Wednesday, January 21, 2015

Annabelle Quilt

 
First finish of 2015:  Our Sweet Annabelle's Quilt.    Annabelle Morgan is due to arrive in March and I can't wait to meet her!  This is our daughter's first baby and she is planning her nursery in vintage pastels.


The back of Annabelle's quilt.  (quilt pic taken upside down, label in corner).  I quilted this one by machine, using  the walking foot for the entire process.  This was a very relaxing way to quilt and no muscle soreness, like when I attempt free motion quilting.


An embroidered corner label:   This is the first time I've used the corner label and I like the way it looks on the quilt.   This quilt was made entirely from fabric and batting I already had on hand.  It is very satisfying to see the stash being used. 

I have this quilt in the washer now and will pack it up for my trip to TN next month.  I'm planning to go out and help my daughter 'nest' a little before Annabelle arrives.  AND she has promised to take me to Paducah KY for a day trip to see Quilt City USA.  I'm looking forward to our little time together.

Friday, January 16, 2015

January Birthdays

Happy Birthday to Will and Ashley this month.  (Ash is 28, Will is 30!!)  Oh my, my baby boy is 30 years old!  


I asked them to choose their birthday meal, and this is what we came up with:

Will's plate
Yes, we had a carb feast!  The kids chose chicken casserole, mashed potatoes, and lima beans .  I added broccoli casserole and creamed corn.   Oh, and biscuits... Will had forgotten his biscuit when this pic was taken.


A surprise shot of the boys, while eating at the bar.  Avery will turn his head EVERYTIME, if he knows you are taking a pic. :)


And then there was birthday pie... chocolate pie with the only three candles I had in the house.  This is the original pic of the candles being blown out.  It was too dark, so we did a couple of re-do's:


Re-do #1 with no fire.  Brinley is paying attention; she will have a birthday in a few months!


Re-do # 2:  Can you see Chan's foot in the air?   A little Chandler slobber just made the pie a little bit sweeter!

Happy Birthday to Will and Ashley.  We  are very proud of you both!

Saturday, January 3, 2015

Back to the Business of Blogging

Happy 2015!

Sometimes I think about stopping my blog, because I really don't take care of it like I had planned.   But then I go back and start reading; page after page; pages of MY story.  And every now and then I run across something that I had already forgotten about!  Yes, how quickly we forget!   I am very thankful that I have memories recorded here, it's fun to go back... so yes, back to the business of blogging.

Annabelle's quilt


Happy 2015!  Do you still set goals?  You know, losing weight, exercising more, etc. etc.  Me neither... not anymore.  After 51 years of seeing what doesn't work, I think I'll just live.... yes, I will attempt to be healthier, I will try to make wise choices, I will educate myself on what's best for me, and I will live. 

I will look at the sky, each and every day, to be reminded of the wonderful Creator, who paints that sky for us daily.   I will look for Him in all places, I will listen for His still small voice.   I believe God can be found in the small stuff.... the flowers that grow, the birds that fly, the rivers that flow, the laughter of my grandchildren, etc.  He is still there, waiting for us to recognize and join Him.  I will put away any distractions that keep me from Him and I will keep my eyes and my ears open.

 
A dear friend from work gave me this Downton Abbey planner for Christmas.  I have decided it will be perfect to record my sewing progress for 2015.  I have so MANY things that I want to complete this year.  I hope that by seeing my progress on paper, I'll be able to move forward.  These things are not going to sew themselves.  I completed this square in square quilt top for my 4th grandchild today; Annabelle is due to arrive in March.  I get to write this in the book tonight.  ;)



Do you see these two little embroidered kids that I made a few weeks ago?  ahem, more like when I was in HIGH SCHOOL!!  Since I made these (I painted them with oil paints, that my brother let me borrow, as he was taking an art class in school... thanks Dale), I have gone to nursing school, married, had two children,  a boy and a girl, just like my embroideries!  I have raised those two kids, am semi retired from my nursing job, and have my 4th grandchild on the way!  Those embroideries are still there.  They have moved from house to house to house, along with our moves through the years. I still like them.   I enlarged these patterns (by hand) from a magazine, using the back of Christmas wrapping paper to make a grid.  I loved them then, and I still love them today!  The magazine plan was to make a quilt.  (I still have the magazine) I have decided to have these little kids framed and I will hang them in my living room.   They are at least 33-34 years old now. 


And I do read , a lot, especially since I purchased a Kindle a couple years ago.  As much as I love my Kindle, I still prefer 'paper' books.  I've recently learned that you can purchase used books on Amazon, too... not just new books.  (I know , I know, everyone else already knew this) Lately I have been purchasing a few used books to read.  The one in the picture was a fun read.  I love reading about simple living, farms, domesticity, quilting, cooking, etc.  There is a second book about this farm that I want to read soon.   I think I will write my completed book list in my journal, too.   You know, just to remember.

When we are young, we don't realize how much we have to forget.  I think it's a great idea to keep records.  Who says all record keeping has to be hard? (like money, vaccinations, etc)  Our blogs are priceless; they belong to each writer; as do our journals.   Write it down! Keep a record!  We'll be glad we did.

Happy 2015!