Some Little Bits…..

  Last night was week two of our six week Christmas Workshop.  When we got to class this is the pile of goodies we were given.  Mind you, no hints, no pictures …nothing!!!  Theresa and Joan should be working for the CIA because we couldn’t get anything out of them.  Our friend Debbie even offered $50.00 to give up the goods!!!  Then cutting started, some whining from those of  us who wanted to know what we were doing (a friendly kind of whining though), some sewing, some more whining, some turning and putting in a LARGE grommet…….finally  a very sweet tissue holder was born, with ginger guys marching around all sides!  I have to miss next week (more on that later).  So back to little bits, because that’s about all the sewing I am getting done around here.  Wishing you all a very happy week filled with some bigger bits!!!

Pumpkins!

Last night was my friendship group….those girls are so much fun!!  Anywho, at the quilt shop they are hosting a six week holiday workshop.  Some projects will be Xmas goodies, and some not.  Last night it was pumpkin making night.  They were so much fun to make and so easy.  I started with one, and couldn’t stop, so I ended up with three sweet pumpkins. Theresa and Joan had all the fixins for us.  They even had sewn the seam on the pumpkin tube.  We just had to gather the ends, stuff and add the stems, leaves and raffia.  LOVE THEM!!!!  Each week the projects are a surprise.  We tried and tired to get a clue, but no luck!  Can’t wait to see what we make next.

One thing I love about doing bindings is getting to see all the wonderful projects.  Here is one of my very favorite Xmas projects that my friend Sue made…..Donder and Blitzen.  I heart this quilt!!  The fabrics are absolutely yummy and even better you can get a kit here…..Hollyhill Quilt Shoppe in Oregon.  Sue did a beautiful job on the piecing and buttonholing……I’m definitely going make this one!

On the home front, Mr. P. is putting a garden railroad in the backyard.  Construction has started and the train and tracks are down….

here the  men folk are checking out the wheels..what is it with boys and wheels??  There will be landscaping happening and buildings to be built and lots of good times ahead.  Little Dot supervised from his favorite spot….the jungle gym!! 

One day I’m going to surprise everyone and actually quilt something…hoping I can remember!  Happy Thursday everyone!

Christmas Club Finish

 Allie’s club has been the best.  Now I have a pile of Xmas goodies that are done!!  Here’s this months project.  I was going to make two.  The kit said candle mat, so no problem getting two done.  It’s hard to tell from the picture, but this is a very generous candle mat!!!  It’s actually placemat size!!!!    The second one will get done in November.
First….sorry for the picture.                                       Not so appetizing I’m afraid, but the easiest thing to make,  and so yummy.  Thought I would share a quick easy yummy recipe since there is no other sewing to report!
Slow Cooker Barbecue Ribs
4 pounds pork baby back ribs cut in sections to fit in your slow cooker; salt and pepper to taste; 1 cup ketchup; 1/2 cup packed brown sugar; 4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar; 2 teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce; 1 dash hot sauce; 1 cup KC Masterpiece Barbecue Sauce
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Season ribs with salt and pepper. Place on a baking sheet and brown in oven 15 minutes, turn and brown another 15 minutes.  Drain fat.
In a medium bowl, mix together the ketchup, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire, hot sauce and barbeque sauce.  Dip the baked ribs in the sauce then place in slow cooker.  Cover with remaining sauce.  Cover and cook on low 6 to 8 hours or until tender.  In my slow cooker, 6 seems to be the time. Enjoy :-)!

Happy Halloween to all of you and all the little goblins in your life!

The Dots Have Left The Building!!

Our week is over and the boys are back with their mommy and daddy.  They were so good and so much fun, but I have to say papa and nana were popped yesterday.  We had time for one last visit to the park…..Big Dot warning me that this is too high!!!!  There was lots of running around and climbing with papa giving a helping hand

were needed.  Of course sliding down the big slide which is way too much fun and makes you just laugh like crazy …. the only  

incident the whole week was Baby Dot bumping his cheek on my bench.  Oh I felt so bad, but he was such a big boy about it.  Another thing that made me really happy was to deliver this

cute case back to their mommy.  It had medicine, doctor authorizations and anything we might need in case of an emergency.  Thankfully it was never opened!!  PHEWWWW!

This morning I cleaned like a mad woman, went to the store, and threw some spareribs in the crockpot.  Now I am going to work on my monthly

Christmas project for Allie’s club.  They are candle mats, but my plan is to use them as candy dish mats.  I hoping to find some cute dishes to go with.  I am really behind on blog reading, so that will happen later tonight.  Happy Thursday everyone!

