Oh baby it's cold outside, we'll it will be colder tonight and the rest of the week. What's a girl to do?
Got up this morning made a batch of chili for hubby and I to have for dinner while he watches the game, I will be working on an old UFO appliqué block maybe I will finally make some progress.
I made a cracked wheat bread to go with e chili and a bannana bread to have with our tea later. As for this morning I will be working on my own quilt which has been loaded on the frame and calling my name for a week. This is an old top I made may years ago, let me tell you my piecing skills have come a long way, I will do a panto in the center and maybe a separate border treatment will decide that when I am in front of the frame, this quilt will be used on our bed so no heirloom or fancy custom for this one. Hope you all have a great Sunday. And for my husband and sister and brother-inlaw.. GO PATS!

Cleaning Cleaning Cleaning

I am making an effort to post more this year, I won't stress about it but I will try to be more than a reader. I am cleaning an clearing out, my sewing room has become some cluttered I feel I cannot be creative unless I clear it out. I have filled four large trash bags and filled our recycle container to date and I am finally seeing the light and feel like sewing. Yesterday I loaded a customer quilt, I hope to do some work on that today while hubby is watching football. I also started recovering my couch cushions, we bought this beautiful sectional less than seven years ago and the threads are letting go every where, something needed to be done so I bought some fabric and will see how it goes, so far one cushion done but still needs a little tweaking, and 5 more to go will try and post some pictures later this week. What have you all been up to?

This is my grandson he is two, his mom had just stepped away from her machine for a minute. He is trying to feed a piece of paper thru the machine. I say a new quilter is born get that  boy some fabric.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas, every where I go.....
This Friday I will finish the last of my shopping, and let the wrapping begin.
Didn't make any Christmas gifts this year.....but plan on correcting that for next year... oh wait am I pushing the New Years Resolution thing. I somehow feal inadequate compared to some of the people I follow, ladies and gents how do you do it all???? do you work outside the home and still accomplish a lot...if so please share how you can accomplish so much I need the motivation.

Endings & Beginings

 

 

I have been thinking about endings and beginnings lately. My last post was back in June when my brother passed away. A sad ending, today I post about beginnings, happy beginnings. The attached pictures are of my Grandson Hunter, he will be joining our family in a few weeks.  I cant wait to kiss that chubby little face, makes me so happy to welcome another little boy into our family.

Here's to happy beginnings.

 

Goodbye to my brother

Yesterday early in the morning my brother lost his battle with cancer. My brother fought a long hard battle, with cancer and other demons in his life, I hope he now has found some peace. I will miss him, I will miss his laugh his sometime raunchy but always funny jokes,his creativeness Dick you can be proud your boys are strong sensitive responsible  men, we will love and look after them for the rest of our lives we are family, (we are Hogans, we are proud, strong and loving). I will hold you in my heart forever, may God hold you in the palm of his hand for all eternity.

A while ago I posted about a Christmas quilt that I made a long time ago, and I tied the quilt. There is nothing wrong with tied quilts but now that I have a longarm machine, everytime I looked at that quilt even though I loved it I knew it could be so much better.

(can you see the jingle bells?)

so.... I took it apart and quilted it. Here are some pictures and now I can pack this one away until next Christmas, time to find something springy to put out.

This quilt was pieced by my sister and quilted by me, it hung in our bi-anual quilt show last month. I love the little critters I quilted in. The pattern is called American Pie by Mary K Ryan.

Whoooo Hooo!
I can finally post pictures again, thanks to my new camera and a lot of trial and error.

Here are some pics of my cute cute grandkids at yesterdays Easter egg hunt. They hold the hunt inside the middle school gym, for some reason we tend to have rain or the threat of rain every year. Everyone had a great time and grandson met the Easter  Bunny for the first time. I'm not sure he liked Mr. Bunny to much! lol!

big sister getting her goodies!

and big sister #1 enjoying herself collecting candy.
what a great morning!

