Monday, March 30, 2009

Time to find the nail brush!

What a beautiful day it turned out to be! It was 28 degrees when we woke up this morning but this afternoon was around 60ish and we had yard work to do! And, it's just the beginning lol.

Around fall time last year we acquired a pond and waterfall and all of the rocks you see above. It seems...over the winter....one of the kids....you know them....Not Me and I Don't Know...stepped on the pond and put a crack in it. One of these days I'm gonna find one of those kids...

So last week Jay and I found a pond on clearance at Lowe's! Woohoo! And what you see above is how spent our afternoon. It takes a very big hole. lol

But, we also were able to get 2 blue berry bushes planted, papers down on the herb garden, garlic bulbs planted and some other herb plant that I don't remember the name of lol.

Here is to Spring is here and good weather for yard work! Enjoy!

Sunday, March 29, 2009

Shopping is so much fun!

Aren't those hankies beautiful?! We were supposed to work all weekend but the race was cancelled. Lucky us! Instead we went antique store shopping again and have been relaxing the rest of the weekend. We have very few relaxing weekends left so we are taking full advantage of it.

My friend Shari wanted me to blog about the hankies I found so she could give me hanky lessons lol. So here they are! The red hanky in the upper left corner had a piece of paper attached to it with a woman's name on it and a date of 1958. WOW. I keep telling myself it is ok to use it in CQ because I will be preserving it this way. On one of my Yahoo CQ groups, we will be doing a Garden themed swap. We are to include most everything to make a block. It was the first thing I thought of when I found these hankies. They are perfect. Now to decide which one to include!
I love all of these hankies. The top one in this picture is sheer. It reminds me of the sheer aprons women used to wear for dinner parties. Too bad there weren't more, I could have made an apron out of them. What is also neat about the sheer one is that the blue flowers are bumpy.
These two pieces are not hankies but, I hope to be able to fit them into something CQ. I love the hand embroidery and the lace on the table runner.
I love this piece, it seems to be a very thin linen with the delicate flowers hand embroidered.
And this piece was so neat I couldn't pass it up. I don't know if it was a baby blanket or a table cover. It is pretty stained in the middle so I'm going with baby blanket. lol

I hope you have had a nice and relaxing weekend also!

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

The Good List and....Spring has Sprung!

I believe that spring has arrived! Even though we might get snow on Sunday! Phoey on that! I was doing a little cleaning today (not as much as I should have) and ran across something I wanted to share. The pictures are from around our house.

theGoodlist
Little things that mean a lot

1. A firm handshake
2. Handwritten thank-you letters
3. A sense of humor in a bad situation
4. Turning off your cell phone at the movies
5. Sincere compliments
6. Vacuuming behind furniture
7. Clothes you never have to iron
8. A small gift for your hostess
9. Making sure the tooth fairy always arrives
10. letting the woman with just two items go ahead of you
11. Minty breath

12. Birthday cards
13. Closing your mouth when you chew
14. Finding unexpected cash in your jeans
15. Volunteering to help without being asked
16. And then following through
17. Saying "bless you" when a stranger sneezes
18. Fresh flowers for no reason
19. Finding time for a walk
20. Clipping a news story for a friend who'd be interested
21. Passing along a book you love

22. Dancing at wedding-even just a little
23. Wiping the bathroom sink every morning
24. Babysitting for new parents
25. Goody bags at kids' parties
26. Clean fingernails
27. Calling your mom just to say hi
28. Paying back borrowed money-fast
29. Wet napkins when you serve BBQ
30. Fresh towels in the guest bathroom
31. "Please" and "thank you"

32. Edging your lawn after mowing
33. Mowing for the older lady next door
34. Surprise notes tucked in lunch boxes and suitcases
35. Bringing muffins to the office
36. Turning off the lights when you leave a room
37. Sharing your umbrella
38. A sparkling-clean fridge
39. Knowing one good joke
40. Letting someone else have the parking space
41. No wait at the doctor's office
42. Hugging your kids every day
43. Replacing the TP roll when only a few squares are left

Hope you've had a great spring day like I have.

