you know that my Mom knows how to get my attention? She pointed out that lots of quilts and fabric were for sale and that got my attention. I'm on vacation and there isn't anything on my To Do List that can't wait. Tami gave me the address and directions and off I went. The front door and garage were open and people were going in every direction. As I walked into the front door I looked around at dishes, pots and pans and trinkets everywhere. A women asked me what I was interested in and I said quilts and fabric. She said up stairs and to the right, you'll be in heaven. As I started up the stairs I saw quilts hanging over the rail. They looked old and hand made. They seemed prices a bit high and I kept going. The door to my right was a small bedroom that must have been used as a craft/sewing room. There were drawers stacked on table tops and boxes of "stuff"on the floor. There was a pile of six lap and baby size quilts that were pinned, basted and ready to be quited. As I looked at this pile I started thinking about my quilt tops piled high waiting to be finished. The boxes had lace, ribbon and trims, some used and some that had not been opened. It was starting to become an out of body experience as I looked at the variety of must have just in case stuff. As I watched people going through all her things I started feeling a bit obtrusive. Was it her wish that strangers go through her stuff? There was an embossing template that hadn't been opened and it looked like something I would use so I picked it up and moved on to the next room. This too was a small room with a daybed that had a SOLD sign on it. Her closet was opened and I could tell from her clothes that she was a petite women who occasionally dressed up. She wore a size 5 shoe. There was a box of greeting cards on the dresser that she had saved. As I read some of the notes written in them I felt guilty, like I was reading somebody's mail. It looked as if she kept in touch and had lots of friends that did the same. As I proceeded down stairs I noticed a small book case. There was large family bible and various Christian books. I felt saddened by the fact that her family didn't want that beautiful bible. I thought about purchasing it but such a heart ache came over me I just couldn't. Her family tree was written in it and various other family notes. There was a small pocket size New Testament that I picked up and because there wasn't any personal notes in it took it. Downstairs there was silver, crystal, cook ware and appliances for sale. I wasn't interested in any of that so off to the garage I went. There were boxes of oil paintings. It looks like the lady of the house was interested in painting. Some of the paintings were good, not that I would know good from bad. I thought about purchasing a few of them for the frames but talked myself out of it. There was a box full of costume jewelry so I look through that. There was a small black butterfly pin with gold etching on it and K24 engraved on the bottom half of a wing. I didn't notice that until I got home and looked at it under a magnifying glass. The area between the wings is gold and has delicate etching on it. So I picked it up and went to the cashier with my big purchases. It consisted of the butterfly pin, embossing template and the small New Testament Bible. She looked at me said, "how does $1.75 sound?" I gave her the money and walked around a bit more. There was a walker in the yard with a $10 for sale sign on it. There was also had an electronic Singer Sewing machine and a Serger for sale. I noticed a small framed dress form but no dollar amount on it. I wonder about the lady that at one time owned and used all that stuff. I wonder if she intended to have strangers going through everything. After going through her home I feel like I know her. She was a Christian lady who liked to paint, sew, and quilt. She must have enjoyed entertaining because she had beautiful silver and crystal. There was a couple of boxes full of wine being sold too. I didn't check that out. I'm not sure that is even legal. So my first estate sale turned out to be a sad experience. I thought about that lady for the rest of the day.

When I got home from church today I did some organizing in my sewing room. I found some great decorative buttons I forgot I had. I will use them on some of my wall hangings. I need to make a list so my family knows what to do with my stuff. I don't want strangers picking through it.
Have a blessed day.

A Relaxed Day

2009-11-11T08:35:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was fabulous. I had a facial, made a loaf of cranberry walnut bread, cooked a roast in the crock pot and whipped up an apple crunch dessert. I cut some templates out for a snowman applique block and today I'm gong to search for my steam-a-seam light so I can fuse the pieces on to the backing. I'm not real organized and it bothers me that I have to spend so much time hunting for stuff. Sometimes I get frustrated and just go buy more. I need shelves and storage compartment to organize everything. It will probably be March before I can focus on that project but I'm collecting pictures and ideas of other quilters organized areas.

This is my daughter Tami and her precious little Jelly. I'm not sure where the name came from. Jelly is decked out in her suede "Diva"coat ready to party. Tami talks to Jelly and Jelly talks back. She even sings. When Tami goes to work there are a number of family members waiting in line to babysit. That would include Paul. The only problem Paul has is Missy and Herkie get tired of her real quick. She has too much energy. This is an up close picture of a few of the blocks in my Bro's quilt. Now that we are starting to have cooler nights he will have something to keep him warm.
These bears are a bit mischievous.

In keeping with the theme the blocks are bear paws and log cabin.

Today I'm going to start a new quilt. It's actually going to be used as a wall hanging. It's a pattern called Turtles N Tidepools designed by Patricia Pepe. You need her X-block rotary cutting tools. I might be teaching his technique at a retreat in Oregon next year. Check out her web site www.quiltqueendesigns.com.

Time is slipping by so I must get to work and have some fun. Vacations are good.

Wishing you a blessed day.

Greetings

2009-11-09T09:26:00.000-08:00

I'm Back. I didn't realize how long it's been since I posted. I have been going non stop for three weeks. So much to do and so little time. The upside is that I accomplished all my goals. Now I'm making a new list and feeling a bit overwhelmed. I've been catching up on my favorite blogs for the past three hours. I'm off work for two weeks and I just want to have fun. Catching up on blog reading is fun.

I started a class on Stephen Ministry training. It's a 50 hour training and we meet from 7:00 pm to 9:00 on Monday's. It's been a challenge because I'm usually in bed by 9:00 and up at 4:30 am. I'm so tired at work on Tuesdays I end up going to bed early to make up for lost sleep and I don't get my Tuesday evening tasks done. If that's not a sign of getting old, I don't know what is. That would explain why women shouldn't have children after 50. There are some quilts I want to get quilted and I plan to organize my quilting room.

At a quilt show I attended last month I met Connie Mantini. She wrote a book called Shatter and Sew. It's an introduction to the Shattered Image technique. You can check out her website for details. www.shatterandsew.com I bought a few yards of this beautiful fall fabric that I think would be perfect for this technique. I'm hoping to work it into my two week schedule.

I got a new camera for my BD and I will download some picture and post them tomorrow. I finished my brother's quilt and presented it to him on his birthday. I think he liked it. I have some pictures of some great quilts to share too. For now, I'm off to the grocery store.

