tell me I don't need it...please

Isn't this a beautiful quilt????? I want to make it ... BAD! It's on the cover of the new Quilt Sampler magazine. Red and white quilts are my very, very favorite. But I really can't spend $150 right now and that's just the top and binding. I've got insurance to pay, among other things. Okay, I think I'm safe for now. Back to sewing.

Look at my new toy!!!

I love my new laptop. Dell made me an offer that I just couldn't refuse and so with my birthday money from my Mom, Brother, friends and hubby I purchased this fine piece of machinery!!! I really really love it. I already said that didn't I...lol

This week has gone by so fast. Very little has been done on the quilty front. I have made a little progress on my SSCS gift. It's totally unlike anything that I would normally make but I like it. I'm not sure if I'm supposed to show pics on my blog. I'll have to ask about that before I do. I did make one DJ block this week, but I need to get busy on that this weekend.

Tomorrow afternoon we have 15- 15 and 16 year olds coming over for DD#3's birthday which was on Thursday. It is a swimming party and then they will watch movies and do whatever kids that age do. I know, I know hubby and I will be on the lookout...lol The boys leave at midnight and the girls leave by noon on Monday after hubby and I cook a big breakfast for them. Sometimes I get tired of having kids around so much, but I'd rather that they were at my house that someone else's!

Next week my life gets really busy. I hope to find time to blog a couple of times a week at least. From September 1 to the end of November my life pretty much revolves around college football. I will make time to quilt because I have several projects to keep up with and to get done. I just wish I didn't have to work but since I love fabric I will work.

Have a wonderful Labor Day weekend everyone!

Do I live in California???

Isn't this bougainvillea beautiful???? We've had three of them in hanging pots for 3 or 4 summers now. Hubby puts them in the garage over the winter and brings them out in spring and by August this is what we've got. In Oklahoma you just don't see them everywhere like you do in California. I just love them!

The last week has been extremely busy and hectic. My Mom's house is almost cleaned out...almost. We've still got the walk in outer attic (inner attic, done), sheds and some of the garage. My brother will probably handle the garage. Still some cleaning to be done and she's putting new carpet in later this week. Her new place is packed full and then some. She still needs to get rid of bunches of stuff. It has been very, very hard on all of us, but especially her. Yesterday she was very emotional which is to be expected, I think. I've gone to help for three days in a row (3 hour round trip), but I've really got to work this week. DD#2 and I will probably go one afternoon this week and I'll go back on Saturday.

I only managed to make one Dear Jane block last week, hopefully I'll be able to sneak a little bit of quilting in this week. I hate that time is just flying by so fast. I wish I had a pause button to slow things down a little.

Well off to work I go. Can't believe that I didn't post all week.

It's my Birthday and it's been a pretty good day!!!

I've been trying to upload some pictures of finished blocks but for some reason I can't....just a little bit frustrating! Oh well, I'll just tell you about my day.

Hubby stayed home and we actually got my "upstairs" sewing room a little bit organized and a little bit in order. I didn't really want to spend all day doing that because I had some sewing to do. I finished some blocks for an as yet un-named quilt but I didn't get any DJ blocks done. The day went really fast for me, but they usually do I guess. I received lots of phone calls today and several cards. I ordered my red laptop....woohoo...I am using money from hubby, mom, mil and quilting friends to pay for it.

Kara and Allie gave me several red and green and yellow Fiesta Ware bowls and serving pieces. Also a s&p shaker set and some really cute little bowls. Can you tell that I love dishes???? LOL I'd have a different set for every month if I had the room to store them all.

My friend Sharon made me the cutest little silver and black bead earrings...I love them. She is also working on a beautiful hexagon table topper...I can't wait for her to finish it.

Sorry this is so boring without pics...grrrrr....I'm still thinking about a give-away. If anyone thinks that it would be a good idea, let me know.

Later,

A new project for me

What am I thinking....as if I don't have enough on my plate, earlier this week I purchased this little group of goodies as an early birthday present for myself...lol
I have been wanting to try one of the new "layer cakes" put out by Moda...and I love the Peace on Earth fabric....I also love handwork....so that explains it, I guess!
All this is from The Savage Quilter and here is her link http://www.thesavagequilter.com/index.html ...The owner (Debbie Savage) is a really nice person and very easy to deal with. Her store is relatively new...not even a year old, and every time I stop in she has more goodies!

We did a bunch of packing at my Mom's yesterday afternoon, still a lot to go though. I did bring home a few treasures, some books, my Grandmas's datebooks/journals, dishes...etc. I'm only bringing home the things that mean something to me or at least that's what I'm trying to do.

Time to get busy!!!

The house is clean...sort of

Well merry maids did come yesterday to clean and without being mean about it let's just say I'll never use them again. Period. Sharon came over and helped after they left and the house does look great and I really, really appreciate her and everything that she does for my family. Sharon doesn't have a blog yet, but I'll bet she has one soon.

Here is a picture of my birthday present from DD#1. It is Polish Pottery and she got it at a store in Lawrence, Kansas. I've window shopped that store several times and I love dishes and bowls in particular. She did good and I love it Emily!!!



