Happy Birthday Dear Christi.....

Today is my firstborn's 41st birthday.  I can hardly believe it.  We had a wonderful birthday celebration on Sunday and I took some really great photos...........which I accidentally deleted from my camera while attempting to download to my computer.  Grrrrrrrrrrrrr.......a little knowledge is a dangerous thing.  Anyway, I love you, Christi!

I know that I said I wasn't going to reorganize my sewing area.....just use things up and let it "reorganize itself" by depleting the amount of stuff that I have.  Well, that wasn't to be.  It is my other daughter Ashley's fault.  You see, she had bought these cubbies, and she ended up not being able to use them.  The result is a much better organized sewing area for me; it makes me smile when I walk in to use it......and it is so much easier to see my fabrics.  It is easier to be productive.  So, it was worth the better part of the day I spent doing it.

It started here.....

So much better!

Then, on Saturday, my sister, niece and I went to Scott's Antique Show in Atlanta, and I found this wonderful wire basket which is just perfect for holding my scraps as I cut.  I figure that when the basket is full, it will be time to press, sort and cut the scraps for recycling into scrap quilts.  The basket (I really don't know what it is or was originally used for) was a little rusty, so I ran by Family Dollar on Monday and found a laundry bag which worked perfectly!  How cool is that?  (I know, it doesn't take much, does it?)

 Yesterday I completed the top for the mini quilt of the month from my Yahoo Small Quilt Talk Group.  It is Crosses Mourning Quilt from Kathleen Tracy's (the list mom) book Prairie Children and Their Quilts.  I used a tiny bit of blue and white seersucker from my mother's morning coat in the block in the lower right hand corner. (The borders are really not wonky, I just didn't crop it evenly.)  I ended up tea dyeing the whole thing in order to make it work. No one else would ever notice this little odd scrap, but it gives me a warm feeling to know it is there.  I can't decide if I will hand or machine quilt this one.....maybe hand since it is special.  It is all from scraps and stash.

I also finished the first block in a BOM challenge for my primitive group.  I started getting Over the Meadow from Jan Patek last year.  I absolutely adore the blocks in this quilt thus far.....they are sweet and naive.   The BOM challenge for the year was the nudge I needed to get started.

A lot of bloggers that I read have chosen a word for the year...something to live by and reflect on.  After much pondering (and seeing how it works for Jeanne on her blog), I have decided on GRATITUDE.  I have so very much to be grateful for.  More than I deserve.  I plan to journal some of my gratitudes at the end of my blog posts.

Today I am grateful for:  My beautiful daughter, Christi, whose birthday is today.

The sweet chirping of our little finches.

Our warm home on a chilly day.

Take care,

Jennie

Chugging along.....

I am chugging along on my projects and feel pretty pleased with my progress.  The little Twelve Days of Christmas Quilt is machine quilted and bound.  Now just have to find the perfect place to display it. 

The first set of Just Takes 2 is done.  I used 4 different muslins and 4 different reds....I am mixing them up right from the start since I have pledged to make this quilt entirely from stash.  Instead of redwork on the 9 Patch Variation, I chose to fussy cut a toile print.  I added a redwork bird's nest (yes, it really is dark red, though you can't tell it in the photo) to the Square in a Square.  The design is from Simple Pleasures in Redwork by Kathy Schmitz.

The Disappearing Nine Patch is growing.  It looks a little wavy in the photo, but that is because the blocks are just on the design wall, not assembled.  I am doing the 4 patch units as leaders and enders as I assemble the more complex units, which is speeding up the work a bit.

On Tuesday I started a beginner's weaving class.......like I need another hobby.  It was, however, something I have always been interested in and just never had the opportunity to try.  Well, the opportunity presented itself, and I just couldn't turn it down.  Mind you, I know nothing about weaving other than you do it on a loom and I love the results.  The first lesson consisted of familiarizing ourselves with the equipment, wrapping the warp and dressing the loom.  Next time I will actually start weaving a little sampler.  I am excited!

Yesterday I helped Blake (mostly I cleaned up behind him) while he made homemade brunswick stew, BBQ pork and sauce.  He used his father's old recipe which he had recently located.  The recipe was for enough to fill a washpot, so we had to figure out how to cut it down.  It was pretty darned good for a first try!

