The annual Memorial Day planting...

Kinda crazy to think that at the beginning of the month, this is what our yard looked like!!!!!! (picture taken May 7th)

And now, we're in our skimpies, planting the garden....
yeah, yeah....someone snapped a pic of me in my pre-training mode!!!! Pay no attention to that pudge in the front stomach area!!! LOL....Oh, gosh----a picture is worth a thousands words.

Trying something new this year!

NO!!! LOL.....we're not planting milk cartons!!!!! Rather, we are making mini-greenhouses to see if our tomato seedlings do better than in years past. Usually, we lose half the seedlings once they graduate to the outside garden. Those in the picture aren't even all of our plants.....we ran out of cartons! So, we've kept some inside yet in case some of these need to be replaced...

Before we could finish completely planting the garden, WE (ummmm.......okay.....THE KIDS AND DH) had to round up the 19 meat birds we've been raising and housing in the garden.....

yeah...remember these guys 10 weeks ago:

Now, at the ripe ol' age of 10 weeks, they are about to meat, er.....meet their maker!
But until we actually get around to that (this weekend maybe???), we chucked 'em over the fence to the other little pen.

Cassie was our chicken-catching PRO! She has TWO birds in her arms in this pic, delivering them to Dad.....

LOL....See Candace? Dad put her on "keep-the-chicks-in-the-area" patrol, weilding the big green leaf rake....


.............

If I had the camera in my hands right now, you would see the three girls horsing around on the living room floor, watching a Harry Potter movie. And DH......CRASHED OUT on the sofa!

Me---well, duh! Typing on the keyboard, decked out in my softball outfit. I need to head out a bit after 8:00 for a 9:00 softball game tonight. Even Memorial Day can't keep the athletes at bay!

Happy Monday!

Monday - noon update

Okay---super quick update while lunch is cooking

Judy is having a June Mystery (see previous posts). The other day I started sorting through my stash, and I couldn't do much of anything today until I chose my fabrics----they were all over (on the cutting board and ironing board).
At first, I couldn't decide if I wanted to use light colors (left) as Judy's recommended colors, or to use the browns (right).

Yeah---the colors were winning to me....but then I didn't feel there was enough contrast between the dark and medium pinks I choose. I found had this PERFECT dark pink that would have been ideal, but only 3/4 yard :0(

So, I pulled this brown-------hey :0) I like it! This way, I still got my brown in the quilt :0)


Then I moved onto the project of the morning. MONTHS and MONTHS ago, I signed up for a "Too Good to Cut Challenge" (see left side bar.) It was time to FINALLY cut into the fabrics....
organized

the fabric line used...

all fabs cut (with my L-n-E project pictured upper left)

the first piecing.......and, ummm......cutting too fast?????

the status at the start of lunch.....

but I couldn't stop there, so I zipped them through the machine, piecing the next step before running upstairs at mach speed.



So, lunch is on the table and then it's time to get outside to enjoy the weather.......

Memorial Monday

8:00 am -- and I don't want to spend much time on the computer this morning....

we arrived back from the farm yesterday afternoon at 1:00, had a super quick bite to eat as a family, and then went outside straight away! Hubby started rowing up the garden, and I went to mow down by our apple trees. We haven't mowed there yet this year (OOPS!) and the weeds are as tall as I AM!!!! NO lie!!!!!

When we moved in 6 years ago, DH planted 4 apple trees, and the year after that, he planted 8 more. The first 4 are doing good and we hope to get some apples this year (good amount of blossoms were spied) :0) However, the other 8 haven't fared well and I had ALLLLL intentions of removing the posts and chicken wire that have been protecting them from deer and just leveling the area after pulling the dead trees.

Gosh---I wish I would have thought of taking pictures. Imagine my surprise when I started sifting through the weeds to find some small (and some NOT so small) sprouts of branches coming off the main "stem". ALL BUT ONE is still alive----they may be small, but definitely alive! Maybe by the time the girls graduate, we'll actually have a good orchard of apple trees.... ;0)


Anyway, I truly digressed! I didn't plan to blog about my apple trees....

By 8:00 last night, DH and I finally hung up our gardening gloves, with about 75% of the garden planted. I know I need to get my butt outside again today (another GORGEOUS day forecasted by our buddy Ian -- one goofy meteorologist on a local Twin Cities station). BUT

I want to sew today!!!!

