Enchanted and quilted......

One quilt down....Woo hoo! It is the one I started the other day....The nice orangey bright one....I sure like it too.....it started out as a disaster when I went to quilt it...I dont know what I was doing, but somehow the backing got folded under and I quilted a whole row that way...I am going to make a confession here...I am a closet cusser.....I cuss at my machine a lot. Now in my heart of hearts I know it is not the machine making mistakes but it makes me feel better. That is why I am upstairs...so no one hears me....At least I hope no one does....So I figure out luckily that the back was all screwed up, I cuss and kick the bins under the quilter and then I get out my picker....this is what I call a seam ripper...so my picker and I spend some quality time together and I right the big wrong...I adjust and repin and then it quilts up like a dream. I swear my machine likes the orange thread I used...It just was purring and I said all kinds of loving things to it to keep it that way and to make up for my earlier potty mouth.....Here is my honey holding it up in our tiny living room....he is six feet tall and you cant see him, so that will give you an idea of the size.......

Here is a close up of the quilting......

I usually just stipple it and freehand whatever I feel like it...I dont use pantograms, in fact I took the top tray where they go off.I am short and I couldnt see up there...How fun would quilting on a ladder be anyway? When I first used the quilter, I did a queen size quilt and I worked and worked on it...I did feathers and flowers and loops all kinds of fancies....it was beautiful until I took it off and realized that I put the top on the rollers the wrong way and the top was inside the quilt...good times.....that is when my picker and I really got to know each other and I became a closet cusser....really....
Today in the mail I got a 6x8 quiltie from Donna from my round robin group...my theme has been red, black and white....Isnt this awesome? especially with Valentines Day just around the corner....I love it!

Also today, I had to go to Salt City and my first swap partner for the Enchanted ornament swap lives there so I hand delivered her package to her porch....my car has GPS which I just love.....otherwise, I never would have found it! The swap calls for one handmade ornament a month and some little goodies...she said in her questionarre that she liked old linens, ephemera, bits of old jewelry and anything to do with sewing....My ornament is a wood circle painted with an acorn, ( this months theme) then mounted the wood on a wreath and put on some ribbons....I included a couple hankies, some costume jewelry and paper items.

....I also put a retro fabric panel in the tin.....so one down 11 months to go......
Tomorrow I am going to start piecing one of the two ufo's that I have...I actually am looking forward to it...What are you working on?

For the birds and blogging....

First of all, on my list of things crafty for 2010, I forgot to include the enchanted monthly swap....Every month we change partners and send them a woodland ornament and a few goodies..Val at http://yarnigrasswapspot.blogspot.com is the hostess and each month she also issues a challenge or two..This is the first month and the ornament theme is acorns and pine cone...The challenge... a random act of kindness and do something for the birds...Both were easy and fun....I love birds, always have and have a backyard full of birdhouses...I made some suet and seed filled orange cups and hung them...Cooper must be able to smell the suet because he wants them bad....I hung them in some nice birdie places....

As for the ornaments, I have some ideas but I haven't made them yet....I also completed a rak, but that is a secret...just cause why brag? I try to do a lot of nice things for other people just because.....
Tonight I finished the quilt top I showed in the previous post....tomorrow I am going to go get backing and thread for it...I think I am going to quilt it in orange. I have been on an orange kick I know...I like happy colors...I also got out the two quilts that I need to finish piecing so they are in my line of sight...Other wise, I will start on something new and forget about them.
I also took some pictures of my creating space upstairs and this is it being used....I pretty much have it organized the way I want now and I can find things! Our whole upstairs is a long peak roofed attic...The part that we refinished in orange and turquoise, opens up to my room where I sew...It was already carpeted and painted so it was the perfect place to set up shop....

This is the end of the room.........All my little treasures are all over the wall..Whatever strikes my fancy at the moment...I also have books filled with atc's and postcards and my scrapbooks up here. They are some of my most prized possessions...

This is my quilter and frame..What I love about this room is that there is enough length for it...It is 9 ft long so it is an issue. Below it I have five bins...one for scrap booking, one for scraps of fabric, one for big pieces of fabric, one for batting, stabilizers etc and one for ongoing projects...It isn't pretty, but it works...


