Little Penpen

New Camera...pic's!

2012-01-27T11:22:00.000-08:00

I took my first pictures today with my new Nikon Coolpix S6200. I am happy to have a new camera, but need a lot of practice with it.

I've been wanting to show this to my mom (she won't come see me....bad mama!) so I will share it with all of you. This is my surprise Christmas gift from my husband this year. He has heard me talk about stained glass, but I never dreamed he would actually pick one out for me. He was told that this '(pre World War II) window came from a pub in England. I think it is beautiful and I love it. I asked him if he thought maybe he could design me a house around it.... at the coast!

I have been reading a book on female Christian 'heroes' and was reading about a lady named Gladys Aylward. She was a missionary to China, but before she went there, she worked as a 'rescue sister' in a port town in England. "In rough waterside pubs, she'd face down drunken sailors, if that's what it took, to rescue the girls with them." While I was reading it, I told my husband that our window could possibly have been from one of those pubs that Ms. Aylward visited. (around 1929-1930) Probably not, but it was a good thought to add to my new window. :-)

I don't want to make this post too long, but I want to show the January block for my first 'block of the month' group. See sidebar for the link to "Thoughts in Thread".

It was quick and easy to make and it's not too late to join in! The patterns are free each month and you can work at your own pace. I have a few more 'quilty' things to show, but I will save those for another post.
Now, if Avery would just come over, so I can practice using my new camera! :-)

New camera ???

2012-01-23T09:10:00.000-08:00

Do you see Avery's sad face? Well, that is how Grandma feels this morning. I have bought two camera cards and both are too 'high tech' for my camera. What does that mean? My camera is old and I think it's time for Grandma to get a new one. I'll be researching digital cameras online today. If any of you have any advice or comments about a camera you really love..... let me know! Because this grandma may have a new one by tomorrow evening. I do have a few things to show you! :-)

Where is my camera card?

2012-01-13T16:20:00.000-08:00

While I'll admit I don't take very good photo's, I still would love to be able to take a few. I have misplaced my camera card and I can't find it anywhere. I have several things I want to blog about, but it is no good without pic's. I am going to give myself another day or two and if I still can't find it, I will buy another next week. I want to show you my completed wall hanging (yes! first finish for 2012), my Jan. swap block, and a new quilt project I am starting this year....first block of 12 done! I plan to make at least two a month, so I can have all the blocks ready by July. So, maybe next week, I'll update with photo's. A bad photo is better than no photo, right?

January 2, 2012

2012-01-02T16:47:00.000-08:00

Well, here is is: the second day of the year and I've been thinking about my sewing goals all day. I had to work on the 1st (which was a very eventful day at work, I might add. I found out, once again that the Heimlich Maneuver does work! I hope you know how to perform this life saving technique) so no sewing was done.

However, I did lay out and sandwich the wall hanging I want to complete as my first project for this year. I'm trying a new quilt batting that has an iron on adhesive, so there is no need for pinning. We'll see how that works out. I'm excited about finishing this and getting it on the wall.

(Penpen and April)

Here's a picture of me and my sweet daughter on Christmas morning. We had traveled for three hours to eat Christmas breakfast with her grandmother, who is also my mother in law, and hubby's mom. It was an early day and we were exhausted after driving for three hours to get there, but we had a great time. My sweet daughter was violently ill that night with a stomach bug that lasted for a couple days. Thankfully, no one else in the family got sick, but several of her coworkers had the same bug.

And lastly, I leave you with my top ten facebook status' for 2011. I have a love--hate relationship with facebook. I have tried to leave it several times, but keep coming back. I can't bear to not see all the pretty pic's that others post of their families. However, I have found that it's not good telling others every move you make and it's not good to know every move that others make. Facebook.... I hate.... I mean.... I love you. :-) Have any of you left facebook for good?

2012 goals

2011-12-30T08:40:00.000-08:00

Ready or not, here comes 2012. I think I'm ready! I am looking forward to a new year, a clean slate, and new adventures ahead. I am so thankful that my hubby has moved back home for good (job related) and we are putting life back together again.

My goals are simple and reasonable this year:

1. Finish some UFO's in the sewing room!! I have only one new project in mind to start this year. More about that later. Here's a work in progress that I hope will be my first completed project of 2012.

Do you remember all those swap blocks I had from the late 80's and early 90's? These four I had already set together in the blue fabric a loooong time ago. I brought it out the other day and added a border , appliqued the center flower, and plan to bind it the same red used in the flower. This should be a quick finish and I will hang it above my loveseat in the livingroom.

Livingroom.... That's a big part of my 2012 goals. With hubby moving back in and all the kids moved out, my house is a mess and very 'undecorated'. I plan to make my house 'my own' in 2012. I'm looking forward to a little redecorating.

I will continue with the Block Swap Adventure group. This is my December block made by Samantha:

Again, forgive my photography ability; as this picture does not do this block justice. This is a very very pretty and colorful block.. a perfect addition to the others I have received so far.

2. We hope to find a church home this year. Sadly, our church 'fell apart' back in the spring of 2011 and it has been a sad year, as far as church and Christian fellowship goes. I never thought we would be here again, but we are looking for a new church. I've done a lot of praying and I know God will lead us to the right church soon.

3. And my other goal is to spend more time with my grandchildren.... yes grandchild'ren'. Avery is going to have a little brother or sister sometime in July. We are very excited and I hope to have some fun 'grandma' days. As a matter of fact, today is a Grandma day with Avery, so I need to get moving.

I hope you all are looking forward to the new year and I hope 2012 brings us all many wonderful memories!!

Christmas in Coyote Country (e book)

2011-12-27T17:56:00.000-08:00

I wanted to share with you a sweet little treasure I hope that you will check out for yourself. It is an e book written by a blogger friend: Rose Mary at Life in a Cordwood Cabin.

This book is a quick moving 'mystery' from beginning to end and has a touch of romance to go along with it. It is a good clean book... the best kind!! It even features an 'alien'.... hee hee!

You can purchase your own copy here at Amazon for just .99 cents. I know some of you received Kindle readers, etc. for Christmas and this would be a perfect book for you to read while learning to use your new gadget. You don't have to have an e reader to read this book ...I don't have one.... mine was sent to my email and I was able to download and read at my leisure on my computer. I hope you will check it out and then drop by and tell Rose Mary how much you enjoyed it.

Thank you so much Rose Mary for picking me to win my copy from your blog. I'll be waiting for the next one!

Snowman!

2011-12-18T09:19:00.000-08:00

What a cute little snowman block! I made this one in a hurry as a trial block and I love him. I got the pattern from the current issue of Quilt magazine. The original pattern was used to make a set of winter placemats. I think these little faces would make a cute little winter quilt. I will do a couple of things differently in my next blocks, but I still think he is pretty cute. Easy and fun project!

My! How time flies!

2011-12-14T08:02:00.000-08:00

My! How time flies... this Santa pictured below is one that I painted back when all my friends were painting pecan wood figurines. I painted several pieces, but this was my favorite, and the only one that I still own.

Santa

I'm glad I put the date on the bottom of Santa... 1994. That was 17 years ago!! Where does the time go???

You can't really tell from the sideview, but I had written the names of the children in the family on Santa's list. Most have faded away, but 'Justin' is still very visible. The reason for that is: Justin is my sister in law's son. His was the first and only name on the list when it was first made, as I was going to give this Santa to my SIL as a Christmas gift. Well, when it was finished, I didn't want to give Santa away, so I kept him and added the names of the others kids in the family to his list, using a different marker. Those added names have almost faded away, but Justin is still there, as a very bold reminder that this was supposed to be his mom's gift. :-)

How do you like the vintage doily underneath Santa? Not bad for a 25 cent thrift store find, huh?

Merry Christmas....early!

2011-12-12T06:00:00.000-08:00

We started our Christmas celebrations with family over the weekend. This little guy stole the show and we all had a blast. Truly, it is so much more fun with little ones around. (there will be two new baby faces next Christmas!!!) To see a few more pic's , go here, to my mom's blog. Merry Christmas to all!

Bathroom painted

2011-11-08T09:56:00.000-08:00

Well, we're almost done sprucing up the little bathroom.

Mom, I laughed at myself for painting the vanity this color. I remember when I was sooooooooo happy that our family lost the avocado green refrigerator and got a new white one. Now look what we've done.... changed the white vanity to avocado! I would have never thought it back then!

Now to get rid of that ugly gold water faucet! :o)

Is this what it's like?

2011-10-28T08:02:00.000-07:00

Last night when I went to work, I realized I wasn't seeing very well. Thankfully, I had a pair of reading glasses with me and was able to function. Eventually, I realized I didn't have my 'bifocal' contact lense on my eye. Hmmmm.... honest mistake I guess. (though I was puzzled) After I got home from work, I started checking out my contact situation, trying to figure out how I went to work without my trusty bifocal. I tried on four different contacts that I already had open and none of them worked. My first thought was that I had received the wrong contacts when I reordered last week. Upon further inspection, the only box of contacts I could find was my old box and they weren't bifocals. hmmm... what did I do with that new box of contacts? I searched and searched and searched. The trash was already at the curb for Friday's pickup, but I convinced hubby to retrieve the garbage can for me at 1:30 am. He and I sat in the garage and dug through baby diapers, coffee grounds, chicken packaging, etc. (you get the picture), looking for my new box of contacts. (he was gagging and I was giggling) Anyway, they were not to be found. As he took the garbage can back to the curb, I looked in a kitchen drawer, that I had already looked in two times before, and there they were!!! Am I losing it??

Not only that, I am very clumsy these days. I tripped over the dachshund on Wednesday, landing flat on my back in the kitchen. It scared the grandbaby and he cried. I went to visit my daughter last week at her new apartment and fell backwards over her end table when her huge dog jumped up to greet me. Hubby says I need to exercise to regain strength and balance. I'm thinking about rejoining Curves next week. Did I tell you I also hip problems?? How will I ever function at Curves?

Female things are happening and I am very scatter brained these days. Is this menopause? Will it get better when menopause is over.... say like .... ten years from now? Any advice? Any encouragement? Wow, who knew things could change so fast? :o(

Winner Winner!

