Monday Goals on Tuesday!

After having company (which is always wonderful!) I was too tired to post. Yup, night owl me went to bed. As I laid there I vaguely remember thinking about goals.......

Goals--what shall they be this week?

1. quilt Sanctuary top
2. quilt the Irish chain

Only two goals this week, I have some non-quilty stuff I need to get done. These two quilts need to be finished ASAP!

The warm weather has disappeared, it is only 40F. I can hardly wait to dig in my garden, play in the flower beds. It's been too cold to even sit on the patio furniture! Only one day was it nice enough to open the windows and doors, letting in fresh air. It's almost May, where are warm breezes, lilacs blooming, the smell of fresh turned dirt?

Sunday Stash Report

I'm writing this post a little early, tomorrow we are getting company. No fabric bought this week. And finished the pink/cream Jacob's ladder, that used 9.5 yards. So my totals are---

Bought ytd 50.3
Used ytd 50.75

Finally, I have used more than I bought (barely!) I've accomplished all my goals this week except the borders on the Irish chain, I'm more than pleased. My mouth is still very sore. (Ouch!) I'm feeling well enough to think about food and sewing, so those are good signs!

I'm anxious for spring, this morning there was a light skiff of snow on the lawn!


And, I'm wondering what Judy is finding in Paducah!

Motivation Friday

Yes, that's me. I came home Wednesday full of Novocaine and pain pills. Spent most the day with ice packs laying in bed. The oral surgeon was very good, made sure he gave me extra Novocaine for the drive home, and called me yesterday. Oh, and they pulled TWO teeth instead of the planned one.

I was able to keep plodding along this week, let's check my goals.
The backing is pieced for the Sanctuary top. The binding is sewn down on the pink Jacob's ladder. I loaded the Sanctuary top on the long arm. And tonight I worked on the cornerstones for the borders on the Irish chain! I also raked my flower beds and pulled weeds, Ken mowed the lawn. It was 90F yesterday! Beautiful! I even saw a tiny tiny daffodil blooming--my first! I think Spring is almost here!

Tuesday Twitterings

I have another finish! Last night I worked hard and finished the binding on "Jacob's Twirling Ladder". The story behind the one block going the wrong way made me laugh, and I left it! Makes it rather funky looking, but I can do funky! My BF Henrietta had made a quilt, it was the inspiration for this one. I had blogged about it here. When Henrietta was getting ready to mail her quilt, she sent me a picture. She was so PROUD of her beautiful quilt! When I looked at the picture I asked her if she noticed anything about her quilt. Hmmm? The EXACT SAME BLOCK was turned the wrong way! So when I did mine, I quickly hung it on the wall, took a picture to send to her, and then I really started to laugh! Yes, that pesky block had turned on MY quilt. Now, it drove her crazy that the block was turned, but me, I like funky so I left it!

It's a beautiful day, 78F, small breeze so had to use some bricks to anchor the corners! And I love the backing fabric, it is called "Beauty Shop" by Red Rooster Fabrics. This fabric was given to me by a friend who was moving out of state. I have no particular plan for this quilt, I cut it out a couple of years ago, and forgot it in a box.

Tomorrow morning at 7:45am I have to be at the oral surgeon to have that pesky tooth pulled. Wish me luck!

Monday Goals

I have been so busy sewing today I almost forgot to post goals! So here goes--

1. Finish borders on blue/white Irish chain top
2. sew binding on pink/cream Jacob's ladder quilt
3. piece backing for Serenity quilt
4. load another top

The courthouse steps are done and folded. The Serenity top has it's borders. Next I think I will sew the binding on the Jacob's ladder top.

I wanted to take pictures outside today, but it's very windy and gusty, and I know the quilts would have blown clear to the next county! But my flowers are coming up, and I KNOW spring is coming!

Sunday Adventure

Today Ken wanted to attend an auction sale. Someone we knew was moving into a retirement apartment and selling the surplus contents of their house. When Ken came home from work this morning, he hooked up the stock trailer "just in case" we bought a big item.


We were looking at the range and refrigerator that were on the sale. This sale was 30 miles from us. And of course the two large appliances we were looking at sold last. First was the house, then tools, then kitchen items, then the usual "junk" we have around our homes, then outdoor things, and then furniture. Even a surplus pickup. Up and down the rows of items all afternoon. For those of you who attend these events, you talk to people you know (half of them were relatives of my husbands--including the gentleman having the sale!) Heck, even my MAILMAN was there! A lady who works at the library with my sister. Most of the afternoon was cool and overcast, I would walk back to the pickup and read-Ken would call me on the phone if there was an item I wanted to watch sell. Would you like to see what I bought?


