Can I Upload A Photo???

I think I can! Thanks to my fabulous son in law, Mr. Mike, I think I can. And with just a bit of help from Mr. Mike, I think I just may have figured it out. Wow, what can I do next?

I think I'd better go eat my dinner that Mr. E cooked and I'll try to be back later to update this poor ole blog. 

Busy, busy, busy

I've been home from the retreat for 2 weeks now and Crystal and Elliot are now safely at home in Arizona. I sure do miss them.

I have a new burst of quilting energy. I needed that quilt retreat. I was quite nervous about the reaction of the other retreaters about having a 9 month old baby there with us. We have never had any children at our retreats before. But these wonderful ladies pounced on that baby boy and spoiled him rotten and had a blast playing with him. He was absolutely perfect. Crystal stayed just one night and then came back home to sleep. I think more for Elliot's comfort (and her own!) and the fact that we old broads might keep him up too late with out snoring. She swears it was for our comfort! I chuckled each morning as 16 women watched the door to see if the baby was coming in yet.

I worked on 2 projects. I am doing a Four on the Road from Quilter's Cache. I got all of my blocks done and then discovered I didn't have enough of my background fabric to use in the borders. Suzanne thought she might have some in her stash at home so I put it away and was waiting to hear from her. Yesterday I got a nice little notecard that said if she has it, she can't locate it. Now I will have to go with plan B and use a different fabric for the border.

I worked on my Marbled Rounds Quilt. I had ordered the templates from Nancy Elliott MacDonald and had all of my pieces cut before leaving home. I got all of my blocks made and came home and sewed the black sashing to my blocks and it is now hanging on my design wall with the long sashing strips waiting to be sewn on so it can be made into a top. I already know how I want to quilt it. It is stunning, I love it and hubby hates it. (He just doesn't know art when he sees it!) So instead of hanging it in the living room like I'd originally planned, I'm going to hang it in front of some of my shelves in my quilting room. He doesn't know that when he is sitting in his chair and my door is open that quilt will be right in his line of vision! That will teach him to not like my work!!! I almost feel a bit evil with this plan but I'll get over that soon enough.

This week, I quilted a customer quilt and today I quilted and bound one of my older tops. I have spent some time each day with fabric in my hands. I've made alot of progress on my posie applique blocks and have only 2 more to do until I can start laying out the quilt. I finished the binding on a little table topper and on a lap quilt. I even took my sewing machine to work one day and worked on string blocks. But then got too busy and had to actually work! But my machine is still packed and ready for this week at work. I never know what kind of a day it will be--a sewing day or a work day! Gotta be prepared.

Now I need to get busy and work on a stocking for a stocking exchange. And since blogger doesn't like uploading my pictures, I am again photoless! I wonder if it has to do with changing the settings on my camera, the fact that I am still on pokey ole dial up or a combination of the two. Someday I'll have to try uploading from one of the girls computers.
(Tried again Sunday morning and I still can't upload my photos. Anybody have any ideas for me?)

Until then,
How's your Christmas sewing coming along???

Squeezing In An October Post

Wow, I was almost too late to have a post in October. I've noticed alot of my favorite blogs have slowed down posting so I have quit feeling guilty about being a slacker. I will just post when I can and be happy with that.

Since the last post, we took a trip to Arizona to see Crystal, Mike and Mr Elliot. Everyone told me it was going to be hot there. Imagine my surprise when we arrived and it was actually hot! Duh, people! I LOVED IT!!! The only day we saw 100 was on the way to the airport to come home. Got into Portland and it was raining. Enough to make me want to get back on a plane and head south. I plan to head back down the end of January for Mr E's 1st birthday in February. I sure hope it's not Super Bowl themed! (Does this make me a parttime snow bird?)

Mike wasn't able to be there with us after the 1st day so Crystal showed us all the local sites and good eats of Mirana. We took one day and drove south to Seirra Vista to see my friend Pat and her fabulous quilt store, Thimblweed Quilts and left her some of our money. Then after lunch, we headed over to Tombstone. I want to go back there when it isn't so warm (notice I didn't say hot!) so we can do the OK Corral tour. Grampa and Mr E were getting fussy.

Good news is that Crystal and Mr E will be here on Wednesday. We are going to our quilt retreat. We have friends coming from all over the state of Washington. It is held each fall at Royal Ridges Retreat. If you go to their website, you will see why we love it there. We sew with horses right outside our window. Some days there are kids there riding, the meals are homestyle meals and we get to have a slumber party with our girlfriends. Lots of sewing, laughing, eating. Fabulous show and tell. Oh I can't wait.

