Grammy's Quilts

I Going to HOUSTON!!!!

2007-08-26T14:30:00.001-05:00

Can't wait. Tickets are purchased, wish list growing in my mind. Nancy and I are meeting in Houston for 3 1/2 days of unadulterated girl time! No one yelling MOM, no work, just fun, quilts and good food.

Lots has gone on at my house since my last post. I got back from the wedding and State Survey walked in to my office (Of course, I had taken the day off and was still in my Pj's when the call came in at 10:30 am. 5 days of hell with them, but a good survey. I even got my test results the day they arrived and I passed my certification exam, so have new letters to put after my name.

Hubby has spent most of the last 5 weeks in Lafayette with ailing aged parents. FIL is 92 and MIL is 84 and has taken to the bed. Then on top of that the IRS decided it was time for us to file our 2004, 2005, 2006 taxes (I know, but there are not enough hours in the day!!) So I had to drag hubby back from Lafayette to do that chore. Trying to keep his ADD self on track was hard. Taxes is what I spent my birthday doing. What fun. Then DH got called back to Lafayette. At that time, I told him to just go get them and bring them here. They evidently can't live alone any longer, so they are with us now. I no longer have a retreat to go to. Hubby still hasn't found anyone to stay with them in the daytime, so he still hasn't gone back to work. He is reluctant to just put them in the nursing home quite yet. I told him we would try it, but if our mental or physical health began to fail, we would have to look for other alternatives. I won't have my WHOLE life upended.

So as you can see, I can't wait for the mental health benefits of a trip to Houston to visit my favorite (okay, only) baby sister.

I'll try to get the camera out later and post my latest sewing. I have done one top and got half of another lap quilt pieced yesterday. I also have my Bento Box cut out and kitted. I got really excited last Monday night because I got to sew for the first time in months. Okay, so what if it was a Sponge Bob Mat cover and Pillow Case for the youngest grandson to start pre-K with, it involved a rotary cutter, needle and thread!

I'll try not to be such a stranger.

My New Fabrics

2007-06-26T20:57:00.000-05:00

Nothing quilty going on in this house for the past week. Work was horrendous, and my normally dull social life got busy. Brent and I celebrated our 26th wedding anniversary last Thursday. On Friday, we attended the 25th wedding anniversary party of friends at a very upscale restaurant in the French Quarter overlooking Jackson Square. On Saturday, we got up, packed a small bag and headed to the camp to fish and try out our new boat. The fishing was great, the quiet and solitude even better. The motor on the boat is headed back to the mechanic, but the trip was successful. We found out the problems with the boat, without getting stranded. We brought home 4 redfish, 10 speckled trout and 4 dozen crabs. So needless to say, we have been eating fresh seafood since Sunday night!

These are the fabrics from my shopping spree week before last at Thousands of Bolts. I have to say the colors were just as I imagined. You never quite know when shopping online, looking at pictures. I have a yard of each, and haven't quite decided what they are going to become, but they well be used together. Quite a change from the browns, beiges and blacks that have attracted me for the past several years.

This weekend I hope to get the rows of the last batch assembled. The rows are completed, I just have to lay them out in the order they are going, and stitch them together. Then I will have 2 tops ready to quilt. The following weekend, I'll be headed north to attend my younger brother's wedding and spend some time with my baby sister - YEAH! We don't get to spend nearly enough face-to-face time with each other. We mostly keep in touch through our blogs, with the RARE phone call. We both spend so much time on the phone at work, that we don't like to talk on one at home. So our calls are special time spend together.

Gotta go back to work. Have to get ahead, so I can take time off next week and not be terribly behind. See ya'll later. Hopefully, with more pictures this weekend.

My Fun Saturday

2007-06-16T18:43:00.000-05:00

What a great day! I drove the 50 miles to Baton Rouge to The Quilt Corner for their 3 hours sale. It was a madhouse - people everywhere! Yards and yards and even BOLTS of fabric going out the store. I don't know if Judy is going to treat us as well anytime soon. She was looking pretty frazzled at 11:30 when I got there and ragged when I left at 12:30. These pictures are not very good, I'll try for better pictures and lighting when the one on the left gets constructed - probably next weekend. The top yardage is the backing, the other orange is the binding - both 40% off. The other 12 fabrics were fat quarters - bought BOGO. The orange with blue and purple hearts was the jumping point for all the other fabrics. They all may stay, or if there are some upstairs that fit better, the others will go to stash.

The fat quarters on the right - also bought BOGO - are going to go in a Bento Box that is birthing in my mind. It is going to be black/brown and beiges. MAYBE, a touch of red, but I haven't decided.

The great thing about a gathering of quilters like this is the visiting. Nancy, I thought of you when talking to this older lady. She has 3 machines, each with their own WOP. When she gets bored with one, she move on to another machine. What a GREAT idea.

I have the table cleared to begin quilting the top from last weekend. If I don't start soon, I won't get done this weekend and some of these others are going to have me pulling out the cutting mat and rulers instead. Must stay focused.......

I have SINNED

2007-06-14T21:47:00.000-05:00

Nancy, it is all your fault! Looking at all the gorgeous fabrics you have gotten lately, made me hungry. Now, you know when I get TOO hungry I tend to overeat. Other than occasional fat quarters, I don't buy fabric just to buy. I have just left one of your favorite shops, Thousands of Bolts, and have ordered 8 1 yard fabrics in bright green, yellow and blue. I can't wait to get them in my hands. I promise a post as soon at they are in. They are SO far from the colors that I have been drawn to for several years, I cannot wait to see what they turn into. I will have to pull the pattern books out and see what they will create.

Now, I have to try to be good on Saturday. My favorite LQS is having a 40% off sale Saturday morning from 10am to 1 pm. AND serving ice cream sundaes. How much better can it get than that????? And it's 2 for 1 fat quarter Saturday. Add all that together and it makes it worth my while to drive 50 miles one way to go. I'm on call, but got one of my coworkers to cover for me Saturday so I can go (I covered for her Jazz Fest Weekend, so it's payback time for her). Thank goodness, Saturday is only one more day away!!!

Gotta go to bed. I'm on Cheer MOM duty in the morning. The cheerleaders have been teaching a miniclinic for younger girls and I have to volunteer tomorrow at camp. It was fun last year. Soon as that is over, I have to find a fast internet connection and get some billing out by noon for end of month. Then I am going to spend the afternoon with the Princess, before we have to be back at school for the final performance after camp.

Hubby is leaving to visit his Father (he's 92) for Father's day on Saturday morning. That gives me the weekend free and I am going to quilt the top I completed last weekend. Thanks for all the suggestions. I am definitely going to do a cross hatch. I haven't decided yet if it is going to be straight lines or curvy lines. I guess we'll see how it ends up....

See ya'll Saturday with pictures of my day's purchases.

Suggestions for quilting

2007-06-09T22:32:00.000-05:00

See previous post. I'm going to try to quilt this one tomorrow. At least get it started. I'm thinking about a diagonal crosshatch instead of stitching in the ditch. What do ya'll think? I am a VERY beginner at machine quilting. Piecing is a piece of cake, since I've been sewing since a child, but the QUILTING is a challenge for me. Or, since this one if for me should I be adventurous and try out an overall meandering stitch?

All suggestions not only welcomed, but needed.

Ready for Quilting!

2007-06-09T19:16:00.001-05:00

7:00 PM

Here is my day's work, spray basted and ready for quilting tomorrow. I am pleased with this quilt. THIS IS MINE. My family keeps my house so cold, I will use this to cover my legs when watching TV.

I have also got the placemats cut out. These are the fabrics for them. My everyday dishes are black and white. I might even do a runner to match all the fabrics. I have to thinks about that. The batting is in the dryer being preshrunk, then I will cut them out tonight. Then these are ready for assembly and quilting.

