Design Wall Monday....

Every Monday Judy over at Patchwork Times does Design Wall Monday.  Well today my design wall is extremely empty!  The cat and 4 patch blocks are leftovers from swaps I did in December.  This week I will have to get busy and make sure there is something up there for next Monday. 

2009 Stashbusting Report Week 52

Well I have not busted any staash since my last report.  I did do some sewing, however no stash was busted as it was for swap blocks and I will get back what I used in blocks.  So I guess I can't count that fabric.  Darn! 

So here goes the report:

Fabric added this week 0 yards

Total fabric added this year 80 yards

Fabric used this week 0 yards

Total fabric used this year 73 1/2 yards

Total fabric busted this year -6 1/2 yards

Not bad considering I did add 80 yards this year!  The past day or two I have been going through swap blocks, kits, etc and listing what I have in those realms.  My goal is to get some of this out of here this year!

Merry Christmas!!

Wishing everyone a joyous Christmas!

Sampling of why I've been MIA

I have been busy at the sewing machine making some terrific blocks for a few swaps I'm in.

This one is paper pieced and I love how it turned out!  I can't wait to get my swap blocks back and make this into a top.  Each block will have a different stocking!

I don't want to see another HST for a long time after doing this swap!  OK so I am going overboard by saying that, but at least not for a little while.  These will come back to me in different blues and with different blocks where my block is.  A different take on the bear's claw pattern.  This is gonna be pretty!

Week 49-A according to Judy Stashbusting!

I used up a little more fabric this week working on Christmas presents/projects.  I just might make it for this year!  I never dreamed I would come this close to breaking even or better.

So here goes the report:

Fabric added this week 0 yards
Total fabric added this year 80 yards

Fabric used this week 3 5/8 yards
Total fabric used this year 73 1/2 yards

Total fabric busted this year -6 1/2  yards

Quilty Goals for this week:

Finish Secret Santa projects
Bind Christmas quilt
Make bag for M-I-L

Happy Thanksgiving!

Wishing everyone out in blogland a Happy Thanksgiving!  May everyone's day be full of family, love and great food.

What are you thankful for this year?

I am thankful for a loving family who gave up their time with me so I could be with my Mother this year...And to my Aunt and Uncle who were so generous with opening their home to me and Mom...they truely are wonderful people who I so love, appreciate and miss....

Quick and Easy!!

This past week I have been playing around making some of these blocks.  They are fast, easy and a great way to use up scraps or those 2 1/2 inch noodles you have laying around!  Here's a pic of the first 4 I made.  The pattern is called Strip Twist.  If you need something fun and fast this is the pattern for you.

I also ran across this baby quilt pattern at Taffy Talk.  The pattern uses charms and is another quick and easy!

Week 48 Stash Report

Alright I finally broke down and measured the fabric I picked up in PA this summer and added it to my totals and I also gave some fabric away that I would never use.

So here goes the report:

Fabric added this week 25 1/8 yards
Total fabric added this year 80 yards

Fabric used this week 27 3/8  yards
Total fabric used this year  69 7/8 yards

Total fabric busted this year -10 1/8 yards

Quilty Goals for this week:

Quilt and bind Thanksgiving quilt
Bind Christmas quilt
Work on Secret Santa projects

Scrappy Cats

Lately I have been making some scrappy cat blocks.  They are for an online swap I am participating in.  These guys have been fun to make and do tend to have their mind made up about causing mischief in my sewing room.  At one point they were frolicking all over the sewing room, causing all kinds of havic!  Good thing Eddie was sleeping at that time, otherwise who knows what might have happened.  LOL  Anyway here is a pic of my cats. 

Blog Hop

 read about this over at PamKittyMorning's blog

for a Blog Hop being hosted by The Quiltmaker. 

Quiltmaker has a new magazine out called 100 Blocks from Today's Top Designers.

 Every day on their website they are listing 10 different blogs that are featured in their new magazine!  How cool is that?  Be sure to check it out as there are lots of ideas, inspiration and giveaways to be had. With Christmas fast approaching who doesn't need all the ideas they can find?  I know I am always on the lookout for new ideas.

