Bebe's Boutique

2011-01-03T16:33:00.000-08:00

I was just playing in the sewing cave today. I didn't even bother getting dressed either lol!
I bought a new circle cutting but my rotary cutters do not fit in the grooves. Darn it!
Here is the new track lighting DH put in the sewing cave. We have two light heads are haligon and each of the other three have different bulbs to see what I like the best.
I got my Dh into watching some of the cake making shows. So while it was too cold for him to sit in the car while I was at Joannes he picked himself up a few frosting tips and bags and some fondant, and made some butter cream frosting. This is his first decorated cake ever. I think he did a great job.

Happy 1-1-11

2011-01-01T14:20:00.000-08:00

A New Year, A clean slate, Sewing cave cleaned out and gradually being brought back in with carpet ripped out and hard wood renewed ( easier to sweep up pins and threads) New paint and new track task lighting. I think I can work with that.

Happy new year to all!

When life bogs you down .....

2010-05-31T16:44:00.000-07:00

Don't forget to blog! I know it has been awhile since I have been on here but I back. I will hit on a couple important changes in my life. I QUIT SMOKING CIGARETTES !!!! My whole family is jumping up and down.
I bought this book by Mary Lou Weidman, I see that some of you already follow her blog. My New religion lol. Really I enjoy this book. Many new inspirations for me, I would love to go to her retreat in Post Falls Idaho in August.
The family (single mother with 9 kids, two kids are adults) that wanted to by our farm last Oct. did not get the Farm Services Loan till they can show they can make the payments. So they are leasing the dairy part of the farm. Everything has come together and they are licensed to milk, bottle and sell RAW cow and goat milk. This has been the best thing ever for my husband.(diagnosed with MS 8 years ago) Gives him a reason to get up in the morning to help get the barn all up and running, puttering around fixing things. The place hasn't looked this good in years

Last day of school was Thursday. I have all summer to create! I had to throw in a picture of some pretty fabric. I got these charms from the clearance bin at Wallmart. I know Wallmart.

More Zipper Creatures made with scraps

2009-09-04T21:24:00.000-07:00

Between my DH being sick enough they took him by ambulance from our local hospital to one 30 miles away. {he is doing fine now and is back home} School started back up again, I am back to work driving the school bus and it has been soooo hot. I just haven't had much time to sit here and blog with out falling asleep. I have been making a few more of these fun little monsters.

Haveing fun with Zipper Monsters!

2009-08-23T17:21:00.001-07:00

I bought a huge box of zippers a couple of years ago at a yard sale and have been slowly using them in purses and totes. I saw a little boy the other day with a toy with a zipper used as the mouth. I had an ah ha moment. I made these little guys in just last night and today.
They make me smile!
I thought they might sell at the festival in Sept. that I have been making wall hangings for.

Stop and smell the flowers!

2009-08-19T15:51:00.000-07:00

I have been working on wall hangings. Basically mini quilts with a focal point. I head back to driving a school bus a week from today. My goodness where did the summer go? Any ways before starting back to work I'm trying to get some inventory ready for a high end fun Hyde Park Street Fair in Sept. My parents have always done well with their Native American items. Last year mom and I added a few of our quilted items and sold them out. So this year with a larger booth we will be filling it with more quilted items.

I haven't been on line much still having trouble with the computer it takes so long and frustrates me. THANK YOU ALL THAT LEAVE COMMENTS! I am unable to reply individually.
This is my first boquet of flowers applique. It took forever to design but the fabric really made it. Super size the picture to see the details.
Ok for those of you that have known me for a few years I had to bring in another chicken. They are so very popular that I am sure I will be makeing more of these guys, they make me smile.
I have been influanced so much by Freddy Moran and Gwen Marston's book Collaboratrive quilting and their "Parts Department".

Fun Bright Wall hangings

2009-08-15T19:47:00.000-07:00

I have been playing with my bright fun colors. I still need to hand sew the binding on the Smile Outloud one.
I just love these chickens.
Played with the machine quilting.
And a bit of liberated pieceing.
I had help while I was working.

I'm back f om summe camp

2009-08-05T21:38:00.000-07:00

This is a pictue of the the Sawthooth Mountains. I'm back from summer camp. OOOOh it was wonderful! I have not blogged Right away. When I got back the laptop has some keys not working so could not use my pass wods. "I can fix some words with spell check.
I had so much fun at camp. But it almost killed me, between the altitude, steep hill dirt t ail to my cabin and a hike to the closest bathroom I found I was not in shape at all. lol I will have to lose about a million pounds befoe next June for teen camp. I went to scout camp as a kid and this diabetes camp was so much mo e. The councilos live with the kids. Checking the blood sugas and insulin ect.... My son had 7 boys in his cabin and 3 adults.
I did lea n alot about ciliac desease. Cooking glutton f ee is not as easy as I thought. You have to be so ca ful not to c oss contaminate.
Lake Altu us
This little boy had neve pet a hose befoe
My cabin is to the ight and the dee was just thee
My son in the lepad and his f iend in the bathing suit on costume night.

Going Camping

2009-07-24T16:32:00.000-07:00

Every summer since my children were about 8 yrs old they have been going to Camp Hodia. It is a camp for kids with diabetes up in the Stanley, Sun Valley Idaho area. For quite a few years they went on scholarships (no child is turned away because of inability to pay) as we could not come up with the $250.00 to $350.00 each for them to camp. It was wonderful for them to learn to deal with this disease and that they are not the only ones. Now as adults both kids go back as staff. The staff is made up of all volunteer doctors, nurses and people that have been dealing with diabetes. Last week I was asked to come on board as the kitchen go between to help the camp kitchen staff work with the dietitians meal plans, carb counting, put together cabin snack packs and do the gluten free meals.
My son is coming down from college tonight to drive up to camp with me. I am so excited.
I sewed this little lap throw quilt top to take with me to camp so I can do some hand quilting to keep my hands busy at times. Well maybe if I have time. lol I will be back in a little over a week with lots of pictures.

If you are interested in learning more about type I diabetes or Camp Hodia and all their camps for three different age groups and ski camp you can go to camphodia.org

Back in the world!

2009-07-22T08:19:00.000-07:00

I am back! I took a mental health week. I went and visited with my parents. Or rather Mom read my blog and dad came and kidnapped me. The depression has backed off. Mom and I didn't get much sewing done but stayed busy. Thank you for the kind reply's they meant a lot to me.
I did finally finish hand quilting this bright row quilt. I quilted it with a bright pink quilting thread. Only thing left to do is put a label on it and wash it. Mom says it reminds her of one of those giant colorful lolly pop suckers. So thinking about nameing it Circus Lolly pop.
This quilt was inspired by Gwen and Freddy and their parts dept.
I even pieced the back.
This morning my mini schnauzers started barking at the farm workers and got me up quite early. wanted to kill them. So headed out in the yard before it heats up to take pictures. DHubby's garden is loaded with tomatoes but nothing turning red yet. (funny thing he has planted a bunch of heirloom tomatoes but doesn't eat them )
Oooh look what I found two pear tomatoes. Yum!
Took a snap of the pond. So many of the clearance plants are really growing. Accually have some blooms finally showing up on the sweet peas. As hot as it has been I am surprised they are still alive.

I will be blogging about some fun I will be haveing next week. So come back and check it out!

Depression

2009-07-11T13:18:00.000-07:00

Different friends have been asking about where I have been. I know that I have not been blogging or posting in my groups for awhile. Everything is ok. Family is all healthy. I am just dealing with some crushing depression. I really hate it. Intellectually I know that it is an imbalance. I am not someone who feels sorry for myself there are people out there far worse off than me.

Last Nov. when I came home from the most wonderful once in a life time trip with my parents, a whole month in Ireland, I was hit with crushing depression. OMG why? I chocked it up to light deprivation disorder. (I live pretty far north) and threw myself into sewing.