What do I want to sew???

NO IDEA!!!!

But I want to sew!!!!

DH has a client meeting at 9:00, so I plan to sew, sew, sew until he returns.

I know, I know.....kinda stupid! I should be outside during the cooler morning hours....but.....


welll, duh! I'm preaching to the choir! You all "get it." When a lady needs to sew, SHE NEEDS TO SEW!

Happy Monday!

Pictures next time, I promise!

JUNE BOM- POSTED (updated)

BLOCKS POSTED!

Amy's BOM

June blocks:

Cobwebs (1.1. MB PDF file)
{{those things that MANY of us need to start cleaning out now that summer vacation is finally nearing!!!}}

Constellation (706 KB PDF file)
{{with summer finally here, the skies are filllled with beautiful stars that can be enjoyed with the warmer temperatures}}

County Fair (1.4 MB PDF file)
{{yeah, a bit early for this one, but there may be SOME county fairs around the country??? Most of Wisconsin's county fairs are in the fall}}

I WON!!!

LOL.....no, I didn't win this machine. THAT would truly be one amazing price!!
Lori (oodles of noodles) was hosting a Name my machine contest. I submitted Lady Chloe', and it earned me a $10.00 gift certificate to http://www.thousandsofbolts.com/. So, you are looking at a picture of Lady Chloe'!


YIPEEEEEEEEE!

I was just shuffling through my stash last night to see if I had enough yardage for Judy's Memorial Day Challenge quilt (see previous post). Now, I'll search for some fabric with the certificate :0)

THANKS LORI!!!!!!!!!!

Two Mysteries and a Challenge!

I know some of you like Mystery Quilts, so I thought I'd pass on some mysteries and challenges that I have come across in the past couple of days.....


One is a by Nancy who heads up the QOV QuiltMystery Yahool group: QOV Mystery. If you decide to join, check out the FILES section; all files are linked in the Mystery 22 CLUES folder :0) I think I'll be jumping on board. It's a fast moving mystery; one clue every week. If you can't keep up, be sure to print out the clues because the clues are removed shortly after the reveal!


Another is being organized by Judy @ Patchworktimes. Well, first, let me inform you that she has TWO irons in the fire for us right now-------she is giving steps every day this week leading into a Memorial Day Challenge quilt, hoping to bring in some QOV donations.
She is also organizing a June Mystery. (Link takes you to the overall mystery information). She has already posted Fabric Requirements and Cutting Instructions.
Take a look at her right side-bar; she has her "June Mystery" and "Memorial Day Challenge" information listed nicely as links.

I may just have to print out instructions right now for all of these and then skip into high gear once school is out!!! Two more weeks....

Giveaway winners...

Strings Winner: Karen @ Stitching Circle (thanks to her 5 entries for her oath to the QOV!) ;0)














Crumb winner: Gerrie Carlisle, who didn't have a blog link, but supplied an email address.










Thank you all who tried your luck at the giveaway. Really---for me, the crumbs would just have been tossed :0(, and the strings...well....the drawer never would have shut again.

Happy Sunday!

"Another Person's Trash" giveaway: Crumbs

yup---perfect name!!!!

Most of my blog followers know (and idolize??) the name Bonnie K. Hunter. The woman is amazing and her Scrap User's System, Leaders-n-Enders, and all the other tips, patterns and suggestions on her Quiltville website have taken my quilting to a COMPLETE new level (back in 2008!!!!)

So.......
Cookie crumbs
Bar crumbs
and even bread crumbs.....
love 'em all!

I had HOPED to fall in love with Fabric Crumbs too, but.....this is one relationship that just wasn't meant to be.


I have dutifully been tossing all my "crumbs" into this tattered ol' shoe box for one distant day in the future when the relationship would finally be consumated.

Ummmmm........
ain't happening!

I have all shapes and sizes in here. MUCH of the bottom half consists of pieces smaller than 1.5" square, but bigger than 1/2" pieces. {{{The smallest pieces that I keep are 1.5" squares, anything smaller----into the box it goes!}}}
BUT, for about the last half year, I've gotten lazy! I haven't been cutting down some of my larger scraps...
...so there is probably half of this box filled with larger scraps (NOT what I would consider crumbs}


"One person's trash is another person's treasure"....
....if this is your treasure, let me know!

