My Own Room...

So this is the view from the new doorway Don built. 

I'm never alone because of the bunnies on top of the chest.  The chests are matching, One without doors and one with doors that never close.

The doors that should be on the cabinet kind of lean against the wall and hold the project in progress.

While it may look like junk to some, they're treasures to me.  Boxes of thread, fabric that was a gift last Christmas, Cloth napkins, placemats, napkin rings, and quilts.

Spool racks from my son.  I'd like to tell you I only use the best of thread.  But truthfully, I use what is available in town. Bobbins, Spools, Trinkets on the bottom row. A gingham paper napkin, gift tags from friends, a patchwork heart., a necklace Don gave me in High School, a card of buttons all have their spot. 

Here's where I cut fabric.  It's a second hand kitchen counter top.  Behind the curtains are shelves for storage.

At the other end of the counter, are pictures from Chelsey's baby's room that I couldn't pack away.  A cross-stitched birth sampler and a framed birthday card from my mom.  If you drew a caricature of Chelsey-- that would be the picture.  The gray bunny is a project Chelsey and I  did together.  It's filled with rice.  Chelsey made a brown one.  The only way she would learn is to do it herself. I'd so a piece of mine, and she'd copy it making her own.

Proof that this is still Chelsey's room.  This is her Bulletin Board-- With Quilt blocks she's made and a blue jean pocket from her dad's jeans.

I have a bulletin board-- Gifts, patterns, empty flower seeds packets and special birthday cards...

There you have it.

Gratitudes:

Bulletin Boards

snow boots

macaroni & cheese

Works in Progress...

Life continues to be a Juggling act...but that's what life is and there was a time in my life when it would have meant complaining... but age and hopefully wisdom now tells me it's just life.  Life is busy --- no more--- no less.

I wanted to post. This started out as a journal of quilting projects, but it's also a "catch up" with friends.  I miss it when I can't log in and see the works of others.

This first photo is my latest block in the My Garden Quilt wool BOM project. I love the purple. 

In cleaning out the fabric cabinet I found piece of old blocks from a quilt I made about three years ago.  I want to make a sewing machine cover, so I cut more fabric squares and stitched all the scattered patchwork together as one.  I'm going to quilt it and sew it to fit my sewing machine similar to this pattern on Moda Bake shop.

I have a Pfaff sewing machine that just does straight stitches for machine quilting and I want to make a cover for it as well. I received ScrapBasket Surprises for Christmas.  So, as a compromise I stitched these blocks together from my scrap box fabrics (tons of old Thimbleberries) and I'm going to quilt it and turn it into a cover as well.  I recommend the book to everyone... Really easy to read.

Last of all -- Personal shopping.  My daughter rounded up embroidery threads for me since there is no where to purchase them in our town.  College daughters do come in handy.

Gratitudes--It's not what you don't have... it's what you do....
Football Sass from Email Friends
French Toast
Ransom and Bruno

Early Birthday Gifts

How do you know you are a quilter? You find sign of fabric in everyday life. I received an early birthday day gift yesterday. My mother-in-law hooked me up. It was an after Christmas sale that I just couldn’t really justify purchasing just because….

I wanted the boxes as much as the fabric. Plaid --- no labels, no logos. Inside the boxes were these mugs. Lang Christmas mugs and I now own a set of 8.

I told my husband that starting next November – He’ll drink out of nothing else. I’m completed charmed with these mugs. Flash forward about ten years… I’ll be the most awesome Gramma with these great mugs…. I remember special cups, special plates, and special bowls that I ate out of every time I went to my Grandparents as a kid. Good Memories.

The posts haven’t been as frequent as I like---work is about work. I have had quilting time. Pictures will soon come—promise. Don's helped out a lot around the house, so I have time for the fun stuff.

Last weekend my sewing room went under construction. I have a cubby hole corner for my sewing area in our basement. It was carpeted and really nice – I’m not complaining, there’s many out there that don’t have a place to keep their sewing machine up all the time. Then there’s a small room with a door next to it with a kitchen counter top and my ironing board. There’s a table it in too. We call it the scrap book room because Chelsey has her bulletin board stuff and all her scrapbook stuff in it. I sew a seam in one room and cut out and iron it the other—in and out in and out. You get the idea. Well, this weekend Don cut a hole in the wall and opened it up and framed it in oak and added some electrical outlets and now I have—are you ready—my own studio…. Chelsey’s craft stuff is still all over the walls, but it would break her heart --- and mine---to take it down. I figure when she graduates from college would be a good time. But I feel pretty special. I’ve been re-organizing fabric. I found Ziploc bags of orphan blocks that I’m reworking into a sewing machine cover. I feel just like a kid. Pictures will be taken this weekend.

Gratitudes:
Mother-in-laws that understand wants/needs
Cinnamon rolls
Quilt friends that email
An organized quilt cabinet

Choices -- A New Year 2011

It’s A New Year- 2011. No great resolutions. Maybe just making more of time. Everyone is granted the same twenty four hours. Though we wish it were more, we’re blessed to have that. Someone asked me to choose one word to symbolize this year. There were a lot of words out there. After a lot of thought --- I chose the word “Choices”. I make choices every day. I just want to make the right ones. I’ve heard it over and over again….Integrity is what you do when no one is looking. Again I want to make the right choices. Someone once told me, “It’s OK to waste a day if you CHOOSE to waste it. Just be aware you made that choice to do so…” Again I want to make the right choice. Eating or not to, Exercise or not to, Studying my Bible…My focus on Prayer… a lot choices I want to have control over. I want to make the most of them… So 2011 – what’s your word going to be???????


Quilting Progress --- My Garden Block of the Month is coming along. I have four blocks left and the borders. It’s wool on cotton and came from Primitive Gatherings. I’ve loved every block of it.

Eric and I snow-shoed daily when he was home. How do you know you’re a quilter? You find quilting and fabric in everything. Here’s a snapshot I made Eric take of the snow looking like ribbon wrapped around a branch.

My Sunday School class loaded pinecones with suet and bird seed and made feeders for the birds for Christmas. A Friend gave me the recipe.

I’m normally at work when the birds feed, but over the holidays I had four days off (With pay for a change) and watched chickadees, sparrows and even a woodpecker feast on the seeds. My Mom is sending huge Louisiana Pinecones and I plan on doing this again….

Gratitudes:
New socks
Popcorn
New Coffee Mug.