Belated Merry Christmas and a Very Happy New Year...Wish to all!

I don't usually make New Year's resolutions....but I am really going to try and be a better blogger in 2012.  I have really enjoyed reading everyone's blogs!  So much friendship, sharing and love goes into each one.  My only problem is I see too much I want to try!  I work full-time so finding time to try every cute thing I see being done is tough.  I have already joined three swaps and challenges.

The "Wonky House" swap over Jane's Fabrics and Quilts is a very limited group of quilters, in fact, she has already closed it after opening up 4 groups.  This sounds like it is going to be fun and you should at least jump over and see all the cute blocks this group has posted on Flicker.

Brenda, who works at my LQS, Mama's Quilt Shop, talked me into trying "Just Takes Two"....I really think I may have lost my mind, agreeing to this, but I hope to learn paper piecing in 2012.

Then "Oh My Stars" over on "Thought and Found" is going to be fun.  I like my stars and her tutorials are great.  Jump on over and see what you think.

Of course, I am still going to participate in Lee's WIP over at "Freshly Pieced".  This great group posts so many beautiful projects, it is mind-boggling.

So let's make this a great year!

Honey....I'm home....

I am so glad to be home....but I can't begin to tell you how much I enjoyed the Quilt Market in Houston.  Last year I went to the Quilt Festival and that was wonderful, but this year my LQS owner, Brenda Wages and I only went to Market.  As tired as we were every evening we sat up late talking about all of the wonderful, beautiful and talented people we met and their quilt products.  It was difficult making the decisions on what to buy and what to take back to our local quilters who weren't able to attend.

You can see I had fun!  This had to be one of the most memorable sites at the quilt show.  I grew up reading Dr. Seuss books so I couldn't resist having my picture made with "The Cat In The Hat".

I didn't take as many pictures as I should have....most of the time I was too busy trying to hold onto all the wonderful brochures and free gifts I was given by the booth owners.  And of course, even though we said we weren't going to buy fabric (our reps come to the store)......

I still wound up buying fat quarters in the Thimbleberries booth and the P&B booth.  Finally had to make a trip out to the truck and unload before I got to the point I couldn't pack them anymore.

We spend a lot of time at the Checker's booth ordering new items, like the new "Littler Twister", a "Slice" since I won the bag, two discs and the repositionable spray at the Slice booth,

 the "Wonky" block and numerous small items to complete some of the patterns we bought.

We stopped by to see Eleanor Burns

and purchased her new ruler.  She is every bit as sweet in person as she appears on her TV programs.  What a delight to meet her.

And fabrics......wow....made into such stunning quilts....of course I wanted every one of them.

I was particularly excited to find out Stonehenge is offered in 5" Charms, I guess you know why...if you have read my other posts on the "Little Twister"....can't wait to put one of those together.

The Anthology booth had four beautiful quilts around their booth, Moda, Riley Blake, P & B, Bernatex and so many others....every where you turned beautiful fabrics.

Even the car was for sale!

And patterns....oh my gosh....we bought patterns....but this one was one of my favorites...

Now this is my kind of Christmas tree...cats can't climb to the top of it!

Our local quilt shop owners gathered to pick out the fabrics for next year's "Shop Hop" at the Bernartex booth.  I enjoyed getting an early look at the fabrics they picked out.

I will try to post a few more pictures tonight....and if you see something you are interested in, I will try to provide my information from my stash of brochures.

Well...it is time to "make the donuts", back to the real world....in other words I have to go to my real job now....so I can afford to buy more fabric.......
Have a great day.

WIP....I am so excited...

It is Wednesday and I am doing the happy dance because in two days I will be in Houston for Market....but I have been working extra hard with my Twister.  My "adopted" daughter, Andrea, finally gave me some very good news.  I am going to be an adopted "grandma" in May.  I have been waiting for this news since last year.  I am hoping for a little girl (I want to do lots of frilly things) but I will be thrilled with a boy too!  So you know me....so impatient....I started with this.....

whipped out my little twister and a couple of hours later I had this....

Isn't so pretty and springy....going to be just right for a May baby.  Haven't decided if I am going to put border on all four sides and make it fat and square.....or just a small border down the other two sides and make it longer and skinnier.....

I just can't get over what this little tool can do.

I course I admitted I was hoping for a girl....but I have the fabric laid out to do a boy quilt just like this one.....just in case....I figure she can use the one she needs and I will give the other one as a gift.

I already have the fabric laid out for 3 more of these little twister quilts.  I like the big twister, too....but it takes a little more space to spread out and a little longer to put back together.  The little ones just work up so quickly and they make me giggle.

