I really enjoy Brian Crane's comic strip Pickles! I had one of his daughter's in my class the first year I taught...sweet girl.
Tuesday, December 31, 2019
Mystery QAL - Block 4
The clue for block 4 is available today from Kim at Persimmon Dreams. I'm sticking with the four fabrics I started with. I still don't have the hang of getting the stripes going in the right direction, so today, my stripes pinwheel and that works for me!
I can't wait to see how this goes together!!
I really enjoy Brian Crane's comic strip Pickles! I had one of his daughter's in my class the first year I taught...sweet girl.
I think many quilter's spouses and children can relate to this!!
I really enjoy Brian Crane's comic strip Pickles! I had one of his daughter's in my class the first year I taught...sweet girl.
Monday, December 30, 2019
Mystery QAL - Block 3
Flying geese were the order of the day!! So excited that I have no headless geese!!! This is the third block of the Mystery Quilt a Long hosted by Kim of Persimmon Quilts. Just one block a day for 7 days...if you would like to join us, you could easily catch up. Block 1 can be found here and Block 2 can be found here.
These are my "oops" block portions - I obviously don't work with stripes that need to go in a specific direction and the little HSTs are from the geese...pressed and squared up, ready for me to make them into something!! I love saving and working with orphan blocks...they make a quilt come together so fast!
Thank you, Kim, for this fun Mystery QAL that is getting me to my sewing machine every day!!
The gander is at the top and mama goose is making sure the goslings stay in line! Those stripes bit me again, but I rather like the idea of mom and dad keeping the kids in a proper line. Works, right?
Thank you, Kim, for this fun Mystery QAL that is getting me to my sewing machine every day!!
2019...Highlights
It has been a year! I made 5 of the tummy time quilts and gifted them to a new granddaughter born in May, new grandson born in July, new great niece born in September, 2-year-old grandson for Christmas, and new-to-me 3-year old granddaughter for Christmas. I have 2 others completed, 2 pinned and ready to quilt and one top that needs pinning and quilting.
Besides the pink and red Minky backing, I used pale green, turquoise and gray. I love the dot Minky!
I also made a quilt similar to the tummy time quilts, but for an adult who is a friend of my youngest daughter. I also made her a purse with some extra squares I had cut.
She likes purple and I couldn't find dot Minky in purple, so her Minky had more of a corduroy texture.
I made a big boy quilt for my 2-year-old grandson and he loves it!
I made some stuffies for 3 of my grands from a panel.
Newest grandson does like chewing on the giraffe's legs and nose, so that's a win for me! The zebra and elephant went to my granddaughters who lost their father on the 19th of December. Because I am the sole care-giver for my father, I cannot travel to be with them now, as I would like! Twelve and six is way too young to lose their father!
I also made table toppers for the 2 ladies who come weekly to see my dad for hospice, a candle mat for a girlfriend (she was actually at my first birthday party and we have been friends forever), and for a dear friend in England I made a reversible table runner.
The table runner has to be the most difficult pattern I have ever made! Every single seam was ripped out at least once and I had to go back to the fabric store twice because I messed up the cutting!! She has lots of red in her home so I hope she can use the red side most of the year and the red and green side at Christmas - she always decorates her home so nicely at Christmas!
I'm going to try the table runner pattern again, because it is so cool that it twists at the end to make it a braid!!
Not a ton of stitching or quilting, but certainly more than the prior year. I joined a few hops that that helped me by having a deadline to get something done!! I'm trying new things in the coming year...3-D stuff is so hard for me, but I want to do it (and do it well), so I'll keep trying. Perhaps the next stuffies won't be bowlegged!!
May 2020 be the year of enough for us all.
Blessings and thank you for reading my blog/diary, and for commenting!! I really appreciate the friendships I have found through blogging!
I also made a quilt similar to the tummy time quilts, but for an adult who is a friend of my youngest daughter. I also made her a purse with some extra squares I had cut.
I made a big boy quilt for my 2-year-old grandson and he loves it!
I made some stuffies for 3 of my grands from a panel.
