Quilters Home

I was laying in bed reading my newest Quilters Home tonight when I realized something just wasn't right.......no one was calling me sweetie, cupcake or snookums. No sharp witted comments on Quiltzilla's. No cute puppy pic's to oh and awe over. NO MARK on the cover!!!!! I started to freak and went cover to cover looking for him.............I finally found him, on the little cardboard magazine subscription card stuck in the middle of the magazine. Lets just say I'm disappointed, and slightly disturbed that I spent money on a magazine that is not what it pretends to be. I wondered why Mark's face wasn't smiling at me on the newsstand, now I realize I missed the previous issue because I overlooked it, it looked just like all the other magazines coming out of Golden Colorado. I'm sad, I loved Mark's Quilters Home, it's just not the same without him. Needless to say I will not be spending my hard earned quilt money on this magazine anymore, it's sad when they try to copy something so good only to come up short. Hey I'm sure there are lots of quilters out there that are relieved to see Mark gone but those quilters won't buy the magazine just because Mark's pic is gone from the cover, it's to late to entice those few back and the rest of us are the loser's left with this watered down, pale, lifeless magazine.
(Note to the new Quilters Home, you should replace the subscription cards! False advertising or just to cheap to make new ones?)

pep talk-3

Brrrrrr it's cold outside, and it got cold in my studio before I got done with all 36 blocks! I decided to assemble the last 29 and do all at once.....ughhhhh....I'm down to finishing the corners and trimming them all up. I really tried to finish them all tonight but it was to big of a job and I have an early morning taking the kids to the eye doctor. Well anyway the pep talk was a success, I finally got some sewing done!

pep talk-2

Ok my little pep talk must of worked a bit, I went out to the studio and made 7 QAYG blocks for Heartstrings/Jay's Nursing Home Project. I have enough backs cut for 36 total blocks, 7 are done! Sara made dinner so I am on break, she is getting to be a good cook. (Pasta casserole) Only one problem with sending Brad out to start a fire today............he used my string bucket as a source for fire starter! I told him anything in the brown wicker basket was starter(I throw my scraps into it with newspaper) well he used some scraps out of the bucket sitting next to the wicker basket.............oh well.........guess I will forgive him this time, he started one heck of a fire and it was warm when I got out there. I'm going to move the bucket!

I did a pillowcase and kits at work last week, it's the start of the Million Pillowcase Challenge.

I also finished the Dog Quilt last week, to bad I misplaced the directions and can't write up the pattern...........ugh!!!!

Well off I go to sew some more, maybe I will post pep talk #3 when I get done in the studio.

Pep talk

I'm going to use this blog as a little 'pep talk' to myself today. I'm having a hard time being motivated to do anything this week. So when the kids get home I'm gonna have Brad help me start a fire, haul some wood, and throw some trash away. Sara gets to feed the goats and Josh can start some laundry. I'm then going to spend the afternoon in the studio sewing, not sure if I'm going to quilt but I am going to sew. I will be back later with pic's of my progress........

Grey

Ok in my last post I told ya I didn't want to show the grey.........well this is my tree line just east of the house. From what the weather man says this is whats in store for us the rest of the week and into next. Oh wait.......throw in a little rain, sleet and snow for good measure and every ones mood will just be 'fine and dandy'!

I love a little Halloween in January, this is Roseann's table topper, she will scallop the borders when she binds it. We found it's so much easier to quilt then scallop, I hate pinning wavy edges into the quilt machine.

And last but not least is Luann's quilt. She made this for her niece who is getting married the 6th of February. I am so glad I took overnight to sleep on the decision of whether to quilt it with blue thread or white thread. Last night I had in my head it would be white, went to quilt today and thought blue so I called Luann, made her decide. She took the decision out of my hands and picked blue. I love the end result, like she said white would of looked 'cheap'.

I finished my round at the bar and don't have to go back till Sunday, wow, two whole weekend nights off.........what will I do with myself? Ha-ha I will probably sleep, and that's where I am headed now, got a whole day of inventory and sewing tomorrow at the quilt shop.

Thursday

My next project for work...........

I finished this today for work, it's the first of the Strip Club we're offering.

I have plans for It's a String Thing Challenge........blues and yellows

Greens and purples...........

And black, white and red started.............

I'm in a rut......these gray days are killing me! I took a pic but it's so gray I hate to show it on this blog..........I did some sewing today finally, it felt good to get a few things done. I am going to go shower and get ready for work now, no one wants a bartender that smells like goat!

Whats going on

Sara wanted me to blog about what she bought for her friend's sister and new baby. She picked out the present by herself last weekend while in Norfolk shopping. The baby shower is Sunday and she's really looking forward to going. I'm giving a quilt that I've already showed somewhere on this blog. I'm also giving one to the baby's Grandparents for them to keep at their house. I have a feeling I will be working during the shower so Sara will have to deliver presents.