Going to link up over at Lee's Freshly Pieced....

then go finish packing....

so excited.

What I see....

Kit Lang - What do you see on your way to work? posted a picture of what she sees on the way to work every morning and invited everyone to share their view....so I decided to play along.  I am so blessed to live and work in a basically rural area...no big cities for me.  So here is one of the first things I see when I leave every morning....

and just for fun....thought I would show you what I see when I get to work....

I am the bookkeeper and general manager of a independently owned Chevron.  Chevron is extremely strict on the requirements of how the station should look to meet their criteria.  But these little birds are determined.....we take the nests down and within two to three days they put it back up.  This is just one of them...they also build on the opposite side.  The "e" seems to be the perfect spot for their nests.  After taking the nest down two or three times....I gave up....the last Chevron inspection....they saw birds and nests.  I figured if they graded me off, I could remind them of their "caring" commercials about nature and beauty not being disturbed.  They are not hurting anyone and actually most people get a kick out of them as they hatch little ones at least twice a year.  And as an added bonus....they earn their room and board by keeping all crumbs picked up off the parking lot.  

Well I started out good....

I got up early, drank my coffee and started in my sewing room.  I am working on my "Big Twister" quilt one row at a time and I course being my impatient self....I cut another "Little Twister" and put it together.  You see, cutting and resewing is my meditation....I kind of "zone the world out" when I am piecing.  Other than those few morning minutes....life is like fighting fires right now.

But thanks to Kelly, I am trying harder to concentrate on wellness!

My purple fountain grass is really putting on a show

and the last rose of summer

I don't know who was enjoying it more.....me or the grasshopper!

Since I am not really a big fan of fall and winter this is going to be tough for me.

and McKitty......well a picture is worth a thousand words....

Yikes! It's Wednesday again.....

I wasn't ready....Friends of the Library meeting Monday, Garden Club last night....ooh...quick pictures because I have been doing a little work on my quilts.....

I had to try the big twister....this is before....

and the first few rows....my sewing space isn't large and so I cut and sew back together as I go along...this is tougher...because there is so much fabric to hang on to as you are cutting.  Can only work on it some mornings....so since I only had a little while Monday and Tuesday....I couldn't resist trying the little twister again....

made it smaller...thinking about making my pokeno pal some placemats out of this beautiful cardinal Christmas fabric...the cardinal is our Garden club bird and we both are members.  She has a beautiful home and decorates a lot for the holidays.

Have to go to work....linking up to WIP#48.....go see what everyone is working on.

We can't do enough....

For our veterans.  These men and women provide protection for us in an unsafe world.  Aren't we blessed!  I don't know if I could do what they do.  I am so thankful to all of them.  In my younger days it was Vietnam War veterans.  Everytime I meet one today, I shake their hand and tell them thank you.  They had it rough when they came back from war.  I abhor the way we are treating our veterans of the current wars.  Their benefits are few, the pay is terrible....let me climb down off my soapbox.

So I have joined "Quilts of Valor"....I will find time to make blocks and I am so proud to be able to do so for our veterans.

Read about Tom's Quilt of Valor at the Valor Quilt Bee

Wellness report......

 

Kelly over at Charming Chatter invited us all to report on Friday what we are doing to make our life less stressful and calmer.  And since I follow Kelly every day, I couldn't resist trying this.  I do find that my life is less stressful if I count my blessings everyday.  And I do that when I get home early enough....which I haven't been doing that much of lately.  But I think it is a great idea and I am going to work on it every week.  One of the ways I count my blessings is by carrying my camera with me everyday and when I see something beautiful I stop and snap the picture.

Not a good week to start my wellness report....
Worked too much....yes
Weather not cooperating....yes
Days getting shorter....yes

But....I worked too hard so I could have everything done before I leave for Houston the end of this month for market :)

And....the mornings and evenings are so wonderfully cool...makes me want to get out in the yard :)

Nothing good about days getting shorter....I suffer from light depravation so I despise the Daylight Savings Time change.  I love long days that start about 5:30 a.m. and end about 8 p.m.  I love summer...the heat, the humidity, long days.

But my twisters made me smile and all the sweet visitors to my blog made me smile.

And my McKitty....oh, he had a very good week.
Treats :)
Long Naps :)
Head and Neck rubs :)
Doesn't seem to be affected by the shorter days.

