Found My Camera

I have been having a difficult time making myself come in and post on the BLOG and for that I am sorry. However, I do have a fairly good excuse... I always carry with me my little camera tucked into my purse and it goes everywhere with me so it is easy to just pull it out and take a photo. Well the end of April I lost it. For 2 weeks I have turned the house upside down and looked in every place I could imagine. It bugged me to death that I could not find it. Well on Friday night I got out of the car at the restaurant for our "Friday-Night" dinner and decided I would search my car real good. Guess what?? Tucked behind the driver seat in the pocket I found it. And then when I looked at the last picture that was taken I realized that my granddaughter had been riding in the back seat and I had handed her the camera to snap a photo. And naturally she put it somewhere safe and that happened to be behind the drivers seat. So now I have my camera back and I have snapped several photos just so you can see what I have been working on... I promise to do better!!!

First off - my quilt shop "Quilt Works" has had several wonderful sales on everything in the store with a whopping 25% off. I could not resist so now have enough fabric to work on several new projects. I am so tired of getting up to go to one of my "quilting bees" and not having something at hand to grab and have to work on so decided to organize myself and have put my projects in plastic bins with a copy of the pattern inside. Now all I have to do is grab one and off I can go and everything for that project is inside the bin. This should make life a little easier.


I have started a wonderful quilt with some colorful Batik Fabric... Have a look!! The strips laying on the bed are not joined yet but you can at least get the ideal of what it is going to look like.





Next -- our "Tri-County Quilt Guide" is already hard at work for the next Quilt Show 2012. YES, I said 2012... So we are meeting once a month to work on things to have in the Boutique which we will sell as a fund-raiser. The first meeting we were into making a "Ruler Bag". Something to carry your tall rulers in when going to one of your Bee's. We used donated scraps so it didn't cost us anything and I really think mine turned out so well that I have now made me one personally that I can put my rulers and mat in. Fits perfectly and I love it. Sometimes when carrying everything to a Quilting Bee there just aren't enough hands to carry everything so this will certainly help out. Let me know what you think...




Well the sun is shining and I have a pool that is calling my name. May just lay on the air mattress and dream about fabric... See you soon!! Linda

Buying New Plants for Patio...

I have been busy planting new plants and working on trying to get my patio back in order since I lost everything to all of the very cold weather we had here in the Houston area. Wanted to take the time to share a couple of plants that are truly some of my favorites.

I have some wonderful neighbors next door and Anh was gracious enough to pick up a plant for me at her grocery store and it is called "Desert Rose"... Isn't it lovely?? I am still searching for a new pot/saucer to compliment the plant so in the mean time it is in the original pot.



First of all I am a big succulent lover... I love pencil cactus, hens & chicks and numerous other type plants. I lost my 5 foot pencil cactus and have been everywhere trying to replace it and that is turning into an impossible task. So I bought a small one and will continue the search for a larger one. Here is a picture of it...


While looking for the pencil cactus I came across something called "Firesticks" and it is from Africa and basically looks like the pencil cactus except it has red tips. Should be pretty but it is a very small start... here is picture


Now I wanted to mention a plant that I bought last summer along with my cousin and we both really like this plant. It is called ZZ Plant or another name is Aroid Palm. You cannot kill this plant and mine has been sitting in my entry way and you only need to water about once a month. Lovely plant...

Another favorite of mine is a plant that I have in the entry and it is "Grape Ivy" or at least that is what I call it. It loves this spot and gets plenty of light from my front windows. Is it not grand???