I'm now tired and I have taken a muscle relaxer because my back is screaming at me. Time to eat. See ya'll later.

Update

2007-06-09T12:55:00.001-05:00

It is 12:55 pm. All the strip sets are sewn together, recut into 6.5x2.5 strips and are stacked in nice, neat piles. 3 of the six vertical rows are constructed. Time to rest the back a bit. Think I'll visit with some of you and then it's back to the machine.....

Quilt in a Day - I hope

2007-06-09T07:46:00.000-05:00

It is Saturday morning and I survived the grueling week. Worked til 7:30 Monday, then had to be up at 5:00 am on Tuesday and Wednesday to drive 1.5 hours to the inservice/test (AND be alert, go figure!). Then back to THAT PLACE Thursday and Friday trying to catch up on two days lost work. Boy, am I glad that is over. I'll find out in 3-4 weeks if I passed the certification exam and can add more initials behind my signature.

Pam asked me what is an OASIS specialist. OASIS is a set of questions that Medicare requires home health agencies to ask certain patients at certain time points in their care. The answers not only determine how much they pay us to care for the patients for the next 60 days, but determine our outcomes of care, i.e. did we do a good job improving the patient's health and functional status. Since our Federal regulations for home health care require that we ensure good data (we answer the questions based on their definitions) and the answers determine our reimbursement for care, acquiring certification as an "expert" is a big deal for our agency and industry, but doesn't mean anything to any other practice of nursing other than home health. Not that I'm downplaying the importance, because it adds credibility to me, personally, and for the agency that I run. For those nurses out there, I guess you can tell I have been a nurse for a LONG time (31 years last month), because I still care for patients NOT clients.

But, enough of that. It is the weekend and I am determined to do what I want to today. The washing machine was fixed Wednesday afternoon, so I guess I'll do a bit of laundry between playing. I didn't sleep well last night and was up at my normal 6 am. I drank my pot of coffee and read my paper front to back - even worked at the crossword puzzle. I'll have to go back to that later when my back needs a rest - I didn't do too well this morning, the brain just wasn't quite into it yet.

I treated myself to a quick trip to my favorite LQS - The Quilt Corner, in Baton Rouge after the exam on Wednesday. I treated myself to 4 quarter yard black and whites to go with a black on black to make placemats this weekend, 2 patterns and 2 spools of thread. Those fabrics are in the washer, ready for the dryer when the current load finishes. I'll post that picture later.

I had pulled fat quarters off the shelf (Nancy you will recognize most of them probably. They probably started on your shelf, or we may have bought them last time I visited) for one of the patterns. NO FABRIC BOUGHT for this lap quilt - all from stash. By 7:30 this morning they were ironed, cut and put together, ready for the machine. I even took the "scraps" and cut 2 1/2 inch strips for the binding, and cut THOSE leftovers into 1 1/2 inch strips to do in a box (Nancy, are you proud of me). Now, I'm really not all that anal, so anything smaller that 1 1/2 inches did go in the trash.

Now, it's time to pick the sewing machine up out of the corner of the dining room where it has resided for the past week and get to sewing. I hope to also get the LAST 2 rows done on the pinwheel quilt and the borders on it this weekend. Only 20 more blocks to construct and sew together. I got the bottom pieced border done last Sunday and on the quilt, so only the top and it is ready for outer borders and quilting. I bought the above pattern, because after that one, I have had enough of triangle to last for a while (other that the Windy Day BOM I'm doing). I NEEDED a quick and easy project - hence this pattern (the other I bought is the Bento Box), and the placemats that are the projects for this weekend.

Progress report later - need to get to that sewing machine - maybe I'll medicate my back before I start....

There's been sewing going on

2007-06-02T18:30:00.001-05:00

The washing machine broke on the last load Monday evening, so no laundry going on here this weekend. Hubby kept forgetting to call the repairman, so I guess it's a good thing we both have 2 weeks worth of work clothes!

Since no laundry can be done, might as well sew. I got the second installment of my Windy Day quilt this week, so I came home last night and cut out month one and month 2. The first picture is the blocks from month 2, the second the center of the quilt which has been waiting a month for me to cut out and sew. I have to confess there was as much unsewing on month one and there was sewing. Just couldn't get my head around the directions. But perservere I did, and I love the way it turned out. My son has claimed this one for his double bed. And he is willing to wait a year for the top to be completed. Now I can await delivery of the Civil War Quilt blocks (5 a month). It should be delivered this week. Guess I'll have to catch up on laundry before I can start them.

I did get Baylee's quilt ripped up last weekend. Tomorrow, between housework and rest, I will attempt to correct the spelling of her name and get the top reassembled. I purchased the backing for it last week, so I should complete it next weekend, if I get it reassembled.

The pinwheel quilt I started several months ago got worked on also today. I got all the blocks trimmed and the first top row pinned and ready to rip through the machine. I started to work on it a few minutes ago, but realized my back was screaming at me after sitting at the machine since 9:00 am. So I took some Aleve and decided it was a good time to post.

I'll try to post progress report tomorrow to keep me honest about my work.

This week is going to be a busy one. My nephew who is in the Air Force is finally getting to go home for a short visit before his first assignment. He hasn't been home since he left for basic in December. He graduated from his technical training at Lackland a couple of weeks ago and got his assignment Friday. He got his first choice - Washington, DC. He is flying into New Orleans Monday and headed home to Mississippi on Tuesday or Wednesday. Don't know how long he'll be in before he has to be in DC, but guess I'll find out Monday.

I have a workshop to attend for work on Tuesday and on Wednesday I'll sit the COS-C exam to obtain my certification as an OASIS specialist. Since the company is paying for me to sit the exam, I'll be studying hard this weekend and on Monday and Tuesday nights. Guess I'll have to schedule some study time for tomorrow, cuz I don't see it happening today. This was a "Susan" day.

Hubby should be home from the camp with fresh crabs (YUK) and redfish (YUM) soon. I know what we'll be eating tomorrow and Monday. Crabs on Sunday and redfish on Monday. Guess I'll have to find something else to eat tomorrow. I'll probably fix something no one but me will eat, since that is the only time I get to cook MY favorites (like chicken fried steak, Chicken and dumplings, potatoes and onions....) I'm getting hungry already.

See ya'll tomorrow.

Disappointing Day - Time to Frog Stitch

2007-05-20T16:56:00.000-05:00

I THOUGHT I almost had the top finished. This is it laid out on my living room floor! All that was left was to iron the Sunbonnet Sue down and stitch around it! Not really pleased with the borders, but I figured a six year old wouldn't notice.

Hubby walked by and asked who the quilt was for. I told him and he replied, "You mispelled her name! It is Baylee, I made the same mistake and she corrected me!" So I guess, the ripper and I have a date for next weekend. Might as well fix the borders while I am at it. Thought I would be quilting next weekend, but maybe the next one.

Hubby's passing comment ALMOST made me head to the trash with the whole thing: my entire day of sewing, down the tubes! Almost rage at yet another mother who has to make up the spelling of a child's name (the home health agency I run cares for about 60-80 premature infants at any given time, and the spellings of some names make your head spin). Then I did an internet search and find that on the first 3 of 4 sites I visited, the Baylee is an accepted alternate spelling for Bailey - nto that I have ever seen that spelling in almost 51 years. I could feel a MAJOR blue funk coming on. I went and sat outside for a few minutes and realized, I only have to figure out how to make one E. I have all the rest of the letters. Fortunately, Nancy sent me the scraps from the letters, so that should be easy, and I can try to copy her E. And the borders are really not right, and while a six year old might not realize it, I do, and that is not my standard. Mama would never have allowed me to get away with mistakes so obvious.

