Monday Goals

Another week with no goals.  Well, no QUILTY goals!   I will sew when I can.

Did I show you what Ranger Karla and I found the other day we were checking campgrounds?  

Do you know what kind of snake that is?  A bull snake!  Almost five foot long--a big snake for the species.  And was he mad!  Shook his tail to pretend he was a rattlesnake and would strike at us, but we were careful and let him strike at the soles of our shoes.  Yes, they will bite/strike you, but aren't poisonous.  But that doesn't mean it wouldn't HURT!  He unwillingly posed for pictures, and then Ranger Karla took her "whumping stick" and shovel out of the back of the truck and carefully carried him off the road to the grass. 

Have great week!

Thank you

 

FREEDOM ISN'T FREE

Thank you

Sunday Stash Report

I haven't sewn at all this week.  And I didn't buy anything so my stash report is still the same.  I've planted flowers and garden, weeded and watered.   Volunteered three days.  My dad and I went shopping.  I've been running errands to the field with Ken.  Last night it rained a bit, and Ken worked, so he's catching some much needed sleep.  

One of my clematis is blooming, I can't remember the variety, but it was six flowers so far, and each is the size of my hand.

This plant is only three years old, and bloomed last year and this year.  There are more buds developing.

My peonies are opening, the blooms are as high as my shoulders.  I love peonies, and after eight years, these are wonderful.  Peonies and Memorial Day go together in my mind.  

I have several large clumps of columbine, all in shades of red to magenta to purple and pink.  


I tried to get pictures of my wisteria--there are large clusters of flowers beginning to open.  The wind was tossing them and the photo was blurred.  

A friend who reads my blogs emailed me, here is a portion of that email--

I went to the local dealer, and since our dealer also carries Janome, now, he asked why I would want to get trade in a GOOD Singer machine for a new Pfaff.  His dad used to run the shop as a Singer Dealer.  I told him I didn't really want too, but I wanted to bring the ad to the attention of Pfaff, he said he would report it to Pfaff USA, but doubt he would hear anything back.

He also said if I was serious, he would give me something or the machine on a trade in, and he hadn't seen that particular flyer.  When I asked why, he said it was because he wanted his customers to know that he was a honorable dealer, and would honor that advertisement, even though he did say that machine pictured was a Singer with Singer brushed out.

Its good to know that I have a honorable dealer here close to me.  We had a chuckle over the ad, and he said if I ever needed a machine fixed or needed parts for my old Singers to let him know. 

Singer 15 vs Pfaff 30/31

There were a few comments about my Pfaff ad and the sewing machine that was pictured in that ad. 

Here is the full size picture of the sewing machine in the advertisement, click to enlarge.

Below is my Singer 15. I have flipped the image for easier comparison. Click to enlarge.

I have searched the internet and found the Pfaff models mentioned. Here is a Pfaff 31.

Here is a Pfaff 30

Both Pfaff machines are black, neither has the same shape head as a Singer 15.  Pfaff's do not have triplet decals as the Singer 15's pictured, nor do the Pfaff's have the Celtic scrollwork on the faceplate, back plate, or the front stitch plate.  

All Singer 15's have their tension knobs on the side of the faceplate.  Both have the identical placement of the spool pins.  Please check the thread takeup arms, the head screws, and bobbin winders that show over the back of the head.

The only difference between my machine and the one in the ad is that the Singer 15 in the ad has had the word "Singer" erased, like this:

  

Pfaff used a Singer 15 in the picture on the front of their mail-out, on the back of the postcard the wording is "bring in your old Pfaff". I do consider this to be a misleading and deceptive advertisement. 

?????

A few days ago I received this sales promotion in the mail.  First I looked at the picture, and then I read the ad.  See the first paragraph that states "Bring in your old Pfaff sewing machine and take home a beautiful new Pfaff today at great savings!"  The sewing machine on the left is the one on their flyer, the one on the right is MY machine.  Huh--that's not a Pfaff in their ad--it's a Singer 15!  This is a great example of less than honorable sales tactics!!

Monday Goals

I don't think I will have any goals this week.  I've already stuffed it full of things to do.  I will sew on the camper project when I can.    And I always find lots of projects to put on my "to do" list!  Julie was making some small wallets, I think they are "Wonder Wallets" from Lazy Girl Designs, I will try to find that pattern today.  Thanks Julie!!

