Thursday, May 21, 2009

This n' That

That's how life as been lately...a little bit of this and a little bit of that. Car problems...computer wasn't working in mine and the front suspension had issues. We finally have the computer fixed, but there is still a noise in the front end, so I guess I'll take the car in again tomorrow..3rd time's the charm right? Hopefully it won't cost anymore, we've alerady sunk over $1000 into it in the past 3 weeks...OUCH! I sewed an inset for organizing my purse. Took all day Saturday, but it turned out nice, and will make it so easy to change purses. I sewed up some Lotto blocks yesterday...I wasn't feeling well and stayed in bed until afternoon and then just relaxed in the sewing room. I'm better today, but haven't accomplished a thing yet. Since the weather finally dried out this week I have done lots of laundry and hung it on the line..makes a big difference on the electric bill.

Sunday is JoeE's birthday, then the next Sunday is Ginger's . The following weekend I am going to Missouri for the Communion and Liberation Spritual exercises. And Kristi Victoer and the boys are coming here to visit for the week. Then June 13 we head to Texas for the big birthday bash for Mom and Dad. Middle of July is the CL vacation. Gabe will be at camp OLOG for July. And I still have lots of sewing projects I want to work on. Next in line are swimsuits for the little girls. I'm starting to look into a new serger...I'd really like a machine that does cover stitch as well as overlock and flatlock we'll see, that's a lot of money. I guess I need to really try to use what I have to it's full potential before deciding to get something better.

Friday, May 8, 2009

What's up?

Since my last post, I went to Virginia Beach to visit Nick, Jackie and Serenity (6 day visit). They just bought a new house and are settling in. Serenity is a cute little sweetie.

We visited the Zoo, the Botanical Gardens (250,000 azalea plants in bloom...beautiful!) and the beach.





The botanical Garden has 5 bald eagles in residence (nesting) mother, father and 3 babies. We were able to see one of the adults sitting in a tree a way from the nest, I assume he/she was standing guard.(in the center of this photo).

Then we looked through a telescope that was available and Nick was able to take this picture for me.


It's too bad vandals had scratched up the lens of the telescope, or the picture could have been even better!

Since I've been home I have been playing catch-up on housework..the family saved all the laundry for me. Unfortunately it has been very rainy, so I haven't been able to hang laundry out to dry very much, though I did get 3 loads out yesterday...rain forecast again today (warm and muggy..yuck!) then cooler tomorrow with more rain and a very cool Mother's day, maybe wet.

I seem to be a bit sick...sore throat, headache, slight fever. Yesterday I just did laundry and worked on sewing projects. I completed my birthday swap 2 block for April (late!) . I think Sophie should like it. Now I need to find her new address and mail it this weekend.

I found this pattern, by Sindy Rodenmeyer on the internet. At first I thought I would do it with back basted needle turn applique, but after starting I realized it would take way too much time to finish it and I have many other projects I need to get on with, so I did fused applique with satin stitch. I am pleased with the results.

Now I am working on Nickels and Nine-Patches for a swap I joined. I started (and finished) cutting my light Nickels yesterday. While in the process I did a bit of cleaning up and organizing in the sewing room. I washed 1 full load of FQ's which I had been given a while aback and ironed and folded them all. I probably have about 3-4 more loads of fabric that I need to wash Iron and fold. I'll be working on that the next few days. I love the damp dry signal on my dryer. If I use that the fabric is easy to iron.

Next up after the Nickels and Nine-Patches are done will be getting my lotto blocks for May done and catching up m PPM2 stars, Sunshine Sampler, and Nesting Round Robin. I won't join anymore swaps for a while (probably nothing before mid-summer) because I really do need to get some clothes made for myself and the girls. Mimi finishes up at school today, and will move home for the summer tomorrow. Maybe I will help Katy get the bedroom rearranged to make room for her today...... Gabe will be working (in the kitchen) at Camp OLOG in July. Katy is job hunting and hoping to hear back from La Baguette soon.

Denny started re-siding the house with concrete type siding while I was in Virginia beach. Once he gets the siding up I will need to paint. since the whole front of the yard needs to be regraded and landscaped i came up with the idea of using the area close to the house for a fenced in garden. Denny likes the idea, so we will need to be getting that started too. I hope to have walkways in, fencing up, and beds ready for spring planting....possibly even in time for a few fall crops....

And as always I want o get some more quilts done!