2011-10-26T12:00:00.000-07:00

The winner of my 21 block giveaway is: The Mayo Family Congrats! to you and I hope you will enjoy these blocks. Email me your address and I'll get these in the mail to you soon! :o) :o)

What I did today

2011-10-24T18:22:00.000-07:00

I went to the dentist, cleaned the kitchen, played with this little guy, took a nice nap on the couch, ate leftover veggie soup for supper. Currently watching ball game with hubby. It has been a good day. :o)

***Tomorrow I will draw the lucky winner for my 21 quilt block giveaway. See post below***

21 quilt blocks give away

2011-10-19T10:53:00.000-07:00

I've shown you some of these blocks in the past. These are swap blocks that I received during the 1990's, while swapping with others through classified ads in "Quilt" magazine. I've held on to these blocks for all these years, thinking that 'one day' I would make them into a quilt. I don't think that 'one day' will ever come, so if you are interested in becoming the new owner of these blocks, to do with them whatever your little heart desires, leave a comment and I will pick a winner on Wednesday, Oct. 26. (note: most of these blocks have the maker's signature on them)

Quilt Progress

2011-10-13T08:40:00.000-07:00

I completed the quilt top yesterday for "Quilts for Kids". Next week I plan to baste it, quilt it, and send it back so that some sweet little child (probably a little boy) can enjoy staying warm under it, while he is trying to get well. My prayers go out to this little fellow and his family. I truly have enjoyed working on this project.

And then it happened...

2011-10-12T09:09:00.000-07:00

Just when we thought hubby wouldn't get to move back home until his retirement, it happened!! A position opened up in our area which allowed him to transfer home.... just like that! He found out one day, drove home that night, and has been here ever since. Yay! However, we still have this 'little' issue of moving his things from the rental house. We've been working on that this week and next week we'll be moving our daughter into her own apartment. Busy?? yes, but I've still managed to sew a little and I even read two books this week (during our travels). Mom, have you ever read Glenn Beck's "The Christmas Sweater"? If not, it'll be on its way in the mail to you soon. A must read! I also read another Elm Creek Quilts this week. I just love those books!! Not only are they fun stories, but they actually teach some quilting techniques throughout the stories. Love them!!!

An Avery Weekend

2011-10-03T04:21:00.000-07:00

This little sweet guy stayed with Grandma and Papa this weekend:

We had a great time! He and Grandma attended a birthday party at the nursing home for one of Grandma's patients. What fun!

He is the sweetest baby I've ever met! (my own included) He is very content, always laughing or doing something funny, and hardly 'ever' cries!

This is one of my favorite pictures of him. This is his 'pretend to cry' face. While we were at the beach this summer, my whole family visited one day. There were probably about twenty people in the room and Avery stood in the center of the room and pointed at each person in the room, one at a time, with his little serious face, and expected everyone to pretend cry. So everyone took a turn, pretend crying, for Avery. We laughed and laughed and laughed. What a sweet memory!

And this is Avery with his sweet mommy and daddy! They are wonderful parents and my heart just swells with pride when I think of how happy they have made Papa and me. Grandma is tired this morning, but it was a great weekend!

New Glasses!

2011-09-23T08:59:00.000-07:00

I recently won a give away of reading glasses (8 pair!) from Gretchen at Bird Nest Cottage. I was thrilled to have won them, as my collection was dwindling down, and I needed to buy more.

I wanted to show you who else was excited about the new glasses! He kept saying " I see" "eyeglasses". He would not 'write' or 'use the computer' without his eyeglasses. Can you see my new quilt frame in the back ground??? Q snap... I love it. Thank you Gretchen for the wonderful new glasses!

My first swap block

2011-09-22T07:39:00.000-07:00

I received my first swap block from my partner, Sunny, yesterday. (you can click the button on the right: Block Swap Adventure to learn more about this group)

With this group, we get to describe what type of block we prefer, and Sunny couldn't have made this block any more perfect for me!! The colors are actually brighter than what my photo shows, but you get the idea.

I drool over this quilt everytime I see it in catalogs and on the web, but I know I could never create something so beautiful. (it is offered as a block of the month project) I am hoping to collect enough scrappy colored blocks from this BSA group to start something similar... in these happy, happy colors!

Yesterday I made this label for our friend's baby quilt. I wanted to use my Brother machine to embroider her initials and the year on the label, but was very disappointed in how the letters looked. Too plain, too simple. I love hand embroidery anyway, so I made this little label and sewed it on last night while watching tv with my daughter. It's been a good week. :o)

Brother 101

2011-09-14T07:28:00.000-07:00

I am trying to learn my new Brother Sewing Machine and while I am having FUN doing so, I still have a lot to learn. But that's okay... practice will eventually make me the 'master' of my machine, right?

I practiced free motion quilting on this little block. I am amazed at how much easier the fabric glides around with the feed dogs down and the quilting foot attachment on the machine. If you click, you will see that I have a ways to go.... and that I changed designs throughout the process.... but it was fun. I can feel the potential here!!!

I decided to call this quilt 'finished' without adding the appliqued flower designs, like I had mentioned in an earlier post. I cut the flowers out, but when I laid them on the quilt, my daughter and I decided it would be too 'busy' by adding all the flowers to it. I machine quilted this on my new Brother... much easier to do with straight lines!

This is the back side of the quilt. I hope to give it to baby Kamden's mom next week.

**The most important thing I have learned so far about my Brother.... the needle will go up or down, whether your thumb is out of the way or not! I was trying to change out the quilting foot attachment and 'thought' the needle was in the way. I hit the up/down button and guess what? the needle was already UP... so when I hit the button, it came DOWN.... right into my thumb. It broke off when I snatched my thumb out and yelled some word I didn't even know that I knew. ;-) I had about 1/4 to 1/2 of a needle hanging out of my thumb. I pulled it out without difficulty, stopped the bleeding, and once my heart beat calmed down , I resumed sewing. BIG LESSON LEARNED! It was pretty sore for a day or two, but much better now. I think the owners manual said something about turning the machine OFF when changing out accessories. I guess I need to reread that part. **

A sweet project

2011-09-13T09:25:00.000-07:00

I actually found out about the Quilt for Kids project from another blogger and I don't remember who to give credit to:

The project is sponsored by Downy and they have helped provide quilts for very sick children in hospitals. They send the (free) fabric to make a small quilt and the quilter makes and returns the quilt within six weeks.

I used to be a neonatal and pediatric nurse and as a young nurse, some of us enjoyed sewing doll clothes for the babies. (back before premie clothes were so available for purchase) The families loved them.

I have several people in my life who have passed away and I thought this would be a great way to 'remember' them. I ordered my first kit today and will make it in honor of a recent friend who passed away. I wanted to share this site with you just in case you are looking for a way to share your love of quilting. Happy Quilting!

Sneak preview and Georgia Bonesteel

2011-09-06T12:52:00.000-07:00

I completed my swap block for my first month in the new group. (click on block swap adventure button to learn more about this swap) I can only show a preview, because my partner hasn't seen the block yet.

But let me tell you... my seam ripper and I became very good friends while making this block. I had not used templates to make a block in a very long time. I pulled out my trusty "Lap Quilting with Georgia Bonesteel" book to find 12 inch block patterns. Of course, the patterns in her book are made with templates. Thankfully, I was able to find my stash of templates that I had already made to go along with this book, so I was able to save time there. This block proved to be very challenging for me to make. It took me a lot longer than it should have, but in the end, I am satisfied with the block and will be mailing it out to my swap partner this week. I've decided to use the swap group as a way to challenge myself... to relearn... and to learn even more about piecing blocks. I have very fond memories of using my Georgia Bonesteel book, as this is the first quilting book I had ever owned, and I've used it a LOT! I hadn't even opened the book in years and had to climb into the attic to even find it. What a joy it was to reopen and rediscover the treasures inside.

*PS.. I loved Georgia Bonesteel when I was in high school and used to watch her on PBS (whenever we could get the station). While in college, I dated this one guy for a short time and was over at his house one day. He came into the living room to find me watching Georgia Bonesteel on his tv. He asked "what ARE you watching?" "you aren't serious, are you?" "are you really watching that???" LOL.... yes, I was serious... and still am! :o)

Pssst.... want to see?

2011-09-03T12:32:00.000-07:00

Do you want to see my Goodwill finds from today? (I told myself I was NOT going to go there today. But I had to run an errand anyways, so.... my car automatically turned into the GW parking lot!!)

Look at this sweet little chair:

For $1.99, I thought it would be perfect for my little rag doll that I 'plan' to make soon. :o) I love this chair!!

And, if I had not stopped at Goodwill today, I would have missed this:

Another vintage stitchery! If you click to enlarge the picture, you will see the pretting handmade lace that trims the little spread. CUTE!

Here's the other end of it ... identical to the first one you saw. I think it's pretty sweet for $2. I also found a huge crisp white cotton sheet that I plan to cut up for an embroidery project. And of course, I brought home a couple more books... one on rug making and one about training dogs. (for my daughter...mine are not trainable! ) Yes, I'm glad I stopped at Goodwill. You see, it doesn't take much to make my heart sing. :o)

Redwork Snowman

2011-08-31T18:36:00.000-07:00

Well, here he is.... the redwork snowman that I made in my class a few weeks ago.

And yes, I boogered him up... look at those squares in the corners. WRONG! I don't have enough fabric to fix it, so it will be my little booger and I'm going to hang him proudly at Christmas time. :o) (that's what I get for trying to figure it out in my head!!! if someone doesn't give me the exact measurements, I am clueless.... )

**However, I think he is cute and I used cotton fabric from an old skirt to make the borders. How clever am I? **

A finish!

2011-08-26T14:12:00.000-07:00

Believe it or not....

I finished my daughter's lap quilt this week!

This is the back side... her favorite side. LOL

And a closeup to show my first attempt at 'free motion quilting' on my old Singer. Not beautiful, but can't wait to try it on my new Brother! :o)

I love quilt binding!

2011-08-24T07:48:00.000-07:00

I never dreamed that one of my favorite things about quilt making would be making the binding. (the outer edge piece that 'seals' up the whole quilt) I learned to make binding from Debbie J. at Homemaking Dreams. Click on the link for her excellent tutorial!

The few quilts I have made in the past, I just brought over the backing to the front, to make a fake binding. Through the years, I have found out that this type of binding does not hold up very well! (maybe if I had made it differently with a double fold... mine was only a single fold over the edge) My son's sailboat quilt, that I made when he was a little boy, is proof that my single fold fake binding doesn't hold up very well. The quilt, itself, is still in good condition, but the edges are really frayed. It's in my stack of 'things to do'... to bring it back to life with some real quilt binding!
I've been making binding this morning to finish my daughter's lap sized quilt that I started for her as a birthday gift. Well, her birthday was in March.... I will have it completed by tonight. (?) Maybe!