Newest grandson does like chewing on the giraffe's legs and nose, so that's a win for me! The zebra and elephant went to my granddaughters who lost their father on the 19th of December. Because I am the sole care-giver for my father, I cannot travel to be with them now, as I would like! Twelve and six is way too young to lose their father!
I also made table toppers for the 2 ladies who come weekly to see my dad for hospice, a candle mat for a girlfriend (she was actually at my first birthday party and we have been friends forever), and for a dear friend in England I made a reversible table runner.
The table runner has to be the most difficult pattern I have ever made! Every single seam was ripped out at least once and I had to go back to the fabric store twice because I messed up the cutting!! She has lots of red in her home so I hope she can use the red side most of the year and the red and green side at Christmas - she always decorates her home so nicely at Christmas!
I'm going to try the table runner pattern again, because it is so cool that it twists at the end to make it a braid!!
Not a ton of stitching or quilting, but certainly more than the prior year. I joined a few hops that that helped me by having a deadline to get something done!! I'm trying new things in the coming year...3-D stuff is so hard for me, but I want to do it (and do it well), so I'll keep trying. Perhaps the next stuffies won't be bowlegged!!
May 2020 be the year of enough for us all.
Blessings and thank you for reading my blog/diary, and for commenting!! I really appreciate the friendships I have found through blogging!
Sunday, December 29, 2019
Mystery QAL Clue #2
I know, two posts in one day!! I missed that Saturday was Clue #1 (thank you Bloglovin'), but I hunted down clue #2 and finished it as well!!
If I can do two blocks in one day (where's my fainting couch??), so can you!! Join Kim at Persimmon Quilts and find Clue #2 right there!
Working with stripes is not something I have done much with apparently...I'm creating orphan block pieces, so I'll be getting something else pretty made at the same time!!
Working with stripes is not something I have done much with apparently...I'm creating orphan block pieces, so I'll be getting something else pretty made at the same time!!
Mystery QAL Clue 1
I am doing a short Mystery QAL with Kim of Persimmon Dreams. It is one block a day for a week...I think I can do this!! Today is the first day, so if you want to join us, please head over to Kim's blog for the instructions to this simple Clue #1.
My colors aren't the same as Kim is using, but this is a scrap-buster and I'm using what I have!!
@persimmondreams #PQMysteryQAL2
@persimmondreams #PQMysteryQAL2
Tuesday, December 24, 2019
Merry Christmas
May your day be filled with the love and joy of the Christmas season with those you love.
Sunday, December 22, 2019
A Few Things Made
I have really been struggling to do much of anything this year! As we turn the calendar to 2020, I will be starting year four with my father. While I would never make a different choice, being away from my husband and home for this long is quite unexpected and it has been hard for me. My husband, bless him, has never once said anything about putting my dad in a nursing home so I could come home!!
However, when one has grandchildren, one must do something!! My 2 year old grandson is obsessed with dinosaurs! I follow Pasture Deficit Disorder on Facebook and her husband is an amazing woodworker!! I ordered a set of 5 dinosaurs from her and she sent them directly to my daughter for me!!
The ones I chose were a different wood, therefore a different color, but they are so cute and I know GS#1 will love them!!
Last spring I tested a pattern for Tammy at https://www.tamarinis.com/. She designs fabulous paper pieced patterns and I had fun with this one...except I did have to employ Jack the Ripper a few times!!! I used one of the blocks I made to make a table topper for a dear friend who was at my first birthday party!! We have been friends a very long time and I cherish that friendship!!
I did finish the binding before I gave it to her...promise!!! She loved it!
My two granddaughters...well, they were to be with their dad during the first week of Christmas vacation, so I wasn't too worried about mailing the few things I had for them early. That all changed. On Thursday, 12-19-19, their dad was having surgery to re-attach a muscle he had ripped off the bone (his pec). At 38, he had a heart attack on the table and didn't survive. So their world has turned upside down. I am so very sad that I can't go to be with them...at 12 and 6, I feel like they need lots of support from loving family!! I hope these two little stuffies, made and filled with love, will help them, even just a little!
Even though they will not make it in time for Christmas day, I don't think they will mind.