Blogger is being fussy now about my picutres, so I am going to keep on babbling.

Miss T spent the weekend with me and had a nice new denim skirt. Being Gramma, I took the liberty of deciding it needed some embroidery on it. We added some rhinestones to the flowers and she thinks it's just beautiful. It is pretty darn cute. I love all the embroidery on the jeans and skirts now.

On a quilty note, I haven't been doing much. I made a few blocks for the retreat, have 2 projects cut and ready to sew and I'll take my scraps to work on scrappy string blocks it I have time.

I guess I don't get to upload pictures tonight. So I'll have to try again later.

I have to eat dinner and finish the quilting a friends quilt tonight. We need it for show and tell.

Until next time,
Stay happy.

September Tidbits

Wow, long time with out a message. I guess I am just a bad blogger. I've been busy at my sewing machine so haven't spent much time blogging. Long days at work and then trying to get a bit accomplished in the evenings makes for little time at the computer other than checking email and catching up on blog reading.

I did get my t shirts and jacket finished. It felt good to actually make something for myself with out a huge struggle. I still haven't make another pair of pants.

The red, white and blue quilt is Crystals. I quilted it using the Waterworld pantograph. It turned out great.



I have her second quilt, Turning Twenty, about 1/2 done with plans to finish it today. I goofed when measuring the backing and had to add to it. At least I caught my boo-boo before I got to the end of the backing. I had enough room on the longarm table to set up my Janome Jem and sew another strip with out having to take the whole thing off and used the roller as my ironing surface to press the seam open.

I'm using Daisy Swirl on this one. I am loving how it's turning out. I have to get it done so I can hand deliver both quilts to Arizona in a few days. Then I have 3 customer quilts to do and I can get busy on mine again.

Until next time,
keep smilin'.

Back to Normal? at Home

It's all quiet on the home front now. Friday evening we took Crystal and Elliot to the airport for their new Arizona adventure. Our house is a bit lonely now. Sure didn't take long to get used to having other people here. Even DJ, the dog, is lonely. He's so funny sniffing around Elliot's stuff that is still here.

I was lucky enough to get to work on Saturday! I forgot to take my sewing box with me! Darn and double darn. I have been working on my applique blocks--Thursday I finished 2 and Friday, 1 complete and 1 more started. It's fun to put the completed ones on the design wall and watch the quilt grow. I wonder if I watered it if it would grow faster!!

It was 5 hours of sheer boredom. I sketched some clothes that I want to make. I've been planning to make a wardrobe and now with a trip in a few weeks, it's time to get crackalackin'. I love reading the Sewing Fanatic's Diary. She gets more done that I can even think about and is such an inspiration. So instead of working on a quilt for an hour a day as in Judy of Sunshine Quilts is doing, I'm going to work on my wardobe.

Last night I took one pair of my pants apart. I guess I am so used to wearing jeans that slacks feel too baggy. These slacks are too baggy from the thighs down to almost the hem.

Today's plan is to clean the sewing room, rearrange my sewing table and then work on those pants. I've been thinking of slipping in to town to get the fabric for some tops and a jacket. I also need to get some new shoes. But first I want to work a bit in here and then when it gets hot, I'll run into town.

So time to get busy. I've babbled enough today. The sewing room arrangement kept popping into my head during my sleep so we'll see if it works out in real life.

TTFN

Keeping It Together

This is Mr. Elliot's first attempt at a sippy cup. He didn't do too bad. It was more fun to play with it that to try to drink out of it.

Wow the last 2 weeks have flown by. Crystal and Elliot have been staying with us and will leave on Friday evening for Phoenix. I am trying my darnest to keep myself together. Sometimes, that's pretty tough. I'm going to miss them so much. It didn't take long to get used to the smiles and lovies I get as soon as I walked in the door from work. We already have plans to go down to visit in just a few weeks.

As for sewing, do I own a sewing machine or 12??? I haven't touched them. I'm getting in as much smoochie time as I can. I have been working on my applique blocks a bit at work. I think I only need to do 10 or 12 more. They really don't take that long when I just keep at them. A few stitches here, a few more there and I can complete one in a shift at work. I think I'll make that my goal. For the rest of August, I will try to complete 1 block a day at work. Right now that doesn't sound too ambitious.

