Friday, October 31, 2008

Happy Halloween!


Happy Halloween!! Here is to hopeing that you all have a good day! Today is the day that all mothers of teenagers and older think to themselves where has all the time gone?? Was it just yesterday that I was making that green Power Ranger costume for the boy?? How about fixing those fairy wings for your daughter because her brother smashed them??
My youngest child was always quite diffrent on Halloween as she was the one chaseing all the other little kids with a rubber snake. She has always liked Halloween. Starting with last Halloween she started doing things without her mother as all children do. They grow up.
Now here I am sitting here pulling memories out of the past, and wondering: Where did all the time go??
My Son is in his last year of high school. My middle child in her junior year has a football game she will be at. The youngest daughter has plans with out me. *SIGH*
Maybe the old man will take me on a hayride tonight............................
Looking towards the future........The grandkids! (It had better be the distant future!)
Here is to hoping that every one has a happy and safe Halloween tonight and many more!!!
TTFN

Thursday, October 30, 2008

Ati's Magic Moments

Okay, Here it is, TA-DA! The end of the Magic Moments RR. For me anyway. I have finished my work on Ati's block. Even though this RR had hit a few snags, I had a wonderful time! I loved working on so many different themes. It is RR's like this that really develop your skills and imagination!

Here is the block that I did for Ati:


This the nerve racking part of an RR. The hope that the person that you stitched the block for likes it. As before with all the other blocks that I stitched on I scanned over all the blocks. A look at the eye candy for all of my non-CQI friends. Here they are:













These blocks are stitched on by Cobi, Simona, Laurie, and Leslie. Following up these talented ladies again is a challenge. I am hoping that they had as much fun as I did in this RR.
Now on to other things.
TTFN








Sunday, October 26, 2008

Magic Moments Cobi's Block

I have finished Cobi's block for the Magic Moments DYB RR. This is the second RR that I have had Cobi in with this theme. Her theme is India. I know that with the scanner you don't get a real good picture of the block that I did but I will blame it on the inspiration button. You do get a good picture of that! In searching for a starting place for this block I was digging through all of my beads. In one of my bead bottles I found vintage buttons that I had purchased. I thought "maybe there is something here." I opened the bottle and "WOW" I found this button. Paisleys, Cobi likes paisleys. Then the thought for the design was born.
Here it is the finished block:



Now before anyone asks, I will answer the question of what I uses to stitch this block. I had pulled out beads and buttons and all of my metallic threads. I could not find my gold. I thought that I needed to stick with the gold theme running through the blocks so Friday I went to my favorite quilt and needle works shop. They were having a sale. A going broke sale for Lyn! I bought this really great Rainbow Gallery ribbon. Of which I used on Cobi's block.
Now the reason I say a going broke sale is because I bought all the colors and types of this ribbon that they had for a dollar a card! Yes! One dollar a card! I told you it was a sale! Now I have new ribbons to play with!
Here is a picture of the gold so that y'all know what I am talking about:
Now a surprise as with Simona's blocks for all of my non-CQI friends so that y'all can see the wonderful work done in this RR I scanned over the other blocks for y'all to see. These blocks were done by Leslie, Simona, and Lauri. The only one that I don't have is the one that Gerry worked on and y'all can see that one on her blog http://olderrose.blogspot.com .










As y'all can see following these talented ladies up is a challenge indeed! So these will be off after I finish Ati's Magic Moments block. I am almost sad to see this RR end as it has been an inspiration for my own work! Well back to stitching!
TTFN


Trading Cards

As most know I work nights. On the weekends I try to be a normal person and stay up days so that I can spend the time with my children. Well, the girls now as my son works to save money for his college. Of which he will be attending next fall. Where does the time go??
This past Friday was homecoming. So...........that meant no sleep before the game. Yesterday when I got home from my meeting of The Lost Pines Crazy Quilters I sat down in bed and worked on Cobi's RR block and fell fast to sleep. I don't know what time I went to sleep but I do know that I woke up at 2 am this morning!
When you wake up like that you always ask yourself : What do I do now?? Well, that is what I do as I occasionally do, do this. SSSSoooooo........
I answered email and sent some, then started cleaning my desk and behold what I found. HIDDEN TREASURES!!!!!

