Across from the quilter is my 1940's wood ironing board and my cutting table...I keep a Rubbermaid container under the table for all my patterns...I only keep them if I am going to use them again...I have been good about that because I have a tendency to hoard patterns and magazines...I also have my great grandmas treadle singer against the wall....I have baskets of paint and supplies and it is a doo dad holder...I keep my books underneath, on a shelf and on my computer desk...


Here is the entry to the room....I don't usually close the door between the playroom and the sewing room...I have a baby gate for the door and Jace plays with his toys and still can see me in here, which he loves...This is one of his favorite rooms because it is just filled with all kinds of fiddly little things....Where do you sew? I love seeing how people work and how they organize...I have seen some fabulous spaces...mine is just about me and what I am comfortable with...I am at home here and it feels good.
Oh yeah, and a picture of THE car... you know the one I am in debt for...Here it is Jean....I even wore matching red boots...

I also really wanted to talk about blogging.....I had to eliminate anonymous comments because I was starting to get a lot of spam...I also got an anonymous comment from someone letting me know that they thought my blog had gotten better....I really have been thinking about that...What makes a good blog? What do you like to read or see?... To me a good blog has pictures, I can get to know the person writing it and it isn't a space to rant or be negative...once in a while I don't mind...we all have our days but I tend to like upbeat...I love seeing what people make and how they did it...Funny stories and insights are a big hit with me. I think it is all a balance. I also will visit a blog with a big following but if no one ever replies, well I guess they are just too big for me...I always try to answer everyone and if I haven't, I am truly sorry...I mostly write for me, but I want the people who read my blog to enjoy it too...What can I do to make it better? Please let me know what makes a blog "readable to you...I really am interested!!!

back in the land of car payments and other stuff.......

I have lived debt free (and money free although things have gotten better since I moved to Utah) for the last few years due to sad circumstances...life does that sometimes...Yesterday it all changed...We went car shopping...new car shopping....I had a lot of anxiety but I fought it down and we now have a new explorer in red to match the tumbleweed...( the vintage trailer we are redoing...). I love the car, we will see how I feel about the payment....There is something to be said for vehicles that are paid for, ugly or not....Lisa and the kids are coming in March and I have promised her my car...She is pretty happy about that as she is car less right now. I think once you see how a nice fat curve ball thrown at your life can change things, things like car payments can be pretty scary..Anybody else out there feel the same way? So I got a new car...mmmmmmmmm....
In the sewing room I have started a new quilt.....It is in oranges and browns and I think it is going to be pretty sweet looking. As in hella cool not sugary cute. This is the pattern I am using...

I like using patterns that you can use big, bold fabrics with...I think they are my favorite because they make a statement...Here is the fabric coming together in a quilt.

A lot of quilters that have blogs have been making quilt resolutions.....I have two finished tops that need to be quilted, and two sets of blocks that need to be pieced together and that is about it...I think my type A personality makes me attack a project like a bulldog and go at it until it is done....That can be a good thing and a bad thing....I do know that this year I want to make more quilts....I would love to have a big Christmas quilt for our bed by next December, but right now I am tired of all things red and green...When Christmas is done, I am done until the following December....I also joined Barb's 'Row round robin....http://bejeweledquiltsbybarb.blogspot.com Maybe a Christmas theme would be good...I don't know, I haven't decided yet.... I also don't buy or stash a lot of fabric. I think what saved me was when I first started quilting, I had a one bedroom condo and I sewed in the middle of the living room....good times. It does not lend itself to hoarding and I got used to just buying for a specific project....I was reading quilting blogs where people are talking about destashing 1000 yards of fabric.....HOLY COW! I do have a lot of scrap pieces from projects that I hope to use, but not big pieces or yardage....I did get two project kits for Christmas though....One is a Valentines table runner kit and yellows and reds and then a little hot pad pattern kit in Valentine fabric....I am looking forward to making these soon...

So here is to lots of great quilts in the year 2010...For me, and for all you other quilters.....
I also still am doing a monthly exchange for art quilties and then a nature journal page round robin....Here is my fifth nature journal layout....


This picture shows front and back...I really just let loose and had fun with paper and paint....I like to paint and draw eyes so that is where it started...This nature theme has been hard for me...which is really strange because I love being outside and looking at everything. I think I just have a hard time taking it from my head and getting it onto something in an artful way. This is a strange piece, but I like it and I had fun. What are your projects for this year?

