Bad, Bad, Blogger

My oh My I am a bad blogger...last time I blogged I had just broken my foot! Well...I switched groups and went to the one I have past history with and trust. He told me it was not bad, he saw no need of surgery, the boot was all I needed. Went back month ago and 90% healed...go back end of this month. Apparently takes as long for the last 10% as it does for the first 90% in the healing process.

Memorial Day morning I looked out my kitchen window and saw several deer in my backyard. Grew up in the rural country and never saw a deer except along roadside near woods or victim of an accident with vehicle. Live in the "BIG CITY" and see deer it seems all the time the past year or so. By the time I found camera they were in neighbors back yard behind mine.



Laura is playing T-ball. Hope she follows her mom's footsteps and play baseball with the boys! She and sister Rachel are both riding two wheel bikes learned in a couple hours. Emily is ripping behind them on her trike.
I did polka-dotted initials on t-shirts for the girls their mom bought for Memorial Day and the Fourth of July


These were taken at Memorial Day cookout.

I'll try to do better...

CELEBRATING AUTUMN

Here are the three girls with the shirts I did for them at the Fall Festival yesterday at Newport News City Park after they had their faces painted.



A family tradition we started few years ago...daughter, her husband and three babies get in their car, we get in our car, some years her husband's parents get in their car, his brother and his family gets in their car and we head over to Surry County to College Run Farm to pick pumpkins. This year son-in-law's parents and his brother and his family didn't go because of other commitments but the rest of us went and our oldest grandson rode with us. We picked pumpkins, afterward we had delicious homemade vanilla and pumpkin ice-cream they have for sale there. And shopped in their gift shop.

We go across the JRB---James River Bridge which is 4-1/2 miles long to go Isle of Wight County. Ride past fields of cotton, soy beans, peanuts, corn, etc. to Surry County where more fields of the same growing.

And we start seeing fields of pumpkins and know we are nearing College Run Farm.

Laura with a little pumpkin she picked

Here are some of the family checking out which ones they want and picking their favorites.

Emily said she must have her bling-bling purse if shopping for pumpkins

Rachel with her gourd


Some of the pumpkins I got at College Run Farm.

More of them...
Later today and tomorrow I need to get my stuff down and out for Halloween...my wheelbarrows, porch and area around scarecrows need a lot of sprucing up.

HALLOWEEN SHIRTS

My DD saw a shirt she loved for her three girls to wear during the Halloween season. She didn't however like the price tag almost $40 for a shirt for a two, three and four year old. Yep it would have been $120. for three shirts. She asked if I could come up with a Witches Hat Applique in Zebra print, Polka Dots, etc.

I went to Target bought three white t-shirts. Went to Nancy's Calico Patch and bought some zebra print fabric and lightweight fusible. Went to Wal-mart and bought several spools of ribbon.

Drew a witch's hat on the paper backing on the fusible, cut the shape out, ironed it to the front of the t-shirts. Did a black zig-zag around the edges, stitched the ribbon down around where the band would join the hat, made a bow and stitched it down.
And using the "Child's Play" font built into my Bernina 830 I added their names on a slight curve following the brim of the hat.

And the results-----

HALF A BRAIN, JUST HALF A BRAIN IS ALL I WANT...

I would like to have just half a brain. . . just half. . . Today was a day where what little brain I do have was not functioning. . .

Last fall I bought a Bernina 830. LOVE IT! But I was a tad bit slow. . . I took the out of the box class. . . and a few others here and there when my schedule permitted. It's not like this was my first computerized machine. . . I had the Bernina 180, still do. For some reason when I brought the 830 home I could not take it out of the box and set it up. The two boxes which are VERY LARGE were in downstairs bedroom and they made the perfect gift-wrapping center for wrapping Christmas presents with the embroidery unit box sitting on top of the box with the machine in it.

Finally in February I took another class and promised my friends in it (we all have 830s) I was going home, take down my 180 and set up the 830. . . and I did within a few weeks. . .