Wishing you a blessed day.

Color be Beautiful

2009-10-12T14:55:00.000-07:00

Two days in a row, how about that? I just couldn't wait to share this. Today is Columbus Day and a holiday for me, but not for my dentist. I had an appointment this morning and then I had clothes to take back to Penney's and I wanted to pick up another memory stick for my camera. I usually keep my eyes on the road and on the other drivers around me but, every once in a while something will catch my peripheral vision. Check out the color. I just happened to have my camera with me so I though it only fair to share the beauty of color; Bright, bold color. The blue is a triplex among triplexes and for the most part the area isn't kept up. It wasn't too noticeable before but now you can't miss it.

Down the street a few block we have this. I have never seen a tangerine colored house. I'm wondering if this was trim paint gone astray. There are houses on both sides of this one that are conservatively painted and landscaped. That might be why this house stands out now. I must say, it's just in time for Halloween.

As I drove through my neighborhood I noticed the leaves are turning yellow, orange, and brown, in keeping with the autumn season. I love the colors of Autumn. Tomorrow we are supposed to have a storm with high winds and lots of rain. I'm looking forward to it. I just wish I could stay home and enjoy it.

Color your world and have a blessed day.

Checking In

2009-10-11T18:15:00.000-07:00

Greetings. It's been a few weeks since I posted anything. Truth is I've been as busy as a one armed paper hanger. I'm starting a class on Monday nights that requires homework. I have bible study on Wednesday nights and there is homework (reading) in that. I have a quilt guild meeting on the 3rd and 4th Thursdays of the month. I'm working full time, which will be ending in five months. It seems I have two days out of the week that I have time to sit at my computer and read emails and post to this blog. I miss reading blogs and sometimes I spend too much time doing that and don't have time to post on my own.

Today I had to break down and go shopping. I have never enjoyed shopping and today was no different. JC Penney is across the street from Church so, being the time management person that I am, I stopped in before heading out. I found some really good buys but most were too small. Okay, I know, that's my fault and I need to do something about it. Now for the clothes that are my size, I wanted to try on. On the day I choose to shop, Penney's decides to paint their dressing rooms. They had one dressing room area for the entire first floor and their was a line. I hate waiting in lines so I just bought everything and I will try them on tonight and those that don't fit or look right will go back on Wednesday.

I've been looking to upgrade my camera. Best Buy had something I felt meet my needs and the price was right. My issue was the battery. The salesman was no help. He couldn't answer my questions and he would leave to check with somebody else and it would appear nobody else could either, so I left. I just figure it wasn't meant to be. I had to stop in at Office Depot and pick up pencils for Saturday so I thought I would check out the cameras too. A young man asked if he could answer any questions. Oh my gosh, what a concept. I asked, he answered, and even provided written documentation on some of the questions I was asking. I was so excited I wanted to buy two. Their price was $50 more than Best Buy and he said no problem, we match any competitor's price. Thank you Lord.

Then if was off to Joann's with my 50% coupon. Since I'm intentional about spending I couldn't use that coupon. There was nothing I needed that wasn't already on sale. Oh well.

I'm finishing up my brother's quilt. When the binding is done I will take a picture, with my new camera and post it.

Tuesday we have a storm coming. My daughter-in-law laughs when I tell her that. She lives in the mid-west and said we don't have real storms. I love the rain and I'm really looking forward to the "Storm". It will be clear on Saturday and I'll be headed to the Pacific International quilt show with 52 other people on a bus. I'm so excited. I will be taking lots of pictures and I will share them with you all.

Have a blessed week.

Update on Activities

2009-09-28T19:34:00.000-07:00

Life is a stitch. I've been sewing up a storm since I last posted. But before I share that I want to share a few pictures I took at the Diablo Quilt show. All the quilts were fabulous but a few really caught my eye. This little quilt is so cute and this picture doesn't do it justice. I have a few close ups so you get an idea of the detail. The quilter used fabric paints for shading and yarn for the hair. This is one close up that shows the painting on the legs and knees and face. Isn't this as cute as can be?

This is another example. Those are actual bows. I might try something like this in the future.

The President's challenge was all about fruit. I thought these pears were beautiful. I couldn't do this with paint let alone fabric. I would live to hang this in my kitchen.

This picture had some incredible quilting on it. What a work of art.

These are the fruit ladies and I have this panel. Now I know what I want to do with it. This is one fruitie quilt and so cute. We also went to Quilting in the Garden at the Alden Lane Nursery. I'll try to get some pictures posted. It was too hot for an autumn day.

This is quilt is one I made while on vacation for a co-worker who retired. She loves Maxine and I bought an embroidery disc with a dozen different Maxine's featured. I kind of put the horse before the cart and designed the blocks and quilt before all the Maxine blocks were embroidered so some were too big. I scanned some office photos on fabric and had her co-workers write their well wishes on the blocks. We had a lunch for her and people were able to write special messages to her. I'm pleased to announce, she really liked it. I've gotten a few thank yous from her. I really enjoyed making it too. So this is the back before a lot of messages were written in the white area.

This is the front being held up by Cindy's immediate co-workers. Cindy is the happy lady on the end with glasses. She has emailed me and says she is enjoying retirement and her quilt.

So today I put the borders on my brother's quilt I'm making for his birthday. I think he will like it and it will be a surprise. I also got my One-Block Wonder arranged on my design board. It's going to be a Christmas quilt. When I get it sewen and the first border on I'll post a picture. I'm not too sure what I'm going to use for the outside border. Then I have one more baby quilt to finish. It just needs the borders sewen on and then quilted.

Well tomorrow I have to be at work all day so when I get home I will probably sew one row of my OBW quilt and put the borders on the baby quilt. Wouldn't it be nice if all I ever had to do was quilt? Maybe someday soon.

Wishing you a blessed week.

What's Been Happening?