Trading cards!!
Now how many of us do that?? You know come home and put things down in a "safe place" and forget about them?? Or how about cant find them?? Then two or three or maybe five years down the road find them again?? It is like you know----hidden treasure!!
I bought these on one of my binges in an antique store. I think that it was an antique mall that I spend lots of time and money in.
I must have thought at the time that these would make great silkies. You know why?? I am thinking that now! Y'all know how a great mind thinks, don't y'all.
I just thought that I would share this. I am off to finish cleaning my desk so I can get back to stitching.
TTFN

Friday, October 24, 2008

Simona's Magic Moments DYB RR Block

The Magic Moments RR started out as an Any Thing Goes DYB(do your own block). A few months back it hit a snag as one of our Crazy Quilting sisters had a tragedy in her family.

Sharon, if you are reading this I hope that you are doing fine. We miss you!

I received Simona's, Cobi's and Ati's from Leslie our RR Angel. I started with Simona's block as she was next in the stitching line.

Simona pieced her six blocks in beautiful pastel colors with bunny fabric in the middle of the block. She used cotton fabric, as she wants these blocks made into a quilt for her cute little girl, Sirie. The stipulations for these blocks were no buttons, beads or other things that could choke a baby. With these conditions in mind I chose a block to stitch. Since, I use only hand dyed, over dyed, and other speciality threads, I pulled out my cotton perle. The cotton perle will be color fast, where the others would run all over the fabric.

Looking at the other blocks and trying to make mine fit in with them. I started stitching. I just went around the seams within the fabric piece. I experimented with stitch variations and building onto the stitch.

Here is the block that I stitched on:





I tried to keep everything as "child Like" as possible. I made a scene in which it looked like a little girl drew the house and trees with the field. The little flower motif I wanted it to look like something that a little girl would color in a color book. Of course I had to monogram it with a little S for, Sirie. My favorite seam treatment is the one on the green fabric piece next to the rabbits. A lazy daisy stitch with a fly stitch. Yes, I made those carrots! I told my daughter that I need to remember to do this stitch again!

For my non-CQI friends and other curious, inquisitive minds. I have a surprise for you! I scanned over to my computer the blocks already done so y'all also could see what works of art that they are!

The top two are stitched by Leslie, and the bottom one with the CUTE angel was stitched by Laurie. I don't mind telling y'all that these two are a hard act to follow!







I am starting to stitch on Cobi's blocks. I should have them up in the next few days or so........




TTFN

Thursday, October 23, 2008

Kerry's Pin Keeper

Here it is. The pin keeper we have all been waiting for! Kerry's beautiful in blue pin keeper. The USPS pulls it through again! The pin keeper is just beautiful! As y'all can see my camera is on the fritz again, so the scanner to the rescue! I am going to swap these out and they all will be in the mail tomorrow going to their new owners. If all the ladies were not sitting on pins and needles before they will now! Just waiting for their treasures coming in the mail!


Here are the pictures of this wonderful pin keeper:





TTFN

Monday, October 20, 2008

Block Number Three From Scenes

Well here it is, block number three for my under the sea crazy quilt Seanes. I am working on number four. It is almost done but right now I am working on the Magic Moments RR blocks. I am trying to finish one to get out into the mail tomorrow. I cannot wait to show this block as it is mostly seam embellishment. I will post the block as soon as it is finished.



TTFN

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Finished Christmas Orniments

Okay, here they are!! All four Christmas orniments finished and ready to be sent to Nevada! I really like how these orniments turned out! I think that I will make more for my tree. Maybe in diffrent colors!

I hope that who ever winds up with these will like and enjoy them for years to come!





