Slow Sunday Stitching, Chasing Squirrels Last Week

 Another busy week has passed.  This week was Begonia Meeting and I was one of the members that was providing refreshments.  The other member was bringing fixings for nachos, so I tried to coordinate my refreshments to go with hers.  I made this Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad, Pina Colada Fruit Salad.  I also made three cookie bars, Pecan Squares, Soft Pumpkin Cookies, and Raspberry Almond Linzer Shortbread.  I literally was cooking all day, but everything was a hit.

Wednesday was guild meeting, and afterwards I spent about 1-1/2 hours at my internet office trying to get a problem sorted out.  

My daughters have some friends that get together for dinner on people's birthdays.  I got invited because they were celebrating my daughter Katie's BD and Suzanne, both of whom have August birthdays, but various reasons got delayed celebrating.  It was a fun evening.  

Friday afternoon granddaughter Kyleigh and I went to lunch at a nursery that has a cafe that is always in popular demand.  Kyleigh obtained the last reservation of the week.  

I might have chased a couple of squirrels last week.  I had all my Halloween fabrics out from making my friend Jandra's Tired of Trickin Quilt.

Then this past week I participated in the Gremlins, Goblins and Ghouls, Oh My Blog Hop.  You can read about it here.  This was my project.  My Ghoulish Gnomes.

The first squirrel I chased that wasn't on my original plan for the week was to make my granddaughter Kyleigh a Halloween table runner.  She had been over the week before, and in mixed with my Halloween fabrics were some Halloween orphan blocks from a long, long ago swap I was in.   She liked them, and the Boo fabric.  So I decided to make her a table runner, and give it to her at the luncheon.  I finished it about an hour before I left.   The little ghost block was from a swapper in the Netherlands!

The next squirrel I chased was after reading a post by Carol Swift @Just Let Me Quilt.    She had designed this quilt, Who's Looking At You.  I thought my daughters would like it, so I cut two out.  They are all prepared for quilting.  Unfortunately I didn't read the directions before I cut and fused all my pieces, where it said everything had been reversed.  I reversed them myself, so my versions are opposite the pattern.  They were such big pieces, and I had used so much fusible and fabric, I left them as they were.  

I think I can put my Halloween fabrics away now.  Plus about 6-7 ladies from the guild are coming over next Wednesday for workday at my house, so I need to clean up my work areas anyway.  

What I will be working on for Slow Sunday Stitching is putting the binding on my brother's quilt and sewing it down by hand.  I wasn't able to work on it last week, I had a lot going on chasing those squirrels.  

I will be linking up with Kathy's Quilts for Slow Sunday Stitching.  Head on over and check out what everyone has been up to.  

To top things off on Saturday night, I went to put some of my leftovers from this week in the microwave.  It wouldn't work.  I tried unplugging it and plugging it back in.  Nothing.  A little while later I tried warming up a cup of water.  All of a sudden it went on.  I put my dinner in, and it would not work.  I looked inside and apparently we bought it in 2014, I guess it was tired.  I ended up going to Home Depot and getting a new microwave.  What a pain!  

Thanks for stopping by!

Gremlins, Goblins, and Ghouls, Oh My Blog Hop, My day

Today is the second day of the Gremlins, Goblins and Ghouls Blog hop, hosted by the fabulous Joan @Moosestash Quilting.  I really appreciate participating in this blog hop, and I had fun creating my projects.  The full schedule is below.  

The first thing I made was this pattern  I bought on Etsy called "Tired of Trickin".  I thought it was really cute.

I made it for my friend Jandra.   She admired some of my Halloween quilts, so I made this one for her, and gave it to her last week.  This is my version, and the night I gave it to her.  

The second thing I made was a Spooky Time Gnomes Bench pillowcase as a kit.  The pattern was by The Whole Country Caboodle, designer Leanne Anderson. This was a laser cut kit and was pretty easy to do.  

Thanks again to Joan for this great blog hop.  So far I have seen some amazing projects.  Be sure and visit the other bloggers below.  