I think I will do something quick after this. I believe the next thing to do is a set of placemats that have caught my eye. That should appease my need to finish something easily.

Busy Weekend

2007-05-13T21:08:00.000-05:00

I opened my package from Nancy Saturday morning and fell in love. Too bad it was the day for the youngest grandson's birthday and I have to go shopping for the party. I thought I'd get to play after the party, but the oldest grandson and his best friend butted heads on the slip and slide at the beginning of the party. Grandson only ended up scared and with a great big goose egg on his forehead. Unfortunately, the other one ended up with 9 stitches in his forehead. We had brought him with us, so off to the Emergency Room we head. I broke more traffic laws yesterday than I have in my whole life. My son and grandson were hysterical. The parents were on their way to a wedding and we had to turn them around to meet us at the emergency room. Both boys are fine, so we are lucky. By the time we got done at the ER, went back to the party to sing Happy Birthday and eat cake, I was exhausted when we got in and went to bed early.

Hubby was out of town visiting with his mom for Mother's Day, so I was only me, my son, Scott and the oldest grandson, Dayton home today. DD Ashley came home for a bit this afternoon to visit, but went back to her boyfriend's for a Mother's Day Luau.. So I got to play today. Here is my progress....

What do you think? What color should I use for the outside border? I moved the border with the name from the bottom of the original design to the top. Thought it kinda looked like clouds in the sky and belonged there more that the bottom. There will be a 1" pink border and the side panel is a mottled pinky/purple with blue and pink stars. Opinions please before I start cutting into more fabric.

My best Mother's Day gift came from my sister. This was one of our mother's most prized possessions.... Her cookbook. It is full of her favorite recipes and still has all the clippings stuffed in it she had in there for years.

Nancy, did you ever see the last page in the book? I either had not, or it was so long ago I had forgotten. It made me cry and lifted my spirits at the same time. Thank you for this precious gift.
Happy Mother's Day, Mama. I love you and miss you.

A Senior A Last

2007-05-10T19:35:00.000-05:00

Last night was Ring Night at the Princess' school. The seniors left yesterday morning after picking up their caps and gowns and the Juniors/now reigning Seniors got their class rings. The program was nice, the kids looked great and were SOOOOO excited. Hubby and I went out to eat afterwards with the boyfriend and his parents. All in all a great night, even though I missed American Idol last night. I really think the school should have done better planning.

I have worked on some quilty things, just no pictures yet. I'll be home alone this weekend, so should be able to get some sewing done and pictures posted. I worked Saturday cleaning my sewing/spare bedroom. I can actually get to the desk I sew on. I cleaned up about 50 quilt magazines, keeping the patterns that interested me, and trashing the rest. I have 4 binders with the patterns in sheet protectors. One has Children's/Baby quilt patterns, one Lap sized and wall hanging, one has bed sized quilts (of course, separated by twin, double, queen and king!) and one for miscellaneous instructional materials including quilting motifs.

I got the last of the HST sewn into squares for the borders on the last quilt posted and have 1/2 of the trimmed and ready to construct the last 40 blocks. I was going to just put on the black paisley border, but think I am going to add a narrow solid black to transition to it.

I am now a proud member of the Quilting 4 Pleasure ring. I thought long and hard about reestablishing my membership in the Stash Quilts ring, but to be honest, I really don't have a stash. I rarely make scrap quilts. I am too anal for that. I really like order in my life so "matchy" quilts please me. And I quilt for my pleasure, and mostly in colors that please me, so the Quilting 4 Pleasure ring seemed to fit me better. I'll still be visiting with many of those special ladies as many of them are on my bloglines.

I received my package from my sister today. I have not allowed myself to open it yet. That will be my joy on Saturday morning when I get ready to begin Bailey's quilt. Only one more day to wait.

Dinner time. Gonna try to finish a run around the ring after dinner.

Progress Report

2007-05-04T19:39:00.000-05:00

Okay, this it the long promised picture of the redwork wall hanging Nancy and I purchased and began the last time Dad was in the hospital last year. We took over the reception desk in the ICU waiting room and traced the pattern. Then we sat in the waiting room and stitched. Mine in red, and Nancy's in coral. Don't know if she has finished hers yet, but decided to go ahead and post mine. The wording in the background is difficult to see and read in the picture, but it says, "Some things have to be believed to be seen." It seemed fitting at that difficult time in our lives and gave each of us comfort and companionship as we worked on them. They of course have our individual stamps, not only in coloring, but mine is done in a stem stitch, where, Nancy chose to use a back stitch, so they look similar, but very different, just as we are.

This is the progress I made on this project last week. I got the right side second border on. In addition to that I got all but 20 of the pairs of squares stitched and cut apart for the HST to complete the last 40 blocks for the top and bottom. I hope to get some work done on this one over the weekend, but as Nancy spoke in her blog this weekend I have a special project I am going to be working on, at least the planning...

One of the guys my husband works with has a new 6 year old daughter. She is his niece and both parents are in prison. She has been placed in their care, the the probability of adoption in a year. I decided she needed a quilt of her own in her new home. So Nancy is doing her name in wonky letters for me in girly colors so her name will be on her quilt. I am piecing 12 - 5 1/2 in framed 4 patches in girly colors. It will have a 1 inch border surrounding it, then there will be a wide border down the left side with balloons appliqued (OH NO, THE "A" WORD!) with narrow rickrack "strings". Then the bottom border will be Nancy's wonky letters spelling her name. Finally, an outer border. I can see the completed project in my mind's eye, or maybe it is in my heart, and it is a little girl's dream. I cannot wait to complete it and send it to her. Gotta' get to work pulling fabrics, so I can see my vision brought to life..... Will check back in soon.

I'm Back

2007-04-28T15:31:00.000-05:00

I have been in a blue funk for the last few months. I have not even thought about pulling out the sewing machine. I, however have participated in the Shop Hop in March and April and in March fell in love with this Block of the Month at Homestead Hearth call Windy Day. I enrolled in my first ever Block of the Month program. I decided I could MAYBE manage to get one block a month done without feeling overwhelmed by an entire project all at one time like this one... I have "drawn" the lines on the last 86 squares to sew to the red and green squares and cut apart. Then I can finish this top.

This is the block of the month I will be working on. Nancy, I'm counting on you to harass me for pictures of my progress monthly!!!! I would try to direct you to the picture on the website, but the BOM is sold out, so is no longer featured on the site.

These are the fabric for the center square. the ones on the left are the center pinwheel, the ones on the right are the small pinwheels around it. I LOVE these colors.

Gotta go... back to the sewing machine.

Apologies to Mama, New Year's Resolutions

2007-01-22T21:33:00.000-06:00

I hate the telephone! I spend so much time with one stuck to the side of my head at work, I DO NOT pick one up at home. We went totally cellular about 4 years ago, and I only have to answer mine, and everyone knows I hate the phone, so the only time it rings is when it's work or a kid. Occasionally, my older brother, John.

Mama knew that if she wanted to talk to me, she had to call me. The only time I called her was to get a recipe (how do you make cornbread dressing - right in the middle of a delivery!!!) We had wonderful visits on the phone. Precious times, but ALWAYS initiated by Mama.

Now that I am the Mama, and experiencing empty nest syndrome, I have to say, "Mama, I am so sorry I didn't call." You see, my baby is no longer a baby and no longer needs her mother to hold her hand daily. I know this is part of life, but there is an empty place in my heart waiting for her to refill it. It is days like today, I loved to walk in Mama's back door and tell her "mother me". I hope that as she grows and matures, she and I will become the great friends Mama and I did as adults.

