Showing Off (thrift store)

I found this afghan a couple months ago at Goodwill.  $4....yes, $4.  It looks brand new, except for whoever put it together, had put it together with sewing thread.  The sewing thread was coming out and several of the blocks were separating.  Easy fix for me....a $2 skein of yarn and a needle.... and look!

Isn't the detail pretty?  I don't know how to crochet, so I am really pleased to own this little blanket.  I love the colors and now that it is repaired and washed, I will use it in my guest bedroom....far away from my fur babies!  



Love this blue display

Hubby and I just got home from a mini vacation to celebrate my birthday.  We stopped at one of my favorite antique stores and I had to snap a picture of this patriotic display.  Don't you just love that quilt????  I'm having blogger issues today, so once I figure out how to post my pic's right side up and type without the words coming from the middle of the page and going out, I'll post more pic's!! grrrr!!!

My two boys...

Our precious Chandler was born yesterday afternoon at 5:17 pm.  He weighs 8 lbs 10 oz.  He and Mommy and family are doing great.  This picture was taken as they were bringing him home from the hospital.  Avery is wired... enjoying all the visitors and attention.  Grandma is tired...early bed tonight!  ;)

Still no baby...

This silly face stayed with grandma and papa last night.  He wanted to try out his new bed that we bought for our daughter's old bedroom.  He loved the bed and slept wonderfully.  However, grandma didn't sleep too much.  I had closed the bedroom door to keep the dogs out and one little dog, in particular, stayed at our door and cried....and cried....and cried. It was Tumpy...the fat dachshund.   Finally, after approx. an hour of that, I got up and made a bed on the couch for myself, while leaving Avery alone in the bedroom, with the door closed.  Needless to say, I worried that he would roll off the bed, so I stayed awake for a loooooong time.  I woke up around 5 am and got back into the  bed with Avery.  We woke up around 7:30 am to the sound of the dog crying again.  So, we got up.....played for awhile, watered the garden, ate breakfast outside, squirt the dogs with the water gun, put up tomatoes, and did a little laundry.  His daddy came to pick him up around 10:30, as his  family was had plans to swim today.  Guess what grandma is going to do???? My bed is still made on the couch....see you later!  (Baby Chandler still isn't ready to make his appearance.  His due date was Sunday.  If he doesn't decide to come by Thursday or Friday, mommy and the doctors are going to make him come on out to see us! I will keep you posted!)



Still waiting....

This little guy (and his very excited family) is still waiting for the arrival of his baby brother.  The phone rang this morning and the caller ID notified me that it was his dad...I just "knew" it was "the" call.  Nope, he was calling just to chit chat and tell me about his new teaching position at school.  I love those chit chat calls, but was sure hoping it was time for Chandler's arrival.  His due date is July 15th,  so technically, he has a little time before he 'has' to come out to meet his new family.   We sure are looking forward to meeting our new little guy!

From My Kitchen Sink

Good Morning from my kitchen sink!  Do you have a window over your kitchen sink?  We have lived in several homes since we were married and a couple of those houses did not have a window over the sink. I hated washing dishes if I couldn't look see outside a window!  I love the blue bottles and the blue birds in my window.  When the sun shines on this side of the house, I have blue sunbeams in certain areas of the kitchen.  It makes me smile.   The two blue bottles are old Milk of Magnesia bottles.  I work in a nursing home and have a pretty close relationship with Milk of Magnesia... it's still the drug of choice for constipation.  (!)  The little stained glass tulip was found at a consignment store for $1.  I love it!  The blue birds are from a collection I started through mail order over 20 years ago. (I was such a sucker for 'stuff')  I bought two pieces, the birds and a pretty flower (which I cannot find; I may have given it away), but the birds have always been my favorite. My son commented recently "Mom, you've had those birds a looong time."  He is 27 years old.   The ladybug  timer has been moved, she now resides on my quilting frame...see post below.  So, what's in your window?  Show us! 

**Baby update:  If Baby Chandler hasn't arrived by Monday, the doctor plans to induce his mommy's labor Monday night or Tuesday!! So, hopefully, by next week this time, I"ll be kissing on a brand new baby!**

Plugging Away

It was a HOT weekend in NC and I think most people stayed indoors  to stay cool!  I had to work this weekend and am so very thankful that I work where there is a good a/c system in place.

I have my quilt frame set up in my daughter's old bedroom for now.  I keep the door closed and tend to forget about the quilt until Avery comes over and goes in there to get his toys.  (this is the $5 quilt top find from Goodwill in the frame)

I bought myself this cute little ladybug timer and am challenging myself to set it for 30 minutes a day and quilt!  It's amazing how much (or little) I can quilt in 30 minutes.  But I figure if I can do this regularly, I should be able to knock this quilt out in......?? a few months??  years??  who knows? 

I have always enjoyed hand quilting, but I struggle with finding the right thimble.  Leather thimbles have always been my favorite.  (my latest was one made by my husband, by cutting off the finger of a golf glove for me)  However, I have seen this little stick on thimble advertised in several places and thought I would give it a try.  I'm still getting used to it, but so far, I love it.

I found this at a quilt show that I attended back in January.  I finally got around to trying it out  in June.  I think these thimbles can be found at JoAnn's and would probably be less expensive there, especially with a coupon.  I am still playing around with its position on my finger and have caught my quilting thread under it a time or two, but all in all, I like it!!  The little sticky pads are really sticky and can be used over and over.  It has not fallen off my finger at all, which was something I was concerned about when I bought it.  If you struggle with thimbles, like I do, you might enjoy this little gadget.

I purchased a new set of Francie Taylor's CD's  and have enjoyed listening to these while I quilt.  When I finish up this set, I will switch back over to the Ipod and Pandora radio.  I love Pandora!!  I tune mine in to southern gospel and can just quilt away while I sing along! (when I am by myself, of course!)   Is anybody else out there handquilting anything  these days???