Yes, we stood around all day and I bought 8 pie plates! 7 pyrex and one corelle ware. I think we could have taken the car!

Sunday Stash Report

This week I bought 10 yards of pastel for backing, binding, and a border on my Serenity quilt. BUT, I finished the binding on my Christmas courthouse steps, and that used 16.75 yards of stash! The numbers are---

Bought ytd 50.3 yards
Used ytd 41.25 yards

So I'm 9 yards behind, but I'm catching up! All the pink/cream Jacob's ladder needs is the binding (which I already have made). And the Serenity top and the blue/white Irish chain are to the borders. So not long before they are finished. Ahh--I feel better!

How are your stash reports--which way did YOU go this week??

Saturday Musing

Amy at Park City Gal invited bloggers to an online quilt show. This is the quilt I picked--Tia's Wonky Stars. Tia is married to a serviceman from the US and is stationed in Australia where there were bushfires with loss of homes and lives. She invited us to send her quilt blocks to be made into quilts for these victims. (See the link on the side of her blog.) I had just received a box of fabric from my favorite BIL Paul. He had been cleaning his mother's house (she now lives in a nursing home) and came across lots of fabric. His mother can't tell us what the fabric was originally for, or what she was making. (I suspect a 9 patch quilt as there are some of those already made and/or cut out.) I emptied the box, washed the larger pieces and wondered what I would make. Then came Tia's invite. Each star in this quilt is made out of some of that fabric I was gifted. I had the background and the border and backing fabric, so it didn't take me long to put it together. It's a full size bed quilt, and I hope it will warm someone's body and heart in Australia.

On Tia's Clothesline in Australia---much more light there!

On my spare bed. This has been my favorite quilt for the last few months, I think of it heading off "down under" to warm someone else. Sometimes your favorite quilts are the ones you give away!

Motivation Friday

Did I keep you up last night? All the whirring of machines? I've gotten a lot done this week!

The blue/white double Irish chain is waiting for borders. The Serenity quilt needs one last border. And the pink/cream Jacob's ladder is quilted!

And while I was quilting, I was thinking about my favorite "quilting tools".


My MP3 player with my favorite music, I clip it onto the BACK of my collar, then the wires don't get tangled with anything else. I especially like this player as it has no batteries, it charges while it's plugged into my computer. I use the ear buds, Ken works nights and then I don't have to crank the music up while I sew. The flashlight, well, I often get under my quilts to check the bottom tension, and its much easier to do with a flashlight. The thread blends right into the backing, and with a flashlight at an angle and IF I remember to put my glasses on, I can see it! The scissors on the retractable leash, I can't sew without them. I have left the house with them still clipped to my shirt.

If I keep working, I may actually have a finish this week! Almost all my goals have been met! How has your week been??

Wednesday--working hard!

I'm trying to pick up the pace a bit, things were just moving too slow! Yesterday I loaded my pink/cream Jacob's ladder.


It is ready to quilt, just need to cut the batting.

And I also put my blue/white blocks together into rows, today I will press them and sew them into a top ready for borders.

I sew my blocks into vertical rows instead of horizontal rows, makes them easier to hang on the design wall.

Have you ever made your own "shake n bake"? Last week I cruised the internet looking for recipes/ideas, and found several ideas I put together. I used--

a little less than 1 c. flour
1 c. uncrushed saltines
4 T. cornmeal
Seasoning salt
garlic salt
pepper
paprika
Parsley flakes
a pinch of cayenne pepper
onion flakes
some regular "Slay Ya Mama" seasoning
a pinch of sage

I put this all in a food processor and ground it up. I lined a cake pan with foil, sprayed it with non stick spray, and then I coated pork chops with it and baked until they were done. I also used this with chicken pieces, and both were excellent! A baked potato, a veggie, and it was an easy meal. Ken said he hasn't had a pork chop that tasted so much like 30 years ago (Okay, some of you won't remember how home grown pork chops tasted!) until these. The coating keeps the meat from drying out. And I made a batch of cupcakes I have to frost today. I baked a loaf of bread. It's drizzly out today, a good day to stay inside and sew!

How is YOUR week going??

Monday Goals

Home from Minnesota tonight. Bags are carried in. Laundry is waiting, but it's going to wait until tomorrow. And I need to make some goals for this week.

1. Put together the blue/white blocks
2. Add the borders to the Serenity quilt
3. Hand sew the binding on the Christmas Courthouse Steps
4. Load another top

We had a wonderful time in Minnesota. We played with Mason, ate hot dogs, burgers, and steaks. We ate the cupcakes. We had a beer!



Oh, grandparents corrupt the grandchildren! First the coffee, then I fed him frosting from the cupcakes, and now he's gnawing on the beer! Makes you wonder how they EVER grow up!

