Flowers in the Attic

A few posts ago you saw these "Blackwork" flowers......at DC I decided to make a table runner or sofa back rest. I placed each flower in an attic window setting, added a small border and then used a large floral fabric that I'd bought some time ago. I like the way it turned out.

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My mom and I went shopping today.....as kind of girls bonding thing. We laughed and tried on shoes...mom bought a purse.....LOL......my mom's become the "purse lady." Anyway, when I got home this little guy was waiting on my back door to greet me. I whipped out my trusty camera and snapped off several shots before he (Praying Mantas) became camera shy and moved to a quieter neighborhood..........LOL

Much To Share

Hello everyone. It's great to be back but I hated to leave all my "wacky" friends because we were having such an astonishingly fun time. Want to see what went on????? Well let's take a stroll through all the happenings. I don't know it everything will fit....I've only just started packing my Jeep. Oh dear, time to rearrange things.

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Our "wacky" project for this week was to make a patriotic quilt for one of the "Fisher House" locations near Dallas. So I made another block from the "Block Tool" book as soon as I arrived at DC.

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We were told by Kathy that we needed more blocks.......so made two more blocks. That Block Tool is really handy.

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My first lettering on a block......this was hair-raising because I actually had to concentrate.....lol.....pivot the design with lots of help from my friends and make sure I use the right stabilizer. My fingers were crossed the whole time......LOL....To read more about "Fisher House" go to Kathy's blog. Her link is above is pic.

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Kathleen had been working on this eagle at home and brought it with no real idea of what she wanted to do with it. She kindly donated it for the Fisher House center and worked her little fingers to the bone to sew a border around it and get it all squared up. I think she did a great job.....don't you! Here's the results of our efforts. Mind you, it's not sewn together or in any specific order yet, but we were so happy with the way it turned out. Please leave a comment and let us know how you feel and give suggestions for a border or borders. We'd love to hear from you.

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Everyone had their embroidery machines with them as well as sewing machines. I just love to sew while the Janome stitches out something wonderful.....Look at the Covered Wagon design that I stitched out. WOW! It looks like a charcoal drawing doesn't it? I'd telling you I could hardly take my eyes off the whole process.

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I also played around with a redwork Christmas Star......We ate lots, laughed hard and often and had a great time. And we've already begun plans for our next big sew-in.....Stay tuned folks!

A Little Busy Here

I've been playing around with combining designs, aligning and stabilizing techniques. Also getting an imagine from the computer to the machine.......practice, practice, practice. I was happy with this process except the very center of each design has a thread hick-up.

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This horse design was my second attempt. It deals with moving the hoop up or down on the machine.....in other words.....the design is in 2 parts.....after stitching half of the horse in the wrong position, I finally got it right......this design took about 45 minutes with no thread changes. I love the horse!

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KE wanted us to make Red/White/Blue blocks for some "Wacky" project, so this is my first block. It's from Quick & Easy Block Tool #1 Air Castle. It measures 12 1/2" unfinished. It sewed up with no problems from the sewer...hehehehehehehe

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This is my Mini-Booty Swap quilt which I will be mailing out to some luck participate real soon. I actually hand-quilted in the spaces and if you know anything about me...you know I don't like to use my hands......hehehehehehehehe. I'm very happy with the way this turned out and would love to participate again. Finally, please help me celebrate my 10,000s visitations by enjoying my blog, leaving comments and visiting often. I try to answer each comment and appreciate your kind words and views. I'll be out of pocket for a few days. It's time to sew with the "WackyPack" at Deer Camp. I'm sure I'll have plenty to say sometime next week.....Bye for now.

Aaaarrrrrhhhhh....Never Mind.....Hooray!

For several days I've been.....how shall I put this.....depressed, in a blue fog, my mojo went missing, I was really down, about to pull my hair out at the roots......why you ask???????? My wonderful new sewing machine was not communicating with my wonderful new "Vista" computer......very long story which I will not get into...........Aaaaarrrrrrrrhhhh, growl, gritting of teeth, bumping head against a semi-hard object!!!!!!

