>

Pages

Thursday, April 16, 2009

The Bitchy Stitcher - have you met her???



I don't even remember from whoms blog I came from to discover yours
tonight - but I did and I found a post about how you may soon be published and
you shared the link to this post... and I have never laughed "out loud" at my
computer before tonight!!! but your Binding Tutorial is HA-lar-ious!


la,la,LOVED it and am cutting and pasting the link to this entry to at
least a dozen of my friends right now and also on the quilting forum I love so
much!!! :)Hope to read you in Quilter's Home soon!!! :) and I'll be visiting
your blog often now that I've found it ;) I gotcha bookmarked;) Love from
Texas! ~bonnie




Link

The above quote is what I left as a comment to a "new-to-me-blog" I have no idea how I clicked upon The Bitchy Stitcher - but I am so glad I did!!! :)


You have to read the post to which I replied the above posted.. her entry is called - How to Sew Binding onto a Quilt - A tutorial for Beginners


oh and another quick post of hers that I thought was so funny was titled Oh For Pete's Sake - not funny that she burned herself... but funny when she mentioned about if the phone had rang... click on it, you'll see... :P


and while you are visiting the Bitchy Stitcher - be sure and check out her giveaway here on her post titled Because I care and I'm Lazy...... and reading about her storing her phone in her bra takes me back to the days before my breast reduction..... only I never thought to set my ringer to vibrate! :P


Love from Texas!


Monday, April 13, 2009

Happy Easter everyone!

There was no time for photos before we went to church this morning but I did pack along the camera anyway for just in case... and aaahhh yes, the "after Mass" photo...

Here we are with Farther Tom our priest... I try to get a family shot with him every special occasion ;) Of course I'm talking b/c the person taking the photo had no clue how to point and shoot.... just hold the button down already! LOL and stinker Paul Thomas turned his head too quickly.... wish we had a family shot that showed his adorable tie and vest he had on. He was too TOOT. ;)



I jsut don't have very many photos from today.. shortly after we loaded up in the car it came a HUGE POUR DOWN and continued for about 3 hours. But I did get this one of my two handsome guys!! David did remove his sunglasses... but in those Paul Thomas wasn't looking.. sho heres the best of them.


pic


Love from Texas!

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Lookie what I did last night

I haven't talked about it much here on my blog but I'm going on my first ever retreat in a couple weeks - This is the 3rd year that lots of the HGTV Quilters have gathered together to meet up and have tons of fun. This year it's in Manchester, NH and it will be my first time to go! I'm excited and nervous all at the same time.
During the retreat there will be three class sessions. For Session 1, I've signed up to take jayardi's machine quilting class with a segment on HST's her way. She gave us instructions to take a FQ with a medium to large design on it and add a 3" boarder to it. My FQ had the corners snipped of when I washed it so it wasn't very big. To solve that problem I added an additional boarder before my outside 3.5" boarder. The red fabric and the HST's in the corners... leftovers from a past backing fabric! ;)

All I have left to do is cut a piece of muslin for the backing and also a low loft batting for it. Oh and for my shopping list - I need a nice contrasting spool of thread. I know this little sewing kit spool isn't enough but it's a nice golden color don't you think? Also, I've had my light box out and trying to trace some of these...

Remember that 3 pack of pencils I posted about a while back? Well until now I had only used the red for tracing my Quilter's Blessings blocks... and today I tried out the blue. I do NOT like it at all. I had to press really hard and in the end I could barley tell that I had traced it. I was worried I might dent in my light box....
urgh. and wouldn't you now it - EVERY mechanical pencil in this house is OUT of lead! figures :P So that is something else to add to my shopping list...

