Thursday, May 30, 2013

Oklahoma Tornado Relief...Moore Love...


 
 
 
This morning I was reading through my little blog list,
 
and on Cluck Cluck Sew's blog she mentioned
the efforts underway to help out in the
tornado ravaged areas of Moore Oklahoma.
This cause is dear to us as my daughter
and her family are in Stillwater, O.K.
Thankfully they were not affected, but if they had been
I would have been greatly comforted to know my fellow
quilty bloggers were in our corner...
Here's how you can help.
 
 
The Oklahoma City Modern Quilt Guild is taking quilt donations
for those affected by the tornados.
 
Please  visit their website for more info
if you have any quilts you’d like to send!
 
 
Have a great Thursday Everyone!
 
 
 


Wednesday, May 29, 2013

29 years and counting...

 
I have a sweet friend in East Texas...
She and I have known each other since we were 19 yrs young.
She is as bright as sunshine.

 
The mama of three of her own
 but make no mistake -
She has mama'd a lot more...

 
Sew...I am making her some love for her birthday this year...
and sending it all the way from my hometown of
Sugar Land.

 
 
In the past 29 years...
We have welcomed each other's little babies,
weathered profound losses,
and cared for aging parents.
but we have also...
 
ROCKED 
swimsuits in her backyard
and shocked pizza delivery guys too!
(shhhh....don't tell!)
 
It sure has gone by fast.
and now...
 
GRANDBABIES!!!!
(She has 8 9 no less!...I think...?)
 
I could never tell you here what she has meant to me.
But she knows.



Sew...each piece is enveloped in memories
and my stitches are wrapped in prayer
for 29 MORE years
with my sweet friend...
 


 
Now, until it arrives...
I hope you aren't sitting on too many....
 
hehehehe


 
I love you Carrie.
Happy Birthday!

Sunday, May 19, 2013

A little fabric gardening...

 Finding time to actually blog these days has become difficult, but it's because every free non-family moment I have i try to spend in the studio...
When you have small children or grand children in your home, work full-time, have a ranch to work on the weekend, the time is just gone...

So...late night sewing is my routine now...and I really don't mind...but my little blog has suffered for sure...i try to make up for it over on  Instagram...it's instant gratification... I hope you will come see me here in between your visits here at the blog...

Moving on....

This was a little free sewing I started this week. I love Sweetwater fabric so...

What started out as just three strips of fabric sewn together in blocks has turned into this...


I had some rearranging to do, but I was liking how this  little flower was turning out...



I did have a finish...this was the product of some late night sewing...remember?








Well, that is it for today...but I will be back this week! What are you all working on these days?

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Mixin it up

 
 I have always been a HUGE fan of Michele May and her site Raspberry Rabbits...
but I finally decided to dive in and try doing some stitching on fabric and wool.
My little grandbaby H's room is getting a little makeover.
Perfect chance to try something I created.
 
I sat down and drew something out...something very familiar.
 
 
 
I decided it didn't have to be perfect...
and I found the perfect wools and fabrics to use.


 
In a couple of hours, I had it all laid out and
began to do a little quilting...
I don't know what it is, but this has become
my favorite part!

 
I love how it is turning out!
I have decided to use the only fabric that
made sense to back this...
(not just because I collect this word...)

 
and rather than bind it with binding,
I am going to just fold it over and
"pretend" bind it.
It looked so preeeety...
 
 
 
It's fun working on things for this baby's room...
I mean seriously...he's laughing all the time!
 
WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!
 

 
 
 
 

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Just plain good stuff...

 
Two years ago, my friend Patty and her sweet mama...
bought me the vinyl letters that read
Welcome to the Ranch...
This weekend...I finally worked on
getting those letters on an appropriate board...
I have to say, that was a really fun project!
Just a little unused board, a little left over paint
and a sheet of sand paper...
Wah - Lah!
 
 
MOOOO-ving on....
This is my little ranch buddy...
Chocolat...
She seriously follows me everywhere.
She was given to me by a fellow rancher last year.
She had a sister too...that I named Fudge.
They jumped the fence in another pasture
and came home only to have two little
calves last Spring.
 
***
SPOILER ALERT
***
get tissues...
I lost little Fudge last summer.
 
I cried and cried...
 
But Chocolat has raised Fudge's little baby just fine...
 
 
But now, my little MooMoos are no longer little...
 
 
 
I think they each weigh in at about 700 lbs each.
WOWZERS!
You can tell them to get out of my back yard if you want to.
NOT ME!
 
 
 
When we go to the ranch, we always end up having to
go by Lowes...My sweet man gets all the non-essential
house building things...pish posh!
Us girls know what is REALLY important!!!!
One of those Magos has a tutorial on how
to make antique WIRE BASKETS!
Yes Patty...you won't share, so I will
make my own!
(*wink*)
 
 
 
Here's some more weekend progress!
all hand sewn...WHEW!
not too shabby...hehehe
 
I am half way done with the top...just 7 more rows to go!
(and I swear the bag is just magically
refilling as I try to empty it!)
 