Crystal had planned to get 2 of her quilts quilted while they were staying here but that hasn't happened either. I'll probably load one of them on Sunday and get started on it. I want to take them down to her on our visit. I also have a couple of Sonya's to get done before our quilting retreat. Probably wouldn't be a bad idea if I got one of my own finished also. Right now, I can't think of anything of mine that I have finished this year to take for show and tell. I think my brain is tired.

I should have my new templates and ruler mate tomorrow. That will inspire me more than anything else. I love playing with new toys.

Beddy bye time now,
I need my sleep if I'm going to stitch tomorrow.

One Word

One Word for -
1. Yourself: fluffy
2. Your partner: steady
3. Your hair: wimpy
4. Your Mother: distant
5. Your Father: strong
6. Your favorite item: computer
7. Your dream last night: funny
8. Your favorite drink: coffee
9. Your dream home: log cabin
10. The room you are in: sewing/quilting/computer
11. Your pleasure: family
12. Your fear: loss
13. Where you want to be in ten years: retired
14. Who you hung out with last night: Ernie
15. What you're not: skinny
16. Your best friend: Ernie
17. One of your wish list items: security
18. Your gender: female
19. The last thing you did: baked
20. What you are wearing: standybys
21. Your favorite weather: sunshine
22. Your favorite book: Life Is Not A Dress Size
23. Last thing you ate: cheese
24. Your life: pleasant
25. Your mood: cheery
26. The last person you talked to on the phone: Dee
27. Who you are thinking about right now: family

More Sisters Quilt Show Pics

Here ya go Sister Sue, more pics from Sisters. I wish I would have taken more. I've been quite concerned about the wildfire over there. I pray no one gets hurt and that property loss is minimal.


One of these days I want spend the weekend in Sisters. They have such great shops. But during quilt show, it is almost impossible to really see what you want to see. This trip has been on my road trip wish list for several years. I think it's time to load up that diesel powered motor coach and hit the road for a while.



Now you have it, my favorite pictures from our day trip. Already planning 2007.

1st Saturday in August

Today was family reunion day. For several years, our family reunion has been the 1st Saturday in August at Lewisville Park, usually in the Filbert Section. Wow, what a group we are. I missed Gramma today. She is 100 years old and would have loved seeing another of her great, great grandchildren. But we did get a 4 generation picture. Me and Ernie, my dad, Elliot and Crystal.

Food was plentiful, children running everywhere, cousins catching up on family news, 2nd cousins getting reaquainted, and "who does that one belong too" being figured out.

My favorite conversation was with Aunt Helen, Cousin Carl and myself. We decided that there isn't a great many years between us anymore. Aunt Helen will turn 60 next month, I beleive Carl said he is 61 and I am 52. They used to me so much older than me and then all of the sudden, they aren't. Time has a way of doing that to you.

Food was awesome. We can always count on Aunt Dot's famous baked beans and Aunt Helen's chocolate cake. Yum yum.

Baby It's HOT Outside

Call me a whimp, I don't care. I used to love the hot days but now I don't. What I really don't love are the hot nights. I like to go outside in the evening but when it's 80+ degrees, it isn't pleasant. We don't often get temps in the 100's on the west side of Washington state but today is the 3rd day, even when we do, it cools off at night. I am lucky to have a couple of window air conditioners and the house has stayed pretty pleasant. But I like to go outside on nice days. Especially when the munchkin is here.


Miss Taylor spent the weekend with us. Momma Crystal and Master Elliot sought releif here on Friday and Daddy Mike joined them on Saturday. We have a hot tub and Miss T wanted to swim. Well the water was yucky and it was too hot for tubing. So Poppy emptied it out, cleaned it, filled it up, warmed it up and turned it into a swimming pool. Momma Crystal dipped Mr E in then went and found a swimsuit for herself. After dinner, Gramma even took a dip.

Satuday morning Miss T and I made some Barbie dressed and a new purse for Miss T. It is so fun to have her assist me. She likes to choose fabrics and buttons and has a pretty good eye for color. Being 6 1/2, her attention span is pretty short. And since she thinks I am "smart and good", she is the designer and I am the sewist. She even helped me place fusible flowers and leaves on some more applique blocks to work on this week.

Everyone has gone home now. Poppy is napping in front of the tv and I think it's time to relax in front of the fan while holding down the couch for a bit. Think I'll make a nice little salad and call that dinner. Later, it's still TOO HOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I Am Elmo

You Are Elmo

Sweet and innocent, you expect everyone to adore you. And they usually do! You are usually feeling: Talkative. You've got tons of stories to tell. And when you aren't talking, you're laughing. You are famous for: Being popular, though no one knows why. Middle aged women especially like you. How you life your life: With an open heart. "Elmo loves you!"

