My new fun

I have read about "quilt design walls" and had quilt envy. I didn't want to spend a fortune, but wanted something, since often my designs are disrupted (since sewing room also = playroom in our house). I found some foam board and put a piece of flannel I have over it to see if it would even work. It did and I LOVE it. I am going to buy a few more board (only $1 each at the dollar store) and a flannel sheet and have Ken mount it for me on the wall! Currently on the design wall is an I-spy quilt for my friend who is having a baby this summer.

Below are 2 doll sized quilts. The first is for the brother of the baby mentioned above. His twin sister is receiving the doll quilt that I made in December, but never gave to Carolyn because she saw it first!!! I decided it isn't re-gifting since it never was given in the first place. The next quilt is for another friend's older daughter who is going to be a big sister in the spring. Her sibling-to-be will be getting an I-spy quilt too, but it is a bit different than the one shown. (FYI big sis loves horses and is one of Carolyn's pen-pal.)

BTW, these quilts aren't as "wonky" as they look, I think it was camera angle or something!

Poor postal performance 2nd edition

On Friday night I put a rebate form in our mailbox to be picked up by our post-man the next day. It was VERY windy that night and our mail-box blew open and the envelope flew out. I realized this as I was leaving to sign Anna up for preschool. (silent pause, can you believe she is soooo big?) I asked Ken to have the kids help him search for this white envelope in the white giant piles of snow. Praise God he found the envelope and put it in our office. I came home and wanted it to dry and placed it on the VERY CLEAN kitchen counter. (I didn't want you to think I added it to a messy place because that would be a be irresponsible and I have already established that with the last post.) Anyway Ken took the kids to the library and I noticed the letter was gone. Thinking he took it to the post office, I worried not. When he came home I realized that he hadn't taken it and searched for the envelope. (actually this was the first envelope I was searching for, but the other story is more important and started first :)

I searched trash cans and recycling...no where. I decided either I had dementia and moved it or Anna took it. (since the big kids and Ken hadn't). BTW, before I found this envelope, I realized the other envelope was missing, which was a bigger concern, so I REALLY searched. I did find this envelope - crumpled under Anna's backpack! (of course I would have preferred to find the other, but alas!)

So now my postal woes are over! One envelope found the other replaced and both sent to their rightful place.

Poor postal performance (by me), with a good ending

It started in December when my sister-in-law gave me a form to fill out to be my niece's confirmation sponsor. Within 2 days I took it to the church to have it signed and picked it up a couple days later. I planned to deliver it at Christmas - my first mistake. Then I lost the important document (bigger mistake). Then I forgot about the document (worst mistake). Fast forward, my brother calls on Sunday and asked nicely, "Do you have that form?" - eicks.....not realizing yet that it was lost, I searched up and down for it.

I didn't find it and took responsibility, searched the diocesan web site (included the 450+ priest manual) for a copy, then called my brother's church and then the religious ed office and asked for them to fax me a new copy. The silly form had to be on special paper, but the nice lady put it in the mail. (FYI form due at the end of the week, but I called on Monday, so if the stars aligned it would be on time.) Wednesday we checked for the letter before picking Carolyn up from choir - no letter - came home and the letter arrived at 4:15. For it to be on time it needed to be signed and mailed that day (directly to the priest).

By God's grace, our pastoral associate was at church, signed the form and we got it to the post office at 4:55! Feeling like a confirmation sponsor slacker, I got busy on my gift to my niece (already 25% finished). Now it is 75% done (see above).....I love it. I gave this same niece a baby blanket that was loved (in a well used way) more than any other blanket I have made since (it was one of my first). I will try to find a picture to show you. This niece is my God-daughter, so I wanted to makes something nice for her confirmation. When I make baby blankets I pray for the baby to be, in this case I prayed for the adult-in-the-church to be. I especially pray that she find the peace and joy in the church that I have found as an adult.

sewing again and not looking back

We couldn't find the missing screw. I went to where the machine was purchased and they didn't sell bobbin holders. I went to the sewing store in town - nope. They recommended the sewing machine repair shop. I am back in business. Of course, they couldn't fix the broken one, but did sell me a replacement for $26. I then made the mistake of googling "bobbin holder" to get a picture for my blog and there was a bobbin case for sale on amazon for under $3. I am not sure if it would have fit my machine and I never will know. I do know I have a nice bobbin case (from Japan rather than China and stored in oil previously to maintain proper humidity) and my machine is working. I am not looking back.

