"Believe" Wall Hanging

Not much sewing going on here. None, in fact, since Sunday evening. The past two nights I've gone to see the local basketball team (Paris). Last night they were in a tournament and tonight they played Scranton (the school district where I teach). They won both nights. Kelsey's boyfriend, Ismael, played very well both nights.

Of course, I ran into one of my students and he asked me why I was sitting on the other side.

Changing the subject . . .

I thought that since I didn't have anything new on the sewing front to show you, I would show you where I hung one of the Christmas wall hangings I made this year.

Happy snipping, stitching, and sewing.

Totally Frustrating

I designed a wall hanging in EQ6 to be hung in my bathroom for the Holidays. I was all excited. It was applique blocks with a pieced block border.

I had the center blocks appliqued and started on the borders.

I had all of the pieces cut out and then let it sit on my sewing table for a couple of weeks while completing other projects. When I went back to finish it today, I couldn't find the EQ design. I don't know what happened to it. I left it pulled up on my computer for days so I guess when I finally closed it out, I didn't save it.  I went ahead and pieced the borders from the rotary cutting directions that I had printed out.

Now . . .

Have you ever had one of those days when you used your seam ripper more than you used your machine. Well, that was me. I sewed and ripped, sewed and ripped, and sewed and ripped. Ridiculous becuase it wall all easy squares and rectangles. Then I finally got them put together and it was toooooo short on the sides. And, I had used all of the border fabrics.

So, I decided to take off the end borders, which did fit, and just quilt it as it was.

What a sewing day!  One I hope I don't repeat in a long time. Sometimes I think I am beginning to show my age. Not fun!!!! Almost 50 is not old, is it?

It looks kind of plain now so as I look at it throughout the holidays, I may decided to cut off the binding and add another 1 1/2 or 2 inch border. Or I may just leave it as it is.

Maybe it was meant to be. If I would have added the borders that I had created, I think it would have swallowed up the quilt rack and wall. 

Happy snipping, stitching, and quilting!

Fraud?????

If you use your debit card to make on-line purchases, please check your account often.

I logged onto my account this morning and found two charges for credit checks that I did not authorize. One was for about $15 and the other about $25. Both to the same company. The $25 charge said recurring beside it which leads me and the bank to believe they would be taking that amount out each month.

I called my bank and they told me to contact the company. There was a telephone number included in the transaction which leads me to believe this is a legitimate company. If it wasn't, I don't think they would have included a phone number. They also said I could come in to the bank and file a dispute. So I called the company and the employee verified "fraud" after asking me to verify an email (which was not mine) and my birth date (again not mine). I have to call them back on Monday to talk to the fraud department. If they do not credit my account on Monday, I only have to contact my bank and they will take care of it for me.

I am glad that I caught this early on and really thankful that the charges were not large.

Oh, I did go by the bank today and they closed my debit card and they are having a new one issued to me.

Have a great day!

Black Friday

Many years back, I started shopping on Black Friday. I would usually take Craig with me and Kelsey stayed home with her dad. Then the day after Christmas I would clearance shop and take Kelsey with me and leave Craig at home.  It worked out really nice because I gave all of my attention to one child. We always had to travel 40 miles to the closest major city in order to get the good deals.

The past several years (since the kids are older and I don't have to shop for all those toy bargains) I have been able to shop at Walmart here in town and I just go by myself. One year I even sent Larry and Craig. Larry DID NOT enjoy it at all.

So this morning at midnight I was standing in line at the local Walmart waiting to check out. I do not really need any of the electronics so I did not need to get back out at 5 this morning.

Anyway on the way back home up the ridge, I saw the most beautiful falling star I have ever seen. It seemed so close and the star looked bright green with a white tail as it fell. It all seemed to be in slow motion.  I immediately thanked the Good Lord for allowing me to see such a beautiful sight. What a great day to end a Thanksgiving day.

As for today, I am going to complete my decorating for Christmas, finish picking up the house, and then hit the sewing room. I have a couple of things I want to make the kids to decorate their homes and I have a couple of Christmas wall hangings to finish.

Just a snippet to show what I worked on yesterday.

The small stockings on top are for the cats. I didn't tell them I was making them and I knew Becca would get a kick out of them.

 

These were for Kelsey's dogs (mini pins). She didn't know I was making them either. I think she got a kick out of it too. It is fun to surprise them. Well, I'm off to bed.

Happy snipping, stitching, and quilting!

Thanksgiving Greetings!!!

                I hope each and all of you have a wonderful Thanksgiving Day. Whether you are spending it with your spouse at home or with a big extended family, may you have food, fun, and many thankful thoughts.