May you be blessed with the presence of those you love as you celebrate the holidays.
Merry Christmas and may God bless each of you in the coming year.
However, when one has grandchildren, one must do something!! My 2 year old grandson is obsessed with dinosaurs! I follow Pasture Deficit Disorder on Facebook and her husband is an amazing woodworker!! I ordered a set of 5 dinosaurs from her and she sent them directly to my daughter for me!!
Last spring I tested a pattern for Tammy at https://www.tamarinis.com/. She designs fabulous paper pieced patterns and I had fun with this one...except I did have to employ Jack the Ripper a few times!!! I used one of the blocks I made to make a table topper for a dear friend who was at my first birthday party!! We have been friends a very long time and I cherish that friendship!!
My two granddaughters...well, they were to be with their dad during the first week of Christmas vacation, so I wasn't too worried about mailing the few things I had for them early. That all changed. On Thursday, 12-19-19, their dad was having surgery to re-attach a muscle he had ripped off the bone (his pec). At 38, he had a heart attack on the table and didn't survive. So their world has turned upside down. I am so very sad that I can't go to be with them...at 12 and 6, I feel like they need lots of support from loving family!! I hope these two little stuffies, made and filled with love, will help them, even just a little!
May you be blessed with the presence of those you love as you celebrate the holidays.
Merry Christmas and may God bless each of you in the coming year.
Friday, December 20, 2019
Season of Giving
Caring Quilters is a charity quilt group somewhere close to Denver, Colorado. They make quilts all year long and donate them. One of these wonderful quilters is a friend of mine named Teresa. A few years ago Teresa lost her husband and I think this group has helped her through her grief. Today she sent me an email telling me of the big fling they had today.
"Our charity quilt group had a big fling today. This morning we took 80 quilts to Ronald McDonald house. One was given to a tiny little girl before we ever got inside the door. She and her family were on their way out heading for surgery. 3 more were given to another mother who had a child who had been in the hospital since before Thanksgiving so her 3 kids could have a quilt each. That still left enough for 1 quilt for each room.
Then we headed over to the dialysis center that my late husband went to. We took 55 quilts there. This was enough for each staff member as well as each patient to have a quilt. There were thank yous and hugs for us.
It was a very good day.
Our group made 267 quilts this year, and every one has been delivered now. So 3 of us have empty closets to start the new year with."
She sent me pictures of 58 of the quilts that she personally quilted. I can't put 58 pictures in one post, but I'll show you some of their work...
Wonderful job, Caring Quilters!!!
Friday, December 6, 2019
Finished or Not Friday
I am linking up with Alycia of Alycia Quilts and actually show off a few things I have actually finished!!
My dad is on hospice and has a nurse who comes to check him out once a week. He also has a CNA who comes in twice a week to give him a shower. I can't tell you how much I appreciate these ladies and the support they give to me as well as him! I can call their office 24/7 and get help if I need it. When my mom was sent home from the hospital on hospice, she came home on a Saturday morning at 10 AM and she went to heaven on Sunday evening at 5 PM. Hospice was so wonderful at getting her what she needed for the short time she was home. Dad is really getting so much more from them and I lean on them so much. Anyway, I wanted to make them a little something to show my appreciation, so I made them table toppers.
Simple 4P turned into a 9P with a border and corner stones. Very simple quilting on my sewing machine. I gave them to them on Tuesday so they could use them during the Christmas season. Today the CNA came and the first thing she did was to show me a picture of her table topper out on her coffee table, all decorated for Christmas. She was so incredibly thrilled! She said she always put the same decorations out on the table but that the table topper just took the whole display up a notch and she was so excited!! Our quilted gifts, given from the heart, do not have to be over the top to be appreciated and used by those we give them to.
I love giving gifts to those who are not expecting it.
My dad is on hospice and has a nurse who comes to check him out once a week. He also has a CNA who comes in twice a week to give him a shower. I can't tell you how much I appreciate these ladies and the support they give to me as well as him! I can call their office 24/7 and get help if I need it. When my mom was sent home from the hospital on hospice, she came home on a Saturday morning at 10 AM and she went to heaven on Sunday evening at 5 PM. Hospice was so wonderful at getting her what she needed for the short time she was home. Dad is really getting so much more from them and I lean on them so much. Anyway, I wanted to make them a little something to show my appreciation, so I made them table toppers.