Sometimes leave well enough alone

Last year (2008) I spent my Christmas money on a new sewing machine. I bought the cheapest Singer that they sold and left it set until we got settled in the new house. (my old machine wasn't working and I knew it would be at least $50 to have "them" look at it) I started quilting again and it is a great stress-reliever and creative outlet. I just used the machine as a straight line stitcher and it did great job.

Yesterday I had the great idea to monograph the kid's towels to make sure they always used their own towel. So I started fiddling with the machine and didn't have too much luck and finally decided to just put everything "back to normal" and still was having trouble. I checked the tension on the bobbin and the manual indicated that it needed to be loosened. So I did and then the little screw popped out and is lost in my beige with gray flecked carpet. Eickes. I am going to have Matthew (who I call Eagle eyes) take a look for it when he gets home from school. The silly screw fell in my lap, I saw it, but as the bobbin was coming apart I lost it! It is the smallest screw that I have ever seen and I will have to replace the entire bobbin case if I can't find it. Of course, this isn't a big deal, but I sure wish I had just left my straight line stitcher alone. (I got excited last night when I realized I could drop my feed-dogs. Maybe all my problems were related to the bobbin tension and I can do fancy again...but part of me doesn't want to mess up what WAS a good thing.)

And yes I did say a prayer to St. Anthony, but you can throw one out too if you have the time! I have several projects in the works and like to do just a bit at a time....I think I will have to make a trip to the store tomorrow if Matthew's search doesn't turn anything up! Sometimes I just need a sewing fix. Like my friend MJ said yesterday about something different, "there could be worse things". (not a direct quote :)

Snowy days

Wanted to share a couple pictures from the last weeks.

Here was snow day number one - the kids made home-made calzones and they were fantastic. Yes they were still in their p.j.s at lunch time....in fact the whole day (except Anna, since I dress her). The second snow day I did insist on regular clothing!

This photo was not from a snow day - the snow days are typically too rotten to spend much time outside. Sometimes the kids will play for a bit, but not the duration it takes to create these lovelies! Last week we warmed up enough to stay outside for a LONG time and build snowmen, since there was enough "melty" snow to get it to pack. Note that Joel's snowman grabbed my camera bag and Carolyn's has a sled. We made the mouths with cereal and much fell to the ground making any poor bird that happens to still be in Iowa very happy.

ski mask

Since 2 people have asked....I didn't want to break my camera with a picture of the ski mask incident. I am sure your imagination is better than the real thing. The better picture would have been when I was trying to squeeze into my 11-year-old's snow pants. I could get in, but I really didn't want to rip out his snow pants when replacement won't be available until next winter! It was a lovely sight indeed!

Expanded Repirtoire

Remember this little chef?

Up until today she was content with just messing up the counters and floors when we cook together (which is often, because any time she catches me mixing something she rushes to get her own spoon to "help"). Anyway, today I decided to make a recipe my mom gave me for "Breakfast Cookie". I wasn't sure we would use them for breakfast, but they sounded great.

Anyway, while Anna was stirring and I was getting another ingredient, I noticed that Anna decided that stirring wasn't as fun as ADDING ingredients and she had prodeeded to add more baking soda. I decided to go ahead and make the cookies, since she only added a little baking soda and "what harm could that do?" Well it did a lot of harm. The cookies are pretty awful. I think if I let Joel and Carolyn try them right after school, they might like them (because they come home from school hungry). Matthew will comment on the strange taste right away.

At least I don't have to worry about consuming too many - I did try 2, hoping I had just gotten a bad one with concentrated baking soda, but no luck. I must say, I remember tasting something similar to these before....when I added too much baking soda to a recipe, I guess. I know I wasn't as young as Anna and this doesn't seem as bad as the time I added meat tenderizer to cookies, when I thought I was adding vanilla. (although that didn't really impact the taste, truth be known!) I guess we all make some interesting creations in the kitchen!