Debbie J. has another blog that is dedicated to her quilting: Angel Scraps Quilting. Check her out and tell her I sent you!
Tomorrow I will receive my first partner for the new swapping group I recently joined. I am very excited to start participating in this swap. You can find the details and the blog here: Swap Block Adventure. It's a fun place to see all the blocks.

*Debbie: thanks for the blog tutorial; I didn't have to use it quite as much this time, which means I'm starting to remember how to make binding without the tutorial. However, do not EVER remove this post. Also, photo credit: this is Debbie's picture used above... remember I am camera-less this week*

A week off and caffeine withdrawal!

2011-08-23T05:45:00.000-07:00

I'm spending my week off from work with hubby in Eastern NC. As usual, I forgot to bring my camera, but I think this picture pretty much sums it up for you:

Can you spell HEADACHE?? Over ten years ago, after having a stress test for heart palpitations, my doctor had me remove caffeine from my life. I didn't stop completely, but cut it WAY BACK , and was able to get my symptoms under control.

I did well for several years, but have recently allowed too much caffeine to creep back into my life. Not good. For the past week or so, I've been experiencing heart palpitations again, which just about drive me insane. The constant fluttering in my chest, nervousness and anxiety... what a combination!

Soooo, this is the week.... I'm not going "cold turkey", but it's pretty close to cold turkey. Hence, the headache.... sluggishness.... nausea.... irritability....and did I mention headache????

However, my heart palpitations are decreasing already.... I only felt just a few yesterday... compared to NONSTOP for a few days earlier! So.... I'll get there.... again.... and hope that I will have learned my lesson this time.

** On a happy note, I finished the binding on the little pink baby quilt yesterday. However, while spending hours on the couch, looking through quilting books, I've decided to add a few appliqued flowers to the six large squares, just to give it a little more "cute". I can't start on those until I get back home to my extra fabric. So, onto something else today **

More Vintage Swap Blocks

2011-08-19T08:01:00.000-07:00

A few more blocks from swaps listed in Quilt magazine, years ago!! The swap information would be near the back of the magazine... the first place I would go each time I got a new magazine in the mail.

If you click to enlarge the pictures, I think you can read the signatures. It was so much fun receiving blocks from around the country. That was a BIG DEAL.... before we had internet access.

Who I am kidding? It's still a big deal! I love to receive snail mail. I don't get much fun mail anymore, but it is always a treat to find something fun... like a new quilt catalog, my monthly devotional, an occasional card in the mailbox. I will start participating in a swap group next month. We will be making one block a month ... 12 inch blocks like these pictured above. I can hardly wait to start my first block.

The heart block above is one of my all time favorite blocks. The person who made this one really doesn't live that far from me. When I received these blocks, I never went anywhere... probably driving 30 miles was a long trip for me. So Lumberton, NC seemed like a long long ways away. Now our family spends so much time on the road, a trip to Lumberton would be nothing. :o)

I hope you are enjoying seeing my 'treasures' with me. These finds are on my list of 'things to do'.... maybe, just maybe, one day I'll get them put into a pretty quilt top.

Out of my 'comfort' zone

2011-08-16T15:10:00.000-07:00

I finally did it. I took a class at a local quilt shop; something I had been wanting to do for a long time. Everyone was so welcoming, kind, and generous... I can't believe I waited so long to get started.

This is the quilt that hangs in the window of the shop. The 'chicken wire' look is actually the quilting for the hanging. You can check out the shop here. The Quilting Coop

Today's class was a redwork embroidery project. Even though I have done lots of embroidery on my own, I found out there is a much simpler way to stitch, and with prettier results than I have had before. The ladies were fun and I hope to attend another class soon. :o)

Treasures

2011-08-14T08:09:00.000-07:00

I may have shown you this in the past, but this is a 50 cents TREASURE that I bought at a yard sale given by a nursing home in eastern NC over 15 years ago. I was so surprised when the lady said 50 cents... I quickly bought it and rushed the children back to the car, as I was afraid the lady would change her mind. :o)

Here is a peek inside the treasure basket. If you click on the picture to enlarge, you will see an old A&P needle card; (needles, threader, etc. still intact), a tatting shuttle with a row of lace attached, some old wooden spools, some embroidery work, etc. I have added my grandmother's old patterns into the treasure box. I love this box!!!

This is one of my all time favorites! I hand pieced this miniature bow tie quilt back when I was a lot younger and much more ambitious than I am now. Each block measures approximately 3 inches square. I hope you are enjoying my treasures as much as I am... I am slowly getting my quilting motivation back!!

**ps** I am having a horrible time posting on blogger now. I switched to an updated blogging option and I am totally lost. Hopefully, soon, my daughter will retrain me on how to blog. :(

Busy Day

2011-08-12T06:40:00.000-07:00

I didn't find this little treasure up in the attic, but he is probably the best treasure, EVER! He spent the afternoon with me yesterday. I am amazed at how smart this boy is.... he is talking up a storm. And making a LOT of sense when he talks! He likes to play in the floor with Grandma (whom he calls Ma-Ma at this time). His mommy is "mommy" and I am "ma-ma". I think I like that!

Today is a busy day; need to run some errands and then SEW on the little baby quilt. I hope to finish it today! Happy Friday!

Swap Blocks and Birds

2011-08-11T06:33:00.000-07:00

I have a LOT of blocks that I swapped back in the 80's and 90's through a quilting magazine. I found some of them while up in the attic this week. If you click on the picture to enlarge, you can see the signatures and where they came from. I'm curious to know if these quilters are still around and maybe online, too. I need to get

back into the attic, as there are quite a few more blocks up there 'somewhere'. I've always loved the maple leaf block... one of my favorites. ** I clicked on the pic's and I couldn't read the signatures. They are: Margaret Cook, Grimsby, Ontario...Suzi Barnett, Alabama...Lois Gardner, Wilmington, Mass.**

Vintage iron on transfers! My mom told me about an aunt that used to stitch on these birds while waiting at the tobacco market with her husband. (I think that story is correct.... ??mom??) Years ago, I knew I wanted to make one, too. See how ambitious I was back then? I located the pattern and here it sits.... uncut... folded nicely in its original package. OK mom, I'll make a deal with you... there are 50 of them. I will do 25 if you will do the other 25. Deal??? (and you can have the quilt!)

More Treasures

2011-08-10T06:18:00.000-07:00

Years ago when my children were small, and before we even owned a computer, I subscribed to a quilting magazine that hosted block swaps. I always looked forward to getting my new magazine so I could swap blocks with others through mail. This was my only connection to the 'outside' world of quilting. :o) We've come a long way, haven't we? I found a box of swap blocks in the attic yesterday. Believe it or not, Penny never did anything with hers... okay, yes, you can believe it! I will be showing off my 1980's blocks over the next few days. Most of them are signed, so let me know if you happen to know any of these quilters from all over the country.

Next, I found approx. 30 flowers that I hand pieced many years ago. Boy, I was ambitious, wasn't I? Isn't it funny that I got a lot more done when my kids were little, than I do now.... now with no young kids at home, working two days a week, and very few distractions!!??? With all this time, I accomplish very little... :o(

Needless to say, I can never imagine myself completing a Grandmother's flower garden quilt,

BUT, I may be able to sew them onto a smaller background and make baby quilts like this one:

This is an oldie that I bought for $5 (I think) at a 'junk' store in eastern NC. It's been one of my favorites through the years. (and yes mom, Sweet Pea loves this blanket! It's her favorite!)
** More treasures tomorrow**

Attic Treasures

2011-08-09T10:00:00.000-07:00

I climbed into my HOT attic today and didn't spend a whole lot of time up there. But, I did find a few treasures I need to share. I plan to share these with you over the next few days.

First, is this completed quilt top that I pieced together years ago... probably 20 years ago. (?) I remember machine appliquing these little hearts that I cut out from the scrap bag of my grandmother, who had recently passed away. The pink gingham fabric was from her stash, too... but I'm not sure about the pink borders. I'm not sure why I never finished it, but wouldn't it be sweet to finish for my first granddaughter? It would be from her great great grandmother's fabric stash. ** PS... this was made before I even knew what a rotary cutter was; each square cut by hand. **

And I know that everyone doesn't love dogs like we do, but I couldn't resist showing you how much the doggy babies love the quilt top. :o) I know mom.... you are shaking your head right now.

Stay tuned... as I have a LOT to show you!

My new Brother

2011-08-07T16:16:00.000-07:00

I have been hinting to hubby that I "need" a new sewing machine. I keep my heavy vintage machine at his home away from home... I guess it's OUR home away from home. I really wanted to have one at both homes. I also wanted a lightweight machine to be able to carry with me to a local quilt shop for classes.

Well, while I was at work Friday night, hubby went shopping. When I got home from work, there was my new machine sitting on the kitchen bar! I am so excited. I haven't even opened the box yet, as I am waiting until Monday, when the house is empty and I can sit down and study every little detail. I am so happy... I promised him ten new quilts by the end of the week. LOL

Testing

2011-08-06T09:42:00.000-07:00

*testing one, two, three* I am trying to see if my blog shows up in your blog lists. My last post did not, until I reposted it. :o(

Vintage Diaper Shirts

2011-08-04T07:37:00.001-07:00

Do you remember these sweet little diaper shirts? I found these two while thrifting this week and had to have them. I don't know why I buy some of this stuff, but I sure do love it! These little shirts are so lightweight and must have been so comfy for the baby in warm weather... just this and a diaper. How precious. Is it just me? or do you think young mothers now days are trying to dress their babies like miniature adults? Especially little girls! Now don't get me wrong.... they are adorable in their miniature grown up clothes, but I sure do miss the sweet innocence of dainty baby clothing. I guess I'm getting old, huh? My mother in law hand stitched a few of these little shirts for my babies before they were born. I have them packed away somewhere. When I was a little girl, playing with my baby dolls (I loved baby dolls), my mama would let me buy a new diaper shirt or a pacifier or a baby bottle, or something "real" for my babies when we would go out shopping. I loved shopping for my baby things! :o) I don't remember the cost of them, but I would like to think they were less than $1. Mom, you might remember.... or you may have no recollection of this at all.... but it was a special memory for me. :o) :o)

Vintage Child's Sewing Machine

2011-08-03T09:05:00.001-07:00

Okay, first question: Mom, didn't I have one of these when I was growing up? If not, it may have been Gayle, because I distinctly remember using this machine. And the noise it makes... haha... unforgettable. Each stitch.... clank, clank, clank. I found this for $5 yesterday at Goodwill while waiting to pick up my daughter's car for her. (they didn't have it ready when promised.... imagine that! so I went to Goodwill to kill time)

I could NOT... it just wasn't in my heart... leave it sitting at the Goodwill. I decided that even if it didn't work, it would be fun to look at in my sewing room. But guess what? It works! beautifully! All pieces are there... the owner's manual, the bobbins, the needle threader, the electrical adaptor... I was so excited!!