...moving on to good news! Look what came in today's mailbox!! The Spring 2009 "Keepsake Quilter Newsletter" ( I still call it a catalog LOL)
Never in a million years when I started getting this catalog would I have ever thought I would get to go to the shop. I am so excited over that. I have drooled over their fabric, kits and patterns for years......oh, I didn't tell you???? During the retreat we are charting a bus to take us to Centre Harbor to shop at Keepsake!! It's just under an hour away from our hotel and we will get to spend about 4 hours before returning. I can't wait to sit down tonight with my catalog and make a REAL Wish List - before now it feels like I've just been playing "pretend" when I circled things I liked. ;)

oh and here's a close up photo of the finished Quilter's Blessings BOM called Never-ending Spools" A few weeks ago I mailed Bea a package of FQs to Germany...for her generous offering of this pattern. I got an auto reply form her email that she was out of town traveling doing a craft show. I'm so grateful I found her blog last year - it opened up a whole new door of a new hobby for me! I really love stitching these!
oh and guess what is in the bag.... Nora's Happy Quilt. Yeah, at the beginning of the year I worked my fingers to the bone to get the top done in time for letter "Q" week - and thought I might try to attempt to quilt it on my machine.... but being the scardy cat I am and having never dropped my feed dogs on my Bernina.... I chickened out and sent her to school with the quilt top to show-n-tell.
And then 2 weeks later was talking to her teacher and I asked how the kids liked Nora's quilt.... and Ms. Meaux said, "What quilt?" That BOOGER Nora never got it out of her backpack! Well, I tell you this - NEXT year for Kindergarten when letter Q week rolls around she will have this quilt to take to school FOR SURE! You can bet on it! ;)

It's on it's way to carol aka "needlecrazy" from the HGTV boards. She organized a Ike Relief fundraiser and quilting project just after hurricane Ike. I forget how much money she raised something over $2,000 I think - anyway I donated $100 which allows me to have two quilts done on the long arm :) and at the same time make a donation to The hurricane Ike Relief project.

There were 4 or 5 other long armers from the board that teamed up on this. Quiltaholic took on quilting a baker's dozen for the project and when I see her at the Retreat in a couple of weeks, I will hand deliver her my Texas Treasures quilt to be quilted. Remember that quilt??? Seems like forever ago I participated in my first RR... and then I think it was about time last year Daddy helped me put it into the frame he built me... but that didn't last long b/c last October Paul Thomas learned how to climb...and I caught him up on top of it ROLLING AROUND! *GASP*

Oh, back to Nora's quilt - here is a small box of all of my scraps of strips I used to frame each I-Spy block.... I wonder if there is enough there to use for a scrappy binding? they are cut at 2" which is just a half inch narrower than what I normally prefer... but I think I might make it work ;)
and while I have the camera out taking photos of the things here in the dining room .... here is the challenge FQ I still have yet to touch for our Retreat project. I know what I am going to make with it - I just haven't done it yet. I'm sure my project will not take home any prize but it will be something useful to me and that's what matters right? ;)
Oh and David has been gone all week to Dallas for work. We sure have missed him -tonight he missed something pretty special. For the first time the twins were kissing each other good night. And after I put Paul Thomas in his bed, Olivia stood up and was yelling "BYEEEE" and waving at him.... as if he was leaving her. His bed is all of 2 feet from hers. ;) LOL I love that they love each other.yes, she kicked her rail out of the bed about a month ago - and has only once had a problem... she was screaming bloody murder one morning and I went in to find her feet on the floor and her head still stuck in the bed. She wasn't hurt.. but it scared her enough she doesn't dare do it again. However PT's head is smaller than hers, b/c he can easily stick his head all the way in and out..... for now... LOL
Well that is enough for now... I'm sorry I went so long again. I better learn how to shut my mouth more or when I'm at the retreat people will think I'm rude talking all the time
Love from Texas!

The Big 30!

I betcha think this post is about my next birthday don't ya..? April Fools! ;)

Well I will be having a big birthday this July but I'll be turning 35 this year.....I've already been there and done that with the turning thirty thing... the year I had Nora.

However this post does have something to do with 30, and a birthday...

my friend Quiltaholic (on the HGTV boards) is hosting a Birthday FQ Give-away in honor of her daughters 30th birthday... and she's giving away THIRTY Fat Quarters!!!! Isn't that nice? Well what are you waiting for.. click on over to her new blog PigTale & Quilts and sign up to win! ;)

Love from Texas!