So, if it is not too late in the year, I resolve to pick up the phone and call my siblings, just to chat. No itineraries, no favors to ask, just a call for the sheer pleasure of hearing their voices. Nancy, I love communicating via our blogs, private and public, but it is not the same as the phone. When you get ready to change your cell number, post on our private site so I can save it for calls. Expect to hear from me this weekend - I may need a friendly voice after completing our part of preparations for the pageant next week!

I am taking my wholecloth with me and the calendar pattern with me next week. Got to have something to keep my hands and mind busy during the times I cannot participate and just have to hurry up and wait. So hopefully by next weekend I will have quilty pictures and pageant pictures (maybe even a new crown) to post.

This is the crown we are going after. This is the current queen the night she was crowned last year. Wish us luck. I may not get to post again until after the pageant. I will have the laptop and camera with me next weekend, so who knows I may post from the hotel between events.

Bed time now. I have to go the that place tomorrow. Gotta make the bacon.

Help

2007-01-21T15:09:00.000-06:00

I decided to play with my template. I haven't touched it since I updated Blogger and when I updated to template to start playing, I have lost my Stash Quilts link. How do I get it back?

Not much quilty going on here, although I am still working on a 18x18 inch Wholecloth wall hanging. Currently watching the Saints game. Not looking good right now for Super Bowl. Hope things turn around. Sorry, Bears fans, it really is our turn. But, really, may the best team win.

We are 10 days from Queen of Queens. Told the princess, she either had to come home every night this week to get ready, or she could give up her weekend next weekend - oh no, not TWO weekends in a row without the boyfriend - to get ready. I will really be glad when this one is over. This is what her "Queen Cards" look like. I'm not wild about the border, but this is what she designed this time. These are her business cards that she swaps with other queens when she travels. We choose not to have her demographic information printed on the fronts - she also uses them with friends. So I purchase clear address labels, and print her address, phone numbers and email address on them. We only stick them on the ones she uses for the queens. I also had an 11"x14" print made of this picture - no borders or wording - to frame and hand in her room. We will also use it on her scrapbook table next year when she gives up her crown.

This pageant has really been an eye-opener for me. I have had to scrap and beg for any information about what we needed to do, what our financial responsibilities were, etc. She is representing the Lions Club, but we have all the financial responsibility other than the cost of her hotel room for 3 days - but we have to pay for that and get reimbursed. We do ALL the work trying to get THEM a Queen of Queens and they even wanted us to pay for the tickets to watch her compete at $50 each! Her director has answers for nothing. I have to say we were warned the night she won her crown by the previous queen. But if I were the director, I would have all the answers the queen and her mom needed. If I didn't, I'd be getting the answers. I have lost a lot of respect for her director. Guess I am having pre-pageant nerves. Ashley is cool as a cucumber!

Gotta get back to laundry. I anyone can help me fix my page, please comment or email me.

Thanks, ladies.

I'm Still Here

2007-01-02T20:44:00.002-06:00

I really do still exist. I have even picked up a needle lately. I finished the redwork pattern I was working on, except for adding on the borders and quilting it. I was not in the mood to get the sewing machine out this weekend, so I moved on. Nancy gave me a calendar pattern at Daddy's funeral she had bought for me which is a combination of embroidered squares and patchwork setting blocks. The only muslin I had on hand was white, so I spent last Thursday coffee dying it. I then cut out my 6x8 inch blocks and have traced the 12 patterns ready to embroider. But then I had to go buy a small embroidery hoop, because the only two I had we 6 and 8 inches 0 much too large.

I have been fascinated with the look of whole cloth quilts for a few months. I found a free pattern for a 18" block on the internet. I cut it out and traced it about 10 pm Friday night. I have got the center quilted, and am in the process of drawing the "rays" in the inner and outer areas to stitch. I can't wait to finish this one.

I would post pictures of the works in process, but the princess has BOTH digital cameras. I probably won't see her until the weekend, so will post pictures when I can.

It is going to be a busy month. The princess is 30 days from competing in the "Queen of Queen's" Pageant. I have to get the zipper replaced in her pageant gown (I DO NOT do alterations and refuse to do zippers. I usually insert by hand, I hate doing zippers so badly!), we need to find the perfect interview suit, make appointment for hair and make up for Friday interview, Saturday morning evening gown prelims and Saturday night finals. The challenge will be finding someone to do hair Saturday morning early. Makeup is possible - we have a great relationship with the local Merle Norman store - they have come in and opened the store on Sunday to do her makeup for pageants before - but to find a salon to come in at the crack of dawn to do "pageant" hair will be a challenge. I will start working on that Friday when I am off. Any great hairdressers out there in Baton Rouge, LA??????

Well, I have to go back to work. Am at home, kicked back in the lounge chair, but have about 3 more hours of work to get payroll ready for tomorrow's deadline.

UFO No More!

2006-12-04T21:00:00.000-06:00

I got to sew this weekend. I finished the Log Cabin Wreath I posted a couple of weeks ago. I am really pleased at how it turned out. What do you think?

Now the decorations on this hanging are very special and dear. The buttons all came from my mother's collection. Nancy knew of my plans to use buttons as ornaments, so she brought me a double handful of Mama's buttons when she came for Daddy's funeral last weekend. And she was sure to include a purple and a hot pink button, those being Mama's favorite colors. It made me feel really close to her and Nancy this weekend as I sorted through buttons and decided which went where. I really love the way it came out.

Now this was my second project I completed Sunday afternoon. In my last post I told of stopping by the LQS in Vicksburg on my way home from the funeral. One of the girls I work with got married in June. She wanted a Wedding Ring wall hanging. Now, I don't like to sew curves, and I found this kit that was laser cut fusible. It was PERFECT. I gave it to her this morning, the day after her 6 month anniversary and I thought she was going to cry. She couldn't wait to take it home and show it to her husband. All in all I think it was a perfect weekend.

Now Nancy, I have all but 2 of the colors of embroidery floss to begin the pattern you brought me. I think I will start it as soon as I finish the lettering on the redwork I am doing. I found a more perfect print to border it with in Vicksburg, so that should be the next picture posted.

Well, I'm on Grammy duty tonight. I have the almost 5 year old and I have to get him bathed and in bed for school in the morning. Will visit with all you soon.

I Won!

2006-12-01T19:25:00.000-06:00

Somehow in the madness of the last month, I managed to participate in the November 2006 Quilter's Mall Crawl. I WON a gift certificate. Now, here's the strange part..... I won the certificate from Stitch-N-Frame in Vicksburg, MS. Now I have visitied this quilt shop in the past with my mother and sister. Nancy, remember us looking for "sky" fabrics???? Well, on my way home from the funeral Monday, I decided to stop and stretch my legs in Vicksburg. Guess where? That's right - at Stitch-N-Frame. I purchased the red border and backing fabric for my redwork pattern I am working on now. I also purchased a KIT. A young lady that works for me recently got married. She wants a wedding ring wall hanging for her living room. Now, I am not one to want to sew curves, or tiny scraps of fabric together, but they had a laser cut iron on pattern. I have got the pattern ironed to the background and purchased the backing for it last night. I think I will try to finish it this weekend since her 6 month anniversary is Sunday.

Thanks for all the thoughts and prayers when we lost Dad. It is great to have friends like all of you. This passing has been harder than mom's, even though she was a great friend as well as mother. I guess it is just the finality of losing the last parent. Makes you a little crazy. Someone at work commented the other day how much they missed me while I was gone and I kinda snapped and told her, "guess it's good I have no more parents to bury". I've felt bad about that since I said it. Think I better get my hormones refilled tomorrow. I've been snapping at everyone.

Home alone tonight. Gonna just chill and sew all day tomorrow! Waiting for pizza delivery now.