Everyone is allowed to make fun of me

Last Saturday I helped my LQS owner with a quilt show in Ponchatoula, La.  I had a blast and I kept watching her demonstrate the "Twister".  Now I bought both the small and large twister from her last December during her "Stuff Your Stuffing" promotion and as usual I still hadn't done anything with them because I was intimidated.  Sunday I hunted down a layer cake that I had won at our Christmas party, spent the day sewing all the blocks together and then realized I had nothing in my fabric stash that matched in order to put a border on.  Well that was frustrating....all that time....then I noticed I had a charm pack of Thimbleberries and said to myself....when you get lemons, make lemonade...and guess what....not only was it easy....it was so cool.  I loved it. 

I was so excited I got up Monday morning....grabbed some Christmas fabric and started sewing.  Here's how it started:

and here's what it looks like now......

Now don't laugh at me....I was patting myself on the back....so proud of me and when I got down to the last row to attach....something looked off.  Looking at the before picture I realized I wasn't very careful about how I layed out my 5" squares....but you know what....I still love it and I can't wait to make another one.  A baby quilt comes to mind.

By the way.....I was too late to post last Wednesday...and I worked hard at getting that post together....please go look at it and enjoy my learning process.

Have a great week....see you next Wednesday!

I want to "Pay It Forward"

I love sending surprises and getting surprises.....so I need 3 people to sign up so that I can send them surprises...check out "Pay It Forward" in my earlier post.  So many fun people coming over from Lily's and I am having a great time visiting everyone.

Why am I up at 3:48 in the morning....I am hurting...I spent yesterday helping my LQS owner at a show in Ponchatoula, Louisiana and I am getting old.  Haven't stood on my feet on a concrete floor for that long in a long, long, time.....but it was so fun.  Met so many fabulous quilters.  Our sales were good and we made some great friends.  So now I am sitting with a cold rice bag on my neck, a Goody's in front of me.....a warm cup of coffee to open my sinuses....getting older is not all it's cracked up to be....but I wouldn't change a minute of it.

The only problem with quilt shows....all these people give me ideas and then I want to buy everything at the show........

Small Bloggers Unite

What a great idea....I just started my blog and I don't have many followers so Lily's Quilts is promoting a great idea.  Visit her great blog and go see some of the small bloggers listed.  I was amazed and really enjoyed my visits.  While you're there...sign your own blog up!

The Answer: Because Life Is Short

and Dawn over at "As Sweet As Cinnamon" wanted to know why we name our blogs what we do.  I woke up a few months ago, fixed my cup of coffee, sat down in front of my computer, realized it was Sunday and for the first time in awhile I didn't have to go to work that day.  I made the mistake of reading the first blog.....so I decided I wanted one and of course the first thing they want you to do is choose a name and I was stumped.  As I sat and thought about it I realized that I wasn't "living life", I was just running from one crisis to another, always tired and irritable.

Eleven years ago I was diagnosed with throat cancer.  They operated and removed my right vocal cord.  At first I was devasted because I could talk the paint off the walls prior to the surgery and now all I could do was whisper.  I had a feeding tube because I couldn't swallow due to scar tissue.  I was angry, scared, depressed...life didn't feel too good......

I was so angry at God for allowing this to happen to me.  It took me awhile to wake up, realize that God was the one who got me thru this, the one who held my hand and my heart while I cried, tried to scream, hid from the world.  So I picked myself up, dusted me off and went back to work.  After laser surgery to remove some of the scar tissue I can now eat, but I still whisper.  (There are some people who think this is a good thing)

For those of you who are old enough to remember:  "Today is the first day of the rest of your life".  Remember that.  Well that is what I remind myself every morning with my cup of coffee.  I try to cram in as much as possible with a happy heart.  Now before you think "awh......", I don't always succeed.  I still have my own little pity parties.  I still come home some days so tired and stressed I can barely drag from one room to the other.

So I read quilter's blogs and I marvel at the talented and kind people who create them and share them with the rest of the world.  I find too many beautiful things that I want to do and don't have time to do.  Thank you, thank you, thank you.

I AM SO BLESSED!

I can still walk, I can still see, I can still hear and I can still feel......sometimes too much!  But I wouldn't trade one minute of it.  So you see....I am "Living Life in Louisiana" one day at a time.

Remember...

the daylily bloom only lasts one day,

but oh my....what a day!

It's Wednesday again! Already, really!

Actually it is Thursday morning...but I won't tell if you won't.  Last week blogger quit letting me load up pictures so the saga continues this morning.  Remember I love pinwheels and this is yet another one I have been working on.  All the blocks are made, just need to add the sashing and borders.  This one is so happy and bright.