I love giving gifts to those who are not expecting it.
Thursday, November 21, 2019
The Winter Blues Blog Hop
I've emailed Carla at Creatin' in the Sticks to participate in her blog hop in January!!! If you would like to join us, pop over and follow the instructions to sign up!! The last blog hop was a blast and I just happen to be currently working on a quilt that includes blues - a mystery done by Alycia of Alycia Quilts! We are only on the second clue, so if you are interested in joining us that is the link to the second clue...easy to find the fabric requirements and first clue from there. This mystery only requires about a hour a week to complete the clues.
Friday, November 15, 2019
Great Blog Hop and the Avalanche
The Stitch It & Gift It blog hop is over and it was so much fun to see what everyone as made to gift away. I know I had several "I want to make that" moments this past week!!
The avalanche...not snow, but comments! For the last year and a half, comments were going who knows where, but I wasn't being notified by email nor was I able to see them when I checked my blog administrative page. After a friend notified me by email that she had commented, but it never showed up (thank you, Susie), another friend (thank you, Susan) found over 80 missing comments, going back to summer of 2018!! Well, I'm going through each one, reading them and responding...but it is going to take me a few days!! I am so very sorry for not responding to your comments when they were made...I really don't like it when I comment on a blog post and get ignored (unless there is a giveaway - those can get crazy). I appreciate everyone who takes the time to read my blog and post a comment...I try to show that by replying to every comment.
It is almost Thanksgiving...
The avalanche...not snow, but comments! For the last year and a half, comments were going who knows where, but I wasn't being notified by email nor was I able to see them when I checked my blog administrative page. After a friend notified me by email that she had commented, but it never showed up (thank you, Susie), another friend (thank you, Susan) found over 80 missing comments, going back to summer of 2018!! Well, I'm going through each one, reading them and responding...but it is going to take me a few days!! I am so very sorry for not responding to your comments when they were made...I really don't like it when I comment on a blog post and get ignored (unless there is a giveaway - those can get crazy). I appreciate everyone who takes the time to read my blog and post a comment...I try to show that by replying to every comment.
It is almost Thanksgiving...
Thursday, November 14, 2019
Stitch It & Gift It - Friday, November 15
This is the final day of the blog hop. There have been so many great ideas for gifts, large and small!! Which is your favorite idea and what are you going to make as a gift??
Today's bloggers are:
Inquiring Quilter
Just Because Quilts
Ms P Designs USA
Seams To Be Sew
Quilted Delights
Susie's World
Creatin' In The Sticks
I hope you have had as much fun as I have on this blog hop!! Thank you again, Carla, for hosting this fun hop that lit a fire under me to get some Christmas stitching done!
Wednesday, November 13, 2019
Stitch It & Gift It - Thursday, November 14
Today is my day and I'm so excited to share what I have made and gifted. Thank you to Carla of Creatin' in the Sticks for organizing this blog hop. The ladies blogging the last three days have had so many beautiful gifts to show that they have made.
This has been the year of babies in my family. I have a new granddaughter, grandson and great niece!! For my great niece (granddaughter and grandson were born earlier in the year and already have theirs), I made a Tummy Time quilt, using 5" squares - some cotton fabrics and some polyester that have fun textures, along with bits of different ribbons and a backing of Minky.
My older grandson (he's 2) loved the one I made for his little brother, so I made him one as well. Why not? These are easy to make in one day, with 5" squares of cotton fabric and polyester with textures (just surround the polyester with cotton because it stretches something fierce when it is put together), 2" pieces of ribbon, Elmer's purple school glue stick (to hold the ribbon in place for sewing) and Minky for the backing which is brought around to serve as the binding as well. Simple quilting with SID sews down the ribbons with a second seam holding them down against the tugging of little hands. No batting keeps them light and easy to carry/drag around.