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Enter two very wise and wonderful "Wacky" friends....Molly and Annie....we met up at Molly's place around 9ish and deciphered, scratched our heads, crossed our fingers and our eyes, read the instructions again and again and again.....applied the "dongle" and........... by 2ish.....Voila.......I'm back in business......Thanks to my wacky friends.....It was time for a reward.......ice cream anyone???????

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When I got home, I tested my new designs on the Janome and everything ran smoothly.....so I decided to open my e-mail and what did I find but this wonderful surprise......It's the "Brillante Weblog"....Yippie Skippy.....Debbie awarded it to me. She's has told me that my blog is filled with interesting info about quilts, blocks, demos, music, links and wild stories about my life.....I am so happy and honored......Thank you Debbie! This calls for another ice cream treat.

Postcards From The Edge #2

Lookie what I got in the mail today........a postcard from Holly. Hooray! I love it. Three butterflies seem to be looking for flowers to gather pollen from. She has cleverly placed them behind netting to keep them safe. Thanks Holly.

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What I did today...........Lately, I've been feeling alitte depressed....Long story....so I decided to pull myself together and sew. I looked through some magazines and found a block that I really liked, went out to my sewing studio, chose from my stash and Volia! The corners are appliqued from a floral fabric because I didn't feel like tracing and making the flowers. I think it turned out great. The size is 18 1/2 inch square.

Under Attack

The title of this blog is "Under Attack"......well not really. These little critters all live in my yard. My girlfriends laugh when I tell them about all the types of ants that live out there.......so I decided to document it. LOL What lurks deep inside these craters.........Ant Lions....these little guys dig and dig and sculpt these craters then spew up bits of sand when some hapless creature comes to near. It's really amazing to watch.......you know I have lots of time on my hands these days.

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Next we have the nasty little Fire Ants.....they have a very painful sting which can be relieved immediately by placing an ice cube on the sting or rubbing Clorax bleach on the area.....sounds strange but it works....trust me!

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Now here are the big boys....the Red Ants. They carry off all my leaves and take them into their lair. The ants don't eat the leaves......oh no, they chew them up and form a type of fungus that fertilizes a food source for the little critters.

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Ah the wee Sugar Ants......I really don't know why they're called Sugar Ants......they are non-threatening, not bothering anything or anyone....they do love to nest in my garden....go figure.

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And finally, the Cow Ant named for it's rather larger size. They have very hard outer bodies and are not easy to.......ah.......well.....how to put this.........KILL!.........LOL......If you were wondering where all this wealth of info is coming from..........remember, I was a science teacher for 20 years....all that knowledge is still rambling around in my head and needs to come out so that I'll have more room for quilting and embroidery stuff!

Sending You A Postcard

Coming to you from the hands and sewing machine of Rhonda are my first attempts at the Postcard exchange. Brenda, Holly, Valene and Karen will receive these fairly soon. Ah, but who gets what????????? That's the surprise. Enjoy ladies! And let me hear from you.

Postcards From The Edge #1

Imagine how excited I was when I finally opened my mailbox (a long story and for another time) and found these goodies inside. My blogger friend Brenda sent the cute Dutch Girl postcard. I just love her cheery smile and it looks like she's brought me a tulip. Thanks Brenda.......I love her.

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All the way from Australia, Valene sent this landscape of maybe Sydney. Sorry Valene, if I got that wrong and please correct me in your comment. It is wonderful to see what other quilters/crafters are up to via postcards.........Thank you ladies, you really and truly brightened my day!

A Home Going

In the past month or so several people that I know have passed away naturally and tragically. Some fairly young, others a little older, still others elderly but it got me to thinking about my life, my mortality, my worth. As I have grown in the Word and my understanding of life and death, I don't fear death as I would have when I was 20. Many years have passed, many of my friends and family members have gone on and I must admit, I wept and got a little depressed but I do know that as David said in 2 Samuel 12:23 "He cannot come back to me but I will go to him one day." I know that I am born again and in life there is death for a short while. I, also wanted to post this poem which I read years ago and saw in some movie once....I think of this poem every now and then........