My mom wondered what I've been working on and why I haven't changed my blog for awhile. Here's the reason...........Lucky and Oreo take a lot of time and their sleep schedule kind of sucks! The kids do help with feedings and such so that helps a lot. I went to catch a goat and put her and the babies back in the chicken house today and found my favorite goat Heidi having twins, no wonder the other was out, she was running away from the new mommy! If I can keep all 9 alive now I will have quite a haul to take to the Exotic Animal Auction in March.

On the crafty side around here I have two hats to take off the looms (gotta find my big yarn needle) a scarf to finish for myself and a headband/wrap to make yet. I'm close to finishing the top of the red and black quilt for work, need to quilt a few things for other people. I have a cream and lace scarf to make, and I need to rev up my embroidery machine!

All this and cook, clean and do laundry...........oh and starting Thursday night I work non-stop thru the weekend.

Outside

The drifts were high as you can see. Sara and I tromped around a bit this morning.

The pigs, goat and chickens are doing fine. Sadie Goat is going to have babies any time, we are going to put her in the other chicken house to keep the babies safe when they are born.

The stupid ducks made it thru just fine. I still don't understand why they have to sleep in the middle of the driveway.

This is our new addition to the family as of last night. Kevin was looking out the window last night before heading to bed and this goat was out behind the tractor. He thought at first it was a cat with her, nope, it was this sweet little baby girl. We went out and got her, looked for another(only found one) and brought her in to warm up. Kev and Brian started a fire in their wood shop and made a goat pen beside the stove. Then we had to get the momma out from under my studio, Brian ended up crawling under and scaring her out. All this at 1:00 a.m. !!! I am glad to say as of now baby and momma are doing fine.

Hard to take a self pic and look glamorous with a baby goat...........

Snowed In

UGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH!!!! I'm going crazy!!! Let me out! Never thought I would say this but I'm ready to be out! Please let me go to work! As soon as the roads are open around here I'm gone!

Snow day

Here's a pic of my brother Kelsey and his Little Devil Quilt. I know it's a year late........ugh!

Here's two of the many throws Kristin and I did for presents this year. The pink one is Helena's and the cream one is Kelsey's. I used yarn out of Grandma Allen's stash for these. Just love them! I have one left to do for Sara then I'm done with this years Christmas......my kids are last on this list because they don't worry, they know they will get them sooner or later.

I took the time to make a few quilt as you go blocks. I got 7 done this evening. I will be sending these to Jay from Heartstrings yahoo group. He is collecting QAYG blocks for his nursing home project. I love doing their special projects, this time it's these and pillowcases for the Million Pillowcase Challenge. I will be doing a few cases also, the shop is going to be a drop off point.

I also took a little time to clean off half of my sewing desk. (I only took a pic of half cause the rest is piled as high as my head) I am working on this quilt for a strip club at the shop. I have 14 more blocks to assemble then 2 borders, won't take long when I get back out there tomorrow.

I found a few backs for my mom's quilts so maybe I will sew them up tomorrow also. There is one for Kelsey and one for Josh, (Brad's is done) and one extra. I also have one for Mom but there is no hurry for that one because I won't be sending it to Florida, just going to hold on to it till further notice.

I came in early tonight because it was getting cold in my studio and I was to lazy to go out in the dark for more wood. I am planning a nice quiet evening snowed in with my family(and brother-in-law) they are cooking chicken and noodle soup with mashed potato's, Kristin and Sara made cookies and peanut clusters. They are playing Scrabble also. I think I'm going to find a blanket and crochet hook.

one of these....

By the time we're out of this latest blizzard I'm going to need more than one of these!!!

Gotta love Winter if you live in Nebraska(or anywhere in the US right now). Heck it's even cold in Florida were my mom is......bbbbbrrrrrrrr!

Well anyway I've been out in my studio a little today, Brian started my fire and it's nice and toasty in there now, I came in the house for a bite to eat and I'm heading back out to take advantage of the heat. I got the Dog Quilt done for work(no binding yet) and I'm sure I can find something else to quilt before I get tired. When I get tired of quilting I will sew up my red/black/white quilt for work. Ok off I go again thru the snow............

More Christmas

Interesting decoration for a Christmas tree.......my nephew has a snake infatuation, he's 7. We're pretty sure he didn't put the snake in the tree, it was to high for him to reach. I'm sure someone(sister, cousin) hid his snake from him.

My sweet girls are getting old! 2 sophomores and one college freshman...oh my! Shyann goes to UNL and is studying elementary education. Kristin is at Northwestern studying secondary education English with a minor in theater and speech. Jill has changed hers again and now wants to work for the American Heart Association in the business end of it. Not sure what she told me her major was, long title and I forget easy.

I gave my dad and his wife this quilt for Christmas. It matches the family room in the basement. I love this quilt...........it was hard to give away.
On the way to work this morning........gotta run, gonna be late!!!