PRAIRIE HOMESTEAD

A New Place

2010-01-08T08:38:00.000-06:00

New Year - a new place to record all those 'bits & pieces' that make life sweet - - -

http;//lifeinbitspieces.wordpress.com/

Holiday Snapshot #9 ::

2009-12-25T08:16:00.005-06:00

The holidays seemed to go by in a blur --

and when life moves at that pace --

it's hard to slow things down --

and hold on to the memories we are making.

Children giggling as they play 'Santa's Helpers' with Papa Bill

The orange & spice scent of wassail

Stars scattered across a cold black sky

Christmas Eve Service

All these things I will treasure and hold in my heart

Holiday Snapshot #8 :: Something white

2009-12-23T08:15:00.001-06:00

If the local 'weather-wizards' are correct -- looks like it will be a White Christmas.

Santa and his reindeer will feel right at home !

Holiday Snapshot #7 - Little Mama

2009-12-22T07:30:00.001-06:00

When my daughter was small, my Dad made her this wooden highchair for Christmas.
And, now -- it's being used by a second generation, Little Mama to feed her hungry baby.
My Dad would have loved this !

Holiday Snapshot #6 - Santa Knows

2009-12-21T07:30:00.007-06:00

What my grandson wants for Christmas.

Posted (literally on Post-it Notes) above his bunk bed.

Each square represents something he wants for Christmas.

But, the message is in code.

A code that only Santa can read.

Sounds like a true believer to me !!

Holiday Snapshot # 5 - Sweet Memories

2009-12-18T12:36:00.001-06:00

Little Hands

Big Hands

Making Minty Snowmen --

and lots of 'sweet' holiday memories.

Holiday Snapshot # 4 - Cold & Colorful

2009-12-15T15:45:00.003-06:00

It was 17 degrees when I left my house this morning.
When I stepped outside into the cold -- this took my breath away.

Even the heavens are decorated for the season !

Holiday Snapshot #3 - Singing in the Season

2009-12-08T12:11:00.001-06:00

Evergreen garlands and red ribbons

Twinkling lights and Christmas trees

Children singing and swaying to the music

Little hands waving in the air, eyes sparkling and so very excited

A wonderful start to the season.

Holiday Snapshot # 2 :: 'warm' memories

2009-12-03T15:30:00.001-06:00

It's about 8pm on a dark and rainy winter night. A quiet evening and I'm in my little sewing corner -- cutting, pressing, stitching. And, with each action, the cares of my day fade away -- because I'm sewing pajamas for my grandbabes.

Working with soft cuddly flannel reminds me of the receiving blankets I've made over the years for grandbabes. How those blankies, made by my hands, would wrap them in warmth and my love. Now, those 'babes' are growing and getting older -- and that's as it should be. But, I do so hope that no matter how old they become -- they will remember their blankies and pjs made by me.

I know I loved knowing that something I created will keep the ones I love warm on a cold winter night. That brings a smile to my heart. Because, as far as I'm concerned -- you never outgrown the need for comfort, warmth, and flannel pajamas.

Please notice that I'm wearing flannel as I sew !

Holiday Snapshot :: #1

2009-12-01T13:35:00.007-06:00

Seems like it was just a few days ago that we were celebrating Labor Day. Now, Thanksgiving is over and done. We stuffed ourselves with turkey, dressing and pumpkin pie. And, when we weren't looking December rolled around again. In the coming days/weeks we will all be in a hurry to get the shopping done, the cookies baked, the cards mailed -- all the 'things' that we think are so important this time of year. But, in all that 'busy-ness' there will be a few 'snapshots' that will stay with us long after Christmas is packed up and put away for another year. I'm going to make an effort to record (and share) some of the 'snapshots' of my Christmas this year -- things that I want to hold onto and remember.

Here's my first 'snapshot' of this season :: little-girl-cousins from 23 months to 4 years old -- all busy with their Christmas crafting.

In the years to come, they may not remember a November afternoon decorating wooden ornaments -- but, I'll bet their Mamas (and their Grammys) will remember -- and treasure this first 'snapshot' of the season.

Good intentions . . . .

2009-11-24T14:40:00.002-06:00

Every year I have good intentions.

I promise myself that I will start my holiday crafting/knitting/sewing early -- like in January.

And, every year I break that promise.
This means the months leading up to Christmas are very busy.

Knitting scarves for the grand-daughters.

Sewing a baby quilt for a baby girl due in December.

And sewing pj pants for all the grandbabes. I was too busy with all the cutting out, stitching up to get a picture - use your imagination.

(And, if you are going to imagine a picture of the pj pant construction - please also imagine that my sewing room is clean and all the pj pants are finished and in gift bags under my completely decorated Christmas tree. Hey - if your going to use your imagination - go big!)

P.S. I swear, next year I'm going to start early (and I mean it this time !!!)

21 Years

2009-11-19T14:42:00.002-06:00

Bill, Billy, Willie Jay --

it's been 21 years ago today that we said 'I Do'

and we are still having fun.

And, through years, we've both had a lot of titles/names :

newlyweds / step-parents

weekend-remodelers / care-givers.

You've worn them all with your own individual style.

But, the title that I love to see you wearing these days is - - - -

'Papa Bill'

Happy Anniversary Honey !

Every day

2009-11-11T09:44:00.000-06:00

Let us remember & honor all of our Soldiers,

Sailors, Marines, Airmen and Coast Guard members

not just on Veterans Day ---

but every day.

Two views . . .

2009-11-10T14:43:00.001-06:00

While I would like to say that November on the Southern Plains looks like this every day . . . . clear blue skies framed by red/gold leaves.

This picture a more accurate . . . . grey damp weather with fallen leaves covering every surface in a patchwork of red and gold.

Two views of fall . . . . . and, I like both of them.

Best Laid Plans . . . . .

2009-11-05T15:35:00.000-06:00

I really had great plans for sewing/knitting/crafting/baking for the holidays this year. I printed off cool handmade gift tutorials from Sew Mama Sew www.sewmamasew.com/. And saw so many cute things on other blogs that inspired me to get in my sewing corner and create something. Sorted through my holiday cookie recipes and even checked out some new recipes on this site http://www.ourbestbites.com/.

As of today -- all my plans are just that -- 'plans'. Not much action has been taken to start any of these wonderful projects. But, I will say that I've got the 'planning stage' of my Holidays done !!

O' I forgot one thing I've almost gotten completed -- an 'I Spy' quilt for the youngest grandbabe. It just lacks a bright green binding and I can check one home-made gift off the list. It's a start at least !

Mississippi in 1962

2009-10-26T16:04:00.001-05:00

Three woman (2 black - 1 white) become friends during a time when possibilities for woman were few. Skeeter, Aibileen and Minny all have dreams of a future filled with more understanding & love than hate & fear. These character will stay with you for a long time. I can highly recommend this book as, 'a good read'

You can't make just one . . . . .

2009-10-23T14:54:00.000-05:00

Nothing much was on television Wednesday night (or at least not much that I was interested in anyway) -- this led to some time in my little sewing corner. My crafting/sewing journal was consulted for measurements and ideas (from bags made for the KC girls last year) -- some were rejected, others were implemented.

An hour later I had these two Trick or Treat bags to show for my time/effort. The Transformer bag on the left is for Joe and measures approx 11"x11". The leopard-print bag on the right is for Laney and measures approx 9"x9". Both bags were lightly quilted using a fusible fleece as backing, the linings are Halloween prints -- everything thing was from my stash!

Such fun making these little bags -- and, very addictive too !

I've already got plans to make at least two more.

Another step . . . .

2009-10-21T13:45:00.003-05:00

With great suggestions from my friends (both quilters and non-quilters) & some quality-time with my sewing machine (and seam ripper) -- the StarWars quilt top & back are finished. I'm loving the way it's shaping up so far. Monday afternoon it was delivered to my machine-quilter and now the hunt for the perfect binding will commence -- but, that's just another step in the whole 'process'.
O' I forgot I also need a perfect binding for the I Spy quilt too --
I'm seeing a trip to the quiltshop in my near future!

It's a process . . . .

2009-10-15T14:44:00.001-05:00

For me, quilting has always been a process - something I worked through until I liked the results and called it finished. The process usually starts with some inspiration (see the picture below - upper right) - in the case of my latest quilt the inspiration was a quilt from Crazy Mom Quilts at crazymomquilts.blogspot.com. My quilt started as a simple quilt with one row of sort of wonky blocks paired with a large block of fabric. As you can see, Master Yoda was my first block.

Here's what it looked like after the preliminary sketching, cutting, sewing, pressing --

It's really rough and I wasn't totally in love with it -- I needed help. So, I emailed the picture of my 'prototype I' StarWars quilt to my quilting gal-friends and got lots of feedback. And, now the 'process' continues.

With some tweaking and redesigning - there will be final pictures posted on Monday.

That is if the 'Force' is with me . . . . .

Stitcher's Joint Project - 24 receiving blankies for a local teen pregnancy center. Made over three weeks and we sewed a little bit of love into each one. Bib & burp-cloths are our next project.