Now I haven't even done any sewing for at least a week maybe more. I went to the Dr. this week for a check up. He was not very helpful. Eat less, sleep less, exercise more. duh! If I could do this I wouldn't be depressed. All he did was tell me to double up on my antidepressant. So I am dealing with the side affects of that and today is the day I will force myself to go play with fabric. I will pull myself out of this. I am still here. So thanks to those that have been wondering about where I have been.

Check out this giveaway!

2009-07-06T14:44:00.000-07:00

Check out this Giveaway! She keeps adding more stuff. I think that there is a theme going on here! lol

http://sewfunquilts-sewmeow.blogspot.com/2009/07/free-giveaway-cat-buttons-r-2-cute.html

Great Giveaway!

2009-07-02T12:47:00.000-07:00

Today in my 26th wedding anniversary. There are days when I wish I could leave him on the side of the road. (wait I think I have done that, Darn it he remembered his address) Some day I may have to pull out a baseball bat to get him to eat his poison mushrooms. lol all in fun! I have had him longer than his parents did so I guess I have him trained, it is still a work in progress. (He did bring me chocolate today) He did give me two wonderful children. So he does have some redeeming features.

He can cook, does laundry, dishes, mows the lawn, takes out the trash, checks the oil in my car, feeds the animals and holds up my quilts to be photographed. I guess it would cost too much to replace him! I love you baby!
A good friend of mine from another on line quilt group I belong to is having an awesome giveaway. Go check out her blog to learn more about it!

http://sewfunquilts-sewmeow.blogspot.com/

Summer Blahs and uninspireing fabrics... TA DA!

2009-06-30T21:07:00.000-07:00

I haven't been blogging much lately. I have just been feeling kinda Blah.
I wanted to use up some of my stash that just was not fabric that was my favorites. You know that stuff that was at the bottom of a box or bag of fabric you buy at a yard sale or thrift store. I added in a few scraps of other stuff. My idea at first was to make a coin quilt. I put together a small quilt of it and did not like it at all. More of the Blahs! So cut some squares and mindlessly chain sewed some 9 patches with this not so inspiring fabric. I figured they would become some UFOs till the muse hit me and I could get on with another project. Blah blah blah.

I did not like the 9 patch blocks next to each other. I found some yellowish cream fabric and sewed strips around the blocks. ( they are kinda all different sizes not real square) So what if I made them wonky? hmmm. I started running short on the background fabric ended up using three different fabrics but they went together ok.
I kinda like them. I need to tweek the lay out some before I start sewing them together. Hey! I kinda like this. Super size the first picture It doesn't look so Blah! Hey maybe my muse hit me.

Two tickets to Paradise

2009-06-20T13:03:00.000-07:00

My wonderful Daughter won some tickets to an Eddie Money concert on the Radio and gave them to her old fogy parents. lol I had to get on line to see if I could remember his music. If you have your sound on you can hear a couple of songs of his. We had a great time. The lead guitarist can still play, Eddie himself can really thrill me with the sax still. Dh and I love horns not matter what.
We went down to Boise a little early to visit with my folks before the concert. Mom has been volunteering at a thrift store in the fabric dept. (go figure lol) she is their best customer. She picked up some very interesting fabrics for me too.

This Toile piece below just might make it in the mail to a friend of mine who collects toiles. so if she is reading this she knows. (hee hee)

most of these pieces are from out of the country, England, Africa, china, India ect...

The fabric in the first picture is 100% silk from China. I want to make a pretty pillow for my bed with cording and or rich looking gold fringe. Don't know what I will do with the rest but my creative juices are flowing.

Sunshine and Summer Pinwheel Done!

2009-06-16T13:04:00.000-07:00

This is the first completely traditional quilt I have ever pieced, quilted and finished myself. (I have done tons of raggy quilts) I have been so intimidated by machine quilting that I have a bunch of flimsys . Thanks to all the encouragement I have gotten from my followers and on line friends I did it.

I saw this machine quilting pattern on a mini quilt (sorry I can not remember who posted it) on one of the blogs I was surfing.
It was an easy pattern, I am not real straight and perfect as on the mini quilt I saw but that is what adds charm and shows that it was hand made not factory made.
I love the bright colors and it could be a boy quilt.
DH filled up the large stock tank with water and re potted some of the plants from another pond. We want to put cinder blocks around this one then face them with stones.We will put a floating heater in it for winter. DD brought over some polliwogs yesterday to help start the ecosystem before we put in gold fish later this week.
Skys are gorgouse today and it is heating up. We have had almost record breaking rain so far this month. Amazing thunder stroms ( I love them so full of energy) but it is time to see some pretty blue skies. Makes it easyer to take quilt pictures too.

What do you do when your computer is down?

2009-06-13T16:49:00.001-07:00

Internet Explorer 8 update killed our lap top. We ended up putting Firefox on but were down for a while. I got so much stuff done. I made this quilt.It is a raggy but I did some major machine quilting on it and binding on the outside edges.

I made this for my husbands Internet girlfriend. lol Dh has MS and belongs to a support group here on line. One lady on the group has always been the cheerleader, always up and supportive. Sent cards and letters and phoned a few times when my Dh was bad and had to be life flighted. She is an RN and has stayed very active. Went to India last year. Well in the last few weeks she has been sick and just not doing well. So I made her a hug quilt.
Here is Dh examining his garden. While the computer was acting up we went to the store and bought some "sad plants" (50% off clearance plants) and planted them around the ponds. Can't wait till they get growing.
The water lilies in this pond have gone crazy. We have another very large stock tank that we are going to make into another above the ground pond and transplant some of these lilies. Dh wants to catch some small blue gill and/or smaller cat fish to put in the new pond.
I am almost done machine quilting Summer Pinwheel. The batteries in my camera need to be charged so will show pictures later.

Storms, B-day Surprise & Computer Problems.

2009-06-06T08:33:00.000-07:00

I have been off line for a couple of days due to computer problems. I have been sewing like crazy on a string quilt, almost done. Pictures later. We have been having some wild weather so I thought I would share some of the pictures.

Thursday night I got a super surprise. My college age son showed up for a surprise visit. I had no clue, my daughter kept saying she had a secret but would not blab. lol well this was it.

Sunday is my birthday so that is why he came home for the weekend. My best friend's birthday is today. Last night my son was my driver. We went to a Luau birthday party at the tavern I used to lease. Pot luck food, karaoke and a live band. It was so much fun!

I am really moving slowly this morning.

Relaxing at the Snake River

2009-06-03T21:34:00.001-07:00

I know two posts in one day. My DH asked me to go down to the River with him this evening. I usually don't go I sew. Well tonight I decided to shock him and went with him. lol The Snake River runs on the back side of our field. A few years ago some people built a house down by here and I haven't been down here since. Well the house is a great big (way over built for the area ..... farms few houses) anyways about a year ago they let it go in foreclosure and is empty.

The island there on the left sure has grown since I was last down here

DH caught a cat fish, let it go. They taste like mud. (no matter what you soak them in)

Pretty wild iris's

Lovely Sunset at 9:30 pm I am always amazed at how long it stays light here in the summer. All in all a wonderful evening.

Getting some stuff done.

2009-06-03T13:36:00.000-07:00

I joined a pin cushion swap on one of my chatting groups on Ebay RQQ. I was looking around on the Internet and got sucked into a couple of flicker groups that had 100s of pictures of really cute pin cushions. I am not one that follows patterns. ( recipes either) I just look at something and take it apart in my mind and go for it. So I decided what I was going to make. It is really cute. I can't show pictures as The lady this is for may follow my blog and I want her to be surprised. So here are some unfocused pictures.

