Be Back soon

We are in the process of getting the house ready to put on the market, and just don't have the energy to commit to this blog until we move.  We will get back to it as soon as possible!

More Quilts

Spent the day shopping in Amarillo yesterday and was too tired to post.  I realize that I can't post with clever things to say or find photos every single day.  I'm going to try and do better because this blog is a journal of our days and since I've never set pen and paper before me, I can see what I've been doing.
We have a busy day before us today and I haven't been up for very long.  Still on my first cup of coffee and it's after 10.  Sha is still in bed.  What a life! I can get up earlier if I have to but that's pretty rare since I don't make appts. till after lunch.  Now you younger ones don't feel bad.  You will be on the downside of that mountain of life soon enough.  But I digress.  Here are some more of my quilts made over the years.  Most I don't remember when they were made or where they are.  remember, I'm a golden oldie!

                             
I made this for my oldest daughter several years ago. Not sure how the photos will work thru washing so it  isn't used.  I need to make my other two kids each one someday.  You know with kids, things have got to be even----even if they are grown. :-)

 I have made several of these for our pregnancy support center.  It's just a minor thing I  do for this org. and hopefully a precious little baby will sleep underneath each one.  I use scraps of fabric from other quilts and love making them.

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One of the firsts I made.  It went to a granddaughter.  Think it's pretty threadbare  since she's grown up now and cuddled with it all these years.  I made her another one when she married, but it's just not as cuddley.  I'm just waiting for the day I can make one for a great grand,.

This little gal sits on the ledge of the kitchen cabinet.  I'm putting her on here just because I love her and she makes me smile.  I collected chickens for a long time and retired them a couple of years ago.  Ill get them all out one of these days and it will make a great post. 

Another baby blanket.  Made for another grand girl.  I'm about to run out of quilt pics so better make some new ones.  I have several tops that need quilting, but I just can't do them anymore on my sewing machine.  I'll have to have them quilted by someone and that costs quite a bit, so have to be selective.  sha has hand quilted two or three for me but she's wanting to do another one of her own.  Anyhow, I just made small things now such a place mats, mug rugs or lap and baby ones.
                                                        Have a good day all and love you,  AL

Faux Birdhouses

While going through some of my woodworking pics I came across some birdhouses I made this last summer.  One summer I made about 10 cute birdhouses and put them in various places all over our backyard.  Much to Al's and my shock, one day as she was emptying the trash, the birdhouse I had mounted on the back fence by the gate had become a yellow jacket habitat.  On closer inspection virtually every little birdhouse housed homes for yellow jackets!!  The first one Al found as she was emptying the trash caused her some pain, one flew out and hit her right smack on the nose and bit her!  So, to make a rather long story short, I started painting the holes on all my birdhouses.  Hard lesson learned at Al's expense unfortunately.  So here is the first of many "Faux Birdhouses".

sha here

As we are trying to get the house together after the holidays, we will be a bit longer getting back to the blog full-force.  Today is the first day in a couple of weeks we've even been back in the workroom.  I did however finish a year long work on my "Grandmother's Flower Garden" and have it on my bed.  I slept under it for the first time last night and slept the sleep of angels.  My mother's "Cathedral" quilt is hanging above my bed so I was surrounded by finished hand work last night. It's a virtual explosion of color, very eclectic, but hey, that's me.   A wonderful feeling of accomplishment I might add.

BE BACK LATER

Recycled Photos

These photos are from last year.  We didn't really decorate this year because we'll be at our kid's house and since there are no little ones anymore it just doesn't mean the same.  We did put up the little table top tree and it's no trouble. How do you spell LAZY?  I've always put out the nativity but forgot I gave it to my daughter.  How do you spell FORGETFUL?  Anyway, I may not post again till after Christmas but Sha probably has something to say.


This little tree is pretty even if it's little.  I don't have a lot of room for a big tree and this one is just right.