Time to say goodbye

2006-11-22T15:54:00.000-06:00

I thought I would be spending the weekend sewing, but looks like plans have changed. Nancy and I lost our father earlier today, so we will be traveling to Mississippi to send him home. See ya'll when we get back. Who knows what we may work on while there?

Help

2006-11-11T09:33:00.001-06:00

I spent last Sunday pinning the Log Cabin Wreath for quilting, as well as a fall wall hanging Nancy made several years ago and gave to me when I visited this summer. I have chosen the quilting patterns for the borders and the center blocks, but am unclear as to how I am supposed to quilt the Log Cabin Blocks themselves. Any suggestions????

Nancy, I am currently redoing the "bluework" in redwork. Learned my lesson on washing first. When I washed the bluework after it was assembled, the outer fabrics shrunk. The high quality muslin we bought did not, so the hanging doesn't hang flat, and you know that drives me crazy. Will post pictures when I complete it.

I have so enjoyed the Redwork, that I have been surfing for wholecloth patterns/kits. I think that is the next hanging I am going to do to rotate through the office. Right after I complete the Log Cabin that I want to hang for the holidays. Have found a couple of sites with kits that I have bookmarked to go back and look again. If any of you know of any I can look at, please let me know. I have always enjoyed the handwork more than machine work. Nancy and I have been known to partner on sewing in the past - she the machine work and me the handwork, because she always hated handwork, and I prefer it.

I rearranged my office last week at work and hung 2 cafe rods on 2 walls and have quilted wall hangings on them. They are great to look at when I am stressed. I will try to take the camera to the office next week and get pictures.

Gonna be a busy weekend. I won't get any sewing done this weekend. I'm on call and my princess gives up her teen crown tomorrow and crowns her successor, so I'll be playing queen mother tomorrow. Got to get her a dress today to wear.

Pictures soon, I promise.

I sewed today

2006-10-28T18:45:00.000-05:00

I got to sew today! Nancy mentioned a website on her blog several months ago... www.peachquilting.com. I HAD to check it out and found this Log Cabin Wreath pattern. The only fabrics I bought were the 2 outer borders. The rest came from stash. I am going to add some buttons as ornaments and a large gold wreath once I get it completed. I got the top pieced today and now I need to go upstairs and see if I have something large enough to back it. I don't have many large pieces in stash, so completion may have to wait. I felt great to do just what I wanted to do today. Tomorrow will be for housework and laundry. Today was for me. I will post again when I get it completed. Now to go pick up my mess from today.

Okay, Okay, I'm SHAMED!

2006-10-26T20:47:00.000-05:00

I know I've been lost in space for a while, but since Ashley won her crown, we have been on a whirlwind. We've taken "queen" pictures (after I spent 13 hours one day making their formal and fun banners - I finished at 1 am the morning of pictures), done her festival, complete with parade, throwing beads and cups imprinted with her name and title on them.

Last weekend, she and her teen queen debuted as visiting queens, representing the Boucherie Festival. In November, they have 2 pageants to attend on the 18th, and one with day events on the 27th. Ashley gives up her "teen" crown on the 12th and crowns that successor. We have to complete her application for Queen of Queens pageant by December 1. Then on to finding the perfect dress and interview suit for her to wear there. It's gonna be a busy few months.

I haven't gotten to get even close to my sewing machine since I finished the banners. Work has been horrendus. I did sit in my room last weekend and pet some fabric and drool over some bagged up projects I have. Nancy alluded to my computer problems on her blog.... My new work laptop that I just got in May before I went to visit her had a hard drive crash. Sorry, I didn't talk to you last night, baby girl, but I was intent on getting my hard drive loaded,, since they shipped me a "blank piece of paper". I managed to get everything set up on it, except 3 drivers I couldn't get to load. I called our IS folks out today and they got 2 fixed, but still can't get my wireless working. They're gonna try again tomorrow. Told them that was essential.... I can't work in my lounge chair at home without wireless... Besides, I have to fight the princess for the computer at home in the evenings.

Sorry, I haven't made the rounds of the blogs lately, but I really have had no spare time. I hope to do a little sewing this weekend. We found out that many auditoriums that these pageants are held in are freezing. My girls almost froze their buns off in their little strapless formals. Many of the more experienced queens had blankets and throws with them to wrap up in. So I am going to have to make the girls throws in their festival colors to keep them warm when they travel. I might even try my hand again at the dreaded "A" word and applique the pig from Ashley's cape onto the throws. We'll see how adventurous I get.

No pictures tonight, but maybe this weekend. I have high hopes for this weekend. No pageants, no grandkids (I hope), hubby out of town hunting, daughter at a friends..... Just me and my son. And he probably will be home only to sleep. Sounds like heaven.

I Get to SEW!!!

2006-09-21T07:05:00.000-05:00

Looks like I will get to sit and sew tonight and this weekend. Unfortunately, it will not be on quilting but on new banners for my new queen and her teen queen. We went and picked out the fabrics and trim last night. Now I have to get them made and find someone to do the embroidery really quickly, because they want to have them to take their queen pictures next weekend.

This will be the formal banners. It is a pink "mink" and will have black trim around the banner. It will be embroidered with their festival title on the front and their first name on the back, probably in black thread. It will be worn in the Boucherie Parade, when she is presented at the festival and to pageants she attends as a visiting queen.

This will be their "fun" banner that they will wear when they travel to pageants that have day events for the exiting queen and to their festival. It of course has pigs on it and will again be embroidered in black with their festival title on the front and their first name on the back. It will have pink satin ruffles around it.

I will hopefully get these done this weekend and to an embroidery shop (already got the phone book out and have the name of 5 places in town to call today to check prices and turn-around times) for them to take pictures. They want to have their queen cards printed before the first big pageant they will represent their titles at on October 9, and definitely before their festival on October 13, 14, 15.

Got to go to work now. Will visit with ya'll soon and make the rounds.

We have a new Queen

2006-09-16T22:04:00.000-05:00

Join me in welcoming the newest member of the weekend rhinestone sisters... the newly crowned 2006 Miss Boucherie Festival Queen, AKA, my special daughter, Ashley. She really outdid herself tonight. 2 of 3 judges scored her straight 10's and the 3rd scored her 2 10's and a 9.5. She was confident, worked the judges, excelled in interview. She also won prettiest hair, smile, photogenic and fashion. She will ride in the festival parade and reign over the festival. Then on to a year of attending pageants and festivals as a visiting queen. She already has invitations to answer.

These are her first pictures for her scrapbook that will be on display next year when she gives up this crown. My husband was at the camp (opening day of teal season stops for nothing) and we called him and told him we have to go shopping for a new pageant gown, since she will now compete against all the state queens for the title of Queen of Queens. While I doubt she stands any chance of winning that crown, due to her young age, it is the chance of a lifetime. So, Mom and Dad will be eating tuna sandwiches between now and February to provide that opportunity to her.

Poor baby, we got home and hauled her dress crown, sceptar, Mantle and Train and all the gift bags the visiting queens brought her in the house and ordered supper. While I was out picking up supper, she got a call from her boyfriend that he was in a bad automobile accident on his way to see her. He was only about 1 mile from our home when he got hit. She is at the emergency room with him now awaiting xrays of knees, ankles and ribs. She is distraught. I hate that he is hurt and hate that her "special" day was disrupted. I am exhausted and am going to go to bed and wait to hear that he is okay and she is safely on her way home. I'll keep him in my prayers tonight.

2006-09-16T07:51:00.000-05:00

Just a quick post to let ya'll know I survived survey, it was not as bad as expected although things got really tense Tuesday. Had to catch up on the work not done Monday and Tuesday the rest of the week. DD is doing a pageant tonight so I will be working on completing the handwork on the secret project Nancy and I are working on and hope to get the borders on tomorrow so I can post. It's 8 a.m. and time to rock and roll. Interview is in 2 hours and is 45 minutes from home. Then on to hair and makeup and back to the Lions Club for 4 pm so she can get dressed and I can sew her into her dress.... SUCH fun.