2009-09-13T18:44:00.000-07:00

One week gone and one week up. I practiced being retired last week and I was very, very good at it. I accomplished a lot and felt stress free. Monday I spent some time at Liz's house then did a little shopping. Tuesday I had a dental appointment in the morning and spent the rest of the day cleaning. Since my hubby had places to go and people to see I had the house to myself. I moved furniture and vacuumed, dusted, mopped, and scrubbed. The house looks great. I woke up Wednesday morning and could hardly move. I guess I'm getting too old for the housework game. Wednesday I headed for Quilters Quarters for their 9th Anniversary sale. I had the greatest time. I run into quilters I haven't seen in almost a year. I purchased 25 fat quarters for $25 and signed up for the One Block Wonder class. I also picked up more fabric for the Maxine quilt I'm making. By the way, it's done and I will start the quilting Tuesday. I'll post a picture next week. Thursday I headed to JoAnn's and ran into another long time friend. I went there to order a part for my quilting frame and spent almost an hour visiting. I've been reading, quilting, gardening, and relaxing. I've also enjoyed spending time with my hubby and worrying about what I should be doing. We've spent relaxed time together just chatting and being together. It's almost like falling in love again.

Saturday as I was reading Revelation 1:9 there was lightning, then the loud sound of thunder, followed by a little bit of rain. That went on for a couple of hours. The sky was beautiful with streaks of blue and fluffy clouds in an array of colors ranging from black to greys and white. Tami came by and we visited and I think all that thunder made her a little uneasy, although she wasn't going to say so. She knows how much I enjoy it. I could have used a bit more rain.

So next week will start with the One Block Wonder class. Tuesday, another early morning dental appointment then quilting in the afternoon. Wednesday I will be quilting during the day and off to church in the evening. Thursday is a whatever day if I have my quilting completed and the evening will be spent at the quilt guild meeting. Friday I'll work on finishing up my three quilt projects and Saturday I'll post some pictures.

I'm loving life and all it offers. God's peace to you.

Super Sunday

2009-09-06T17:38:00.000-07:00

Our pastor's sermon this morning focused on Ephesians 6:10-20. I love the way the Lord answers our prayers. I've been asking him to guide me through my conversations with friends who are hurting, afraid, and depressed. It is a time of uncertainty for people and for many reasons. I always say to have faith but I know for many, that's not as easy as it sounds. Mary, my sister-in-law, has skin cancer and she is having surgery next week. Please pray for her. She is my BFF and quilting buddy. She is the sister I never had. She lives in Oregon so I can't be together whenever we want. We've wanted to move to Oregon for five years but that doesn't seem to be "His" will. I have a enough vacation time available so I can always head up there if she needs me.

So on the subject of vacation, I'm making a list and checking it twice. I have so many things I want to accomplish during this time off. I have three quilts that need to be finished and one I want to start. I also want to do some things around the house and yard. It really feels good to have the freedom to do things I want to do.

I'm going to start working on EQ6. I have had the program for a year but I never made the time to design a quilt with it. I have gone through the tutorials and I'm looking forward to mastering it. I feel creative these days.

My great nephew and his Mom moved to Redding a few weeks ago and I would like to go visit with them. She called my last week and put Joey on the phone and he jabbered away. He is two and has his own dialogue. He is such a cutie. I'm going to miss him.

The next time I post I hope to have pictures of some of my accomplishments.

Until then, keep the faith.

A Special September

2009-09-01T18:25:00.000-07:00

August finished in flames here in California. It's almost like the state is a blaze. It is so heartbreaking to see so many people losing their homes. I hope September brings an end to all these fires. I hope you will join me in praying for the people and firefighters.

This is going to be a special September for me because I'm taking two weeks vacation and staying close to home. I have list of things I want to accomplish but this is a kind of test run for retirement. Retirement is still 192 days away but I want to get into the habit of setting goals and accomplishing something everyday. I want to be so busy that I will need to take a vacation just to rest from all the things I'm doing. I will be doing a lot of quilting, of course, but I'm going to decorate my house for fall. I always do a little of that anyway but due to the lack of time I never have gone all out. I'm going to shop for some pictures for one of the bathrooms and I'm making a curtain for the window. I might even do some shopping for new area rugs. I'm also going to plant my fall bulbs. I want my yard to be full of flowering color this Spring. I have three quilts that are gifts and I will get those completed too. I will work the entire month in October and take another two weeks off in November. Life is good.

Have you checked out Patchwork Party Fall 2009. I'm disappointed in the finishing kits and debating on buying the 12 blocks and creating my own quilt. Then again, maybe I should finish the Patchwork quilts I have started. I explained to some friend Saturday that I was a Zen Quilter. I quilt for the process. It's therapeutic. I think I'll do some quilting now.

Have a bless week.

Greetings

2009-08-27T18:05:00.000-07:00

Where have I been? Don't ask because I'm not sure. I am amazed at how fast time goes by. I noticed that I haven't posted anything on this blog since the 10th. It doesn't seem that long ago. Last week I attended a quilt guild meeting and had a few pictures I was going to post. I'm not sure when but I will. Last Saturday I got together with other guild members and we worked on next years Opportunity Quilt. I have pictures of that too, just not today. I have been busy with various projects that have deadlines connected to them and maybe even pictures to post. I'm up at 4:30 in the morning and then it's 9:00 and off to bed I go. I'm wondering if this is a symptom of getting older?

Batiks Plus is one of my favorite web stores. I don't purchase a lot from them but, only because I don't have the money. The quilt below is a Judy Niemeyer design done in batiks. The cost of the quilt kit is $390. No that doesn't include the backing. It takes every ounce of my self control not to pull out my credit card and purchase this kit. I love the quilt and I love batik fabrics.

My favorite season is autumn. I love everything about it and I think I focused on that once before. I enjoy making bread but don't do it in the summer because it's too hot to fire up the oven. I'm looking forward to our first cool day, that I'm not working, to make bread. I've been ordering bread mixes from Moore's Flour Mill for over six years. They don't have a web site but you can contact them at (530)241-9245. They are located in Redding California. They have a Walnut Cranberry bread machine mix that is out of this world. It's only 2.99 (I remember purchasing it for 2.59) and worth every dime. If your every in Redding you should look them up. They are family owned and operated and very nice to do business with.

The weekend is almost here. Tomorrow is casual wear day at work which means it's Friday. Whoo Woo! I'm going to a baby shower and quilt store and then I'm working on completed some of my projects. I might even visit the State Fair. Life if good.

Wishing you a blessed weekend.