I received some much needed advice from Beena and Sewmeow for my frustration on FMQ. I have decided to throw the quilt in the corner.

and do some practicing on 12" string blocks and make them into another raggy. No pressure that way. I have so many quilt tops lovingly pieced that I am afraid to mess up the machine quilting and mess them up. Maybe after some more practice and can get my guts up to dip my toe in the FMQing on a larger scale. (grin)

Quilting Frustration

2009-06-01T19:52:00.000-07:00

I have been trying to free motion quilt this on my sewing machine. hmmmm it isn't working. The thread keeps breaking and knotting up with the bobbin thread and I don't have quilt enough room to do the spiral design I want. See here it is making birds nest. I have put in a new needle and re threaded everything over and over again, Plus it is hot! So I'm going to put it aside for another day and then figure it out.

Maybe I will just quilt it by hand! ARRRGGG! lol

I got a nice surprise in the mail today. I had forgotten about a give a way I won from http://quiltingonabudget.blogspot.com/2009/06/free-quilting-graph-papers.html?showComment=1243911123762#c1212549082415258763 Quilting on a budget. I love this blog so my wonderful ways to save $$$.

This is a good magazine. So my great ideas for space saving and organizing in my sewing cave.

Pinwheels

2009-05-30T12:03:00.000-07:00

Well I have been sleeping most of my first week of summer vacation. Last Monday I got stung by a bee on my eyebrow. It was soar but fine the first day. Tuesday Morning I woke and couldn't open my eye. So all week I have been living on steroids and Benadryl. Benadryl zonks me right out. My eye is better now.
I'm playing with pinwheels, making a baby blanket. I thought this was nice and summery. Here are a couple of Catnip cat toys.

You will find the link to my Esty store on the left side you can check these out. I put them in my store. My cats went crazy for the first one I made.

Thanks for stopping by!

Summer Break is finally here!

2009-05-25T08:40:00.000-07:00

School ended Thursday! As soon as I was done with my bus route and parked I left with my parents to go to Sumpter for the whole town giant flea market. Here are a few pictures of our booth.

This was my dad's native american side of the booth.

I have had this quilt packed away. It is the first one of Bonnies from her Quiltville free patterns I tried. I made it raggy. I got many compliments on it but no buyers so back into my Esty store it goes. I'm thinking of doing another traditional and in bright colors.

We had enough warning of storm clouds that we were able to pack everything into the trailer before the skies opened up and poured. Half an inch in a hour.

It even rained up on the cabin porch.

The sky was pretty amazing. We did pack it in early due to the storm but we need to anyways, My niece graduated on Sunday from high school so we needed to head back home for that.

I am so happy to be back home today! I have the summer off to sew! Hoping you all have a wonderful Memorial day weekend!

Cat toys

2009-05-21T08:02:00.000-07:00

WOO HOO!! It is the last day of school. I am done driving the bus this afternoon for the summer! I'm tired.
As soon as I am off work this afternoon mom and dad are picking me up and we are headed out to Sumpter Oregon. It is a little tiny town that on Memorial Day weekend turns into a HUGE Flea market, craft show, antique sale... 5000 to 10,000 people. My parents have a cabin right down on main street and we set up a 20' X 20' booth selling native American items and mom and my quilted items. I will have pictures when I get back.

I made some fun cat toys this week to sell. Here are examples of some of them they have catnip in them. The first one I made my cats just love it and rubbed on it then attacked it and killed it.

Here are some Fat Quarters that came in the mail this week from a swap I was in.

Can't wait to have next week off the sleep in and sew with out having to get dressed if I don't want to. lol Have a great weekend everyone see ya on line Monday (after I hit Joannes big sale)

School is almost out!

2009-05-16T10:58:00.001-07:00

I have been driving a school bus for 24 years and each year goes by faster and faster. I have less and less patience. 7th grade boys are driving me crazy! LOL I have been doing a lot of field trips so haven't had much free time to get on line and blog. Only 4 more school days. Oh Hurray! As a stress re leaser at night I have been working with my batiks and scraps. I've been making bags. I have a flea market show to do next weekend.

I will be posting these on Esty also.

I also have been playing scraps and little scrappy Annie.

And a Scrappy Poppy

Face to Face meeting!

2009-05-11T19:43:00.000-07:00

Marj Aka Eclectic Quilter Came to Idaho to go on a quilting retreat with a friend of her's. she blogged about her trip before hand so we set up a time to meet. It was interesting to meet someone face to face that I only have own from her blog. My Mother came too and took this picture of us, Marj on the left me on the right. She is planning on coming back again next year so maybe we (mom and I) can go on the retreat too. It was fun.I'm sure when she gets back home she will blog about her retreat and the quilt show she went to.

Fabric Creeping out in the Sewing Cave

2009-05-07T07:48:00.000-07:00

Something strange in my Sewing Cave. I just cleaned up all the crumb quilt scraps and now look. I think all my batiks have been creeping out of their nice neat organized drawers and sprawled out on the sewing table. I guess you could say I am procrastinating on putting a border on the Crumb quilt. Out of sight out of mind. I finished the purse. I had to use my dear friend Jack the Ripper only once. I messed up putting in the zipper so ended up unsewing almost the whole purse but was able to fix it. I loved the way this purse turned out so well I started laying out more batiks on the ironing pad to put together another one.

Yes Shannon I'm really using my Batik favorites.

This purse turned out so well, all the machine quilting made it even stiffer than the others I have done and it stands up so nicely on it's own.

Playing with Batiks

2009-05-06T07:44:00.000-07:00

When I first started on the blogs a couple of months ago I saw a beautiful quilt done with batiks and quilted with lines. I believe she called it Currents. I wish I could remember who made it. I fell in love with it and wanted to do something like it. I bought some batik scraps from Getsassed on Etsy aka Sew Fantastic added a few of my own to make this. It will be a purse. I used a variegated thread. Here is a close up.

This is the other side.

I love batiks! They are my favorite fabrics I rarely use them because I do not want to cut them. lol

Crumbs Quilt

2009-05-05T16:20:00.000-07:00

Well I finished putting the sashing on the Crumb Quilt. Now I just wrung out. I know that it needs more borders. The light bulb hasn't come on. I need to make some purses to list on Etsy to sell. I have been churning out the quilt tops like crazy it's time to get back to my money makers. My Dh was watching me last night and asked if I thought all my fabric was ugly again. lol That is usually my excuse when I have quilters block. No my fabric is not ugly it is still all organized and pretty I just don't know what to do. Some appliquie I think. lol Maybe tonight something will jump out and turn the light bulb again. Oh yeah Happy Cinco de Mayo

Mushroom bag, silly cats and spring storm

2009-05-03T12:47:00.000-07:00

I had a special order for this raggy tote. A friend of my daughters wanted a mushroom bag in greens. It still needs to be washed to get raggyer. Notice the stitching I did on the straps. Back to kindergarten cutting out shapes.

I used fusible scraps to baste the inside, batting and front together. Worked really well and not pins to pick me.

Blanket stitching the mushrooms raw edges down.

I put a pocket in it, and Velcro to hold it closed.

I did some I did some fun free motion quilting on the back with bright green thread.

I brought in one of the cats from out side because she was in heat and I don't want more kittens. I hope next month to budget to get her fixed. She is so funny rolling around.

Here is my indoor cat Princess hunting worms after the spring storm.

The spring storms make some amazing pictures. The storm is behind me just coming in.

Here the storm is just pouring but the sun shinning on the other side.

It was just pouring here. Everything is so green and reminds me of Ireland!

What Now!?

2009-04-30T12:31:00.001-07:00

If you get the chance go over to my friends blog http://fabricsnquilts.blogspot.com/ She has been working on a quilt to donate to her local American Legion as a fund raiser. She has outdone herself.
I am trying to decide what I was going to do with the crumb blocks. I think I will sash them like this. Just a small amount of black and white for a place to rest your eyes. I organized my sewing Cave and came across a couple of fabrics I forgot I had in the stash. This one below is me in a nut shell. I love the colors and the differnt prints and textures.

I came across this Fat Quarter I bought out of one of those $.99 FQ sale bins. At the time I could not really see the print because it was rolled up. Once I got home and opened it up .... it was kinda wierd.