                   

                                                                 I made all of these stocking thru the years as the family grew.  There are two that are missing and belong to my granddaughter and hubby but they wanted them to hang at their house for their first Christmas together as married couple.
                                                                              

                                  

The "Other Things"

Al has been encouraging me to post some pics of my woodworking endeavors. Don't know why I hate doing that but she assured me that it's no different than showing quilts. I think she is right. So here are but a few of the things I made out in my woodworking shop over the years. I work with wood in the Spring and Summer and quilt in the Fall and Winter. The best of both worlds to me. I am blessed to have two creative outlets, quilting and woodworking. Since retirement I have loved both even more.

 My first trip to the mountains in Colorado I found a perfect walking stick and used it on all my hiking while there.  I brought it home and got the wild idea to carve something on it.  I carved one leaf and I was instantly obsessed with carving.  The next summer when I went back to the mountains I collected many more of them, brought them home and carved away.  I can't begin to tell you how many I have carved over the years for myself, friends, and family.  They are all aspen, my favorite wood forever.  I love aspen trees so my sticks make me think I'm giving a bit of the mountains to people I love.  Anyway..........my journey with wood working began when I fell for that special tree, aspen.

This box was the last attempt with inlay.  It is made of aromatic cedar and the star is made of what else?  Aspen.

I did go crazy with boxes one summer.  I made everyone and their dogs a box.  Like most things I do I do to excess.  I have to 'burn out' on something before I stop it seems.  That is why it is so wonderful to have quilting to fall back on in the Fall because I will have burned out on wood by then and vise-versa.  I'm always ready to change gears.

I've made many crosses over the years and given away.  This is one I made last year before closing up the shop for the Winter.  Made of aromatic cedar, and yes of course, aspen.  I kept this one for myself. 









I'll close on this note for today.  I have tons of things to show but the purpose of a blog is to entertain not bore.    sha

More Quilts

Since this is a quilt blog, I'll post more quilts.  How profound is that :)  I've made so many I forget where half has gone.  Remember, I'm getting long in the tooth and thinking is slower.  Between my sister's brain and mine, we have one good working one.  Don't laugh, all you youngens, it will happen to you before you know it.
                                                                                    

This is one of the first ones I made and gave to my grandson, who has long been out of school (and college) Think maybe he could use a new one but it may be awhile before that happens.

Fence rail.  I love scrappy quilts and it uses up so much of my growing stash.  I'm almost a hoarder of fabric but need to thin out now and then.  I love pretty fabric and would rather shop for that than clothes.  I've got lots of yardage along with the scraps and find myself hating to cut into it.  crazy

  How did this get on here?  Sha doing one of her hand sewn quilts.  She does everything by hand from the piecing to quilting.  It takes forever but it's the journey she tell me.  Personally, I like to do one quickly so I can go on the next one.  I do all machine except for slip stitching the binding, and I love that part.

Jacob's Ladder.  One of my favorites.  I's quick and I love two-color quilts.  No having to match colors makes it go a lot faster.  (I said I liked fast)

     Desert Flower.  Another one from the quilt shop in  Durango.  It was a kit and had everything in it to make.  This one went to a dear sister-in-law who has been gone for several years.  I miss her still-she was the one who got me into quilting.

Preview

                                                                    Made this one after 9/11.  I usuallly get it out 4th if July, but it's been out all year and our dog Meg thinks it's hers.

Grandmother's Apron and Google

This is for Al.   Her blog for yesterday mentioning the story about Grandmother's apron made me search it out on the internet.  I am convinced that there is nothing one can't find by using Google.  How did we ever get our facts right or search out old recipes or a hundred other things.  Can't tell you how many arguments we have settled.  Don't get me wrong, Al and Inever argue over important matters, our arguments usually stem from 'who was that actor' or 'what movie did I see her or him in'?  Al has even searched out long lost family recipes and I have as well.  At the time in my life where my short term memory is practically non existent   Google has become mother's little helper to this old gal.  TV shows, movies, actors, actresses and all that jazz, is just a short reach away from our laptop or iPad depending on which is closest.  I will admit that I have a love affair with today's technology.  I find with Google my bad memory doesn't matter so much.  I am always within reach of some device and collectively those devices are far greater than my brain.  What am I saying, one of those devices alone is far greater.   Good night all,  sha

GRANDMOTHER'S APRON

Author: UNKNOWN

THE PRINCIPAL USE OF GRANDMA'S APRON WAS TO PROTECT THE DRESS
UNDERNEATH, BUT ALONG WITH THAT, IT SERVED AS A POTHOLDER FOR
REMOVING HOT PANS FROM THE OVEN.