Friday Night Sew In

The Dots are staying with us for a week while mommy and daddy are at a destination wedding in Maui.  Today was a field trip to the pumpkin patch with Big Dots school ……besides pumpkins there was so much “fun stuff”

 

 

 

and pretty girls!!  There were mazes, trains to climb on and lots and lots of animals to feed .

 

Little Dot stayed home with Papa but he still had a wonderful time scouting around outside, coloring and one of his favorite pastimes , eating snacks!!! 

We are enjoying have them all to ourselves,  wishing only we had more energy.  But they don’t seem to mind…they keep us going!!

Tonight is sew-in night.  Don’t think I will have the get up and go to sew, but my plan is to get a kit cut for a quilt retreat I have coming up…..that is unless bed calls to me early!!  Thanks Bobbi for hosting us! Happy Friday Night Sew-In everyone.

Our Bucket List Trip

We are back from our cruise to see the Fall colors…from New York to Canada. Traveling with  my husband’s two sisters and brother in law made it even more special ….lots of good memories.  We had a couple days to spend in New York seeing the sights.  I have always wanted to go to New York.  We were even lucky enough to visit the 9/11 Memorial…so

moving and still so hard to imagine that could have happened.

Ship life is truly wonderful.  They over the top pamper you and then on top of it you get to visit some amazing places along the way.  This just looks like a fairy tale!  I could  just imagine a quilting room up in that tower!!!!  So green and beautiful.   We met the nicest people  too.  Everyone was so excited to share a bit of the history of their towns and eager to have us come back!  We definitely will be doing that.   The 10 days of touring were jam packed with off ship visits here and there, eating and some shopping!!

I would love to have this sign hanging in the kitchen!!!

Yes it was a trip to see the Fall colors, but because it was still so warm the fall colors were still hiding.  A stop in Quebec gave us a glimpse of what was to come.   I took 288 pictures so I could definitely bore you with them all.  I figured a few would probably be the best bet.  It was definitely a bucket list trip, one that we will always cherish with family.  Coming home is always good.  We missed the kids big and little and knew hugs would be waiting.  We weren’t disappointed!!   Pulling  in the driveway however, I realized my scarecrow on the porch was wearing different clothes….VANDELS!!!!  Quilting vandals non the less!  Not naming names (Ruthie, Joan and Debbie…just sayin’)….had TP’d our house quilter style.  First thing Mr. P. said was “I’m not cleaning that up” :-)!!  Those same words came from my dad when I was in high school.  We both had a good laugh and it was such a wonderful welcome home from my quilting buddies …….a Homie’s Hit as they called it!!!  What is it they say about payback?!!!  It’s on now!  Thanks girls you  warmed my heart!

Got my next batch of Xmas goodies from my swap partner Sharon.  She has been affected by Hurricane Irene.  Some cleanup happening as well as lots of community involvement on her behalf.  She sent October’s and November’s gifts with a goodie to open now!  Isn’t that crow the sweetest ever?!!  He’s perfect sitting on my Halloween bench.  Thanks you so much Sharon, and all my thoughts are with you and those in your community. 

I have been slow getting back in to the swing of things and now a bit behind on bindings…..time to put the pedal to the medal!!  Missed you all and now I’m off to see what you all have been up to.

Christmas Through The Year …(under the wire)!!

Earlier today I was thinking I would just whip up something really quick to get in under the September 30 deadline for this months present.  Two hours ago I was thinking …I’m  not going to have time to make anything not to mention I didn’t even have an idea :-( !!!  Think, think, think.  Then it hit me.  My friend Jan had made me the most wonderful journal for Xmas last year…. it had a paper type cover, and she stitched some wonderful patches on it.  A few months back I had found the same journals and put them away.  So about an hour ago, I Heat n Bonded, and did a simple stitch…added some stickers and tada …two presents done!!!  Whewwww, what a huge relief.  Check over at Allie’s and see what others have done.  I am quite sure they weren’t last minute Annie’s like me !!!!

Last Saturday was Quilts of Valor, and for a fund raiser we made chicken pincushions.  These were

my test chickens…smile girls!!!  A bit of a challenge for me but I did manage to get some done.  Sadly I forgot to take their pictures.

At   friendship group this week  we got to see a finished Farmers Wife quilt….AMAZING!!!!!  I just love those blocks.  Think this will have to go in my “make it when life slows down file”!!!

Well that’s a wrap for me.  I will be MIA for a bit, but there will lots of stories and pictures to share when I get back!  Happy weekend everyone.

Tuesday Already?!!

Yes it is, and I have something big to be tickled about.  My friend Lani had knee replacement surgery over a week ago.   Talking to her over the weekend was such a relief…she sounded so positive and looking ahead to a knee with no pain….YIPEEE!!!  We had lunch a couple months ago and it was very apparent the pain she was in…..so BIG HUGS  to you Lani!!

