Finished Another Project

I started cutting five inch charm squares from my 30's prints yesterday. Some of you know that our central air is down so the sewing room gets warm, especially with the iron on.

Anyway, I decided to tough it out and work in a warm room and finished cutting out the charm squares and put together a Charm Party Tote. This is the second one I've made.

I noticed this time that the fusible fleece made it 'bulkier' than the first one, especially in the handles. I'm wondering if I used something different the first time around (my friend brought those pieces to retreat).

Oh well, I like it. I think the scrappy 30's prints look really great in the tote.

I need your help.......

You know the old saying........ you snooze you lose. Well I hope I haven't lost yet.

My oldest daughter's best friend from high school (how's that for a run on sentence) graduated from the Coast Guard Academy in May and is now stationed in Alameda, CA. I want to make her a nautical themed quilt and have found the perfect jelly roll/charm pack pattern for "The Hamptons" line that came out earlier in the year (or last year).

Anyway, I found the charm packs now I need the jelly roll. If any of you know where I can get one (and a small amount of yardage for the set in triangles and border) OR you are willing to part with one, please email me.

I appreciate the help. EDIT THIS: I found it!!! Thank you for the help!!!

Quilt Odyssey Day

A few of my guild sisters and I went to Quilt Odyssey in Hershey today. A fun time was had by all. After the show we drove down to the Quiltermaker's Cottage shop and then had supper and ice cream at Friendly's (which is where the Sundae Quilter's started).

So I managed to get out of the show and shop with four patterns, three charm packs and a FQ of bra fabric. I was ready to order a Gammill or HQ16....... but then remembered the heat pump situation so I refrained. The hubby was very proud of me LOL.

Anyway, here is a picture of my purchases...... and a picture of our group with the Hershey kiss guy/gal. Looking at the picture it is Judie, Me, Jeannie (under the kiss flag), Fran, and down front is Carla.

Life is better

Life is getting better today. The Morning Glories are glorious; the Hibiscus are High; the humidity is non-existent, the temperature is only supposed to get up to around 81 F ,the dishwasher is fixed, and on Saturday I will be heading up to Quilt Odyssey in Hershey with the Sundae Quilters.

What more can a girl ask for.

And on the second day, there was AIR!!!!!!

Last night I turned to my hubby and said "Whatever happened to the window AC units that used to be here before your grandparents put in the central air???"

Sorry guys, but leave it to the WOMAN to think of these things. So now there is a small unit up in our oldest daughter's room (which is one end of the attic) and another larger unit in the living room. The house is much cooler and with fans blowing the air is circulating. The man and his dad are now down in the basement tearing out the oil-eating furnace and going to replace it with a heat pump...... this task came sooner than later.

I am a much happier person today...... and therefore my children and husband are much happier as well. After all, if mama ain't happy, ain't nobody happy.

Win this quilt................

I found a quilt giveaway from the Old Red Barn. It is gorgeous!!!!! Click here or on the picture on the sidebar to go to the blog and find out all of the details. The drawing is on July 23rd.

Waiting on that third shoe........ again

We were watching TV last night and there was a power surge. My Ott Light bulb went out but we didn't think much of it. Then I said "Is it getting warm in here?" Being smartallicky teens my twins said "Mom, you're having a hot flash."

About an hour later my husband started poking around in and out and came to me and said "I think we just lost the A/C unit outside." UGH!!!!! The hottest &(#&$)# weekend of the year so far and it decides to go on vacation. Ok fine, we open up the house, turn on the fans and go to bed.

This morning I go to turn on the dishwasher. When you push the button it is supposed to turn ON right? Tell that to my dishwasher. So now my back up dishwasher (husband) is out there unloading and washing the dishes.

All this while hubby and Father-in-law are trying to upgrade the electric service and hook up a water heater.

Maybe the Electron Gods are trying to tell me something

Wow!!! I've been given an award!

Well this is a surprise. Katie chose me (along with six others) to receive the Brillante Weblog award. So now I guess I need to chose seven others.

Of course that means these seven people have the option to chose seven recipients from their blogs.... and so on, and so on (remember that shampoo commercial?)

OK here are the rules:

The rules are as follows:

1. The winner can put the logo on his/her blog/

2. Link to the person you received your award from

3. Nominate at least 7 other blogs

4. Put links to those blogs on yours.

5. Leave a message on the blogs of the people you have nominated.

Without further delay, I would like to nominate/award the following bloggers:

1. Beth: she is my BFF, what more is there to say

2. Suzan: a kindred spirit if there ever was one, I know when we meet in real life, we will be fast friends.

3. Cher: for helping me learn how to step into the 21st century and deal with Ipods

4. Vicki: this woman has more energy than I would know what to do with!!!

5. Ginger: don't know if that is her real name, but with that gorgeous red hair, it ought to be

6. Eileen: a new friend from my home state

7. Tazzie: one of the first people I'd like to meet when I get to Australia (is the bridge done yet?)

Quilty Hugs!!!