Just Whining

2009-08-10T19:22:00.000-07:00

I have been trying to finish up my Sister's Twister quilt for a month. That would be the quilting part. I practiced a free motion leaf pattern for weeks and I'm very proud of it. Now, if my thread would stop breaking and my machine would stop falling of the rails I could have this quilt quilted in a few hours. I'm using a thread brand called Presencia, 50 wt. This thread is expensive and not worth a dime. If your wondering why I bought this brand and why I'm not buying something else it's because the local quilt stores in the area don't carry anything else. I've been told the products that JoAnn's carries aren't any good. Well we'll see about that when I start my next project. I didn't want to order thread on line because I am concerned about the color matching. I'm always saying I want to be a long arm quilter until I start a quilting project. I have been attending various workshops and classes and it would appear, when looking at the books in my bookcase, that I have every book written on the subject, yet it's one thing after another. I have changed my needle, re-threaded the machine, and checked my bobbin and that hasn't made a difference. As many quilts as I piece it really is necessary for me to master this skill because I would need to win the Lotto to have the $$$ to pay a long arm quilter to finish all my quilt tops.

I have been looking at the professional long arm's like APQS, Nolting, Tin Lizzie and Gammill but we are talking 10 to 20 thousand dollars, not to mention the space they take up. I would have to commit to starting a business to pay for this. We'll see. Thanks for letting me vent. I'm going to have an ice cream and watch Two and Half Men. Maybe tomorrow I will try quilting again.

Have a blessed evening.

What to do next.

2009-08-09T16:34:00.000-07:00

Greetings. The weather has been wonderful and I've been spending a lot of time outside. I'm stuck in an office all day without even a window so I appreciate sitting outdoors in the fresh air. I had asked my hubby to put a water feature in by the pool because I find the sound of trickling water very relaxing. He hung the hose over the side of the pool and turned the water on just a trickle. I will be more specific when I ask him for something in the future. Yesterday it started warming up and for the next few days we will be in the triple digits.

Friday we celebrated our 33rd. wedding anniversary. I worked all day so we went out for a nice dinner. We don't eat out much and so it was a treat.

Saturday I spent the entire day cleaning my living room. You are probably thinking I must be a very dirty housekeeper. Well, not on the surface. I have lots of stuff and when you have to move lots of stuff around it takes lots of time. I guess you could say I am very blessed. I have a collection of Betty Boop porcelain dolls in a display case that hasn't been dusted in months. It took hours to take each doll out, clean the glass shelves and the dolls and put them back. They are very fragile and you don't want to bump porcelain against glass. It was well worth it. I also have dozens of porcelain dolls I have made over the years. We are talking 25 years. I taught doll making, made clothes and sold the finished dolls in a boutique called The Dragonfly. Well that was then and this is now. I felt it was time to put some of those dolls up and some are being donated to the Cancer Society for a fundraiser they have scheduled. The attraction of making your own porcelain doll has died so I make a few dolls when I get special request, for which I have two.
This doll is named Roma. She has beautiful hand blown glass eyes from Germany. I used glass eyes in all my dolls. With the time and expense that goes into make these dolls it isn't worth putting in plastic. Porcelain will last for centuries and so will the glass eyes. You can always buy a new wig.

This is China. I've got a Hawaiian print that I'm going to use for her new dress. I will use the same pattern and I've got a silk hibiscus for her hair.

These four beauty's were designed my the same artist. I have the molds for them and I'm planning to make up a set of each for my granddaughters.

This is Willow. I had her dressed in an Indian outfit at one time. I love making doll clothes and changing their outfits.

Here is a close up. What an expression. I might be making up doll clothes and selling them on EBay.

This is Sugar Britches. This is the doll that started it all. This is the first porcelain doll I ever made. I've had her dressed in PJ's, Christening gowns, and little dresses. This outfit was purchased and it's a replica of the designers outfit. My living room got an overall dusting and vacuuming and I even washed the windows. In the spring I will be redecorating.

I have been working on my applique a little each night and tonight I'm going to start sewing block together on a quilt I need completed by October. It's all good.

Wising you a blessed evening.

A New Month

2009-08-01T11:21:00.000-07:00

Greetings from the most miserable city in the country. It's the first day of August and there are 147 days until Christmas. Schools are starting up again. The Fall Equinox is 53 day away. (day when night and day are of equal length) Fall Equinox falls on September 22nd. this year. I love the colors, weather, and smells of Autumn. I've always been more creative during this time of the year. I enjoy decorating the house and shopping for fabric. Fabric colors in autumn are rich and vibrant. Our various family celebrations are behind me and now I can focus on my WW again. I have to stop at the grocery store after church tomorrow and stock up on all the right foods and spend time meal planning. I guess you can say I'm jazzed today. This is a link to a really cool blog about dieting and food. It's fun and informative and I think it's part of the reason for my inspiration. http://www.thechubbyartist.blogspot.com/

For a couple of years Stockton had the highest foreclosure rates in the nation, #1, and we learned this week we are now # 5 in foreclosures. Today's Record is reporting the closure of the Lexington Hotel and the upcoming auction. This hotel started out in August, 2005 as the Sheraton. It was a luxurious hotel in the middle of a not so luxurious downtown. It boasted seven floors, 179 room and 42 big ticket condominiums for sale. It was very nice but out of place in Stockton. It was the dream child of a few of the good old boys here in the most miserable city. The hotel was built on waterfront property the city sold for $1. Yes, you read it right, ONE DOLLAR. The city government subsidized $500,000 of the tax payers money for the project. Sad to say, it was a bust from the beginning. The bank foreclosed on it in July of 08 and has been in receivership since. In November of 08 it became the Lexington Hotel and now it's going to be sold at public auction. The amazing part of all this, the Mayor is quoted in the Record as saying, Ï think everyone is in shock that this would happen at this juncture." I have to ask, are all our elected government official out of touch with reality? Who did she think was going to stay at this hotel? Ít's not like we have big business or manufacturing here. It's an agriculture community. This city has great potential with an inland port, airport, and rail access but in 59 years that I've been here, these golden treasures have always been underutilized. So, if you want to buy a large hotel you know where to come. Someday I'll tell you about the city's use of public funds to subsidize a Sacramento restaurant owner. It was as successful as the Sheraton.

Enough of the negative. I'm off to plan, clean, organize, and quilt, not necessarily in that order. Have a blessed day.

Back to Work

2009-07-28T17:47:00.000-07:00

Greetings. I'm back to work after a marvelous weeks vacation. I did a lot of things but managed to stay close to home. I worked on four quilt projects and made plans for a new one. I gave Herkie a bath and trimmed him nice and short for these hot days. I think I did as well as the groomer and saved $35 too. Herkie doesn't like baths but he is so good about it. I found time to do some serious cleaning around the house, but the best part of this vacation was spending time with my hubby. The days were cooler so we sat in the patio and talked, listened to the radio, and swam almost every day. It was a very relaxed laid back kinda week. To top things off work wasn't too bad and I had a lot of catch up to get done so the day went by fast.