IT WAS WONDERFUL FOR DRYING CHILDREN'S TEARS, AND ON OCCASION
WAS EVEN USED FOR CLEANING OUT DIRTY EARS.

FROM THE CHICKEN COOP, THE APRON WAS USED FOR CARRYING EGGS,
FUSSY CHICKS, AND SOMETIMES HALF-HATCHED EGGS TO BE FINISHED
IN THE WARMING OVEN.

WHEN COMPANY CAME, THOSE APRONS WERE IDEAL HIDING PLACES FOR
SHY KIDS.

AND WHEN THE WEATHER WA COLD, GRANDMA WRAPPED IT AROUND HER
ARMS.

THOSE BIG OLD APRONS WIPED MANY A PERSPIRING BROW, BENT OVER
THE HOT WOOD-STOVE.

CHIPS AND KINDLING WOOD WERE BROUGHT INTO THE KITCHEN IN THAT
APRON.

FROM THE GARDEN, IT CARRIED ALL SORTS OF VEGETABLES. AFTER THE
PEAS HAD BEEN SHELLED, IT CARRIED OUT THE HULLS.

IN THE FALL, THE APRON WAS USED TO BRING IN APPLES THAT HAD
FALLEN FROM THE TREES.

WHEN UNEXPECTED COMPANY DROVE UP THE ROAD, IT WAS SURPRISING
HOW MUCH FURNITURE THAT OLD APRON COULD DUST IN A MATTER OF
SECONDS.

WHEN DINNER WAS READY, GRANDMA WALKED OUT ONTO THE PORCH,
WAVED HER APRON, AND THE MEN KNEW IT WAS TIE TO COME IN FROM
THE FIELDS TO DINNER.

IT WILL BE A LONG TIME BEFORE SOMEONE INVENTS SOMETHING THAT
WILL REPLACE THAT 'OLD-TIME APRON' THAT SERVED SO MANY WORTH-
WHILE PURPOSES.

REMEMBER:

GRANDMA USED TO SET HER HOT BAKED APPLE PIES ON THE WINDOW
SILL TO COOL.

HER GRANDDAUGHTERS SET THEIRS ON THE WINDOW SILL TO THAW.

THEY WOULD GO CRAZY NOW TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW MANY GERMS
WERE ON THAT APRON.

I DON'T THINK I EVER CAUGHT ANYTHING FROM AN APRON---
EXCEPT LOVE.

Aprons

Aprons are every where in the quilting-sewing world. I never wore one when I was younger, but love them now.  I am a messy cook and if I want to keep on the same shirt for longer than it takes to cook, then I need to wear one.  I read somewhere about aprons in the olden days and how a woman wore one for various uses.  They were great for holding fresh veggies from the garden, wiping little noses, carrying in wood, and that's all I remember, but there's lots more.
Anyway, these are the ones I've made lately and wear.  I don't wipe little noses or gather veg. or wood, but I do stay cleaner when cooking.

 I found this pattern in a quilt shop in Durango, Colo. and instantly thought of my two daughters and married granddaughter. Already made the younger girls one but they seldom wear them (could be they never cook).

                 This is granddaughter's.  She looks so cute when she's got it on.  The girls all wore them Thanksgiving.                                       

This one looks like I spent a lot of time and effort, but it is actually

a printed panel with all the elements  printed on it so you just cut them out and sew.

This is the daughter's that was in Durango with me when we saw these patterns.   She and I took a few days and went there to relax and see some new country.  Had a wonderful trip with the two of us but wished other daughter was with us.  Next  time we take a road trip it will include Sha and all of us.