Saying goodbye to a friend

Violet Kitty is going back to the shelter tomorrow. Today, for some unknown reason, she has attacked Smokey twice. Smokey was literally climbing the blinds to get away the second time. After the first attack I took her to the vet as there was an injury by her tail.

I hate taking an animal to the shelter. They will have to tag her for adoption as the 'only cat' in a family. I hope she is able to find a good home where she can be the only kitty.

I'm sorry to be such a downer...... she's been such a good and loving kitty and I just don't understand what happened.

Grammy Dot's Quilt

Finally a post about quilting!!!!

My husband's great aunt lives next door to us. The house we live in had been his grandparents'; his grandmother and his great aunt were sisters. When Erin was born, we started to refer to his aunt as Grammy Dot. She has always been like a Grammy to our kids and always helped out watching them when she could, keeping an eye on the cats when we go away (she strongly dislikes cats by the way) and all of those other things a Grammy does.

Earlier this summer, she asked me if I could put some more quilting on a 'quilt' she bought at the department store. Well I think you all know the answer to that one. I told her that the fabric was too loose and it would get all bunchy and I didn't know if it would tear in the machine. So I told her to send it back and I'd make her one.

As you can see she has two twin beds pushed together (her husband passed away 10 years ago) and she wanted it to long enough from side to side that it was down to the bottom of the mattress/top of the bed frame. She wanted it bright and colorful, but not with a lot of blue (she isn't much of a blue person). Low and behold, I had this Turning 30, Again in my unfinished tops box. I call it a Turning 30 since I used 30 Fat Quarters. My girlfriend Donna quilted it on her Milli.......... I think she did a fantastic job. It was my idea to put the mums in some of the larger squares and I think they turned out lovely.

The quilt is 94x110 - she has it turned on its side. Tomorrow is her birthday and I just couldn't wait to give it to her. I still have to make a label for it but I figure I can do that any time.

I am estimating that I busted about 19 yards of stash on this one.... I know the FQs alone totalled 17.5 yards. Nineteen down......... a gazillion more to go!!!!

How to make a (nice, pretty, well edible) Pie

I have never been good at baking pies. Married 22 years and pies are not my thing. So today I attempted a blueberry pie......... it bombed. The crust wasn't done and it was all liquidy.

Anyone have any tips, hints, a 1-800-bak-epie number????

Maybe I should stick to quilting.

Time for the Christmas Tree

The year is half over and I decided it was time for the Chrismtas tree to go back up on my side bar. Now do you think it will motivate me to get some gifties made??????

Dream on sister, dream on!!!

How a 15 year old fixes his jeans

One of my students came to me after class yesterday and said "You have to see how my son fixed his jeans." I walked out to the truck with her and this is what she showed me.

I think the staples would scratch a little........ don't you?

I'm really feeling challenged today

So what they hay!!! I just signed on for the "five by the end of July" challenge. Honestly, I might be able to do this...... I have my unfinished tops all measured and I know what size batting I need and I KNOW I have fabric for backing.

Keep your fingers crossed.......... and please, come visit me in my rubber room when this is all said and done.

Summer Stash Challenge

I found a link on Beth's blog for the Summer Stash Challenge. So am I putting myself under pressure I don't need or am I motivating myself to get something made. It has to be from start to finish........ maybe a baby quilt to donate. I'll have to look through my stash and see what I can find.

If you want to join in, click on the picture on the side bar, it will take you to Eileen's Attic and you can read all of the rules.

Somewhere.......... Over the Rainbow

We had rain the other night...... a really good, hard rain. The most significant rain we've had in a while. The grass is brown and crunchy and it is only July 2.

Anyway, when the sun came out there was a double, full arc rainbow. You can barely see the the second arc.... it is above the bright one on the right side of the picture.

I love rainbows!!!

Traveling to Retreats

Was just wondering if anyone is traveling to a retreat? Has the price of gas affected your plans?

I admit, I am spoiled. Our guild retreat is only 10 minutes from my house and the price is excellent so I go twice a year.

I would love to travel a distance and retreat and meet quilters......... honestly sometimes I can't find anything listed on the net to investigate.

I want to plan a retreat up here for quilters in the Mid-Atlantic area but with the price of gas now I'm not sure it would go over well. What do you think?