20% Off -- and, much more . . . . .

2009-10-13T14:39:00.006-05:00

See this neat bundle of fabric below ?

I know it looks like fabric --
it's actually a 20% off coupon and so much more.

This past week, our local quilt shop sent out a notice of a unique sale. In emails to their customers, they made this offer: bring in a fabric donation to the Quilting Guilds for use in their charity quilting projects and get 20% off all cut fabric. My friend Nancy immediately sent out another email calling all the Stitcher Gals to rally round this worthy cause (and get some great deals on fabric too!).

Saturday morning we all met at the shop - did our part to fill a large box with donations, oooh-aaaahed over the holiday prints, wandered all through the shop debating the merits of florals vs polka-dots, scoped out out the new fabric lines, fondled the fat quarters, tried out new quilting toys -- it was wonderful. And, with our donations on that day, we were doing our part to add some warmth & care in someone's life -- by way of a hand-made quilt.

As my friend Linda says,
'It's always a good feeling when you can help others.'

I'd like to amend that by saying this:
'If you can help someone and walk out with some pretty cool prints at 20% off -- that's a good feeling for everyone!'

My 20% off fabrics -
Aren't they pretty ?

Autumn-y Things

2009-10-09T13:59:00.003-05:00

For the next couple of months, I suppose all of my posts to this blog should have the following warning:

DANGER
If Autumn isn't your favorite season, do not continue . . . .

You see I love this time of year. I could babble on and on about -- pumpkins, crisp mornings, foggy/rainy weather, scarecrows, candy corn, Halloween, even more pumpkins.
( Please see picture below of the beautiful pumpkin decorating my Mom's front step).

To celebrate another October Weekend -- I plan enjoying a few Autumny things:

baking Holy Trinity Apple Crisp,
buying flannel for pj pants for the grandbabes,
taking pictures of the of the fall foliage progress,
making a big pot of soup for Sunday supper.

That's a great list, but if I could just add --

watch the Sooners win on Saturday,

It would be a perfect Fall Weekend!

A Good Read:: Quilting for Peace

2009-10-07T12:48:00.003-05:00

Make the world a better place one stitch at a time.

The Sunshine Circle created in 1912 and still sewing quilts and 'comforts' for those in need.
The women of the United States Sanitary Commission who answered the call from President Lincoln to outfit soldiers with hand-made blankets/quilts.
Quilts of Valor - coordinated through the VA to distribute quilts for wounded soldiers in communities across America.
The Binky Patrol - providing thousands of quilts and blankets to children who need a little comfort.
Morsbags - sewing your own reusable shopping bags to reduce the millions of plastic bags that litter our planet.
The Aids Quilt - made in memory of those who have lost the battle with this horrible disease.
The Boise Pease Quilt Project - honoring individuals for their peacemaking work.

All those and more organizations/individuals -- along with patterns and suggested projects to stitch a little 'peace' yourself -- are between the covers of this amazing book.
It's definitely a good read.

Baby Gifts - Tiger Tails - Lizard Blankies

2009-10-02T13:44:00.000-05:00

A wee tiny knitted hat (along with flannel burp cloths) for a baby girl expected on December 24th. Such fun making baby things.

Sewing up a 'lizard blankie' for Joe's toy lizard collection - the reason for the blankies? According to Joe, his lizards get cold at night.

A first for me - - - sewing the tail back on a tiger.

The tiger held very still while this surgery was performed and as you can see by the last picture, he is whole once again.

A discussion between MoMo and Joe about treating Mr. Tiger with respect and not using his tail as a handle -- will hopefully avoid further medical procedures.

Symbols & Seasons

2009-09-24T16:03:00.004-05:00

September is almost over - the mornings are starting to have a little 'crisp' to them. Almost every store you pass by has mums for sale. Pumpkins are starting to appear in produce sections all over town. On Friday nights I can see the lights at the football field 4 miles south of our house -- and, it makes wish I could hear the marching bands playing and smell the popcorn. I love this time of year. The sounds, the smells, the colors of Autumn -- so very glad it's almost here.

Picture above is of the one and only bloom my Passion Flower Vine produced this year. It bloomed last week -- looking like something strange and alien, unfolding it's bright purple petals along my front porch -- a last hurrah of the summer's finery.

This week's bedtime reading - Dan Brown's new book. Kept me interested and page-turning right up the end. And, I'll never end another letter with the word 'Sincerely' without thinking of this book. A definite 'Good Read' !

Roasting up dinner . . . . .

2009-09-21T13:54:00.000-05:00

Our Saturday evening dinner was an easy recipe that I've been making for at least 5 years now. It always amazes me how quickly you get this prepared and in the oven. And, the Hubby loves it.

Roasted Chicken & Veggies

1 whole chicken (with skin on)

5-6 med red-skinned potatoes, cut in to large pieces

1-1/2 cup peeled carrots (thick sliced or you can use baby carrots)

10-12 whole unpeeled cloves of garlic

1 to 2 cups whole fresh mushrooms, cleaned & stems trimmed

1 red or green pepper, cut into large pieces

1 small onion, quartered (optional)

3 to 4 Tbsp olive oil

1 to 3 tsps dried rosemary blend (I use the Pamper Chef brand)

Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat over to 375 degrees. Wash/pat dry chicken, cut into quarters (or buy your chicken cut-up -- or, you can also use 4 large chicken breasts, bone-in and skin on). Arrange chicken onto a large sheet pan or any large shallow baking dish. Just keep in mind that the chicken/veggies need to be one layer in order to roast evenly. Place all veggies into a large bowl, drizzle with enough olive oil to coat, sprinkle in spices, salt & pepper; toss to coat completely. Pour veggie/oil/spices over chicken, arranging veggies between chicken pieces. Bake for 30 minutes, stir veggies and bake for additional 25-30 minutes or until chicken is completely done and veggies are roasted. (Cooking time will depend on size of chicken pieces and veggies) Remove from oven and cover with a large piece of aluminum foil, let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Note: You can add any veggies you like (sweet potatoes, squash or beets), you might want to add veggies that bake quickly half-way through the roasting process. I added green beans at the half-way point with this dish and they came out roasted but still with a bit of a crunch.

Good 'Read/Listen'

2009-09-18T12:34:00.001-05:00

I have long been a fan of Pat Conroy --

His books 'speak' to me on so many levels. For me, the books read like poetry, with sentences that are beautiful and lyrical as they weave their storylines together. But, until now I've never 'heard' one of his stories read to me. Never listened to the soft southern drawl of the narrator leading you from the year 2009 and into the world of Charleston, SC in the early sixties. And, like the turbulant 60's - there's much more going on than appears on the surface. By the end of chapter one -- I was hooked. And, I'm being stingy with this audio-book. Only listening to it during my commute to/from work. You see, I want my visit to 'South of Broad' to be a long as possible.

O' and I have done a bit of sewing this week. The two grandbabes here in town needed some 'Game Day' pj pants to watch the OU this weekend. Boomer Sooner !!!!

First Recipe of the Fall

2009-09-16T11:30:00.003-05:00

Filled with apples and spices - this recipe is truly 'Apple Pie' in bread form. Just right for the cool/rainy weather we are having here on the Southern Plains.

Apple Pie Bread

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1-1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup brown sugar

1-1/2 cup granulated sugar

1-1/4 cup vegetable oil

4 eggs, beaten

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 cup chopped walnuts

3 cups peeled/chopped apples

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray loaf pans with a cooking spray. Combine dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, combine eggs, oil, vanilla and sugars - mix well. Add egg mixture to dry ingredients, stirring just until blended. Add chopped apples and walnuts to bread batter and pour into prepared loaf pans. Bake for 1 hour or until a tester comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans. Cool completely before slicing. May be frozen for up to 3 months.

Makes 2 large loaves.

Goes great with a cup of hot tea or coffee.

Note: 1/2 cup golden raisins may be added, if desired. Bread can also be baked in a bundt pan or smaller loaf pans - adjust baking times accordingly.

Can't believe I really did it . . . . .

2009-09-14T13:48:00.004-05:00

My very first 'Pumpkin Hat' !!

I'm so pleased and proud all at the same time -- because, I made a hat and it's so cute I can hardly stand it.

After struggling for 2 years with the whole knitting with the 'dreaded double-pointed needles of doom' -- I tried using two circular needles to 'knit in the round' (thank you Jane for that amazing tip). That did it -- something in my poor dyslexic brain clicked and this summer, I made a hat for Laney. Now, mind you, it was entirely too big -- but, I had the technique down.

Then last month I made a little pink/brown hat and it fit just fine. Which made me buy a skein of orange yarn (Plymouth Encore) and immediatly start knitting a pumpkin. For the base of the hat I used my notes from the 2nd hat (written in my handy-dandy spiral notebook that's all pink and zebra print - keeping notes in a cool notebook makes me think I'm stylish). I finished this bitty pumpkin hat over the weekend and my only bobble was on the stem. In order to knit the I-Cord stem, I had to consult at least three knitting books before I found instructions I could actually understand.

But, I did it --

and isn't it cute ?