Just call me busy bee

Well it seems I am still pictureless, will be buying new software and maybe more memory this weekend! I miss being able to post new pictures.
Finished quilting a customer quilt yesterday and loaded another small lap quilt, hope to have that one finished tomorrow night. Then I have a large edge to edge to quilt, then I can finish quilting my own.  I have been working on my Farmers wife blocks again and have nine finished. I have also been working on completing a flannel quilt that my mom started, want to get that one done soon as well.
busy busy busy

Made new living room  drapes today, tomorrow nights mission will be to try and reinstall photo workshop so I can add new pictures here. Spring has been in the air, and I want to finish some projects. The living room drapes were the beginning, trim for the upstairs bedroom and sewing room is next. Then on to painting our bedroom. ahhhh don't you just love home improvements!

Out of the mouths of babes, Three French Hens

My 6 year old granddaughter has been singing Christmas carols, this past weekend she delighted us with the The twelve days of Christmas. In her version when you get to three french hens she sings three french men and two turtle stones. How can you not be tickled pink with this version! made for lots of chuckles at my house this weekend.

Making Memories

Happy Holidays!
Today was a very productive day, sent two quilts home with their owners, decorated two Christmas trees with the help of my three beautiful grand babies, son-in law and two of my daughters.
Got a good start on the Christmas tree ornaments for my guild meeting, will finish those up tomorrow night.
Took apart an old Christmas quilt I made, and tied a few years ago, hopefully it will be loaded on the frame tomorrow and get a brand new holiday pattern quilted on it.
Now its a time for a nice cup of tea and putting my feet up, so I can look at my lovely tree.

It's been a very long time since I posted, but I thought today was a good day to start again. Today I am thankfull for my family, for my health, for all the inspirations I get reading all your wonderfull blogs.

Heres hoping you all have a wonderfull, happy healthy Thanksgiving.

painting painting painting

We have been busy painting painting painting, getting everything ready for daughter #3's wedding.
I hope Mr. C. keeps up the good work things are looking spiffy around here.
The upstairs bathroom went from sponge painted to a lovely prim color. Mama is happy!

The before

 and the after

just need to add curtains and some pictures... on to the next room!

Louise's string quilt

Finished up Louise's quilt last week pretty little scrappy string quilt, doesn't this make you want to get your scraps out?

March Opam finish

Another Opam finish, this is a wool table mat that was cut out and set aside for a few years, I;m so glad I finished it as it lends a little spring flair even tho they are predicting snow for us on Thursday night.
Not sure why my pics are posting sideways if anyone knows and can tell me how to fix I would appreciate it.

Opam finishes for Febraury

Finished these wool mittens in February, I am posting from hubbies computer as I am having trouble downloading pics on mine. These were fun to do, and they are now no longer classified as ufo's.
I am trying to finish up older projects before starting any new ones.

Opam finishes for January

I have finally fixed the problem I hope with uploading pictures again. Here are two pillows that I finished in January, I know these are late posting and that doesn't bother me in the least at least I can post, and I finished to ufos in January! Yeah for me! Tomorrown I will post my February finishes, and a quilt I am working on for Louise, her quilts are always so pretty. It's about time I started posting again, spring is in the air and I feel the need to create and update.

Time for reflection

Time.,... Oh how I wish I had more, seems lately there is never enough time. Time to spend visiting friends and family, time to sew, time to work, clean, cook.
Today I will take time, I will prioritize, I will go to my sewing room and finish the last quilt for this year! :)
This afternoon I will decorate the last tree and finish putting up the last of the decorations, put a nice meal in the crock pot. Tonight I will begin celebrating the season for what it is. I will relax with hubby, watch a Christmas  movie, and wait for it......ahhhhh I will relax. I will not worry about what needs doing. I will enjoy the season for what it is Time... to spend with family & friends, time to relax and enjoy little girls and little boys smiles, time to enjoy the message of Christmas! Happy Holidays & Merry Christmas to all of you.