Life from where we are

Popster's brother Gary along with Brent & Taryn came for a visit over the weekend. Michelle wasn't able to make it as her Dad wasn't feeling too good. LiLi conned them into playing scrabble. The next pics show her expressions as she was so "enthralled" by Brent reciting all the presidents in order, along with a couple facts of each one...she eats this stuff right up! Any family get-together always includes entertainment LiLi challenged Taryn to a spelling test presided over by Uncle Scott...she insisted on hard words. Can you tell by this one that Dani is just slightly competitive? Gary always likes to get into some Billy Joel ! Love

 Mr Kitty knows the routine of the house & will sit on the chair in my office waiting for me to come in there.  We went from this "stand-off" on weds   If Molly gets too close he let's out a "yeow"   "Okay that's close enough" To this on Thurs  "What do you want?"  "So you think we can be friends?"  "Hope you brushed your teeth Bagel Breath!"   "Every night with chicken flavored toothpaste Tuna Breath!"   "You really think you can take advantage of me like this? "   "Nice try but it would spoil my image!" Love

I have been sewing for a few years & have golfing friends that quilt so, as we make our way around the course each week, we chat about our projects.  I had mentioned to one gal who happens to have an embroidery machine that I had this "China Doll"   fabric left over from making things for LiLi & that I wanted to do something special with it.  She offered to do the embroidery for me & suggested I could incorporate into a quilted pillow.  She found this pattern for S unbonnet Sue goes to China which was perfect!   Of course I hadn't ever done quilting but given my attitude "There's nothing you can't do unless you try!"   I starting reading up, watched videos, asked questions, bought quilting rulers etc & jumped in with both feet! A monster was born! I started out with the bags but I kept putting off the pillow because I didn't really know how to get started.  I asked a zillion more questions & got ideas & a week before ch...

 Yup Mr kitty is back for spring break  This is where he likes to hang out  Completely in my way  Does it look like he cares?  Silly cat! Love

I took these about a week ago......one of those cold days when we were huddled up inside! This squirrel was deciding whether he could jump on the bird feeder I don't know why.....he's at least 12 feet away! He finally gave up! Yesterday it finally got above freezing & we are supposed to have more normal temperatures for this coming week....lets hope so.. There is a lot of snow to melt! Love

Here are a few more ways I spent my winter I started off into my first quilting project by making bags.  I was so "anal" with the first one it was not even funny!  I was so afraid I would cut something wrong & ruin it.  I have since found that anything can be fixed.  These bags take 6 fat quarters & the pattern is from this book The next group of bags I made I gained more confidence & found ways to make them more efficiently & even made matching key fobs & cell phone cases Then I got very creative because I wanted to use some charm squares I had bought.  This is a Robert Kaufman Oriental Traditions that I just love.  I had bought the charm squares a while ago in both blue & red & was able to find some of the fabric in that collection to use for the lining & handles.  I also changed the size of the bag so I could use the squares. I made this cute little bag for Jessie from a Riley Blake Lost & Found ...

 It has been a long, long, long winter & come spring everyone always asks me "What do you do all winter?"  I know I keep saying I'm going to my room.....my sewing room that is!  I am going to show you in the next couple posts what I have done for the past 3 months  This a skirt that LiLi wanted me to make for her.  I showed her a similar one in a quilting book I had & let her design it.  We started with a jelly roll Cameo by Amy Butler & she laid out all the strips the way she wanted it to look.  I just did all the sewing. I used my serger to sew all the strips together & then top stitched each piece.  We modified it from the original by making it a little fuller with more of a gathered ruffle.  I then took all the leftover strips & made this dress which is also similar to one that was in the same book  Lots of repetitive sewing but so much fun to do.  I also love that I have the world's best m...