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DEATH be not proud, though some have called thee Mighty and dreadfull, for, thou art not so, For, those, whom thou think'st, thou dost overthrow, Die not, poore death, nor yet canst thou kill me. From rest and sleepe, which but thy pictures bee, Much pleasure, then from thee, much more must flow, And soonest our best men with thee doe goe, Rest of their bones, and soules deliverie. Thou art slave to Fate, Chance, kings, and desperate men, And dost with poyson, warre, and sicknesse dwell, And poppie, or charmes can make us sleepe as well, And better then thy stroake; why swell'st thou then; One short sleepe past, wee wake eternally, And death shall be no more; death, thou shalt die.......John Donne

Mini Booty Swap

Created with dumpr.net - fun with your photos
As you know, I'm involved in the Mini Booty Swap which has turned out to be really fun because not only do you get to make a small quilt but you also have to post about it and tease the other participants......so here's my little tease. Could this be my completed mini-quilt I wonder? Maybe......maybe NOT! By the way, I've blogged several members of the swap....one of which is the receiver of this quilt......hehehehehehehehehehehehe

Mixed Nuts

Here's a plug for "Betty Crocker".........I usually buy several boxes of the Double Blueberry Muffin mix but instead of making muffins.......too much trouble............I make the loaf. It's a favorite of my mom and the boys and their wives. They love it right out of the oven, over ice cream, with milk, as a snack or just before bedtime........oh sorry, I was babbling, again......I call the recipe Mixed Nuts because I add walnuts and slithered almonds. Sometimes I'll even throw in pecans. This weekend I made 4 of these babies...I could do this in my sleep. If you love to have coffee and cake, this is a great little snack. Try it, you'll like it.

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And now behind Curtin#1 ....is ................... drum roll.............. please............................My Mini-Booty Swap Quilt.........! Yes, it's done. Now I'm just waiting for August 1st, which by the way is my birthday.....to mail it to one luck lady ..... whoes name is........another drum roll, if you will...............Oh......I almost forgot....I can't reveal his/her name just yet......Sorry about that.

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SARAH is having her 100th post give-a-way........yippie skippy. Leave a comment and you will be counted, place a link on your blog and you get 2 chances. Thanks Molly for sharing the info. This blog is just filled with interesting stuff.

Latest Small Challenge

22 1/2" X 22 1/2" with no borders Okay.......Paula.....this is my latest small quilt. The embroidery blocks are called Barceloa Lace. I had been experimenting with this design a week or so ago at Molly's, so I already had 3 made, only had to add to them but the between fabrics I really had to hunt for. I only had a couple of squares and had to dig in my stash for the rest....It took be longer to find the fabric than it did to stitch out the rest of the lace blocks......go figure. Please disregard the polka-dot fabric in the background....I couldn't get to my design board so that fabric had to do. So now I'm stopping or I won't get anything done for the 4th.......I have company coming so I need to finish cleaning.......Wouldn't you know it but I just can't sew and clean at the same time......LOL

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On a completely different note..........Tag, I'm It......thanks to Nichole.....I'm to tell you about 5 unspectacular quirks about me.....LOL........1) I keep everything, thus the cluttered house........2) When I ride or drive with someone, it is difficult for me to talk......we had to be quiet in the car when I was small.......3) I constantly talk to myself, a peep talk if you will and no, I'm not crazy, yet because so far I haven't answered yet............4) I love making quilt tops, nothing more, I love looking at them, counting them and making more........5) I'm now an obsessive blogger, I check my blog several times a day and I absolutely love to post, just ask all my friends.......Ok......enough about me......I'm going to TAG the next persons who read this post........SO............T....A....G.....You're it!

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Yvonne got caught in the tag. Read her comment and visit her blog.

Small Quilt Challenge

My new friend Paula, challenged us to make small quilts no larger than 36" and to post the pictures by July 5th. I took the challenge and am now in the process of making my second small quilt, which I will post later. This little quilt came from scraps from a cowboy quilt that I did a couple of weeks ago (not posted). I had just enough to do this 27" X 32" quilt with no borders.