Yesterday I planted most the vegetable garden.  A few flowers from seed.  Watered everything.  And yes, I just cut holes in the fabric that I covered my garden with.  I have tomato cages around the tomatoes, and the small plants all have a "twig" to keep the "hole" from moving.  The garden looks like its had acupuncture!   As soon as the cucumbers, pumpkin and zucchini get bigger, I will spread wheat straw over the entire thing.  I have boards, bricks, and electric fence posts on it right now to the fabric from moving.  I know it may seem like a strange idea, but have covered my garden with either landscape weed barrier or some other type of fabric for several years.  Even if the weeds try to grow under the fabric, they eventually die.  And when I cover the garden with straw, it holds the moisture.  And--no weeding!  It may not be a "picture perfect" garden, but unless something major happens (like HAIL) it will produce more than we need.  Today I am running errands, warranty work on my car, oil change, and then I head to my volunteer spot.  Have a great week!  Anyone have big plans for Memorial Day?

Sunday Stash Report

Nothing bought, nothing finished.  Boring report.  I don't think much will change for a few weeks.  Right now we are planting crops, I'm working on the garden, flowers, and volunteering.  Not much time to sew, and getting a bit cranky missing my sewing fix.  And remember me whining about the cold weather?  Well, today it was in the 90's, and the air is on! 

Not Enough Spoons

I've run out of "spoons" before I ran out of things I wanted to get done.  Yesterday I couldn't look at a flower bed any longer, I had to weed it.  

Then I moved on to fixing poles for my perennial sweet peas and clematis to climb on.  I wanted to work on the vegetable garden, and discovered I did not have enough weed barrier fabric to cover it.  Wondering where this is going?   Someone had given me lots of curtain/decorator type fabric I was never going to use.  I used that!  One year I used old sheets--it all works.  I stake it all down with electric fence posts.  Yes, I now have a decorator garden. Definitely a "scrap" pattern!  

After everything is planted and growing, I will cover the entire garden with wheat straw about 6-8" thick.  This helps with weeds and keeps my garden from drying out.  In the fall I pull everything up, take the vines/dead plants off, pull up the fabric but leave the straw/grass clippings to be tilled back into the garden.   But today I haven't any spoons to play with, and will take it easy. I still have to plant my garden, but maybe I can do that tomorrow. 

Wednesday Sweets

Do you sometimes need brownies in a hurry?  But you're tired of the same old brownies?  I read the boxes for ideas.  I tried this one--

Speedway Squares

1 box Betty Crocker orginal supreme brownie mix
1/3 c. vegetable oil
1/4 c. water
3 eggs
1 bag semisweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 - 2 c. miniature marshmallows
1 1/2 c. chopped peanuts


Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottom only of 13x9 pan.  Mix brownie mix, oil, water, and eggs until well blended.  Stir in 1 c. chocolate chips.  Spread in pan.


Bake 28-30 minutes (mine only took 24 minutes) until toothpick inserted 2 inches from edge comes out clean, or almost clean.


Immediately after removing from oven, sprinkle with marshmallows, remaining chocolate chips, and chopped peanuts.  I stuck these back into oven that was turned off with a cookie sheet on top of pan to soften marshallows and chips.  I left the oven door open.  Let cool 2 hours and then cut.

D

Don't these look good? 

 

Monday Goals

Time to plan goals for this week. 

1. Work on the camper project
2. Quilt on Curry top

That's it.  Those are my most pressing projects.  I also need to weed the flowers, clean off and plant my garden.  But the weather dictates those!  It's been beautiful the last couple of days, so I hope that by this weekend I can work outside.  Laura Beth, Mason, and Nick left yesterday.  Its awfully quiet without Mason.  No little fingers helping me, no one to share dessert with.  No one to watch pick dandelions.  sigh

Grandpa--read to me?

 I'll help you write a blog post Grandma!

Sunday Stash Report

Stash report is pretty boring.  I didn't buy anything, and I didn't finish anything.  But I squeezed in a bit of sewing after Mason went to bed. 

I know, not very interesting, but I started the 28 blocks (Block A) I need.  Today is graduation.  It's a beautiful day, sunny and warm.  