So you see I have been busy working around the house. This weekend I will post about my new fabrics and the new quilt projects that I have planned. So keep tuning in and I promise to write more often...
Hugs,
Linda

James Headstone

I know that I have been terribly bad lately and not writing on my blog. Let me just say that every April I go thru a very depressed state as that is the month that my husband James passed away. This year seemed harder because I am also dealing with the installation of his headstone which I ordered 2 years ago. YES, I said 2 years!!! I actually ordered from outside of my area because I felt this company had some beautiful headstones and the price was more than reasonable. So Saturday, April 10th was the 4 year anniversary so the headstone was installed on Sunday, April 11th. I had to go to East Texas for this and I have to say that the headstone is truly PERFECT!! I think we had everything he would have wanted put on the headstone and when you drive up to the cemetery it is what you see standing. He wanted a tall monument and that is exactly what he got... I know he has looked down from heaven and he is smiling on this. Take a look at the picture...




Today I have to spend my time re-stocking my refrigerator as the blasted thing went out on Saturday and I lost everything I had in there and it was yesterday before they got the part in and could finally finish the repair. So in a bit I will head out and buy groceries and get it restocked. I hate to think what this grocery bill is going to be. Might be a good time to start a diet and only stock it with green lettuce and yogurt. LOL!!!!! I don't think so...

I had my yard crew here yesterday so the lawn has been mulched and all the shrubs trimmed. Now it is time to think about the pots on the patio where I lost all of my plants because of the extremely cold weather we had. My 5' pencil cactus is gone and I especially want to replace it but can't seem to find one yet in the nurseries. Will have to keep looking for that as I keep one in honor of my husband who always loved that plant.


Got to get up and get ready to head to the store. Have a wonderful day everyone and I promise to get back into the swing of things real soon!! Hugs, Linda

Visit to Emergency Room

Well I cannot end March without talking about my trip to the emergency room via "Ambulance". This was my first and hopefully LAST time that I will have to ride in one. You see -- you never should mess with Chroline Tablets and Water... I went out to the pool area after my cruise and was going to add tablets. When I took the lid off well water was in the bucket and water + chlorine = Chroline GAS. I had myself a big ole whiff and immediately it was in my eyes, nose and throat. Within about 10 minutes I was having a hard time breathing so after discussing with my son (who happened to be working at the fire station himself) he warned me to call an ambulance. So I did and the rest is history. Scared my neighbors, myself and the family. X-rays showed that I did indeed have signs of it in my lungs so after some strong meds and 2 breathing treatments I was finally allowed to return home. Thank goodness my sister came to my rescue and arrived at the hospital right after I did. So the warning is -- Never Mess With WET Chroline Tablets...



I also had a trip this week to the dentist and she is really a delight. Here she is looking on the internet to show me her own BLOG... We had to compare notes!! I chose her because #1 - she is a woman with small hands. Believe it or not I have a small mouth and it is just a better fit. Thanks, Dr. Simpson!!


Many of my friends already have heard me say it on facebook -- but I have become "addicted" to playing FARKLE on facebook. I just love rolling that cup of 6 dice. If you have never tried it then I highly recommend it. See that high score of mine???? Well it is an accident. I thought I was playing on the $50K dollar table when it was really $500K. I got lucky and won so I won a Million Dollar Pot. My lucky day... of course I am working on trying to keep that money. Anyway, it is fun and keeps me occupied when I am bored.


Guess I had better run along. Have plans in the sewing room today as I am working on 2 different projects. I rotate from the sewing machine to the Farkle game... LOL!!! Hey, it keeps an old lady occupied and I am not out shopping and spending money... See you soon!!

Linda

Cruise to Bahamas...

I know... it has been over 3 weeks since I last wrote on the blog. Just got busy getting ready for vacation and did not get it done. So sorry!! I had the pleasure of going on a 7-day cruise to the Bahamas with 19 family members and we had a ball. We flew to Ft. Lauderdale and then set sail on the Emerald Princess. Here is a picture of Tiff and I at the airport...


My granddaughter Kaila had a blast on the cruise spending time with her cousins and enjoying the beautiful blue waters of the caribbean. Her first time and one she want forget.

Now everyone knows that I am not a "big" drinker... one margarita on Friday night is about my limit but let me tell you that the drinks on this cruise were to die for. Don't know what made them so "grand" but they were. My whole family spent time laughing at me as I did indulge in one every single day. See it in the bottom corner of this picture...