And the winner is.............

bitnbyaquilting bug!!!!!!!!!! woohoo.....random number generator drew this lucky winner and her new bag will go in the mail shortly! Congratulations, and thanks for all your wonderful and very much solicited comments!!!!! Melinda

Happy 2010 and giveaway now closed!

Happy New years everyone! It is a nice peaceful day today so I thought now would be a good time to bring on the giveaway! But first, some other stuff, so don't quit reading....I have to drag it out you know, it is more fun that way.
So anyway, I forgot to tell a Wendover story...So last Friday night we were in the casino and there was an older lady with HUMONGOUS hair....it was platinum blonde and it looked like this style.....

Yep, it was Marie Antoinette hair, except it was BIG, HUGE, GINORMOUS.....(it might have had a bird cage in it somewhere) I am talking a good three feet wide and two feet high...and it had blinking red lights weaved thru it ....Now in my opinion, if you have hair like this you want and expect attention right? I said, "wow, that is some hair." (no reaction)..."it looks like Marie Antoinette's hair, except bigger" . (no reaction....) "you know who Marie Antoinette is right?" I got a begrudging "No." back....."ok, well I will let you get back to your slot machine now...Don't lose your head." (no reaction) What the heck lady.....Don and I had to run out of sight and laugh.....To me, it was hysterically funny..People are weird.
I also forgot that I haven't shown my "jingle for the Cure" ornament.....It is so pretty and had a great place on my tree....I had to take a picture of it in the snow to really show it off....




It is two sided and both sides are gorgeous.....Sandy from www.a-summerplace.com made it for me....She has a shop but not a current blog...Thank you so much for the beautiful ornament! Deena was the hostess and she is currently battling breast cancer again...I also donated to the Susan B kommen foundation in her name....you can find Deena at http://deenasstory.blogspot.com A lot of women who are fighting the same battle keep in touch thru her blog. I have said many times that I lost my mom to breast cancer so it is a cause that means a lot to me....
Today I finished a 6x8 quiltie for Peggy from one of my yahoo groups....She asked for a Victorian Christmas House...this is what I came up with...She likes lace so I added some just for her...All the details are free motion thread painted and I painted the muslin background...This is about the best I can do, hope she likes it. I added a key to the back attached with ribbons just for fun....
Ok, Ok, the GIVEAWAY! I made a really cute bag in Spring colors lined with apple green silk that I have been hoarding ....It is made from the "flower bag pattern" by Busy bee quilting....I really love the bright colors and it is super easy to make.

It would make a really cute knitting bag or anything you like... Inside there is a nice piece of the fabric...I would say it is about 3/4 yard, three wood blocks to decorate with pictures or pretty papers, (I really have had fun with these) and two patterns that are new...One table runner and the cutest purse/ wallet....I saw it made up and just fell in love but I have been hoarding it, so it must go....You don't have to do anything special to enter...Just leave me a comment and say wonderful things about me....heehee.....I will draw a winner next Wednesday....Big Thanks to all of you who follow my blog, I love your friendships and Happy New Year!!!!

Christmas was wonderful!

It was the best Christmas I ever had...I missed all the kids, but it was relaxing and fun and little Jace was so darn cute that it made it really special...And presents,,,,,, I got them!...Dont want anyone to think I am too spoiled so I wont list them, but it was amazing...My favorite present from Santa Claus was a book reader from Amazon...It is a pleasure to read again, because I can see the type! Julie got one too so we can trade books...Wendover was extreme fun and also relaxing. We got home last night and I am tired today....Tonight I am going to start making something for a little giveaway, but today I am getting ready for a long winter's nap.....stay tuned.....

Oh Holy Night.......

Christmas Eve is here, a time to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ....Thank you God for all your blessings, but especially for the gift of your son.


Julie and Steve and Jace will be here shortly and everything is ready.....I have a ham in the oven, homemade rolls and scalloped potatoes a green salad, green beans and a red velvet cake that I made from scratch.... everything is wrapped and I have called all the kids and grandkids....I made Christmas table runners and pillows the other day and forgot to show them.







We are going to go to Wendover Nevada tomorrow for a few days to just relax and enjoy each other so I wanted to post and wish everyone a HUGE Merry Christmas.....God bless......

A trip to Washington state....

