After Christmas Sewing

Christmas was beautiful, the boy's were spoiled and all the running around and gift exchanging was a blast!

Remy waiting for Santa!

It was snowing, raining, and sleeting all day here in the DC Metro area yesterday.  Yuck! A perfect day to stay in and sew.  I know some are thinking "after Christmas Sales", and I do so love that four letter word "Sale", but I do not do cold too well.  So down to the basement and my trusty sewing machine!  I  thought I had all the corner parts together, but alas that was not the case.  So I have been cutting out the black triangles, I do have enough half squares. Orca Bay is going to be finished soon I hope!

80 Orca Bay Borders & 55 Step one of Easy Street & Blitzen Charm Pack

 I'm not sure how the charm pack found it's way to my sewing table, but it's there too...

So for now Happy Piecing

Christmas stitching update

Well I haven't blogged since Thursday 12/13, it's been kinda busy around here!  Christmas presents have been purchased, wrapped, and put under the purchased, and decorated Christmas tree.  Dear friends stockings have been embroidered, and sewn, and picked up by friend.  I finished all five stockings last Wednesday the 19th.  Boy let me tell you that was a real "monkey off my back".

Five stockings with names embroidered, and seven little jingle bells sewn on each top.

I have made similar stockings for my DSIL, and both grandsons too.  Though the youngest grandson's didn't have his name embroidered on his even though this is his third Christmas (poor little guy!)  So I put his made stocking in the hoop, and embroidered his name (way too small)!  So off to Joann's to get replacement fabric, and pick, pick, pick the top off the stocking, and sew a new embroidered top on baby boys stocking.

Ta Da! 6 stockings embroidered and 42 total little jingle bells sewn on tops!

I did work a little on Orca Bay pieced borders, maybe have 50 unites finished (half way there).  But no work at all on Easy Street.  That will have to wait till after Christmas.  Yesterday I wanted to try some just for fun embroidery, so I made some of these.

What fun!  These designs were freebies from http://www.embroiderygarden.com

I'm done with Christmas shopping and decorating, but plan on going out to the store (Macy's) tomorrow morning to pick up "anything that strikes my fancy". Then watching the boy's for a little while before DD gets home from work. Christmas is going to be here before we know it, and I'm ready!

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa, and Happy Piecing everyone.

Guild Holiday Pot Luck

My quilt guild had it's holiday dinner tonight.  Lots of good food, and lots of very talented ladies in one room.  There was a 12 1/2 inch Christmas block exchange, and a block of the month, neither of which I did this year.  I have too many UFO's (aslo know as Unfinished Objects) in my possession to join in on these exchanges.

These were the block of the month for the month of September 2011.  I won these blocks driving down I-95 home from VA. 

They are still neatly hanging in my closet in a 1 gallon baggie waiting to be a quilt.

This is one of many that are "begging" for me to sew together.  In the mean time a very good, long time friend asked me if I could make her two personalized Christmas stockings, which has turned into five Christmas stockings!  

I have 6 stockings cut out.  They need names embroided on five of the tops.  Tomorrow is Thursday, and I "must" get the names embroided.  

To top it all off, I missed a step in Orca Bay (the pieced borders), and finally started step #1 of Easy Street.  How the heck could I make Christmas blocks, and Block of the Month blocks when I have shown you just a tiny piece of what's on my plate. 

Christmas presents still need to be bought, and wrapped, Christmas Tree still needs to be bought, and decorated, decorating still needs to be finished, and all the "ballroom" is still without "proper paint".  I found a place within myself a long time ago, which keeps me in a frame of mind where I "embrace" the state I am in right now. I am who I am, and the love of my family and friends will get me through.  It will get done, Christmas will be fine, and wonderful for my beautiful family. In 34 years no one has ever complained...

So in case I don't get a chance to blog later, Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa, and Happy Piecing everyone.