Yep that was me

Yes, I was the person in the ski mask (protecting my 40-year-old skin from wind damage) cleaning up my driveway with my hubby. I am now a "certified" user of a 2-stage-self-propelled snow-blower. I want to use it a few more times with Ken available, but will have him write directions just incase I freeze (ha ha) when I am here alone and need to clean the driveway. This wouldn't have been a bad snow to scoop with a shovel, but the snow-blower sure made quick work of the job.

If only...

If only I were this efficient with the rest of my world.....

I received my VQB (virtual quilting bee) fabric in the mail today. I panicked a bit because I needed to make a tropical or beach themed block. I have never made a "theme" block before and I haven't done much applique in my life and did not really want to do it for the VQB. (You always get better the more you do things, but I do not want to make these blocks "practice rounds" if you know what I mean!)


So while we watched the Alamo bowl, Ken helped me design a non-appliqued block and I made all the measurements and did all the cutting in the living room. I then ran down to sew a seam or two and then returned to the game. (Quilting actually can be a form of exercise if you keep your sewing machine and cutting equipment and iron on different floors!)


Anyway, a few hours later and the block is done, pressed and in the addressed envelope....Seriously what a different world I would live in, if I got everything done so quickly. Of course I like quilt making a bit more than cleaning and paying bills. Many nights after the kids go to bed I don't get ANYTHING done....so this is big for me. Of course I need to stop staying up so late!

You know you have a husband one when.....

Today Ken and I have been married 17 years, together over 19 years. I often think I need to work on different areas of my life: health eating, neatness, budgeting etc. etc. I never think, "I need to improve my marriage." It is just great the way it is! Whew!

You know you have a good husband when he helps you design a quilt block for your virtual quilting bee. (ala...Hey Ken, can you draw a boat using only triangles and squares?...he could and now I have a great design). There are many other great things too, but I don't want to make y'all jealous :)

Here it is, roughed out in fabric.

(the quilter of the month wants something with a beach or tropical feel)

woosh - goodbye 2009-hello 2010

2009 was a good year. My kids are growing and learning everyday. In 2009, Matthew started to learn the trumpet, Joel became reader, Carolyn became a cook and Anna started talking up a storm/became potty trained/is in a big girl bed! Lots of change in 2009....LOTS of living. We moved into an apartment as the year started and before the year was over we moved out of the apartment and the Indiana house and into our new home! Whew!

Ken burned all our photos from our old camera onto a disk. I went online and ordered prints of all the pictures we have taken to date (I wasn't too far behind on this - thank goodness, because it still took hours). Nothing like reviewing several months of pictures to help you relive the year.

Many joys of 2009:

My family:

My friends: Keeping in touch with the old via the phone/internet and postal system. Visits from even older friends who live in the midwest. Making new friends at my church and in my neighborhood

My gardening: (I will be honest, it was a bit overwhelming at the peak of tomato season and I was glad in the fall to be done. Of course now even my frozen and canned produce is gone and I am starting to think about next year!):

A return of an old hobby - quilting:

BTW, this is the doll-quilt I made for Carolyn's new doll. I had sewn many of these little squares together at different periods of time. I had even done some in Newburgh. I am using all my scraps for old projects to make a lap quilt for these cold days, but took out a few to make this sweet little thing. (I had intended to give Carolyn an Eye-Spy doll-quilt, but she saw that one before Christmas, so that will go to someone else....my fault for leaving it out, I thought she was upstairs for the night, but she came down to get a book.)

this is the back

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We started the new year with a day off! We did the obligatory load of dishes and laundry so as not to be overcome, but I didn't try to do my paid employment or organize my counters etc. It was great. As I mentioned, I ordered all of our pictures. Additionally I worked a bit on Carolyn's quilt and a lap quilt I started for my God-daughter niece. I am honored to be her Confirmation sponsor this spring and thought this would be a good gift.



It was nice to end the first day of the new year at a neighbor's home. They invited the neighborhood for a get together and it was SOOO nice to meet a few of the neighbors I have only seen in passing and to chat with the others that we see MUCH less of this time of year. We really lucked out with this neighborhood. I LOVE it.



Although I dearly love my "Word of the year" from 2009 - balance, I have decided to jump on the band wagon and use a new phrase for this year!



My new phrase even has an acronym: WIP - work in progress. I am definitely a work in progress and if you look around my house you can tell I always have about 10 WIPs going on. More about 2010 later....the first day of the new year is almost over and I am about to turn into a pumpkin.