Just LOOK at this cute little baby.... $5 dollars! I also found a book on organization by Donna Otto; I have almost finished reading it. I put together a binder last night as my organizer and I am now setting off to organize my world! I have a LOT of work to do, but it's worth a try. Already this morning, I can see a difference....I got my prayer time and my Bible study in first thing! (a big change)

I also *finally* visited a local quilt shop that I had never visited. I cannot BELIEVE it took me so long to get in there. The owners are so sweet and the fabric prices were not nearly as pricey as most quilt shops! I am signing up for some of their classes... my first being a redwork embroidery class. Yes, I know how to do that already, but for $10, I might learn something new and meet some new friends! Yay! Yesterday was a good day! :o)

Hot Flashes and Cold Cream

2011-08-02T06:05:00.000-07:00

I love to read, but unfortunately, I don't recognize and remember authors' names. So I usually don't really have an answer when people ask me "who do you read?" :o) I guess I judge books by their covers, because I picked this one up as a "fun read" while I was at the beach. (thrift store, of course!) I had no idea that Diann Hunt was a Christian author and was pleasantly surprised when I started reading this hilarious fiction by her. When she mentioned church and the Lord, I remember yelling out to my husband, "hey this is a christian book"... LOL. If you are "my age" and going through "midlife issues"... this is a MUST READ! I laughed my way through it, yet, it made me realize that a lot of my crazy thoughts are entirely "normal" for my age. hee hee

*Mom, I'll bring this one to you soon! :o)

Happy Birthday to ME!

2011-08-01T07:12:00.000-07:00

I usually receive a little money for my birthday and it's always fun to shop for myself with my birthday money. Since we were at the beach this year, I had decided to spend my money in a local quilt shop. Imagine my disappointment when I visited the shop and found NOTHING I wanted there. The shop didn't seem as "up to date" as it had in the past and I didn't spend a lot of time in there. However, there was an adorable little consignment shop just a couple doors down (The Seahorse) and I found this precious vintage pillowcase there! (and I had birthday money left over!!) I love, love, love this pillow case and can't stop looking at the beautiful embroidery and crochet that was put into it many years ago. Don't you wish that women had never felt the need to enter the work force and that we still had time to make these beautiful creations?? so that our kids can put them in consignment stores when we are gone?

**And thank you to TRISH for the beautiful birthday card that you sent to me. I know you made it and I love the colors (matches my pillowcase, huh?)! I hope you are feeling well and enjoying that beautiful new granddaughter of yours! **

Vacation

2011-07-29T05:36:00.001-07:00

We've been on vacation all week. This is our view from the front porch. It has been heavenly! We all have sun tans and we are going to head back home tonight. I've spent a lot of time reading blogs this week; making for a great vacation. I'm totally refreshed and ready to sew again. I've received a lot of inspiration this week!

This is me and my cutie! He loves the beach. He has been Grandma's shadow this week and Grandma loves him more and more and more! He calls me "ma ma"(two distinct syllables) ... he can't get the grandma part out yet.

Avery loves the beach and Avery loves his Grandma.... what a great week!

**ps** My daughter is home from Hawaii!! It's been a truly great week! :O)

Rag Dolls and Grandma

2011-07-14T05:53:00.001-07:00

There's just something about a rag doll that I love. Some people collect porcelain dolls that are absolutely beautiful. But to me, they have no heart inside. A rag doll is full of love, put together by her maker, with very unique traits that belong only to her. Rag dolls remind me of my daddy's mother: my grandmother. She enjoyed sewing, making quilts, and lots of other crafts. The older I get, the more like her I think I have become. I wish she were still living, so that I could have known her better and could have shared the joys of creating with her.

I remember her, but I don't think I ever really knew her. I did not have the same relationship with my grandparents that my children have with theirs. I am so thankful that my children's grandparents were able to give them so much time and love when they were growing up. I do think my children truly "know" their grandparents well.

I can only remember making just one rag doll when I was in high school. I think I still have her somewhere up in the attic??? Maybe she is at my mom's house, I'm not sure. I did make some Raggedy Ann and Andy's when the kids were small, but for some reason, they don't count. I like unique rag dolls, each with a personality of its own. My best friend bought me a beautiful rag doll for my 30th birthday. I remember thinking to myself that the rag doll was the best gift I received on that birthday!!

I have another birthday coming up soon. I think I may treat myself to a new rag doll... one that I make myself. I'll let you know....

*disclaimer: photo's stolen... I mean, borrowed from the internet.

The pretty cheap ones

2011-07-07T09:52:00.000-07:00

It has been hot and dry in NC this year. I planted a few plants here and there, but they didn't do very well. The prettiest flowers I have this year are the cheap ones that came out of a seed package. These were supposed to be multicolored zinnias. They are zinnias, but they are all pink! I was amazed at how fast they sprouted and how quickly they bloomed this year. I have more "from seed" zinnias on one end of the house that barely came up and barely bloomed. (I think I've seen three orange flowers ) These are right beside my driveway where I park my car; and they make me smile everytime I see them. :o)

Thrift Quilt Top

2011-07-05T16:51:00.001-07:00

Look what $5 will buy you at Goodwill!! As hubby and I were leaving the store last week, I saw a clear plastic bag sitting near the register, with this quilt top inside, along with lots of fabric scraps. After washing it and battling a few (lots) of cat hairs, I'm ready to work on this thing! Someone has folded and sewn the navy borders to the back of the quilt, as if they turned over the edge to hide the raw edges, without finishing the quilt. I am going to clip the stitches and pull out the edges, which should give another 5-7 inches of navy border around the entire quilt. Someone did a great job piecing this top together and I am thrilled to have rescued it!!

Quilts: reading and doing

2011-06-28T06:53:00.001-07:00

I am not one who keeps up with the latest in literature and usually find good books "by chance" in thrift stores. Recently, I ran across a book from this series: Elm Creek Quilts. It was the third book written in this series and I am now hooked and want to read all of them, in the order they were written! Yesterday I went to the library and brought this book with me to read while staying at hubby's work place this week. I was excited when I saw there are quite a few books in this series and should keep me busy reading for awhile. The stories are great and there is a lot of "quilty" stuff involved, which serves as an inspiration for me to get busy and quilt! I also brought my unfinished, work in progress quilt with me that I need to finish up. I have my sewing machine set up here at the "lily pad" and I hope to machine quilt and get it ready for binding this week. My daughter will be home soon from Hawaii. (July 19th... yay) I made this quilt for her and need to get it finished. She will be arriving home just in time for the family beach vacation. She will fly home on Tuesday and we leave for our beach trip on Saturday. Is that great planning or what?? Maybe she'll be close to having her time zone readjustment by the time we get to the beach. If not, maybe the family can help her to readjust to NC time before our vacation is over. And then..... it will be job hunting time for her! Great things ahead!!! Looking forward to a great July, 2011!

Random Thoughts

2011-06-21T06:15:00.001-07:00

I promised June would be a better blogging month, but so far, I haven't done too well. Sorry. I'm still going back and forth with my hubby to his work place and I don't get as much computer time at his place. :( Actually.... no frown! I've been able to "pull" myself away from the computer a little more and I am finding that I can actually get things done! :) I sewed some pillow covers for my outdoor patio set. We bought the set from Wal Mart and I just hated the pillows that came with the set. I now have some bright green, summer appropriate pillows on the orange chairs... made from thrift store curtains. (and was able to save enough of the curtain to make CUTE valances for my "one day" coastal home... LOL)

I've gone "hi tech" recently... I purchased an Ipod Touch for myself, having really no idea what this thing can really do. I am now learning to use it and I love it!!! What a cool toy! I love the fact that I can keep my music with me wherever I go. The young girls at work are helping me to learn my new gadget and I ordered the adapter to use with my car radio yesterday. It's so much fun to be hip and cool. LOL

Yesterday was hubby and mine's 27th wedding anniversary! Where has the time gone? 27 years of total dysfuntion.... ha ha! But still... 27 years. :o) We were both off work yesterday and spent the day together. We shopped at the new Tanger Outlets and had lunch at Mellow Mushroom... yummo... one of my new favorite places to eat. We stopped by our sweet Avery's house (and his mom and dad's) to see his new swimming pool and his new swing set that his Daddy has built for him. (sorry, mom, I forgot to get pic's for you) When we got there, he was swinging in his new swing and was such a "big boy". Grandma had some fun play time and then he wanted to go home with me..... WHAT A FEELING! Now I know how my mom used to feel when my kids didn't want to leave her house to come home with me... ha ha!!

The pic's above are of our little guy when he was at our house a couple weeks ago. He is 16 months old now and is turning into such a big boy. I'm amazed each time I see him... all the new words and how smart is has become! He has finally said "grandma" a few times and I think that's the sweetest word ever. :) With kids, you never have to wonder... you just KNOW that they love you! And Avery loves me. He's truly one of the best things that has happened in our 27 years of marriage. And I'm looking forward to the next one... and the next one... and the next one....

You will never know how much joy you bring..... I love you, Sweet Avery!

Going Coastal!

2011-06-08T07:29:00.001-07:00

You can take a girl away from the coast... but that doesn't stop her from wanting to return!! As hubby is drawing "very" close to retirement, we are seriously considering our options and trying to decide where we want to live. All things keep drawing us back homeward... that dream of "a little cottage by the sea" just doesn't leave me.
We drove to Edenton, NC last week, just to browse.... Hubby knows I want to retire in New Bern, NC... but he wanted me to see this little coastal town, too. It is BEAUTIFUL, but it's not "in my blood" like New Bern seems to be. This town is probably just as pretty, if not prettier than New Bern, but it's a little too far away from "civilization" for me. Plus, New Bern is so much closer to the beaches that I love.