Slow and Steady

Slow and steady will get the job done, at least that's what I tell myself.  I've made a lot of progress on Orca Bay, but I have the nerve to start working on Bonnie Hunters http://quiltville.blogspot.com Easy Street (link up to directions to Easy Street on the left sidebar) which is her current mystery that she reveals week by week.  I'm hoping to have picture's later this week.
Today I finished some embroidery for a co-workers of DD's.  I made patches with names on them instead of doing it directly on the jacket's.  I was worried that I might mess up the jacket's which I wasn't wanting to buy the co-worker new ones.

I embroidered the name's, U .S. Army & the Star were already on the jackets.

Patches were a new technique for me, but I really like how it turned out.

I made two of each name, followed the directions just as were told to me on youtube.

And with a woodburning iron cut the names out of the "patch kit material".  Which makes them iron ons!

I am looking forward to praticing up on this technique, it was so easy and turned out really nice.  
DD is going on a field trip with that cute Grandson of mine tomorrow (Monday), so she will take the the jackets to her co-worker on Tuesday.  I hope she like them.   

I finished all the "hunter stars" for Orca Bay.  I am hoping to have the top together this week, and I really want to get going on Easy Street!  

Until later, Happy piecing, and sewing.

Giving Thanks

The past couple weeks have been very busy.  One week before Thanksgiving we had a load bearing wall removed, and DH put in hardwood floors in the living room ( the family room he did several years ago) so it would all flow together.  I like to call the new room the "Ballroom".

Our Living Room before.

Our Family Room before.

What?  No more wall!

  

Floors of a future "Ballroom".

View from the old "blue living room".

View from the old "Family room".

We still need to paint, but now we have plenty of room to move around.  Thanksgiving was great with all 15 of us having somewhere to sit, and enjoy each others company.  The Ballroom will get plenty of use in the future, but for now I'm giving thanks that this part of the transformation is finished.  Painter's bring on the paint. 

Giving Thanks for Family, Friends, and good Food...

Embroidery, Sewing, Unsewing & Shopping

Well yesterday was a good, long day. Got a little sewing, and embroidery in, and got some unsewing in, and got part of my Thanksgiving Dinner shopping done. DH (with help from DD & her boyfriend) is putting down hardwood floors in our living room.

Here we have some "unsewing", luckly I noticed the "boo boo" before I sewed more rows together.  

Here is a small batterey operated seam ripper which cut "unsewing" time considerably.

The seam ripper that Dear Daughter gifted to me after she worked for Connie Spurlock of Sew Wonderful Dreams http://sewwonderfuldreams.com/contact-us.html, when they were at the Sewing Expo in Chantillie.  I can't get over how much time this little guy saved me today. Thankfully I noticed the mistake before adding more rows, this is Orca Bay which we all know has a million pieces, and noticeable pattern once all together.  

Boo boo block removed.

Correction made, happy dance!

So today is Sunday, and Football.  We aren't going to the game today so DH can finish up the living room floor, Thanksgiving is next week so it's gotta get done.  DS, DBIL, and DNephew are at the game.  HTTR!  

Happy Piecing, and Happy Sunday!

Thank you Veterans

Taking a moment to Honor the Veterans past and present that serve our Great Nation.  

This Quilt I made to Honor and Thank the two most important Veterans in my life.  

I know and love many Veterans and I thank each and everyone of them.  A special shout out to my Nephew Thomas, currently serving in Afghanistan.

God Bless America!

Murder Mystery Week-end

Here we are my man & I participating in a murder mystery at the Chesapeake Beach Resort & Spa. http://www.chesapeakebeachresortspa.com/murder-mystery-weekend.htm  We have been having a blast. Our room is nice, the view is beautiful, the food yummy, and the mystery has been really fun so far.  I think we have the suspect figured out, but we still have cocktails, and dinner to get thru tonight  before the reveal tomorrow morning.

What a great time we are having.  Everyone (all employee's are playing along).

A room with a view.  

Tomorrow is a new day, and the murderer will be revealed.