He's such a good little guy, all weekend we wondered if he MIGHT have an ear infection. So today Laura Beth took him to the Dr. and yes, he has an ear infection! Now he's on antibiotics, so hopefully the ears will clear up fast. We miss him, we did lots of playing and snuggling. I tried to talk Laura Beth into sending him to South Dakota, I offered to trade her Mason for Ruby the quilting dog for a week or two, even cited that Ruby didn't need daycare etc, but she didn't go for it. Drat!

Sunday Stash Report

Nothing bought, nothing used. So same numbers as last week.
40 1/3 yds bought year to date
24 1/2 yds used to date
So I'm not quite 16 yds in the hole.
I'm going to add some fabric on Monday, I need pastel backing for my Serenity quilt. I KNOW I don't have any. The top is pieced from remnants of Mason's baby quilt blanket I made last year. Pretty soon those pastels will be like my Christmas fabrics--gone!



Wishing you a Happy Easter, we're being quiet and laid back here. Later we will grill steaks and watch a movie. A perfect holiday weekend!

Saturday Afternoon

We've had our naps, and frosted the cupcakes we made earlier. I made Mason an Easter basket.


Now we need to go to the grocery and decide what we're going to eat the rest of the weekend. Ken is voting for hot dogs!


Quit Mom, that tickles!

Motivation Friday on Saturday!

Yesterday we packed and were on the road to Mankato, so my motivation post was delayed. Mason and Grandpa are busy, Grandpa is TRYING to drink his coffee, but Mason wants to share. Mason has two teeth now, we can eat donuts!

My goals haven't done too well this week. I do have my Serenity quilt blocks together into a top without borders. The blue/white top has all the blocks made. I haven't sewn the binding on the courthouse steps, nor any of my other goals. It is a few weeks before I can get in at the oral surgeon--barring an emergency procedure! It's Easter weekend, Grandpa and I are going to enjoy ourselves playing with Mason and visiting Laura Beth and Nick. I hope you are having a great weekend too!

No snow here in Mankato, it is 62F out right now, today will be a very nice day.

Wednesday Ramblings

Beautiful weather outside, the thermometer already says 45 degrees, it's sunny with no wind. The snow is starting to disappear. There's a shadow on the picture of my sidewalk, but that's the west side of the house and soon it will be in the sunshine.

Haven't heard from the oral surgeon. But, the taxes were all delivered to the accountant, so that's done. And I've been sewing. Ahh, feels so good! No quilting, but I've been piecing.


The blue pieces are for a blue Irish chain, and the pastel blocks are for a quilt called "Serenity" from my book called Strip Happy by Donna Kinsey. There are so many projects I'd like to try in this book, all using those noodles I've been saving~!

I'm hoping we can go to Laura Beth's and Nick's for Easter, not often that she and Ken have the same weekend off without something else going on. I wish you all a Happy Easter!

Monday Goals

The official count on the snow was 15.7". But the snow is receding, it won't last long.



Yes, there are bare spots showing, and hopefully there will be green grass soon. I had some Iris, Hyacinth,and Daffodils under those snowbanks, I wonder how they are??

It's Easter Weekend, not sure what our plans (if any) are. And still waiting to hear from the oral surgeon. But I'll make my goals as if it were a normal week.

1. Hand sew the binding on the Christmas Courthouse steps
2. Load another top
3. Work on my "blue" project
4. Borders on Bear in the Farmhouse quilt
5. Continue piecing my "Serenity" quilt (hey, that's the name the book gave it!)

There, that will give me a hand sewing project, a machine piecing project, and a long arm project. And a few others. I have to finish my part of the taxes. But Spring IS going to get here!

Sunday Stash Report and Snow

First, let's get the stash report out of the way. Last week I bought 6 yards. Yes, I did! And have already cut into it. So the totals are---
40 1/3 yds bought year to date
24 1/2 yds used to date
So I'm not quite 16 yds in the hole.

But, I almost have a finish. I'm so close I can taste it! My Christmas Courthouse Steps is quilted and even has the binding machine sewn on it. See??

Quilting the last foot.

Done quilting and the binding machine sewn on!

I pieced the backing out of odd bits of Christmas fabric.

And then there was the snowstorm. Interstate 90 was closed last night from Sioux Falls across the state west to Wall. Almost clear across, and the edges they were advising no travel. I live in the middle of the worst of the storm. Of course!

Ruby and I left foot prints and Ruby's belly drug in the snow--this was at 1am.



Noon today.

My ramp.

Across the yard-the neighbor's tree.

Not sure how much snow there is, but we're guessing it must be about a foot. Where is spring??