A lady in different outfits and animals. Some with halos and wings and also the same animal with out. Then I even spotted the lady with wings and halo. hmm

I finally read the title of the fabric on the Salvage "Old Lady and the Fly" Kinda a grim print don't you think lol A lady and dead angel animals. lol Don't know what I would ever use this for.

Crumbs are multiplying

2009-04-29T07:57:00.000-07:00

Not a lot going on here. Only 3 more Wednesdays till school is out! (Grin) Still sewing crumbs. The quilt is growing on the design wall. Click on it to super size it and see all the details. My Dh (bless him) planted some heirloom tomatoes (don't know why he doesn't eat them) a couple of weeks ago. I told him it was way too early. lol and he cleaned up and cut up some finger potatoes ready to plant. The three old lady goats and ancient sheep happily ate them. lol (goats usually do not eat tomatoes and I told dh to fix the electric fence) I went out last night while he was watering his peas and radishes and tomatoe stumps and asked me how the goat food oh excuses me garden was doing? He gave me a dirty look and told me to go sew. LOL Our dd works part time in the summer for a huge fresh produce stand. We can get almost all the fresh produce we can eat for almost free. lol I grew a garden for years as the little red hen (no help from anyone) Don't know why he wants to garden now?? He did last year too? lol Oh well keeps him out of trouble and feeds the goats. LOL

Tomato stump (hee hee)

He did clean out my ponds ( and yes this pond is a stock water tank I dug a whole in the ground and put it in.)

Here is another pond, it was a kit the family got me 7 or 8 years ago for mother's day. Oh my look at all the weeds.

This cat showed up a week or so ago with the wild yard cats. I heard little mews under an old door. I can't believe she let me get this close. I thought she was wild. well maybe she is one I can tame down enough to get fix. Seems like the ones I get fix disappear or feed themselves to the coyotes. I feed about 20 or so wild cats. We don't have mice or gophers.

If you are a reader go here!

Pink Lemonade

2009-04-27T09:34:00.000-07:00

Beena Named this quilt for me when I just had the blocks. Pink Lemonade! Thank you! I did not like this quilt as I was making it. Oh I liked the individual blocks but I thought they were so blah on the design wall. I missed them with a charm pack, and other 5" blocks and just couldn't get inspired. When I added these borders I fell in love with it. There was contrast! Pink Lemonade it became. Beena nailed it and put me in mind of the green leaf fabric I had. I am thinking of just putting a pale yellow flannel on the back to quilt this with no batting ( since I have no batting in the house and a pile of flimsy tops yelling at me to finish) As a light weight summer throw I don't really want it to be too heavy.

As soon as I finished that one I was looking at Bonnies Quiltville.com and so started playing with crumbs. I never thought of chaining them.

Chaining the crumbs really makes it go so much faster.

Here is my mess and some crumbs chained together. I keep my iron right next to my machine and press right away.

Something totally off topic, I belong to paperbackswap.com and just received a new Stephen King book. Duma key. I did not even know he had written another book.

Spring and stars

2009-04-25T12:20:00.000-07:00

I haven't been posting much in this last week,. Just lurking around reading everyone Else's blogs. There are some very talented people out there. I love the quilt Reading out loud Quilt! Some nice give a ways, and I am so glad Tonya's Pokey is not letting her sew much. lol There is a small quilt fabric store in town that sells grab bags of scraps. I decided to do something with some scraps. Here I have made some stars and don't know what to do with them. I have been just making these till the inspiration hits me to do something grand.

I snapped this picture one morning on my way to work. It is the sun shinning through a sprinkler wheel line.

The cherry orchard just burst into bloom over night. Bees swarming all over the orchard just sings with their buzzing.

It smells so good but really makes my nose itch like crazy. I did not know I had allergies till this year.

Quilt show on Mom's weekend U of I

2009-04-20T16:54:00.000-07:00

I said I would put more pictures of quilts from the quilt show on. I think this was my favorite little quilt at the quilt show. There is just so much movement in this one. This one was so neat with the 3 d effect with the necklace and hanky

This is an old handkerchief.

I thought this was unique

You need to click on the picture and super size to see the details.

This is done with that fancy cutting, each piece is the same place in the fabric.

Here is the larger picture of the only liberated one I saw.

This one is so pretty with all the flowers.

This quilt was huge king sized I think.

This was a pretty colorful flying geese.

My kids on campus.

I love this picture of the daughter through an art statue

My dear son cooking all the kabas for the house dinnerWe had a wonderful time! I am exhausted.

Mom's weekend Friday night and a Quilt show!

2009-04-18T14:59:00.000-07:00

Go west young women go west! And a little bit or rather quite a bit North! lol Early Friday morning Dear Daughter Missy and I hit the road for Moscow Idaho! Where Dh booked us into what we told him to a "cheaper motel" But he did not need to actually look for "hole in the wall" lol The sheets and shower curtain were tie dyed. lol Well it was at least clean. No coffee maker, blow drier, shampoo, but a place to lay my head.

For this evenings entertainment Dd is making some kind of fancy dancy drink for us with cherry vodka and coconut run. hmmm? I even owned a bar (beer and wine) and grill and have never been a big drinker or bar person since I went to college here. oh no! Tonight is the big party night. I'm in the room to take a nap while the kids are frisbee golfing.

We went to one of my son's friends house for breakfast. The roommates were supposed to cook belgian waffles and stuff. Their moms came too. None of us moms would cook. So everyone had to get out of bed. My son who did not even live there did the cooking. lol and no waffles oh well. We had a lot of laughs telling stories about our boys.

At least there was Bacon Missy's favorite!

Last night we played trivia pursuit and drank a little. lol my son is the one with the beard behind me. Some drank more than others.

My two kids in the middle. Little lady on the left is another mom I see every year.

I did go to a quilt show today and picked up a few fat quarters. Fat Quarters don't count against the No Fabric Buying Resolution. lol

I took some pictures of some quilts and will put more on in other posts. This quilt is the only one that had any liberated type quilting.

I liked this one because of the scrappy pieced border.

It had a little bit of everything else too and love the black and white contrast.

I loved these triangles and want to make one like this.

Well I will get back on with further posts if possible. I need to take a nap so I can survive the night.

Road Trip!!!!!

2009-04-16T12:53:00.000-07:00

I am leaving tomorrow morning right after my morning bus routes with my daughter for our third annual ROAD TRIP! Up to Moscow Idaho to the U of I where my son is a student. It is MOM'S WEEKEND! Wooo Hoooo! Party! lol It is about a 5 to 6 hour drive and I really enjoy the time with Missy one on one. We talk about everything and listen to music REAL loud.
Steven (the son) is in Sigma Kappa Fraternity. On Saturday they do a nice dinner then have a silent auction on baskets the parent bring. This is my basket this year. The Oops gift basket. Notice the label on the wine...Oops. I look all year for funny wines. (Last year it was Trailer Trash. ) I also typed up a card.

This Oops basket is for any occasion you have had an oops moment and need to make up for it! Just clip appropriate oops note sign it with I love you and your name.
……………………………….....................................................................................................
Oops! I forgot you birthday!

……………………………….....................................................................................................
Oops! I forgot our anniversary.
……………………………….....................................................................................................
Oops! Sorry I fell asleep.
………………………………......................................................................................................
Oops! Sorry I did not call I was going to be late and you made such a wonderful dinner I could tell by what was left on the wall. By the way I can get the candle wax off the dinning room table.

………………………………......................................................................................................
Oops! Me and my big mouth, I meant to say was NO! honey that outfit does not make your butt look big.
………………………………......................................................................................................
Oops! This basket is to say I’m sorry I walked in the room?
Didn’t notice your haircut?
For breathing too loud?
Anything I might do or not do?

I think it should go for some money. There is two bottles of Cabernet Sauvignon Oops wine, fancy crackers, cheese spreads, wine glasses, stuffed olives, summer sausage, smoked oysters and some real nice Lindt chocolates Dark to milk. Something to appeal to everyone's tastes.