Happy Belated Birthday to my Man!

Autumn is following me

Driving home from DD's on Thursday 10/18/12 I looked in my rearview mirrow to find "Autumn is following me"...

At the same time, I'm thinking I want to go home and sew, but...man am I pooped!  Vacation is over, and did I really make it through this week?  My big boy was off from school on Friday, so DD brought the boys to my house.  No morning drive for me.  The three of us had a fun morning together. Then lunch, short wait for Pop to come home (and the little guy took a nap) from his morning meetings, then off to the Pumpkin Patch for a little Autumn fun.

The maze was fun, and beautiful weather for a hay ride.  The boys slid down the slide a million times.  (at least that's what it felt like to me and youngest DD (AKA Aunti)).

In the Maze

Hay ride

Today is Sunday and we still haven't turned our pumpkins into "Jack O' Laterns".  We are all looking forward to some roasted pumpkins seeds.

Yesterday, Saturday 10/20/12 I got some good sewing in and today took the dog for a walk. 

My floor has a "Motorcycle" quilt for the little grandson, who "Loves" Motorcycle's.  Should have the top together this week, and plan on taking the border pieces to work on this week-end at Retreat.  

This is a small baby quilt for a girl of course.  It was a charm pack that I put together a couple years ago.  I think it's about time to be a quilt.  Also taking this to retreat to work on.  Really looking forward to a quilty week-end with quilty friends.  Until then, happy piecing.

Vacation, Sewing, Shopping & Tattoo's

This week is flying by, I need it to slow down, and as it fly's by I'm enjoying every moment.  I've been getting some sewing done, shopping done, visiting time with a small protion of family bonding time done.  I even fit in a little tattoo time.  The weather has been beautiful, rainy, beautiful.  Rainy is fine for sewing time, and shopping time

 I'm working on a motocycle quilt for the youngest Grandson.  I need more of the background fabric, so it will be off to Wal-Mart when I get home from vacation.  

Shopping in Rehobeth Deleware Tanger Outlets.  Got me some smell good, and some clothes.

Walking on the beach is always a vacation favorite, there were a few people in the ocean today.  The tempature was around 65 degree's!  I can only imagine what the water tempature was...Too cold for me I'm sure.

This afternoon I also found time to get a tattoo.  Tomorrow me and my man would like to go look at the 3 bedroom time shares, the one we have now is just a one bedroom.  The family is growing and we feel like we need more room.  

Anyway, for now I want to get some sewing in.  Tomorrow is another day, vacation rock on!  Happy sewing...

Vacation...

So not your normal vacation time, but one of my favorite times of the year to be at the beach.  Week 40 and my sweet wonderful mother gave me her Time Share for week 40.  Thank you Mom...This week in Ocean City is either Corvette week, or Hot rod week.  It's Hot rod week this year, which is fun, and the cars riding up and down Coastal Highway are beautiful and fun to look at, (I will post pictures later) but very loud. Corvette week to me is even more fun.  All the corvette's get to drive on the boardwalk!  I enjoy both, but corvetts ROCK!  Anyway, I am on vacation, which means...no dog to feed, no little boys to watch, just me and my man, and seven days of walking on the beach, eating, drinking, and taking it easy.  This is what we want to do tomorrow.

These cars have been here before,  I know cause this picture was taken

two years ago. 

ocharborday.com

 Anyway, happy Columbus day weekend .  More to come later, until then Happy Sewing...

Brother Embroidery

Ummm. Sitting here in my family room, all is turning down for the night.  TV just turned off, by my man.  One light on, dog sleeping peacefully on her bed, sounds of crickets, and a hoot owl outside, and AC humming (funny to have the AC on on October 3rd, but it was 80 degrees and humid today in the DC area).  And I am 50 or so years old, just look at my hair too and know humidity is high.  "Bee" this evening was as always fun.  And since becoming a member we are going to do our first quilt mystery between just the six of us.  Got our first clue of eight clue's tonight.  Thank you Pam.  Will have picture's to post later once I pick out my fabrics.