Well off to finish other things!!
TTFN

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Sneak Peak


I am giving everyone a sneak preview of the Christmas orniments that I am making for the Christmas orniment swap that Lisa DuCoing is holding. This is one of four that I have been working on for the past couple of days. I am hopeing to have them done by Thursday. Because I have another project to finish!
TTFN

Saturday, October 11, 2008

Asian Nights RR--Sossity's Block

Whew, what a week! This week I worked on Sossity's Asian Nights block. This block is a warm brown and cream block. Cobi had it first you can see her beautiful purple peacock, and wonderful crocheted motif that she added to the block.

When I got the block I wanted to ponder what the block wanted on it. Once I decided that a Geisha silkie was needed on it it got real easy. The block Started speaking to me.
I tried to make everything look as "Asian" as possible. Sossity made most of her block with brocade and in this brocade are very wonderful colors. Pinks, blues and lavenders. I tried to play off these colors. I also tried to follow suit with Cobi's jewel colors. The pink flowers that I have on the Geisha patch I wanted to make look like butterflies, as that pretty patch has nothing but butterflies on it!
The plain brown patch that I worked on, I put a branch of silk flowers. I had seen this motif on an Asian fan and thought that it would work well on this block.
The floss that I used on this block came from Weeks dye Works. I used the colors of Envy, Azaleas, Mermaid, Sweetheart Rose and Rose Quartz. The silk ribbon came from Thread Works.
Off to work on my Christmas Ornaments!!
TTFN

Sunday, October 5, 2008

"Catch My Star" Winner

The first "Catch My Star" winner is ..........Big Drum Roll.......................................Leslie Ehrlich! Leslie, was the first to answer all four questions right! Her answers were: Bill of Divorcement, Topper, Wizard of Oz, and Ziegfield Follies.

Her prize is a replica silkie of Billie Burke(that I am going to print up), and a squishie. Billie Burke is the most famous of the actresses that I had found.

Other things that I found out about her besides she has a ton of movies and Broadway shows that she had played in is as follows.

She was born Mary William Ethelbert Appleton "Billie" Burke on Augest 7, 1884. She was married to Florenz Ziegfield Jr. Both her and her husband lost thir money during the stock market crash in the 1920's, That facilitated her come back to the film world inBill of Divorcement, where she played Katherine Hepburns mother in the film. Her husband passed away while she was making this film. She had only one oscar nomination and it was from the film Merrily We Live.

I have enjoyed learning about her life and career very much. I just hadent relized that she played in films that I absolutly enjoy to watch. Now I am going to watch for her every time I sit down to watch the classic film channel!

Next month I will put up another actress. Be ready the other ladies are not as easy as our Billie Burke!

TTFN

"Catch My Star" Blog Teaser

I am going to start in the the new year a new CQ. I should have "Seanes" finished in the next couple of months. So I decided to have a Contest every month up to the day that I start my quilt. As I stated in an earlier post I had the opportunity to obtain some really great cigarette silks. I found quite a few and a set of actresses were some that I found. I know that there are more actresses out there on cigarette silks but these are the ones that I am working with. Although I would like to find more!
I have not figured out if I really want to use the real silks in the quilt our if I will copy them to silk sheets and use the copies. I think that, that will be a decision when I get to the piecing stage of my quilt.
My actress quilt will be named "Catch My Star". Of course I have many ideas going around in my head for this CQ!
Now to the fun part of my post.............................
Here is the first actress, she should be real easy so I don't want the Teaser answers to be easy!
In the bio that I found on her it had said that she died in 1970 of a dementia thought to be Alzheimer's. I thought after we had Alzheimer's awareness day that she should go first.
The Actress that we are talking about.............
Billie Burke
Since this actress is really well know I would like these four questions answered to win the Teaser!
  1. What film was her Hollywood come back?(Hint it was Kathrine Hepburn's debut film.)
  2. What great series of films did she play in where Carey Grant was a ghost??
  3. Okay, Okay, What film did she work in starring Judy Garland?
  4. I do not want to forget about her Broadway career! Name a famous play that she was in?

I hope that y'all have fun with this set of Teasers! I had fun learning about the ladies whose pictures I will be working with in my CQ!

The winner of this Teaser will win a squishie and a replica silky of the actress.