Spring is finally hitting. These are pictures from the front door. That is winter wheat green on the hill and in the closer field you can't see it quite yet but tiny onion hair is poking through the dirt. The cherry orchard to the far right on the hill is just now starting to bloom.

Dh rototilled this part of the lawn and wants to put some new lawn seed down but it has been too windy. Happy Happy spring!

Can't wait for this trip! We always have fun! I will take pictures, none too incriminating. lol

Beautiful Spring!

2009-04-12T14:32:00.000-07:00

So Happy Easter, Passover, Spring! We went over to my daughters house today! They sent her home from work today at the hospital to be "on call" not many costumers in the CCU. She did not have the step kids this weekend so we did not plan anything for Easter. The first Lawn cutting of the season is too thick at her house for her small lawn mower. So her Daddy brought over the ridding mower to cut her lawn. I had some left over enchiladas to reheat and so we put together a nice little lunch. This is a huge Apricot tree in her yard. My goodness it is going to be a bumper crop this year. The tree buzzes with bees. Millions of them.

I had to snap this picture of one of her cats Micheal

Dear daughter loves to play with my camera. Here is her spoiled dog Splinter.

She also brought out all her house plants to hose off the dust and give them so good sun. This geranium made it through the winter on the back screened in porch.

Like I said she likes to play with the camera and take pictures of herself. lol

I only put a few of the pictures of her on. lol

And of course her Dog!

Well I soaked up my Vitamin D today. Helped (by watching lol) Dh bucket out one of the pounds and clean it up. there were still gold fish alive. They are a couple years old. Just cheap walmart fish now about 5" long. Oh I did hold the hose as I refilled it. Well I guess I did enough now back to the sewing cave. Have a wonderful day!

Funky Chicken and Liberated twisted Stars

2009-04-09T11:54:00.000-07:00

My friend Shannon at Fabrics N Quilts an I have been on line friends for a couple of years. She posted this quilt at http://fabricsnquilts.blogspot.com/2009/01/2009-projects-project-1-twin-falling.html And has a nice tutorial on it. It impressed me and inspired me to make one like it. Then a little over a week ago another blogger The Patchery Menagerie http://patcherymenagerie.blogspot.com/ Couldn't sleep one night and started making one like this only her triangles were wonky. I REALLY liked it. So I got busy and started making this quilt top. I added my trademark Funky chicken in the middle. I think this would make a great kids quilt or wall hanging. It measures 42" X 46". I talked it over with Shannon about what she liked and didn't like about her quilt. She helped me with the idea to put triangles into the boarder so the stars are not just cut off.

I love the colors. It is bright and happy.

Some of you that have been following my blog know by now I am procrastinating on machine quilting anything. lol I just keep making quilt tops. Yes I am so afraid to quilt them, I might mess them up am indecisive on how I want to quilt them. I know I know I will quilt them.

Did anyone watch House on Monday? Oh my it was a good one. Made me cry. Meatloaf was in it too. Well right now I'm watching a DVR of Fringe. Back to the new ones. TV is frustrating me. All my shows have been reruns. I do plan on watching the new Southland that starts tonight in ER's place. Well I will DVR it.

A little bragging today!

2009-04-05T11:55:00.000-07:00

I finished sewing all the sashing and put a bright border of cherries on this quilt top. I love it. Next week I will have to piece together a backing get batting then take it to work to use the big tables to get it based. I bought some spray basting a while ago and haven't used it yet. Anyone else use it? I would also like to thank everyone for their comments and encouragement. Well what I really wanted to brag about is my lovely daughter. Today is her 23rd birthday and I have been doing some reminiscing. She was my first pregnancy. I had toxemia and my grandmother had died the day before she was born. I felt a little scratch scratch inside on my left side and my water broke just a little bit. I told my dh and he jumped out of bed and brought me a stack of towels thinking it would be like a hot water heater flooding. lol

No big contractions so I sent him back to bed and I sat up waiting for a few hours. Finally went to the hospital in the morning and was induced. The child just refused to be born. By evening they decided to do a c-section. It was a stormy April night and during the operation the lights went out in the operating room....and didn't come back on.... Doctor finally asked the nurse to get a flashlight because he was touching the baby but wanted to see. Flashlight, baby born, lights came on finally.

Dd and I both were sick with a strep infection. So I did not get to bring her home for a couple of weeks. Pumping breast milk from congested breast was a joke. ( I later in life had a 300 head goat dairy and really felt for those poor does that had congested udders lol) Finally got her home then had shingles so bad I thought I was being skinned alive. I had worked so hard at pumping breast milk there was NO WAY! I was going to stop breast feeding to take pain pills. I got rid of the painful part of shingles with my mind in two weeks time. grrr.

My dear daughter has had her ups and downs. The day before her 9th birthday she was diagnosed with type I diabetes. ( her little brother had been diabetic for 6 years already she knew what was involved)
She started losing patches of hair about a year later. Her doctor told her she was pulling it out. For quite a few years we were able to hide the bald spots.(turned out to be alopecia totalis. she has no body hair) By the middle of her sophomore year in high school she could not hide it anymore so we shaved what was left off and she wore funky hats and bandannas. We had gotten her a wig. She did not like it, it was fake and everyone knew she was bald so why hide it. In her middle school year book she was pictured as girl with the prettiest hair so for high school she got all her friends to nominate her for it again and the boy that won with her wore a fake bald head to be pictured with her. I brought her up laugh at yourself first before others do.

We had our normal mother daughter problems near the end of high school and after. She went to the local community college and messed up and dropped out. Moved in with a boyfriend they are still together 4 1/2 years later (he also came with two children so I was made an instant grandmother) She got her CNA and started working at the local hospital in the CCU. Plus working two or three other seasonal jobs. She is now in charge of the diabetes support groups and education at the hospital and volunteers at Camp Hodia every summer (a diabetes camp for kids) She just started back going to college last week. I am so VERY Proud of her!

Her brother goes to college at the University of Idaho about a 5 hour drive away. My daughter and I have driven up there for Mom's weekend every year. I love have all that one on one time together with her. We are going again this year in two weeks. Knowing my daughter as an adult is one of the most wonderful things in my life. She is a super wonderful person I am so proud to know.

She loves to take pictures of herself. lol So many things to overcome and she has so much confidence.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MISSY MOMA LOVES YOU!!!!

Look what a clean Sewing Cave can do

2009-04-03T07:46:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I organized the Sewing cave. While I was going through the scraps this is what I made. I love making funky stars and a had a couple wonky houses so there you go. I had some black squares, different sizes and a couple different prints. I still used them in the stars they went together ok. The white sashing I had to bring out of the stash and still need to finish it. As you can see the strips are not yet sewn together.

I still need to figure out what color I want to border it with and how I'm going to quilt it. I want to try free motion quilting with my sewing machine. I have never done free motion on a project this large. I have quilted many 12" blocks that I made into raggy quilts.

Now on a different subject. My beloved ER ended last night. The retrospect they did before the show was more emotional then the show itself. I thought it was anti climatic, I was not impressed. I will miss my ER friends of 15 years.

Well it is spring. Rainy, windy, hale, then sunshine and rainbows. Still cold but this is spring. Front yards have turned green like over night.

OH YEAH! IT'S FRIDAY!!!!

Pictures around the farm.

2009-04-01T08:35:00.000-07:00

Home Sweet Home. It was real stormy yesterday. I took this picture from the mailbox when I got home from work yesterday. I AM ready for something green. Here is my bus. 10 minutes after this picture was taken it was blowing rain and hale sideways. Of course it had to wait till the kids were getting out of school and on the bus. The all smelled like wet dogs mixed with peanut butter. lol boy was the hale noisy hitting the roof of the bus. Kids were real quiet with BIG EYES!

The night before we had bad winds. It blew this sprinkler wheel line across this field. I would not have thought that there was enough silhouette to blow it, and they are not exactly light.