Saturday travels

Saturday I needed to go get some Kona White for a swap I am in.  We are making Christmas Stocking blocks and swapping.  Each of us participating had to pick a certain block for in the center of the stocking.  I am paper piecing a Christmas ornament.  Ooops!  Got sidetracked!  Back to the story, so off we headed to the quilt store, wander around for awhile and then look for the Kona and couldn't find any white.  No biggie they probably have some in the back, so go and ask, they look and nope no white!  UGH!  Ok not too tragic, we'll drive up to Punta Gorda/Port Charlotte area and look there.  The first store we went to is either no longer in business or has moved.  So across the Peace River we go and could not find the other store.  So we turn around and head for home, we came to a Golden Corral and said ok this works for lunch and stopped.  Well in the back parking lot there was a small car show going on.  We went in and ate and then came out and looked at the cars.  Here's a couple pics I took. 

Week 44 Stash Report

This week wasn't as productive as I had hoped it would be.  But I did get the petticoat made and got some of the Thanksgiving top marked for quilting.  On a good note I did not buy any fabric!! 

So here goes the report:

Fabric added this week 0 yards

Total fabric added this year 56 3/8 yards
Fabric used this week  2 5/8 yards

Total fabric used this year 42 1/2 yards
Total fabric busted this year -13 7/8 yards

Quilty Goals for this week:

Quilt and bind Thanksgiving quilt
Bind Christmas quilt
Bind drink quilt
Make scrappy cat blocks
Work on Secret Santa projects

Happy Halloween

Heather got a car!!!!

We went out Monday after she got home from Orchestra rehearsal.  She had been looking online and found this at the local Mazda dealership.  We went and she test drove it and said this feels like "my car"!

New kitchen faucet...

Very late Sunday afternoon, Jim (DH) decided to tear out the old faucet that had issues and install the new one...hmmm...only had the new one since the beginnig of Oct...gotta love husbands!  LOL  Now mind you he starts on this project, it is Sunday so everything closes at 8 PM, he makes a couple trips to Lowe's for some additional items and finally gets this installed only to discover at 7:35 that it is broke and doesn't work!!!  ARGHHHHHHHHHHHH and he was leaving on a business trip Monday!  Yikes all I can see is a few days with no water..UGH...so Heather and I run off to Home Depot and get another one and some ring thing gaskets of some sort and come back and he finishes putting it in and it works.  No leaks!  Yea!!  So Monday morning I get up and turn on the faucet and nothing happens.  I mean NOTHING!  No water, no noise NOTHING and Jim is at the airport!  I do everything I can think of to get the water to come on, NOPE NOT happening!  So I walk away and hear water running and go on the search for where that is and discover that the hose outside is split and spewing water all over the place, get that shut off, however still no water in the kitchen sink.  I finally figured it out and got it working. 

Design Wall Monday....

I actually have something on my desing wall today.  I know surprise!  LOL  The blocks were from an online squishie swap I did a number of years ago.  You sent out a piece of your fabric to those that were participating, told them size block to make and they put some of their fabric with it and made you a block and sent back to you.  It was alot of fun and I have a ton of blocks from the 3? years I participated.  I got it into a top and will be marking it so I can start quilting it. 

Week 43 Stash Report

I really had to go back and hunt for this!  I still don't have all my fabric added in that I bought while away this summer.  But I have now added in the yardage I purchased in Paducah.  So for now it isn't too bad...but next week it will not be good!  It feels really good to be back sewing again...now if this house cleaning thing would quit interrupting me I could really make some progress. LOL 

So here goes the report:

Fabric added this week 0 yards
Total fabric added this year 56 3/8  yards

Fabric used this week 1 7/8 yards
Total fabric used this year 39 7/8 yards

Total fabric busted this year -16.5 yards

Someone was watching me sew....

Yesterday afternoon I was working on my Thanksgiving quilt top and looked out the window and there was this little guy looking in...

And then he was standing up begging so to speak!  LOL

And then he thought he had better leave and quickly!

OPAM Another finish for October!

