I Heart Hearts!

I have been practicing my hand embroidery again! I am making Kelsey some embroidered pillow cases for Valentine's Day. I still need more practice before I do the actual project but I am loving the practice! I am using my patterns from Big B. Kelsey's favorite color is purple so I will use some purple in the ones that I do for her. I think that I will make some pin cushions out of these practice squares. My back stitch really needs some work!!

Things have been busy around here. We are getting a new roof because of some hail damage. I have 2 very pretty leak marks in my kitchen and bathroom! We have had roofers and insurance people in and out! Ruby does not like this at all! She hides under my bed! I would rather take my chances with the roofers than to go under my bed! Yuck! Cade had his first orthodontist appointment this week! That boy has some really crazy front teeth! The skin from his top lip is joined too tightly to his gums, pulling his two front teeth up. They are going to put in a spreader to help them come down without surgery. Kelsey and Joey were both in braces at the same time. Kelsey had hers for 4 years!! Cade's seem cheap compared to the price of the two of theirs!!

I am still "working" in the library at Cade's school. We have another Book Fair starting next week!!! We just had one in October! Cade's school was just built last year. It turned out not to be a good year to build a new school! The county and state both had to cut budgets so the school building is very nice and modern....just not much money left to furnish somethings like library books, tv's, projectors, things like that. There have been fund raisers going on all year long! I am sure that the parent's are getting tired of it!

We may get some frozen rain in here on Friday night. I will not complain though, so many of the bloggers that I read are getting so much snow and braving snow and ice storms! I know that we are ready for Spring!
Thanks for reading!
Libby

Pinwheel Baby Quilt Finally Finished!

Sorry the pictures arent that good, I was so glad to be done that the minute it came out of the dryer, I took the pictures, sewed the label on and wrapped it up!! I think it turned out o.k. The pattern is from Moda Bake Shop! It is a fun easy pattern. I did add an extra row to my quilt because I had alot of charm squares. I measured it after it came out of the dryer and it came out 40.5 X 50..I did not prewash any of the fabric so it did shrink some and is nice and wrinkly!

I hope the Mom and baby like it and I really hope that it gets used!

Thanks for reading!

Libby

February Friday Night Sew In

Thanks Heidi (Handmade by Heidi) The next Sew In is Friday 19! I hope to get alot done! On Saturday the 20 I am taking a redwork class at the local quilt shop! Sounds like a great weekend!

If you want to join, you don't have to sew, it can be any craft! Just go to Heidi's blog, sign in, and make plans to spend that Friday working on a project. Saturday, you blog what all you got done! I had a great time during the last Sew In! I enjoyed it so much!

Today, I am putting the binding on the never-ending baby quilt! I am taking it to the Grandmother on Sunday and I will make sure to post some pictures of it!
Have a great weekend!
Libby

Hurry Hurry!

I have not posted since the Friday Night Sew in! I am still quilting the baby quilt!! I finished quilting the body of the quilt a few days ago. It went fast because I just did simple quilting on the blocks but then, because I need my head examined, I started doing a cross-hatch in the borders. Not that close, only 2 inches, but it is taking FOREVER!! It is taking me longer to quilt the borders than it did to make the whole quilt!! I really want to hurry and finish this quilt so that I can make Kelsey's pillow cases! I am ready to get it done and out of my sewing room! I am sure that when I'm done with it and it comes out of the dryer all wrinkly and sweet, I will like it again! I also need to get it out of here before Kelsey comes home and sees it because she is still ticked off that I'm making it, now she has decided that I should save it for her! HA! I'm sure that she is kidding around, believe me, she has plenty of quilts! She has 2 with her at school and 3 more in her room here at home!

I have been looking for a new iron for awhile. We used this kind at the quilt shop and I have wanted one but kept putting it off. The kids wanted to get me one for Christmas but I talked them into getting me a picture frame that I wanted instead. Well, my sweet husband had to go to Brandsmart USA for work stuff and bought me this iron while he was there! I love it!

Now, I have to go make a chicken lasagna for supper. I am making it early so that I can just pop it in the oven after karate.

Have a great day and thanks so much for reading!

Libby

Friday Night Sew In!

I enjoyed my Friday night Sew in so much! I can't wait for the next one! I got into my comfy jammies at about 530, I was a little late because I just HAD to mop and vacuum my floors then I made cupcakes for the boys! I also made some spinach artichoke dip for me! It was very good but not healthy at all! Finally, I got down to business!