Only thing stopping the wheel line from being in the road is the telephone poles. Actually bent the sprinkler pipes.

I wonder if farm insurance will cover this.

Sorry no pictures of sewing. I am sewing but nothing to show yet. Loving the newly cleaned up Sewing Cave.

Organizeing sewing Cave

2009-03-29T09:45:00.001-07:00

OMG! This is ridiculus! I had NO idea! Two days ago I started organizeing my fabric stash and had no clue what I had. This picture is the top drawer only fat quarters. I still have more fabric to fold and scraps to organize. Two large bins.

Here are more fabrics folded that need a drawer.

Six drawers full and I need to go get another one of these three drawer units. I had fabric stashed in bags and bins all over. I CAN not buy any more fabric! Only problem is most of my stash is one yard cuts or smaller so I do need larger pieces for backing. hmmm. I do have a couple of bolts of fabric in the other room but it is too nice to use as backing.

I haven't organized by color yet. I'm just lucky to get everything together in one place. lol I now am going to take a pledge to make items only useing scraps and crumbs like Bonnie from http://www.quiltville.com/

Sewing retreat with Mom!

2009-03-27T22:00:00.000-07:00

Well I'm back from my Two day sewing retreat that turned into three days at my mom's! We banished Dad for those days.
Here was day one chef salads and a couple beers.

Here is what happens when fabric is not contained in the sewing cave.

Now I remember why I like the freedom of liberated quilting. Following instructions is not my thing. So mom read the recipe and I cut.

They are not quilt finished, need a flower and leaves on top and to be filled with bird grit. This little pin cushion piece of cake was NOT a piece of cake to make.

So after following the rules on the cake we decided to play with some new applique patterns by Florine Johnson Designs www.florinejohnsondesigns.com . This one is Radical Rooster Rowdy. MY mom did this one .

This one is Radical Rooster Rock I did him. Now you know why fabric was scattered everywhere as we were trying to find just the right "feathers" Funny how mom went with the bright colors and I was the one that went with more understated colors.

We also talked and watch TV and went shopping and ate and ate and had a great time. I'm so glad my mom is my best friend.

Churn and Dash and the sewing Cave!

2009-03-23T11:15:00.000-07:00

Here are some remnant I bought while shopping with mom on Saturday while I was being paid to drive some kids on a field trip. Nice work if you can get it. lol (grin) I am still working on the liberated Churn and dash quilt.

I have had requests lol to show my sewing cave. Everything is right here. I push the sewing machine back and cut fabric. If I am cutting larger pieces I have to move everything back. I have a ironing pad right to the left of my machine for pressing pieces and blocks right off the sewing machine.

I like to have a lot of colors around me when doing the liberated quilting. It takes me longer to work on a quilt than most because I will all of a sudden decide I want to make a different type of block. So as the inspiration hits I will make a Shu fly block, or a star etc.... just for a change then get back to the churn and dash. Yes I have ADHD when it comes to sewing lol Wanna ride bikes? lol I get in the ZONE and don't want to stop! DH will heat up food for me and throw it in the cave to keep me eating.

An yes you can barely see a corner of it but there is a tv on the right hand side. I listen not so much watch tv. I will DVR Nancy's Notions and Fons and Porter and watch them while I eat so I don't miss anything.

I will be MIA for a couple of days. I am going to mom's tomorrow for two days to "Play" in her fabric. We have two projects we are planning on this play date. I found a cute pattern to make pin cushions that look like chocolate cake pieces. This is something I think may sell at some of the shows. Then mom got a couple of new books with quilt as you go methods so we want to play with the methods.

Project Improve Quilt Blocks

2009-03-22T10:01:00.000-07:00

I Made some blocks for the Project Improve charity quilts. This one is in Pink and Orange. Click on the button on the right and check this out. Here is Blue and Green block. I even cut into my beautiful fat quarter collections I got in Portland Or last year at The Market quilt show. I am a fabric hoarder and have such a hard time using certain fabrics.

I used a wonky house for the center of this Log cabinish block. These were fun to do.

I had to drive a field trip yesterday starting early early in the morning. Once I drop the kids I drove the bus over to Mom's and spent a few hours with her window shopping grand opening of a super Joann's. The line were so long we did not buy anything. I did not feel the sales were all that good. It was nice getting paid to spend time with mom lol.

Well I need to get off the computer and head back to the sewing cave. I need to relax and zone out on sewing. My baby boy is headed back to college. His spring break is over. He informed us he does not think he will be coming home this summer. Plans on staying up in Moscow Id. and finding a job. So I guess he REALLY is moving out. Now we FOR real have an empty nest. Hmm his room would make a nice Sewing Cave. hmmmthinking can you smell the rubber burning? lol

Liberated churn and dash!

2009-03-18T17:43:00.000-07:00

I had to put away my daughters word quilt. (inspired by Lazy gal Quilting check out her tutorials) My son is home for spring break and I don't want him to see it as I want to make him one also and he isn't very good at keeping secrets from his sister. So I started playing with making some liberated Churn and Dash.
And playing with scraps making wonkey houses and playing with other kinds of pieced blocks.

I was thinking of making a couple of baby blanket size so I could easily free motion quilt them. If you check out Quilt Messing Around Feb 16 Broken Stained Glass quilt. I love the look of her quilting.

Happy St. Patrick's Day! From Ireland?

2009-03-17T08:25:00.000-07:00

Some of you that follow my blog know about my trip to Ireland last Oct. Because of St. Patrick's day I thought I would revisit some of it. This is Mom and I in front of the ONLY quilt fabric store we could find in the whole country. We were there for a month and traveled all over the island. Here is some of the fabric I found.

I don't know if these pictures on your computer shows the metallic shine.

I don't know if I will ever use this fabric. It may just be some of my stash that is brought out to be admired then put away again. LOL

May the luck of the Irish be with ye!

2009-03-16T08:53:00.000-07:00

We had our St. Patrick's day party at mom's yesterday. All the women made "green" crafts to exchange. My daughter did these plates. My mother did these trays. It has an Irish blessing embroidered on a beautiful batik then covered with plexi glass. Click on the picture to see more detail.

I did my fabric bowls I showed in a blog a couple of days ago.

I have been working on my new design wall. I am makeing this pieced letter wall quilt for my daughter. It is getting there. Still needs more work

Random pictures from Ireland

2009-03-14T08:24:00.000-07:00

I am still working on the same projects so no new pictures. I had a three day weekend so took a lazy day yesterday. Went to the beauty school and got a hair cut and face wax. I spent a couple of hours walking around Joann's and a local quilt store. A couple of remnant jumped in my cart. lol Visited the thrift store and bought some paperback books.
Today we are going to my mom and dad's for a St. Patrick's day party. It has me thinking of our month long trip to Ireland in October. So I thought I would share some of our pictures. I took this picture for my husband, a fixer upper, lol

I never knew there were so many different shades of green till Ireland. See the hedgerow fences.

This was a stone ring 4000 to 5000 years old.

The wind was blowing so bad that it was blowing this water fall backwards up in the air. This was taken on the western coast by Dingle. Much better cliffs than The Cliffs of Moher. And Free.

Stay tuned I will be posting more pictures of Ireland till St. Patrick's Day. This was the most wonderful trip I had ever been on. I am so lucky to have my parents and to be able to share this with them. How many people do you know you could spend a month traveling around with and still be speaking when the trip is over? lol

Finished project from the cave and a new purse!

2009-03-10T12:39:00.000-07:00

I made this purse from crumbs of my scraps.
I finally gave up and change my wintry Christmas purse out for this one. It is so bright and cheerful. I took it with me when I went to Joann's Sunday and got a lot of compliments. Even small scraps can do something. We pay for all our fabrics so need to use ALL of it.

Next Saturday my mom is having a St. Patrick's day party. My mom, sister, sister-in-law, daughter and myself are supposed to make a craft using green for an exchange.

