Underground Railroad Blocks

One of my 'many' quilting goals for 2012 include making this Underground Railroad quilt.  My goal is to make 2 blocks a month and have the top completed by July.

These are January's blocks.  Where are February's?  Not done yet!  Today is February 23rd and I have failed miserably in the sewing department this month.  Okay, I still have a few days, and I WILL get the next two blocks done!

I bought the fabric using some of my Christmas $$.  It was fun to go to the quilt shop and pick out so many different fabrics at one time.  These aren't my 'favorite' colors to use, but I wanted the colors to be similar to those used during the Civil War era. (my quilt shop doesn't carry civil war reproduction fabric)

This is the first time I've used an Eleanor Burns pattern and I have to say:  I love her!!!!  The instructions are so clear and she offers so many tips to make the blocks fall into place.... on the first try!!  I decided I wanted to make this quilt after reading : The Runaway Quilt by Jennifer Chiaverini.
If you haven't read her Elm Creek Quilts novels, you need to get started!  I love them! 



• And one cute picture before I close.... Avery loves firetrucks!  Yesterday the local fire department was having a training exercise across the street from our house.  Avery saw the activity when his mommy dropped him off to stay with Grandma for a few hours.  As she was getting him out of his car seat, he was yelling at the top of his lungs to Grandma, telling her about seeing the firetruck by the trees!!!  So, there was nothing to do, but take my little 'big boy'  over to see the firetruck....bare feet and all....When we got there, the firemen were so sweetand welcoming and allowed him to 'help'!!  They also put him inside the firetruck and showed him the 'red button'.....Avery was allowed to blow the sirene!  He loved it!
   

Happy Birthday Avery!

Guess who turned two last week?  Aleady, our little Avery is a big boy! 

Yesterday was his birthday party and he loved his new bicycle!  He is wearing a fireman suit because his birthday party had a firetruck theme. 

His mommy had friends who happened to be on duty at the fire department, and  they drove the firetruck over for Avery and his friends to check out. 

He had lots of practice before his birthday and blew the candles out with no problem!

He hasn't quite figured out how to hold up two fingers on one hand, so he gave us two 'ones' to show us his age!

He's trying to get the 'two fingers' up here with Grandma, but his little fingers just won't do it, yet.

We had a wonderful time and we're still trying to figure out how to make the time s-l-o-w down a little .... for our baby is growing up way too fast!!! 

New Camera...pic's!

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 ???

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?

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

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*

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)

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!

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!

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!

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

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)