We spent most of our cruise in St. Maarten, St. Thomas and Grand Turk. There is not much to Grand Turk but I understand that Columbus once sailed there! We did sight seeing, shopping and just enjoyed mixing with the island residents.

The last island to visit was "Grand Turk" which is one very small island. Here is a picture of the 2 ships in port that day. And just look at that beautiful blue water...

So now I am back at home and getting ready to settle in and do some yard work. Have another story to tell later... Missed ya'll!!! Linda

I know... I know... It has been over 3 weeks since I last wrote on my blog so will try to catch everyone up with what is going on. I went on a 7-night cruise with my daughter-in-law and granddaughter plus 17 other family members and we had a blast. I thought about taking the laptop and keeping up with the blog but simply did not have enough arms to carry everything. So I am back now and will catch everyone up as to what has happened.

We flew to Ft. Lauderdale on March 14th (a total of 19 of us) and set sail on the Emerald Princess. I had been on this ship last year with almost the same itinerary but this was a first for my granddaughter. She had a blast on the cruise running around with her cousins and swimming in the beautiful blue waters of the caribbean. Here is a quick picture of me in front of the ship in St. Maarten.

Just in time...

I just had to post tonight and let you know that yesterday I was able to finish a project. Yea!!! It is small but at least it is a finished project for February. I saw this in a book and went about making one myself. I used 2 patterns found on the internet and proceeded to string with beads my little red birds. Since I am a bird lover this was perfect and will make a nice hanging in my sewing room.





In between watching the hockey game with USA & Canada I was also able to work on my Freddy Moran quilt some more. It is taking shape and here is the dark hallway where I plan on hanging it. Don't you think this hallway could use some color????



Okay, it is time to close as I need to get ready to watch Jay Leno make his reappearance on The Tonight Show!!!!! Till next time...

Linda

Last Day of Olympics...

I don't know about everyone else but I am glad the Olympics will end today. I have spent way too much time watching TV when I should be in the sewing room (need a TV in there.) So I will get my blog posted early today because I do have to schedule time to watch the final hockey game with USA vs Canada -
GO USA!!!

I have had a real slow week with sewing but have managed to sew a few sections of my "Freddy Moran" quilt. It has been a struggle for me because I had to buy so much of this "funky" fabric to sew with but I am liking it as it starts to fall together. This is meant to be a wall hanging and hoping it will give some color to a dark hallway I have. Here is a picture of some small pieces laid out on the bed...


I have spent a lot of time cutting strips and so to keep it organized I have sorted them into bins by strip size. Now if I can just make myself sit down and sew the pieces together... Maybe I will start work on cutting some of the black/white pieces while I watch the game. Nothing says I can't have a portable cutting table in front of the TV this afternoon. LOL!!!!



Here is my fabric stash for this project so you can see what fabrics I have accumulated for this project. I am loving some of these bright colors!!!



Well it is time to get up from the computer and get started with some chores. Have to be free to watch the USA beat up on Canada (I hope)!!! Congrats to all of the athletes who participated in the Olympics!!!

Until next time -- Linda

New Purse Inserts...

I just have to comment about my new purse inserts that I bought online... Since I started sewing a few months ago I have fallen in love with sewing purses. I love quick projects and so this fits me to a T. Anyway -- I am picky about what I want in a purse. The fabric purses are lighter and I can make the lining the color I want. I hate a purse with black lining where you look into the purse and only see a "black" hole. Well I found these inserts online and they are perfect for changing out a purse. No more dumping the purse out on the bed. Take a look at the pictures and you will see what I am talking about. And I found these online at www.chameleoninserts.com. She ships out immediately and I had mine in just 3 days. I paid $20 for this and feel that it was worth every penny.



I like the lime green because it allows me to see everything inside... I kid you not -- there are lots of zipper pockets, slots for lipstick, pens and cell phone is right where I can see it (in pick case).