 
 
And...last but NO WHERE CLOSE TO BEING LEAST...
I got these lovely goodies in the mail from
 
Those fabrics are from line called
"I like you"  by Windham Fabrics...
 
those others goodies are just some wonderful
little surprises Madam Samm slipped in my
package for fun...
AGAIN.
 
WOWZERS!
 
I hope your week is off to a good start...
sew...what do you see being made
from that lovely fabric???
 
 
 
 

Friday, February 15, 2013

Back to work I go...




This week has been filled with new beginnings...
After being laid off last month i have to say i
was really disappointed. I asked the Lord
to give opportunities that would not only
fit me but would be long term.
It took three weeks...
but He did it!
I started this week and it has been such a good fit!
I am so thankful.

The time off was good as well...i was able to
finish a lot of UFOs and start a little
hand work. My scrap bag full of pre-cut
squares and i decided to just dive in!

My little quilt top is about half way done...
but oh my....i love the quiet time it allows me.


Friday, February 8, 2013

Friday and a long overdue finish!





































Over a year ago, one of my family members gave me an antique quilt top to finish. It was her MIL's and was in dire need of attention and reworking. This top was over 70 years old, made of clothes fabrics and what looked to be appliqued on cheesecloth or those old flour sacks...at any rate, it was terribly delicate.

Add to that the cigarette smoke damage and finger pricked stains...well, you get the idea.
I had to take it apart and replace the old yellowed batting, make a new backing material and then quilt and bind it.

Fear is a powerful thing. I began the quilt a long time ago, and even featured it here...but when I hit a rock in the road...or should I say a kink in the quilting, I stopped...stumped at what to do next. I didn't want to take it all apart and risk damaging the top...

 

 
Forward to an email I received to prompt me back into action....that was two weeks ago.
I gathered my courage and went at it again. I did have to remove the bottom half of the quilting and rework the blocks (the material was what caused the wrinkle in the first place) and carefully put them all back together so they would line up with the top of the quilt.

 



Anyway, you again...get the idea. Some 20 hours later, I had finished the quilt and have sent it on its way....
WHEW!
This is that lovely top, all quilted and hopefully reworked for another 70 years....


 


 


 

 
Happy Friday!!!!

Monday, February 4, 2013

We have a Winner...

 
YAY!!!
 
Here is our Dare To Dresden
Wrought Iron Stand Winner!!!
 
 
#153
 
"How sweet and so creative,
I just loved your little bunnies (the real one too).
I also liked your tablerunner/wallhanging,
it does look like a fence at the ranch."
 
Sandra,
Please send me your snail mail address
and I will mail off your stand TODAY!!!!
 
CONGRATULATIONS!!!
 
 
and....
 
THANK YOU EVERYONE
for all the sweet comments and
for entering!
 
I wish I could send one to all of you!!!
 
 

 
 
P.S.
 
My little Bunny Girl Won
in the Dare to Dresden Blog HOP!!!
 
Thanks to all of you!!!!
 
This is what I won....
 
 
 
It's called "I like you" from Windham Fabrics!
 
Madame Sam and our wonderful
cheerleader Christine did a fantastic job
and made this hop so much fun!!!
 
Happy Monday EVERYONE!!!!
 
 
 
 


Friday, February 1, 2013

Friday Fabrics and a new mago...

 
 
Happy Friday everyone!
With all the fun this past week or so with
the Dresden Blog Hop, these little
fabrics have been patiently awaiting
my return to them...
 
and with the addition of my new
mago from JoAnn's Fabrics yesterday...
I know EXACTLY how this is going to turn out!


 
I mean seriously, could you NOT pick up a Quilty mago that
had something featured by Jacquie Gering???
 
I didn't think so...
 
 
A special THANK YOU for everyone that has
visited the blog this week and been
so sweet with all your comments on this little girl...
 
ing
 
I can't tell you how surprised I was that
you all loved her! I made her on a whim
for the Dresden Blog Hop...
 
Thank you!
This is also a reminder to enter
my giveaway in case you haven't yet!

 
Here's to wishing you all a GREAT weekend!



Thursday, January 31, 2013

Dare to Dresden Day Six!!! GIVEAWAY REMINDER!

 
 
 
 
 
Well! Hasn't this been a really fun hop?
Madame Sam and Christine of
have done a WONDERFUL JOB!
 
Today is the last day... (*sniff, sniff*)
But we have saved the best for last!
So HOP IN!
 
Don't forget to go and get in on my GIVEAWAY!
You will not want to miss it!!!!!
I will be choosing a winner on Monday!
 
Have a wonderful weekend!
 
January 31th, 2013


A few years back...3 maybe?

 A little over 3 years ago, our little quilt shop grew up. We moved to a larger space and hired more employees. So much has happened in thos...