Did I ask you that already ???

P.S. I've already cast-on another hat

One bright spot . . . . .

2009-09-10T13:46:00.006-05:00

Over the past few weeks, my computer has been visited by a plague of assorted nasty critters in the form of 'spyware' -- 'malware' -- 'everykindof-ware'. It's made me wonder what sort of person would create something that would cause havoc for people they don't even know ??

May they some day be forced to clean up all the messes they've made all over the world-wide-web - - - and, that's all I'm going to say about that - - -

The one bright spot during computer critter infestation was that I had time to get to aquainted with the residents of Bon Temps, LA :: Sam, Eric, Vampire Bill, to name a few and of course, Ms Sookie Stackhouse.

Quick and easy reads
And, I'll give you fair warning - - - they are highly addictive !

Quilt to 'Blankie'

2009-08-24T12:52:00.003-05:00

For years now, I've been making quilts for every baby in our family -- for grandchildren and now for great-grand children. It's my personal gift to welcome that new babe into our family. From the choice of fabrics and pattern -- to the final stitches on the binding -- for me each of those baby quilts have been a labor of love. And, one of my greatest joys is when those quilts are used beyond the baby years. That's when a quilt has become -- a 'blankie'

This picture was taken over the weekend of my great-neice, Jorja -- although, she may be in PreK this year -- she knows that sometimes you still need your 'blankie'

Not much in the looks department . . . .

2009-08-18T15:36:00.006-05:00

Coconut Pound Cake

1 cup butter, softened

1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese, softened

3 cups white sugar

6 eggs

1 tsp coconut extract

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

3 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

2 cups flaked coconut

Preheat over to 325 degrees. Grease and flour a 10 inch tube pan (or 2 large loaf pans)

With a mixer, cream together butter and cream cheese until blended. Add sugar, and beat until light & fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, then stir in coconut & vanilla extracts. Gently mix in flour mixtures just until moistened. ***Stir in coconut. Spoon batter into the prepared pan(s). Bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes (1 hour for lg loaf pan) or until a knife inserted into the cake comes out clean. Allow cake to cool in pan for 10 minutes before inverting on a cooling rack.

When I made this over the weekend, I just ran down the ingredient list - not paying attention to the first sentence. The poor cake baked at 350 degrees for 15 minutes before I caught my mistake and turned the oven temp down to 325. Apparently when you play fast & loose with oven temps for pound cakes, the nice crusty top tends to fall off after the cake cools. Will try very hard not to repeat that error again -- the crust is the best part ! And, even though my pound cake is not very attractive - - it's so good.

8/24/09: Add coconut here ***

Reflecting

2009-08-17T16:10:00.001-05:00

Over the past week or so, I've been busy with sewing, reading, spending time with grandbabes and life in general. But, I've also been doing some reflecting, reviewing & re-evaluating this space -- the who, what, where & why if it.

While I'm doing all that pondering -- here's a cool picture. My pretty little PTCruiser reflecting a Oklahoma Summer Sky.

Keeping Busy

2009-08-06T18:48:00.006-05:00

While it's hot outside -- I've been busy inside under the wonderful central air conditioning. Here in Oklahoma, it's a necessity not a luxury.

There's been a little sewing going on -- 3 more Bandana Skirts. They are like potato chips, you just cannot stop at one -- and, they are so darn cute.

A few 'Pennie Pockets' were sewn (via the Happy Zombie's blog - it's a free download)-- a sort of 'origami' type pattern. You just need to follow the directions -- not think too much and it magically turns into a neat little pocket ! Try it out for yourself and then see the reference to 'potato chips' above -- it also applies to this pattern.

And, over the past week, I've been very busy with the book pictured above. It's the first official 'Good Read' for the month of August --'The Time Traveler's Wife: A love story with a 'twist' and I was hooked from the first page - which led to couple of late night reading sessions to get to the end of the story. But it was so worth it.

What's keeping you busy this summer ??

Sewing companion

2009-08-04T11:45:00.000-05:00

I have a little shadow, of the furry 4-legged variety. She follows me all around the house. Acting as supervisor for all daily chores/tasks. Lately, one of her favorite things to do is assisting me while I sew. She inspects my sewing/crafting books for the latest patterns & designs - but mainly she just loves to add her scent to each book in the basket.

As I sit n front of my sewing machine, she watches every move I make -- because you never know when I might have an open lap available for a nap!

Good Read(s) :: Mixed Bag

2009-07-27T08:22:00.001-05:00

I love to read -- Fiction, Non-Fiction --- Historical novels, Bodice-ripping Romance --- SciFi & Fantasy. Bring em on and I'll get em read!

Over the years, I've tended to place books into categories (and, for me, there are many categories). There's a large basket beside my bed, filled with books from at least 3-4 of the categories (I try my best to be democratic in choice of my books). I've recently completed books from 3 categories and am recommending them all as a 'mixed bag' of Good Reads. I'll let you decide what category fits which book:

'mind valium books' - a little something to slow down my thoughts just before I turn out the light.
'read & learn books' are like great teachers, they flesh out history and make it come alive.
'never want it to end books' that take you to another world/time/place -- with a story so entertaining that you read far too late into the night.

Colorful & Cool !

2009-07-20T12:37:00.004-05:00

A colorful start to a new week.
View from my back yarn this morning at 6 a.m.

And, just look at the 7-Day Forecast --
didn't think I would ever be so happy to see temps in the 90's !

Warning - these can become addictive . . . . . .

2009-07-17T08:26:00.000-05:00

Take one bandanna - cut into two pieces. Lay the pieces end to end and sew together.

With a contrasting fabric, cut a 4" strip and sew onto the length of the sewn bandanna strip.

Sew the ends together to form a tube. Press down 1/4 inch on both top and bottom of tube - turn under bottom hem again (1/4 to 1/2 inch) and press. Stitch down hem. Turn top under again 1" and press to form a casing. Stitch down top casing (making sure to leave an opening to insert elastic), also stitch 1/4 inch from top of casing to form a ruffle edge. Thread elastic through top casing, measuring waist of future skirt-wearer, cut elastic and stitch ends together, stitch opening shut.

Ta Da --

you have a Bandanna Skirt for a baby/toddler girl !!

So simple and super cute

Total time from start to finish: 20 minutes

Check stash for cute contrasting fabric.

Go out and buy more bandannas --

Warning: these can be addictive !

Note - for older girls:: use two bandanna (or three - depending on how full you want your skirt and age of child) -- one each for front/back.

Happy Day

2009-07-16T15:38:00.010-05:00

Comfy clothes (aka MoMo-made pj pants with t-shirt to match) is what he wants to wear every day - - -

He thinks garage sales are just as much fun as a trip to Target - - -

And, having a snack on MoMo's bed while watching a Scooby Doo movie is pretty cool.

Our sweet 'little guy' is turning 6 years old today.

Happy Birthday

Joe-Joe Bean !!

Love

MoMo & Papa Bill

Weekend plans . . . . .

2009-07-10T11:20:00.000-05:00

Just look at that forecast -- it's predicting Hot & Hot ---

followed by even more HOT

Welcome to July in Oklahoma !

And, here's a sample of what I will be doing this weekend --

Reading, knitting and enjoying the wonderful benefits of cental air conditioning.

Please notice I'm putting my first 'Jane Market Bag' to good use.

Sunrise & Sparrows

2009-07-07T08:22:00.002-05:00

6:45 AM --

The view from my back yard as I filled the bird-feeders this morning. Maintaining the bird feeders is a priority at our house: not only does it provide entertainment for our cats -- it also keeps the sparrows from making a meal of my Rose Moss. Just look at the evidence in the picture below. Now I realize that this is a very bad picture, but give me a break -- I was trying to shoot through the window with two cats at my feet !

If you look closely you can see the plant vandals for yourself -- there's one sneaky bird actually in my planter (lower right), just pecking away, while his little friend acts as look out !

As of this morning, the Rose Moss was not looking so good. I'm seriously beginning to think about making tiny scarecrows for my planters -- or buying some of those bright colored pinwheels and sticking them in the planters. I might even do some 'sparrow research' on the internet today. There's got to be some way to save my Rose Moss. Any suggestions are welcome.

'Jane Market Bag' - 1 and 2 . . . .

2009-07-06T12:24:00.001-05:00

I've been coveting this pattern for awhile now. So, last week, with the long holiday weekend approaching, I decided to download the pattern and make some 'Market Bags' of my own over the 4th. And, I'm very happy with the results. This is a pattern for a basic 'shopping' tote bag with the addition of pockets on both sides and a pin-tuck at each corner, making it stand up quite nicely. Here's my first 'Jane Market Bag' ::

I've had these fabrics in my stash for 3-4 years now and think they came together to make an pretty English-Garden type bag. It's currently holding my knitting -- but I like to think it could have also held yarn & knitting needles for Agatha Christie as she traveled around Britain, solving all those murder mysteries. That little bit of fantasy makes me smile every time I look at this bag. Hey, you have your fantasies and I have mine.