The rules are simple----just leave me a comment!

I'll draw Sunday evening. Please be sure I have a way to contact you! ;0)

Be sure to check out my String Giveaway.

"Another Person's Trash" giveaway: Strings

yup---perfect name!!!!

Most of my blog followers know (and idolize??) the name Bonnie K. Hunter. The woman is amazing and her Scrap User's System, Leaders-n-Enders, and all the other tips, patterns and suggestions on her Quiltville website have taken my quilting to a COMPLETE new level (back in 2008!!!!)

I made ONE string quilt {{Grandma and Me}} when my string drawer reached the point of bursting. Welllllll--it ONCE again CAN NOT BE CLOSED!!!!!! I do not foresee ANY plans for a string quilt in the future, so----who wants in??? No silly rules, just leave me a simple comment!!!



To enhance this pot, I'm throwing in these eight (8) Red, White, & Blue string blocks I pieced last year with HOPES of making a dent in my string-stash. Tscha! Didn't happen. But.....

...The blocks have been trimmed to 5.5". I sure would like to see them made into a QOV quilt!!!! But, I jes ain't gonna git it done! Okay, okay...I know I said "no silly rules", BUT....if you make an oath that you will make a QOV top out of them, I'll throw your name in FIVE TIMES for this giveaway :0)
Update
Some of have commented that they don't know what a QOV is.....
"Quilt of Valor". A quilt for wounded American soldiers. I just realized that not all of my blog followers are Americans, but I will still stand by my nation and offer FIVE votes for the QOV oath. Alycia heads up some QOV challenges and is the person who I send all of my QOV donations to.

"One person's trash is another person's treasure"....
....if this is your treasure, let me know!

I'll draw Sunday evening. Please be sure I have a way to contact you! ;0)


Be sure to check out my Crumb Giveaway

Carolina Christmas & Stash Report May 10-16

Carolina Christmas saw a little progress today. I am not following the layout Bonnie suggested; rather this layout was more appealing to me (someone from QuiltvilleChat drafted it up and shared it).


Other news of the day: DH and I started weeding one of the strawberry patches. Goodness gracious---those plants have sprouted all over the place!!!!

And now, I'm pooped! I got sucked into a movie at midnight last night!!! And it was 2:00 before I finally took care of my shut-eye, and then back up at 6:30 a.m., WIDE AWAKE! Dummy me!

So.....
Stash Report: May 10 - 16
Used this week: 4.597 yards
Purchased this week: 0 yards
Used-to-date 2010: 121.633 yards
Purchased-to-date 2010: 131.75 yards
Net used: -10.117 yards

off to bathe the girls, and then an early bedtime for me tonight!

Bada-bing! TWO more tops reach flimsy stage

Steppin' Out (76"x92")


Pineapple Blossom (79.5"x98")
{{from the January block swap I participated in}}




I suppose this means I should go to bed now????
{{shouldn't have had all that coffee and Mt.Dew}}
;0)

Shades of Green -- clippin' right along

Why stop after finishing Hannah's Rotation???

Shades of Green has reached a flimsy stage. 82"x100". I ended up doing the boring-border layout instead of a pieced one. So be it. {{Doesn't it match my blog colors nicely???}}

And it's only 8:10 p.m. Maybe Steppin' Out will see a flimsy stage tonight too??? All I have left with it is borders...

Along the same wavelength of "shades of green,"... our indoor greenhouse is in full bloom. Watermelon, cucumbers, beans, banana peppers, some other kind of peppers, and LOADS of tomatoes all sproutin' nicely. Two weekends away from Memorial Day here in the States; therefore two weeks away from planting the outdoor garden.

Happy Saturday

Introducing....Hannah's Rotation!

YIPPPPPEEEEEEEE

Hannah's Rotation (60"x72")

backing pieced...


Quilted....{{using an edge-to-edge pattern from Quilting Dot-to-Dot book available at Goldenthreads.com.


Bound and Labeled....


Ready to be hung on the classroom wall Monday morning :0)

Quilt vs. Blanket

Taking a quick lunch break----working on quilting up Hannah's Rotation and I hope to have pics to share by the end of the day!