So, we think we have made our decision. The next year will be very busy, as we have a lot to prepare for.... but I am sooooo ready to go! I like calling (eastern) North Carolina "home".

Zippers

2011-06-07T05:57:00.001-07:00

Just wanted to show off my cute little "zipper" flowers! I found these shoes at a new(er) outlet store nearby and so far, they have been my favorite summer shoes. (check out those hardwood floors... these are from the lilypad, where hubby lives during the week. They are very dog friendly and I love them!!! Wish I had them in my current home!) I had been seeing lots of "zipper" pins and jewelry on some of the blogs and magazines. I really like them, but thought to myself that I would never "wear" them, even though they would be fun to make.

(borrowed picture) So, when I found the zipper shoes, I didn't hesitate to buy them. They are fun and they seem to go with anything I wear! :o)))

Kisses

2011-06-05T21:42:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to show you who I've been smooching with these days! Our Avery has learned to kiss! Nothing like those sweet baby kisses. :o)

Welcome

2011-05-31T08:11:00.001-07:00

Welcome to the dark hole! I have never loved my entry way from the outside, as it looks like a plain dark hole to me. Here's my new wreath for this year (paid way too much for it), but it does add a pop of color against the brown.

I spray painted the chair, spray painted the metal hanging, and added the pillow for more color. It's better, but still a dark hole to me. :( I'm looking for a bright colored welcome mat... no luck so far. I know we are supposed to never say never, but I hope we never buy another BROWN house. Wishing for my white country farmhouse right now. :o)

Sorry for the long delay in posting... June will be better, I promise. :o)

Vintage Linens

2011-04-29T08:23:00.001-07:00

I'm still dreaming of my "future" old farmhouse in eastern NC near the water. When I'm at thrift stores, I always look through the linens that have been donated. Sometimes you can really hit the jackpot! You see, in my future old farmhouse, with its many bedrooms, I have designed several different rooms already in my mind. One will be a vintage little girl's room, with lots of pink and other pastels... and lace.I'm not sure what this above piece is, but I'm guessing a tissue box cover?? It seems to drape over the box nicely. I'm not sure if it's handmade by anyone local or not, but it sure is pretty to me.

I couldn't pass up this set of pink pillowcases. They are made from a nice heavy cotton fabric. I washed them and they ironed up so pretty! I love the vintage design.

And THIS was my favorite find!! When I pulled this dresser scarf from the hanger, there were lots of frayed strings all around the edges. My first thought was that this piece was very damaged and that I would cut it up and make something , using the embroidery. When I got it home and washed it, I realized the frayed strings were only frayed edges from the hem on the back side of the piece. I am positive that the lace edge was done with a tatting shuttle and it is beautiful. I have this piece folded over and you can't see the whole scarf, but it is long, with both ends having identical embroidery. I trimmed the frayed strings, ironed it, and I am in LOVE with it! Seriously, in the store, one would think "why are they even selling this worn out stuff"? So, it was another happy week at the thrift store for me. Now, if we could just move along on getting that farmhouse in eastern NC!

First haircut

2011-04-13T06:47:00.000-07:00

Look who got his first "big boy" haircut on Saturday! His mom took some great pictures of him with his precious little bottom lip rolling out during the haircut. What an experience for any little guy to have to go through. :o) Isn't he cute??? He sure does add a lot of love to our little world. :p

Still here

2011-03-24T06:11:00.000-07:00

I'm still here... I've been busy spending time with this little guy! He is so smart and so much fun. He has been keeping grandma entertained 2-3 days a week. :o) I've been back to the doctor; my b/p is normal again. He says I may be able to go off the b/p medicine in six months. I'm looking forward to that! I saw the eye dr. this past week and he gave me one bifocal contact lense that makes me see a little better. I'm not nearly as depressed over my vision now. I love to sew and do needlework and it has been SO discouraging, not to be able to see the needle and thread! We've been working in the yard. The dogs are being good. Our preacher resigned. My daughter is coming home soon. My nerves still get the best of me some days. And I have learned that you are never too old to miss your mama! Have a great day!

Quilt "Tease"

2011-03-04T06:25:00.000-08:00

It is true what they say: If you do stuff, stuff gets done! I've been watching some of my favorite quilters produce quilt after quilt after quilt, and I've been amazed with their accomplishments. Several of them have the same strategy: work on it just a few minutes everyday. I started making this small quilt for a very special someone approx. a week ago. I made it in sections on different days and there was absolutely no stress involved. It's easy to get excited about a project and try to complete it from start to finish in a hurry, but that is where the stress comes in, and it can take the pleasure out of the hobby. This quilt top is ready to be machine quilted (hopefully this weekend) after I buy the backing fabric. I had some leftover quilt batting from another project and was able to piece together two pieces to use for this quilt. (thrifty quilter) If all goes well, maybe I'll have a picture of the finished project for you by next week.

Yo Yo's finished.... here it is!

2011-02-25T06:34:00.001-08:00

Yes, it is finished.... and framed!!! I was almost sad to see it end, as I enjoyed making the yo yo's so much. I'll just have to think of another yo yo project to do. I hope you aren't disappointed... ha ha.... as I have talked about this yo yo spread forever. I just can't believe I finally finished something. Yay, me! (ps... went shopping for a new lamp to replace the one on the table... couldn't find it... yet)

Baby (big boy) bibs

2011-02-23T12:35:00.001-08:00

I have accomplished a little bit this week on my days off. I decided I wanted to make some big boy bibs for Avery. I hope his parents don't think the fabric is too feminine for him.... I bought the frogs and the puppy dogs, but the other two came from my "stash". These were so easy to make and now I want to find some cute little boy fabric and make a few more for him.

They show up a little better against my bathroom rugs that are hanging out to dry. (ok, I admit it... they've been drying for days!!!) And yes, my flower beds need mulch badly!!!

I also made Avery a little "tag" blanket, as he likes to fiddle with fabric when he is going to sleep. He usually winds the fabric of whoever is rocking him's shirt around his thumb, and sucks it to go to sleep. He really likes the little tags on his soft toys, so I took some leftover flannel, some cute ribbon, and made him a tag blanket. I don't have any idea if he'll even like it, but if he does, I'll post a pic. of him using it.

*I've completed the yo yo spread. I need to find a background fabric to frame it on... I tried a natural colored linen which did not show up well. I think black or dark brown is what I'm going to look for... I have decided not to paint the frame black, after all.... I think the brown tone looks better with my new recliners. (they are brown.... pleather) :o)

Doing stuff

2011-02-18T07:38:00.000-08:00

I am so impressed by what you full time working girls are able to get done during your time away from work. My sweet boss has given me back my old part time schedule, where I have 7 days off in a row, every other week. If some of you girls had that much time off, you would probably find a cure for cancer, or something great like that. I know Debbie J. would make at least two quilts a week! :o) I had great plans with my last week off, and then I got sick with the flu bug.... so nothing got done. (good thing I didn't have to call in sick, right?) Starting tomorrow, I have another week off and I plan to get stuff done!!!

1. Finish the yo yo spread.... paint frame... and have hanging by the end of next week!

2. Work on new wall hanging that I have cut out already... maybe finish???

3. If the weather is nice, clean flower beds by back patio.

4. Walk!!! Take dogs for a walk. (my b/p is up and doctor put me on medication. I'm sick about this and am determined to exercise, lose weight and get OFF b/p meds)

Okay, I can't let my list get too long, as I don't want to overwhelm myself. ha! I just wish I had the drive that some of you "over achievers" have... I need lessons!! I know the number one thing to do is : get off the computer! :o)

Updates soon! Something WILL get done!

Quilt Dreams

2011-02-16T07:24:00.000-08:00

You know I keep telling myself to stay out of thrift stores, right? But LOOK! On my weekly trip to Asheboro, I try to stop at the Christian Outreach Thrift Store.... you know.... just to look. Well, just look at this beautiful treasure I found a couple weeks ago. If you click on the pic, you'll see the book was priced at $2.68. The books were half price that day, so I got this wonderful dreamy book for $1.34. The quilt below really called my name! I'm enjoying making yo-yo's a lot these days and when I saw this quilt, I thought "oh!! could I possibly make that???" Isn't it pretty?

The sailboat quilt below looks a lot like one I made for my son when he was a little boy. It has had a lot of love (wear and tear) through the years, but I think if I replace its binding, it can be loved for a few more years. Another thing on my "to do" list.

And I really like this one too... a log cabin quilt with appliqued stars. The stars just give it such a pop, don't you think?

The one below is just so country and cute. I love the colors and it reminds me of the quilts that were made from feedsack fabrics. I love the 1930's reproduction fabrics that are so available right now. ( I have a few in my stash) These colors make me "happy".

So.... the moral of the story.... keep checking out the thrift stores, Penny! Even if I never make these quilts, the pleasure of dreaming about making these quilts is well worth $1.34. :o)

Happy Belated Valentine's Day

2011-02-15T07:03:00.001-08:00

I hope everyone had a wonderful Valentine's Day. Our weather was gorgeous and I was able to get outside for a few minutes yesterday. It made my heart happy and I'm truly looking forward to Spring! Enjoy the pictures of my sweetest Valentine, ever!!!

Julia AND He's one year old!

2011-02-08T18:52:00.001-08:00

I've been sick on the couch since Sunday with a flu-like bug. Feeling much better tonight, but still need a little couch time. I re-watched "Julie and Julia" tonight and loved it all over again. The movie is such an inspiration: Julia's life and Julie's life. If you haven't seen it, I think you should watch it very soon. However, after watching the movie this time, I googled the author and found her blog, as well as a few other blogs belonging to her. I have decided that if we knew each other in person, we probably wouldn't like each other very much. :o( But I still love her movie and appreciate that she brought us the story of Julia Child.

Now for the most exciting news.... this little guy turns ONE tomorrow! What a special year it has been for all of us. Avery is the sweetest little boy, with a great sense of humor already. He loves to make us laugh! I love this child: Happy Birthday Sweet Baby Boy!

Aloha!

