County Fair

I entered my Sweet Liberty water can along with 2 other quilted items in the county fair. I will not know until tomorrow what I got on them. My one quilt that I entered in the machine quilting catergory is up against a lady who has won almost every year. I have not taking anything out to the fair for over 10 years, just because I felt my work was not up to the standards of the other ladies in the county. Being a young quilter in the area sure brings some strange looks. One of the looks today was what was I doing there submitting my stuff. Oh well I am sure they had to start sometime, surely they did not wait until they retired before starting their passion.

So fingers crossed until I see what happens. Last time I entered I my quilts received 1st place awards, because they were not tied close enough together. So I wonder what the critique will be from the judge this go around.

Guild meeting tonight

It was so nice to spend time with friends. I quickly whipped up this little knick knack thing that was posted on McCalls site created by Pat Sloan. It was so easy and cute. While I had the machine set up for quilting I decided to quilt my October block. So I'm just moving along and having so much fun doing this. Of course took my Jammy Jars for show and tell and they were a hit.

Potter Mania

I was so excited got the new Harry Potter book and had sat down to start reading it. When I realized I still haven't read year 6 yet. Oh my!!! I've been waiting this whole time for the next book when I could have been reading 6. I remember the kids got thier books and I had to wait till one of them had finished reading it, so I could borrow the book. Must never borrowed the book, so went in search of #6. Went to the teenager girl's room, yep you guessed it no where to be found. So next teenage son's room, almost missed the book cuz it was missing the dust jacket. So now I am propped in my lazy boy with year 6 and ready to read.

It's stitched

Yeah I got my October block the rest of the way stitched down today. It is amazing how many things one wants to do never gets done. Oh well, there is the week. But first to figure out how to make my program work. I have the math problems worked out, now I have to make some (If..Else) statement work. Hum luckily I only have two more weeks left of this class. But then I have a Java class, hopefully that is easy enough to learn.

Were did Saturday Go?

Saturday has come and is now going!!
What happened to the day? I spent the day working on homework and with my daughter. I did manage to get half of my "October" block stitched down. Tomorrow I should easily be able to finish the hand work. Then I will move on to the next project awaiting me. Maybe I will also dig through the UFO's and determine which one's would be the quickest to finish up. I know I have several that need quilted. So I think I should get a game plan. Maybe use a program called Microsoft Project, that I used in my last class, to help keep me on track and show the progress I am making at the same time.

Another block

Well last night I got a block ready for hand blanket stitching. I think eventually I will just have to breakdown and get a sewing machine that does blanket stitch, this way I will get my blocks stitched down faster. Will have to post picture later, seeing as Dennis has the camera.

Finally started

I finally stated my first block of the Vintage Valentine. The start was only tracing the design on freezer paper, but it was a start. Also looked at the directions for the October block from my "Quilters Dozen Plus.”I started this as a BOM through my LQS we got 3 patterns and fabric every month, but was so busy with Mom and helping take care of her there was no extra time for sewing. Now that life has started to settle down to a new normal I am able to start on other things that have been postponed. It also helps that my classes are easier for me to understand.

I'm Finished

Yeah I had time today to quilt my water can wall hanging. I even got the binding on and hand stitched down. I am so glad to have gotten another project done. After not having quilted for almost a year, this was a major accomplishment. Quilting helps one relax and does help with the loss of a family member, but not completely, its like an old friend comforting me.

On to something else. Maybe I should work on my Snowman quilt blocks. Some of th blocks are done and some of them still need put on their BG, and others need me to finish the hand blanket stitching around them.

Stop and smell the Roses

Oh what a beautiful site to come home from work too. I did not even make it in the door before stopping to smell my one rose. This double delight changes from cream to a deep red as you can see it already has started the transformation. And the smell is just heavenly. Of course drop my stuff and out I go with the camera. While I was out there stopped by the water garden to update pictures of the 20+ baby fish. They swim way to fast to count them. But these little guys were smaller than ants, now look at them. The bigger fish below is roughly 9" long and the little white fish to the left is about 2".

Homework and Housework

The title says it all. But the paper is finally rough typed out, so all I will have to do tomorrow is proofread and submit for plagarism checks. I'm not promising myself anything for tomorrow but sure would like to reward myself with some sewing, before I have to read the next two chapters on C programming. At least there will not be a lot of housework to do for a couple of days, seeing as all the laundry got washed today. What a hetic Sunday, hoping my week is not as hetic. ;-)

Saturday's adventure

I have managed to procrastinate all day on my paper. I even went to eBay and won a book by another of my favorite authors Emilie Richards "Lover's Knot". The price was a steal at $3.75. It would be nice if my local library carried her books. Maybe I should donate them, no I'll keep then in my collection and just loan them to other quilter friends. I loved this series so much that for Christmas I bought my step mom the first two in the series. There are several remarkable novel writers that are quilt related. Hum I best quit procrastinating and do that homework, so that maybe, just maybe I can sew something tomorrow.

Angel

My Times Remembered block is finally done. Yeah. I wanted to use seed beads for her eyes, but they were to big. But the gold beads were just perfect for the halo. I am still deciding if she needs hair? Comments are welcome about the hair issue. I even finished reading a book today by Perri O'Shaughnssey "Keeper of the Keys."

Tomorrow I better get a paper written and a program coded or my grade may fall quickly. I should have been doing that tonight; can we say procrastination.

