Pluggin' Along...

Slowly but surely I've been plugging along. Most productive this past weekend. I got a couple more Farmers Wife quilt blocks done.


I love both of these blocks!

I really like this one...


and could see an entire quilt of this block. Simple half square triangles.

If you've been reading my blog for very long, then you've heard me say I'm not planning to piece any where NEAR all of the blocks in the Farmers Wife quilt. My blog-buddy Deb twisted my arm to do this block of the month to begin with. She DID! Don't deny it Deb! I've got pictures of the bruises! ;o) She is kicking butt on her blocks and faithfully piecing each one. She will have a beautimus quilt when it's all said and done. I have decided if I don't like the block, whether it's the construction or if I just think it's ugly, I'm not sewing it. I'm being selective!


For that reason, I will have a smaller quilt, which is fine with me since it's a sampler block quilt. AND for that reason, I am getting quite the new little stash of civil war repros and Jo Morton prints...


oooh! aaaaah! I'm already pondering what to make out of the 'leftovers'! Time will tell!

Being the disciplined sampler stitcher that I am (ahem...yeah...) I have stayed true to my decision to not start anything new at this time, and instead have been focusing on Ann Rayner.


Making progress no doubt! I got all the flower buds stitched on the right side of the green outer border.


I also have the larger sheep stitched down in the lawn, though you can't see them very clearly at this point! I've also stitched in the flower buds in the lawn. I need to get the stems done...


and then do the over-one sheep and then fill in the grass! I need to get the over-one done too because since it's that time of the year for a tree to sprout up in the living room, I need to deconstruct my fav' stitching corner so the upheaval could have some repercussions on stitching progress! If it's just grass fill-in left, I can do that in any light I think. Must get that over-one done!!!

I don't think I mentioned it on the blog, but I was "asked" to come back to the office full-time until at least mid-January. Reluctantly, and fighting back a tear or seventeen, I agreed. *SIGH* Something about end of year madness.....

Good news is the full-time pay returns, so I suppose it's not all bad. This is my first full week back...and so I'm truly just pluggin' along! If you want to send me peppy vibes to get thru the week, I'll welcome them! ;o)

*Peace!

Horn of Plenty

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving celebrating with friends and family! We had a lovely day, filled with good food and family. Although this was the first year I've had to 'share' any of my kids. Brennan, Amber and Avery headed out to Pierre to spend the holiday with her family. So the remainder of the clan gathered and ate and yacked and watched football. We were even graced with the 16 year old's presence for the entire day. He thought he was going to go stir crazy, but he lasted through much of the day. So much to be thankful for....always a good reminder that our horn of plenty is full!

The patchwork horn of plenty is full as well!

I finished up my giant Amish double-nine patch. Yes...it's true I just finished one double-nine patch in greens. This one looks a little different.


and it's GIANT! HUGE 18" alternating plain squares of blue...just waiting for quilting to fill them!


Although the black border calms it all down a bit, it's still too bright and clear for my taste. Once it's quilted, I'll run it thru the washer and dryer and see how it fares. I think I may revert back to my old ways and end up overdying it though. I love overdying quilts! Really mellows them out! I'll keep you posted on the situation once it's quilted!

And speaking of quilted....I got the baby quilt quilted yesterday.


The binding is on and I even have one side sewn down. Today I'll spend some handwork time on it. Shouldn't take too long to get it done.

I hope you're enjoying the weekend! Thanks for stopping by!

*Peace!

Thankful Thursday!

Happy Thanksgiving!

There's so much to be thankful for today, and all year long! So put on your stretchy pants, throw on that oversized shirt and enjoy your feast and your family!
And remember...Go Cowboys!!!

*Peace!

See What Happens???

THIS is what happens when I tell myself I cannot start a new sampler.

I made a quick baby quilt....


because my daughter is making me a grandmother again! New Year's Eve is the big due date...I need to now quilt this! Maybe tomorrow I'll pick up some thread and get it done! Her baby shower is in two weeks!

And while I'm in the sewing room...I decide I should get out my umbrella swift and yarn winder and cake up some yarn for future projects...


Yummy Elsbeth Lavold Silky Wool for a wrap.

And while it's out I may as well cake up some Cascade 220...


and cast on for a felted wavy scarf. 9 feet of stockinette in my future on that one!

And hey...what about the lovely Malabrigo sock yarn sitting there...may as well cake that up too...


and cast on for the Swiss Cheese Scarf...compliments of Ravelry surfing.

And then Friday night....I did this...


it may be all put together yet this weekend.

But nope...I did NOT start a new sampler...no way....I have SOME willpower! ;o)

*Peace!

Thrifty Thursday!

Less than four dollars this week!


Aren't these great? A lovely pair of alloy metal plates, I loved the fruit and all the texture!


They're marked TWN Perfect 1991 on the backs, but I can't seem to find out anything about that company. But I like them and think they'll look lovely hanging on a wall. And just $1.50 each!

And then I spotted these...


digging thru the silverware bin, I scored a few lovely little gems!


A lemon fork and a couple of lovely little spoons...condiment spoons, perhaps. They were a quarter each.


So this is my $3.89 haul for the week. Less than a cup of coffee...though I could use that cup of coffee right about now. *Yaaaawn!

Happy Thursday!!!

*Peace!

Boxed In

I spent some time with the Ann Rayner sampler today...


and she's coming together.


I love the colors!