TTFN

Saturday, October 4, 2008

Gail's Pin Keepers

Today in the mail I received Gail's wonderful pin keepers! They are beautiful! The colors that she used in them are very striking!

The above pin keepers have colors that just draw the eye. Just so wonderfully feminine! Her stitching is just beautiful. She has layered seam treatments on both pin keepers!
The above pin keeper has some wonderful earth tones! the brown on this one reminds you of chocolate!
Who ever gets these beauties is going to love them!
TTFN

From A Football Game

Bastrop High School vs. Pflugerville Conley High School



Here are my youngest daughter and her friend, also my adopted daughter. I took this picture just as we got to the game. Silly girls took off after that as if I had deodorant trouble. HHHHMMMM, maybe I need to change it???







Their team. My son called during warm up and asked to call him with the first score of the game. He was unable to attend the game as he had to work. He is a CNA at Bastrop Nursing Center.




The Bastrop Bears warming up.
This game was game of the week on one of the local channels so the whole game was being filmed.
I am so glad that I had free night time and weekend minuets on my phone as my son kept calling. It seemed that the residents of the nursing home wanted play by play information from some one at the game!
Bastrop made the first score of the game. That is the only time that we scored. when the game ended that score was 7-17 Conley.
My son was telling me that Conley has the fastest team in the district this season. I must tell you that these guy's are fast!
The Half Time Show
Of course I personally think that it stars my darling daughter is the star!
Pflugerville's band. They really looked sharp on the field. As proud as I am of my daughter and her band, I really have to say that ALL these kids, theirs and ours, put in allot of their time for their show. You can tell as they looked real good on the field.
Their color guard. These kids were dressed in purple. On the field they became bats. Okay, okay, it looked cool!
Their band had a majorette. She was really good. Where is our majorette you might say?? Well, we don't have one. And why do you ask?? Well I just don't know.
Our band! These kids have really done well under the direction of Mr. Lang. This band director has come into a school and took over from a string of band directors that really didn't care and made a big visible change! He can go down in the books as one of the best band directors!
Here is my beautiful daughter waiting with the color guard to go out on the field.
Okay, as I have said on MY blog she is the star of the show! Here she is during one of her solo's.
Alright! I know enough pictures of Stephanie! I just want every one to know that I am proud!
So, I will end this post with Lora and Alexis mugging for the camera. I think that they need to go to bed!
TTFN

Thursday, October 2, 2008

And Here Is Some More Pin Keepers

This week has been a trial at work. I thought that I gave my lead position back but found out this week that they can pull it out of moth balls! I have been working more than humanly possible, you know with work and mom's taxi service!

It has been a blessing hosting the PK swap for CQI, the thought of getting one of those beauties in the mail to drool over first gets me through the nights! Three more BEAUTIFUL pin keepers have arrived!






Connie Kalina's, beautiful pin keeper arrived today! Isn't it just beautiful! The colors are positively cheerful!! The stitching is just sssoooo, wonderful!









Both sides have beautiful stitching. Cobi, I cannot wait to get your DYB blocks as there is a stitch on this wonderful PK that I am going to use!! Looks very Indian to me!










Mary Lear's, Pin Keepers arrived also. Ladies the shoe!!! Awesome!! Now how many of y'all wish for this PK?? You know that the fun part of y'all hope to get this shoe!!












Of course Mary's stitching is as beautiful as ever! Just beautiful!












For all the pastel buffs out there here is the pin keeper for you!! Mary's stitching mirrors the gold in this fabric. I hope that the picture picks up the effect as it is just striking!












Here is the flip side, of Mary's PK. Mary's stitching goes so well with the gold lines in this fabric. I love to look at it! Just a wonderful stitch design! (Yes, I cannot say enough about Mary's stitching! You have got to see how well the stitching and fabric go together!)




All of the pin keeps have been so well done! The stitching is beautiful! I cannot wait to drool over more!! Then I get to send them out to their new owners to drool over! Now what will tomorrow bring in the mail........................




TTFN