Now for 'Jane Market Bag' II ::

I made one change on this second bag -- used a fusible interfacing on the handles, side & center pattern pieces and it gave the bag a bit more structure. The pattern instructions are very easy to follow and I'll definitely be making more of these bags in the coming weeks. I'm even thinking of 'up-sizing' the pattern for an even larger 'Market Bag' -- although the pattern size will hold a lot of yarn, groceries, library books, baby/child estentials or whatever you fancy. And, to cap it all off -- the Jane Market Bag folds neatly when not in use.

Both bags were finished in a couple of hours -- my favorite -- a quick sewing project! You can get your own bag pattern at http://rosylittlethings.com/janemarketbagpattern.html -- it's only $6 ( which is only 2 iced coffees from Starbucks or 3 large vanillla Diet Cokes - easy ice please - from Sonic ) -- however you choose to rationalize it -- this pattern is well worth the cost.

A Good Read :: x 2

2009-07-01T11:26:00.001-05:00

"Affecting . . . . . a book about how times can never be so hard that they can't be eased when people come together." Denver Post
The Persian Pickle Club, by Sandra Dallas -- Set Kansas in the 1930's. The Pickle Club in the title refers a quilting group made up of women of all ages. These woman love and depend on each other through good times and bad. A wonderful book for a lazy summer afternoon. But, be warned -- when you finish the book you might want to start piecing a quilt block!

"A transporting drama . . . . truly artful fiction." The New York Times" Loving Frank, by Nancy Horan the Frank in the title is Frank Lloyd Wright and the story is based on his affair with Mamah Borthwick Cheney. Women's rights / Getting what you what out of life and then dealing with the consequences that follow --- are just a two of the issues in this story. Now, I do realize that this book might not be everyone's 'cup of tea' -- but, for me it was 'good read'.

Two totally different books to recommend this month and both, in it's own way were a 'Good Read' !!

This & That

2009-06-29T11:38:00.002-05:00

Grandson Joe's set of summer pj pants with matching tops -- or 'comfy clothes' as he calls them. Finished a couple of weeks ago -- now I'm working on summer shorts for his little sister.

Scooby Do pjs because our Little Guy loves that pooch. And, a pair of tropical sunset pjs for Joe's trip to Florida with his Daddy's parents. And, Rt 66 pjs - the fabric even had an 'Oklahoma' on it so I bought a yard of it -- now, I have a bit left over for a new tote bag. Which is a good thing because I just bought the pattern for Alicia Paulson's "Jane Market Bag' - check it out at Posie Gets Cosy over at http://rosylittlethings.typepad.com/posie_gets_cozy/. This just might be my '4th of July' weekend project. Heaven knows, it's going to be too hot to do much more than stay inside and sew (or watch movies or knit).

Our two cats, Muffin (AKA The Terminator) and Libby (AKA Libby LouLou). This is a rare sight at our house. Muffin doesn't allow Libby to share this rug in the entryway that often; and, even though Libby out weighs her by a good 10 pounds, Muffin is the Boss of the house! Maybe it has something to do with age -- Muffin is the grand old age of almost 19 years old -- while Libby is a mere 4 years old.

Spotted in the parking lot of our local library. If you look close -- you will see that this VW Bug is sporting a 'rhinestone' frame for her tag. Now tell me, how 'girly' is that !!

Hot, Hot, Hot

2009-06-26T11:34:00.009-05:00

It's officially summer -- and, it's hot !
Here's what the temperature was at 8PM last night.

Don't know about other people here in the Sooner State --

But, I plan on spending most of my weekend inside knitting/sewing or maybe in a cool/dark movie theatre ( Angels & Demons ) with a big bucket of popcorn and a fountain Coke with plenty of ice.

I'm so ready for summer to be over --
just think it's only 55 days until Autumn begins !!

Anyway (instead of 'whatever')

2009-06-25T12:13:00.002-05:00

Do It Anyway ::

People are often unreasonable,
illogical and self-centered;
Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse
you of selfish, ulterior motives;
Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win
some false friends and some true enemies;
Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and frank,
people may cheat you;
Be honest and frank anyway.

What you spend years building,
someone could destroy overnight;
Build anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness,
they may be jealous;
Be happy anyway.

The good you do today,
people will forget tomorrow;
Do good anyway.

Give the world the best you have,
and it may never be enough;
Give the world the best you've got anyway.

You see, in the final analysis,
it is between you and God.
It was never between you and them anyway.

Lots of things to ponder over in the above lines.
You see, I'm more of a 'whatever' person than an 'anyway' person.
Gotta work on that - - - -

Field of Dreams -- for little guys

2009-06-17T08:22:00.003-05:00

Grandson Joe's T-Ball team, The Tornadoes, played their last game of the season last night. It was hot & windy, but the sodas were cold and the popcorn was great. Parents, siblings and grandparents were out in full force to cheer on their teams.

Joe swings and hits a grounder going right over the pitcher's mound - - - -

He makes a dash for first base - - - -

A couple more hits and Joe runs it in - - - -

At the end of the game, both teams meet at Home Plate to say - - - -

'Good Job' by everyone !!

On a deadline . . . .

2009-06-16T16:14:00.004-05:00

Please excuse the messy desk -- in the middle of a big project at work.

I've been busy, phoning and faxing and emailing people with names like Barbie, Chuck and Scooter -- requesting documentation/information. Important stuff that is needed -- like this Friday. But, this too shall pass and after the dust settles, I'll get back to blathering on about knitting, sewing, and grandbabes.

In the park . . . .

2009-06-12T11:52:00.002-05:00

Every Thursday evening, throughout the summer, our local Chamber of Commerce sponsors 'Concerts in the Park'. There's live music for your listening pleasure, hotdogs and cold drinks for sale -- and lots of dogs and children.

Everyone has a great time no matter what your taste in music may be -- one week it might be hard core Country/Western -- the next week Goldie-Oldies -- or even Jazz Fusion. Whatever the music -- it's fun to sit back in a lawn chair, enjoy the band and people watch ( or doggy watch, as the case may be).

Such a cute little female pug -- she was very interested in the dog on the next row. The Lab-mix in the picture below was so happy to greet anyone who happened to pass by - such a friendly tail-wagging guy.

All of the dogs were very well-behaved -- but, these two were just sweethearts. Bull Mastiffs - Daisy on the left and Boomer on the right. So calm and laid-back. After permission from the owner, I had a chat (and a cuddle) with Daisy -- I think she would have followed me home because I found just the right spot for a good scratch (behind her ears). Don't they both look like they are smiling ? I believe they enjoyed the music -- or maybe it was the doggy treats their owner was handing out !

Taking a break -- & a pretty picture . . . .

2009-06-11T12:13:00.000-05:00

This week, I've been busy cutting out & sewing shorts for the youngest grand-daughter and pj pants for her brother. Easy sewing projects with almost instant results. Until last night.

Seems that my sewing machine and I are not getting along. It all started with a little 'tension' whenever we worked together -- and then there was the heated discussion about stitch length and another little 'talk' about who exactly was the responsible party in our relationship. Currently we are 'taking a little break' to let the dust (and frayed nerves) settle a bit.

Hopefully with a little counseling, some cleaning issues and re-reading of the manual -- we will be back on good terms in a couple of days. Until then -- here's a pretty picture of my hollyhocks after the rain yesterday afternoon. This was a 'pass along' plant from my Mom's garden 4 years ago. The stalks are almost five foot this year and just covered with lovely old-fashioned blooms.

So much prettier to look at than my last sewing project.

Flowers (and that's all)

2009-06-09T12:17:00.007-05:00

Pictures from the weekend -- absolutely none of family or places.

Just flowers --

I loved this picture so much, it now my new 'header'

Heading South . . . .

2009-06-05T12:39:00.003-05:00

I'm off on a road trip south -- to help my Mom (AKA - G.G.) and my oldest sister, Sue, celebrate their birthdays this weekend. My bags are packed and in the PTCruiser, the fuel tank is full (@ $2.34/gallon), I have the new Scarpetta book on DVD ready for my listening pleasure, and there will be a stop at Sonic for a large Diet Vanilla Coke (easy ice, please) before I leave the city.

The picture below has absolutely nothing to do with my trip -- just like taking pictures of my petunias !!

I'm lovin' it . . . . .

2009-06-04T11:45:00.004-05:00

Quiche for breakfast at my desk --
much cheaper (and tastier) than an Egg McMuffin ::

Basic Quiche

5-6 slices bacon
1 unbaked 9-inch pie crust
1 - 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 - 1/2 cups Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
5 eggs, slightly beaten
1 - 1/2 cups half & half
1/2 cup diced onion
1 (4 oz) can diced green chile peppers, drained

If you don't care for green chilies - use these optional ingredients :: 1/4 cup roasted tomatoes packed in oil, drained & diced -- and/or -- 1/4 cup diced green or red pepper (or just experiment with your own 'add ins' )

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook bacon in a large skillet - drain, crumble and set aside. Pour off all bacon fat except for approx 2 tablespoons; saute onion (and green pepper), drain and set aside. Place pie crust in a 9-inch glass pie plate. Sprinkle bacon inside of crust. In a small bowl, combine cheeses and flour. In a separate bowl, beat together eggs, cream, sauted onion, and green chilies. Add cheese mixture; stir well. Pour misture into pie crust. Bake in preheated oven for 60-70 minutes, until set. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving. Refrigerate any leftovers and enjoy for breakfast the next day.

