HAPPY HALLOWEEN, Y'ALL ! ! !

Isn't this picture precious?

I love these old postcard looking pictures for various holidays. I have a few seasonal/holiday type postcards that were sent to my grandfather and my great-aunt / his sister.

Quiltbook

I forgot... to say in my other post tonight....I ordered Bonnie Hunter's new quilt book Scraps and Shirttails It came this week. She autographed it TOO!

It's beautiful!!!

I am now grabbing up shirts and any shirting fabric I have in my stash to put in container with this book until I can decide which one I want to do and start busting that stash.

You can go here to order a copy.

MIA

I have been MIA lately. I have done some machine embroidery for my DD. She bought some place mats for Christmas from the Dollar Tree Store. A red plaid with a touch of green and metallic gold. She is into monograms big time and asked me to put a green "G" in the center of them. She sent me this picture of one of them.

My computer is not feeling well...had been planing all week to take it in to the computer doctor as still under warranty. DSIL did help it but told me I may have to take it in.....It was doing better then got worse and tonight it seems like it's a LOT better. I didn't get it in as DD had dentist appointment so we had the three baby girls that morning. Another morning we took the three baby girls down to see their great-grandparents/DH's parents for a visit. Then took them to their favorite place Gus' Hotdog King for lunch. For a 1-1/2 and 2-1/2 year old they can pack away those hotdogs and french fries. This has become a weekly tradition for us. That morning DD had her six week checkup from having baby girl number three.

Today we had the girls all day as DD is sick and went to family doctor. We had a bunch of errands to run and took the three girls with us. Then I went to have my hair cut and DH kept the three babies.

Well, as soon as I say I think computer is healed it has started flashing and dimming again..........maybe next week I'll get it to doctor.

Tomorrow is the Halloween Parade at the Pre-school DGD 2-1/2 year old attends on Friday's mornings. Hope to get some pictures of that to post. We had been planning to attend Plantation Christmas Friday over in Surrey at Chippoakes Plantation.....can't miss the big parade so we'll be going Saturday and hopefully DD will be feeling better and can enjoy it.

Tomorrow morning I MUST carve one of my pumpkins and hang it up for the trick-or-treaters. At least before dusk!!! Also grass-cutting day....normally that starts around 8 but suppose to be chilly, and with the Parade, will do it when we get home around noon.

As I said in previous posting I've learned of a new line in my genealogy. It led me to purchase two genealogy books. I've been reading one of those and entering the info on my family tree. I am so excited as it is a wonderful line with lots of history.

I'm back

I'm back. Been a hectic few days/week. On top of that computer went on the fritz. But a dear son-in-law came by tonight after he left his office and worked on it and got it working. The screen still not normal but at least the colors are correct and not as fuzzy.

Been working on the blanket. Want to take a picture of it to show the two different rows of crocheting. Also been decluttering some stuff around here...tossed a pile of Sew News, a few Threads, a variety of other magazines. Kept my Sew Beautiful, Creative Needle, and various quilting magazines.

Been Christmas shopping and some wrapping has been done.

Before computer went on the fritz I was entering a lot of new information in my Family Tree Maker...I found a new line and it is intriguing.

Blanket

Well, I had a major brain freeze...started on receiving blanket...trimmed corners to a rounded corner using coaster as template...started crocheting. Decided to do a single around it first then come back and do scallop. Think to myself this sure is taking a LONG time. Started the scallop, going well and decided to lay it out to take a picture of the showing the two separate rows of stitching. Found out...I had purchased two and half yards not one and a quarter yards as I normally do. And normally if I buy enough for two I cut it in half as I put it away...but didn't with this...

SO, this morning I "frogged" (ripped out) until I got all the way around it and then past the halfway mark a few inches, cut it in half, and will start over again. will have to re-pin edges and round off the two new corners...

So where I was thinking I would finish it today I won't be since I won't have a lot of time to work on it today...fixing baked beans to take to middle daughter's for grandson's both sides of his family cookout birthday party. Looking forward to seeing his other Nana and Granny. Need to wrap his present and also a little something for his Granny who recently had a birthday.

Didn't take the picture after I found my ERROR...will post one once I get to that point again...

Stashbusting--receiving blanket and burp pads

Today I went through my baby related stash fabric. I pulled out a piece of flannel with lady bugs on it to do a receiving blanket for my newest granddaughter. Her nursery has a ladybug theme. I also pulled out a ladybug design fat quarter to use with diapers to make a burp-pad or two.