Sewing for the Kids

I haven't done much sewing these past two weeks but sat back down at the machine last night. I made Kelsey some a couple of Christmas stockings but had not made Craig any yet. So I asked him last night what colors he would like. He chose reds and greens but then saw a couple of tea towels I had purchased at Dollar Tree and he picked one of them. I used it for the front and he picked out a green print for the back. He did request lines sewn on it (quilted). Isn't that funny. You can't tell the are quilted in this photo but they are. I used cotton batting scraps so they are not real fluffy.

Here are the results . . .

The photos are taken from my phone just to text to Craig and Becca to get their approval. (I left my camera at school and do not want to drive the 20 miles to get it.) The names are in dark green thread. The tea towel was maroon, green, and off white with some gold threads running throughout. I just love the way they turned out.

Happy snipping, stitching, and quilting!

A Change of Plans

Well, I didn't get to participate in the Friday Night Sew In. We all decided to go see the new Harry Potter Movie on Friday night. They are making two movies from the last book. This was the first--the second comes out next summer.

I really planned to sew for a couple of hours after I got home but decided that I was just too tired.

Today I was able to sew for a few hours this evening. I worked on 2 stockings for the Secret Santa Christmas Swap. I only need to hand stitch  the opening on the side where I turned the stocking. Maybe I'll take some time tomorrow to finish them.

Happy snipping, stitching, and quilting!

New Header Photo

Last winter I used my Orange Crush Quilt for my header photo and received many, many compliments on it. Thank you Bonnie Hunter for a great mystery.

Since I left the snow header on my blog until well into spring summer, I decided to get with the program season and change it now.

Happy snipping, stitching, and quilting!

Friday Night Sew In

The monthly Friday Night Sew In is scheduled for this Friday, November 19. I am really excited. I have been on a lazy kick since my last surgery and have not even been in my sewing room. I peeked in last night and, oh my goodness, it was so messy I backed back out and shut the door. lol

Last night, as I was putting up my first 2nd Christmas tree, I realized that Dec. 1 is right around the corner. That is the deadline for the Secret Santa Christmas Swap that I entered. So, once again,  I visited the blog of my swap partner to decide narrow down ideas for the project. She is fabulous free motion quilter on her domestic machine and makes beautiful quilts. I think I will make a couple of Christmas stockings (like those below but in Christmas scraps) and maybe a candle mat and some coasters. 

Well, what do you think? Would you enjoy opening a box that contains stockings, a candle mat, and coasters?

If you want a good excuse to sew on Friday evening, join over 100 bloggers for the sew in. Go to Handmade by Heide to sign up for the fun.  Oh, by the way, they do have great prizes.

Happy snipping, stitching, and quilting.

Christmas Quilt Show

I have a couple of Christmas quilts I made in the past two years and had a hard time deciding which to show. So I decided to start with this one and then show another one another day.

I'm not sure who the designer is for this quilt. I saw a picture on a website and adapted it to fit my wants.

 

I made this quilt totally scrappy. I used bits and pieces of many different fabrics.

One of the most important blocks, of course, is the baby Jesus laying in the manger.

This was a fun quilt to make and one of my first attempts at machine applique. I also used my embroidery machine to add the "words" of Christmas--Joy, Peace. Love, Grace, Hope, Joy, Mercy and Kindness.

These pictures were from last year, as I have put them out for the holiday season yet.

Be sure to drop by SewCalGal to see other great holiday quilts.

Happy snipping, stitching, and quilting!

It's A Finish

. . . except for the label.

 Putting labels on quilts is a habit I have not developed. In fact, of all the quilts I have made and given away, I have only put labels on two of them. The one I gave to Kelsey for Christmas a couple of years ago and the one I gave to Becca (Craig's girlfriend). I only put one on Becca's because she brought it back to me and demanded it.

Anyway, the latest baby quilt is complete. I left it very simple. And the label is machine embroidered and only needs sewed on. (I think I like machine embroidering them.) I guess because I can play as I design them.

Thanks to all of you who wished me well on my surgery. It's always nice to know there are people who care. 

Happy snipping, stitching, and quilting!

Successful Surgery

Well, the surgery went well. They were able to take a series of pictures of my throat and did not see any further blockage so I guess the first sugery where they snipped and took the biopsy worked.

They called in a Ears, Nose and Throat specialist from Children's Hospital (one of the best) and he assisted and took all of the pictures. After talking to him for about 10 minutes he was able to sum up exactly what I felt was happening in my throat. He also thinks, along with my UAMS doctor, that I have acid reflux without any of the normal pain that goes with it. He also asked if I had any food allergies. And when I told him I the symptoms were worse when eating creamy foods, he suggested milk. That is what I was afraid of, but I was allergy tested 6 years ago and only allergic to potatoes and dust mites.  Do you know how many foods have milk products in them?