I've got her all boxed in! The border is done...the border of her front lawn is done....


but there's still lots to do! I'm still hopeful I can have her done by year's end. For that reason, I've been holding off starting any new samplers...though I'm itching too! We'll see how long I can hold off samplerstartitis!

*Peace!

Maybe I'm Craaaaazay

The green double nine patch quilt top is done.


All 94.5" of her....


and photographed outside since she's so large.


The tunes were loud, the Bernina fast, and it went together pretty quickly this afternoon!

And just how appropriate is it that the song blaring on the iPod when I was sewing the last seam was "CRAZY" by Gnarles Barkley!!!

Maybe I'm craaaaaazaaaay.....maybe I'm craaaaazaaaay.....maybe I'm craaaazaaaay....possibly.

*Peace!

Crazy At Work

Yes..it's true....feeling a little off-kilter lately.....crazy, if you will. So I decided this evening to put the crazy to work.


Ready to set all the blocks together! Maybe tomorrow! Maybe I'll wake up in the morning and the crazy will be gone....

or maybe not! Perhaps I'll have to just embrace the crazy!

*Peace!

Thrifty Thursday!

Happy Thursday! Hope you're having a great week! With the time change, it's so nice to get up in the morning and have some daylight for the drive to the office. Not so good...driving home in the dark! Makes me want to get home as fast as possible and get comfy! But last night after work, I did make myself stop off at G'Willy's. Yes...as you can imagine I had QUITE the argument with myself! ha!

Picked up two fun things!


It's pottery......it's a lovely blue....


it's dirty inside and in need of a cleaning....but I thought it was deserving of coming home...


a nice big pottery shell!

And then....it's cracked...it's crazed....it's painted red...


it screams vintage...because it is!

A lovely plate for upcoming holiday decorating!


I do love finding vintage Christmas stuff. I think this will look pretty cool on a plate easel! I'll be sure and post pics of holiday decorating so you can see how I use it! But that won't happen until after Thanksgiving is done and over. I can't bring myself to do anything "Christmas" (except shop) until AFTER Thanksgiving dishes are done. Call me crazy, but I really like to give each holiday my complete undivided attention! ;o)

It's a great time to shop for holiday decor at G'Willy's! I'm hoping to find some vintage bottle trees and some old mercury ornaments! Maybe next week!

*Peace!

I Love Humble

Forget that it's green.

That doesn't matter anymore.

I can already tell I'm going to love this quilt.

Because it will be humble.

And full of these....



*Peace!

The Gift...

of an extra hour! It's not everyday you're handed an extra 60 minutes to do with as you please! I'm trying to take full advantage. Yes, I know it's 1:00AM...but hey...soon it will be 2:00AM and then suddenly it will be 1:00AM AGAIN! Lovin 'it!

Today....

binding was attached to daughter's quilt...


dust was dusted, tubs were scrubbed, heel flaps were knitted....


(still in progress!)

dogs were bathed, errands were run, naps were bypassed on my part.

Little people...


who wear groovy little socks came to spend the evening.

And I just finished cutting some strips...


so I can get up in the morning and start a quilt!

I love gifts of time!

*Peace!

Focus!! Focus Friday!

Hmmmm...something is amiss with Blogger and picture uploads! We'll see if this works!

Happy Friday!! I'm so ready for the weekend! It's going to be difficult to focus on the task at hand at the office today, when I have so many other things on my mind!

Remember these?


Well...they were still in that same pile....make me yawn. I wasn't excited in the least about starting a quilt with those. Seriously...it was so BLAH!

Enter this!


I spied a bolt of a faux shirting from an old Minick & Simpson line...Christmas Past.

Yes!!! Yessssss......

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Okay...NOW I'm ready to cut in to those greens!!!

And I've got this blocking...


but I'm afraid it might not be long enough. I should have made it longer since I'm a little tall. We shall hold out hope!

And then I picked up my daughter's quilt from the quilter...


so there's binding to be done!

Not to mention laundry, some housekeeping, some knitting, Ann Rayner waiting for some stitches...oh so much to do!!

I'll have to remind myself to focus today! But I'll secretly be waiting for 5:00!!!

Enjoy your Friday!!!

*Peace!

Thrifty Thursday!

Happy Thrifty Thursday!!! And what a Thrifty Thursday it is today! It was a very good day on Saturday at two of my favorite local haunts!

You know it's a good day when your purchases come home in boxes!


And hubs went along, AND carried boxes, without complaint. It was a good day!

I picked up a bag of marbles...and some old red books...LOVE!


And I continued my role as Foster Mom to all discarded handmade things. A few pieces of handthrown pottery!


And there...in the background. Seriously.


Ninety-Nine CENTS...for a FRAMED piece of handmade lace.


It's not fine lace....it's rather crude...but that makes me love it even more. This was someone's pride...and there it was in the picture bin for less than a buck! The shame!

I found more fun things in that picture bin!


A pair of vintage streetscape pics. My hallway is lined with streetscape scenes, so these will fit in nicely!

And don't you love it when you come across something that was clearly from an art show?


for sixty-nine cents!? It's small....and look at the pic print.


Superman's phone booth! Who knew!


and it's signed by the artist. I love picking up these little prints to hang in a small unexpected area. And I loved the subject matter and the pic itself!

And....for the quilt den...


$1.99 a piece...they are heavy...they are ready to hang...they are 15 x 15...and they will find their way to a wall in the quilt den. Great pics of some old quilts!

Always happy to share my thrifty addiction with you! If you've got some great thrifty finds on your blog, let me know!

*Peace!