I'm playing with EQ 6 this week with a goal of creating my own quilt design, making the quilt, and publishing the pattern. I want to teach it at a quilt retreat coming up in Oregon in the Spring of 2010. I see all these beautiful fabrics and I want to put them into a quilt so I can enjoy looking at them. Buying them and adding to my stash isn't the same.

Wishing you a blessed week until next time.

Quilting in July

2009-07-21T16:29:00.000-07:00

Greetings from the Vacation Zone. I'm loving not having to be any place special at any special time. I am enjoying doing what I want when I want. Is this what retirement is like? The best part of this is there is no loss of things to do. I've been swimming every day. I have also budgeted time every day to read. I'm reading Tami Hoag's Lucky's Lady. It's a fast fun read. I took my refrigerator apart and cleaned it. It looks like new. I also cleaned and rearranged some shelves in the laundry room. I just spent two hours reading quilter's blogs. There are some amazing people out there quilting.

This is a picture of a quilt I'm working on today. Actually, I've been working on this quilt for about six months. I get pulled in other directions and it gets set aside. This weekend I was inspired to applique and this quilt has appliqued blocks in it. The reds and blues give it a happy playful feeling about it. The picture doesn't do it justice. It's called Prairie Pot Pie, designed by Rose Wojnar, and will be 92"x 92"when finished.

Here is a picture of eight of the blocks I have completed. They are kind of close together but you can get a better idea of the true color. I want to start the applique blocks so I can sit with my hubby while he watches TV and work on my blocks.

This is a picture of a quilt that was hanging up at Bear Paws and Hollyhocks in Sacramento. It's the inspiration that got me thinking about applique. There are pieced blocks around the appliqued center and appliqued flowers around the boarder. As usual, the picture doesn't do it justice.

This quilt top was at J R Flamingo in Sacramento, the unique part of this quilt is the cranes in the upper left corner are appliqued on along with the large flower along the bottom. This would be beautiful as a wall hanging.

Now, how cute is this. These little guys greet you at the door of Bear Paws and Hollyhocks. That quilt store is so inviting. I had a great time looking around. I was with other guild members Saturday shopping for fabric for next years opportunity quilt. We visited four different shops and every shop had something different. I found fabric for a quilt I'm making for a friend and some fabric I will use in my Paper Doll quilt I'm making for Brooke. I had a great day Saturday.

I am sewing the blocks for my brother's quilt tomorrow. I need to set up a larger design wall too. I have some blocks I want to sew together and I need to audition them on a design wall so I can stand back to get the right colors together. So much to do and so little time. I better get busy. It's not work when you love what you're doing.

I pray your days are as blessed as mine.

It's Friday

2009-07-17T20:48:00.000-07:00

Happy day it’s Friday and the start of my 10 day vacation. In thinking this out I thought it was going to be 10 days of spontaneous activities like quilting, cleaning, lying by the pool drinking lots of iced tea, reading, and a couple of day trips to the foothills or coast. I also wanted to spend time at the computer working with EQ 6. I made a TO DO LIST but only as a suggestion in case I can’t choose what to do next. That might sound a bit strange as I have so many things I want to do, and need to do, I get a bit overwhelmed. Having a list helps me to prioritize smart.

Thursday night at our quilt guild meeting Sandra shared her paper doll quilt. Isn’t it the cutest? There is a pocket on the back to store the clothes. I’m going to have to make one for Brooke. So my To Do List grows.

These pictures are not very good. I just ordered the fabric and when I get it done I'll post the picture.

This blue quilt has embroidered centers and hundreds of half square triangles. I love it.

Saturday five of us from the guild are going on a road trip shopping for fabric for next years Opportunity quilt. We are going to Quilters Corner in Sacramento. I took a class there and it is an awesome shop. Then we will be off to Tayo’s in Fair Oaks, J R Flamingo and Bear Paws and Hollyhocks in Sacramento, and Torrie’s Sew and Vac in Carmichael. In case you aren’t aware, that would be the same as turning a bunch of kids loose in a candy store and telling them they can have anything they want. I can’t have anything I want but is there is something I can not live without it will be mine. You have to be real about this stuff.

Wednesday night is a board meeting and Friday night I’m taking a serger class at Jan’s. Her daughter Jennifer usually teaches the classes and she is a sweetie. She is very talented and a good teacher too.

I’ll keep you posted as the week progress.

Have a blessed day.

The Heat is On

2009-07-14T20:04:00.000-07:00

The heat has arrived. It's 101 today and it's going to get hotter through the week. I can't believe we had light rain on Saturday and it was only 79. I love the rain and I sat in the patio and watched the sprinkles come down and the dark clouds moving overhead. We even had a rainbow. This is unusual for July in Stockton. Last year half the days in the month were 100+ degrees. I'm not fond of the heat so I'm grateful for the mild temperatures we have been enjoying up until now.

I was reading a friends blog and she mentioned that she had found some half finished blocks and seemed amazed by that. I thought that was normal. I have discovered something about me and my obsession with quilting. I don't quilt to have a quilt. It's about the process that I enjoy. Don't get me wrong, when I finish a quilt I'm very pleased but I'm also okay with having numerous quilt blocks tucked away in their project box waiting to to be sewed into a quilt. Next week I am taking some vacation time and I'm planning to finish two quilts. One is my brothers birthday present and the other is the Patch Work Party quilt I started in March. The setting blocks need to be completed and then I can assemble the quilt top. I will post a picture when it's done. I have a couple of kids crafting aprons I want to finish and send of to two of my granddaughter's. So much to do and so little.

Wishing you a blessed day.

Betty Boop

2009-07-07T18:16:00.000-07:00

I have been a fan of Betty Boop since childhood. As a child I watched Betty Boop cartoons and I think that’s when it all started. When I see Betty Boop it reminds me of my childhood when I was allowed to sit in front of the television watching Betty Boop cartoons.

I have been collecting Betty Boop items for 40 years. Some of my collectibles are rare and pricey and others are inexpensive and fun. The majority of my Boop collection is gifts from friends and family so they have a special place in my heart.

This is my latest addition and I purchased her because she is making a statement about breast cancer awareness. I love her pink dress. She is made of porcelain and is a true collectible.