The Sesame Street Personality Quiz

WOW!! What A Week

I can't believe this week is over. It seems like yesterday that Sonya and I boarded the tour bus and spent the day at the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show. It was last Saturday! I love the huge hanging baskets. They are all over town. I only saw one that really, really wanted a drink of water. Water was the beverage of the day!
It was so hot--How hot was it??? We took refuge in a beer cooler.

97 degrees is too hot to for this ole gal to spend all day outside and by the time we boarded the bus to head for another quilt shop, I was not feeling well at all. I didn't buy a thing. But I'm still thinking of calling and ordering a quilt kit!

I love this string quilt with the 9 patch corner stones and 3 strip sashing. I think I will copy this for the string blocks I have in progress. You know, one of those on going things.

There were several quilts with the panels in the center and log cabin blocks around them. This quilt would be perfect on my log bed. I think I need mine to be flannel and bigger.
I've been so inspired that all week long, I've been stitching for a half hour or more after work. I'm working on a little wall hanging for my sewing room. It's amazing how much I can get done if I just sit down a do a bit.

On the bus, Sonya and I each won a book because we were the only travelers that have been on every tour with the gals that organized the tour. 3 tours, 3 trips. The book I chose is call Patches and Posies by Teri Christopherson. On the cover is a Posy Patch Quilt with 9 patches and alternate blanket stitch applique blocks. Perfect for me, I have a bag of floral and cream 9 patches. So Sunday afternoon, I traced and fused a whole bunch of flowers and leaves and cut some background blocks. I have been stitching on these all week at work and have 7 up on the design wall. This is a good summertime work project. Very portable and no problem laying it down when necessary.

So when my little wall hanging is finished, I am going to load up a top on the machine and get some quilting done, a little bit at a time.

TTFN, I'm gonna go stitch for a minute or 2.

Shopping

While at Netty's, I just had to shop. I need buttons for my camp shirts and when I went to pick them out, there was a box of buttons for 50 cents a card. She said some had been there for quite some time. I love buttons and came home with quite a few.

Then I needed more fabric. I saved a bunch of half square triangle from another project and made them into little pinwheel blocks. I needed a soft fabric for alternate blocks and chose a soft yellow.


Then I found this cute monkey print and got white background for a small border and then purple for the outer border and backing.Then there was this awesome orange that jumped off the shelf at me and I had to enhance my background stash. Actually, each piece I bought has a purpose. Oh and she had some wider lingere elastic that I was out of so 10 yards each of black and white.


Before going on our trip, I found Fays Fabrics on line and ordered some of her value packs. I got 2 value packs of elastic, 1 of lace and 1 spandex pack. $47 and I have enough fabric, lace and elastic to make lots and lots of awesome bras.

I am in bra making mode and needed to find fabric. I wasn't happy with what I found at JoJo's. When my package arrived, I was overjoyed. I love the lime green spandex . There were 5 large pieces of spandex in my pack.

(I've tried 3 times to upload pictures of the elastic and lace but blogger is cranky! Maybe they think I've been too chatty today! )
The lace is great. Each piece is at least 2 yards long. I can't wait to use the maroon or the orange or the dark green on the lime green fabric.

I love the variety of elastic. There is some Victoria's Secret elastic and Honors and several pieces of picot edge. The pieces are just like she advertised, and I think I want some more of the value packs. Nothing like a good surprise! I also need to order underwires, hooks, and probably a few other things. ;-0

Off to make more buttonholes, 1 shirt done, 2 to go, and both pair of pants need a button and buttonhole. Don't think I'll do much for the rest of the day.

Back To Quilting

After work yesterday, I decided I better get my hiney busy and finish Sharon's quilt. I call it "Sharon's Fireworks Watching Quilt". I don't know when Sharon started piecing this top but she hated it. So when she decided she did not want to be a quilter (have you ever heard of this before?!?), she cleared out most of her stash and gave it to me. I had already finished 2 quilts for her. And I had to finish this one. She was just going to throw it in the trash but I couldn't let that happen.

This poor quilt was in a bag with all of it's parts crying to be remade (probably the reason she didn't want to be a quilter). So during this past winter, I took all of the seams apart (Trust me, I will never do that again!) and remade the blocks--Oh I love projects at work. I had them all sewn together and yesterday, after doing some serious sewing room cleaning. I remembered the date and paniced. So I got this project out, added a couple of borders, pieced some of the leftover fabric for a back, then went to bed.