2011-02-01T06:52:00.001-08:00

This sweet girl is my daughter. She is married to an army man and moved away to Hawaii back in September. Her husband was deployed a few weeks ago to Iraq, so she is spending time with her dog(s) and working. She is an assistant manager at a hair salon and her mom is very proud of her! We talk everyday, several times a day, about this and that... usually about our dogs. (our children) This girl is a carbon copy of her dad... sweet, compassionate, giving, tender hearted... nothing pretentious about her! And she is FUNNY! She loves to laugh and some of my best laughs have been with her. (remember the Christmas party with the turkey hunting group?) I miss her. A lot! She was my shopping partner when she was here and I have not been able to replace her. She was also my Sunday School teacher assistant. (my class still tells me it's no fun without Mrs. April... but I don't believe them.. ha!) Did I tell you that I miss her? A lot! Her best friend is flying out to Hawaii this week to visit her. I'm so happy for both of them and pray that the huge snow storm doesn't interfere with her flight. I love you, Appie!

Friday Night Sewing

2011-01-22T06:22:00.000-08:00

My friend, Debbie, at Homemaking Dreams, has started doing her Christmas sewing on Friday nights. I was supposed to work Friday evening, but got a surprising phone call around 11:00 am, telling me they had overstaffed at work, and was wondering if I would like the day off. Well, Lord, YES!!!! So, since I recently gave up Facebook, I decided to spend my Friday evening sitting in the livingroom with my husband and sewing while we watched tv. I thought about Debbie and the others who have Friday Night Sew-in's all over blog country. The yo yo's I stitched up last night were created from my first charm swap that I posted a few posts down. (btw: I'm still looking for swappers if anyone is interested) I was so happy to look in the mailbox yesterday and find this sweet little package from Melissa, at Ardea's Nest. Thanks, Melissa... these yo yo's will add some terrific color to my currently dull collection! Friday night was a sweet night at my house. What did you do?

Longing....

2011-01-20T07:30:00.001-08:00

This is an old photo of my patio shortly after we moved into our current home. Sad to say, it isn't this pretty anymore. However, I am longing for spring time... I am ready to get outside and enjoy the patio and make it pretty again. It's winter time now, and as usual, I am in my mid winter depression. This year it is so bad, it took me back to the doctor this week. Medication changes have been made and I'm looking forward to feeling like ME again!!! Number one on my mind is trying to get some things done: Motto: If you do stuff, stuff gets done. I'm off work all next week and I hope to get some stuff done. From cleaning, to organizing, to sewing, etc. My biggest distraction right now is this computer. I don't spend too much time on blogs, but I can't seem to pull myself away from facebook. You know, trying to keep up with family and friends. I've decided this is actually contributing to my anxiety and I think it's time to let it go. Have any of you had to let something go in order to get your sanity back? I would like to hear about it. Longing.... and looking forward to next week! :o)

It's not over... yet

2010-12-29T06:34:00.000-08:00

Christmas was wonderful, finally having a little one to share it with again! This was Avery's first Christmas and even though it was very new to him, we all had a great time. We are now looking forward to next Christmas!!! Our Christmas celebrations are not over yet. I'll be packing up the dogs and heading to eastern NC today. My family will get together at my parents' house tomorrow evening for a good old fashioned eastern NC fish stew! Yum Yum!

Avery worked on his big cookie that grandma made for him. He made a nice mess, so I can hardly wait to see what he does with his first birthday cake in two more months. :o)

He's a big big boy now... growing up so quickly!

Santa was good to him and I think he just might like this thing called Christmas! We will definitely try it again next year. I hope you all had a Merry Christmas!

Fun Dish Towels

2010-12-15T05:42:00.001-08:00

I've always heard that you are supposed to give someone a gift that you would like to have yourself. So, I've embroidered a few cute dish towels to give away as Christmas gifts this year. I love these chickens! I'm having a hard time letting this one go!

The little cats were fun. I added the fabric and ric rac trim to dress them up a bit. My goal for next year: make myself some of these cuties!

From Sweet Pea

2010-12-07T07:26:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas from Sweet Pea! I bought Christmas outfits for my dogs last year when they were marked down for clearance. I had been looking forward to putting them on the dogs all year. Sweet Pea was the most photogenic, but as you can tell, she wasn't thrilled about me trying to turn her into a reindeer! Ho Ho Ho!

Christmas Cactus

2010-12-06T06:19:00.001-08:00

A friend from work gave me a few pieces of her Christmas cactus some time last year. She told me she didn't know what color she had given me, because she had several colors she had pulled from. So, I stuck it in a pot and basically forgot about it.... watering it from time to time. Well, here it is... I've never seen one with such a peachy color and I've never had one bloom this close to Christmas! Thank God for the simple pleasures that make us smile.

Happy Thanksgiving

2010-11-24T06:20:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving to all! I have so much to thank God for this year. I think the best blessing for me this year is this little guy! He is sitting in the rocking chair that belonged to his daddy when he was this small. It was given to his daddy on his first Christmas.... from his great grandmother. Now Avery has the chair from his great great grandmother.

He knew exactly what to do when I placed him in the chair. He grabbed those handles and started rocking the chair like a wild man.

Then he decided to pet the pig. ha ha Thank you, Lord, for all your blessings on me! They just keep getting better and better!

Happy Dinosaur... Happy Grandma!

2010-11-03T07:06:00.001-07:00

I'm back! And l want to show you the happy little dinosaur that came to see us Saturday morning. Avery is now (almost) 9 months old and is so much fun!!! I love this baby so much!

Random:

*My husband's friend won the bet. I quit my full time job already. I think some people are made to work full time, others are not. I'm not. Period.

*I'm working two days a week again at the nursing home. My hip hurts this morning after working last night, but I LOVE BEING HOME!

*I'm working on an embroidery project with several more I want to complete before Christmas. Busy, busy, busy!

**Life is good** and **Jesus loves me***

Patriotic Pretty

2010-09-08T04:47:00.001-07:00

Check out this neglected barn on the edge of our new little town in NC. This little town boasts that it has the biggest fireworks display in the area on July 4th. I find it hard to believe when I see the size of this town (a.k.a. community, crossroads, hole in the wall, speck on the map,etc). I'll be looking forward to next July 4th, just to see if they are honest! I love this barn!

Rolling Pins

2010-08-16T09:43:00.001-07:00

So, how do collections "evolve"? I never started out to collect rolling pins, it just .... happened. I found this little wine rack at a thrift store this weekend and thought it would be perfect for phase one of the collection. :o) Below is another view of the rolling pins. I think I like them. :o)

What do you collect?

What 'ya doing?

2010-08-11T05:53:00.000-07:00

Well, a looong time ago, I posted here to show you two new patterns. I finally got around to starting the laundry bag over the weekend. I am having so much fun with it, as I find embroidery to be so relaxing. It's easy to do while I watch t.v. at night and really goes pretty quickly.

The truth of the matter is: if I never buy another project to do, in my entire life, I have enough to keep me busy until I die. (and I'm assuming I will live a long time) I am such a sucker for buying something new to do, without even starting previous projects that I was so excited about when I purchased them. Especially if I find something at a bargain price! Does anyone else have this problem? I'm trying to stop doing this. The best thing to do is stay out of the stores, but that is impossible. I keep telling myself that it is okay... that I could have a much worse (and more expensive) habit... and this is okay. So... think I'll run to Hobby Lobby today. I might find something good. ;)

Sunday with "the girls"

2010-07-20T16:01:00.000-07:00

If you attend my Sunday School class, you received an invitation to my house last Sunday for pizza and pedicures. I had 12 girls in my class this past Sunday (record number so far) and 9 of them came home with me and Mrs. April. I did the foot washes and massages. (my back and hip paid for it on Monday!)

Mrs. April and Mrs. Ashley did all the nail painting and all the fancy work!

It was a really good time! The girls are so much fun! If you look carefully, you will see two men in the picture.... my husband on the bottom right.... my son's leg on the bottom left. They couldn't take too much of the "girl party" and retreated to a bedroom to watch tv all afternoon! Wimps! If you didn't make it to the party, I hope you will visit my classroom soon, so that you can receive an invitation to the next party!

**I've started a new part time job with pediatric patients. Today I was with an adorable five year old who gave ME a manicure. You should see my pretty red painted nails... painted all the way to my first knuckle. Children are so precious! :o)

Sunday What???

2010-07-12T06:17:00.000-07:00

We had a wonderful Sunday yesterday. My Sunday School class had TEN girls (which filled our classroom)! I am excited to see the Lord working in our church. Then, this little guy and his mom came over for lunch. After lunch, we decided it was nap time. You can tell by Avery's expression above, that he thought that was funny!

He sat, propped up on his Papa, watching tv, watching the dogs, and looking at me every now and then, like "are you serious? you really want to nap?"

He was too busy smiling and being a "big boy"... "no nap for me" says Avery.

After awhile, he gave it up, and Grandma was able to get him to sleep. (this is an impressive statement, as this baby really, really FIGHTS sleep!) He and Grandma were able to nap on the couch "together" for about an hour.... oh, I love Sunday afternoons! How was your Sunday?

Happy 4th!

2010-07-01T07:51:00.001-07:00

Happy 4th of July to you all! I'll be working, but I hope the rest of you have a great time with all your fun plans and activities. I am hoping this will be my last weekend to work, EVER, as I'm changing my job schedule again. New things in the works.... praying it all works out. Isn't my grandbaby growing up??? He is absolutely precious and I'm in LOVE! Have a great weekend!

Hot summer day!

2010-06-28T17:46:00.001-07:00

It's hot in NC and this is what two poor country girls do to stay cool! I have decided not to go to tanning beds anymore, but I have not vowed not to tan at all..... so we are tanning, just a little. So my dear daughter and I bought kiddie pools and this is how we tan. It's pretty silly looking, but we sure have had some good "mother daughter bonding" while sitting in these pools together. So refreshing!

My garden is outside this little gate. Just a short walk down the hill to get to the garden. As I walked toward the garden, I saw something RED in the distance....

Oh yes! Yummy German Johnson tomatoes... almost ripe... almost ready for a fresh, home grown tomato sandwich. There is nothing like the taste of a fresh home grown tomato... maybe in a day or two????

These sunflowers are planted in the edge of our vegetable garden. They were planted for the birds and for our viewing pleasure. I love sunflowers, always have, but I love them even more since I met a new friend from Kansas. I rarely see a pretty sunflower now, without thinking of her! Hello, Trish!