This is the kit that I had kept in a pizza box for about 5 years. It is a Moda Christmas quilt. I had already cut everything out and had even pieced a few of the blocks. They are super easy. Look how neat the pieces stayed in the box! The box was covered in dust though!

I really enjoyed piecing these blocks. I have 11 done, I need 18 for the quilt. I would like to have this done for Christmas 2010! I love the fabrics in this quilt. There are several wovens that are a little slippery but I think they will be fine!

After piecing for awhile, I decided to make the back for the baby quilt that I finished last week. After that I went ahead and basted the quilt. I am so glad that I got this out of the way! I hate basting! Ugh! My floor was clean so tonight was a perfect night to get it done! Now I can get to the part I like the best...the quilting!

Ruby likes to "help" me baste! I sure wish that she could!

I decided to quilt circles on the pin wheel blocks. With all those pin wheel points and the prairie points, I hope that the circles will soften it up! I always worry about the quilting when I start but I usually love it by the time I'm done..or else I tell myself that I love it just to finish it up!!

I had a great night. I feel like I got alot done! I can't wait to see what everyone else did! Thank you Heidi so much for hosting this!

Have a great weekend!

Libby

Friday!

Woo Hoo! It's finally Friday! This morning I'm taking my son Joey for his driving test! He is 18 and just now getting his license. We are bad parents and would not let him get them until he straightened up some bad behavior that he was having! Hopefully, this will be a good thing for him!
I'm very excitied about the Friday Night Sew in! I don't know yet what I will work on. Maybe several things! I found this old Moda Christmas kit on top of my cabinet. I have it all cut out and a couple of blocks done. I did it at the quilt shop that I worked at in 2005 or 06! We kept our projects in pizza boxes. My box was very dusty but all the fabric inside was neat and still in order!
I have been practicing my embroidery and I'm trying decide what other pattern to put on the second pillow case. There are so many cute ones in that packet it's hard to choose! I will post them as soon as I finish!
Have a great weekend!
Libby

hmmm..blogger is taking forever to load my picture, I'll try later

Blog Find

I have been wanting to make my Kelsey a hand embroidered pillow case for her college dorm. I love the look of embroidery and I really like the idea of giving her a gift that is handmade. The internet is loaded with so many beautiful pictures, patterns and ideas! I enjoy handquilting so much and I have always wanted to get better at hand embroidery. I am a very weak beginner and I know that if I want to get better at it then I will have to practice! I spend alot of time waiting for Cade to get out of school and embroidery is a perfect "take with you" project.

I started looking on the internet for a cute, simple project. I came across this blog. big B is an embroidery blog written by a lady named Kim. The blog is named after her very nice looking dog! Kim's blog is fantastic! She is currently working her way through a 100 embroidery stitches book. She shows how to do many stitches and I can't wait to see them all! The pictures on her blog are so pretty and her work is beautiful! I fell in love with her Lazy Daisy Heart and knew that I wanted to do that pattern on a pillowcase for Kelsey. Kim has an etsy shop and I was able to buy her Be Mine pack for $3. This booklet is full of sweet patterns, it's 13 pages! She sends the pattern book in a pdf email! It came right away and I started practicing right away!

I also asked Kim about her favorite colors of floss to use for these projects and she got back to me right away! I am having so much fun doing this. I still need to practice my stitches before I start the real project but I'm pretty proud of what I have done so far! and it's fun, relaxing work!

I PROMISE that I don't know Kim at all and I did not tell her that I would blog about her site! I just loved her blog and I am a very happy customer! I am very excitited that I found exactly what I was looking for and learned some new stitches too!

Have a Great Day and Thanks for reading!

Libby

Late Monday

We had a 2 hour delay for school today beacuse our little snow stuff finally started to melt but quickly froze back up. Cade had to be at school at 10 am and when I took him the roads were so bad. I didnt want him to know that I was scared but he kept saying "Do you think you should just turn around?" His school os way back in the country and the little road goes through some beautiful farm land, lots of trees that shaded the road. This afternoon wasnt so bad because they put a bunch of sand on it. Our temps. are going to warm up later this week so I hope to get back to my walking, I have missed it.