A new home for my ' Stuff '

2009-06-02T12:31:00.002-05:00

When you & your crafting/sewing/knitting share a very small room with your hubby, who also has a complete set of drums in said room -- that room tends to get a little cramped. Over the past 5 years, Hubby and I have constantly re-arranged and pared down our stuff in order to have more room. After some thinking and pondering -- here's what we came up with --

As of Sunday afternoon, all my fabric now resides in the closet. It works great and I wonder why we didn't think of it sooner. Of course, before the fabric could move into the closet -- lots and lots of stuff had to move out. A huge haul of stuff was loaded into both vehicles for a drive to our local Goodwill store. The nice people at Goodwill were very happy to have new stuff to sell -- but, not as happy as I was to have more room in my little sewing corner. In fact, I was so happy that as soon as the fabric made the move into it's new home -- I immediately cut out a pair of shorts for Laney and new pj pants for Joe.

Can't begin to tell you how much fun these were to make in my 'new & improved' sewing space !!

You just have to look . . . . .

2009-05-28T12:45:00.007-05:00

After days and days of rainy, cool weather; summer is finally putting in an appearance.

And, my plants are loving it - - - -

Having a husband who is color-blind is an asset when he puts together a pot of flowers. I would never have thought of mixing pinks with orange -- but, it works beautifully !

The passion flower vine is almost growing before my eyes -- this 10 inch vine is after only a week. So many changes each day. Just after supper each eveing, I'm lured outside into the garden. Walking among the pots and plants, I notice new growth and blooms that weren't there yesterday. I realize that all the surprises and wonders that a garden holds are a blessing -- I just have to go out and look for them.

I hope you find some 'blessings' out there in the world today

Banana Bread - Part II

2009-05-22T08:15:00.001-05:00

Although, I've got a perfectly good banana bread recipe -- my recipe contains pineapple; which some people don't like at all. That has lead me to test-bake a lot of banana bread over the past few months. (You should see how many loaves of Banana Bread I have in my freezer !) The recipe below is the winner so far -- it's moist and buttery with a nice banana taste -- and, if you make it, please don't forget to toast the nuts -- it's so worth effort.

Banana Bread
from Joy of Baking.com

1 cup walnuts or pecans (toasted & coarsely chopped)
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt (omit if using salted butter)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted & cooled
3 ripe bananas, mashed (approx 1-1/2 cups)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 1 large loaf pan with PAM (2 smaller pans can also be used - adjust baking time). Place the nuts on a baking sheet and bake for 8 to 10 minutes until lightly toasted. Let cool and then chop coarsely.In a large bowl, coming the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nuts. Set aside. In a medium bowl, coming the mashed bananas, eggs, melted butter and vanilla. Lightly fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients just until combined (do not over-mix batter - over-mixing will make the bread tough). Spoon batter into prepared pan(s) and bake until bread is golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (approx 55 minutes). Place on wire rack to cool for 10 minutes before removing bread to cool completely. Wrap cooled bread in plastic wrap. Bread can be stored at room temp for 1-2 days. Wrap bread in another layer of plastic or aluminum foil before freezing up to 3 months.

A breakfast Banana Bread and Diet Vanilla Coke -- caffeine and sugar helps me start the day !!

Attitude Adjustment

2009-05-21T08:20:00.002-05:00

All the 'talking heads' on various cable channels are all shouting about all the gloom & doom in our nation and the world around us. They bicker and rail against each other all throught day and into the evening. Calling each other names and saying that 'other' cable-news program is too liberal -- and then the 'other' program is declared too conservative by the first 'other' program. From the outside looking in, the world of politics today has the attitude of 'you are either with me or against me' -- no one seems to understand how to 'agree to disagree' and respect each other's views anymore.

It's all too depressing for me. And, like any woman - when confronted by a depressing situation -- I bought new shoes. New sandals to be exact.

They are so cute and green and comfy and the best thing - - - - They were on Sale !!

I feel much better now. Maybe all those 'talking heads' need to go out and buy new shoes - it can do wonders for your attitude !

P.S. The sandals also come in black -- and, I bought a pair of those too !

Playing in my head

2009-05-20T11:42:00.001-05:00

Every once in awhile -- you ear a song ( or in this case a commercial jingle ) and it sticks in your head. You find yourself humming it all during the day. It's always a catchy little tune -- like the one I've been living with for a few days --

O' I wish I were an Oscar Meyer wiener,
that is what I'd truly like to be.
Cause if I were an Oscar Meyer wiener,
everyone would be in love with me.

I think this tune was brought on by my sighting of this, parked at the local WalMart --

I wonder if they stopped for mustard !!!

Spring Flowers & 'A Good Read'

2009-05-19T08:22:00.009-05:00

Hubby has been reading all about container gardening and how to mix all sorts of plant textures. I'm not really sure what all that means -- but, I love the results that are now residing on my front step. So very pretty.

I love a good book -- one that you can get lost in -- A book that makes you read long into the night, because you can't wait to find out what happens next. 'The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society' is that sort of book.

The setting is Post-WWII Great Britain - and through a series of letters, you learn how one small island survived a Nazi occupation. I started the book on Tuesday night and and as you can see, the book followed me to work the next day. I finished it during my lunch hour and was so sad to leave behind all the wonderful characters of the 'Society' behind.

But, I do have other characters to keep me company in the stack of books beside my bed -- and, I'll let you know if any of those are 'A Good Read'

Mother Nature, passing through . . . . .

2009-05-15T08:25:00.000-05:00

A couple of nights ago, I was standing in my driveway trying to get a photo of the sunset -- it was one of those 'technicolor' sunsets we are blessed with here in Oklahoma. All soaring clouds, every shade of gold & orange you can imagine; then I happened to glance over my shoulder to the North and saw this - - - - -

Very angry clouds -- but also amazing in their own way. Wish my camera could have captured the play of colors as these clouds boiled and rolled over us. They were in a hurry and only dropped a little rain on us -- they were saving the 'big show' of 5 tornadoes for destinations further south. Lots of damage to property but no serious injuries - and, for that we are thankful. According to our local weather-wizards, we have a few more days of unsettled weather and then we'll have some hot sunny spring weather. I know I'm looking forward to it.

Little Yellow VW Bug . . . .

2009-05-12T07:55:00.005-05:00

On my daily commute to/from work, I see the same vehicles on almost a daily basis. That sort of thing happens when you have worked in the same area for 25 years. People, like me, heading into work around the I-40/Meridian area of the City every day. After awhile, you begin to wonder what sort of people those other drivers might be - - - -

Lately I've been seeing this very cute yellow VW Bug Convertible.

The driver is a woman; but, I wonder what sort of woman she is ?

Maybe those stickers on the back of the car will give me clue - - - -

O. My. !!

By reading her bumper stickers, she looks like an interesting kind of person -- very 'up front' with her views and I like that. Maybe the next time I see her driving by, I'll honk & wave. We two gals could go for coffee and discuss the need for yearly mammograms or what the Barbie doll has done to the self-image of girls for the past 40 years. That's a nice thought -- but, I probably won't ever honk. I will continue to smile every time I see her little VW Bug --and, I might even give her a little wave because I admire her spirit and wish that I were brave enough to put my views out there on my bumper !

A few words about 'Mothers'

2009-05-08T08:02:00.007-05:00

My Mother had a great deal of trouble with me,

but I think she enjoyed it.

Mark Twain

Mother Nature is providential.

She gives us twelve years to develop love

for our children before turning them into teenagers.

William A. Galvin

All that I am or hope to be I owe the my angel Mother.

I remember my Mother's prayers

and they have always followed me.

They have clung to me all my life.

Abraham Lincoln

For the Mother is and must be,

whether she know it or not, the greatest, strongest,

and most lasting teacher her children will have.

Hannah Whitall Smith

Making a decision to have a child - it's momentous.

It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking

around outside your body.

Elizabeth Stone

Note: The picture is my Mother holding

her youngest great-grandchild

(and my youngest grandchild).

Happy Mother's Day Mom --

I love you !!

Give a woman a staple gun . . . . .

2009-05-06T08:26:00.003-05:00

and, she will talk & laugh a lot while making bulletin boards - - - - lots of bulletin boards.

Pink & Green bulletin boards

Transformer bulletin boards

Purple & Green bulletin boards This past Monday night, our Stitchers group had a guest teacher. Pictures above are just a few of the amazing bulletin boards constructed that night. I'm sure we will be making many more of these -- a very fun project.

And, for the record --

electric staple guns 'rock' !!

Fabric, ribbons & buttons -- O' My !

2009-05-04T12:26:00.001-05:00

Supplies to create a 'girly' bulletin board. Details to follow.