At 5 am, I woke up raring to go. Tiptoed out of the bedroom, shut the door, made coffee, wound a few bobbins, got a cup of coffee in me, loaded the quilt on the frame, warmed up the machine, went out to get another cup of coffee, came back in and went to work. I love doing the loopie meander and this quilt was finished at 10 am. Binding on and machine stitched down. Done, done, done!



Sharon is going to love snuggling up in this quilt. I hope she doesn't have anymore hidden treasures crying to be finished.

What a productive day. Finished a quilt, washed my car, shampooed out the spilled coffee, wrote in my blog. Sometimes I scare myself. Now on to the next project. I need to make some buttonholes.

Rant--I Hate Working Saturdays

Yes I do! I'd rather work 12 hours Monday through Friday than work 5 hours on Saturday. But when I took this job, I knew I would have to work lots of Saturdays. I've been doing it for almost 10 years! I shouldn't really complain too much now because I get lots of Saturdays off. It's just when I think I'll be here for 5 hours, then find out it could be 10 or so, I tend to get a little cranky. Everyone says "But it's all overtime.", big deal, that just means I'm paying more taxes! And I am not at home doing what I want to do.

Ok, I'm done with my rant! I have put on my happy face. The attitude is now good.

Remember when I wrote about my job and the fact that I can do what I want when there are not trucks???

The biggest advantage at being here today is that I brought my laptop and I can use the extra phone line--yes I am still on Dial Up--to be on the internet. I have spent the morning reading sewing blogs. How fun is that.

Here are some of the blogs I've read today:
Getting Stitched on the Farm
Right Sides Together
Sew Random
Diary of A Sewing Fanatic
Rusty Bobbin
Susinok

Now I think I'll go on a search for something more. There are so many facinating blogs to discover.

Until next time, don't worry, be happy!

The Perfect Weekend

What a wonderful weekend I had with my dear friends. After a great breakfast on Thursday morning, Sonya and I left home for our road trip to Netty's. I don't think there was one moment of silence in the car the whole way to Goldendale. We had a lot to talk about! In fact there wasn't much silence all weekend.

After arriving, hugs, welcomes and a tour of Netty's, we set up our machines and went to work. It felt great to be able to sew and chat and not have anything else to take care of.

Netty and her husband Bob,own a fabric and craft store and she does long arm quilting, they also do machine embroidery and silk screening and a few other things. They are always busy. I get so inspired just being there. I have a mental list 10 miles long of things I want to do.

I worked on pants fit attempt #5. Netty helped me tweek my pattern just a bit more and I made 2 awesome pair of pants--sorry, no pictures yet. I think I need just a bit more tweeking but I am very happy with the way they turned out. I also made 2 camp shirts (they both still need buttonholes and buttons) and almost finished a t shirt. I didn't get done all I wanted to but I think 5 new pieces is a pretty good weekend. My plan is to finish everything over this next long weekend. Hmmmm, 2 4-day weekends in a row. A girl could get used to that.

I tried uploading a scenic picture I took on the way home but blogger is being blogger. No time to try again, I have to get to work!

Until next time, drink lots of water and use sun screen!

My Bags Are Packed,

I'm ready to go. I won't be leaving on a jet plane, but in a Honda Accord headed east, taking the scenic route.

I'm off for 4 days with my friend Sonya. We are going to Netty's for a weekend retreat. It's been 3 years since we've been there. How did that happen?

I plan to spend most of my sewing time working on clothes. I will come home with at least 2 pair of pants, 3 to 5 t-shirts and who knows what else. Netty has a really cool fabric store. Ohhhhh, the danger of that. The best part is, if I forgot anything or need anything, it will be right there close.

So, be good, be safe, have fun.

Pants Pattern Draft Attempt 2--The Light Came On

I hope in my last post it didn't sound like I was unhappy with Margaret's drafting instructions. It wasn't the instructions at all, it was the person that was drafting the pattern. That would be me.

When step one says to draw a line the length of the side measurement, that is what it means. Not the center back measurement, the SIDE measurement. No wonder my sideseams went up to my bra line! No wonder my back waist cutting line was straight. My body isn't shaped that way, because of my big ole butt, I have to have a much higher center back than a side. Duh! The light is on. I am home.

Back to the pants pattern draft and hopefully some time soon, some pictures of an awesomely, perfect fitting pair of pants.

Yeehaww.