Monday Oct 17

Just Let Me Quilt

For the Love of Geese

Patchouli Moon Studio

Inflorescence

Scrapdash

 

Tuesday Oct 18

Creatin’ in the Sticks

Quilted Delights

Karrins Crazy World

Quilt Schmilt

Selina Quilts

 

Wednesday Oct 19

Elizabeth Coughlin Designs

Vicki’s Crafts and Quilting

Just Sew Quilter

Homespun Hannah's Blog

Words & Stitches

 

Thursday Oct 20

Songbird Designs

Ms P Designs USA

Lynns Beauty

Time4stitchn

Crazy'bout Quilts

 

Friday Oct 21

Pinker n' Punkin Quilting & Stitching

Just Because Quilts

BeaQuilter

Pieceful Thoughts

Thanks for stopping by!  

Gremlins, Goblins and Ghouls Blog Hop Starts Today

Today is the start of the Gremlins, Goblins and Ghouls Blog hop, hosted by the fabulous Joan @Moosestash Quilting.    She is one of the amazing ladies that come up with these amazing blog hops.  I have had fun creating my projects.  The schedule for the full hop is below.  

Monday Oct 17

Just Let Me Quilt

For the Love of Geese

Patchouli Moon Studio

Inflorescence

Scrapdash

 

Tuesday Oct 18

Creatin’ in the Sticks

Quilted Delights

Karrins Crazy World

Quilt Schmilt

Selina Quilts

 

Wednesday Oct 19

Elizabeth Coughlin Designs

Vicki’s Crafts and Quilting

Just Sew Quilter

Homespun Hannah's Blog

Words & Stitches

 

Thursday Oct 20

Songbird Designs

Ms P Designs USA

Lynns Beauty

Time4stitchn

Crazy'bout Quilts

 

Friday Oct 21

Pinker n' Punkin Quilting & Stitching

Just Because Quilts

BeaQuilter

Pieceful Thoughts

Thanks for stopping by!  

Hand Quilt Along, Slow Sunday Stitching

It's been a whirlwind week for me.  In addition to my regular singing practice, and quilt pin basting I have had a lot more outside activities.  

Most of the family attended granddaughter Klara's school performance of Starstruck.  Each of the grades, plus the teachers had a dance number with a different tune from a movie  Klara's third grade class performed "Life is a Highway" from the Cars movie.  

Wednesday was my birthday and and the quilters that were at basting day took me to lunch at Panera.   Then that evening my family took me to our favorite Mexican place.  Grandson Jaeger, the slightly taller one, on the right, flew in from a New Mexico for a short break from college.  

Thursday another friend took me to brunch.  Then Thursday night my 2 daughters planned a painting party for me, it included a couple of my daughters friends, granddaughter Kyleigh, Jandra who is her boyfriend Drew's grandmother, and Victoria Drew's mother.  It was such a fun evening.  We got to chose what project we wanted to work on.  When we arrived they had our wooden boards prepared, and the stencils cut out.   We weeded out the remaining parts on the stencils and then painted our boards.    

Kyleigh, Drew and Jandra

They had tons of projects you could choose from

Jandra made this tray for Drew and Kyleigh

Victoria, Jandra and me

Daughters Katie and Kristen are on the right

This was my completed project.  

Friday Kyleigh, Jandra and Victoria and I went to lunch too for my birthday.  Needless to say, I have had a lot of leftovers in my frig, and never felt so loved.  

Saturday night was grandson Keaton's high school prom at his school.   Keaton and Addie make such a cute couple.  They are juniors in high school.  

This week I also received my choices for the $50 gift card I got One Of The Flock, who have a great Etsy shop with wools, felts and all sorts of great kits.  I won this on the Autumn Jubilee going on at From My Carolina Home.    I really appreciate their generosity in this prize.  

For slow stitching this week, I will be working on my woolie gnome project, and putting binding and hand sewing it down on my brother Bill's quilt.  This is going to take awhile I think.  

Check out the Hand Quilt along Links below.  

Hand Quilt Along Links

This Hand Quilt Along is an opportunity for hand quilters and piecers to share and motivate one another. We post every three weeks, to show our progress and encourage one another.  If you have a hand quilting project and would like to join our group contact Kathy at the link below.

Kathy, Margaret, Deb, Nanette, Sharon, Karrin, Daisy, and  Cathie 

I'll be also linking up with Kathy's Quilts for Slow Sunday Stitching.    Head on over there and check out what everyone there has been up to.  

Sunday morning, daughters Kristen and Katie and I will be participating in the Breast Cancer march at the state capital, so we will be up at the crack of dawn to be there at 7 a.m.  