Now once in a while I do other things besides pinwheels.  I have a pattern for floating stars and I like to try different fabrics.  This is a fairly easy pattern and the best thing is that you don't have to match all those points when you join the blocks.

Here it is made with scraps of some of my older fabrics.

and here with soft victorian florals.  I love this one, it is going to be mine when I finish it.

This is just a trial block, but I really like it.  It looks like a soft winter quilt.  What do you think?

And you know I really fight the urge to join quilt-a-longs on these wonderful blogs, but after looking at these for the last 9 months, I gave in.

I love these blocks and I have been wanting to begin embroidery again, so I joined in at Little Miss Shabby for the birdie blocks.  Aren't they just fun!  It's not too late for you to join in.  There is a new pattern each month.

And of course, being me, I immediately wanted to start a primitive version in browns, blacks and beiges.

So I grabbed my new layer cake of Primitive fabric and started another one.  These come in handy when I want to go sew with the girls at the LQS.  While they sew, I embroider.

Well, it is time to go get ready for work and I am finding it hard to type because my lap is full with this handsome man:

I hope everyone has a fabulous day.

It's Time To Take the Plunge!

I have been stalking WIP for several weeks...oohing and aahing...drooling over all the beautiful finished projects, berating myself because I was too chicken to post (kept using the excuse I didn't have time to take pictures, blog and post).  Well, I'm taking the time just for me.  I hope that you enjoy, but if you cringe at unfinished projects hurry up and hit your back button while there is still time.

I realized that I have been too chicken to post because I am not a very disciplined quilter.  I work alot and I will stay as many hours as it takes to finish a bank statement or post daily work....but...my quilting....well....I like to try new things and life's too short to keep fighting to finish a quilt if I am not excited by it.  That doesn't mean I don't like it, just it doesn't grab me.  I am the same way with a new novel.  If the author doesn't grab me in the first one or two chapters....back to the library it goes.

Now I have finished a couple of quilts...if you go back to one of my older posts you will see them and I have a couple that are close to be completed, but life interrupts.  My LQS gets in a new book, new ruler, new fabric or I see a cute idea on one of your wonderful blogs and I am off and running in a new direction until something else gets my attention.

I so admire all of you who persevere and I love looking at your finishes, but I would hope you would enjoy looking at my starts as just fun.  I have fun!  So here goes:

I do try to be organized...a friend runs a pizza shop...can you tell...these are really handy for keeping pieces and parts together so I don't lose them.

What's in all those boxes....well....let's see:

I love dots and pinwheels.  This was supposed to be a summer quilt and it will be one of these days.  This is one I will actually continue working on because I love the colors.  It is super easy to put together.

I love pinwheels...can you tell?  They are easy.  I sometimes take new fabrics as they come in at my LQS and make them up in pinwheels just to give customers an idea of what they are going to look like combined.  Only when I really love them, do I plan on making a whole project.  Sometimes I mess up and the customers buy all the fabric before I can get back and buy more.....oh well!

Oops...missed a few...these are the Louisiana Pinwheel....I just tried it in several colors to show contrast.

And then there is "Card Tricks"....how fun!  You can do so much with contrast.  Little bit more complicated to piece, but fun.

I guess Blog.com thought I was crazy too....it won't let me load any more pictures.  So I'll be back another time, because I have more.  Have to go to work, anyway!  Have a great day!

By the way, I have joined a new swap called "Pay It Forward".  Read about it in an earlier post.  Should be fun.

Thanks For the Reminder Kelly!

Drinking my coffee, enjoying the quiet (it is early and still dark here) and visiting one of my favorite blogs....Charming Chatter.  Kelly always has such wonderful and sweet entries.  I would so love to meet her in person.  Her blog today was about the wisdom of Chief Seattle and it reminded of something I read several years ago.  I printed it out to put on a scrapbook page for someone at my church and I thought I would share it with you this morning.

                     Cherokee Indian Youth's Rite of Passage

Do you know the legend of the Cherokee Indian youth's rite of passage? His father takes him into the forest, blindfolds him and leaves him alone.

He is required to sit on a stump the whole night and not remove the blindfold until the rays of the morning sun shine through it. He cannot cry out for help to anyone. Once he survives the night, he is a MAN. He cannot tell the other boys of this experience, because each lad must come into manhood on his own.

The boy is naturally terrified. He can hear all kinds of noises. Wild beasts must surely be all around him. Maybe even some human might do him harm. The wind blew the grass and earth, and shook his stump, but he sat stoically, never removing the blindfold. It would be the only way he could become a man.