2006-09-13T05:53:00.000-05:00

Your Brain is 73% Female, 27% Male

Your brain leans female
You think with your heart, not your head
Sweet and considerate, you are a giver
But you're tough enough not to let anyone take advantage of you!

What Gender Is Your Brain?

2006-09-11T22:28:00.000-05:00

Just a quick post to let ya'll know I'll be out of pocket for a couple of days. I am the Director of Nursing for a large home health agency and the state surveyors are in the building for their annual survey (they are about 2 months early, but better now than the week before Thanksgiving like last year and the week before Christmas the year before). It is 10:30 pm and I am just getting home. Gonna eat a sandwich and fall face first in my bed to start this merry-go-round again in the morning. If all goes well, they should be gone tomorrow (this is a minisurvey), then I can catch up on all the work not getting done now for waiting on them hand and foot (hope there are no surveyors on the ring, if so, sorry). Hopefully by the end of the week, I will get to post the pictures of the latest family quilt and the current projects I am working on. Til then, I'm thinking of all of you in the spare minutes I have, wishing is were time to retire and sit at home and quilt all day.

Your Prayers are Appreciated

2006-09-07T21:20:00.000-05:00

It's been a wild 2 weeks. A rushing trip to Mississippi to deal with a sick father, a surprise visit from my favorite sister (okay, okay, I know she's my ONLY sister, but she's still my favorite), wonderful retail therapy topped by a return home to the responsiblities of wife, mother and JOB. I haven't had time to visit any of your blogs yet, but maybe this weekend (I'm on cal this weekend, so I don't know what that will bring). I have gotten home late every night since I got home. The day I got home, I logged in only long enough to read Nancy's blogs from while I was gone. It was torture being away from the internet for 8 days. Reading the comments on Nancy's blog and all your well wishes and prayers when I returned really lifted the load I was feeling. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. You are a wonderfully, special group of friends.

Nancy spoke of the old family quilts we retrieved from Mama's while we were there. I will get pictures this weekend and post the one I brought home with me. Not much quilty going on here right now, but Nancy and I have a special project we are working on that we will share when it is completed. Nancy, I should complete mine this weekend. Almost done with the leaves, then only the words to complete. Then the borders. LADIES, when this is completed and posted, I will be asking for help with suggestions for quilting. That's all I'll say about that right now.

Gonna try to catch a couple of sites before I have to turn into a pumpkin. This household gets started about 5:15 am, so I can't be up too late. I have to have my beauty sleep.

MY Prized Possession

2006-08-18T22:38:00.000-05:00

This is MY most prized possession. My maternal grandmother made this quilt for me before I got married. I think she thought I needed something to keep me warm at night, since I was almost 25 before I got married.

It has been well loved and used. It has frayed almost all the way around. There are stitches that have popped and is in a great state of disrepair. It drives my husband nuts that we drag it around the house and snuggle under it still. He thinks it should be put away and admired from afar.

Granny made quilts for utility. They were meant to be used. And it is in her honor that I continue to USE this quilt. One day I will spread it out on the kitchen table and do what I can to repair the loose patches and holes in it, but until that day, it will continue to be used. It provides not only warmth, but comfort when it is needed most.

I remember my grandmother beginning to teach me to embroider when I was about 6 years old. Pillowcases, if I remember correctly. I remember her cutting out cardboard templates and patiently cutting out quilts, one piece at a time. The only pair of scissors I ever remember her using looked to be a pair of barber-style scissors. The only sewing machine she ever had was an old Singer treadle machine, that had a motor added to it. Nancy is in possession of that sewing machine.

Granny was my favorite grandparent. She was simple, country folk. She lived in a TINY 3 bedroom Jim Walter house that she and her children chopped cotton to buy. She was SO proud of that house. Now this house had ONE heater in it, and that was in the living room. So winter nights were spent under PILES of quilts on the bed. I grew so used to the weight of the quilts on the bed, that to this day I sleep under a blanket or quilt year round (I'm also the cold natured one in the family).

Granny, like my mother, was one of the most generous and non-judgemental people I have ever known. She, like Mama, accepted people as they were without reservation. Although, my mother and I became great friends as adults, we had a very tempetuous relationship during my teen years. I would threaten to go live with Granny weekly, it seemed. When we really needed a break from each other, I would go stay with her for a few days. We would just sit and talk, and soon I was back home where I really belonged. She was a very special lady and raised my mother to be the same. I miss the ability to walk in that back door at home and say, "I'm tired and discouraged. Please, mother me."

You know they say what goes around, comes around. My teenage daughter and I at times have the same type relationship that Mama and I did. I draw strength from the memories of my adult relationship with Mama, and pray, that Ashley and I will have the same strong tie when she grows up.

What a Heritage We Share

2006-08-17T19:38:00.000-05:00

Since little progress is being made on the sewing front around here, thought I would share some of my and Nancy's rich quilting heritage with you. This quilt is one of 4 that was passed down from my paternal grandmother family that dates to the Civil War. When our mother died, my daughter brought this home with her as one of Memaw's treasures.
This quilt has been a favorite of mine for years. It has never been completed. Again this quilt was passed down from my fathers side of the family. Nancy is the real historian and could tell you which great-aunt made it. Mama was going to finish it - she got as far as sewing the blocks to a sheet and basting it together. ONE day, I am going to hand quilt this one.

Nancy has referred to the only quilt Mama ever finished. This is the quilt she made my son, Scott for his first birthday. This is his my valued possession. She literally finished it right before his party. It is also responsible for Scott's first independent steps. See, he picked up an empty spool of thread, and thinking he was holding on to something, walked across the room!

There is one more quilt I have to share. Somehow Picassa did not import it, so I will go back and get it and post it....

Officially OLD Now

2006-08-15T19:58:00.000-05:00

Guess you all know by now, I am officially half a century old! I have nothing really quilty to report. I have been busy for the last week splitting my time between work and playing pageant mom. She brought home Miss Congeniality and 4th runner up. Not bad for her 2nd "Miss" Pageant.

I did find time to load my birthday present from Nancy, but really haven't had time to play. Hopefully, I will get to this weekend. A friend at work gave me the Better Home and Gardens 501 Quilt Blocks for my birthday. Now I really have lots to look at before I go to sleep. Think I'll have to do a sampler soon. May even tackle some hand applique after I finish my blocks for the Fons and Porter Challenge. I hope to work on it this week. Not off to a great start - I haven't gotten home early enough to do much more than eat and go to sleep. School started yesterday, so I am back to getting up at 5:30 am to get the princess off to school (although the last 2 days she has beat me and been up at 5:00 - I refuse to get up any earlier - maybe she's finally growing up????)

Hopefully, I will have some quilty pictures to post in a day or so. I'm going to try to make the rounds of the ring now. I really haven't had time to do more that visit a couple and haven't even left comments. Please forgive me, I know how much I appreciate and look forward to comments. I will do better.

Back to the Beginning

2006-08-08T19:58:00.000-05:00

Most of you know by now that the resurgence of my interest in quilting stems from my sister, Nancy's, masterpieces. I thought I would take you back in time to my first "quilty" project. At this time (circa 1997ish), I could not find any value in making quilts. If you needed to keep warm, go to the store and buy a blanket. While I treasured the quilt my grandmother made me, I could not see myself sitting to make a quilt.