Thanks for stopping by!

Slow Sunday Stitching, Long post

It's been a couple of weeks since I posted.  Two weeks ago, my daughter and I worked at a plant sale for several hours both Saturday and Sunday representing the Begonia Society.  I was finally able get rid of the begonias I was babysitting.  This is JJ another member of the Begonia Society.  It is fun to work with her, she has a quick sense of humor.  

The only trouble with working at the plant sale, with all sorts of plants is that I might have gotten in a little trouble  Right across the aisle from us was a booth selling staghorn ferns, bromeliads and bonsai plants.  I was tempted by this staghorn fern.

I also got these Gesneriaceae, of the African violet family I think.  They were at the table with African violets.

I also got this bromeliad and another mini begonia that was sold at another table.

I also got a few outdoor plants, a 2 new geraniums and a butterbur plant.  

My shelf in the kitchen is getting a little full.  

Last Sunday was grandson Keaton's BD.  He just turned 16, and got his driver's permit.  

This was a picture at one of the two proms he went to recently with his girlfriend Addie.  They go to different high schools, so attended both proms.

I've been working on a number of projects recently.  I made this wallhanging for my stepdaughter Dawn's BD.  I took a coloring page and fused a bunch of batiks and cut out the felt letters with my Cricut machine.  

I've prepped 4 blocks for the Woolie Gnome Stitch Along from Calico Patch Designs on Facebook.  I just need to start hand stitching the pieces down.

This is what I will be working on for Slow Sunday Stitching.  I'll be linking up with Slow Sunday Stitching at Kathy's Quilts.    Head on over and see what everyone is up to.

In case you haven't heard already, Carole @ My Carolina Home is having her annual Autumn Jubilee, with multiple projects, multiple sponsors.  I always look forward to this every year.  I found out Saturday morning that I was a winner of a $50 gift certificate from One Of The Flock, who have a great Etsy shop with wools, felts and all sorts of great kits.  

The other thing I have been up to is working on an extensive yard project with a landscaping guy.   With the ongoing drought in California, I am having my two lawn areas in my front taken out and replaced by bark.  I also need two 40+ year old birch trees that are half dead taken out.   This the side yard.  The plan is to take the grass out, plant a couple of trees with drip irrigation going to them.

The plan is also to take out the grass in front of the garage, take out the cinder blocks I was using as a garden, and make a larger garden area encompassed by moss rocks.  I spent several hours digging up plants and putting them in pots temporarily.  The plants in containers will be moved closer to the November 1st when my project will be started.  

There are also plans to take out some juniper tams in this front section.  I have a circular driveway and there is a garden area in front of the driveway and in front of the sidewalk. The junipers have been there probably for 40+ years and I am tired of them.  I plan to redo this garden area, but I am waiting to see how much the other things I want done first.  The landscaper is coming on Monday or Tuesday to give  me the estimates.  

I also am redoing this garden in front of the house.  I have 2 camellias that are not doing that well, and the garden area is covered by plastic covered with bark.  The ground underneath is 44+ year old packed soil I cannot dig in.  So the camellias are being taken out, the soil broken up and made into something I can plant in.  I always have to plant everything in a pot and it is annoying.  I have hardpan.  They are also putting in drip irrigation in all gardens and in the front section so the cedar gets watered better.  

I also made a couple of yummy meals.  I love pimento cheese, I grew up with it, but haven't really made it in years.  John didn't care for pimentos.  He had a bad experience in the Navy where they put pimentos in lime Jello.  He loved Jello, and felt the pimentos ruined it.  Anyway the pimentos jumped out at me at the grocery store the other day, so I made some.

I also made some Pozole.  Traditional Mexican pozole is a rich, brothy soup made with pork, hominy and red chiles.  I also added some chicken I had leftover from a rotisserie chicken.  It is like a soup, with salad on top.  I added cabbage, avocado, jalapeno, radishes, cilantro,  and tortilla chips.  It was yummy and I also froze some.  

This week our singing group will visit a nursing home.  We are booked for October and November.  Granddaughter Klara has a performance this week which I will attend.  My BD is Wednesday and on Thursday my girls, grandaughter, her boyfriend, and his mother and grandmother are going to do this painting thing tentatively.  You paint your own item, whatever you pick.  

Sorry this turned into a book, but a lot has been going on.  

Thanks for stopping by!