Quilting is my passion. A day doesn't go by when I'm not doing some kind of project involving fabric. Quilting can involve embroidery, paper piecing, strip piecing, templates, etc. and sometime I get board or something else catches my eye and I go to a new project, hence the UFO's. So, when my friend publicly, on her blog, asked that we reveal our UFO list to the world I freaked. Family and friends read my blog. This is how I keep up with family and friends out of town and state. Do I dare reveal all? Sometimes when I'm searching for fabric I will find a quilt top I did years ago. Not like 10 or 20 years but like 2 or 3 and sometimes maybe 5 years ago. I guess I should be thankful that she isn't asking about my unfinished kits. So I'm doing some soul searching and I'm going to go through all my UFO's and start the list.

So, here is a quilt designed by my talented friend, Dianah, called Hole In My Roll. It's made from one Bali Pop. It was fast and fun. I will finish it this week and quilt it myself. This is a picture of it on my design wall. I love the colors. I'm not sure if I'm going to add a boarder yet so It will leave it hanging a few days and look at it, study it, take it to work and ask for opinions and then we'll see.

Until next time have a blessed week.

Don't Worry, Be Happy

2009-06-30T17:41:00.000-07:00

A few year ago I received a book written by Billy Graham titled Hope for Each Day. As I was reading through it I came upon a section on worry. Graham quoted Vance Havner, “Worry is like sitting in a rocking chair. It will give you something to do, but it won’t get you anywhere.” I admit I have been worrying more than usual. I’ve been worrying about the state of our State, Nation, and the world. I worry about our young people and the effect of the dumbing down of American children in the public school system. I worry about the governments attempt to silent the conservatives with their not so “FAIR” Fairness Doctrine. It really causes me to worry when our Legislatures sign bills into law without even reading them and our government prints money they can't back. It has gotten so disturbing that I have stopped listening to the news or reading the paper. I’m especially saddened about the lawlessness in our nation and it looks like it is getting worse. I sometimes want to crawl under the covers and never come out. Graham quoted Exodus 33:22, Gods promise to Moses. “I will put you in the cleft of the rock, and will cover you with My hand”. That is God’s promise to us. Christ is our Rock, and we are secure in His hands forever. Things may be falling down around us but, our hearts should be at rest. So I will stop the worry and put my faith in Christ. I will continue to pray, asking the Lord to grant our leaders wisdom.

I have another quilt added to my list that I want to make. I think quilting keeps my mind on more positive things. I want to pull out some coordinating fabrics and make up some community for our guild to donate. That will be a great opportunity to practice my quilting. I think I'll start now.

Have a blessed day.

A tale of too much heat.

2009-06-29T19:58:00.000-07:00

Yesterday it was 110 degrees and I had to stop by Target after church to pick up a few things, like root beer and ice cream and my car wouldn't start. It had to be 250 degrees in my car and just knew I would get home with root beer and a half gallon milk shake. Within five minutes my car started and I made it home before the ice cream melted but I felt sick. I've never had heat stroke but I think that's what I experienced yesterday. All I wanted to do was lay down and drink ice water. Today it's only 105 and since I worked I was blessed with air conditioning and since I park in a covered lot my car wasn't heated up. When I got home I spent some time piecing a quilt I'm making for my brother's 60th birthday in November. It feels good not to be rushed when I'm working on a quilting project.

I've been practicing my free motion quilting too. I can see a lot of improvement. I am looking forward to having some time to focus on that skill. Meanwhile here are some pictures of the quilt I made for a friend's first grand baby. I struggled with how to quilt it and I'm happy with the way it turned out. I wish the pictures showed more detail.

It's a panel with pieced blocks down one side and across the bottom.

This is a picture of the entire quilt. I quilted a butterfly pattern in the triangles at the bottom to mimic the butterfly's in the quilt and flowers and leaves in the squares and panels. Sorry about this picture. I'm not sure if I should blame the camara or my computer.

I have so many quilts I want to do and so little time. When I'm done with my brothers I will finish my Patch Work Party quilt. I could probably finish that in a few days.

It's still warm out so I'm going to cool of in the pool and hit the sack. I'm sure tomorrow holds many surprises and blessings.

Gods peace to you.

Happy Father's Day

2009-06-21T18:45:00.000-07:00

It's that day of the year when we honor our Dads and recognize them for all they do. I think we should make everyday Father's day. Being a Dad isn't an easy job but hopefully it will be the most rewarding. My Dad passed away 35 years ago. So much has happened and changed during that time. As I reflect on my Dad and who he was and what he stood for I think he would be very dissapointed at what has happened to our country and our government. My Dad was a man of integeraty and honesty. He was a fair and caring man that respected people for who they were. My Dad was a very hard working individual who believed you should work for what you want. He always told me I would appreciate the things I have because I worked for them and he was right. I don't know what he would think if he was here today and saw our welfare system and what it's done to our state. I say state because California has welfare programs that are so lukerative people move here from other states. 35 years ago we didn't need police in the schools. Okay, enough of the negative. My husband never got to meet my Dad and my Dad wasn't able to see his beautiful granddaughter grow up with children of her own. So if your blessed and have your Dad around enjoy this time and be thankful for the opportunity.

Today was a special Sunday for me because my nephew's girl friend came to church with me. I've been sharing my faith with her and praying for this for two years. She brought Baby Joey and he played in the nursery. He had a good time and was a very good little boy. She said she enjoyed it and wanted to go next week too. Praise God!

So I finished the baby quilt and I'll post a picture at the end of the week. I'm designing a special quilt label. I'm pleased with the improvement in my quilting. I used my Mom's Pfaff because I couldn't get the bobbin tension right on my Viking. My next project is to finish my brothers 60th birthday quilt.

God's peace be with you until next time.

TGIF I THINK

2009-06-12T17:13:00.000-07:00

I don’t know about you but for me, one little thing can go wrong in the morning and turn my entire day upside down. Today was one of those days.
I got up early this morning so I would have time to stop and gas up my car. I’m on the road at 6:30 and the traffic is light, which is a good thing because the developmentally delayed seem to populate the roads at that time in the morning. These people creep along 10 – 15 miles under the speed limit, and wait until they are actually making the turn to use their turn signals. My favorite are the ones that wait until you are almost at the intersection and then they pull out right in front of you and creep along. You check your rear view mirror thinking there must be a line of cars behind you and this is their only window of opportunity, but no, there are no cars behind you, so I figure they must be visually impaired. Tonya, you know what I'm talking about.

