Farm Scenes

 I got my label made and sewn into the little quilt for my friend.  It always feels good to completely get one finished, doesn't it?

And of course, I have another one in the works.  This one is for my neighbor across the street.  She wants to give it to her sister who has some sort of senior memory loss. 

 The sisters (and a couple more and some brothers, too) grew up in the country on a farm, so I thought this backing would be perfect.

I like the bright colorful panels with such sweet home depictions on them.

And I am using those thirties reproduction fabrics I like so much.  I hope they spark some memories for her.  It must be so frightening to lose who you are and those you love in the recesses of your mind.  I pray this little quilt, when I finish it, will bring a little comfort to her.

I hope the rest of your weekend is just perfect!

Hugs and kisses,

Happy Where I Am With What I Have

After I posted the photos of Margaret's wonderful gift I went out in the front to see Mr. Muddling off to work.  When I came back inside, this is the sight that greeted me.  Chloe cannot stand not to be in the middle of whatever is going on around here.  Oh, brother!

I finished this little quilt.  I really like how it turned out.  It's pretty small, but the friend I made it for is a little bit small, too.  I sure hope she likes it.

I backed it with this Laura Ashley fabric I like so much.  Matter of fact, I like all the fabrics in this one.  It just seems like a happy quilt to me, and on a gray yucky day like we have here today - that's a good thing!  It was pretty earlier, and I'm sorry I did not get outside and get better pictures while it was bright and sunny.  These don't do the fabrics justice.

This amorphous mass is a bunch of sheets covering my lemon tree.  I'm trying to keep it from freezing again this year.  I want fruit!

All of these (and so many more) have to come in again.  I don't want to go back outside, but it has to be done.

However, I've decided to let the chickens have what little is growing in the garden.  They are welcome to it.  I've covered and protected it (or at least tried) several times already this winter, and I'm through with that!

Some things are surviving pretty well without my help and I'll just have to be content with them.

And I'm playing around with these nine-patch pieces.  We'll see.  I think I have a plan.  Maybe.

I hope you're finding plenty to make you happy where you are and plenty to do to keep you busy!

Hugs and kisses,

OOPS!

After Bruno and I worked so hard to get my quilt loaded on the new quilt frame........

Something went terribly wrong.  I have to be really honest and tell you that it was operator error.  In my vast concern to be sure everything was just right on the frame..... I forgot to put the presser foot down.  Yipes.

I did eventually get into a sort of rhythm with it though and I think I'm getting the hang of it.

My stitching is not perfectly uniform and I'm still nowhere near where I'd like to be on proficiency.

And mind you, this is with the machine set at turtle speed.  LOL  Oh well, I've been having a lot of fun figuring it out.  (Yes, muddling again!)  It's fun to learn something new and to have a new toy to play with.  I so appreciate my beautiful daughter and her roommate for buying me the frame and Mr. Muddling for buying me this super-fast new machine.  I'm a blessed woman.

And speaking of blessed, would you take a look at what came in the mail this afternoon from my friend Margaret in Australia!

She said she had gotten this little guy for a present for me for next Christmas and then decided not to wait.  I am so glad!  Isn't he the cutest?  He will have to get acquainted with Gina and Homer.

And look at this chicken and rooster stitchery she made!  Does this lady know me or what!  I love it. 

I have some beautiful fabric that Karen sent me in October that would look super good with this couple.  Hmmmm......ideas swirling. 

So, some new things learned, some (lots of) goodies in the mail, some new toys and ideas for more play.   THAT's a good day!

Hope you're having one, too.

Hugs and kisses,

Inside and Outside

Inside, it is nicely warm and comfy.  I am trying to rev myself up to be doing something.

 Outside, the chickens have no such problem.  They are always busy.

They have somehow knocked down the little fence I have protecting this side of the back yard from their marauding and are having a wonderful time eating the fresh shoots of grass that survived last night's freeze.

 Bruno has made himself a cozy nest of blankets on the sewing room bed.