This past week I went in to purchase the USB stick. . . over the weekend I decided to finally get on the computer and open software to design the monograms. . . saved them to the USB stick. . . . . . check it on the computer designs there. . . today I stick the USB in the 830 and doesn't find the designs. . . what is wrong??? DUMMY HERE saved it like you would on a regular USB and it was therefore saved in ART format. Shouldn't have been. . . should have been saved in EXP??? Think that's right. . . anyway I should have done it as if the computer was hooked up to the machine and sending design to it and instead of clicking on 830 machine click on 830 USB stick so it would change it to the required format needed on the machine. . . So I go back. . .do it correctly after it dawned on dimwit here what was wrong. . . go back to machine. . . low and behold the design is there this time. . . start stitching and the bobbin thread is pulling up. . . Re-thread the bobbin area and again. . . still pulling up. . . remove hoop and start picking out what had been stitched.

After lunch go to my dealer and tell them dumbest of dumb, dumber and dumbest (what my two friends and I call our little threesome group. . . (one of the instructors there calls us her problem children---see we are pitiful I tell ya) . . . the ladies working know it means. . . I have a simple problem but it turns major when comes to me . . . calls one of the Bernina experts . . . Bless her heart. . . shows Dumbest here how to thread the bobbin thread for normal sewing and the additional step for embroidery work. . . so it goes through three slots. . . and how to use the dental mirror to check to make sure it is in all three slots. . . well two of the slots. . . the first one is easy to see. . .

Now what I did after all that ordeal any ordinary person with half a brain could have done with their eyes close . . .

DD brought two cute dresses for her oldest two which she wanted me to do a three letter monogram on the bodice for them to wear to Meet-the-Teacher this Thursday at the pre-school they will be attending three days a week this coming school year.

Some time back I purchased the curly font at ALL ABOUT BLANKS Check them out they have darling things!!! I thought that font would be precious on these two dresses.









And this is a lunch bag which one of them wanted me to put her name on. This font is one built into the machine.

I Machine Embroidried Today

Last month a friend of one of our girls asked if I could put her daughter's name or initial(s) on a few towels and pillowcases she is taking to college this fall. Warned her I had not bonded yet with my new sewing machine as the previous week I did a large "E" on bathing suit for one of the grandbabies which turned out good but then "L'' on her little friends dress for her birthday didn't do as well...off centered. (I knew it was me and not machine...found out the reason from dealer and tried not to do that trick again).

Since the grandbabies are at the beach this week, I thought today would be a good afternoon to warm up to the new 830... Took me a WHILE to figure out what functions did what...and what is so sad is I have a 180 I got back in 2000, which embroiders and I used that baby daily...but took me a while to bond with her too...kept going back to my early 80's 930. Guess, I'm a slow bonder. . . is that a word??? doubt it. . .

Well, the 830 told tested me and jammed gears but I was bound and determine she would not get the upper hand. . . did what machine told me to do, did all the suggestions then tried again and worked fine....I think/know I am not doing the bobbin correctly that sucker is tricky, two ways to thread it one for normal sewing one for embroidery...I just try, say a prayer, hold my breath and hope it is correct. . .

Anyhoo... below is hand-towel and bath-sheet. . .

Two bath-towels. . .

A couple hand-towels and pillow case. . .
By the time I was finishing up we were agreeing with each other better...but the pillow case the bobbin wasn't correct as a few of the bobbin threads showed an ency weensy bit. . .

One day this week going to go visit dealer and practice there the two different ways to thread bobbin. . .

Tomorrow. . . going to be spray painting two chairs, three tables, a few milk cans and such. . .

Following day. . . painting porch swing. . . since it is dark and going white wondering how many coats it will take ? ? ? Be using Kiltz first so the dark stain won't bleed through the white paint.

LONG OVERDUE

I've been told I am long overdue for blogging. And I am. I promise to blog again soon. So far behind I'm not sure where I'll start. But I promise I shall soon . . . must get over whatever is going on in my lungs. . .told bronchitis but the medications hasn't helped that much and have finished the Z-pack--still taking the others.

My goal is to put an "E" on the cutest little swimsuit for the cutest little 19 month old with my new machine. Took my old one in for a good going over and to have two issues fixed...low bobbin thread alert and needle threader. Both had to be replaced on old one. It is now good for me to take to class or baby daughter to take over it when she feels she's ready to upgrade machines.

To get an idea how sick I've been, I was in the quilt shop one morning to order an embroidery stick. That afternoon Dr. Al called to tell me this issues, costs, etc., next day someone called and said it was ready to be picked up. Took me OVER two weeks to get there to pick it up. NOW, that was a first I doubt seriously that store open for 23 years at various locations and I've never been a week without dropping by to peek around to see what's new, etc.