Sunday, March 22, 2009

Done!

I did it!! Yahoo! Not only did I get the pin keep done in time to mail for the swap, and not only did I actually do a CQ pin keep....I actually finished a project! LOL That's one thing I like about these here swaps....keeps me on my toes.
I took 3 different pictures, different lighting and different backrounds. I couldn't decide which pictures was best so I posted all 3 of them. So, it's not like I'm bragging. Really.
This took a lot longer than I expected. Probably because it's the first one I have ever done. It's far from perfect but ya know what? I don't care because I did it!

Shari had suggested using the flat lids from canning jars. I was going to do that and then when it came time, I totally spaced it out. I will be using those next time though. They are supposed to be finished off on the edges with a blanket stitch. I used to do those all the time back in the day when I was doing crafts. For the life of me! I couldn't figure out how to do it on this thing. Ah well. It all worked out ok.

As a matter of fact....when I showed it to my husband, he said "oh! that is one of those things that they sent you?" HA! No! I made it! Gotta love that man.

This morning, me and my youngest son went to the animal shelter for the first time to volunteer. He has been wanting to do this for a while and we were finally able to get there. We really enjoyed it. Well, except for the poop cleaning part. Which I ended up doing while he gave lovin' to the puppies. I told him we were switching jobs next time. :)

A great day. quality time with the kid and some lonely doggies and got my first project completed and getting it ready to get in the mail.

Hope you all have enjoyed your Sunday also.

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Pin Keep Swap

On the Yahoo group CQFornewbies, we are having a pin keep/scissors fob/needle book swap. You can make as many as you want or just one, send them to the hostess and get, in return a similar item that someone else made! What fun! So I decided to jump in. I'll never learn this if I don't have the incentive lol.

I chose to do one pin keep. The picture above is where I am at in the process. LOL I need to get moving. It has to be in the mail by Saturday!

All of the materials are vintage from my antique store find. I am pretty sure I know what treatments I am going to do on it, I just need to do it. Unfortunately, paper work has been getting in the way.

This picture is of the back. I just love that material. Wish me luck on this lol. I will post pictures of the finished product!

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

I Won!

This is the beautiful pin keep I won this month. Lyn from Quilting Lion (http://quiltinglion.blogspot.com/)has a monthly blog teaser and give away. There are several questions and a bonus question. If you are the first to answer all of the questions, you win a pin keep and a silkie. If you get the bonus question right, you get a squishy also! I think I have that right. It's in some kind of order like that lol.

I won this month!

I couldn't believe it! I never win anything! I can't say that now can I?! LOL
Lyn's generosity completely overwhelmed me. I was expecting a few beautiful fabrics. Not only did she send that but she sent thread, buttons, beads...
and these gorgeous laces....
and these gorgeous laces....
and these gorgeous laces!
and hankies, lace panel and silkies....
and more silkies! I have ideas for these!
And all of this beautiful fabric. I am in heaven! I can't stop looking and touching all of it LOL! Does this make me weird or just a stash junkie?!

I highly recommend trying out her monthly blog teaser! Obviously, it's well worth your time!

Thank you so very much Lyn!

Monday, March 16, 2009

What I did this weekend...

NASCAR training at the race track we work at. This is an on track scenario the guys are working on. Checking the driver/patient, extrication if necessary and ready to put a fire out if need be.
This is Ricky Nobbe being chased by another upset driver lol. All in good fun that is! But, it helped the guys understand what to do if they encounter a driver that isn't too happy.
Roll over practice.
Practicing cutting out a windshield.
Driver removal from a Sprint car.

It was a great weekend. I think everyone learned a lot, we had great trainers this weekend and the whole thing went smoothly. Everyone was beat and sunburned by the end of the weekend.

I know I am feeling beat up today lol. We had to get set up for the whole thing on Friday and make sure all went well Saturday and Sunday. Very long days. It's all good....