  

The doggies got new toys from Dollar Tree this week.  They were plush-type stuffed balls.  I know better.  Poppy sees plush toys as prey..........she gathers them all together and then goes for the kill.  It must be exhausting!

Sunday already!

The weekend has been busy, as usual.  Stayed with three of the grands on Saturday morning so that their parents could go to a training session for a spiritual workshop they have coming up.  The girls entertain themselves pretty much, but the little man is full of "busyness" and likes affirmation....he is a mess :-)  Retirement has really opened the door to my enjoying them more......I have the time, and more than that, I am not exhausted from work and dreading going back.  It is a good thing.

  

Finished the little Twelve Days of Christmas top that was sponsored by Temecula Quilt Company.  It came completely from my scrap basket except for the setting strips, binding and backing, which came from stash.  It is ready to quilt, and I think that I will just machine quilt this one.  I went for a blended, chintzy look with my fabrics....it suits the area where I plan to use it.  Hope to be done today.    

I don't know what came over me with this project.  I saw this disappearing nine patch block, which for some reason really appealed to me, and immediately thought of a one color quilt.  Didn't want to do red, as I am doing that for Just Takes 2.  For some reason, green was calling my name.  I had a plastic shoebox overflowing with random greens (not my CWs, mind you) that were perfect candidates.  Lots of those "What was I thinking" fabrics from a decade or more ago, begging to be something.  So, I almost emptied the box, and then pulled various backgrounds from my laundry basket of this, that and the other backgrounds......voila....the disappearing nine patch is cut and piecing has begun.  All from stash.......and there will be plenty of backing, binding and batting for this one from stash, too!  Don't know what I will do with it, but it will be done and my stash will be lighter.....and I really do like that pattern!  Oh, I have to confess.......the fabric on the completed block.......a Villager fabric from my late mother's stash; it was scrap from a shirtwaist dress she made for me in high school!!!!!  Yikes!!!!

Got my first Just Takes 2 Block done last night.  That, and finishing the Twelve Days of Christmas are on my list for the afternoon........and my Bible Study.  I received a wonderful and thought provoking little devotional book from a friend for Christmas, and I am loving it.  The name of it is Jesus Calling by Sarah Young.  If you are looking for fresh inspiration in your daily walk, I highly recommend it.

Time to get busy,

Jennie

I can't believe that it is already the 4th day of this New Year!  Today would have been my mother's 100th birthday.  She has been gone for 5 years this month.......I still think of her almost daily.  I can see her mannerisms and the things she did that were so "her".....I will always miss being able to pick up the phone and share my day with her.  I love you, Mother.

Like most of you, I am trying to feel successful .... getting into my projects full steam ahead.  I am making progress.  Last night, at my monthly hooking group, I was able to pull up the last loops on Hidden Garden  by Crowhill Primitives.  I started this rug at Caraway Rug School in June with teacher
Anita White.  It reminds me of our home and I love the way it turned out.  I now need to block it; I think I will add a braid to finish the outside.

On the quilting front, I pulled out a pack of Moda Turnovers....which are really just 6" squares cut in half on the diagonal....in a Jan Patek line....can't remember which one.  Then I added some triangles, background and border from my stash to create this quilt.  I used a You Tube from Missouri Star Quilt Company for the instructions.  I felt rather righteous pulling the whole quilt from stash!

That being said, I do have some stitching goals for the year.  I want to focus on my projects, not just jump from one thing to the next.  Not to say that I can't have more than one thing going at a time, just that I complete what I am working on.  I would like to buy only things that I need to finish projects that I have on hand........borders, backgrounds....you know what I mean. 

 I would like for my sewing area to look neat and tidy.  That does not mean hauling everything out and straightening it all up again.  I have done that several times recently.  What it means is using things up......those kits and BOMs, etc. that I have stockpiled.  

That will mean that my workspace becomes less cluttered.  I really don't need any more books, patterns or gadgets.  I have plenty of that stuff.  I just want to get the things that I purchased with such high expectations done!  