Now you see, at that point in my life, I was VERY career driven. My job was my life, even above my family. I however LOVE fabric and colors and challenges. I was staying with my mom and dad (can I tell you how much I treasure that adult time with them before their health began to fail and I became the caregiver...) and traveling home to be with DH and DS and DD about every 4 to 6 weeks. As I said that was a different place and time in my life. Mom and dad had gone out of town for Labor Day weekend. Nancy and her husband still lived by mom and dad in the home we grew up in. Nancy and I had a long weekend off together and decided to play.

Now like I said I like a challenge. No easy beginner projects for me. And the project had to have meaning (explanation later). We got up in the sewing room, and started going through fabrics, some of hers, some of mom's. I don't remember if we actually bought any fabrics for this project.
We spent hours picking fabrics, and cutting out 1" squares of fabric (see, I was crazy even back then). This is the result of our marathon sewing weekend.....

Like I said earlier, the project had to have meaning. At this time in my life, I travelled constantly. Did not know what city I would be in next, and some weeks had to figure out what city I was in when I woke up in the morning. So, the Trip Around the World represented my travels at that time.

Now, even as driven as I was, I still cherished time at home, so...........

Here is home, my first paper pieced object. and we manufactured the fabric surrounding it from different fabrics that caught my eye. So you can see, there WAS a time in my life that brights spoke to me as loudly as Civil War repros and 30's repros do to me now.

Now Laurie Ann asked in my last post where we found the patterns for the 3" blocks and if they had to be hand pieced. The Fons and Porter website has some patterns drafted to 3" in the information about the contest. The rest I drafted from 12" down to 3" from the lastest issue of Sampler Quilts (ps I sent Nancy a copy of the magazine with her fabrics so she would not have to break her no quilt purchases this month). They do not have to be hand pieced, that was my choice. Nancy may do her's on the machine or by hand, that is her choice. We're just having fun and poking fun at each others choices. DH needs me to burn some pictures to CD for him, so guess I'll go do my good wife imitation...

Questions Answered

2006-08-06T10:48:00.000-05:00

Thanks for the comments to my last 2 posts. I think this is going to be a blast. Nancy may never speak to me again, but I think, eventually, she will forgive me.

I will post pictures of the progress on my set of blocks. It is Nancy's choice if she wants to share or keep me in suspense.

The quilt will be 5 rows of 5 blocks, so if we decide no sashing or borders, it will be 15"x15".

I have spent my quiet time this morning (translation: everyone else in the house is still sleeping) cutting out blocks. I have 5 more cut out in snack sized baggies with the name of the block written on the outside for reference, so I have 1/2 of my set of blocks cut out ready to assemble. I will get Nancy's share of the fabrics in the mail Monday and eagerly await the arrival of her fabric choices so I can start cutting miniscule pieces again.

The biggest problem I had with hand piecing last night is that the eye on small needles is SO small I can barely tread it anymore. Does anyone know of a brand of needles that is fine enough for hand piecing ( I'm piecing with neutral silk thread) with an eye large enough for MATURE women to see it? I had stopped sewing a couple of years ago when I could no longer thread the machine without frustration. Thank God, my new machine has a built-in threader, or I may not have decided to begin quilting.

Well, the biggest native (DH) is up, so I guess it is time to begin the weekly chores. Will try to cut more blocks between loads of laundry and playing helpmate - he is cooking again today, which means I play fetch all day. But beef tips in gravy for the freezer is needed. The grocery had them on sale, B1G1 last weekend so I bought a couple of large packs to cook for the freezer. Oh well, other than fetching for his, I will give him something to do to feel he is making a contribution to the family. It has been hard on him having only one function hand. It is getting better, but he is a long way from well. He tried to shoulder his shotgun this morning and realized he will not be ready for opening day of dove season on September 2. We will hope for the best, and be glad for what we have.

First Block Completed

2006-08-06T00:00:00.000-05:00

Here's 3" block #1 - A Friendship Star. Not bad for never having hand pieced anything, much less 1 1/2" blocks and HSTs.

Got all my fabrics split and ready to put in the mail Monday to Nancy. Will work on cutting out several blocks tomorrow for take-alongs this week to do while at pageant practice.

Mostly for Nancy

2006-08-05T14:49:00.000-05:00

My sister, Nancy and I are going to participate in the Fons and Porter Quilt Together contest. We thought it would be fun to do something "quilty" together, even though we live far apart. Okay, I confess, it was my idea, and she is going along to amuse me. See, the quilt is made up of 25 different 3" blocks. Then, I decided I wanted to use 30's prints to get them out of my system. So, she upped the ante and said she'd do 30's, but we were going to do 2 quilts, one in my choice of 12 30's prints with a light background, and one in HER choice of 12 brights with a black background. We will each select 12 blocks and make one of each - 30's and brights. Then we each will select 1 other block for the last one. We will be left with 2 quilts that we each had a part in making. This picture is the 12 fabrics and background fabric that made the cut for my quilt. There are also 8 solids that coordinat that I may or may not send. That would break the rule of 12 fabrics with one background.

These are the orphans that I purchased that did not make the cut. They were SOOOOOOOOOO upset about being left out, that the first picture was blurry and I had to retake it. It was almost as if they were crying. Some of them I really like, but I was limited to 12. And I wanted 12 DIFFERENT prints and ones that had other fabrics that blended well.

Nancy, I'm ready to start selecting patterns whenever you are. I can cut out some blocks to hand piece to take with me the next couple of weekends. Otherwise I will not get much quilting done for the next 2 weekends.

We have pageant practices Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday nights. We will spend Friday getting nails, feet and brows tamed. Then Saturday the pageant activities begin at 9:30 am with interviews. Then on to hair and makeup. The pageant begins at 7:30 pm and the queen and court are honored at a gala at one of the local Country Clubs afterwards. So the day is going to be long for me with much "hurry up and wait" time that I can hand piece blocks.

The following weekend, I will be out of town doing the in-law thing to celebrate my MIL and my birthdays. I would like to be able to take some blocks to hand piece to calm my nerves for both events.

I will get the fabrics cut and in the mail the first of next week. Please don't forget to put my box of "stuff" in the mail. I will need it to begin resizing complex blocks to 3".

Progress Reports

2006-07-30T14:59:00.000-05:00

I am thrilled to be a member of the Stash Quilts Ring. I haven't posted since I found out Friday night, because I thought I should have somthing new and quilty to post for my first members post. I sewed all day yesterday and most of the morning today. This is what I have accomplished this weekend....

This is the center of the quilt I have been working on. I have most of the blocks pieced for the sides. Only 40 more to go until all is ready to be put together. I am really pleased with the progress so far. Think I did okay, I didn't lose too many points.

The princess has had her nose out of whack because I quit working on her quilt. So I decided today to work on it. I have 4 of 12 rows completed and assembled. I have the remainder of the midtone rows completed, only have 4 more light rows to complete and then borders. It is HUGE. It is going to end up "bedspread" sized for her queen bed. It is draped over the end of our queen sized bed now. I'm liking it again now that I have several rows assembled and can really see what it is going to look like.

My husband had an accident at work a month ago. A 7" grinder got away from him, and tore his left arm up. He had several tendons severed. His splint came off Wednesday. He likes to cook on Sundays, so guess who has to be his left hand these days??? He is starting ribs and sausage on the grill and is getting ready to make barbequed shrimp. I am going to make Crawfish Etoufee for my daughter as soon as the crawfish tails finish defrosting. I guess I am done sewing for today. Gotta play helpmate the rest of the day. I'll try to make the rounds of the ring this afternoon.

The AGONY of defeat

2006-07-27T06:19:00.000-05:00

Gotta go to work today. No new car, no new house, and worst of all no twin quilt shops for me and my sister. Boo Hoo............ Another busted bubble. Off I go to THAT place...................