Jack is on the couch in the den, snuggled in.

And Chloe has settled herself in the dining room.

Also in the dining room, the quilting machine on its nice new frame is slowly (very slowly) coming together.  I think it is intimidating me and I've got to get over that!  I have one more leader cloth to get sewn and then I can load a quilt and get going.  Dragging my feet here.

 Chickens, on the other hand are full of life and energy,

boldly going even where they have no business going.  LOL  I guess that's why I like them so much.  Plus the fact that they are endlessly entertaining - so much better than television.

I have been praying for the people in Australia.  They have really had more than their fair share of disasters lately.  Sometimes it feels like the world has just turned upside down.  Everything seems to be a little off kilter to me.  Does it to you, too?  I'm just glad I know the One who holds the whole world in His hands!  Glory to God!

Hope you are having a wonderful day.  You know I love you!

Hugs and kisses,

Today's the Day

First of all, a look at what I actually finished in 2010.  Sometimes I surprise myself.  I am not altogether content with anything I made.  I think, from reading what you all write, that is pretty normal.  I can see every little error I made. (And every big one, too!)

Oh, well, on to the next.  I am NOT a perfectionist.  I honestly try to do the best I can with each thing I make and do.  I do not always succeed, but then - if I did I would be perfect, and we all know I'm not that!

I've got a few more of the snowballs made and up on the design wall.  I'm really liking these fabrics playing together so nicely.

And as to today - - - - Mr. Muddling has given me a really nice gift.  Today I have a new sewing machine scheduled for delivery!!!  As my younger daughter would say, "Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!"  It's a Janome 1600P-DB for the qulting frame, and it goes really fast!  I will really have to be careful.  I want to keep ALL my fingers. 

I am so thankful for so many things.  Most of all, I'm thankful that my name is written in the Lamb's Book of Life.  I'm thankful for my wonderful family and friends, for the opportunity to fulfill my creative urges, and for those creations to actually be a blessing to someone else just fills me with joy!

I hope there are lots of things today that are giving you joy, too!

Hugs and kisses,

Happy New Year!

And what better way for a New Year to begin than by working on a quilt?  Remember I showed you these squares on my design wall the other day.  Well, yesterday I saw that Stephanie of A Ditchin' Time Quilts had posted her finished snowball quilt.  She had taken a class in Paducah from Kaffe Fassett, and had finished her quilt from that class.  You should go and see it.  It is gorgeous!  And then this morning I saw that Karen over at Lee Haven has almost finished her Alabama Beauty.  Wow!  Another gorgeous quilt, and these two smarties both did a lot of their work by hand!

This afternoon that little light went off in my head.  Hmmm....I had a lot of the same fabrics already up on my little design wall that Stephanie had used in her quilt.  Wonder if I have something that would look good for the snowball sides?  Of course I do.  Ah, stash shopping is the best!

I've added more squares to the mix and made a start right there in the center making snowballs.  Don't you just love it when someone else's creativity sparks yours?!  Blogging friends are such a blessing.  I love you each and every one, and I truly hope that 2011 will be your best year yet!  I know we've all faced challenges this year, but in my time zone - 2010 will be history is about twenty minutes.  Let's continue to encourage each other in this new year, shall we?

Hugs and kisses,

Looking at You Looking at Me

I let the chicks out this morning to maraud a little in the back yard.  Then I put them back up.  I had some errands to run and did not want to leave them out.  Good thing, because when I looked out my window when I got back - I saw this hawk sitting on the handle of the old wheelbarrow grooming himself.

Here are some closer looks.  When he flew away the chicks went into a panic, so I went out to be sure they were all right.  I found a pile of sparrow feathers - no bones or anything else, just fresh feathers.  I'm sorry about the sparrow, but sure glad it wasn't one of our chickens!

There is a big area not far from us that had been wooded.  It has been cleared off recently, and my guess is that has moved some of these woodland creatures over into our subdivision.  I only hope there's nothing bigger headed our way.  LOL

Hugs and kisses,