I’m following a school bus and I’m staying a safe distance behind. As we approach the intersection the bus enters and the light turns yellow so I stop. Before the bus is out of the intersection the light is red. Almost immediately the light is green again and I take off and while I’m still in the intersection the light turns yellow and then red. My first thought is okay Lord, is this a test? So on to the next intersection. This one is a photo enforced intersections where your picture is taken if you run the red light. Okay, so I’m behind the bus again, the light turns green, we go, and then the light turns yellow then red and I’m still in the dang intersection. This is at West Lane and Hammer, which is a huge intersection, like five or six lanes. I can’t punch it because the bus is in front of me and I don’t want a ticket. What’s up with this? Is this a scam the city has devised to increase revenue’s to balance their budget? The irony here is that I’m very aware of these intersection with the cameras and I always approach with caution. So, while I’m filling up my gas tank, I’m steaming, getting angry and upset trying to figure how I’m going to handle this, it just isn’t fair. As I’m driving to work I hit a couple of the numerous potholes in the road, not good for the car. Stockton has the worst roads. Maybe the city wants additional income from traffic fines to fix the roads.

By the time I get to work I’m really upset. I sit at my desk and in front of me is a tile with Psalm 18:2 on it. The Lord is my strength, in whom I will trust. So I ask him how I should handle this, I can’t just ignore it. I call Stockton’s traffic signal maintenance division and to my surprise a lady answers the phone. I thought I would get a recording because it’s not even 7:30. I explained my situation and she said she would transfer me to the electrical shop. Ed answered the phone and I told him my story. I’m not sure why but he was laughing. He explained that the lights are on timers which operate according to the traffic usage. I explained to him that that should not be the case on the intersections that are photo enforced and the time between yellow and red should be enough time for a car to get through the intersection. He is still chuckling and I asked him if these calls are recorded. He said no and asked if I was going to curse him out, then I started laughing. No, I explained, that wasn’t my style I just didn’t want to receive a ticket for something that was out of my control. He laughed again and said he would call the traffic engineers. So it’s a wait and see. Now I ask you, who should have to start their day like that?
The day continued with computer problems and more regulations from the state that make my work very unpleasant. So it’s Friday and tomorrow is Saturday I don’t have to drive in traffic. After church on Sunday I can work on my quilting project and play with my dogs. Thank God it’s Friday.
Have a blessed weekend.

Marvelous Monday

2009-06-08T21:04:00.000-07:00

Of course it’s marvelous, it’s my day off. I had a great weekend. My sister-in-law arrived from Oregon Thursday night. We have Chinese food for dinner and sat around talking until way after my bedtime.

Friday after breakfast I took her to our local quilt store to check it out and meet the ladies who work there. They are the greatest. Debbie, the owner, was there and she and Mary hit it off. They were wheeling and dealing and I was catching up with the ladies and checking out all the eye candy. I love fabric and Debbie has plenty. I think we were there over three hours. Then it was home, dinner, and more chatting. I gave her a trunk show of all the quilt tops I’ve made and need to quilt.

Saturday we headed back to Quilter’s Quarters and Mary and Debbie did more wheeling and dealing. When we left there it was off to Gottschalks for their liquidation sale. The store is closing up and I sure hate to see it go. We don’t have many good stores in town and I was usually able to find cloths that were suitable for work there. Mary picked up a metal display rack that will be perfect for hanging quilt patterns and stacking fat quarters at her quilt shop. Then it was home to get ready for the big wedding in Modesto. It was our great-nephew’s wedding and we had a great time. The evening was fabulous and from my point of view it was the perfect wedding.

Sunday I went to church, everybody else was off doing their thing. It was a slow paced day that ended in a barbeque and a movie. Mary left this morning and it was back to reality. I accomplished a lot today. The laundry is done and I vacuumed. I spent time outside trimming my rose bushes and the hedges in the front of the house. The weather was wonderful and I sat on the side of the pool with my feet in the water thinking about how great it will be when I’m retired and I’ll have more time to enjoy all the blessing I have.

I have a quilt I need to get finished so until next time have a blessed life.

What's been going on.

2009-05-28T19:21:00.000-07:00

Show and Tell at the Quilt Guild Thursday night was great. These ladies are modeling jackets they made at last months workshop.

These are sweatshirts embellished with prairie points.

Memorial Day weekend was fabulous. Family came over Sunday and we barbequed, swam, and sat around talking and relaxing. It was a beautiful day. Baby Joey had the best time in the water with his Dad. The handsome guy in the picture is my #1 grandson with his dog Jelly. What's better than Fun, Food, and Family?

The month of May is coming to an end and it’s time to set goals for June. I finally received the final Block Party block kit from Calico Cat. I will get the quilt pieced this month and then I’m going to find somebody to quilt it. I want the quilting to be special like the fabrics and blocks. I’m also finishing up a special baby quilt for a friend. I’ll post a picture when it’s done, which should be in two weeks.

I’ve been quilting on my Sisters Twister quilt. I had about ¼ of it quilted and realized the thread tension was off and I had to rip it out and start over. I will finish that quilt in June too.
My BFF (sister-in-law from Oregon) will be here on the 4th to attend a family wedding. I’m taking the 5th off so we can play with fabric and plan my future in Oregon. She is co-owner of Sonja's Sewing Basket in Sutherlin Oregon. The plan is to join the partnership.

Wishing you God's peace. Have a wonderful weekend.

Blessed Event

2009-05-19T20:41:00.000-07:00

Congratulations go to my friend and co-worker Renee as she welcomes the arrival of her first grandchild, Ella Shea. As special as every child is, there is something almost magical about your first grandchild. As many of us spent a great deal of time today hovering over Renee's desk waiting for that special call, many of us were remembering the arrival of our first grandchild. Ella Shea weighed in at 9lbs 12 oz. She is an amazing gift of God. Welcome Baby Ella.

Congratulations to Mom, Dad and all the other family members too.

Marvelous Monday

2009-05-11T17:09:00.000-07:00

It was a marvelous Monday because I had the day off. It was a bit windy but in the 80’s and I sat with my feet in the pool and started reading a book that I’ve want to read for the past year. The birds were singing and I could hear a cricket off in the distance. There is a gardenia bush in the corner of the yard and the fragrance was captivating. It brought back memories of a trip my husband and I took to Maui and a State park we walked through that had fragranced flowers everywhere. There were pools of water filled by water falls. Back to reality, the book I mentioned is, Philip Yancey’s Finding God in Unexpected Places. I also found time to piece some quilt blocks. This was truly a blessed day in so many ways.