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Eclair Cake.....Yuuuummmmy!


OK, it really tastes better than this picture looks. LOL I mean, it doesn't just taste yummy....it doesn't just taste delicious.....it tastes....like heaven. My mouth is drooling just thinking about it.

I got this recipe from a friend and I don't know where she got it from. So, if someone knows where it came from, please let me know so I can give credit where credit is due. And it sure is due with this recipe!

Eclair Cake

2 boxes French Vanilla pudding
4 cups milk

Mix as directed on box.
Fold in 8 oz. cool whip

Butter 9 x 13 pan and layer with graham crackers.
Pour 1/2 pudding mix on top of graham cracker layer.
Layer again with graham crackers.
Pour remaining pudding mix and layer with graham crackers.
Top with fudge topping.

Fudge Topping:

1 cup sugar
1/3 cup cocoa
Dash of salt
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup butter
1 tsp. vanilla

Combine all ingredients in saucepan over medium heat, stirring until it comes to a good boil.
Boil 3 minutes without stirring!
Stir good and pour over eclair cake.

Refrigerate over night.

Dig into heaven the next day.....mmmmm....yuuuummmm....

Hope you enjoy this, I know we certainly do!

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Revised New Block

So, the floral patch kinda stuck out like a sore thumb. Shari (http://ladyjspice.blogspot.com)
came up with the idea of putting the lace down to help make the patch look smaller. I think it worked! I also needed to take out the zig zag since it was bunching up some of the fabric and put a baste stitch down in place of it. All I have to do is create my book tomorrow and it will be in the mail. It's first stop is Maryland! After that it goes to Tennessee, California, Colorado and then home!

We are going up to the track for the weekend for training and won't be home until late Sunday evening. Monday I get to start working on a pin keep for a swap that I signed up for! I love this community! Very sharing, very caring and very helpful. Can't ask for anything more!

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Signs of Spring...

The daffodils are starting to come up! Yeah spring is near! Even though, it's supposed to be in the 30's to 40's this coming weekend. That is ok, I can look out my window and see these and know that warmer times are around the corner.
My lilac bush with good size blooms on it already! It's a young 'un so I hope I get good blooms on it this year. My Grandparents had huge lilac bushes in their back yard. I loved spring in their back yard. It was so fragrant! I spent a week with them every year for spring break. I usually flew there or back and my mom would drive the other way. One year I had to fly both ways so since my mom was going to miss all the spring flowers, my grandmother was thoughtful enough to send a HUGE bouquet of lilac branches home with me on the airplane. No one would sit next to me with this overpowering vase of lilac blooms! I was hurt. I was young. It's funny now. lol
This is my snow ball bush. My grandparents had one of these also in their back yard. I have always said I wanted a back yard like my grandparents. My husband is making sure I have that. The man is awesome.

Buds and leaves....the light at the end of the tunnel! I'll post pictures when they all start to bloom! Happy Spring!

Monday, March 9, 2009

New CQ Block

I put together a new crazy quilt block today. I belong to the Yahoo Crazy Quilt International novice group and we are starting a Round Robin that I will be participating in. There are 5 of us in the group, we each make a block and then send it around to each other down the line after we do some work on it. In the end, when my block gets home it should be done or almost done. I can't wait, this should be a lot of fun and I can't wait to see what my block looks like when it comes home! This is a great way to practice some new stitches also. I better start reading up and practicing on some stitching!

Thursday, March 5, 2009

The Road to the Championship...


Ended tonight. :( But these guys played hard the whole season. I am so proud of Noah, my 11 year old. This is the first year that he felt confident enough to join basketball. He was the only one on the team who hadn't played before but he stuck with it and improved with every practice and every game. That is Noah kneeling on the right. I'm sure proud of him. Of the few points our team got tonight, he helped with some of them! Good job guys!