Monday, April 6, 2009

Another BOM almost done


I just love waiting at the drive thru lines these days... what ever did I do with my wasted time before I started stitching??? LOL :c)


Love from Texas!


Have you used Triangulations yet?

A friend of mine asked me the same question a few weeks ago (or maybe it was a few months??LOL) anyway, I was hesitant at first... I've never paper pieced before and wasn't' sure I wanted to deal with pealing off papers... but I did a little researching it and read the free how to PDF file and thought why not give it a try?

The lowest price I was found for the Triangulations CD program was at Connecting Threads for $22.99 however when my order arrived i noticed on the invoice it rang up cheaper! $16.77 + 3.29 shipping = a total of $20.06 whoo hoo!

I first noticed this website - which price was way too high but had helpful downloads. Take a look here at this link - their price is $49.95 **eek** but scroll down and you'll see the free to download and save PDF files for the sample grid for 1 5/8" finished size.. and also the How does the disk work download.

Those who love them, really love them and now I'm one of them :) How about you?

Edited to add: I was curious about tearing off the paper, but it was so simple! Just ripped perfectly in the right spots = easier than tearing out perforated coupons! Really! :)

PS- Again, thanks Crazy'boutquilts for buying the packet of Foundation Papers for me that I posted about on 3/13/09!!

Love from Texas!

Sunday, April 5, 2009

They Snoozed while I Shopped

oops, I forgot to share my sleeping kid photos.. Olivia woke up just as we were finding a parking spot but she was contient to stay with David in the van ;) She had a few calls to make anyway...
and this was what they looked like when I returned from browsing thru Hobby Lobby ;)


Nora had changed positions.. I love her crossed arms attitude even while sleeping... and that she is catching flies...
where as Paul Thomas hadn't moved a bit. Still sawing logs.... ;)



Love from Texas!

the Miranda Day Bag

Have you seen this cute bag??? It's a Lazy Girl pattern called the Miranda Day Bag. Isn't it cute??

Or maybe you have made one???...or if you are like me... you WANT to make one :)

Well in a few weeks I'm going on my very first quilt retreat and as our group project we will all be making this bag. I hear it has TEN pockets inside!! Whoo hoo! :c)

Today I was at Hobby Lobby (an unplanned trip) but since we were over in the "big town" and all three of the kids were asleep in the van, David didn't mind me running in to take a look.

Can you believe that I didn't buy anything today - SHOCKER, I know! But I did take some photos of some fabrics that sorta spoke to me... mainly no purchase b/c I didn't have my pattern with me to know how much fabric was needed... but I'll be back over in the "big town" again before my trip to NH. Plus I want to look at the quilt store before then too...
So I'll let you vote for your favorite fabric combos that I saw today.. So what do you like/prefer for a purse... Bright Flower/Stripe combo???? or the Black/Tan neutrals???


Oh and I got my machine back form the Bernina shop today. I'm excited to have it back so soon... but I am not excited that it cost me an arm and leg... just over $300!! aak! Apparently it had to have a new "S Board" put in it. They assure me it's as good as new. It better be!

I haven't used it yet.. this weekend is my husband's birthday and for his gift I cleaned out EVERYTHING that had to do with sewing out of the dining room! We will be eating in there tomorrow evening and he will love that ;) Nora is excited about decorating...I'll try and remember to take a few photos.

Happy Weekend everyone!

Love from Texas!

Friday, April 3, 2009

Another Blog Giveaway to Share

Over on the right you will see a preview of a fantastic blog that I just found. Kati Cupcake will be going to the market in May. You can leave a comment on any of her posts from now until May 18th to be entered in to her give-a-way.

She promises to give away somehting form market - new never seen before fabric! :) whooo hooo!!!

Kati is a quilt store owner in Rigby, ID and if you are hundreds of miles away like me ... just surf on over and give her store a visit thru the magic of blogland ;)

....oh and please tell her Bonnie from bingobonnie.blogspot.com sent you :) thanks!

Have a Happy Weekend everyone!

Love from Texas!