The flannel I use 1-1/4 yards so its basically a 45 inch square. Turn the edges under a scant 1/4 inch and turn again the same amount. Pin very well. I use a metal crochet hook and punch a hole with it through the flannel right next to the edge of the folded area, pull Pearl Cotton thread number five weight, do a single crochet, then a double, and a single again in the same hole. Skip over a little bit I guess around 1/2 inch or so and do it again all the way around the square. When I get to the corners, I do several of these closer together to make sure the corners are secure.

The burp pads I take a pre-folded diaper, do a decorative stitch with some pretty threads down the seams down the diaper. Where the diaper looks like it has been divided into thirds lengthwise. More or less to hide the folded edges and pretty it up some. About 1/3 from the bottom I'll add a machine embroidery design that goes with the fabric I'm going to put on the two edges. Maybe some words such as drool rules. The baby's name. At the top and bottom edge of the diaper I take some baby theme fabric, cut two pieces about six inches by the width of the diaper plus 1/2 inch. Fold in half, so it's three inches or so by the width. Sew the narrow side raw edges with 1/4 inch seams. Press, turn right side out. Turn down 1/4 inch along the top width raw edges, press. Slip one of these units over the top edge of diaper and one over the bottom edge of diaper. Pinning carefully catching both the top and bottom of the folded unit carefully and using edge foot I stitch stitch the baby theme fabric to the diaper on both ends. Pinning careful helps in catching front and back of the themed fabric to diaper nice and tidy. If it doesn't match up as well as I desire it...I use a decorative stitch to catch it all down so it isn't noticeable.

Hope to get to work on these two projects Thursday. Tomorrow cooking for middle daughter's birthday dinner. Tuesday and Wednesday going Christmas shopping. Thursday I'll be stuck home as AC/Heating guy coming to service the units for yearly fall checkup....so Nana is hoping to get in some sewing time.

It's Fall Y'all ----- Time For The Local Fall Festivals

It's fall y'all! Today we went to the Newport News Fall Festival a long standing family tradition with us. I forgot my camera!!! Hopefully daughter will send me some she took. Great crafts, wonderful food, good entertainment. The two and half year old and one and half year old rode with DH and I. We parked in handicap parking right behind the Heritage area and Food Court. Also near one of the music stages. DD and her DH with the two week old were able to park to the side of the main road through the park close to the area where the Festival was taking place. We go EARLY to get close parking.

The girls had a wonderful time. Papa pushed the stroller with two week old and sometimes one and half year old. Two and half year old walked it. The oldest two had their face and hands painted for Halloween. The two and half year old didn't want her face done so she had a ghost on her hand to match the one on her shirt. The one and half year old had a pumpkin on her cheek and ghost on her hand. Two week old slept until almost noon when she decided it was time to eat.

We had Barbecue, crab cakes, fresh lemonade, french fries, butterfly fries, fried Twinkies, funnel cakes, soft drinks, water, etc. None of us ate all of that but what we had at our table. Middle DD and one of her friends joined us at the table.

The girls loved seeing the real Indians dressed in their heritage clothing. Spent some time visiting with the geese and ducks on the lake. Saw the Civil War reenactors.

I got a large stuffed Santa face, a Halloween sign, pumpkin pillow, Santa star, clay pot with gourds on sticks painted in Halloween faces, with fall foliage. Only disappointment was a lady who does awesome seasonal, holiday, various theme necklaces wasn't there this year, as well as a lady who rescues damaged quilts and makes wonderful pillows, Santas, stockings, etc. wasn't there. I did get a garden slate for another DD who saw my beach one and loved it...going to be in with her Christmas stash from us. Now wish I had gotten the flip-flop one the lady had for sale too. She's usually at the Poquoson Seafood Festival so hopefully she'll have some of them there and I can get one there. Poquoson Seafood Festival is another one of our fall traditions....yummy seafood, nice crafts and good entertainment.

Quilter's Horoscope

Be sure to check your quilter's horoscope here by Pauline Rogers. I heard about it on ...ansewon's blog. I love her blog by the way always feel like I've have had a glass of tea and slice of pie with a friend when I visit her blog.

Anyway my horoscope said:
Taurus - April 21 to May 20 Taurus is the quilter who always finishes a project, as they are persistent and determined. When attending workshops or using a pattern they will follow every instruction to the letter. They can be greedy when it comes to their stash, as they know the value of material. They save every bit of scrap. However, they are warmhearted and loving to such a degree that they have given away nearly every quilt they have ever made. They are gifted artists, excelling at sewing, patchwork and quilting. The stitching in their quilts is of such high quality that their quilts will endure for eons.