Today is my sisters birthday. Happy Birthday Pamela!!! Welcome to the downside of the forties...lol Pam was brought home from the hospital on my 2nd birthday, so she was my birthday present and I loved her then and I love her even more now! Here is a picture of her taken in March.



Well I'm off to my Mom's in a little while to help her pack. She is completely overwhelmed right now which is understandable considering everything. She'll settle down once we get her in her new place and she gets unpacked and sorted out. It took me quite awhile to be happy in my new surroundings when we moved into this house almost 5 years ago so I do understand.

This is the day that the Lord has made, so Rejoice and be Glad in it!!!

Secret Santa Christmas Swap

Yeah!!! I got in....I am so excited!

Summer quilt

So today is the day Merry Maids comes to clean. I am worn out from preparing for them and so is my family...hehehe!!! I'll let you know how it goes tomorrow.

I thought I'd show you pictures of the summer quilt that is on my bed right now. This is the first "shop hop" quilt that I made and it's my favorite sh(3) quilt that I've done. The fabric line is "Old Paris FleaMarket" by Three Sisters by Moda.
The quilting on it is absolutely beautiful. My friend, Linda, quilts almost all of my quilts and she is so talented. She didn't start out as a longarm quilter, she started out piecing and hand quilting and I think you can really see that in the quilts that she does. Sometimes the professional longarmers get so carried away with the quilting that it spoils the quilt pattern, in my opinion.

Well I'm off to work...I'm really hoping to put some quality sewing time in this weekend along with going to my Mom's to pack some more. She moves next weekend...WOW!!

1st day of High School for my Baby!!!

This is my youngest daughter, Allie on her first day of her Sophmore year at Stillwater High School. I can't believe that my baby is starting high school. Seems like just yesterday that I was taking her to Kindergarten where she insisted on being called Allison. It was really funny because her teacher had known her as Allie her entire life but that day she changed her name. That only lasted a couple of years though.

The next picture is of the couch cushions that I recovered for DD#1 last week. This is just a sample of what I made because the couch is in Lawrence and I don't have a picture of the entire thing. She is really happy with it and says it changes the look of the entire room.

On the quilting front I really haven't done much but visit quilt shops in Guthrie and Oklahoma City. Hopefully I'll get time tomorrow to post about what I purchased (my first layer cake). I'm thinking about having a give away on Monday, August 18th, which is my 48th birthday but I'm not sure enough people actually read my blog...lol Maybe if there is anyone out there they could leave me a comment and I'll put something up before Monday.

Have a great Thursday...

House cleaning

I have MerryMaids coming on Friday to deep clean my house. I am so excited about this. I've never had anyone clean my house before. My children don't even help much...lol. Hopefully I can keep it up and maybe just have them come once or twice a month through the fall which is when I get really, really busy at work.

I wish I could have someone come and cook for me also...lol. Maybe just a live in maid would be nice. Then I could quilt in my free time and not have to worry about anything. Sigh...in a perfect world maybe. I'll post pics after the house is done.

Ranette

Giveaway....

Okay let's see if I did this right. Cheryl at www.polkadotsandrickrack.blogspot.com is having an anniversary giveaway. She has a really cool blog and a brand new grandson. So check it out!

one week to go

In one week I'll be 48 years old. I can't believe it....I still feel 25 inside, lol. I've heard other people say the same thing. I remember both of my Grandma's at 48. I thought they were soooo old. One Grandma would swim and buck with us and we had a high old time at her house. The other Grandma lived on a farm. She taught me to crochet, sew and cook (sort of). I had a great time at her house too.
I'm not a Grandma yet....thank God...my kids are still too young for that, I hope!

My birthday will be 5 months since my Dad passed away. I really miss him and it's hard going through all of his stuff while helping my Mom clean out the house in preparation for her move. It will be different for her to be living in a condo, I think better.

Only a small amount of sewing went on here this weekend. I'll post pics later...a friend has my camera. If anyone is reading this...have a great week!

Lillie's Classic Quilts

Well it's been a while since I last posted. I've been really, really, busy, but I have managed to fit a few quilt shop stops in. LOL This is a picture of a wonderful shop in Independence, Kansas that I've been wanting to visit since I first saw them at a quilt show several years ago. This shop has also been featured in BH&G Quilt Sampler summer 2008. The lady that owns it is really nice and has wonderful taste!

My #1 daughter is all moved into her new house. It was a LOT of work and cost me a LOT of $$$ but it's done and hopefully she'll stay put until she graduates from KU in 2 years. Here is a picture of Emily looking very overwhelmed! AHHH....I'm not sure why that picture of her isn't where I want it to be but I'm leaving it there for now. I really need to spend some time figuring out all of this computer stuff.

I was also able to spend some time and $$$ in Sarah's Fabrics in Lawrence, Kansas, http://sarahsfabrics.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=SFNT . It's not a typical quilt shop, but her selection is AMAZING. They also sell home decorating fabric and that's where my $$$'s went because Emily found fabric to cover her couch cushions. So guess what I have been doing this week, lol. I'll post a picture of that later this week maybe.

I have done a few blocks for another quilt I'm working on. Don't think I've posted pics yet but I will. And I've done some handwork as well.

I'm signing off now...lots to do and so little time and energy.