Then there’s this wonderful Boo banner courtesy of Ivonne at The Crackling Crows.   Such pretty pictures of her banners on her blog!!!  Love the linen fabric, but also she has the most wonderful wooden banners in her Etsy shop, and there’s still plenty of time for holiday orders.

Then a bit of sewing happened.  I finished the Dinosaur Train bags for the Dots….oh wait, liar, liar….my friend Ruthie finished them!! We were at friendship group last week and she started to show me how to finish up the sides and she just finished them both for me.  What a friend, and the Dots loved them!  I however finished a pillowcase all

by myself for Big Dot!!  I know that’s a pretty pitiful sewing report but I am sewing at warp speed with my binding business.  We have an adventure ahead of us next week….report to come later!

Fall is playing a game of hide and seek with us.  We had one whole day of the coolest weather.  I even opened up all the windows in the house…so nice!!  But then that pesky heat tricked us and heated things up again!

This is what I want to be making next…it’s part of the Calendar Quilt hangie thingies!!  Which reminds me I have two days to whip up a  Christmas present for Allie’s club.  Guess I better think of something that’s quick and easy!!  Happy mid week everyone.

Tickled Pink Tuesday

I have missed quite a number of Tuesdays so it’s nice to be back in business and to share some pinkness!!!

  Our quilt retreat over the weekend was so much fun.  Our friend Pat opened her beautiful home to eight of us for a full weekend of quilting, eating, laughing and more eating and laughing.  So very nice and she was such an amazing hostess.  I on the other hand was a very bad photographer, with only a couple pictures  to share.   Both amazing quilts and such totally different styles. 

 

 

 

This is the only thing

I can show for my weekend retreat sewing.  I can tell you there were two top secret Xmas projects made!!!

Yesterday we spent the day with The Dots, again no pictures, but believe me there was lots of playing going on.  I was out in the backyard with Big Dot and said, “It’s pretty hot out here”….Big Dot said to me “Nana you can sit in the shade”!!

I just have to share this picture of our girl.  It was taken in Yosemite when we were all there.  It brings a very happy and proud smile to my face every time I look at it!!

Please feel free to join Allie and myself and share what Tickles you!!  Happy Tuesday everyone.

Back Again

  The view for this week and oh yes, cool weather…ahhhhh!  Yes I’m spoiled and lucky.  It was a whole week of relaxing and not doing much of anything….again, ahhhh!!!!  Golfing and reading for       Mr. P and for me………….. I worked on my Designer BOM’s and got all three done including the stem/leaf sections.  Love these sweet blocks.  Kimberly and the girls at Fat Quarter Shop outdid themselves!!!

Ruthie, one of the gals in my friendship group, gave us all a lesson last week on making these cute mesh bags.  I am working on a couple for The Dots out of Dinosaur Train fabric.  That is the cutest show.  Anyway, I finished adding the top bands and handles and next week Ruthie will show me how to finish them up.

There was also some time to put the binding on my friend Carol’s watermelon quilt….stinkin’ cute I have to say, and rick rack around the inner border, well again stinkin’ cute!

Yes I am spoiled.  My friend Pat is a hosting a quilt retreat this weekend at her house, so I will be packing up some projects and heading out tomorrow night for a weekend of sewing.  As Mrs. Goodneedle would say, “life is good”!  Off to see what is going on in blogland.  Happy weekend everyone.

God Bless America

Forever in our thoughts and prayers.  You will never be forgotten.  God Bless America.

Beautiful Yosemite

We are back tonight from a great week in Yosemite.   I just can’t get over how beautiful it is and pictures just can’t seem to capture the grandeur of it all…especially my pictures :-)!

We had so much fun and part of the time our girl and her guy were with us.  Here they are hiking up to get a closer look at Bridal Veil Falls.  Oh to be young and limber again!

Although I have to say the view from where we were was mighty pretty!! 

A breathtaking view of Half Dome.  Mr. P, our girl and her guy made the hike to North Dome.  I stayed at camp and did some cutting……..

The first three blocks for the Designer BOM are cut and ready to go.  Then there was some time left for reading.  Loved this book.  Good thing their hike was almost all day, because I just couldn’t put it down!

Home tonight and back to reality, or I should say laundry but thankfully I’m almost done!   Waiting for me in the stack of mail was a box from my Santa Sack  partner Amanda.     I LOVE it, and inside are two sweetly wrapped presents that can’t be opened till Xmas…..so tempting!!!!  Thanks Amanda, it couldn’t be more perfect.

Wishing you all a very happy Friday!