Sometimes I can go for a couple hours and sometimes a couple STITCHES. But it's not a race, I love doing these blocks. I'll be sorry to see this quilt finished. With 2 of these quilts I doubt I'll sign up for another one, although I do love them! But I have more than enough bom's to keep me busy for a while. I've gotten behind in just a few of mine! *grin*
I know lots of people don't like salmon but man o man...is there anything prettier than that beautiful colored jewel getting all lovely on the pan? Honestly..a hot pad and a fork and I could eat right off the pan until I was sick! But I don't. I'm a good girl. I cut it into pieces and store the whole thing in the fridge. That way we grab a slice or two and pop them in the microwave whenever we want some all week. Plus do you know how good this is for your cholesterol? V-e-r-y very good!
Oh and see that hoop? I've plugging away at that too! Every so often I take a few rows here and there and one day it will be finished too!
I finally got inspired to start Cheri's Trick or Treat Halloween quilt that I said I'd have done before October...better late than never. I have 4 of the pumpkin backs done and hope to get the last 5 done today as they take almost no time at all to do. Especially with the FPP technique...flip, sew, flip, sew, peel off!
Put in your bowl and get the carrots. I save myself the steps and go for the shoestring carrots. Do a few more chops and they end up in little pieces.
Then move to the tomatoes. I use Roma tomatoes and scoop out all the seeds and wet stuff. It just makes a mess and the meaty part stays firm better. I chop it to about the same size as the carrotts...1/4 inch size or so.
I'm done at this point! It has all I need. But you can add green peppers, mushrooms, cucumbers. Anything you want, just chop it into tiny pieces. I'd watch the liquidy stuff if you expect it to last for a few days though.
Mix it all up and I am one happy camper! I can spoon some into a bowl and have salad at home! At home!! Never before have I liked it, but this is great. It's also super easy to go with less salad dressing this way too. Just toss and toss and it gets covered well. I make this full bowl and it last me 4 meals.
Yea, right. You wouldn't move him either! How does their fur know how long to be? It is so weird that one row can be an inch and the next part 6 inches!!
It was crude, full of duct tape, and used a thin wire across the bottom to hold the book open. I LOVED it! But it had flaws. The books slid out at the bottom and the wire required the whole book be lifted up to turn the page. So I gave him some gold elastic string and some foam core and back he came with this version above. My hero....swoon! We even developed 3 or 4 better versions together finally ending up with this one here. Duct tape works for everything, right?
It holds 2 sizes and works like a charm. I sit it on a tv tray with the top lifted open and resting on the sofa arm. I never had to hold a thing and I was off again reading everything in sight.
I also stocked up on my favorite mystery writer, Joanne Fluke. I've missed quite a few of her latest books. I'm still reading the Cherry Cheesecake Murder but I'll have plenty to keep me busy.
So I can read until my arm gets better. I'll still be around, but I'd rather do fewer posts than stop all together. I'll still be reading, but I might not leave as many comments. It will be hard to do...I think I'm addicted to seeing what you all have to say and what you've finished! Hopefully I'll be able to get more handwork done soon to show too.
Well here they are! Having none of my grandmothers glasses left, I wandered onto eBay after thinking about those glasses just to see if any were still around. Just a few were there and once I saw these two I knew I had to have them...HAD to. Today they came! I feel like I have two little pieces of my grandmother in my hands. No matter to me that they were never hers or that they came from eBay...it's the memories. That and a few really weird coincidences once I started looking closer at them.
The white glass is Pebbles First Birthday party.
The teal is the Bedrock Pet Show...it's very hard to photograph these glasses, so I couldn't see everything on the eBay pics. I'm looking over them this morning and what do I see??? What is the elephants name?
JUDY??!! She's on her perch and ain't she pretty! Com'on how freaky is that? Judy? Then I get Wilma and Betty!! Not one of the guys or kids or animals...but the 2 gals! Two lovely ladies!
Wilma and Betty.
None of these were in the eBay pictures. These glasses were meant to be here in my house!! poor Betty has been thru a lot with all those scratches! It's a silly thing really, but just having these this month makes me feel better!
The postman brought these to me yesterday and I have to say wow! Some good tips and so far lots of lovely patterns...especially the Sublime Stitchery book...loads of patterns in that one. I will say they don't mention the back enough, but I think that's just a pet peeve with me. If everyone says don't worry about it, I guess I won't.
(My grandparents and all six grand kids. I was about 8 in this picture and just started going for overnight visits at their house.)