Well..........Always finishes a project.......don't tell Pauline but I have a quilt Dresden Plate folded on quilt rack I made at least eight to ten years ago and the binding still isn't done........Three years ago at Mid-Atlantic bought a kit for a quilted wall hanging for grand-baby's room.......still not done....I have cut out freezer paper patterns for some of the applique....the gaudy tacky Grandmother's Flower garden I pieced from scraps......

the hexagons are too large for my taste.....it's huge....has yet to be quilted. Oh mercy, there is a double wedding ring I haven't finished piecing from a LONG time ago...I would estimate 1996....and there's an orange peel that isn't that old only eight years old that I haven't touched in seven years....maybe eight years. Bugs in Jar from what five years ago....not finished by a long shot.

Follow instructions to the "T" you say.......well yes you might be right...but I do vary or mix some different patterns and ideas together.......like the apron I did for a Halloween in July apron swap...I used three different patterns from three different websites to make it. Inspired by a child's apron. Enlarged it to adult size using another pattern, but I changed some of the measurements and some single layer of fabrics I doubled to hide seams. And I used a third quilt block for the bib part. Don't you know the swap partner never did send me the apron she made for me or she never made one to send to me....supposed to have been mailed out the first day of August or within a couple days and here it is October the 4th and nothing!! How is that for a professing Christian? I emailed her that it never arrived if she insured it she should file a claim. And nary word. She even posted on this blog she had received it, liked it and the other stuff I had included in the package. I consider myself to be a Christian too and I believe in the Golden Rule--do unto others as you would have them do unto you....She did say she was late getting it done...machine issues, but going that week to her mom's to work on it...I at least thought she'd send an email she was still working on it or whatever the situation is with the deal....guess I should forgive her and not hold a grudge that would be the Christian thing to do. Boy oh Boy do I get off subject and RAMBLE ON AN ON!!

YES I AM GREEDY...you hit the nail on the head there Pauline...I save every scrap over one inch wide. I was cutting up some scraps the other day and a few pieces were from when I was in high school in the 60's...brought back memories of dresses, shorts and skirts I made...some from 74 when I went to Hawaii with college roommate and her mom on alumni trip after we graduate...that spring.

Give most of them away??? Well, I think I've kept most of them---still greedy.........but first grandson has Noah's Ark I did....couldn't find a crib pattern for Noah's Ark that I liked. But I found one for a pillow I liked a lot so DH enlarged a pillow pattern and I turned it into a crib quilt. Then first granddaughter has teddy bear crib quilt I made for her. Youngest grandson has a motorcycle quilt that he designed....he saw two pieces of fabric and he told me he wanted me to make him a quilt using them and how he wanted the blocks to be. And then a quilt...throw in various prints in pink and brown that daughter wanted I did finish that and gave it to her. I bought the fabric and patern at the Mid-Atlantic after the wall hanging.

Well now, that was therapeutic...I have to make quilts for four more granddaughters. And I keep thinking of all those UFO's I need to finish.

Halloween sewing and yard decorations

Table on front porch. Witch's face I bought at Tuesday's Morning. The pumpkin dear daughter bought for me at Michael's and they carved the "C" in it. She also bought me the faux candle to go inside it. Really need to move the hurricane vase with sand, shells and candle from the summer along with tennis ball the lab still wants to chase once in a while.
The two witches flying into the trees I made by copying one my step-daughter bought at a fall festival. The two hanging from the trees flying around I bought at another fall festival in neighboring town.
Close up of one of the witches. DH ties a large heavy washer to fishing line and throws it over tree limb. I climb ladder, tie the fishing line in some knots, hang the witch and cut the washer off to use again.

Here's the Halloween sewing...machine embroidered this cute pumpkin on turtleneck and added one of the granddaughter's name...she tells people "Nana 'worded' this for me". This design is from a CD called Kookie Spookie (think that's right).
Wheelbarrows with pumpkins and mums around lamp pole. The pumpkin with Casper I did from a pattern dear father-in-law has. Not sure if he drew it up or someone else.
Close up of one of the witches that flew into one of the oak trees in yard. Behind her you can see witch silhouette in daughter's front yard. Life size, from a Martha Stewart's magazine a few years back. May still be on her web-site as the magazine had you download it from there. She also made the cat that was with it. That witch holds an lantern.
Next to the garage door are my two scarecrows I painted fifteen or sixteen years ago. Got the pattern from some craft magazine. The wooden rake and wooden hammer DH made for me when we did the scarecrows. I cut the head and hands out. DH made the body frames. We use bales of pine needles as the bales of hay just do not rot away, get too heavy with absorbed rain to move easily. I'm still using some from three and more years ago in various places pulled apart to fill in low spots. the pine needles we'll save until spring and spread them around azaleas.