Saturday with Mason

Mason and family got here last night.  Grandpa could hardly wait for him to wake up this morning.  

G

Grandma said I could push these buttons!  

A

And play with her timer.

Grandpa always reads to me.

Yes, Mason has his grandparents wrapped around his finger!

Nick, showing his metrosexual fashion sense!  (That is what Laura Beth says--I had to look it up!)

Main Entry:	metrosexual
Part of Speech:	n, adj
Definition:	a heterosexual male who has a strong aesthetic sense and inordinate interest in appearance and style

No sewing here, I'm going to play with Mason!

Motivation Friday

Drat, I didn't work on either of my goals this week.  The weather was cold, wet, and miserable.  I did keep busy.   I spent almost a whole day working on computer training.  Government type stuff.  Passwords.  Secret stuff! My brain was seriously strained by the time I was done!   Hehe!  I will be able to do important things--like update the phone list.  But, it will make my job more interesting and hopefully I will be more useful to them.  

I have been giving lots of tours of the Powerplant to school groups.  That's fun, the kids are always enjoyable.  Wednesday there was a lunch at the Powerplant.  Yup, we had picnic tables right down on the generator floor.  And I forgot to take a picture.   Ric (another volunteer) and I went.  Ric camps next to me, and although he isn't in the visitor center--he is kept very busy.   We got to eat something that is usually not served here--boiled peanuts!  You southerners will laugh--nope, most of us had never eaten them. 

Today is the first day in weeks it is sunny and warm.  The doors are open, the windows are next!  Laura Beth and family are coming tonight, my nephew's daughter graduates this weekend.  Mason will be here, so I better get to work, lots of THINGS setting around, cooking/baking to be done.  Laundry!  Arrgh!!

 

Do You Name Your Sewing Machine??

Do you name your sewing machine?  I do!   Sometimes I name them after the person I got them from, sometimes the place.  I currently am sewing on "Chuckee"--I got him from a man named Chuck.  I also have "LouAnn" and "Becka" and "Clara".  There is a machine named "Red Cloud".   I have a Red Eye treadle in my living room called "Topeka".  "Tom Cruise" is downstairs.

Do I have a favorite?  Not really, I tend to rotate them around to be used.  "LouAnn" is a speed demon, "Chuckee" is dependable.  "Becka" is a sentimental favorite, "Red Cloud" gets petted as I wonder what all she's sewn.  All these machines are older than I am.  I wonder where they've been in their, their owners.  Don't you wish they could talk??

Tuesday --Just Tuesday!

Have I told you what I do when I volunteer?  Most days I am in the Lewis and Clark Visitor's Center above Gavin's Point Dam.  The Visitor Center is very large,  a small movie theater, many displays, and 3 story glass windows with bays you can stand outside on and look down over the lake, dam, and river.   I greet visitors, answers questions and the phone, play the movies.  Right now I have been helping give tours of the powerplant to school groups.  Kids ask great questions!  Visitors will be increasing soon, and we will be in full swing by Memorial Day.  If you're in the area--please stop in!! 

Monday Goals

Small goals this week.  Volunteer M-Tu-Wed.  We have a graduation this weekend.  And, if it doesn't rain, Ken hopes to plant corn and beans.  That means I will be there too.  

1. Work on camper project
2. More sashings on the disappearing 4 patches

The shoulder is still very sore, if it doesn't improve, I will have to go to the Dr.  

I have been getting used to the Google reader.  Catch up on everyone on the weekends.  I hope I haven't missed anyone!  
 

Sunday Stash Report

Happy Mother's Day!  I found the above gif and it made me smile.   Many memories of drinking coffee/tea with my mother and grandmother.  

 

I haven't finished anything, but I didn't buy any fabric this week either.  So no change to the stash report.  But I did do a few things---first I made these--

 

 

Six dozen chocolate chip cookies.  I am pretty sure these are Ken's favorite cookie.  And, I did sew this weekend.  I put together the strips for my camper project, and was able to cut the strips into the next step.

Today dad and I are going shopping.  I need a few groceries and he's riding along.  Maybe we will stop at the nursery and check out the plants.  I hope it's warm enough to work in my flowers/garden by the weekend, but I wouldn't count on it yet.  South Dakota set new records for cold weather Friday night, there were places in the state that got down to 17 degrees.  Summer--where ARE you??!!