I am so grateful that I had everything done and caught up, because last week we got a call that Don's mom was dying..We found out in the morning and by 4 pm we were in Seattle and visiting her...We were there a week and it was exhausting! The good news is she made a miraculous recovery, but she is 90 years old so we will see what happens. Don got to say his goodbyes, and the next trip would be a funeral I guess...Family things are so stressful. I think when we got home late Monday night we both felt like we could sleep for a month. I am tired of eating out and tired of living out of a suitcase....I love that Don and I are initially from the same area and that he knows my family....He loves to say laughingly that he knows "we are all nuts.." Well, after this week, he has nothing on me, let me tell you and I think that phrase officially went by the wayside. My personal opinion is that every family is crazy in one way or another....I heard on David Letterman tonight that Christmas time is the number one time for heart attacks...Because of FAMILY....jeesh. Can anyone else relate to this?
I had all these plans of getting Christmas postcards out to all my friends and it just didn't happen...I made six last night and sent them out today....They were fun to make and I put our picture under vinyl with some sparklies in the pocket....These went out to some of our family members.



not the greatest picture, but you get the idea....I also thought I would show some little Christmas'y things upstairs in the kids room...This year it is mainly for Jace, but I love to decorate for the little kids....The stuffed Christmas toys that are on the bed are my own children's....Santa Claus has no nose because Andrew loved it right off of him after he got a present when he was two...He was very into this stuffed Santa for a long time.



here is Jace's little purple tree that he gets to touch since the ornaments are plastic...He is fascinated by it...


and last of all, here is a little grouping of some retro things that I enjoy in my sewing room...tinsel, a box of tree snow and some ornaments that my mom gave me over twenty years ago....



that is my grandmothers old singer treadle machine that they are sitting on.....I also have been making a few things that I will show in my next post and I am going to have a little giveaway....Haven't decided what yet, but it is coming....
I also found out that my little green quilted piece that I did for the blind challenge will be in Quilting Arts Online.....I got a request to send it in, and I didn't put a rush on it, otherwise I think it might have made the actual magazine...It is still an honor and I learned when someone asks, send it priority....It will be on the website in February/ March....Christmas is drawing near....I am getting excited. Are you ready?

checking off my list...........

Getting things done is such a great feeling! Christmas shopping, 90% done, wrapping presents, done so far....trees up, lights up and the house looks festive....Christmas plans? They are all made too...Christmas Eve here with Julie (sister), her husband and little Jace and then Don and I are leaving for Wendover Nevada on Christmas morning for a couple of days.....No stress here and it is feeling good! Tomorrow we are going to go toy shopping for Jace. I already know what to get him so it will be easy. Then we are going to take warm blankets to the mission in Ogden and milk and eggs........there are also several light displays, so I am hoping to take Jace to one of them....
Yesterday I made an apron, hot pad and a little tree ornament for my step mom and got it in the mail.




the fabric is by moda and it is in fall tones....I made aprons for two of her friends a long time ago and she really liked them. She tried on one in almost the same colors and it looked so pretty.......I almost made chocolate peanut clusters for my brother...I make them every year and they are so easy and yummy....I have never shared a recipe before even though I cook and bake a lot so I thought I would give it a whirl!
Chocolate Peanut clusters:
one bag chocolate chips
one bag white chocolate chips
two cans salted spanish peanuts
waxed paper


Put chips in a glass bowl in the microwave for 30 second intervals, stirring in between until all the chocolate is melted....stir in the peanuts, dont forget all the salt in the bottom of the can! drop by spoonfuls onto wax paper and let harden
yummy good and kids love making these too....Olivia could make them by herself! Enjoy!

Baby, it's cold outside!

It's about 0 degrees tonight and that is without a wind chill.( and there is wind!) Holy cow!
I am finally feeling better so I got dressed today and went out and ran errands. Before we left, we got some pictures in the snow....I have on about 5 layers of clothing on to go out for about five minutes...Cooper however, loves it...


I am trying to get him to pose, but he is wanting to play and run.......



in this one, I am still trying to get him to pose and trying to keep my hood zipper from hanging in my face....




The last one is Don holding the camera out to take a picture of the two of us...this is the second picture....For the first one he didn't bend down and all it showed was my forehead...he is a lot taller than me....so the second one he bent down. Don't we look happy?

pink Christmas...