This week I have spent it trying to get this wallhanging quilted.  I started out trying to wind a bobbin with Sulky thread on my Pfaff and well lets just say the Pfaff almost went in the pool!  No matter what I did it would not wind that bobbin.  So the Pfaff went over to the kitchen counter and up from the floor came my Viking #1.  Threaded it up and wound that bobbin just like it was nothing to do...hmmm...So I start on my free motion quilting, of which I am not that good yet..and the needle thread kept breaking, so after awhile I thought ok lets put in a bigger needle did that and it was working pretty well.  Then the bobbin thread started breaking...UGH...I started out quilting around 1:30 and ended at 6:30 that night.  And this top isn't that big!  Wednesday I made the binding and sewed it down.  Here is the finished picture.  So glad this project is done!

A huge thank you to Ann!!

Earlier this year Ann had a Pay it Forward on her blog and I was one of three that signed up to be involved. While I was away this summer, my package arrived and Jim (husband) was kind enough to bring it up one of the times he was visiting. I was so thrilled to receive this wonderful package. The wallhanging I kept in my room where I could see it everyday and now it is hanging in my dining room. I love everything that she sent and it came at a good time for me, my only regret was not having sufficient time to take pics and get this posted. Once again THANK YOU ANN!

So now it is my time to host a Pay it Forward.

Ann recently participated in a Pay it Forward and I had signed on and been *chosen* to receive a gift from her, which was fantastic! One of the conditions was that I host a Pay it Forward on my blog. I have chosen to host my Pay it Forward now.

I will select 3 people from those that sign up and send gifts to them. The gifts made to send to others can be anything...maybe tailored to their likes (according to their profiles on their blogs)...or just something I enjoy making.
The gifts from me will be sent out sometime in the next six months.
Then in return, you need to make the same Pay it Forward promise on your blog. I'm not too fussed about when you host your Pay if Forward - perhaps three months from now, six months or even next year.
You must have a blog to participate and when you do host your Pay it Forward you have up to six months to send out your handmade gifts.
Don't forget to post about the Pay it Forward gift you receive.

Would you like to join in? Just let me know by leaving me a comment. Make sure you have an email on your blog or profile so I can get in touch for mailing information.

A couple finishes for October!

The first one is a Quilt for an Hour that Judy hosts every so often on Patchwork Times. I love this pattern and can see me making another one. Thanks Judy! The other one is a little wall hanging I had bought a kit for and got it finished today! Now it is hanging on my front door. Of course I had to post a pic of Eddie checking out the pumpkins...crazy cat.

I am sewing today!

Since I've been home I haven't touched my machine and Pfaffy keeps looking at me wondering what on earth she has done for me to desert her like I did! So we had a chat yesterday and she now knows what was going on.

Back in the beginning of Sept Heather(our daughter) was in an accident and the insurance company totaled her car. So she is driving mine until she gets a new one. So I have been doing some cleaning and sorting through things. One of those things was to pull everything out of the stash cupboard and organizing it to some extent. While doing this sorting I found a kit to make a small pumpkin wallhanging, which is paper pieced!! Yikes! I have 2 of the pumpkins finished. Should be a wallhanging by the end of the day.

I'm still around....

Things are winding down here in PA and I will be returning home to Florida the end of the month. This past Tuesday I went to the craft store and took a knitting class. I have finally figured out how to do this! Mom tried and tried over the years to teach me, but I could not wrap my brain around it. I have crocheted since I was a teenager, but could not get the hang of knitting. This weekend I am going to spend some time at my friend who lives in Cleveland. Will be nice to have this visit before I go back home.

RIP Mom.....

Late Friday evening we got the call from the Nursing Home that Mom was asking for us and that she had asked if this was the end...so we went over and stayed the night with her and talked, etc. Saturday evening Aunt Phyllis came back around 9 and at 9:30 pm Mom passed with the 3 of us by her side. She went peacefully and they did an excellent job of keeping her comfortable. Mom is now in a better place and no longer suffering......A big thank you for all the prayers and well wishes...they meant alot to us....

I'm still in PA....

Mom is now in a nursing home and is doing as well as can be expected. It's been a rough couple of weeks and will get rougher from now till the end. Jim and the kids made it up and it was great to see them, just wasn't long enough....I haven't done any sewing in so long and don't think I will for quite awhile yet. I did get into Joann's and Pat Catan's(craft store) and picked up a pattern, crochet hook and yarn to make some dishcloths. Will start on that sometime today. The other night as I was leaving from visiting Mom there was a nice sunset and I just happened to have my camera so here is a picture of it. We are just taking it one day at a time for now.