So here is the update on what’s been going on. I finished my cake decorating class. Here is a picture of the cake I did. There are more techniques I want to learn but I think I will wait a month before starting up again.

The wedding shower was fabulous. The lunch was good and the Kate got a lot of nice gifts. I had a great time and I really like Kate. My niece and her daughter did a wonderful job putting the shower together and it was held in a spectacular old private home. I think somebody said it was built in the early 1800’s. Here is two views of the front entrance.

It had rained during the day and everything was clean and fresh looking. I love the rain so it really made everything special. I'm not sure everybody felt the same.

This is a picture of the grooms grandmothers, the bride to be, her mother and the grooms mother.

I’m still waiting on a block for my Patch Work Party quilt but I started a baby quilt for a friend. I picked up some great quilt fabric at Quilter’s Quarters at 50% off and did some catching up. I haven’t been in the store for a few months due to my pledge to use up some of my stash before buying more fabric. Oh like that's going to happen. With our 9% sales tax I can't afford to buy a lot of fabric to store. I consider this purchase a very small relapse since the fabric was half price. The staff at the quilt store are great and I miss not seeing them regularly.

Mother’s day started at church where an omelet brunch was served after the service. How special was that? I got a great card from Brit, Brook, and Bree and a beautiful wind chime to hang in my kitchen window. Tami picked up some Christian music for me and we barbequed, which meant less mess in the kitchen. I hope you all had a wonderful Mother’s day too.

Until next time, wishing you God’s blessings.

Wednesday Weigh In

2009-04-29T18:54:00.000-07:00

Yahoo, I’m down 2 pounds this week. I feel good and I feel motivated. That’s so much better than .2 or .4, wouldn’t you agree? I gotta tell ya, I was a bit surprised because I did indulge in a bottle of beer and some deep fried asparagus on Sunday, and Tuesday we went to Outback for lunch. I ate half of a prime rib sandwich and took the other half home to my Hubby.

I made this penguin cake for a lady at work that got laid off. She works 600 hours a year and is laid off until July when the new fiscal year starts. That schedule sure would work well in my life but not my pocket book. She loves penguins and her cubicle has penguins everywhere. She was tickled with her cake and before she cut it she carefully peeled the penguins off and stuck them on a plate to save.

I’m also working on 30 fondant roses for a cake I’m making for Thursday. Here is a picture of the roses. They aren’t hard to make, just time consuming. I will post a picture of the finished cake.

So, let’s recap the week. I worked on fondant roses, attended an eBay class at the junior college on Saturday and stopped by my nephew’s and showed is girl friend how to burn a CD, volunteered at the Asparagus Festival on Sunday and made more roses, went to the Social Security Office with hubby, made and decorated a going away cake, and made more fondant roses on Monday. There was no quilting done all week because I had to work, and that is a sad thing.

Saturday I got one of the three Patch Work Party blocks I’ve been waiting for. Unfortunately I didn’t have time to quilt. After this week I will have time to start working on my quilt again. Looks like I won’t have it finished in April.

This Saturday I’m off to Manteca for a wedding shower. I haven’t been to a shower in years. This is my hubby’s side of the family and It’s been a long time since I’ve seen everybody. I’ve never meet the bride to be so that will be fun. She is marrying our great nephew, who is such a sweetie. I have their engagement picture and they are a cute couple.

I have more roses to make and two cakes to frost so until next time I pray your days are blessed.

Wednesday Weigh In

2009-04-22T17:46:00.000-07:00

Yippee, I’m down .2 and what do they say? It’s better then a gain. I’m not feeling too successful right now. I’m going to get out my week one book and start at the beginning. I’m going to stop focusing on my “STEPS” walked and try some cardio. I’ll let you know next week how that went.

I’m waiting for three more Patch Work Party blocks. This is a first ever for me. I ordered my blocks when the party began and two of the shops are out of fabric. This gig must be getting very popular or somebody under estimated when they were ordering. These are the nine blocks I’ve completed. I love this fabric. I have them hanging on my design wall to admire.

This is a picture of my fall 2007 Patch Work Party quilt. I really like this one too but, because of Missy it’s better not to focus on dark colors, if you get my drift. I'm showing this off at a Guild meeting. That's my friend Jan holding up the right side and no, I'm not a midget, I'm holding up the left. It's the angle of the camera. Trust me on this.

Now, for Grandma’s bragging rights. This is a photo of three of our granddaughters. This is Brit, Brooke, and Breezy. Aren’t they the most beautiful girls you’ve ever seen? This is their Easter picture. There Mommy is so great about getting pictures taken for every occasion.

Now for the up turn on the economic down turn. There are rumors going around that the county is going to offer the “Golden Hand Shake”. One rumor is they are offering two years of service and two years age. If that happens, there will definitely be a career change for me in the very near future. How is that for redefined?

Film at Eleven.

Have a blessed day.

Fun Weekend

2009-04-14T09:25:00.000-07:00

Saturday I got Joey's birthday cake made but not without a bit of disappointment. I was mixing color trying to get a nice true red. I used three different brands of coloring and couldn't make it happen, so his blue and red train is blue.

It was windy in the park but if you were in the sun it was very comfortable. I spent most of the afternoon chasing Joey as he was not going to stay in one place for more than 30 seconds. When it was time to open his presents he was happy with the first and had to be persuaded to open the next. Then it was time for the cake and the traditional birthday song. He covered his ears when we sang Happy Birthday and when that was over he wanted to play with the candle on his cake, until he got a taste of the frosting. I had forgotten how fun a two year old could be.

On Sunday my brother and his wife joined us for Easter services and breakfast at IHop. We and a relaxing breakfast and visit. Traditionally I have a truck load of family over for barbecue and socializing but since we had spent Saturday together for Joey's birthday I guess the family thought they had enough of each other, which was okay with me. I was ready for some R & R.

I finished two more Patchwork Party blocks and got some disappointing news from Suzanne's Quilt Shop and The Calico Cat. They ran out of fabric and are waiting for a shipment so I have to wait for my block kits. I was hoping to finish this beauty before the end of the month but that might not happen. I have the seven completed blocks up on my design wall to admire. I'm looking forward to this finished quilt.

Wishing you a blessed day.