They are going to schedule me for a CAT scan of the neck and throat area to be sure there is not any other causes and then do a consultation for further treatment.

I feel like they are finally making some headway to my problems. I'm hoping that in another month, I'll have a treatment and be able to jog for a mile without problems.

Thanks for all of your thoughts and prayers.

I'm taking a sick day today and recover but feel like I has a low grade fever. So, I may not be able to sneak in the sewing I wanted to.

Happy snipping, stitching, and sewing.

Here We Go Again

Remember last month when I went to have a procedure done on my throat and they had to abort. Well, my doctor from UAMS called Friday afternoon. I was surprised when he called and not his nurse. But, I think it was because as he looked through my file he found out they had not called me within 72 hours of the last procedure to check on me and they had not called me to set up the followup surgery for 2 to 3 weeks.

After each procedure, the release orders say they will call me to reschedule, but so far they still haven't. I always end up calling them. I am no longer upset by this. It has just become the way it works. I keep telling Larry that I think they forget me.

Anyway he proceeded to tell me that the procedure would be this Wednesday morning--first thing. Which in this case meant be there at 5 a.m.  Which means leaving home at 3:00 a.m.  I am a little nervous but glad to have a date set and get it over with.

Say a prayer for me that everything is successful this time.

Happy snipping, stitching, and sewing!

A Little on the Lazy Side

I took Sunday off. Literally, I did nothing. I got up and attended Mass with Larry. After I got home I sat on the couch and read from this book.

It has three books in one book. I think I have read the last story before but I'm not sure. I'll find out when I get there.

Larry and I sat down and watched Harry Potter and the Goblets of Fire. We are re-watching them because the final one comes out on Nov. 19 and we are planning to go. If I don't re-watch the old ones, it takes me about 30 minutes of the movie to remember what happened and figure out what is going on. Ok, ok. Really, I will sit there and keep asking Larry questions about what is going on until he gets upset with me and tells me to be quiet.

And tomorrow, (Monday evening) I will finish the baby quilt. Yeah, we'll see.

Happy snipping, stitching, and quilting.

Sometimes . . .

things just don't work out as planned. I planned to have the green and blue baby quilt finished on Friday. Didn't happen. Then I planned to have it completed by Saturday night. Didn't happen. It's close though.

Just some straight line quilting on the whole thing. Easy and simple.

Hopefully, I'll finish it today. But I'm not promising.

Happy snipping, stitching, and quilting.

So I Thought

. . . I would be finished with this flimsy by now.

But it has been slow going. Why? I don't really know. Maybe keeping a neat sewing area would help. Nope, probably not. Maybe staying off of the internet and not looking at blogs. But, then I wouldn't know what everyone else out there is doing.

No, really I could have finished it. The borders were cut and pieced. They only needed stitched together. But, low and behold, for some reason I was short 4 blocks for the border. Hmmm. I thought I counted them twice. Apparently not. But then again, one night when I was sewing, I just knew a couple of pieces fell off of my sewing table, but I couldn't find them anywhere. So I cut new pieces and a week later I found the pieces. They had fallen off the back of my sewing cabinet and onto a shelf. Do you think I might find the missing border pieces when I clean up my mess. Now, that is totally possible.

All of the embroidery is complete and at this time I feel that the 10 inch blue blocks need some applique. The quilt is for a baby boy. Any suggestion of something I could applique inside the blue blocks? I'm thinking of simple applique -- a different one for each block.

I will persevere and complete the flimsy tomorrow night. And I will complete the whole thing by Sunday evening. We'll see!!!!

Hapy snipping, stitching, and quilting.

Latest Discovery

I always say I learn something new with every quilt I make. If you have been following my blog at all you know that we've had 4 babies born on my husband's side of the family in the past year. So I have been making personalized baby quilts all summer.

I'm fairly new to machine embroidery and know very little about it. So when the embroidery on my last few quilts seemed to pinch up around the monogram, I emailed CJ of Created by CJ to ask for her opinion as to why this was happening. She suggested that maybe I was not stabilizing enough. So tonight, when I set up to embroidery the first block for the latest baby quilt, I made sure to use extra layers of stabilizer. And guess what? It worked.

The fabric is laying flat all around the embroidery. Thanks CJ. Can't wait to see what else I learn while making this quilt.

Happy snipping, stitching, and quilting.