I made fabric bowls. I wanted to do something that no one has and a little different than a quilt or wall hanging.

Each one is different. Quick and easy. I am so glad they are done. Usually I'm the one finishing up the hour before we leave. lol

I enjoy reading comments sometimes I have a hard time replying back with email. It just doesn't work so I may have to reply back to you in one of your blogs. There are so many of you out there that are so talented. I could and do get stuck on here going from blog to blog adding to my to do lists. Thank you all.

Added to the Stash!

2009-03-08T21:02:00.000-07:00

I went to Joann's favric store today for their $1.99 a yard Quilters showcase fabric. Useually the Quilters showcase fabrics are lights and nutrals. That is what I went intending to buy.

Well It was all brights.

I know that the pictures do not do this fabric justice.

They are beautiful! I can't wait to start playing with them!

Short note from the Sewing cave

2009-03-04T12:23:00.000-08:00

No big news from the cave. I guess that happens when you take on a couple big projects at a time. Still working on letters for the wall quilt and still hand quilting the other bright quilt. Still watching way too much TV.

I was at Walmart today and picked up these pretty bandannas. My eldest child, an almost 23 year old daughter has a condition called alopecia totalis. She lost all her hair while in high school. So she wears hats and bandannas all the time. She works in the CCU of our local hospital and likes to match her bandannas to her scrubs. I saw these and they just screamed her name. She is partial to pink. She does love to take pictures of herself. lol Here is one she took at christmas.

What I'm doing and Not doing in the Sewing Cave

2009-03-01T11:20:00.000-08:00

What was I thinking? To hand quilt this?

Next time I decide to hand quilt something again I will make sure it does NOT have so many seams. I haven't hand quilted in along time and my hands are cramping.

So I took a break and started playing with my letters. I finished Awesome (spelled correctly this time lol) and started on The Princess.

I also received a package of Batik Scraps I bought from Getsassed on Etsy. I just love them. It is so dreary here to day so that the pretty colors really draw my eyes.

Then I see that stack of solids I bought Presidents day weekend on sale. Dear Husband washed and dried them for me. Now I should be ironing them.

I also would like to go to JoA's and see about using my weekend coupons on something. We need to go to town and get some wood pellets and DH wants to go look at LAD lights to go under the kitchen cabinets.

The Mini Schnauzers need hair cuts. I need to start the fabric bowls I am making for a St Patties day party Mom is having. All the women in the family are making a craft to give to each other. I bought a three drawer plastic storage dresser and some plastic totes to organize my sewing cave as my fabric stash is over flowing it's storage bins. Dh swears it breeds and multiples after the lights go out. So many things to do and so little time.

Sigh....I think I will play on the computer for a while longer. lol What are you doing today?

Started pieced letter quilt

2009-02-27T08:02:00.000-08:00

I have been spending quite a bit of time here on the blogs. I found a very nice lady Tonya of Lazygalquilting http://lazygalquilting.blogspot.com/ She has some very nice and easy tutorials for makeing free-pieced letters. Her blog has inspired me to make a wall quilt for each of my grown children decribeing them with a bunch of words over lapping and going differnt directions. I got this part made in just one night.

Tonya also has some good ideas for hand quilting. So I am also hand quilting because of her too. You need to check out her blog. I like her philosophy of No Quilting Police and it should be fun! We had some wild weather yesterday! Wind, lightning, hail and down pours. Typical Spring storms but very early for February. Then today is it all sun. Turned back to being cold 22 degrees this morning but at least there is sun Glorious Sun!

Here is the Old Gentleman of the farm, Champ. I used to breed Golden Retreivers many years ago. Champ is my last golden left. He is now a house dog. Loves to lay in front of the pellet stove. We have to put the coffee table up against the couch at night when we go to bed or that is where he is in the morning.

The Sewing Cave is calling my name!

2009-02-25T08:42:00.000-08:00

I have been hand quilting and my sewing machine is getting lonely. Or maybe it is the scraps calling my name.
At the local quilt store they sell grab bags of scraps and end cuts. I just can not resist them.

So I started play with scraps and makeing liberated stars and simple 9 patches.

Don't have a clue what I am going to do with them.

Just playing in the fabric.

I was trying to catch a picture of a real bright short rainbow out the front door. At least the snow is gone things are muddy, no green showing yet but soon!

As you can see by this ADHD type post my mind is just scattered all over the place. A light bulb came on in my head this morning while driveing my early morning bus route. I would like to make a couple of wall quilts. One for each of my kids useing Tonyas pieced letters.

The kids name on the top then random placed words decribeing them. example Missy is..... Amazing, Awsome, The Princess, Loved ect. in real bright BRIGHT fabrics. (her kitchen is the brightest wake you up in the morning wild green you have ever seen. Then she painted a floesent pink stripe around the room Monday) It will really pop your eyes. Now the College son hmm..... Have to find the right colors for him. I am haveing a harder time with his. (he doesn't know what colors he likes. He still will not buy his own clothes. Mom still has to do it or he will take a couple of girl friends (they are ONLY friends mom) to shop for him.) So Please help me ladies figure some colors for a Jr in college going pre med that has a sense of humor, and wrote an essay his freshman year of college that got me picked as MOM of the year for the Univercity of Idaho.

Finished a Series of books by Anne McCaffrey

2009-02-23T09:09:00.000-08:00

Last Fall I bought a big box of books at church charity booth at a flea market. It had all the Dragon Riders of Pern books in it. Like 16 of them. I had read some of them long long ago. First one I beleive I was still in high school.

In October I went to Ireland with my parents for a month. I brought the first book, a great big book from this series (I think it had 3 books in it) to read with me. I had taken the dust cover off of it because I did not want to damage it in and out of my luggage. Well after I got home I put the dust cover back on and read the blurb about the author Anne McCaffrey. I could have kicked myself. She LIVES in Ireland in the hill of Wicklow County. I WAS THERE! If I had known I would have looked her up and checked out her stables.

I love this author. I have read almost all her other books too. Many of her books have strong women characters. Anyways I have just finished the whole Dragon riders of Pern series all 16 or so books. I am going to miss this world. It makes me sad.

Well I need to find another series to read.

Frustation in the Sewing Cave!

2009-02-22T12:31:00.000-08:00

I am so frustated with the size of my sewing cave. Now I know why I have been doing so much raggy quilting. I just do not have the room to put the batting, backing and basting pins in the bright quilt. I have tried but can't do it without wrinkles. So I guess I will take it to work with me tomorrow and spread it out on the big tables in the drivers lounge after my morning routes. Before I had "the Cave" and was sewing on the coffee table I used to do all my fabric cutting at work. lol
Well I guess I will work on another quilt I have. It is alot tamer than the bright and not quite so liberated. Some pretty Moda fabrics. Simple 9 patch blocks with a green sashing. Or maybe turn them on point for a different look. hmmm I'm not a planner, fabric and quilts talk to me as I'm makeing them. That is why I have such a hard time useing patterns. I cook the same way.lol can't use a reciepe. lol

Quilt top put together hmmm

2009-02-21T17:29:00.000-08:00

Well I finally got all the parts put together. Hmmm I'm thinking I need to add some kind of border to ground it all. This quilt started with just Liberated stars and grew from there. I did not really have a plan just started makeing parts and put them together.

Getting frustated in the Cave!

2009-02-21T10:47:00.000-08:00

It is so pretty out today. Yesterday hit 52 degrees. First t-shirt day of the season. I worked on cleaning mud out of the bus. I will probley get better fuel milage in the school bus now that I washed pounds of mud off the outside and shoveled out pounds of mud and gravel from the inside, and I can see out the windows lol. Too bad weather man says snain (rain snow mix or he isn't sure what) for Monday.

I worked on my quilt top inspired by Collaborative quilting by Freddy Moran and Gwen Marston. I can see why two people need to work on this. I am tired of doing all the small parts. lol Or maybe it was Friday and I stayed up too long last night working on it.