Finally, after a horrific night the sun appeared and he removed his blindfold. It was then that he discovered his father sitting on the stump next to him. He had been at watch the entire night, protecting his son from harm.

We, too, are never alone. Even when we don't know it, our Heavenly Father is watching over us, sitting on the stump beside us. When trouble comes, all we have to do is reach out to Him.

 

I don't know about you but this always reminds me that no matter how bad it gets all I have to do is reach out and ask My Father for help.

I was afraid this would happen....

I work constantly, meet myself going and coming, so I forget to post regularly.  I get up at 4:30 every morning and have my first cup of coffee (I am a coffee fanatic), spend an hour drooling over what everyone is doing, spend an hour sewing something....anything and the it's off to work.  I spend a few minutes at my LQS every afternoon on my way home and I have all these wonderful ideas while driving, but I am too tired when I get home to do anything but eat, bathe and sleep.  But I am going to do better....really I am.

I just joined "Pay It Forward" over at Harriet Homemaker Strikes Again.  It sounds like fun.  I love making homemade goodies for friends and the idea of sending them to friends I make on blogspot really sounds like fun.

Here are the rules:
1.  I will make a handmade goodie for the first 3 people who comment on this post.  It will be surprise and arrive when you least expect it.

2.  I will have a year to do this (but I will try to do it alot sooner than that....I mean Christmas is coming and it is my favorite time of year).  What's the catch?  You have to participate by placing the "Pay It Forward" button on your post and linking it back to Julia at bluejaycottage and sending a little something to the first 3 comments on your blog.  It doesn't have to be quilty, just handmade.  Think of how much fun it will be to see what everyone sends and receives.  You can do that by joining the Flicker group set up just for this.  Wow, I just joined and already some really cute ideas are showing up.

3.  You have to have a blog.

4.  Once you comment here (be sure you include your e-mail so that I can write you) you must place the Pay It Forward  button on your blog and write about it to keep the fun going.

5.  Follow me, if you don't already.

6.  I hate to say this, but foreign postage is so high I would like to limit this to folks in the good ole USA.

I want to get to know all about you so I can make the perfect gift for you, so tell me your likes and dislikes, colors, hobbies, animals....etc.

There is nothing quite as much fun as receiving a surprise package in the mail. 

And I promise I will do a better job of posting.  I have tons of new items I have been making that I need to put pictures up on my site.  I will work on that this week.  I hope everyone has a great day.

I can't believe I won!

I came home so tired last night and while I was eating a bite of supper I decided to make it thru a few more of the WIP entries for the week.  There are 99 now and it takes me all week to look at all the beautiful work.  Mostly because I have to keep wiping the drool off my chin.  I clicked on Meinca's site and I see my name!  I won her give-a-way.  Four fat quarters by Natalie Barnes of Beyond the Reef patterns.  The colors are awesome and of course my favorite places in the world have the word beach in them.  Can't wait to see them in person.  I never win anything so this is very exciting.  And on my birthday no less.  Go on over and check out her wonderful blog.

No sewing this week, but I had to go by my favorite quilt shop "Mama's" to see what came in while I was so busy and imagine this "I found fabric I need to buy".  Brenda is beginning to get in Christmas fabric, the latest is Jason Yenter's new fabric.  It will be a stretch but I am absolutely certain I will be able to find a corner in my sewing room to put a few yards of it.  Or on the living room couch, or coffee table, or dining room table or ..........

Well....I got to go get dressed to go to work....have a wonderful day everyone.  Sew one for me!

It's My Birthday!

Had to post today!  It's my birthday (57) if anyone's counting!  It doesn't bother me to tell my age.  I am amazed that I made it.  I don't feel that old (at least for today).  And I can't believe that one of my favorite blogs "Cat Patches" is one year old today and she is having a fabulous birthday give-a-way.  Run on over and check it out.  I have cute, cute button near the bottom of my pages.  She loves cats too!

I don't have time to feel old, too busy.  Been meeting myself going and coming at work.  No time to even touch my sewing machine in the last week and a half. 

This beautiful girl is getting married in August.  Here she is with her mother and future mother-in-law at a shower we gave her Sunday.  Not only is she beautiful on the outside, she is more beautiful on the inside.  I can't wait to see her walk down the aisle.  Congratulations Katie!

And right now in Louisiana, our beautiful crape myrtles are in bloom.  This one is right outside my favorite shopping place.  "Mama's Quilt Shop"

Everyone have a great day!