WAIT, WAIT!

WAIT, WAIT! I know it's after midnight now, but I was able to get another block done after the girls went to bed! It's the block to the right of the starflowers that I made the other day.

OK, OK, I can take a hint . . . .

Yeah, yeah, I know, I need to lay off the ice cream! The back stairs caved in last night as the girls were climbing up them. I think the twins are traumatized now, as I had to carry them down the stairs this morning after they woke up! When it was nap time, Haley was crying the whole way up the stairs and Emma proceeded to go up the stairs on her bottom.

Since the 3 girls were home with me today, I didn't get any sewing done, perhaps this evening!

Ice Cream - it's what's for breakfast . . .

Yes, I had ice cream for breakfast, with Hershey's chocolate sauce, nuts, jimmies and several maraschino cherries. Would have had a chopped up banana in there too, but the kids ate them all! Of course I had to hide in my sewing room to eat this, which made it taste even better :))

On another note, I finished another BOM that I am so far behind on, I may never catch up to everyone else in my guild! I finished Block 6 and Block 9 is due at the August 9th meeting. As I have been working on my "fallen behind" projects this past week, I was taking the bits that I trimmed from flying geese and making pinwheels from them. You can see them to the left of the star-flower block I just made, aren't they cute? They are 1 3/4 inch blocks. I've been constructing them as leaders and enders, so it's painless! My friend Carolyn saves these triangles for me too, so I have quite a few of them. Carolyn is making bowtie blocks for a quilt and she is saving the triangles from those blocks. As she trims the blocks, she places the triangles in one of those Kleenex boutique boxes and when it's full, she brings them over! Anybody have any ideas of what I can do with these pinwheels? I am sure that they will be all different sizes, so that's going to be a challenge. I found a picture on a blog that I like, but it wouldn't use all that I plan to make . . .

BOM Finishes

Finished 2 of my BOM's and an additional block from a previous month that I messed up and had to get some more fabric to correct! I like this block, it's called the Christmas Star. Did you notice the little pinwheels off to the left side of the blocks? I made them from scraps that I'd trimmed from the blocks. I will have to find some way to incorprate them in the top or borders . . .

P.S. My room is still clean!

My Birthday Sandals!

One of my sisters just stopped by to drop off my Birthday present (it's not until Aug. 26). She got me a pair of sandals that actually fit my fat feet - - and they're PINK (eat your heart out Olivia!). For the past month, I have ordered several pairs of sandals from ZAPPOS and have had to send them all back as I can't get my feet into them. It's really exasperating. I am so stoked, no more hot piggies! Now I have to get a pedicure . . .

I need a jumpstart . . .

OK, maybe cleaning my quilting room wasn't such a good idea afterall. I haven't worked on anything because I don't want to make a mess. Maybe I need to visit The Nautical Needle, a nearby quiltshop for some inspiration. Or better yet, maybe I need to walk down to the Village Drive-Thru for an ice cream cone . . .

This room is clean, well, sort of . . .

OK, I got most of the flat surfaces in the room cleaned off. I am still looking for a piece of paper though. As I was rooting through stuff looking for it, I got rid of a lot of stuff too. Perhaps when I do this again, I can get rid of even more! We had fresh corn on the cob for supper tonight. It was straight from the field, it was still hot from being in the sun all day. I ate 4 ears - that's all I had, just the corn! I'm sure I will be paying for this binge tomorrow!
BEFORE: ________________________AFTER:

I'm goin' in . . .

OK - here is the agenda for today: I have got to get the top of my cutting table cleaned off so I can get some work done! I know that I am not the only one who has this problem. There isn't a flat surface in this room that isn't piled high with something. There are so many things that I want to get done, and I cannot function like this, so I'm going to take care of it and hopefully get it done by lunch supper tomorrow! I will post an "after" photo when I'm done. If I don't you better send someone in - it may get ugly . . .

What is the fascination with the dining room table?

What the heck is the fascination with the dining room table? Our house is huge, it's not like there isn't anywhere for them to play. And they turn towards me with those looks on their faces as if to say "what is your problem"? I think they are trying to send me off the deep end so they can play with all of my fabric, run with my scissors, use my seam ripper to stab holes in my upholstered chair, drink my Pepsi and eat all the ice cream! That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

The photo shoot went well. Chris kept all 3 of them busy, she had Haley turning the crank on an antique ice cream machine, Emma was holding the 3 empty cones and Madison was in charge of scooping the ice cream on the cones. Emma was freaking out because Madison dropped a small bit of ice cream on the sidewalk and desperately wanted to get down and lick clean it up. Emma is naked now as she was wearing ice cream. We get to look at the proofs tomorrow afternoon.