Dear Son in Law, is taking the next couple days off this week so you know what that means, I am off too.  I have mixed feelings about that. Will miss my boy's like crazy, but that is another story.  Tomorrow will be spent working on making things to sell at my guilds quilt show in March 2013, and maybe going to the Sewing & and Quilt Expo in Chantilly VA to visit my baby girl who will be working there on Thursday & Friday.

My big "Brother" sewing maching in action, making chapstick key rings in the hoop.  Embroidery Garden.  I haven't used my embroidery machine in a long time, so it felt really good to finish 6 of them this evening befor "Bee" meeting.

Good morning, Good afternoon, good evening,  Happy peicing, Happy sewing to everyone of you...

A Found Treasure from the past.

Getting down to the sewing room every evening after watching the super busy little guy is proving to be a challenge.  I'm not complaining though, the two of us have tons of fun while big brother is away at school.  But when I get home and eat dinner, sitting in front of the TV is the overwhelming feeling I get not heading down to the sewing room.  I have started quilting my 2011 retreat mystery which by the way needs a name.  Any suggestions would really be welcome.  

I'm happy with the way it is looking, and I'm hoping to have my third large 2012 quilt finished before the end of October.  In addition to sewing I have been trying to get some of my sewing room cleaned up, and more organized.  While going through a pile of fabric on the floor "A found treasure from the past"!  

Bonnie Hunter

Double Delight...

Another Bonnie Hunter mystery from, can it be 2008? This was my first mystery with Bonnie. It just needs one more border, backing, and binding, and then I can call it a quilt.  This will be heading to the fall retreat later this month, for sure.  I'm feeling a little better about not getting down there to sew  this evening. 

So for now I must get some rest.  Happy sewing...

Saturday, Saturday, Saturday Night's Alright...

Didn't get any sewing in this fine Saturday night, but did enjoy a nice simple dinner and a movie with my man here at our house.  Yesterday however I got lot's of sewing done, thanks to my man going to our High Schools football game, so I ate left overs for dinner alone.  Which is alright with me.  

Progress on Orca Bay is slow, but I love how it is looking! This is a panoramic picture from my iphone, also love this new phone feature.  My Ocean City beach vacation is coming up soon, so I'm sure more progress will happen then.  Redskins are away this sunday, (Tampa Bay here we come) so I will be in the sewing room then too, but for now hoping to stay awake long enought to watch Saturday Night Live.

Happy piecing, good night...

Beautiful Friday!

Enjoying a beautiful Friday with my little Grandson. Will be heading over to their house soon, but wanted to add a couple picture's of my recent finishes.  Sewing time here lately has been hard to come by since Kindergarten started for big brother Grandson.

This Fall Table Runner was started last year at my "B's" fall retreat.  So I was able to finish it up pretty easily.  The pattern came from Fons & Porter's Quilting Celebrations Fall/Winter 2011 magazine.  I really like it.  

My Step-Mother's memory quilt finished!  All I have to say about that...

This is not a recent finish, but just a realy cute Halloween wallhanging I did a couple years ago. (no label).  

This also is not a recent finish, but from the same Fons & Porter's Magazine as the table runner.  Just trying to do some decorating for Halloween!

So reading time is requested from that adorable little boy now.  So happy peicing, and happy Friday.  It's a beautiful one here on the East Coast so enjoy!

Let's Go Redskins!

Are you ready for some Football?  I am ready to tailgate at FedEx Field tomorrow for the home opener!  Tomorrow's kick off is at 1:00pm, and we will be there in the parking lot by 10:00am to start our tailgate.  It'll just be a small group tomorrow, me and my guys, my gorgeous husband of 34 years, and my equally handsome son.

This is the quilt I made for my husband for our 30 year wedding anniversary.

This is the back of the anniversary quilt.