When I went to get refills for Rx's I stopped in, got machine and the new stick.




Garden Song embroidery designs are by Nancy Halvorsen. Really nice designs in it. And while I was googling around looking for pictures of it found out there is a line of fabric by her in the Garden Song theme which looks NICE too!

Lori of Blue Waters...I PROMISE...I will get those pics and lace to you soon.

And good news is M-I-L who was taken ill before we went to PA and admitted to hospital, we cut trip short when we learned about her and came home to find her being moved to nursing facility for therapy. This week family told she should be able to go home in two weeks. We are elated never thought she'd be able to go home again the first few weeks at the facility. However, with the bout I've been dealing with and also DH dealing with now as well I can see how someone in their 90's could get that weak that quick.

RECENT SEWING

Here's a turtleneck I did for 'Lil Miss Rachel. Her Mommy brought the shirt back with the ones I did for Laura and Rachel with Christmas motifs before Christmas.
The frog has a tutu on. It's from "Playful Pals" one of the Crafter's Collection division by OESD. You can order it online. I bought mine at my Bernina Dealer and Quilt Shop---Nancy's Calico Patch. Where I went this morning to buy more Kona in black for my Blooming Buds quilt. While there I picked up a fat quarter of roses on a yellow background for the said quilt. I had bought fabric for the backing and outer boarder previously. Though I like the fabric a lot I was not overly happy with it for this particular quilt. Today I found just what I had in mind for it. I'll have to add a picture of the fabric I bought later. I've been cutting more squares, cutting them into triangles and sewing them to strips to make more blocks. I need to get cracking on it...Monday night we put the strips together and do the binding.

Today I decorated the tree for a while. Then decided to take a break and sew some. First I altered the sleeve length on a shirt for DH. And then on to something fun....A couple weeks ago I told where I had bought this OESD machine embroidery CD "Secret Santa". This week DD bought three turtlenecks for the oldest two of her three precious baby girls for me to do some designs on. She had picked out two designs from this card...

...to do on two of them. She picked out this tree for the two and half year old...

...and this sweet treats stocking design for the one and half year old...

Sweet Treats is actually to do for a jar lid cover...but she thought it would be cute on the shirt. I tried to remove the outer border and just have the stockings, candy and the circle of pink snowflakes but I was having issues with the design software and gave up on that idea.

Next one to do is a pink turtleneck for the 1 and half year old which she wants me to do the frog in a pink tu-tu.

Turkey Art Work, Embroidery CD's and Fabric

This is my precious 2-1/2 old grandbaby taken yesterday when she came by here from her morning at pre-school to show us what she did in art. Is that not the most beautiful turkey you have ever seen?

I had a call today my embroidery CD had come in at my favorite Bernina dealer/quilt store---Nancy's Calico Patch. So I went down and I picked up this...

I was in there the other week and ordered it since it has some designs I think will be adorable on the newest grandbaby's onesies. And some that will be cute on T-shirts for the 1-1/2 and 2-1/2 year old.

Since I had paid for it when I ordered it and I had debated about this one

I decided to go ahead and bite the bullet and the Christmas one on plastic. It too has some cute things to put on the three grandbaby girl's clothes. I'm sure their mommy will find some shirts for me to "worded them" as the 2-1/2 calls it when I did one for her for Halloween and baby sister when she was born in Sept.

Since I am addicted to fat quarters I saw these and had to have them. The upper right hand corner one is of jelly beans. I am collecting food prints for a quilt/throw for my kitchen to throw over one of the two recliners in there by the fireplace.

And I saw this panel for a fabric book to make for the grandbabies.

This is what a section of the panel looks like.

Since I used my market bag...


The shop sells the bag, you embroider Nancy's Calico Patch on it and anything else you desire you receive a free gift when you use your bag when you make a purchase. There is a minimal purchase amount. I don't recall how much but it's something like $15-$20.

Today the gift was to grab a pattern from a basket. And this is the pattern I grabbed...


I think a couple of the fat quarters I bought today would be cute to use in that purse.

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.

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.

Today's project

Yesterday Robyn brought some onesies over for me to do some machine embroidery on them to personalize for Miss Emily. Below are the results. The third one has ladybugs on either side of her name. The onesies are organic by Gerber and are so SOFT!!!

When 2-1/2 year old big sister Laura saw them she asked me, "Did you 'worded' them, Nana?"