Ice Cream Special

Friday morning I am taking my grandbabies to have their pictures taken at the Ice Cream Special at the Open Shutter. I just finished the 3 coordinating outfits they will wear for the photographs. So, in a few hours, the outfits will be trashed, covered with ice cream! Two years ago we had Madison's picture taken for this session and everything was going well, she was smiling, ice cream was dripping from her elbows and Chris, the photographer was getting it all . . . then she dropped the ice cream, cone and all and the tears began to flow and Chris just kept on taking the pictures - even when she picked it up from the ground and began eating it again, bits of dirt and all! Those pictures were and still are my favorites of all her photos. This is going to be a tough act to follow, especially since we have 3 girls in the shot now. I can hardly wait! More tomorrow!

The Bead Retreat

Last night we held a Bead Retreat at our house! So many friends came that we had to add a leaf to the dining room table! We had a great time and our demonstrator, Michelle, was so appreciative (because we have had a Bead Retreat every month since Fall of last year) that she brought a gift for each of us! It was like Christmas in July! My friend Carolyn made an awesome punch for our Quilt Guild this past weekend and I think I may have to make the recipe and fill this pitcher up with it!

Finally got "the" phone call

At 10:15 this morning, I finally got the phone call from my son that I have been waiting for since Thursday. Apparently, he has been holed up in a hotel somewhere in DC getting "reacquainted" with his wife . . . anyway, they are checked out of the hotel and on their way home. I also found out that my son does not have to be back to work until sometime in August, so I'm hoping that before then, they will be here to visit with us. I am thinking that a trip to Kalahari Resort or Cedar Point will be in order!

Quilt Guild Today!

Quilt Guild is this morning, and, as usual, I am not ready with my BOM . . . I am several months behind in this now - guess I can now add that project to the ever growing list of PIGS (Projects in Grocery Sacks) aka UFO's. Last night around 10 PM my husband told me that he's invited several of his clients over for a cookout Saturday evening. He asked me to make potato salad and macaroni salad. Let's see, when am I supposed to get this done? I have to go to the grocery to get potatoes and eggs, cook them with plenty of time for them to chill, I've got to get the house clean, oh, and did I mention that my daughter is working this weekend, so she'll be no help. - sometimes I'd just like to smack him from here to next week . . .

It's 1:56 AM . . .

Just heard from my son - he has been holed up at the Hilton Kuwait Resort for the past few days, yeah, I know, life is rough, and will be leaving today for home, Washington DC. As much as it kills me, I will wait until I am summoned for a visit so he has enough time to become reacquainted with his wife and friends.

HE'S ON HIS WAY HOME!

Heard from my son this morning at 3am and he is out of IRAQ!! Finally got a good nights sleep, what was left of the night anyways! I had planned on getting a lot of things done today, but I just cannot concentrate on anything, too excited I guess!












These are my BOM blocks that are due this Friday at Quilts & Kreations! I think that the block is called Christmas Star.






This is a little top I made for Madison. The girls are having their pictures taken Friday morning and I want to make them coordinated outfits! I got the idea from: this wonderful website
These are the 1.5 inch blocks that I'm swapping! There are 25 stacks of 50 different fabrics. It sure took longer than I thought to stack all of those little suckers. I am off to mail them to the Hostess in Scotland!
This is a project for in a day or two when I have finished the girls outfits, I have to send out some "floral" charm blocks for another swap. I need to press the fabric and then cut it into 5 inch squares. I just love getting squishies in the mail.

The 4th was GREAT!

Well, we took the grand kids to Cedar Point for the 4th! We had a wonderful time and they were even able to stay awake for the fireworks at 10pm. I wanted to call your attention to the picture of my son-in-law, Nick, in Woodstock's nest with the twins . . . he had quite a time trying to fit himself in there - looks like he will be eating rice cakes and salad for a while! It was so funny watching him try to get in there that I almost wet myself. I didn't try to get on any rides with them, as it would have been the same scenario, 'cept uglier, besides I don't want to eat salad or rice cakes. Yes, I am in denial, but that's my prerogative.
The park was open until midnight, but we left right after the fireworks and were in the car by 11 pm. Well, we were in the car, but the engine wasn't running and neither was the traffic. We sat there until 1:45 and then, finally, the traffic began to move, inch by inch. We were home by 2:30. Needless to say, I am exhausted today, but of course the kids are raring to go. Think it's time for a nap for me. More later!

Madison's Field Trip

Madison went on a Field Trip today with her Aunt Holly and Hannah to an exotic animal auction in Mt. Hope, Ohio. They carpooled with a goat on the way down and a turkey, chickens and some pond fish came home with them! Never, ever, a dull moment with Aunt Holly & Hannah!