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

My First Trip into Crazy Quilting

Last summer I was looking through something, probably a magazine of some sort, and found some beautiful silk ribbon embroidery. That was it, I was lost. I had to learn how to do it. It was one of the prettiest things I have seen. I got onto the internet and searched the world over and saw tons of eye candy! Oh...to be able to do some of the wonderful things out there that others are doing! In the process of looking at all of this wonderful eye candy, I discovered just as beautiful crazy quilting. Once again....I'm gone. Stick a fork in me....I HAVE to learn how to do this! I joined a yahoo crazy quilt group for newbies, listened and learned, read and looked and decided to jump into a block. Can't start learning without doing, right? Oh my gosh! It was harder than I expected just to make the block that I have showing above. I put out an SOS on my email group and a wonderful lady came to my rescue and because of her, I am able to show the wonderful block above! Thank you Shari!
This above photo is my first seam embellishment. Since I used "country" type cotton, I went with a "country type lace, added a stitch and some beads and walaa. My first stitch done.
It took me hours to come up with what to do next. I think it will be easier to decide on stitches after learning more and becoming more comfortable. Until then, Shari came to the rescue again and this is what came of it. The lazy dazy stitches in blue are a little wonky but I like them that way, adds a little fun to it. I think. :)
I'm really going to have to write things down or try to remember the names of these stitches lol. I put this viney thing here and added extra leaves with a variegated thread.
Yesterday I finished this chain stitch. The first ones on the right of the picture are awful lol. I watched a couple of videos and did a much better job of them after that. I was freaking out because you are supposed to bring the needle back up through the original hole. I got over it. Thank goodness! I added straight stitch fans in the middle of the arches and used a color close to the fabric to add texture.

I am going to finish this seam with some more stitching and beads, add beads to the viney seam and do another stitch elsewhere on the block. Sweet Shari said she wanted to work on my block also (lucky me!) so I will send that off to her at the end of the month.

I have a long ways to go until I can do as well as what you will see on the internet but I am enjoying it so much. And, I have joined into some email groups of some very talented and wonderful people. Life is good...

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

The Rest of my Treasures!

These pictures are the last of the treasures I got this past weekend. The above picture is of a few hankies and a pillow case. The pillow case has beautiful crocheting on the edges! I hope when you click on the picture it shows up better lol.
These doilies are so cute! We went to 2 different antique stores, the kind with booths. Just about every booth had baskets of doilies and hankies. My husband pointed this out and also pointed out that if I went through each one of them we would be there all day LOL. So, I need to plan on going back without him so I *can* take all day to go through all of them! I am not sure how to wash these. I would guess that I just use mild soap and hand wash them. I will try that tomorrow.
I found a ziploc bag very full of all of these fabrics for $3. Not as good as a deal as the box of vintage was but still a good deal with beautiful fabrics! I don't know which I enjoy more...doing CQ and all that goes with it, or shopping for everything to do CQ! I spent part of today doing some stitching on my block. Tomorrow I will post the block and all I have done with it so far. It was very cold this morning when we woke up. I keep crossing my fingers that spring is just around the corner.

Monday, March 2, 2009

More Vintage Fabric...

Here is more of the vintage fabric that I found at an antique store!
The picture below is a huge pile of this and thats and extra of what is in other pictures.

The material on the right of the below picture seems to be stained all over. I sprayed it before washing it but it didn't come out. This is too bad, it's pretty neat fabric that is almost sheer. :(


This was an exciting find for me! I got some other stuff at other stores. A few small doilys, hankies etc. I will post those another day! It's cold out today. Looking forward to spring so we can get started on our gardens. At least the sun is shining!

Sunday, March 1, 2009

Vintage Fabric Jackpot!





My husband and I went away for the weekend. The first place we went to was an antique store where I found a box jam packed full of vintage fabric scraps! For $5!! These are just a few pictures of what was in the box. It filled a clothes basket. Not all of the fabric is in the best of shape so cross your fingers for me that they wash up well! I'm sorry that the pictures did not show up well. I am still trying to figure this blogging all out! Hope you all have had a good and peaceful weekend!