 

Saturday Whine

I've been trying to sew.  But, I have an aching shoulder.  Holding my arm up to the sewing machine is painful.  The cold wet weather is not helping!  Gentle stretching exercises help a bit.  So do hot showers and a warm rice bag.  

It was cold enough this morning that people had to scrape frost off their windows.   26 degrees, glad I brought my holiday cactus in yesterday!  The sun is shining, but it's still nippy out.

This is the flower bed by my back door.  The  purple coneflowers, hostas, columbines, perennial sweet peas, and snow on the mountain are filling it. 

The peonies are beside the walk to my front door.  They should bloom about Memorial Day.  My clematises are all growing like, well, like weeds!  I need to get some poles set out for the sweet peas to climb on.  Pretty soon they will need big trellises, but not this year.  They are slow to start, but when they are established do well.   My goal is to have the flower beds filled with perennial plants so I can just weed and take care of them, not have to plant every year.  I have areas on the south and west sides of the house that are very hot, and haven't found any plants that like that.  A rock garden maybe!  I did plant a couple of Yucca, who tolerate hot and dry.  And the coneflowers are fairly tolerant.  Any suggestions?  

Motivation Friday

Cold, windy, wet and dreary here!  Not too much to motivate me.  But late last year I pieced a QOV.   I didn't post pictures on my blog as I hadn't given it to Sgt D.   Sgt. D works where I volunteer.  This was the 4th time he has been deployed.  He has small children at home, and I know this is hard on the whole family.  But he just shrugs, and says he has to go.  When I think about America, I think about Sgt D--quietly patriotic.  

Here is Sgt. D and his quilt.  The pattern is a free one I found on the internet--but can't find the link at the moment!  

I did sew on my camper project quilt, and have about half the sashings on my disappearing 4 patch.  I should get more time to sew over the weekend.  

The weather will keep me inside, I want to work on my garden and flower beds, but 40 degrees--wind and rain--nope, I will stay inside!


Wishing you a great weekend wherever you are!






 

I Don't Think I Like Them

All my life I've had very short nails.  They are thin, they break and chip.  I garden and sew and all sorts of things that are hard on them.  This is the longest they have ever been.

I paint them a pale pink or clear, haven't had the urge to paint then RED like my toenails!   I really do not like them this long.  I use the tips of my fingers for everything.  They are in the way.  What a nuisance, this trying to preserve them!  I envy people who have thick nails.  

Monday Goals

Rather disorganized lately, I better smooth things out a little.  So will set a few goals--

1. start my "camper project quilt"
2. keep sewing sashings to the disappearing 4 patches

Only two goals this week.  I've been busy volunteering, yesterday I baked 8 kuchen, 2 loaves cinnamon raisin bread, and two small pans of cinnamon rolls.  I also cut most the pieces for my camper project.  What's a camper project?  I take my featherweight and always have a project for while I'm living in my camper and volunteering.  You would be surprised how much sewing you can get done when there is no TV!  I worked on my disappearing 4 patches this weekend too.  I am doing like Pat and "setting the countries together".  Well, mine are having a few territorial disputes--I had to frog stitch a bit, and doing lots of pinning and marking.  I like the black sashings--what do you think??

I wanted to work on my garden and flowers this weekend, but it was cold, windy, with rain/drizzle at times.  I will not garden in a winter coat, hat, and gloves!  I set my holiday cactus outside on the deck, my sister is worried it might frost!  

Sunday Stash Report

Ahh, the day of reckoning!  It looks like I'm going backwards, but that's ok!

  

15 yards of the navy blue, 3 yards of black handspray, and 4 yards of brown handspray.  No purpose for the brown yet, but the shipping was the same (I only found the black handspray two places on the internet) so I ordered a bit of brown too.  The navy blue is a civil war reproduction fabric, its for a reproduction quilt I am making. 

Bought this week--22 yds

Donated this year--44.75 yds

Bought Year to Date -61.60 yds
Finished YTD 45.60 yds
YTD  +28.75 yards

Still used/donated 28 yards more than I bought, but I better get moving!
 

Curious to see how everyone did this week?  Check Judy's blog!