Friday, December 26, 2008

God is so good



Can I tell you about my china cabinet? Thanks. When we were house hunting more than 15 years ago, we were praying and asking God for a house. We were really wanting our own house after renting for several years. Well, I had always wanted a china cabinet so I could finally unpack my china. I was thinking along the lines of--"God, one of those corner little china cabinets would do just fine." But I asked Him for a China Cabinet. Well, He gave me a twelve foot six inch china cabinet. It was a real problem at first. I unpacked the china and that's about all I had to fill it up. What a problem to have, huh? Over the years I've been gifted with beautiful things to display in it. God is so good. The Bible says we have not because we ask not. His timing is a different story. LOL We waited five years for our prayers to be answered. I know nothing like Abraham and Sarah, right?

Blessings,

Show and Tell of a different variety

It's supernatural! It's angelic! And I just wanted to share some more of what I collect.











This one is my newest one

that I received for Christmas.

And of course the piggy ornaments.



Santa appears to be worried about the pigs ability to fly.

Blessings,

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

I'm still alive

Yeah, just been busy like everyone else this time of year. DH was on vacation last week. He had plans to get so much done outside on his hog pens and the weather didn't cooperate (freezing cold -- no freezing precip). We did haul some to the auction in Gainesville and then three to the butcher in Weatherford for customers. We shopped for Christmas on Monday, hauled hogs Tuesday, Kraz-z Quilters party on Wednesday, DH left to go deer hunting on Thursday thru Saturday, Sunday we celebrated Christmas with our kids and families. And the Saturday before I had my guild party. I don't work full time as many of you do so I can't imagine what it would be like to do everything and work also.


But in the mix of all of this I've been having headaches. I'm thinking they are sinus headaches. And I think I must have pulled something in my back between my shoulder blades. So Ibuprofen has been a friend lately.






I made four of Terry Atkinson's Fat Sacks (link in sidebar under Tutorials). Her directions are very easy to follow and the bags are really substantial for grocery shopping. I made mine to use for Christmas gifts. I bought four yards of ducking at Wal-Mart. I wanted something substantial and yet inexpensive. I'm not sure the ducking would machine wash well but spot cleaning would work. In Terry's pattern she recommends home decor fabric. That would work well too if you have some say left over from a project or you have a source from a discount fabric store or a Goodwill. Hey, old draperies would work to cut some from. I'm into SAVING MONEY. You could even add a pocket if you so desired. I have a little fabric left over and I'm thinking of making smaller bags for like cards or items that need a little protection from other items in your shopping bag. I didn't think my boys would like this fabric (too colorful) so I wrapped DD and DIL's presents in these and bought them some at Wal-Mart. I was going to make some for them but the headaches started.


I FOUND some fabric under my quilting machine's table. Do you ever do that? I thought, "Where did this come from?" I don't buy this kind of fabric. There were scraps of velveteen, corduroy, and some really neat stuff. I decided it must have been some my sister in Florida sent me. She shops at her local Goodwill and finds things all the time. Speaking of my sister -- she and her DH will be visiting after Christmas. Yay!


I have joined a challenge. Lindi invited me to join in her Get It Done Challenge for 2009. The challenge is to finish UFOs in 2009. Just the push I need to finish my daughter's Dresden Plate quilt. The one she was supposed to have received when she graduated from high school. She has since graduated from college and married. Hmmmm yeah it will be a challenge. But I will get it done!


We bought a new camera while shopping. It is a Nikon S550. The pic of the bag above was taken with it. And I will leave you with a snapshot of my DGKs. Mason didn't want to sit for his picture to be taken.





Merry Christmas and May God bless you and your family,

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Another crumb quilt link

If you're interested here's another good link to crumb quilting also sometimes called mile a minute quilting. This one is a good speed piecing way found at Quilting is Still My Passion . I also have a link to her blog in my sidebar under tutorials where you can find tutorials for quilting.

Blessings and Merry Christmas,

Tuesday, December 09, 2008

It's humming

Before

After


I'm not sure it's singing but it's humming. I like it better anyway. Ladies, what do you think?
The first picture was taken with my camera and the second with another camera. The second photo's colors are more true.