Caitlyn is playing the Wii and Cassie is complaining that "Caitlyn is going to crack me over the head, Mom!!!!" because Cailtyn gets rather animated when playing.

So....here's what ensued...

Mom: Well, girls. Then PICK up the living room to give yourself some more room.
Candace: Like what, Mom?
Mom: First of all, take your blanket up to your room because it's taking up so much space on the floor.
Candace: {draging her quilt behind her, marching up the stairs, and saying through clenched teeth} But Mom! It's my quilt, remember? It's not a blanket!

How can I be mad when she knows that difference already???

;0)

It's FRIDAY!

I'm beat
But thankful it's Friday

We are NOT going anywhere this weekend
Yeah

I restocked myself on the verigated thread so I can finish quilting Hannah's Rotation {{I ran out Wednesday night----grrrrrrrr!}}

**sigh**

But nothing tonight......{{maybe??}}
I'm tired
Want to relax

Oh I dunno----maybe I'll end up downstairs.....

Anyway; if you find some motivation, could you send it my way???

Happy Friday!

My legs are...

Playing softball last night lead to some pros and cons....

PRO--I enjoy playing competitive sports
CON--crappy, rainy, cold weather
PRO--healthy recreational evening
CON--SERIOUSLY, SERIOUSLY opened my eyes to how out of shape I am (since I haven't really run since last October)

My first at-bat, running to 1st base.......
....I was winded

My second at-bat, my legs almost felt (SERIOUSLY) like they were going to buckle under me when I rounded 3rd base, heading to home.

My first left-field, getting "burned" by an over-head shot; running after the ball, and then shortly there-after needing to "hustle" back to the dugout to get my butt up to the batter's box.......W-I-N-D-E-D!!!!!

So....time to stop making excuses! Time to get my butt (literally) back in shape!


On the quilting front; nothing tonight.
I'm watching "The Biggest Loser" ... and crying! {{They just showed the 'walk-down-memory-lane' videos on how far some of the contestants have come}}. The best part of tonight's show: forcing the contestants to 'run' an obstacle course carrying a bag filled with sand bags EQUAL to the weight they have lost. IT WAS HARD! But I sure hope the contestants remember what it was like to carry 150+ extra pounds and how HARD it was to carry that extra weight. It's a great reminder of how hard it IS on our bodies when we carry excess weight... It IS very easy to "veg" and "get lazy" with one's health, and it's too easy to just say "psht---no big deal, it's just 5 pounds. It'll be gone once I decide to start my training again.".....**sigh**.....and then you play a softball game, and you are QUICKLY reminded how unfit you can become in just 5 months of no activity........
...anyway---didn't mean to give a speech there....

Happy Tuesday!

Stash Report - May 3 - 9

Stash Report: May 3 - 9
Used this week: 4.722 yards
Purchased this week: 0 yards
Used-to-date 2010: 117.036 yards
Purchased-to-date 2010: 131.75 yards
Net used: -14.714 yards

Just getting in my report for last week.

I don't plan on doing any quilting tonight; I'm off to softball in an hour with a Division 1 Ladies league--LATE game! 9:00 start --- in a town half hour away. Ugh! Late night looming ahead!
Icky weather is moving in too------ya think it's too much to ask for a rain-delay?!?!?
{{**crossing fingers**}}

Gosh! I haven't played softball in a couple of years. I left the team a few years ago, but they are in DIRE need of players tonight since most of their players are high school girls. The girls can't play yet since they are still competing in HS ball; therefore, the "sub" list is getting hit up quite a bit these next couple of weeks.

Happy Monday

A lazy Saturday leading to a motivated Sunday!

I finished quilting my MIL's quilt yesterday, and .... well.... that was about it! I was pooped and really wasn't in the mood to quilt :0( Cassie had a friend over, and I spent much of my day relaxing on the couch, watching them play the Wii and .... just vegging!

So......ummmm.....Hannah's Rotation????

Have no fear!!!
I sewed and sewed and sewed today with motivation!!!!
Ta-daaaaaaaaaaaa



NOT ONLY did the blocks and top get finished today, I also pieced a backing (not a simple solid, either). A pic will have to wait until later....because....

it's already on the frame with a few paths quilted. I'm using a jewel-toned variegated thread and one of my pantos from Cheryl Barnes' Quilting Dot-to-Dot book. I'm not sure I'm sold on it yet (the pattern and thread choice), but I'm sure once it's off the frame, washed and on the wall, it'll be just fine.