I do plan to participate in some online challenges, but I will pull the fabrics to do those from stash.  One that I am going to join in on is Just Takes 2.  Yesterday I pulled some fabrics and plan to get started on this project tomorrow.

Frankie

This spring we added two new family members.......they are finches, and we named them Fred Astaire and Frank Sinatra.  Frankie is a green singing finch (yes, he is really yellow), and Fred is a Cordon Bleu.  They are quite delightful.  Both are very active and singers, but Frankie sings like a canary.  We are enjoying them.

Fred

Whew!  I guess that is enough rambling for tonight.

Take care,
Jennie

Good bye 2011

Good bye, 2011, it has been a great year......most memorable because Blake and I retired this year.  I have to say that retirement fits like an old shoe.  I miss my friends, but not the work.....which is strange.  I worked in the medical field from the time I was 16 and have been a registered nurse since 1969.  I loved what I did, but I love retirement now!!!

The garden is still providing us with goodies.  We picked cabbage and collards this week, and had enough to share.  We added a storage barn for Blake and a garden house for me at the end of the summer.  Now we are adding an eight foot fence to keep the deer out....it should be finished soon.

A chicken coop is a future possibility.  Would love to have hens and fresh eggs.

Yesterday three hooking buddies came over for a fun day.....we exchanged our Christmas gifts, watched The Help, hooked, ate, chatted.  You get the idea.  We had a great time!

Roxie had to get in on the action.  

Here a few more of my projects from 2011:

Petit Baskets; pattern by Jan Patek

Cupboard Series Snowman Hooked Mat; pattern by Anita White

Team Pillowcases

10" Squares quilt made for our bed - it is okay if the dogs sleep on it :-)

We are staying in and grilling out tonight....guess that means we are old.

Happy New Year, everyone!!

Jennie

It is the middle of the night, and I can't sleep.  As good a time as any to fiddle with my blog, I suppose.  Lots to learn......hope it is not too late to teach an old dog new tricks.  Please bear with me as I learn to make the blog better, hopefully!

On Wednesday some of my "old" friends from our Emergency Room days gathered at a local Mexican restaurant for lunch.  We try to do this several times a year....it is always fun to catch up on what everyone else is doing.

Have to share this cute photo of Miss Poppy.  How can you not love that sweet girl???

I have friends coming tomorrow to watch a movie, eat lunch and hook.  I am looking forward to it; just hope I can stay awake :-(

One thing I have figured out is that I need to work on my photos.  I know I need to be a better photographer, but I also need to learn to do some photo editing.  I have found a couple of sites that are free that might help with that.  If anyone has suggestions, I would love to hear them.

Guess I better take another try at sleeping now.
Jennie

On a roll.......

Yesterday we finished up our family Christmas celebrations by having Blake's family over.  It was a great day and I love having everyone together, but I have to say, I am glad that the major cooking is over.  

I have one more get together on Friday.........some of my hooking buddies.........but we are going to be laid back, watch a movie, have a casual lunch and hook.  Sounds like fun!

Boy, have I been on a roll the past three days!  If I could accomplish this much every week, my stash would definitely dwindle.............of course, part of this was near completion anyway, but it had been that way for a LONG time :-).  First of all, I finished a Pink and Brown Thangles BOM that I started maybe five or six years ago.  It only needed the outer brown border; I pieced the backing and have the binding cut.

 I made this pretty brown quilt called Tobacco Rose.......it is a panel, and I ordered it from Country Sampler.  I only had to trim the panel and add the borders, but I love the colors in it and how it looks as though it has been feather stitched.  And, of course, I had to make the sweet little matching pillow to go with it.  Backing pieced and binding cut on this one, also.  Then I finished the flying geese and outside border on Holiday Inn (a Jo Morton pattern that I had started a couple of years ago)!  The appliqiue is wool, and I love all of the fabrics, so I don't know why it took me so long to finish.  

The next quilt top is one that I pieced earlier in the year from my stash.  It uses the Covey toile by Jo Morton and is made from my stash......I just made up the pattern.  It is one of Blake's favorites.  Now I  need to get all of these quilted.  But at least the tops are done.  I really feel as if I have accomplished a lot.  Just hope I can keep the momentum up!  I am not going to set any hard and fast rules or resolutions about finishing UFOs or projects on hand for the NY.......just that I want to whittle away at some of the things I have stockpiled for so long.  After all, I am retired :-)  No excuses anymore.