First Picnic

2009-05-01T09:20:00.004-05:00

A beautiful day for a picnic – especially a first picnic for our youngest grandbabe, Laney. The child development center she attends roped off their parking lot, set up tables and grilled hot dogs for the children and their families. All the little ones were so well behaved – and, it was such a beautiful spring day for eating outside. Well, it was a bit breezy – but, this is the Southern Plains and wind is a fact of life here.

Laney (and her Baby Brobee) had a great time – and enjoyed the food (especially the Cheetos). But their favorite part of the picnic was the playground – here’s Laney making a run to be the first on big slide.

Go Laney Go !

Bag 'Recipe'

2009-04-28T08:23:00.005-05:00

This past fall, my friend Jane and I took a Felted Bag class at our local yarn shop. I fell in love with felting -- and, although, I'm certainly not an expert on either knitting or felting -- by trial/error, I've developed a 'recipe' for creating felted bags.

For a small bag -- with size 13 needles and 100% wool yarn (using two strands of yarn), cast on approximately 18 to 24 stitches. Knit plain old garter stitch until you've knit a rectangle, bind off loosely. With a circular (size 13), pick up stitches all around the knitted rectangle and knit in the round to almost the size you want your bag to be -- place stitch markers to mark button-hole handle placement. Between markers, bind off for both handles, next round cast on the number of stitchers you bound off +2 or 4 stitches. Continue knitting in the round for 4-6 more rows. Bind off loosely and trim any loose ends. For a little fancy touch, you can add a strand of fuzzy yarn for a fews rows in the body of the bag - this won't felt but will add some texture to your bag (see the two light blue rows). As you can see, the pre-felted bag is about 8 1/2 x 11 inches. Felted bags can be made in any size - just remember that the knitted bag will felt 40-60% in stitch height and at least 20% in stitch length. With that fact in mind - you will need to knit your bag larger than the finished felted bag. More information can be found on Raverly.

Place the unfelted bag in a cotton pillow protector (with zipper closing) along with a couple of tennis balls. Set your top-loading washer on hot water setting on lowest water level. When machine begins to agitate, add your bag (in the pillowcase protector). Set a timer for 6 minutes and check bag by removing from hotwater (a pair of gloves is handy for this process because that water is hot !) -- if you still see stitch definition, put bag (in the pillow protector) back into the washer and agitate for additional 3-5 minutes. This is not a process you want to wander away from -- stay close to the washer and check the felting progress often. When felted to your liking, squeeze as much of the hot water as you can before removing from the washer. Rinse bag in cold water and then roll in a towel to remove excess water. At this point, I usually throw the felted bag into the dryer with a couple of towels and dry for 15-20 minutes on low. Remove from dryer and place folded towel inside bag to continue drying overnight. I find that it's better to have the towel be a really tight fit to give the finished bag a smoother finish. Remove the towel and let air-dry overnight, remove towel and continue to air-dry for a couple of days. Beware -- you can't make just one of these bags -- they are totally addictive !

SunFlares all season long

2009-04-24T08:22:00.007-05:00

First bloom from my favorite rose bush.

Wonderful yellow roses from spring until first frost. One of the very best gifts I've ever received. It's a Jackson-Perkins rose: SunFlare -- but, it's known at our house as -- 'The Linda Rose'. Thanks again LB !

You and the Mr. have a safe trip south and I'll see you soon.

On a roll . . . . .

2009-04-22T12:49:00.005-05:00

This past week, Nancy made a 'Crayon Roll' that's simple and so cute. At our meeting on Monday night -- she showed us how it was constructed and Wanda started cutting out the pieces to make one herself.

Can't wait to see all the variations this pattern will under go as it makes it's way through our Stitchers group. I'm already thinking of making a 'Spiderman Crayon Roll' for Joe or maybe one with lots of pink and purple for our middle KC Girl, Phoebe. I think we Stitchers are definitely on a roll -- because the possibilities for this little craft are endless !

Things I'm loving right now . . . .

2009-04-20T11:43:00.002-05:00

Making brownies with a Joe-Joe and watching him lick the bowl clean.

Adding a few more rows to little shrug for Laney -- while Joe makes new friends in the "Donald's" play area.

Seeing the return of my hollyhocks --

First Blooms

2009-04-15T12:32:00.001-05:00

About a week ago, on a Monday evening -- I was out in a the dark, trying to cover my white iris and Lady Banks Rose. The local weather wizards were predicting a very hard freeze that night and both plants were covered in buds. While I struggled with sheets and painters cloths, a cold rain dripped down the back of my neck and the wind pulled at the sheets. With a lot of clothes-pins and bricks -- the tender plants were covered and I was chilled to the bone. But it was so worth all the effort. Just take a lot at my first blooms of the spring: white iris & Lady Banks Rose.

Easter - an inside event this year

2009-04-14T12:34:00.006-05:00

What a wonderful gift Oklahoma received for Easter -- almost 2 inches of rain ! With last weeks wild fires - all that rain was very welcome. And, no one complained that the Easter egg hunting was an inside activity this year. Joe and his buddies, Cade & Drew, certainly enjoyed finding brightly colored eggs all over the house.

Laney assisted with the final egg count.

I was so proud to see Laney wearing my very first attempt at knitting a sweater (well, it's actually a shrug -- but, that's close to a sweater). Like all red-heads -- green is one of her best colors !

Fact of life

2009-04-10T11:24:00.001-05:00

Acres of dry grass and cedar trees
Very low humidity
Southwest winds gusting at 50 mph

40-50 Fire Depts dispatched

Hundreds of homes lost
Whole communities evacuated

Grass fires are a fact of life here on the Southern Plains -- along with tornadoes, floods and ice storms. We Oklahomans are children of the prairie; and, over the years, one thing we've have learned is this: with our faith in God and the help of family, friends, and neighbors-- we will survive.

And, if you would take a few moments today to say a prayer for all those affected by the fires -- it would be greatly appreciated.

Note: As you can see by the cell phone close at hand in the picture above -- our family is still waiting on news of family/friends homes and livestock in southern Oklahoma.

Sisters

2009-04-08T11:49:00.000-05:00

Saturday afternoon -- lots of cutting, sewing (and sipping fountain drinks from Sonic)

Little 'twirly skirts' were made for two great-nieces.

One library book bag completed (and 8 more cut out)

Don't look for any pictures of the finished projects -- we three sisters were having too much fun talking/laughing to even think about pictures.

We were making memories.

Scent of Spring

2009-04-06T11:29:00.003-05:00

After a little side trip on my drive south on Friday -- there were fresh cut lilacs filling my vehicle with the sweet scent of spring. I had almost forgotten how wonderful these smell. Lots of memories of Easter pictures of grandchildren taken in front of this same lilac bush -- and, those memories are just as sweet.

I didn't have any water so their 'vase' is a fountain drink cup from 7-11 filled with ice.

Milestone . . . .

2009-04-03T08:28:00.000-05:00

First tooth lost - - - -
lots of excitment and preparations for a visit from the 'tooth fairy'. Seems like just a few weeks ago that he was a baby and now he is almost six years old.

Can't believe how fast our grandbabes are growing up !
And, I think that means I'm getting older too !!

Biscuit Quilt Construction - Part I

2009-04-02T08:23:00.008-05:00

Begin by cutting two different size squares of fabric: top (print fabric) is 6 inches / bottom (white muslin) is 5-1/2 inches. Cut 64 of each

To begin sewing, place printed fabric square on muslin bottom square, aligning the corners - you will need to take a tuck or pleat on each side to make it work.

Sew three sides of the biscuit, using a scant 1/4 inch seam allowance.

After you have sew three sides of the biscuit, (and the biscuit is still on the machine) stuff the biscuit with a small amount of poly-fil stuffing. Remember that you don't want the biscuit tightly stuffed - these little biscuits will be all sewn together and it's much easier if they are lightly stuffed (and, I learned this the hard way --- trust me - do not over stuff! )

Arrange your biscuits in whatever pattern you want -- or in a 'no pattern/scrappy look' (my personal favorite) and begin sewing into rows. Then stitch all those rows together to form the top of your biscuit quilt.

Making a Biscuit Quilt isn't hard at all - but, it is a little 'fiddly-fussy'. Just take your time and go slow.

Coming Soon !

Biscuit Quilt Construction - Part II ::

Making a quilt 'sandwich' and tacking it all together.

Making biscuits . . . .

2009-03-30T12:19:00.001-05:00

There was a lot of 'biscuit making' going on at our house this past weekend (notice the jar of chocolate close at hand -- chocolate is an essential ingredient to 'biscuit-making').

Those biscuit-shaped pillows were everywhere. And, I am here to tell you that it was hard to contain 64 little bitty biscuits in one place -- they kept escaping.

But, after a while -- they finally cooperated and lined up in neat rows.

Next -- sewing all those 'biscuits' together.
I think I'm going to need more chocolate.

Good weekend for staying inside . . . .

2009-03-27T11:35:00.000-05:00

So far the 'stuff' that's falling out of the sky is in liquid form. But, that will change sometime this evening; and, according to our local 'weather wizards' -- we will have up to 6 inches of snow by noon tomorrow with low temps over the weekend in the teens. A realy big/bad winter storm in spring -- a bit of unexpected weather !