All I've got to do now is sew them all together; decide on borders; sew them and then I'll be done. Don't nobody set a stopwatch you hear?

Blessings and Merry Christmas,

Sunday, December 07, 2008

A New Addition on Sidebar

I have added a new addition to my sidebar. It is titled Links to Tutorials. As I find tutorials on the web that I believe will be beneficial to my readers I will add them to this list. The Sew Mama Sew blog has many tutorials including a classic tote . And if you are looking for gifts to make for Christmas Sew Mama Sew has many suggestions.

Last night as DH was gone deer hunting I sewed some on the Navy Four Patch Stacked Posies.
Last month I had asked a question about the setting. It wasn't "singing" to me as Bonnie Hunter says. I am trying something else and hopefully it will "sing". I also watched videos on the computer on quilting. Very interesting. Again I have links to quilt related videos in my sidebar.

Blessings and Merry Christmas,

Saturday, December 06, 2008

Star BOM #9


I got this done today and it was easy.

Blessings,

Friday, December 05, 2008

Checking out the crumbs

I hadn't read Bonnie Hunter's web pages in a while so today I checked them out. I've always been intrigued with her scrappy patterns. I really prefer scrap quilts you know the ones that are Really made from scraps and not jelly rolls or charms packs, etc. etc. I am amazed at the Bonnie's Crumb quilts. I found another pattern (sorta) that I would consider a good crumb quilt.


Maybe in the near future I will begin a crumb quilt with leftover SCRAPS.

Blessings,

Thursday, December 04, 2008

Bread Making


After reading Judy L's blog post about bread making and her onion rolls, I wanted to make some. :-P So the bread maker is doing it's thing. Years ago before I got this bread maker I kneaded my own bread. I really enjoyed the process. It was like hand quilting for me-very theraputic. And there's just something about the feel of bread dough. The best I can describe it -- it's like the feel of a baby's bottom--soft as a baby's bottom. I generally try to make all of our bread be it a yeast bread or cornbread (from scratch) with an occasional batch of biscuits. I like being able to choose my own ingredients--like honey and olive oil. Today I am experimenting. I put about a half cup of corn meal in place of part of the all-purpose flour and put in three teaspoons dried minced onion. I'll let you know how my version of onion rolls turns out. We have leftover meatloaf and I think onion rolls will make good sandwiches. It is smelling pretty good already and it is just rising.
Okay, I shaped them (wasn't sure how big to make them) and I think I could've made them smaller. (You think?!) Probably could've gotten two more. AND next time I will mash them flatter so they don't rise up so high. They tasted good. I think next time I will use fresh onions, though.

I made cinnamon rolls for Larry's shop crew the other morning. He brought home an empty jelly roll pan. I guess they liked them. Even though I don't knead the dough anymore; if I make rolls or decide to bake my bread in a loaf pan in the oven I still get my "fix" of touching the dough. I have a cookbook--Farm Journal's Homemade Breads published by Doubleday--that has been very helpful in my learning how to make good bread. I have gone to my public library and read books. I am not an expert by any means and will probably never make some of the breads recipes out there--I am learning never to say never, though. LOL

So I guess what I would like to say to anyone. If you think you would like to make bread--read some books and allow yourself some time (several risings take time but hey, we're women we already know how to multi-task, right?)--and just do it.

Blessings and happy quilting and bread making,

Wednesday, December 03, 2008

Dirt work and fabric basket





You betcha! When we were in San Angelo for Thanksgiving, the dirt flew! Not really flew more like slung. Larry's brother had helped his mom & dad take out a flower bed prior to Thanksgiving and that day they set stepping stones between the house and carport. There was slinging of dirt and tamping down stones. Mason helped don't you know. And there was lots of supervision as in any group effort. LOL



And here is my first effort at making fabric baskets with cotton clothesline. It's a door prize today at Kraz-z Quilters.
Remember the reason for the season? Christmas that is. Christ. Praise His name. Lord of lords.
Blessings,