Football Session

Was talking with my dad lastnight and I just had to know when the Big Red's football session started. So I had to go find the schedule, here is the link to Nebraska's Schedule. I personally only watch the games when televised, only because I am a visual person when it comes to games. And yes this is my first link ever created. Yeah me, NOW I hope it works.

One step forward and a nap behind

Ok, I admit my day did not go as planned went to town with Dennis because he had to stop by the college. Save gas money were we can and I wanted to go to Joann. I found the perfect fabric for binding of "Sweet Liberty." Good to go I thought, got home had to do some homework and decided to read it laying in bed. Oops took a nap instead. So no quilting today, instead I picked up the next started bluework snowman and finished him up.

What a day!

I finished sewing down the last piece of applique on my "Sweet Liberty" water can. Tomorrow I plan on quickly quilting it and stitching on the binding. I am seeing some familiar names that I meet in St. Louis about 4 years ago at a Wee Village get together (SHOUT OUT) Hello's.

Farmers Market

Took the car to the lot to have the brakes taken care of per the purchase agreement. Since I was in town, when the farmers market was open, I decided to stop and get some homegrown tomatoes, and wouldn't you know I found Apple Butter and Rubuarb-Strawberry Jam. I only brought home the Apple Butter Jam. Did not want to over do on my trip to market. I was amazed the farmers market was still there seeing as it has been over 8 years since I was last there. My daughter went with me, and when I was getting the tomatoes asked what the green things were in the bag. She had never seen fresh green beans, we use frozen here. So now I have to snap the beans, maybe I'll call mom and get the french bean slicers from here. My daughter is in for a real treat. Yes the cat "smokey" is very protective of the Jam; every time I try to take a picture he has to get in the road. Funny kitty.

Ratatouille

Movie was so awsome. I took my 8 year old daughter to see this tonight, because it was the lastnight it would play here in our small hometown theater. Disney and Pixar did it again. Maybe tomorrow I'll get to sew, seening as it is my day off of work, and I am ahead on homework this week. The mother-daughter time was more important than sewing; it's all about making memories.

Sewing and Programming

I read the next assigned chapter in my C programming class. Then rewarded myself with some zigzaging around parts of my water can and Guardian Angel for Times Remembered. It was nice to sit and sew, there is something so methodical about watching the needle go up and down. I used to love to machine quilt with my little Kenmore; but after driving my manual car for two years my shoulder would not allow that type of sewing. So maybe, hopefully the new car being an automatic, will allow my shoulder to not hurt all the time so I can quilt again. Picture of my helper Miane Coon Cat "Nelly". She was sitting on my ironing board which hanges over my sewing cabinet. So if I was not petting her she would reach out and grab me with her big claws. I stopped sewing to iron so she went and sat ontop of my machine. Course I couldn't get the camera fast enough for a picture. Maybe next time it is funny to see such a huge cat on top of the machine.

Fuzzy Flip Flops

Got to love them computers. Spent a good part of the day trying to figure out a new programming language, of course the directions were not written to include issues using windows XP. So I only got done one flip flop. The left one is what it started out as and the right one shows all the fuzzy yarn that was crocheted around the top.

Oops

This morning when I looked at my Jam Jars I realized I forgot the embellishments. So of course stopped a Wal-mart this morning on my way to work, walking straight to the scrapbooking area to find small spools of rick rack or ribbon. I found the most perfect plaid for two of the jars. Which meant a quick trip to Joanns which had the same plaid ribbon and more. Of course I found what I needed and more. So how much rick rack does one need in case of emergency?

Jam Jars and Cars

Pat put up a free pattern of Jam Jars for a Farmers Market quilt (I hope there's more than one block). So while I was downloading my free Unix and compiler for class I went and searched through my scraps to find the perfect Jam colored fabrics. I decided to use the cool purple fabric for Grape Jam because I like grape better than raspberry (even though the color would have been better for raspberry. But of all my favorite Jam flavors is Strawberry.

Dennis was transferring my Sirius to the new car and found a whole alarm system. Now to see if it is still all there and to find a place to buy a remote that controls the alarm system. Whoever owned this car before me put alot of money into it. To bad they did not leave the remote and directions for the stereo.

4th of July

Happy 4th of July. Yesterday I got the car I test drove on Monday. Today I washed it so it was ready for pictures. Not only did I purchase a 2000 Chevy Cavalier with moonroof and power everything. The dealer gave my family a $100.00 gift certificate for fireworks. While we were at the firework stand the owner throw in roughly another $50-$75 worth free also. So we had a very happy 4th at my house this year. And maybe life will settle down some so I can get back to sewing my blocks together.

Frustration

I know that school is supposed to make one smarter. Taking a Information technology project management course one would think there would be more managers than workers. What happens when the manager can't even get the workers, working. I am so glad that today is the last day for this class. Tomorrow starts programming course Yeah I can't wait. I have been waiting years to take C, Java or Html. Finally I get to learn what I really am interested in. Back to the assignment to see if the rest of the paper is submitted. Tomorrow is dedicated to a sewing and cleaning day.

What a day!

Amazing how life can take you quickly away from what you have planned. Took mom's (or ours now since mom passed) convertable to town for a quick firework shopping expendition. 6 hours later we've traveled 75 miles, visited numerous firework stands, and checked every car dealership looking for a work car that does not require 2 quarts of oil every 200 miles and still gets 40 mpg. Found something which means I have to go back tomorrow after work to test drive and get a price. No sewing today, bummer.