I would love to visit Kansas one day and see the miles and miles of sunflower fields when the flowers are blooming. I'm sure it is just breath taking! I wonder if the people from Kansas take this gorgeous view for granted, just like I used to take the ocean for granted, when I lived there. Oh, I would love to live closer to the ocean again... just to enjoy its beauty.... I would paint my cottage blue and plant sunflowers all around. LOL Do sunflowers even grow near the ocean???

Patriotic Porch

2010-06-26T07:48:00.000-07:00

I did a little decorating for July 4th this past week. I don't think I've ever used "red" on my porch before, but really like how it shows up. Red just may be my "new" color. I got the idea for the wreath from a Country Sampler Magazine. I had an old nylon flag that I used to hang on my wooden flag pole. It didn't look good enough to hang any longer, so I decided to use it to make my wreath. I bought cheap bows from Dollar General to complete it with.... reworked them the best I could, so they wouldn't be so flat. I hate flat bows!!! (click on pic. to enlarge)

The red flowers in the fern are $1 red carnations, also from Dollar General. I am going to look for a small flag to use in the fern today, as well as possibly changing out the doormat... it needs to be red or blue. I really wish I had a white farm house.... I would love to have a "bright" front porch to decorate. Maybe one day....

Easy Butterflies

2010-06-24T06:34:00.001-07:00

Today I want to share with you the easiest craft, ever! It's a lot of fun and makes the cutest little butterflies. I actually saw one of the these in a patient's room at the nursing home. The patient told me his granddaughter had made it for him. Upon further inspection, I realized it was a painted coffee filter and a pipe cleaner. How easy is that??? and cheap, too! So my daughter and I got busy last night, making some for our Sunday School class bulletin board.

The supplies are easy and very inexpensive. Coffee filters, pipe cleaners, (on sale... half price at Hobby Lobby this week), and paint.

I'm sure our little girls in Sunday school would love to make these, so maybe we'll put this out as a future project at one of our "get togethers". Just thought I would share, since so many of you have kids home for the summer, who are probably "bored" already. :o)

Sour Cream Dishes

2010-06-22T16:56:00.000-07:00

I've been getting some great deals on sour cream lately, now that I'm playing the "grocery game". But what does one do with so much sour cream? Well, I made a whole meal around this fattening stuff, and boy, was it good!
My friend, Mike, used to bring cucumbers into the office covered in sour cream and fresh dill. When Debbie J. at Homemaking Dreams blogged about her fresh basil, I immediately went outside to pick some fresh dill. I planted my dill from seeds this year and this is the first time I've ever grown any... boy, was it yummy chopped up in the cucumber salad. (let your cukes sit in salt for awhile before you mix the sour cream and dill together) We had cucumber salad left over, and my daughter made some awesome greek pitas with the leftovers. Cubed chicken breasts, lettuce, and chopped up cukes from the salad, all stuffed inside pita bread (left over from the Noah's Ark sandwiches mentioned in a recent post). YUMMY!

Next I mixed together this squash casserole from fresh home grown squash. I don't really follow a recipe, but use squash, onion, stuffing mix, sour cream, and cream of chicken soup. Love this stuff!

And believe it or not, I made the biscuits!! And yes, I used sour cream in my biscuit recipe. I found this recipe in a recent thrift store cookbook find. I've used the recipe several times, and so far, it's been a winner everytime. They are so easy to make and I'll be glad to share the recipe if anyone wants it. I didn't put any sour cream on the ham, but the ham sure did round out this meal. So easy, so quick, and so inexpensive!!

It's BIBLE TIME!

2010-06-17T06:45:00.001-07:00

I've been missing in action, but having FUN for the past week or so. My daughter and I spent most of last week decorating our classroom for this week's Neighborhood Bible Time. (similar to Vacation Bible School) She and I are teaching two classes each night... lots of work... lots of fun! My daughter designed the hut, as it goes along with her missionary story about Mary, a missionary in Africa. The kids have really enjoyed sitting inside the hut for this activity.

One night we studied King David and Mephibosheth and ended with a cupcake feast in Mephibosheth's honor. Each cupcake had a "king's ring" as decoration. Even the boys enjoyed licking the frosting off their rings and wearing their "king's rings".

We made Noah's Ark sandwiches from pita bread, peanut butter, jelly, and animal crackers. It all looked pretty "gross" to me, but most of the kids ate every bite of theirs.

And of course, we studied Zaccheus and how God turned his life around. Can you see him hiding in the tree? This is our 6th grade group. It has been a fun week, but this ol' girl is tired! One more night and then Friday is awards night... woo hoo... then it's back to work at the nursing home! I hope you guys are having a great summer!

My week.. this and that...

2010-06-04T09:02:00.000-07:00

It's been a busy week at my house, but I didn't have to work at the nursing home this week, so it was a "good" busy! Below, from my garden, is the first harvest of the season. The birds and I have to share the cherries, but I got enough for a couple of cobblers this year. I made one cherry cobbler earlier in the week already... yum. Here's the veggies once I washed them up.... can you tell what we are having for supper tonight? I have vidalia onions in the fridge to cook with my squash... and of course, bacon drippings! The cherries are pitted and covered with sugar. I will make another cherry cobbler for dessert. Cubed steak and gravy, creamed potatoes will complete the meal. Hubby is coming home tonight... we get to cook big when he is home! :o)

I picked up this little Holly Hobby to embroider on Monday. This is as far as I got, as the week got busy and I never got back around to finishing her. This was actually a vintage crewel kit that I purchased sometime back, with all the nice "70's" colors of thread. I decided to make her and her friend (can you see the other one?) in redwork.

My daughter and I are teaching 3rd and 6th graders in our Neighborhood Bible Time this year. We went to our first meeting last night and received our materials and basic training. We have now got to get busy decorating our classroom! I worked a little in my flower beds this week; planted some lantana......and killed my first TWO snakes! Yes, two in one day. They were babies, but they were snakes.... about a foot long and as big around as my pinkie finger. I felt kind of sad after I killed them, but I didn't want to share my flower beds with them. :o( The picture below shows what I've really been doing all week.......

My three dogs, plus my niece's dog, Charlie. Charlie is the cute red dachshund with his head tilted in the photo. They have had fun playing all week, but I think my dogs are a little bit jealous. Charlie "demands" all the attention and won't let me out of his sight. My dogs have had to adjust to less attention this week, but I'll make it up to them next week..... I promise!

Hello

2010-05-28T07:46:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone! It's been almost two weeks since I've blogged. I have blogging ideas but never seem to get around to blogging. Just look at our little Avery and how much he has grown! He is almost four months old and we think he is trying to cut a tooth already. Lots of slobber, hand chewing, and irritability. (at least his mom and dad see the irritability... all I see is CUTE) I heard him laugh out loud at his daddy Wednesday night for the first time. He is quick with a smile, but the laugh was something extra precious! I've been busy in the yard, mowing, working in our vegetable garden, and transplanting sunflowers. I planted sunflowers from seeds in three different areas this year. The only ones that sprouted were in the edge of our garden, so I thinned those out and moved a few around the yard. I put three at the edge of my yard, just between our house and the neighbor's house. I hope to surprise them with their own sunflower display. They have two little grandsons that I think will enjoy the surprise. I moved a few along our fence where we already have bird feeders. I think the birds will appreciate them and I know I will enjoy seeing them from the porch. I think everyone is super busy right now, as I've seen several of my favorite bloggers taking blogging breaks. And I notice that people aren't posting as regularly as usual. I miss everybody, but completely understand we are all so busy. Even though I don't always comment, I try to read your blogs everyday! I hope everyone is having a great spring (almost summer)! :o)

Solitude...contentment

2010-05-17T17:13:00.000-07:00

Reflecting today... it's has been a little over a year since I gave up my full time management job to work part time. At times I wasn't sure if I had made the right decision, but I am at a happy place right now, and know that this change was the best thing for me. I have wasted a lot of my free days, but am starting to get a grip on things and am trying to spend my time more wisely. One of the best things is my alone time with God. He still speaks! I love listening for His still small voice. I love talking to Him. I think God has shown me so much in just the past few months and it is wonderful to have the time to listen. Working full time kept me so stressed, that even my "off work" time was spent thinking about work. Not anymore... not as much anyway. My days are now consumed with happy thoughts, pleasant activites, meaningful reading, and much prayer. I am so thankful that God provides and that He has allowed me to slow down.... to feel His presence... and rest in Him. God is so good.

Hornets Nest

2010-05-13T07:20:00.001-07:00

How many of us are "lucky" enough to say we've had one of these hanging from the eaves of our house? When we were selling our home in western NC, we had a friend who was mowing our grass and looking after the home while we were away. I remember he called one time to tell us of a huge hornet's nest that had been built under our front porch bench. I never got a chance to see that one. However, at our current home, I noticed this baseball size protrusion by my front door last week. This was within a day or two of seeing a 4-5 foot black snake on my front steps!!!! I had to wait for hubby to come home to take this down, so I enjoyed watching the hornets at work for about a week. Hubby took a water hose and sprayed it down... I would have never had the nerve to do that! If you click on the pic. you will see a close up of this miracle of nature. I just wish they hadn't chosen to build it on my house. :o(

Fresh Flowers

2010-05-10T05:49:00.001-07:00

I picked a few peonies and a purple iris to put on my kitchen table last week. Before that, I had displayed some daffodils from my front yard. I am so thankful to the lady we bought the house from, for allowing me to have fresh flowers inside my house. She and her husband worked very hard to plant all the pretty flowers that I now enjoy yearly. It feels like such a luxury, but anyone can have them, with a little planning and a little bit of a green thumb. I planted a few zinnia seeds this year and am praying they will grow! I hope to have colorful fresh zinnias on the table by the end of summer. Such a simple luxury... take time to enjoy the simple things... they are the best!

My Weekend

2010-05-03T15:18:00.001-07:00

These beautiful daughters of mine attended the ladies banquet with me at our church on Saturday. We had a lovely time and, of course, the highlight for me was having Avery along. Isn't he growing so fast???

My girls came over again on Sunday and I had the pleasure of holding my little Avery for a long time during the afternoon. My children and their families bring so much joy to our lives. I am so thankful that God gave them to us!