In my garden, the daffodils, pansies are in bloom -- all of my rose bushes are loaded with buds -- the day lilies and iris plants are up about 18 inches. So, I'll be out this afternoon, in the wet stuff, covering what I can and hoping for the best.

Soon, the snow will melt and plants/blooms that were nipped by the cold will come out again. Spring will return. And, if I look for it -- I will find a bright side to this unexpected weather. Tomorrow I can can make a big pot of chili, watch a movie or two and do a bit of sewing on those 'biscuits'. And, that's not a bad plan for a weekend at all !!

Bisquits & Snow

2009-03-26T08:05:00.001-05:00

The fabric is cut for the biscuit tops -- 49 squares, 6"x6"

The biscuit bottoms (or 'stays') are also cut - 5 1/2" x 5 1/2"

And, it looks like this will be a good weekend for staying inside and sewing 'biscuits' together. Notice the snowflakes over Friday & Saturday. The calendar may tell us it's Spring -- but, Mother Nature is telling a different story all together.

P.S. I'm adding 'chili making' to my list for the weekend because according Willie Jay -- Saturday will be a perfect Homemade Chili Day !

Spring Gardening

2009-03-24T11:34:00.000-05:00

The calendar says it's Spring and for once the weather agrees. Over the weekend, we had partly cloudy skies, lots of wind and warmer weather. To celebrate, Willie Jay and I spent many hours outside (and at the garden center at Lowe's). Two flower beds in the front were enlarged, shrubs were planted, crepe myrtles & rose bushes were trimmed. Wish I could show you the before and after pictures -- but, there are none. All I've got are pictures of these sweet pansies all tucked into their pots -- filling our little 'homestead' with color.

P.S. I'm seeing a pattern here -- Spring is the favorite topic right now !

Spring 'Green'

2009-03-20T08:24:00.000-05:00

After all the boob-related stress this past week,

I decided to reward myself,

boost the economy,

and go 'Green'.

With new handbag !

I love it -- it's big, has an outside pocket and no dividers inside -- and, it's the color of Spring !!

This past week

2009-03-19T11:43:00.005-05:00

It all started with a checkup -- routine visit to my GP. Here's what I looked at for over 20 minutes - knitting and waiting for the Doc to come in. (And, why are all the magazines in doctor's offices all at least 6 months old ??)

My GP scheduled some tests. One of the tests was a date with this handsome machine - - - the entire process brings new meaning to the old saying: Getting your tit in a ringer !!

And, after two 'dates' with the handsome machine -- there was a little procedure that required me to lay very still while being punctured by a very large needle. Afterwards, I got to spend an afternoon holding ice on my right boob, while indulging in these - - - -

After a very long 24 hours -- I found out that all the test results were negative. Although I'm still very sore, it's getting better every day. In time, all the pain/stress of the past 7 days will be forgotten --- but, what I won't forget is all the thoughts/prayers of friends and family -- that love and my faith carried me through and for both, I am truly thankful.

P.S. By the way, I now have a 'marker' inserted inside my right boob. My doctor told me the marker will show in future mammograms that this site has already been biopsied. But, I really think it's really one of those 'locator micro-chip thingies' so the government can find middle-aged grandmothers with a love of chocolate, Big Gulps, knitting books and Chick Flicks !! I know this just might be the Valium & pain meds talking -- but, you just never know !

At MoMo & Papa Bill's House

2009-03-16T12:28:00.001-05:00

You can color and draw as long as you want . . . . .

You can wear MoMo's knitted shawl while you play with your Brobee . . . .

And, at the end of the day -- MoMo will rock you to sleep.

Cat Rules

2009-03-12T12:50:00.001-05:00

The cat is not allowed in the house.
Okay, the cat is allowed in the house, but only in certain rooms.
The cat is allowed in all rooms, but must stay off the furniture.
The cat can get on the old furniture only.
Fine, the cat is allowed on all the furniture, but is not allowed to sleep with the humans on the bed.
Okay, the cat is allowed on the bed, but only by invitation.
The cat can sleep on the bed whenever the cat wants, but not under the covers.
The cat can sleep under the covers by invitation only.
The cat can sleep under the covers every night.
Humans must ask permission to sleep under the covers with the cat.

Pictures of our oldest cat - Muffin. She's 18 years old and very frail. She spends most of her time sleeping on my bed in a patch of sunlight. Muffin's never been much of a 'lap kitty' -- in fact, she's tends to be more 'prickly' than pet-able -- an independant, aloof little cat. But, despite all that -- she's brought much joy into our lives and we will miss 'The Cat' when she's gone.

P.S. With all the snow here today, a nap in a patch of sunlight sounds pretty good to me !! (yep - it's snowing in March -- big fluffy flakes and temps hovering around 30 degrees. But wait, it's Oklahoma and our predicted temp for Sunday is 60 degrees !!)

Getting organized

2009-03-05T12:30:00.000-06:00

I spent two hours last night in my little sewing corner watching the last two episodes of LOST ** while sorting buttons, thread, fabrics, and patterns. Some re-organization was sorely needed after months of moving projects from one table to another just to be able to cut or sew -- it was a mess. You see, there's a quilt for a special little baby boy (due around the 1st of April) and I need to get to work on it -- very soon. And, after last night's labor -- the biscuit cutting might start this weekend.

** Is it just me, or does LOST get stranger every week? But, I do so love watching Sawyer and Jack !

What the . . . . .

2009-02-27T08:28:00.001-06:00

Two things come to mind when I look at this picture:

How did the model keep a straight face as she was walking down the runway ??

Does this designer have some unresolved issues concerning his mother's handbag ??

O' come on -- you do know this had to be designed by a man.

Because a female designer would have at least made the bag functional. And, wouldn't it be handy to have a bag that could be perched on your head -- for all those times when you need both arms/hands available. For example -- when you are juggling a squirming child, carrying three bags of groceries and trying to unlock a door or chasing after a small child running with scissors or trying to avoid an attack by alien beings. A 'perch-able' handbag would just the thing to save the day -- and, you would be making such a fashion statement too !

This is probably my first and last post about New York Fashion Week.

Coast to Coast Goodies

2009-02-26T12:03:00.001-06:00

The mail has been 'bi-coastal' lately -- with fabric goodness received from two of my swap partners.

From the West Coast -- this fat quarter reminds me of the flour sack prints from the 30's and it just might part of a new spring tote bag or maybe a little girl's sunbonnet.

And, from the East Coast a bright green. I'm pulling together fabric for Stacked Coins quilt for our youngest grand-daughter and this FQ fits in the color scheme nicely. Or it might be used to make some 'softies' for Easter.

Lots of fun planning and creating when you have some new fabric to dream on . . . . .

I'm ready for a change . . .

2009-02-24T12:15:00.001-06:00

Something bright and colorful to look at for a few weeks. And despite the fact that our local weather wizards are calling for snow this weekend -- I'm in the mood for spring.

Spring colors, flowers , attitude.

This past Friday, when choosing fat quarters for Sew Mama Sew's -- it was the pale greens, clear yellows and soft pinks that caught my eye -- not the dark reds or blues. The trees are budding out and every morning I'm checking the progress of my daffodils -- there are even new leaves all over my rose bushes.

Change is coming. And yes -- I believe I'm ready for a it.

A change from winter to spring -- for cloudy overcast skies to give way to sunny cloudless days. For the sweaters & boots to be replaced by light-weight cottons and flip-flops. Change from sewing flannel pj pants to perhaps little sun-dresses in gingham-checks.

So, Mother Nature do your thing - just try to do it without many more thunderstorms - OK ??!!

East, West, North & South

2009-02-23T13:26:00.008-06:00

Pretty bundles of cloth for Sew Mama Sew's Fat Quarter Swap -- be-ribboned and packaged up.

Ready to send to points East (Lenexa, Kansas) / West (Eureka, California) / North (Ann Arbor, Michigan) / South (Whittier, North Carolina).

I loved all the fat quarters and could not decide which ones to send where. I stuffed them into the envelopes and then randomly attached the mailing labels.

Hope the the 'stitchers' on the other end like what they get -- I know I had fun picking them out.

Envy & Re-thinking Scraps

2009-02-20T08:25:00.002-06:00

The total blame for the current state of my stash falls on the following:

Sew Mama Sew http://www.sewmamasew.com/blog2/
Crazy Mom Quilts http://crazymomquilts.blogspot.com/

I have been thinking that I had a 'handle' on my stash. Especially my fabric scraps (see previous post a few weeks ago). Yes, I was feeling 'organized' and 'smug' -- that is until this week. After reading the 'stash posts' on the above blogs; I've been doing some 're-thinking' and 're-organizing' in my little sewing corner. And it's all their fault !!!

Here's the state of my fabric scraps as of 6:30 am this morning - - - (after being messed with & sorted on and off for the past 3 days)

Yep - it's a mess isn't it ?