How Many Attempts Does It Take To Get It Right

When I started this blog, I had such great intentions. I was going to update about once a week. As you can see, it's been over 2 months. I will attempt to make it right again. I have been sewing, I have not been quilting. I have been having fun and I have been having some frustrations.

You see, I went shopping one day. I was going to get a new serger. My old one was just a piece of junk. I go into the Viking store inside of Joann's, I know what I want for a serger. I buy it. I also buy a Designer 1! They were right there, I've wanted one forever and THEY WERE ON SALE! So I bought one. In my spare time, I have been playing.

Right there is the problem. Any spare time I find when I am not not playing with my newest toys, I am filling the spare time with my latest obsession. I want to draft a pants pattern that fits my strange shaped body. I buy a pattern, I take my measurements (big mistake, have someone else take your measurements--they really are only numbers!), I measure the pattern, make adjustments, cut out a muslin, sew it up, try it on, cry.

Ok, I see I need more adjustments. Make those, cut out another, sew up another, try on another, cry some more-not as much, this one is a bit better.

Before thinking about Attempt #3, I start surfing the web for some fitting hints for plus size women. I stumble on to Debbie's Sewing Projects and see she has a link to projects and tips. What the heck, I click it. Oh my gosh, there is one of my problems, the wrinkles right under the butt cheek. She has the solution, right there in front of me on the computer screen. I print out the Fisheye Dart Pants Alteration pages and now I am ready for Attempt #3. I am sooo excited, I can't stand it. Of course I had to look at all of her other fabulous pages and do more research (that's called surfing, I believe) so Attempt # 3 was put off for a few days.

During my surfing time, I also run across Margaret Islander's site. I have heard about her pants pattern drafting before and have seen great results, so I clicked on the link for the videos, see there is a Pants, Etc DVD and Book. The first line in the description is? "Are you tired of trying to alter ready-made patterns to achieve a perfect pant fit?" Well, you know what I did, I jumped up screaming, "YOUR DARN RIGHT I AM!", as I'm running for my credit card.

While I am not so patiently waiting for the arrival of my book and video, I work on Attempt #3. Adjusting out the fisheye problem and make another muslin. (These really aren't out of muslin--I don't have any muslin that isn't earmarked for quilting projects but I have lots and lots of old fabric that I don't know what else to do with!) Woohoo! The butt cheek wrinkles are gone. Oh lordy, why did I add so much to the back seam. Crap, another problem. I'm disgusted, discouraged and done.

Then the book and video arrive, I watch the video, have Crystal take my measurements, fill in the chart and put it away. Finally yesterday, I have enough time to draft the pattern. It was kind of fun. I should have drafted a pattern for someone with a more normal size body than myself but I didn't. I made the pattern, cut out and sewed the muslin, tried it on and sat down and bawled. This was going to be my perfect solution and it wasn't. The waist fits perfect. The back is perfect, the front is perfect. The side seam goes clear up to my bra, the pant legs can fit another person in them. I know that sewing for plus sized women is a challenge. I know that I will do Attempt #4. I know where I need to work on this pattern and I know I am going to have Crystal remeasure me today. I will make another draft. I am going to do her measurements and make a draft, pattern and muslin for her just to prove to myself that Margaret's system works--I know it does, I have seen other's projects. Now I want to see mine.

So now that I am over my disgusted, discouraged and done mood, I am going to make Attempt #5. It might take me several more attempts but I am going to get myself the perfect pair of pants. I will do it. I know I can. After all, I am Women, Hear Me Roar!!!

Until next time,

Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly. Leave the rest to God.

Long Time, No Blog

I was not so gently reminded last night that it has been over a month since I have updated this blog. Shame on me! I spent 3 weeks being sick with the cold/flu, going to work everyday and coming home and basically doing nothing. It was a chore just to find my pjs and pillow. I started feeling good again last week, went to the gym a couple of days and now I feel puny again. Did the gym do that to me!!! I think not! Will this ever go away??? OK, Pity Party is over.

I have been working on some ufo quilts. One is an angel quilt for my youngest daughter. I quilted it a couple of years ago, but I just wasn't happy with it. I frog stitched quite a bit, loaded it back onto the machine and finished quilting it. It now is waiting for the binding. I also took 9 blocks and made a lap quilt. I quilted it with some free motion work. Boy oh boy do I need to practice that. Some of it looks pretty darn good. Some of it looks not so great. But I will go ahead and put binding on it and call it happy.

Stay tuned for the next blog on how not to get your quiting machine unjammed. I always have to learn things the hard way. This was no exception. Until next time........

I hope you are happy now Sister Sue!