Simple Life

2010-04-29T07:26:00.001-07:00

I took the country tour on my way to Asheboro yesterday for my hair appointment. I love taking the scenic route and getting off the busy roads, to see where people "really" live. I've posted on this cart before, but yesterday was the first time I've seen it by the road this year. The person had bouquets of irises tied together for $3 a bunch. It's all self service and payment is on an honor system. Their house sits off the road behind a big pond and looks so quiet and peaceful. I always enjoy seeing their flower cart and like to imagine that they are truly enjoying the "simple life". 'Tis a gift to be simple...

Clothesline on a Sunny Day

2010-04-20T07:02:00.000-07:00

This is one of my favorite things about spring time and warm weather.... getting to use the clothesline! Most of the pollen has settled, so yesterday I gave my clothesline a good cleaning and hung out bed linens! Those sheets smelled so yummy last night and I slept so GOOD! If you will enlarge the picture, you will see my beautiful clothespin bag, made by Debbie at Homemaking Dreams. She makes these and sells them in her Etsy shop. I have really enjoyed mine and it looks so pretty hanging on the line. (My daughter was here yesterday when I was hanging out the sheets, and I realized that we are the only house in the neighborhood with a clothesline. I mentioned it to her and wondered if my neighbors are jealous. LOL)

Sweet baby smiles

2010-04-16T07:09:00.001-07:00

Our son in law Troy was able to come home from his Army duties for three weeks, due to a broken thumb. We are sorry he broke his thumb, but boy, are we glad to have him home! This is Troy, my daughter April, and "their" dog, Tumpy. Tumpy was glad to see his "daddy".

My son, Will, and his wife, Ashley, and our baby, Avery! Tumpy loves Avery and wants to be so close to him!

Oops.... Daddy I got you... again. This is quite common these days. It's funny to watch my son with spit up down his back.... it doesn't even bother him. Back when he was a little boy, he would have freaked out if a baby spit up on him. Isn't love grand?

And now.... look at this beautiful smiling face! Tonight was the first time Avery had met his Uncle Troy. He looked up into his face and gave him this beautiful smile! We all got smiles on this night... unfortunately, husband was away at his job and missed all this sweet fun. It was wonderful to see Avery smile at me and to know .... this smile is just for me. I love him!

This is Troy, April, and Avery... I can see lots of love in this picture! I don't want to rush them, but I look forward to the day that Troy and April decide to have children of their own. :o) This grandma business is fun!

Happy Goodwill!

2010-04-10T08:39:00.001-07:00

Just when I tell myself to stay out of the Goodwill store, I find something like THIS! I love this plate and it's just perfect for my kitchen. The blue color makes me think of summer time, I love the bird as my husband has turned into an avid birdwatcher (does that mean he's old?), and the sunflowers remind me of my friend, Trish, in Kansas. I love this plate! I love having a Goodwill store in town.... I drive into town at least 2-3 times a week, and the Goodwill store is always a stop I make. You just never know what new treasures have arrived from day to day. So, forget it... I'm not staying out of Goodwill.

Tag: Seven things

2010-04-08T08:00:00.000-07:00

I accepted a tag from Ancient One to list seven random things about myself. She received the tag from my niece, at Field of Dreams, who is a military wife blogging about her life while her husband is in Afghanistan. Here goes:

1. I recently became grandmother to this beautiful little baby boy, Avery, who is now 8 weeks old. I am so in love with him.... he gets prettier everyday... which is almost impossible as he is just about as pretty as pretty can get!

2. I am 46 years old... almost 47.... married to a Wildlife Captain with the state of NC. I am a nurse and work part time in a nursing home. I love old people.

3. My dream is to be a "retired" RN and devote my time to my husband, my family, my home, and God. Not necessarily in that order. :o)

4. I like to craft.... especially embroidery and quilt making. I'm not the quiltmaker I want to be yet, but I dream of quilts all the time. I want to take a trip to Western NC to see the barn quilts that are painted throughout the area on old barns.

5. I have two children.... a son, who is a 6th grade math teacher (father of Avery) and his wife who stays home with Avery and is a wonderful mommy. I have a daughter, who is a hairdresser, married to an Army soldier who is graduating from basic training tomorrow. She also has a blog... check her out... and tell her I sent you.

6. I have three dogs.... all of which I somehow inherited from daughter mentioned above. I truly love the dogs and enjoy having them around, even though they can be a pain in the butt sometimes. They do bring me a lot of joy. My mom would never dream of letting us have an inside dog when we were growing up. I felt the same way until we fell in love with our current little dog family. I have now decided that ALL children need at least one dachshund in their life before they grow up. They are way better than teddy bears to sleep with at night.

7. Our family has moved quite often in the past 13 years and husband and I are now waiting to see if one more move is in our near future. I really like my home and where I live now, but have decided if I need to move with my husband soon, then I'm willing... it's all in God's hands.

I'm not going to tag anyone specifically, but if you play, pleast leave a comment so I'll know to read yours!

Contentment

2010-04-06T05:50:00.001-07:00

It's been a great Easter weekend, a wonderful Monday (spent most of the day with my husband), and I'm looking forward to spending today with my daughter. Recently, I was having second thoughts about working and wondering if I should go back to work full time. I felt like I was wasting too much time worrying and could be spending that energy doing something else. I have been doing a lot of praying, reading, and reflecting. I am exactly where I want to be right now (except for not living with my husband full time). I am working part time, I have a beautiful new grandbaby, and I have so much more time for family and my home. I have decided to stop all the worry and ENJOY just being.... being here, loving my home, loving my family, loving my God. A thought came to me a few days ago (thank you, God): stop dreaming about the future, it is HERE, it is happening... live it! I love this beautiful weather and hope to get busy in the yard this week. I'll leave you with a few quotes on contentment:

"Contentment is natural wealth, luxury is artificial poverty"
"Everyone chases after happiness, not noticing that happiness is right at their heels."
"Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not, remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for." (my favorite)
"We may pass violets, looking for roses. We may pass contentment, looking for victory."

Have a wonderful day, my friends!

Avery...what else?

2010-03-30T04:01:00.001-07:00

Life... it's all about Avery... what else is there? He is growing so fast. His mommy and I took him to have his first pic's made yesterday. He did amazingly well... so wide awake and precious. His Auntie April went too and we all had a great time together. He left with his mommy and daddy for his first beach trip yesterday afternoon. He will spend the rest of the week there with his other grandparents. This boy is going to be so rotten! He took his new play quilt that Grandma made with him. I hope the weather is gorgeous so that that he can feel sand on his little toes for the first time ever! You guys have fun and we love you!

Avery's Quilt

2010-03-25T07:00:00.000-07:00

I finally finished Avery's little quilt. I want this to be his "anytime" quilt. His mom can throw it in the floor, on the ground, in the sand.... anywhere she wants to lay baby down to play. The only thing I need to do is embroider his name and date on the back corner, which I hope to do today. It was a pure joy making this little quilt for our baby.

L@@kie!

2010-03-16T16:12:00.000-07:00

Look at who is growing up so fast! Little Avery is 5 weeks old and weighs 8 pounds 10 ounces. He is growing so fast. He has been over to visit Grandma's house a couple times. Grandma has an interesting time dealing with the curious dogs, but so far, so good. I'll be glad when Avery is big enough to show them who's boss! :o)

Gotta show you this fabric. This is actually a set of pajamas I saw at the thrift store yesterday. They caught my eye, but I really thought nothing of them.... until last night. For some reason, those pj's flashed into my head and I thought "what an awesome "boy" quilt". On my way to get my yearly mammogram done this morning (yay, me!) I stopped by the thrift store to get those pj's. The fabric is a nice quality flannel, pj's made by LL Bean. I sort of hate to cut them up, but that is the plan. Don't you just love this fabric? Don't you just love all my plans for "things to do"? I keep telling myself to stay away from Goodwill... I already have more projects than I will EVER complete. But something keeps drawing me inside the store.... addiction? It could be worse!

A Visit from Avery

2010-03-03T07:42:00.000-08:00

This sweet little fellow is coming to Grandma's house for the first time ever.... tonight!!! He is three weeks old now. It will be interesting to see how the "fur" children will like him. They may end up in the garage tonight, if they don't behave. Can't wait! Don't you just love this picture? His mommy took it.... of course, if I had been there, I would have been pushing her out of the way and picking him up! LOL

Snow Day???

2010-03-02T06:49:00.001-08:00

So, it's March 2nd... and we are expecting snow. Historically, NC gets some of its largest snow storms in March. The computer "models" can't seem to agree on how much, if any, we will get today. So today will be more like the days before sophisticated weather equipment, and we'll just wait, watch, and see! The good news is: I don't have to go to work today. Lately, I've been scheduled to work when all our snow storms came through. I had to worry about how to get to work. Not today though.... bring it on!!! I have food in the house and plenty of things to do! Sounds like a good sewing day to me. Happy Snow Day to you all!

Trash or Treasure?

2010-02-24T20:03:00.001-08:00

I went "thrifting" today and paid $1 for this unopened embroidery kit. I was hoping it would be Raggedy Ann inside, but it was Andy, which is still very very cute. My first thought was to open it and stitch him up into a cute little hand puppet, as I really enjoy stitching. But then I started to wonder if it had any $value$... it was made in 1976 by Bobbs Merrill Company. I've researched online and cannot find anything. I can't decide if I will keep it or try to sell it on ebay. Any opinions?

Looking forward...

2010-02-22T08:19:00.001-08:00

This picture was taken on a special day for us. This is the day we found out about our new grandson who would become a part of our family in a few months. This was also the day that we picked and put up the corn, that my son grew in a small garden on the edge of our property. We are hoping to have a much larger garden this year, and even though our new grandson, Avery, won't be a lot of help in the garden this year, we look forward to the coming years, of watching him learn and play, and get dirty in the garden with us. Life just keeps getting better and better!

Cowboy quilt

2010-02-17T07:01:00.001-08:00

I'm having so much fun this week. I'm trying to finish up a baby quilt I'm making for my new grandson, Avery. Isn't this fabric adorable? I sewed for awhile last night, but was interrupted by American Idol. I, then, had to switch over to handmaking yo-yo's for another project I'm working on. Crazy to say, but I have a cable connection in my sewing room, but have failed to bring the tv back in here since we moved, and un-moved, back home. :o) This will definitely be on my weekend "to do" list for hubby. American Idol and sewing.... two wonderful past times. I held our grandbaby yesterday for a little while. He has gained 2 ounces since he came home from the hospital. He is now almost up to a whopping 6 pounds.... so little. I love him!