Well I need to finish up my computer time find somthing fun to watch on the DVR menu and get back to sewing. I don't EVEN want to look outside at the sunshine. Ta ta for now

More Bright parts made in the Sewing Cave!

2009-02-19T08:39:00.000-08:00

I keep adding more parts to this quilt....I told myself I wanted to keep this one small enough to hand quilt with out being buried. hmmm Well I am use these "sawtooth strips to devide the larger blocks. I decided to add a strip of flying geese to add a center line to the quilt.

I started sewing the parts in rows and found I needed to make a couple more liberated stars.

This is Princess servaying her domain, but it isn't her good side. (by the way the HUGE tv that over powers my liveing room is the one we brought home from when we had to close the bar lol)

Ah Here is her good side.

Liberated Star pictures from the Sewing Cave

2009-02-17T08:02:00.000-08:00

As promised here are some pictures of the pieces I have been working this weekend. I still plan on doing some pieced strips to go lengthwise between the blocks. I am trying to keep this quilt on the smaller lap size. I would like to do some unique hand quilting with thicker threads.

I really enjoy doing this funky liberated quilting. There is so much freedom to it. If a part is not quite the perfect size or the seam is not completely straight that is ok, adds to the unique look.

Three day weekend over!

2009-02-17T05:06:00.000-08:00

Well my three days of sew weekend is over. I am still working on componets for a smaller quilt based on insperation of Gwen Marston and Freddy Moran useing Liberated quilting and BRIGHT colors. Pictures will be comeing later.

Delivered a cute BRIGHT pink fabric bowl full of Valentines brownies to my daughter. They had the grandson for the weekend so got to play with him. Grandpa played intendo with him and lost. lol

Got a call from 20 year old college son. He made it back to college ok inbetween bad weather storms. He spent the weekend vollenteering at Ski Camp for HODIA. (camp for diabetic kids JDF) They had 73 campers and only 17 staff this year. Medical personal was streched pretty thin this year. He thinks it is the economy since the staff has to pay thier own way plus takeing time off work. What a kid! He hasn't missed a year yet since he was old enough to go as a camper himself. He said that this year the kids were pretty healthy no bad low blood sugars or Highs that required IVs. I asked him why he thought that was? Could be new better education on care and/or treatment. Many more kids on the insulin pump? Treatment and diet and thinking about activity and eating has changed so much since he was diognost at age three and I had to sit on him the give him his shots.

Well off to drive the bus for the day!

News from The Cave. Wacky House quilt top finished!

2009-02-15T10:04:00.000-08:00

I have been slaveing in the sewing cave trying to finsh this quilt top. It is inspired from a book called Collabrative Quilting by Freddy Moran & Gwen Marston. I love the bright colors. I am not sure when I will get this quilt finished. Right now I am just overwhelmed to back it bat it and pin bast it so it can me quilted. Sssooo I started playing with makeing some components to make another bright quilt. Makeing liberated stars and while I was makeing the quilt I chained in this stack of little blocks. They are all sewn and ready to cut and press into little triangle squares. Stay tuned to find out what I do next!

Relaxing weekend in the Sew Cave

2009-02-08T10:33:00.000-08:00

I spent a nice relaxing weekend in my comfy clothes playing in "the Cave". Finished up the bright patchwork purse I made for myself. I even put pockets in this one so I don't lose my keys and cell phone. I have been useing a christmas one. lol guess it is time to put it away till next year.

I am a fabric horder and have such a hard time cutting up large pieces of fabric. I dug out some pretty moda fabric from the Daydream and Shoots and ladders collection and I am makeing a traditonal 9 patch quilt I plan to hand quilt. I used to love doing hand work before I got a nice sew machine.

New Item in the Sewing Cave

2009-02-06T07:55:00.000-08:00

I have been playing with my bright scraps again. I am soooo tired of winter. Needed somthing the brighten my day. I am makeing myself a purse out of this. What is pictured is the body of the bag I am doing the grid quilting on it now.

I used a Joannes cupon and bought a diamond template for somthing new. The last picture is of the template and some pieces I have been playing with. I will probley try to incorperated these into a new purse. Have a good day.

Sew cave up date!

2009-02-02T08:05:00.000-08:00

I did make a couple of fabric bowls yesterday untill cat attack. So ended up watching the football game. Only game I watch a year. It was exciting. I felt sorry for The Boss, he was so out of breath. he got so old, how did that happen? lol Glory days was good though.

I really should be cleaning up my fabric but I'm in a scrappy mood and want to make some blocks. Don't know what for just enjoy sewing the scrappy blocks.

News Flash from the Sewing Cave

2009-02-01T16:16:00.000-08:00

Cat woman attacks Sewing Cave, draws blood then collapes.

Cat woman attacks the sewing Cave!

Post cards for Valentines Day!

2009-01-31T10:09:00.000-08:00

Here are a few fabric postcards I have been working on for family and friends. I may even list some. These are easy and fun to make useing scraps and any excuse to use the facy stitches on my sewing machine.
Everyone I know is selling on Bonanza I think I may just have to check it out!

Monday blag

2009-01-26T15:38:00.000-08:00

I got another fabric bowl made. I did list this one on ebay use id bebe80_0. They sure fun and easy to make. But I need to get back to my sewing cave and make some more puses and totes. Back to the same ol same ol.

Fabric Bowl

2009-01-25T17:16:00.000-08:00

A friend on a group I am in on Ebay turned me on to this link. http://www.craftstylish.com/item/33825/how-to-sew-a-fabric-bowl It was so easy to follow. I made this in maybe two hours. I loved it. I will be giveing this one to my daughter for Valentines day. Super fun!

Just a few things I'm working on!

2009-01-24T22:34:00.000-08:00

I made another purse. Brought back my chickens and tried it out on the new purse design. I felt his feet got a little crowded off to the bottom. Sew I made a little bit bigger bag to make sure it would still stand. Now Im designing another chicken bag. I also prefected my zipper insert.

Bright scrappy purse with zipper

2009-01-20T09:15:00.000-08:00

I worked on another purse last night useing scraps. I did the zipper a little different than the heart one. I like this much better. I know there are probley patterns out there for makeing something like this but I made up the pattern myself. I really like the way they stand on their own. I used different colored thread for the grid quilting and a verigated rainbow thread for the free motion quilting.

Little heart purse

2009-01-19T12:32:00.000-08:00

I made this little heart purse last night. I quilted the fabric in squares and then did some free motion in gold metalic thread can't see very well in these pictures. The heart is also a pocket just the right size for a cell phone. What I really like about this purse is that it stands by itself and it is not stuffed.
I had made myself one out of christmas fabric because my own purse was hurting my shoulder during christmas shopping. There are times when I don't need to take a huge bag with me.

Oh no! Huge quilt I have been working on.

2009-01-18T12:32:00.000-08:00

I layed out some of my quilt blocks to see how they would look! Oh No! I think it is going to be WAY too busy. I may need to do a calmer sashing. I is going to be raggy so that may seperate the blocks better. hmm not sure what to do. And I was planning on doing some real intence machine quilting on the blocks. Yeah time to set this aside for a while and make somthing else. I do like the bright colors.

Icy Friday

2009-01-16T09:05:00.000-08:00

Good morning! Trying to stay warm and looking forward to the three day weekend.
Well I hope to get some pictures on here of a quilt I have been working on. It has 12 1/2" wacky house and funcky trees blocks. But now I am adding some other blocks that at first started out as border blocks and now have turned into sashing. This quilt is really growing.
gotta go drive a bus!

Newby Blogger

2009-01-12T08:49:00.000-08:00

Well I have been dragged kicking and screaming into the 21st centry. I now have a blog! More things to keep track of on the computer. hmm is this somthing I want? I need to get my name back out there so that I can sell more. Will it take me away from my creating?
Has your blog helped you? What do you get from having a blog?