My daughter cares for people who live in their own homes but need help 24/7, for various reasons. One of her clients also loved the Tummy Time quilt I made for the new grandson this summer, so I decided to make a quilt like it for her as well. Most of the fabric for this quilt was a bundle of fat quarters I won from Hawthorne Supply Company - thank you so much Hawthorne Supply Company!! #hawthornesupplycompany
I had some squares left over, so I decided to make her a purse to match her new quilt
I bought a panel of animal stuffed toys to make and made one each for the grandsons - quick and semi-easy!
Nothing fancy - SID with my sewing machine. I really miss my longarm!! Caring for my 98 year old father is more important than me getting to use my longarm, but that doesn't stop me missing it (and my husband, home and horse)!
These lovely bloggers are sharing the "show off" day with me:
Thursday, November 14th
Beaquilter
Please stop by and leave them a sweet comment on their fabulous work. They may even have a giveaway!!
Tuesday, November 12, 2019
Stitch It & Gift It - Wednesday, November 13
Yesterday was beautiful quilts, aprons, mug rugs, book pillows...has your "to-do" list for Christmas gift giving gotten longer? I know mine has!!
Today is day three of the Stitch It & Gift It blog hop, hosted by the magnificent Carla of Creatin' in the Sticks! Today's participants are:
Check out the awesomeness that is day three of Stitch It & Gift It blog hop!! So far I am blown away by the creativeness of the bloggers participating in this hop!
Monday, November 11, 2019
Stitch It & Gift It - Tuesday, November 12
Did you see the great gifts made by the bloggers yesterday? Wow!! So many great ideas, large and small, that I know I could make some of them before Christmas and add to my "gift" category!! Today is day two of the Stitch It & Gift It blog hop, hosted by Carla of Creatin' in the Sticks fame - thank you for all the work you do to make these blog hops so easy for the participants and wonderful for those who just hop!!
The blogs to visit today are:
Life in the Scrapatch
Alycia Quilts
KaHolly
Words & Stitches
Quilt n Party
Patchwork Breeze
DesertSky Quilts
Alycia Quilts
KaHolly
Words & Stitches
Quilt n Party
Patchwork Breeze
DesertSky Quilts
Check out what each of these talented quilters has created and leave them a sweet comment. There may even be a giveaway!! Did you enter the giveaways from yesterday?
Thank you, Veterans
I just want to thank my special veterans for their service
My oldest daughter, USAF, somewhere in the field.
My middle daughter, somewhere over Iraq.
They do clean up well!!
My dad, USN WWII, walking his granddaughter down the aisle at the age of 93!
Thank you to veterans everywhere who have written that blank check to their country!
Thank you to veterans everywhere who have written that blank check to their country!
Sunday, November 10, 2019
Stitch It & Gift It - Monday, November 11
Today is the day we start the Stitch It & Gift It blog hop, hosted by Carla of Creatin' in the Sticks fame. The blogs to visit today are:
Check out what each of these talented quilters has created and leave them a sweet comment. There may even be a giveaway!!
Saturday, November 9, 2019
It Starts Monday!!!
Stitch It & Gift It Blog Hop, hosted by Carla of Creatin in the Sticks, starts on Monday!! My day is Thursday and I have things I'm hoping to finish this weekend.
Here is a list of the blogs and the days they will be featured:
Here is a list of the blogs and the days they will be featured:
Monday, November 11th
Tuesday, November 12th
Wednesday, November 13th
Thursday, November 14th
Friday, November 15th
This is going to be so much fun!! Every day on this hop, there are blogs I already follow, but there are some new ones each day as well so I'll get to know some new blogs and bloggers to follow!!
Have a fabulous weekend and I hope you'll pop back next week for the blog hop. You may even get an idea to make for this Christmas!! Oh, gotta run, I just thought of another thing I want to make!!
Wednesday, November 6, 2019
Winter Quilt Along
I am going to participate in Alycia's Winter Quilt Along. If you are interested in making a quilt with only a one hour per week time requirement, join us!! Just today she announced the fabric requirements on her blog, Alycia Quilts.