Made in Redskins colors, Hail to the Redskins! Go Burgundy & Gold!

Hope to sew a little after we get home from the game, but I'm not counting on that.

Anyway, HTTR (Hail to the Redskins!), and happy sewing!

If Life gives you scraps, make a quilt!

  

A day to remember...

A day to remember...

What were you doing 11 years ago today?  I remember running late that day, and thinking "it's such a beautiful day today, if only I didn't have that one appointment at 10:30 am., if I didn't have that appointment I would have called in sick".  And then sitting at the light at Rt. 201 & Rt. 193 thinking "am I in the Twilight zone?" as I sat at the light listening to DC 101's Elliot in the Morning saying a plane had flown into one of the towers of the World Trade Center! As I sat at that light looking into the near by cars windows wondering if anyone else had just heard what I had heard, thinking this is not happening.  What is going on?  Now I just need to get to work, and get some answers.  When I walked in the front door to the Hotel I was working at, the Desk Clerk on duty said to me "The World is coming to and end!" I didn't have an answer for him, and just mumbled something like "don't be so dramatic, you're going to scare people", and went into the restaurant which was closed, and turned on the TV.  As I stood there crying my eyes out watching the news and the second plane fly into the second building, and finding out about the Pentagon I knew these events were going to change my future.  My husband was on active duty in Japan, and my son had just signed up for the Army in August 2001. 

Today at 7:00am...Must fly the American Flag before I leave for the day! American's will never forget this day...

There was a meeting going on in one of our meeting rooms which had started a 7am.  The instructor came in the restaurant having no idea of what was going on.  That meeting ended shortly after her finding out about the attacks.  My 10:30am meeting took place.  A young bride planing to marry a Navy man in September 2002.  She booked the date she wanted put a large deposit down on the date, but all the attendents in her wedding were also in the Navy and her wedding took place earlier (at another venue) than she had planned because everyone in the wedding party had gotten deployed.  At that time I had asked her to wait, I would hold her date, but "no" she had to have that date.  I thankfully was able to rebook her date and give her a refund.

After my "meeting" I went home...My son was home, and was in shock just as I  was, asking me how I'm doing?  When I got home, I went out on my front porch and flew my flag crying uncontrollably.  Numb, and wanting my husband home here with me, not in Japan.  All flights into and out of the country were stopped. Please God, make this day go away...I will never forget...

Well, today is Labor Day, and I'm sorry to say "I didn't finish quilting my Step Mother Lucille's Memory Quilt".  Oh well, I'm more than 75% done, and should have it done sometime this week. I've been trying to sew a little and then tie off the thread ends.  That's the part I least enjoy of the quilting, so I'm trying to get it out of the way a little at a time instead of all at the completion.  

  

My photo is a crocheted Flag that was in an American Legion building in Odenton Maryland. 

I can hardly believe that summer is over, I don't want the summer to end.  I love summer and everything about it.  Anyway, as the saying goes, "all good things must come to an end."

Happy Labor Day, and Happy Sewing.

Finding time to "Quilt the Quilt"

Started quilting "Lucille Memory Quilt" on Friday, August 24th.  About halfway done on Saturday.  Sunday got to work on it for a couple minutes before I had to leave for Daughter's house for a birthday celebration.  What a fun day that was, family, and food always equals Fun!  The weather outside was frightful, but it didn't stop us, on the drive home we got to see a rainbow, that always makes me happy too. Don't worry not only is the light red, but I am the passenger taking this picture!

Today the boys are here, they got here bright and early 6:45am!  We walked up to the park after breakfast for a little while.  Digging, Sliding, Swinging, now we're home having quiet time with the big boy, and the little boy is taking a nap.  I'm hoping I'll be able to quilt a little before bed tonight after the Grands go home.  I'm liking what I have done so far which is mostly stitching in the ditch, and a little free motion.  

I'd like to get this finished before Labor Day weekend, wish me luck! 

In the meantime...Happy piecing!