When you BLOG you have to always have a camera in hand... my fits perfectly in the slot indicated...




There are two little loops that you use to lift the insert in and out of the purse. This lime one is actually the smallest they make so there are several that are larger and I sure plan on ordering them for those occasions when I travel and happen to carry a bigger purse.

I have to confess that my weekend was a bust as far as any sewing. Saturday night I spent at a "Sleep Clinic" where I am being tested for sleep apnea and my snoring issue. My sister encouraged me to do this and I have to tell you that it was the worse night of sleep. At 12:15 I actually told the clinic that I just could not do this. Hard to fall asleep when you have a hundred wires running everywhere and glue in your hair holding all of the electrodes. They finally agreed to let me try sleeping in a recliner and I did that for a couple of hours and then back to the bed. At 6am when I had finally gone to sleep they woke me up to get ready to go home. (I had just gone to sleep)!!!!!! So on Sunday I took a dozen naps and was really dragging my butt. Last night I went to bed early and slept like a baby in my own bed. Now I have to wait for the results and see what happens next.

So I hope everyone else had a wonderful weekend. I have been doing some sewing this morning and plan to do more in the afternoon. I have purses to make for my granddaughter for the upcoming cruise so I have lots to do. So till next time -- Have a good week!!! Linda

Someone slap my hand...

Am I the only one who has a problem saying "No" to buying more fabric?? I sure hope not because I tell you my stash is just not that much. I know that I am new to quilting and so it does require me buying just to be able to make projects. Guess I am going to have to put myself on a budget and stick with it... LOL!!!!!!

I went to my sewing bee yesterday and finally started work on my new project which is the Freddy Moran way to quilt -- Colorful and Loud Colors will make the quilt perfect for hanging in my hallway. Just can't believe that I am sewing with purples, polka dots and wild combinations. But I Love It and you certainly stay awake while sewing the pieces. The wilder you get the better it is going to be.

Now then -- I am having difficulty with a plant I have. This resides in my bedroom and it is spreading out all over the floor. However, I cannot identify the plant and need to know how to handle the long shoots growing spreading out all over the floor. I definitely need to cut it back and want to know how to root this. Can anyone identify for me??

I guess if nothing else I will cut off a piece and try getting it identified at the nursery. That is my last resort...




Here is a picture of LuLu on her cage in the breakfast room. Such a big cage for a little bird. I leave the cage door all day and she plays on the top and in the window. I caught her climbing up the wood blinds several times so then I have to yell at her and get out a rolled up TV guide which I threaten her with. She does not like me slapping that rolled up guide around and then usually she retreats and will stay off for awhile. YES, I could be mean and stick her cage in the corner away from the blinds but I am such a softie when it comes to my animals and usually let them rule me instead of the other way. LOL!! I threaten to put up curtains instead of the blinds but not sure if she wouldn't grab the fabric and climb up that anyway. She is a mess - what can I say!!!


Well the Olympics are on and I need to go glue myself to the TV so stay warm and cozy and I will write again later... Hugs, Linda

Happy Valentine's Day...

It's a beautiful day here as the sun is finally shining and of course it is Valentine's Day. Always a special day for me as my firstborn was born on this day in 1968. I can still see my wonderful husband James all smiles because he got his son!!! Back in those days we never knew the sex of the baby before birth. My husband had just been discharged from the Marine Corp 3 weeks before and it was a good time in our life. James was standing there afterward with a huge white teddy bear and a beautiful card which I still have. So YES, it's a good day today...

My son Kelly is out of town this weekend as his girlfriend has surprised him with a trip to Washington DC (and all that snow). I am sure that they are having a good time and enjoying themselves. I on the other hand will spend the day relaxing around here and enjoying having the Olympics on TV. And I'm sure I will get a little sewing done. I am trying to decide what my next project will be. So guess I will be digging thru the stash and patterns and getting something laid out to start. That is always a fun project - just deciding what to make!!!