Alycia is making her quilt for QoV, so she is using red, white and blue. Since the goal is to use our stash, I am using teal, oranges and white. I don't have my whole stash available here at my dad's house, so I'm using what I have.
My rescue Chihuahua Tara was taking a nap in my chair and wasn't disturbed at all by me putting my fabrics down to photograph them!! She's been my travel companion and shadow for 8 years now and I don't know what I would do without her.
Don't forget that Stitch It and Gift It starts on Monday, November 11 and I'll be showing what I have stitched and gifted on Thursday, November 14! I'm so excited...I may have another one to show...so far there are 3 gifts, hoping for that #4!!!
My rescue Chihuahua Tara was taking a nap in my chair and wasn't disturbed at all by me putting my fabrics down to photograph them!! She's been my travel companion and shadow for 8 years now and I don't know what I would do without her.
Don't forget that Stitch It and Gift It starts on Monday, November 11 and I'll be showing what I have stitched and gifted on Thursday, November 14! I'm so excited...I may have another one to show...so far there are 3 gifts, hoping for that #4!!!
Friday, October 25, 2019
The Ball and the Box - Grief Explained
This is a ball in a box. There is a red button. When the red button gets pushed, it hurts. It makes you sad, it brings back all of the grief and sorrow, it brings pain and tears.
When you first lose someone or something, the ball is BIG. It is HEAVY. The ball sits on the button and brings unrelenting pain. It feels like the ball will always be this big and this heavy. The button is pushed over and over.
As time goes on, the ball gets smaller. The button is pushed often but it does let up sometimes. The ball isn’t as big or as heavy but still hurts just as bad when the button is pushed but you can move the box without pushing the button.
Once the ball becomes smaller, you can go about your day without fear and function day to day until the button gets pushed out of nowhere. It hurts just as bad as when it first got pushed and can bring you to your knees. But now, you have more time to recover in between hits because the ball is smaller and might not hit again for awhile.
The ball never fully goes away. It fluctuates in size and weight. Sometimes it is smaller, sometimes it is larger. It might be larger around holidays, birthdays or anniversaries.
As I try to prepare myself for the loss of my father, who is 98 and has been on hospice for almost 3 months, I will remember this. I have been living with and taking care of him in his home for almost 4 years, which is why I haven't been quilting because my longarm is 750 miles away at my home. After losing my brother when he was 15 in an avalanche skiing, my grandmother 2 years later, followed by my other grandmother, my mother, 3 aunts, 2 uncles, 3 cousins and several dear friends, I know that every death has a different size ball and some are super heavy. For me, my brother and my best friend's deaths are still the most difficult...maybe because they were young (15 & 26) or because they were totally unexpected...my friend died hang gliding on the same mountain my brother was in the avalanche on. I know that the out-of-the-blue accidents were a heavy blow, but I'm finding that watching my once vital dad slowly slipping away has been harder on me physically and emotionally.
Kalissa who blogs at The Pink Shoelaces posted this today and said we could share it. She lost her father in June to cancer and her family is dealing with their own ball in the box.
Wednesday, October 2, 2019
Autumn Jubilee 2019
Carole at From My Carolina Home is holding Autumn Jubilee 2019 on her blog starting today!! So many sponsors are donating items that she is willing to give us a chance at winning!! No little prizes here...we're talking about prizes valued up to $100!!!
Look for
Since I still can't figure out how to do the button thing, there is a hotlink to her blog post in the highlighted name of her blog in the first line of this blog! If you want a chance to win some awesome prizes, please go to Carole's blog and get your name in the hat, er, rafflecopter!!!
EDIT: My friend Susan, who blogs at https://desertskyquilts.wordpress.com/, put the hotlink button on the sidebar of my blog for me!! Thank you, Susan!!!
Look for
Since I still can't figure out how to do the button thing, there is a hotlink to her blog post in the highlighted name of her blog in the first line of this blog! If you want a chance to win some awesome prizes, please go to Carole's blog and get your name in the hat, er, rafflecopter!!!
EDIT: My friend Susan, who blogs at https://desertskyquilts.wordpress.com/, put the hotlink button on the sidebar of my blog for me!! Thank you, Susan!!!
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