I think that I am going to do the little Twelve Days of Christmas block of the day by Temecula Quilt Company.  I will probably use some of my Jo fabric left over from Holiday Inn......every little bit of fabric used up is good!

More later,

Jennie

Hope everyone had a Merry Christmas.  It was a rainy one here in Georgia, and after a morning spent visiting the various homes of children and grandchildren, then attending church, Blake and I were happy to settle in for the remainder of the day.  I spent most of the afternoon cooking in preparation for our last family Christmas meal tomorrow.























This evening I spent some much coveted  time in my sewing room.  I actually pieced a top from a panel that is really neat, cut the binding and pieced a backing for it.  Will make a matching pillow.....and I have already laid out the fixings for that.  I will give you a peek of it once the pillow is done.   I am starting the post Christmas week with a bang.  Just hope that I can keep it up for the NY.  There are so many things that I want to get done.  I really want to make a dent in all of the UFOs and unstarted projects that I have stashed away.  Since I am retired, I am hoping that I can see this happen.  Of course, I know that when spring comes the yard and garden will call, but I should still have more time than in the past.  Here are a few of the things that I have finished recently:

Wool Feather Tree

Wool Applique Tree Skirt
Pattern by Renee Plains

Primitive Basket, Wool on Linen
Pattern by Rittemire Hurst

                                                                                                                    

Bird on Nest, Wool on Linen with braided edge
Pattern by Karen Kahle

Guess I had better hang it up for tonight......company coming tomorrow :-)  Jennie

Country Christmas, wool on linen
Pattern by Jeanne Benjamin

Let's try this again...........

No posts in over a year!!  OH, my........ so much has happened.  The biggest event being my retirement at the end of August!!!  I am so thrilled to be retired and enjoying every minute more than I could have ever imagined.  One thing, though........where does the time go?  And like my fellow retirees had warned me, how did I ever have time to work????  And why am I not getting everything on my "to do" list done?  Well, I am not quite sure, but I can tell you that I am so much more relaxed and am truly enjoying life......along with Blake, who retired the month before me.

The Christmas season has been so much more fun this year......a little rushing around, but not much.  And time to cook and enjoy being with everyone.  We had Christmas with my family on Sunday, and Blake's family will be here on Monday.  Yesterday we spent time with my sister, her husband and my niece and made a visit to my mom's grave.  Lots of parties, and communion at church tonight.  A most wonderful time of the year!  I hope it has been for everyone else, too!!

I have gotten some stitching done this month..... knitted a scarf for Sara Ashley, binding on a quilt that was quilted months ago, a tiny tree skirt for my feather tree and four team pillowcases for the guys on my finished list.  And work on some other "in progress" projects.  My intent is to enter the NY with a big bang and make a major dent in my stash and UFOs.  We will see.........at any rate, I plan to enjoy what I do.

Merry Christmas to all!!!!
Jennie

Busy week

Things are rolling full steam ahead on our house..........Thank goodness!!!  I can hardly believe that it will soon be time to move back in........after EIGHT months of living out of two bedrooms upstairs.  We will be so thankful to finally have our lives back.  But the next few weeks will be pandemonium.  The contractors should be finished inside by next Monday; then, hopefully, the cleaning and moving people will be in next week.  And then we begin to unpack those 600+ boxes.  Honestly, I don't even remember what we have anymore.  Obviously, too much, since I have been able to do without it for eight months :-)

On Monday Macy, her friend, Susan Grayton, Robert and Sara Ashley had a lemonade stand.  It was to raise money for a family whose mother has breast cancer.  They raised $86 and were so thrilled.  And this Mimi was so proud of them for working so hard for such a worthy cause.  It was good for their souls........and they had fun.  Jackson had just awakened from his nap when we went by, so he was glad to be held by his Pop.

Over the weekend I finished one hexagon flower and hooked a really cute sheep mat to hang in my laundry.  I left it at Kathie's last night when I went to hooking, so I don't have a photo right now.  When I get it bound I will put one up.

Stay cool!!!