I finished up sewing this baby quilt up on Friday. I got the pattern from Moda Bake Shop. I had everything for it in my stash. I went ahead and made it larger than the pattern because I had a bunch of charm squares so now I have to go buy some fabric for the back. I think that I will get some soft bleached muslin. It always looks so pretty after it's quilted. I won't be doing any fancy quilting on it because I am in a hurry to get in done! I am doing the Friday Night Sew In so I may work on it then. I am very excitied that I have planned a night to do nothing but sew! Andy will be at the Fire Dept. so I am getting the boys fast food and then I'm going to sew as long as I can! No doing laundry or dishes! We will see if I can do it!

My sweet Kelsey left Sunday to go back to college! I miss her like crazy! I am very proud of her and how well that she is doing. It just makes me sad to see her growing up and now when she comes home she's not a kid anymore! It is great to see her becoming a women but it just happened way too fast!

Here is Cade posing for a picture before he played in the snow. He stayed out for hours.

Have a great day and thanks so much for reading!

Libby

Friday night sewing

Kristie and Jill both posted information about a Friday night sew in. It is hosted by Heidi (handmade by Heidi) I'm joining in the fun! All you have to do is enter and on Friday the 15, get comfy and sew or do some kind of craft! Sounds like a Fun Friday!
Hope everyone is having a great weekend!
Libby

Snow Day!

Woo Hoo! Cade has the day off! Our area got a little snow and wintery mix last night! It would not have been a big deal except the tempature dropped down to around 14 so everything froze! We arent going over 32 today so they cancelled school. We southerns don't drive well in ice! Plus, we like to take advantage of any little snow fall!

Today we are staying warm with hot chocolate and cinnamon toast! I took these pictures this morning of our woods with the light dusting of "stuff" These are the woods behind my house and in front of the house. Not much of a snowfall but still pretty! Unfortunately, the news has been full of reports of accidents as people try to drive on the ice!

Enjoy your weekend and stay warm!

Libby

Still Going!

Tuesday already! Cade goes back to school on Wednesday. I will miss our carefree days but it will be nice to get back in a routine! I love having the kids around and will really miss Kelsey when she goes back to college on the 10th.

I am still walking about 35-50 minutes a day. I have tried to talk myself out of it everyday! We are having very cold weather for us. Highs in the low 30's. My feet hurt so bad when I first start walking, I feel like I will have to crawl to the house! But, once I get going I am ok. I have a blister on my heel that Mr. Paramdeic is dying to get a whole of but I'm not letting him. I don't want to go out and buy new walking shoes until I see if I will keep it up! Yes, I have started and stopped many, many times! I'm also trying to cut down on my portions at supper and eat a healthy breakfast and lunch! Any healthy lunch ideas would be appreciated very much!

Today, we are going out for breakfast and spending the day with Cade. There is a chance of snow here thursday! That would be so great!

Here is Cade fooling around with the cake that I made for New Years Eve. He's not really that close to it. Silly Boy! Thanks for reading!
Libby

Walking in Sunshine!

I actually got out and walked Saturday! It was a beautiful sunny day. But, at 11:00 it was still 26% outside. Now, that might not be cold to some of ya'll but it was to me! I didnt let that stop me though! Thank the Good Lord that we live way back in the woods and none of my children were interested enough to get a camera! I looked a mess! Picture this (unless you have a weak stomach) I was wearing some old faded walking pants (atleast 2 sizes too small) an awlful looking jog bra (again way too small) over the bra I wore one of Andy's old thermal shirts (atleast it fit) I have a huge bright green coat that I wore and a raggedy old black stocking cap that smells like my son's four-wheeler! When I stepped outside the dogs barked at me! Lucky for me, my walking "track" is the pasture behind my house, the kids have rode 4-wheelers on it so much there is a nice beaten down trail to walk on, AND it is very private! Which is a very good thing because I had to take a quick bathroom break!!! Like I said, it was a very pretty day and once I started moving I warmed up pretty fast! I walked for about 45 minutes. I had to stop a few times because I don't know how to use my "new" ipod. Kelsey got a new one for Christmas so she gave me her old one...I probably should have stuck with my trusty old simple one.

I was proud that I got out and did my thing. I had housework that needed doing and a quilt that needs to be put together. I am glad that I was able to drop those things and do something for myself! Though I did spend sometime thinking about what all needed to be done! I don't know if I will walk Sunday or not, we stay so busy on Sundays, plus Andy is at the Fire Dept. and it is my son Joey's 18 birthday! I really need to work at get faster because my little old dog Brick walked in front of me most of the time, I couldnt pass him, so I had a wonderful view of his little behind the whole time!!
Have a WONDERFUL day! and Thanks for reading!
Libby