Getting Older...and Older...and

Does anyone out there remember the song, I think it was by Tennessee Ernie Ford (I can hear you saying WHO?) "Another day older and deeper in debt. St. Peter don't you call me 'cuz I can't go" The name of the song is 16 Tons.

I'm not deeper in debt, but I am another YEAR older !! Birthdays quit bothering me after I was 45. I had breast cancer and was told I had probably 2-2 1/2 years. So, now when I have a birthday I just look at it as a laugh at the doctors. That was back in '93 and other than being diabetic now, I'm healthy as can be. Don't even 'catch' a cold!

Have you ever thought about that? Do we catch a cold, or does it catch us? Or is that like the question, how far West do you have to go before you're East? My guess is the Date Line. What's your idea?

I'm doing the A Tisket, A Tasket block-of-the-month and am learning about applique, for sure.
I have the pieces all cut and in position and I'm stitching around them now. Since I absolutely detest hand sewing anything, I'm learning to do it on the machine. So, it's not quite perfect. I've made a few boo-boos. Are there REALLY quilt police that will come and get ya if you mess up? Get real. I have February all done and am working on January. They really are kinda fun! I'll post some pictures when I have them finished.

Other than that, I've been trying to organize all the patterns I download. So far, I've filled a 3" binder! And that doesn't count, of course, all the ones waiting to be printed out.

Our Granddaughter was here for a few days. She went to the quilt shop with me. Now SHE has the quilting bug. I thought I'd start her out on something easy like maybe a turning twenty pattern. They go together quickly, before she gets borned with it, I hope.


Saturday Thankfulnesses

• Rain, but not TOO much
• Little Lambs
• More Birthdays
• Crocus
• Spring

Getting Older

Saturday Morning

Not a very promising day, weatherwise. Not cold, but high overcast clouds. No sunshine. I LIVE for sunshine !!

I'm rather disappointed. I joined this online food journal site and have been trying faithfully to enter EVERYTHING I eat. It's a pretty cool site because it gives you all the nutritional information besides keeping track of your calories. According to everything I've read I should be eating a MINIMUM of 1200 calories per day. Right. Let's see, since I started I've GAINED way-to-how-many pounds! It's very difficult for me because being diabetic I REALLY need to keep the carbs down. I'm thinking this next week I'm going to try forgetting to worry about the calories and just eat to keep from getting too many carbs. Probably be better for my sugar levels also !!

I made the cutest little blocks the other day. I'm doing several online BOMs. Seriously behind on a couple (like, haven't even started) These blocks are your basic nine patch in a square, but I did them with some strawberry print fabrics from my stash. I used dotted swiss type fabric for the background. Here's some pictures. Very spring like, I think.

Oh, bother. Now I can't get the cursor down below the pictures.

Keith came home with three little baby banty chicks. Well, actually, he started out with four, but lost one. So I think that's a pretty good sign that spring is really on its way. My hobby is quilting, his is chickens. I'll see if I have time to go up to the shop and snap a few pics to share.

Why is it when a person starts out to clean, it ends up being a bigger mess than they started with? All I was going to do was try and organize all my assorted quilt patterns that I've collected over the years. Now I have piles of patterns all over my workspace! I got started and then life interfered. Maybe this evening...

Have a GREAT day everyone.

Saturday Thankfulnesses

• That it's family day (the day we spend together and don't let life intrude)
• That one of our granddaughter's is here for a few days
• For God's watchcare over us
• That SPRING is finally coming

DONE, DONE, DONE !!!

Woo-hoo!!! The blocks for Austrailia are DONE, boxed and ready to go. I actually got enough for an entire quilt. What an accomplishment! Now just what did I do with the papers the Post Office gave me to fill out for it. I know they are here on the desk SOMEWHERE Guess it's time now to clean off the desk.

Now to finish Mom's quilt so I can really give it to her to keep.

I'm making realy progress this year. A matter of putting one's mind to it I guess.

Wednesday Thanks

Thankful for SUNSHINE (even if it's still cold)
Thankful for my family
Thankful for friends

Why Prewash Fabrics

I have become the new owner of a quilt my Grandpa did many, many years ago. It had a musty smell so I washed it. I was assured it had been washed upteen times. Well.... to make a long story short and obvious here's a picture of what happened.

It's made a believer out of me. I'm not going to all the work involved in making a quilt to have this happen.

I was given two of his quilts. Same pattern, but the other one has been, shall we say, well used. Another comment on why use the best quality fabrics. I know he just used whatever was given to him as mostly he made quilts for needy people.

I only have five more blocks to do and I will have enough for an entire quilt to send to Austrailia. They really go fairly fast. Especially now that I'm getting a system figured out. My goal for today it to get those last few done and get the box ready to mail.

And then I'm afraid it's tax time. Sigh. Time away from my machine, I don't know how I'll survive!! This time every year I promise myself I'm going to be more organized and have all the numbers in a spreadsheet file so it's easy. Umm-hmm. What's that about the best of intentions?

Wednesday Wonders

Why does Winter have to last SO LONG?

Why is Summer SO SHORT?

Why do the days go faster the older you get?

Strippy Quilt As You Go

I managed to get 20 blocks done for Jan Mac this week. Originally, I was thinking I'd see how many I could do the rest of February, which is today. I'm taking a break today, but will probably give it another shot later on. I did do one with other fabrics just to see what it would look like. They get to be addicting after awhile LOL

I smell lunch cooking! We're just having corn chowder and pumpkin pie. I love pumpkin pie and have never understood just why it can 'only' be eaten on Thanksgiving or Christmas.

I had a surprise visit from one of my very close cousins on Thursday (we grew up practically as sisters) I have only seen her a few times in the last ten years so that was a good thing (toquote Martha S.) If nothing more to their liking turns up they may actually be moving here. Since my closest non-relative friend has moved away, that would be very nice. I've even found them a house already!

I better go tend to lunch before it burns.

Saturday Simples

I'm thankful it's the weekend and I don't HAVE to do anything I don't really want to today

I'm thankful I got 20 blocks done to send 'Down Under'

I'm thankful the snow is melting, REALLY thankful

Got It Fixed

Thanks to Tracy for alerting me to where the problem was. Looks much better now.

Very rainy day today just right for staying in and sewing. I now have 12 blocks all done, ready to send to The Land Down Under. (Hmm. Seems like when my kids were teenagers that was a song on the radio. By Men At Work, if I'm not mistaken. Strange the odd things your mind can remember !! Now if I could just remember the things I NEED to LOL) Making these quilt blocks is really doing some serious stashbusting. I love it. Then I'll have to shop to replenish it, right?

My cousin that I haven't seen very often since we've all grown up and gone our seperate ways is going to be over here to visit tomorrow. Her husband is actually applying for a job in our town. That would be fun if they actually got to move here. My really, really, close friend has moved away so it would be nice to have someone to do things with again. I wonder if I could get her interested in quilting?!!

I put a shelf up in my quilting area this afternoon. And already have it full of things that were on my work tables in the way. How nice. Are those little jar toppers still in style or not? I've used various old canning jars to store things in. Easy to see what's where and gives a nice ambiance to the room. Anyway it does in my mind. And that's the one that counts LOL.

Wednesday Thanks

My family is all alive and well

That I actually got the shelf up --by myself

The much needed rain