First of all, I have to whine....I just HAVE NOT felt good for the last three days and it is really getting on my nerves..I don't even know what it is but I am miserable...Despite that, I have been pretty busy....Had Jace again today..He felt extra snuggly and and gave me about ten hugs and kisses..when he wasn't shaking his head no no and pulling things off the tree. Julie and I went shopping yesterday and took him and he was horrid....I try not to laugh but it is hard...Why is it funny when you are the grandma (well, actually the auntie) and not the mom? I have about 80% of my Christmas shopping left...I still need to make a few things...an apron, table runner, a couple of pillows and ornaments...I do best under the gun though. No problem. I also got the big tree up...all festive in its pink Christmas sweetness!



I also got a picture of the ornament I made for the "jingle for the cure" pink ornament swap....It is on my tree and it is tilted, but maybe when Sandy gets it she will take a better picture....hint, hint......It is a wood block painted and decorated with a quilted fabric bird perching on it and it sits inside a wreath with siver berries...I like it a lot...in fact, I may have to make another or two...after I make all the other crap...it could happen, or maybe not.



Here it is all wrapped up in pink tulle with a tag I made that says, "may all your Christmas's be pink".



Ok, here I go about vintage trailers again, but just for a second or two....I found this little canned ham trailer model thing when Julie and I shopped and I just have to show it! I think it is so gosh darned cute and I love the little antennas! It is bigger than an ornament, but when our trailer is done, I will hang it in there...Keeping in mind that this is my first winter in Utah, now I know why we will not being working on it in the winter.....It is hecka cold......in the teens and the single digits...and then there is the wind..yep, I am here, Miss cold hater with a passion, whining up a storm.



I also finished Decembers Nature Journal pages for Miss Roc....She loves birds and I am happy to make them so it worked out great....This is paper, fabric, thread, gel medium and anything else that would stick to it....



the back has a pocket for a poem called, "sing little birdie" by Waitie W Swanzy.....here it is in and out of the pocket...




Well, since I have jace tomorrow at 5:30 am, guess I will close for now and go soak in a hot bath and take some tylenol...whine, whine, whine

It is starting to feel like Christmas.....

The last few days have been super busy around here...Mainly because I have had little Jace for the last three days...I spend most of my time laughing and chasing him around. He is really, really busy and boy, it is hard to get things done. I did get to the unpacking and laundry. He is fascinated by magnets so I got him a package of magnet letters and then gave him a cookie sheet to stick them on and it keeps him busy for quite a while. I put up a little pink tree in the guest bedroom and he saw the silver balls and he about went nuts...They look like glass but they are plastic so he had one in each hand...I love this little pink tree! I even put pink perfumes around the bottom just for fun...


On our trip, I didn't take many pictures....I am regretting it now. We went to so many places that I got overwhelmed and most of the time the camera was in the car in its case. I took none of the kids which is really sad. Olivia and Andrew just ran for me when they saw me and when we were together they both were in my lap. The great news is they are moving here with mom and the baby in March. She is looking for a new start and I am more than happy to help. The really hard part was leaving them...All three of us cried and it was especially hard on Olivia.
Here is the stupid thing...I took pictures of mushrooms in Don's sons yard....Yes, they are really pretty and I like them, but these are the only pictures I took...go figure. I think I had mushrooms on the brain because of the Enchanted woodland swap or something. Plus, I had never seen these growing before...





Today we hung outside lights and got a space cleared for the tree. We are going to put it up tomorrow. For the first time in a long time, I am looking forward to and enjoying the holiday season. It is a good feeling and once again I am feeling GRATEFUL! I made my pink ornament for the "jingle for the cure" but have'nt taken a picture yet...I have been making Christmas pillows and block ornaments.....The block ornaments are super easy...wood blocks painted, scrapbook paper and printed black and white paper all mod podged on....I love them and they don't cost anything...I have all the stuff!



I haven't done any shopping, but I am doing it all online and having it sent out, so no sweat there....What a change from last year!

Thanksgiving Road Trip........

I am back and I dont think I even announced I was gone...Well I was, for eight days...... Don and Cooper and I drove to Portland, the Oregon Coast and the Seattle area and then back home to Utah.....The best part? I saw my babies!!!!!!!!! I will be back in the crafting game soon..I have all kinds of Christmas plans! We got home yesterday at three and I am tired! See you all soon!