Friday, I spent several hours at the first "Quilt Show" by Tri-County Quilt Guide. It was so much fun looking at the quilts made by several friends and getting to see their ribbons. Maybe next year I will get brave and enter something myself.
Well friends it is time to get up from the computer and make myself useful around here. LuLu is in the kitchen "screaming" because she needs some attention. She wants Mama to come and pick her up and carry her around the house. She likes to wash dishes and play in the sink so maybe we will do that first. Have a wonderful day... Hugs from Linda

My Bird "LuLu'...

As some of you know I am the mother to a "Blue Crown Conure" parrot called "LuLu" and believe me the name fits her just fine. I complain about her all the time as she runs my life, however I have to be honest and say that she does keep me company.


She does talk and can really jabber away when it suits her. This morning I was in the kitchen eating a piece a toast and she is asking "Is it good"??? That seems to be her favorite phrase when she sees me stuffing my face. I can then offer her a bite and she will keep on saying "Is it good" over and over again. She is totally spoiled but can also be very sweet. During warm weather she likes to take her bath with the waterhose outside and then blames me because she is all wet...


During the day when she takes a nap, for some strange reason she gets cozy with a bell on her head and a rope. The bell is like her security blaket and she always peeks out at you. She is a real character that's for sure...


Well it is time that I get up from the computer and make myself useful. I need to head out to Wal-Mart before it gets too crazy around here. We are expecting some rain tonight so I need my errands done early. So I bid you farewell and hope everyone has a good day.

Go Saints!!!!

Super Bowl Sunday and YES, the Saints won... Now we can put football to rest and frankly I am ready!!! I have managed to stay busy this weekend as I started a new project and it is coming along nicely. I did have trouble concentrating on the pattern and made several bad cuts but have just made a short pile of those and will manage to squeak out a table runner or something else. Don't worry, the fabric is not being wasted. Here is a picture of the project so far. I have been dying to make something out of my black and white fabric collection and this fits the bill nicely. Do you like it???


On Saturday I received a package from Amazon.com and in it were 6 books I had ordered at the beginning of the week. I have fallen in love with The Freddy Moran and Gwen Marston book "Talking It Over". Love all of those bright colors and I am determined to make something that is just as bright. Can't wait to start collecting all of the fabrics that it will require.


I've had the urge lately to make some stuffed birds so I tried out a couple of patterns that I found on the internet. This is what I managed to stitch up during the football game. Need several more as I want to link them together with some beads and hang them in the sewing room. The picture is not very good but you get the ideal...



Well it is getting late and I still have to clean up my mess in the sewing room and go put "LuLu" to bed. So till next time... Hugs, Linda

Oh my gosh!!!

I have to tell you how excited I am that I have won a gift and it arrived today. Pat Eaton over at "Bird Nest On The Ground" sent me the wonderful gift and I can't tell you how lovely the little pillow is. I will attach a photo but know that it does not do it justice as it is simply lovely. Thank you so much Pat!!!!!!!

My firstborn was a Valentine Baby so YES, I am partial to this wonderful holiday. And too, RED is my favorite color so maybe that is why I love this wonderful holiday. Anyway, many hugs to Pat for the wonderful gift. Visit her site - http://birdnestontheground.blogspot.com/ and check out her wonderful things.

I've also been fabric shopping this week. A couple of my quilting buddies and I took a drive to LaPorte and Friendswood to see some quilt shops. I fell in love with "The Painted Pony". That shop is to die for!!!!! I have been on a mission this week to find some new fabric in deep shades of red and managed to accumulate several different ones as you will see in the photos below.

I am not going to share the pattern today but this weekend will show the full project. It is from Pat Sloan so check out her BLOG and this is called Camp Sloanie Weekend Stash Buster Weekend. So I have my fabric and have started cutting the strips. I am ready to start.........

I also did a little shopping and look at this gorgeous "African" basket that I bought. Just look at the size of it and I thought it was a bargin at $37. What do you think??? Thanks for stopping by and as always keep on stitching...