I quickly picked out a few patterns and ordered 15 towels. Once they arrived, I was all ready to start...then I got worried. Could I still do the work she taught me? I know I do loads of stitchery, but always with a thick piece of batting behind to hide my flaws. Now the back would right out there for all to see. I got intimidated and let them sit. I asked questions of experts and watched videos of stitching how-to's, but still waited. Then a few weeks ago I realized September was approaching..her birthday, and thoughts of her flooded back into my head...and I relaxed. Out came the towels for a good washing and the first pattern was chosen to start sewing. After a few cautious stitches, I was having fun. It took longer than normal since I was being so careful and re-learning, but I really do love to do stitch work.
I thought I'd show you the first one. Friday's little dancing sugar bowl. I think if you love your work, and do your best, the back isn't as important as having fun. I had to realize that it's going to show on the back, but you try to be as neat as possible. The videos and techniques at Mary Corbet's Needle and Thread really do come in handy. I didn't include a picture of the back, but I will if anyone asks for it.
I working on the next little guy right now and thinking of ideas for a Christmas DOTW design for another set. It's been a pleasure working on these with my grandmother, I feel her all around me guiding me as I work. She was a fabulous woman who taught me more than she will ever know.
Holy Crud, I haven't been back since Tuesday? Hubby took of Friday, yesterday, so somehow the weekdays have merged and it's the weekend. Anyway...I need to make my picks for the CGQC things I intend to get finished this month. I got exactly ONE thing finished last month so I think rather than pick 3 things again, I'll stick to the current project at hand and just dive in head first to get it FINISHED!
...the ABC Quilt Sampler. No it's not an illusion...same picture as before. Still making progress and coming along, but working on other things too. But I had to make my official Quilt Club post so I used it again.
I realized this was probably the only month to get this done so I think I'll add another project to the list. Not something ongoing, but a new little quilt. Cheri Payne's Trick or Treat seen here in a sample from the Country Loft quilt show. Might not quite get done, but who knows....I could surprise myself.
But it's all working out nicely. Slowly but surely.
There was smoke, lots.... and open windows and all the fans turned on and oh well at least the smoke alarm didn't go off.
My handsome Noodle was on the bed this morning while I was drying and flat ironing my hair, devilishly trying to get me to come over to rub his tummy. Okay so he attracted me for about 10 minutes of good tummy rubs, until someone else had to join in the fun.
Nosey Pixie can't let a good time pass him by! My poor pillows look so small and swallowed up on that big bed, I think I need more. Notice my puffy side on the left? It's my new feather bed mattress topper. Fabulous, if you like soft comfort, but it does make for a rather un-even looking mattress until the puffy comforter goes back on when it cool down. It make a perfect pillow though for boys who like to lay their heads on puffy sides, or plop right in the center and sink in!
Not everyone adds the lettering in here, but I liked it. If you hate doing embroidery once you applique is stitched in place, like ME...then you'll want to lay out your pieces and get some idea of placement before you use the light box and trace. Don't worry about the untrimmed edges. I wait to trim until after I know what size it needs to match. With Cheri's quilts it's better. These are not meant to be super neat...remember it's folk art. Primitive, folk art.
Another reason I chose to make the numbers almost invisible..a tiny treat that you have to look to see. Once you are done, you assemble, then sew your flowers and leaves down.
Also got the W for wheelbarrow block done, and the little add on numbers for the bottom border. It doesn't get attached until much later, but it's edges are already pressed back.
I also have the background for the Victory Garden done, but not the applique pieces. That should give me a couple good night of hand stitching work to do. Plus, that new project I talked about. I'll keep that for another day. Not a new quilt, just a little side project to keep me happy.
(if you are doing this quilt and want specifics, go to the detailed pages on each block here...and can always be found on the top right sidebar under "my other pages") He gets his label and this one didn't really work well for adding the bigger capitol letter to the wording this time. 
Adding in the sq. in a sq. filler blocks underneath, he got added to Santa and his tree completes that little section. I figured since I was on a roll with the faux freezer paper technique, I'd go ahead that day and get all those pieces done...so I moved on to the X block, 
the Y block and finally the Z block!!
Then I was done for a while in the sewing room and sitting under the fan on the sofa looked pretty enticing to me. Sitting and stitching. SO I figured if stitching was working so well I might as well go with that feeling and just grabbed everything left for the rest of the quilt and went to work!
No ripping tiny bits of paper off the back, weakening seams! Never again! I have a tutorial here and there are others online. Saves tons of time!
Easy Peasy!! and reusable!!
Easy-peasy and already on the top of my dresser!
That's entry one of the Charming Girls Quilt Club done.
