Those corners...

I am not a decorator, but I wish I was....

However, I have noticed when taking photographs in my livingroom, that my corners always look so bare.   So, I decided to do something about one of them.

I added the plant and the picture that you see behing the lamp. (yes, lamp needs to go!)  The man in the recliner is the one who altered my new sewing table for me.  I'm still happy about that.

Here's the little 'table' from another angle.  It's actually an extra bar stool from the garage and I plan to paint it green.  I made the little round cloth today from thrift store fabric that  I hoarded  bought sometime back.  

Sorry about the quality of the photo (using my iphone), but I wanted to show this pretty pic. that I bought this week from a new store in our town.  This picture is titled: The Basketmaker.  If you click to enlarge the pic, you can see the baskets.  I love everything about it.  Avery likes the sailboats. They are 'just like' the one he plays with in the bathtub.  ;))

We hand sew quilt binding...why?

I am learning so much about sewing and quilting online, thanks to so many great tutorials circulating out there.  I found one last night on Pinterest about machine sewing quilt binding...front and back.  Without pinning a thing.... did you hear me?? without pinning a thing!!

 

 

I tried it tonight on a full sized quilt and I had the whole thing sewn on in approximately one hour.  It turned out well, but I'm not ready to reveal the whole quilt to you just yet. 

 

Click here for the link to the video.  (it is on pinterest, and I hope you can link to it) Missouri Star Quilt Company

 

Now to show you something else that I am so happy with:

 

 

 

 

Meet my new sewing table!  I found the table on Craigslist for $50 and my husband measured and cut out a hole for the machine.  He built a little shelf underneath to hold the machine and I'm telling you, this set up is awesome.  No shoulder tension and the table holds the weight of the quilt!  LOVE!! 

 

In a few more months, hubby retires from his job and we are getting rid of the two computers that I currently share my sewing room with.  (actually he shares his office with me!)  I can hardly wait to set up the whole room just for me and my sewing!

 

 

Here is a pic to show off little Chandler on the quilt that I made for him.  I watched him and big brother today while their mommy went for her 6 weeks check up.  Can you believe he is 6 weeks old??  He is giving Grandma some mighty sweet smiles these days!

 

 

 

I leave you with a picture of Chandler and his pretty mommy.  I think Chandler looks so much like his big brother in this picture.  I'm so in love!



 



What is it?

This is what I found at the thrift store this week.  $5.  I was excited to find it and grabbed it up and carried it around the store as soon as I saw it.

You see, I already own one of these, but it is much smaller, and was much more than $5.

For those who don't know, this is a light box.  It is a very handy tool for tracing embroidery patterns.  (I used to use my storm door and sunlight to trace patterns, which works very well, too)  My husband bought the one in the little box for me several years ago and I have put it to good use.  However, because of its smaller size,  I sometimes have to trace a little portion, then slide the fabric around, and then trace some more.   So, you can imagine how excited I was to find this large light box for $5.

I took it to the cashier to pay for it and the manager of the thrift store was standing there as I checked out.  When she saw that I was buying the box, she smiled and  said "what are you going to do with that thing?"  I proceeded to explain to her about the light box and to tell her how happy I was to find it. She admitted that she had NO IDEA what that 'thing' was and had no idea how to price it when it came in. She was happy that I was happy!  I, personally, think I got a great deal on a very nice light box and the manager got a nice learning lesson, so that she can raise the price on the next one that comes in.  SCORE!  :))

Happy Sunday to You!

I hope everyone is having a great Sunday and has plans for a fun week ahead.  Reflections from my past week:



why can't i get my photo's to load correctly?? it's sideways!



I have a friend from way back, that I reconnected with on Facebook.  (see, FB isn't all bad....just mostly bad! LOL) The quilting bug recently bit her and  back in January, she and I decided to swap a 9 patch block each month, just to keep us motivated....

Well, I finally have enough blocks to put my quilt together and started on that this past week.  It's been fun!



** I wanted to show you pic's of my grandsons this week, but the pic's are loading sideways.  Any advice??**   (they load sideways, I rotate them with "Paint", save them....and then they show up sideways again when I try to blog them?????)

** After doing some google research, I found out it has to do with pic's taken with my iphone.  So, gotta take more camera pic's***

April and Chandler

(Yay!  Loooooooook!  I got the problem fixed.  I downloaded an app. to my phone that takes the Exif encoding out of the picture, which was causing the sideways problem. whew! )

So, back to my week:  We spent time with this little guy, who is now three weeks old.... he's just precious!

Big Brother, Avery

And this big guy stayed two nights with Grandma this past week....what fun!  This pic was taken while we had lunch at McDonald's.  He took most of his lunch home with him, because he was too busy watching the other kids in the playplace and he was ready to get inside and play, himself!  He picked out the blue bracelet while we were out shopping....doesn't he look like a big kid?  He's only 2! I love him!!

Sweet Blogging Friend

Isn't blogging fun?  And it's even better when we meet new friends who truly become a part of our everyday lives!  My sweet friend Debbie J. from Homemaking Dreams  became my friend early on in my blogging life. 

mug rug

Debbie sent a sweet package to me this week.  She is an avid quilter and made the cutest little mug rug and quilted changing pads for my new grandson, Chandler.

Aren't these the sweetest little pads? I love the pretty fabrics she used!  She also sent big brother a little gift...something all boys enjoy:  dinosaurs!  He is going to love those!  Thank you, Debbie, for being so thoughtful.

We didn't grow corn in our little garden this year, but received 12 ears from hubby's coworker on Monday.  I cut it off the cob, cooked in a little bacon grease with a small amount of onion, and froze it.  I plan to finish it up next week, on Tuesday, which is our traditional family night with the children.  I am going to add a little cream, a little sugar, and salt and pepper.  It will be my first attempt at making creamed style corn and I hope it will be as yummy as I imagine it will be.

I've heard a lot of people say that they haven't had too much luck with their tomatoes this year.  We only planted four plants, but ours have been some of the prettiest tomatoes we have ever grown.  I've also received tomatoes from others and have managed to freeze a few quarts for later.  I enjoy the freezing process and can just imagine how yummy these home grown tomatoes will be in chili, soup, and spaghetti sauce when the weather turns cool.  I'm not rushing it, but I am looking forward to cooler weather!

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???