Dream Time

2006-07-26T17:53:00.000-05:00

Tonight is the lottery drawing. I just know I have the winning ticket. 135 million dollars!!!!!!!!!! Tomorrow morning I will wake up early, call in to work and head to the lottery office. I will then go home, call my mortgage company and auto finance company and get the payouts on those bills and put them in the mail. Then I head to the Jaguar dealership to pickup my new car - I think I'll get a convertible, then to the Chevrolet Dealership to get that truck Brent has wanted for years. Now on to the real estate agents office to find me a piece of property to put a new house on, one with 2 master suites, one for me and DH and one for DD. Of course, it must have a HUGE sewing room with built in everything one could hope for.

That might take all day, so I guess the best will have to wait for Friday.......... Back to the real estate office. I must purchase 2 buildings, one in my home town and one in my sister, Nancy's. There will be 2 new quilt shops opening, one for each of us. We can each stock only the fabrics we like - and believe me, there would be few like fabrics in each. We do have different, but diverse tastes (Nancy - 30's prints are speaking to me loudly right now, maybe for the 3" blocks). There is absolutely nothing Nancy and I would rather do is be able to stroke and pet fabrics all day. And to get to make money at the same time???? Heck, with $137 million dollars, who cares if we make money, as long as we have fun. Nan, we may need David to develop the web page for our internet business, so tell him he is not left out of the plans. Brent can do the negotiating, he's good at that, he'll get us good prices on everthing.

Well, I guess that is enough of fantasy land. I think I will go pet some fabric, and maybe even sew some seams while I am at it. Got to get some projects completed, I have others SCREAMING at me...

Is it time to retire yet?

2006-07-25T19:51:00.000-05:00

How do ya'll find time to work, watch kids, keep a house, cook, maintain blogs, visit blogs, post comments and still be able to quilt. You must be sacrificing sleep time, because I just can't figure it out. If I spend time posting, I can't sew. If I spend time "visiting" and "commenting" I can't sew. If I sew, I can't maintain the blog, visit and comment. Must be either the JOB or the sleep that is getting in the way. Would much rather give up the JOB and sit and quilt, blog and visit, but my family and I have gotten into this really bad habit of liking to sleep inside in the air conditioning and eating regular meals. Then there is the 17 year old that thinks if it doesn't come from Hollister (THANK GOD she works there), Ambercrombie or Victoria's Secret it cannot be put on her body. Think I can get her part time jobs at Ambercrombie and Vickie's Place to defray some costs???? Then throw into the mix that she is a varsity cheerleader and does pageants............

But this too shall pass. In 2 years, my darling Ashley will be a part-time resident, which means one less to cook for and clean up after; less laundry etc. She won't want mom around for pageants or shopping sprees as often. Guess I had better enjoy this time in my life, because it will be gone so soon and not return again. She made varsity cheerleader this year and was so proud. I made her this quilt to take to cheer camp. If you use a little poetic license the snail's trails look like pom poms. Her school colors are of course black and gold and her team is the Gators - hence the alligator fabric for the border and backing. She took a fabric marker with her and had all her teammates autograph the yellow blocks, so she has a true treasure to remember her first year on the varsity squad. I had a blast making it and MOST of my corners line up.

Had a hard day at work today, so I think I'll "visit" a while and go to bed.

Teaser - Part 2

2006-07-24T21:03:00.000-05:00

Okay here is a picture of four rows of the center of the quilt. The fabric on the left is the inner border and the one on the right will be the outer border. Just can't get away from the black. It really does have all the other colors in it and I just had to have my bit of black.

Nancy, you may recognize some of the fabrics on this side of the Cotton Theory Table Runner from class last week. I believe some of them have lived at your house for YEARS.......... and some of them probably lived at Mama's longer than that.

This is actually the front side. It was made from fabrics that did not make the final cut for the Quirtain. It will match my Black and White dishes for everyday use.

All I have left to do is decide on the fabrics for the binding and manufacture that. Still thinking on that one. I may choose fabrics that are in the runner or decide on totally different fabrics. Figured I'd think on that one till this weekend. I may set it on my desk and put a different fabric on it each day to see what speaks to me loudest.

On a different note, this is the crown my daughter Ashely will compete for at state if she wins the local Sugar Queen Pageant in 3 weeks. She has already claimed it as hers.

Teasers

2006-07-23T14:07:00.000-05:00

This is the inspiration for my "mystery project" . While visiting online shops for the Shop Hop, I came across this kit at Country Quilting. The pattern spoke to me loudly. They only had the kit for the pattern. I could not find just the pattern, so what is a girl to do. I don't have EQ so that was not an option. I tried using graph paper, but kept messing up and having to start over (guess I was being a little obsessive-compulsive). So I thought and thought and ERGO!!!!! the solution came to me in a flash. What about using an Excel spreadsheet. After all, I had printed the graph paper from a Works spreadsheet.......

So............. here is step 2 to my Mystery Project. I guess you can tell by the colored pencils, it is being done in dark red, green, tan. The inner border is a light yellowy/beige and the outer border is black with all the colors in it. I would post pictures of the completed blocks ( I have the inner blocks pieced but not yet assembled, but Queen Ashley hasn't come home yet today and she has the digital camera. I can see it is about time for us to become a 2 digital camera family. Maybe I will get her one for Christmas. Then I won't have to wait to use the camera.

Then came the fun part.... figuring out yardage on my own. Of course I screwed up royally and the first purchase only covered enough fabric for the center blocks. Purchase #2 bought the rest. They are all cut out ready for me to set the squares together and cut into the HST for assembly. Hope to work on it some this afternoon.

Friday night I worked on completing the Table Runner from the Cotton Theory class I took last week. Got it all assembled, now I just have to decide on the binding fabrics and manufacture the 2 sided binding. That is the hard part, since both sides are so different. One side if black and white, the other yellow/gold/tans and brown. Again, will post a picture when I get the camera.

Still haven't been able to sit down and complete Ashley's Quilt. Can't face those rows and rows of off white fabric. Maybe soon..........

Off to set up the sewing machine. Have been a good girl and almost done with the laundry. Now I get to play.

Gonna Give this a try

2006-07-23T11:02:00.000-05:00

Think it's time I ventured into blog-world. Been communicating with my sister for several months in a private blog and visiting some of her blog-world friends through her blog site. I am a full-time nurse who would like to be a full-time quilter. I have rediscovered the sewing machine after many years away. I have sewed since I was a child, but when my daughter got old enough, that she no longer wanted "homemade" one of a kind dresses, the machines got put away. She is now 17 and in less need of mom, now that she has her driver's license and a car. Sooooooooo, what to do with all that time off, when I used to have to ferry her here and there?

My sister is an avid quilter or should I say piecer - her UFOs are numerous (I am working hard at catching up with her). She sent me a link to her blog site and seeing her beautiful creations inspired me to pull the machines out. I recently visited her in Texas and this is the gift I took her. She collects cats - or maybe they collect her. All the strays seem to know she has a soft heart and will not allow a cat to starve, so they keep coming. They have litters and she names them all.

Today, I have to get laundry done for the week. Yesterday I spent playing "Queen Mother". My 17 year old is the reigning Teen Miss Louisiana Cajun Queen. She was a visiting queen at one of the local pageants yesterday, so I joined her for the festivities. She will be competing in 3 weeks for the Sugar Queen Pageant in our parish and has decided she has to win, because she really wants the State Title and the Crown that goes with it!! This is a picture of her with her Miss Queen the day she won her first crown. She is the one on the right. funny enough, her Miss Queen, is also named Ashley, and they were both Contestant #3 in their divisions. She has been a great Miss Queen, giving my Ashley the confidence to compete now in the Miss Division. She competed in her first Miss Pageant a couple of months ago (her first interview which counted as 50% of the score) and placed 3rd. I am so proud of her. She is a very strong young woman.