But, after reading all the interviews on Sew Mama Sew and AmandaJean's describe her scrap organization -- I had to see if it could work for me. And, you know -- it made me look at my stash and scraps in a whole new way. I can see now that there are lots of fabric scraps that are long skinny bits which would work very well in a spiderweb quilt (or a string quilt) -- and, I do think sorting out the different colors is a great idea. The entire process has gotten me all excited about sewing/creating all over again.

So I suppose I need to change the 'blame' into a 'thank you' to both of these two talented Stitchin Gals.

Busy Weekend

2009-02-17T08:20:00.003-06:00

Cupcake decorating

(with lots and lots of sprinkles)

Drum practice
Really loud drum practice

Seriously - it scared the cats !

Finding out that dinosaurs

are just as much fun as Barbie dolls.

And, tea parties are the best way to end the day at Grandma & Papa Bill's house.

A 'memory making' weekend with our KC Girls.

Sweet Dreams

2009-02-13T08:15:00.006-06:00

May all your

chocolate dreams come true - - -

Happy Valentine's Day !!

Valentine's PJs

2009-02-10T12:09:00.000-06:00

This stack of flannel pajama pants with matching tops were finally finished late last night (and that's the reason for the 'not so great' pictures). These pajamas were going to be Christmas presents for my KC girls -- but, time got away from me in December. They are now 'Valentine' pjs and I'm sure will be very well received. Because you know -- it's still pretty cold in Kansas City during the month of February.

Cupcake pj's for the youngest - she's as cute as a cupcake herself. Fairy pjs for the middle child - in her favorite color, purple. And, BFF pj's for our 'tween' girl. Happy Valentine's Day my dear KC girls -- hope these pjs keep you cozy and warm !!

I just have three more pj sets to finish for the grandbabes here in OKC. That 'to do' pile is slowing getting smaller.

A 'beanie' bear & a bit of 'de-cluttering'

2009-02-09T11:42:00.008-06:00

Chunky Knit Beanie

Ms Bear volunteered to model the finished beanie hat. Actually she didn't volunteer -- she was drafted -- but, she was a very good sport about the whole photo shoot thing. A quick & easy knit in chunky yarn using large needles. Knitted over the course of an evening and I have plans to knit more 'beanies' for gifts. Loved this pattern. What's not to love -- knitting a hat without using the 'dreaded double-pointed needles'! So.Cool. Check out the pattern over at http://a-friend-to-knit-with.blogspot.com/ clever/funny/talented young woman. One of my favorite blogs.

A little 'de-cluttering'

Finally sorting out my collection of cookbooks. Went from 3-1/2 shelves of cookbooks to just 2 shelves -- found cookbooks that I didn't even know I had or where they came from. And, did some serious cleaning on those dusty shelves. Boxes & boxes of cookbooks to be passed on to sisters, nieces and friends -- I'm certain all the books will find good homes.

A future project . . . .

2009-02-06T11:33:00.003-06:00

Isn't this a very lovely quilt.
Made by one of my 'Stitchin' friends, Nancy --
or as her sister stitchers like to call her: Smoking Needles!!

Our entire group is in awe of her ability to crank out quilt after quilt -- seems like every time we meet, she is sewing the binding on yet another quilt. Nancy says that this pattern is easy and goes really fast -- and, she's sharing the pattern. I'm thinking it would be a good pattern to showcase all the Christmas/Holiday prints that I've been collecting for years. Or maybe an 'I Spy' quilt for Laney for her 2nd birthday.

Of course, I can't possibly start another project until my 'to do' pile is much smaller than it is now. But, it certainly can't hurt to dream a little !

A little sewing on a Sunday afternoon . . . .

2009-02-05T08:30:00.002-06:00

With my back feeling better --

I decided to get into my sewing corner and make a dent in my 'to do' pile of sewing projects.

Small tote bags: Dora the Explorer & Lightening McQueen bags for twins: boy & girl. Small bags to hold toddler treasures. Size: approx 12"x12"
Large tote bag: OSU bag for a 9 year old boy who is a big OSU fan. Think it might be a good size for an overnight trip to grandparents house. Size: approx 16"x16"

Because little ones can't have too many fun pillowcases for bedtime. These fit the small travel pillows.

Transformers (Optimus Prime) pillowcase for Joe
Red w/pink hearts pillowcase for Laney.

Now I really need to dig through that 'to do' pile and get those 6 pair of flannel pj pants done this weekend -- they were supposed to be Christmas presents are now going to be for Valentine's Day. Better late than never !

'Fiber Therapy'

2009-02-04T11:30:00.001-06:00

Is it Wednesday already ?? Could have sworn that it was Monday again. Between home and office computer/internet problems -- the days of this week have become a blur.

But, I won't let it get me down because I've had 'therapy'

Saturday I ran away from home for a few hours (with Hubby's blessing). After the sleet event of last week I needed some fiber 'therapy'. A quick call to my BFF, Jane -- and we were off to one of our local yarn shops. And, even though we managed to fondle/pet almost every skein of yarn in that shop -- we decided further 'therapy' was needed -- which led us to another yarn shop. With all that 'therapy' & 'shop hopping' I just had to bring some yarn (and yarn related goodies) home with me.

Dark maroon chunky yarn to make a hat (a 'Chunky Knit Beanie', pattern by 'a friend to knit with' -- I've already knit one in a couple of hours. Seriously -- Me knitting a hat without using the 'dreaded double-pointed needles of doom' ! So Cool !!)
Pink wool yarn -- for a future felted project for a certain little girl I know.
Marble yarn to finish the afghan I'm working on just for me.
Some fun variegated yarn -- which might become a 'boy' hat.
New Bryspun needles because I love the points.
Small project bag decorated with birds in flight -- I'm getting to be a sucker for birds.

The 'therapy' was a success -- my spirit was lifted and my attitude greatly improved. Why - just this week, I smiled at our computer tech guy. But, I'm telling you --- before I'm on speaking terms with MicroSoft Tech support again -- I'm going to need a lot more 'therapy' !!!

Multi-tasker

2009-01-30T08:15:00.001-06:00

Over the past week or so -- I've been straightening up & sorting things out in my little sewing corner. With all the sewing/crafting going on right up until Christmas -- things had gotten way out of hand. The first task was to sort through my fabric scraps. This took some time and floor space.

And, yes -- that is a full set of drums in the picture. Doesn't everyone share their sewing/crafting space with a set of drums ??!! You do if you live with a former jazz drummer -- that would be Willie Jay. And, besides the grandbabes love to dance around when Papa is playing.

After all the scraps were sorted by color, print or theme -- they were stored in large zip-lock bags. And, all those bags were then stored in the closet in this very handy 'multi-tasking' tote. A Christmas gift from Ikea -- really it's a garden tote, in fact you can even use it as a planter according to the tag. But, I really think it's a 'sewing/crafting/knitting' tote. Of course, that's totally my own opinion.

Just wish there was an Ikea store here in OKC -- I need a couple more of these bags !!

White & Cold -- but, not snow

2009-01-27T12:15:00.003-06:00

It's very cold - - - temp guage in my PT Cruiser. A little blurry picture; but, it reads: 19 degrees and that was midmorning yesterday. At the time, we had no idea that temp reading was a real heat wave. Last night it got down to 8 degrees !

And, there's white stuff everywhere - - - here's the view from our front door.

The streets around our neighborhood - - -

Some of us were unlucky on the drive to/from work - - - which just proves that the winter weather can get to even most experienced drivers every once in awhile.

And, one of my favorite things about winter -- feeding/watching the birds. This little fellow was just one of many visitors of the feathered variety.

Notes:

The white 'stuff' is sleet. Yep - that's almost 2 inches of sleet not snow on top of a quarter of an inch of ice. Driving was an adventure.

Bird picture was taken through our office conference room windows -- the only way I could snap a shot of that beautiful Cardinal.

No pictures -- just wonderful memories !

2009-01-27T12:15:00.002-06:00

I will apologize first - - - -

No pictures were allowed at the Chris Botti concert --- so, no pictures to share. I did play around with the idea of snapping a shot of the Civic Center from the outside --- but, a little thing called 'wind chill' changed my mind in a hurry. Officially the wind chill temps that night were in the teens with a brisk north wind whipping my scarf around as we walked to 2 blocks from the parking lot to the civic center. We were frozen by the time we got inside.

But, the concert it was so worth all the cold. Our seats were in 9 rows from the stage. The music was amazing and watching the musicians up close was a treat for my former jazz drummer Hubby. As an encore -- Chris Botti had all the microphones turned off, walked up the middle aisle and played "It's Three in the Morning' -- an old Sinatra standard. It was just the mellow tones from his horn -- playing to the audience. And, we were just 6 feet away !! A truly wonderful memory to cherish.

Note: I do have pictures to share tomorrow -- think very white and very cold !!

Friday Night in the Big Town

2009-01-23T11:33:00.001-06:00

Normally on a Friday night, Willie Jay and I go out to dinner and then maybe walk through the local Target.

I know -- we lead such a 'wild and crazy' life.

But tonight at 8pm we'll be downtown in the Civic Center.
Sitting in Row J of the orchestra section --
listening to Chris Botti !!

Full report next week