GOSH! I'm so happy to have that monkey off my back! :0) {{almost}}

OH! Yeah! I need to post my Stash Report, but I'm too comfy and lazy to head back downstairs to get my lil' notebook. It'll need to wait until tomorrow.

Happy Sunday!

After-post comment
CRAP! Crap-crap!
Look at Hannah's Rotation with a 'relaxed eye'.....

you see those blasted yellow/black HSTs????????????? UGH!!!!!!!!! They're kiddy-wompas! And I'm NOT about to take the quilt off the frame to fix 'em...

Poop-poop-poop!!!!!!!!!
{{**sigh**}}

I suppose it could be worse....

I guess a little snow that will be gone within a day is okay to live with??? Considering the storms that are happening in other parts of the nation, a little white stuff and cold temps......yeah......it's not that bad.


I finished up my MIL's Quilts4Kids Dino Dynamite quilt last night and created a label for my Leapin' Lizards at the same time. They just await packaging and off they go to Q4K.


I also loaded my MIL's blue quilt in the frame last night (around 10:00), and I couldn't resist getting a few paths done before calling it a night.

I should be able to finish this one up today....

....and then.....

HANNAH'S ROTATION!
Boy, can I really finish up those blocks today?!?!!?!?
Please, please, please....

Happy Saturday sewing!

That's not RAIN you're seeing!

Realllllllly????


REALLLLLLLLY?!?!???!??!?!?!?!?!?!



Come ON mama-nature!!!!!!

Puttin' feet up & How the frame works.

Little Caitlyn didn't allow us (ME) to get much sleep last night. She woke up around 1:00, crying and whining about how her ear hurts; she is a bit of a drama-queen to begin with, but this time it was legit. After a night of tossing and turning, even after some medicine, she still was in tears and running a 102 fever. Therefore, she was able to spend the day at home with Dad; too bad for me though! I was dragging butt a little bit, and it didn't help that I was testing all day, so I had to sit in a comfy chair, grading paper after paper. GOSH---it was sheer discipline to keep my eyes open.

I did pick up a new iron after school though, right before heading to the grocery store for the first food-trip in MONTHS! Seriously---we've only been doing the little "lets-buy-a-couple-of-meal's-worth" trips, but it was TIME to do a full-fledge shopping spree!!! It's nice having a stocked cupboard and fridge again :0)
I don't like having posts without pictures, so ... have a gander...


I don't know if you can see all those egg cartons?!??? Yeah, the chickens are definitely earning their keep; we simply aren't keeping up with them!

So, I'm putting my feet up right now, watching some TV and surfing the net.

On the quilting front....
Amanda was curious as to how the quilting frame worked with a pantograph......
While I was waiting for my frame and machine to arrive, I spent quite a few evenings "researching" on YouTube. How to load a backing, top, how to set up the frame, etc....You name it!
I found a jackpot (in my opinion)! Penny Bubar's channel has everything from loading a back and top, stitching a panto, lining up a panto, and the list goes on and on....
Anyway, the run-down...... there is a table below the machine's carriage that can hold a pantograph (plastic, wood or paper showing a quilting design.) The quilter moves the machine in any direction to follow the design on the panto using a stylus or laser-light. {{Yeah, I'm still using my jimmied-up-thing-a-ma-gig. It works great, so why should I cough up anything for something that quilting companies call "nice"???}}

I travel left to right; I find it easier because it mimics reading.....ya know----left to right.....

As the quilter moves along the design, it gets transferred effortlessly to the quilt top :0)

To actually watch this happen, follow the Penny Bubar link....it's the direct link to how she quilts a Panto.
I tell ya, this lady is HA-Larious! I enjoyed watching each of her videos for both the knowledge AND the humor. And a tidbit of information...I use Penny's "unique" style of quilting the panto (only on the left side). It really does give more control. I've also seen a version of this style when watching an air-brush artist----he locked his arms (elbows) at his sides and moved his entire torso when painting. It looked weird, but the art was amazing.


So...there ya have it. I'm loving the frame! I can see the 8-9" throat limitation of the Juki98Q getting old real soon, but I'll manage. ;0)

Happy Day-Before-Friday.