My color choices for the New Year's Eve Mystery Quilt

I know, I know that I got the cart before the horse in posting photos. I just got all the fabrics laid out in one place so I could take the photo. The colors are a little muddled in the photo.......in real life they are much prettier. Anyway this will give you an idea of the colors that I found in my stash to do this Mystery Quilt.

Update on Clue 1 of Mystery Quilt

I have all the Dark Yellow and Indigo pieces cut for all 120 blocks. I have about 75 of the Neutral pieces cut. Curiosity got the better of me and I just had to sew one of the blocks together. The block was not cooperating in the photo.......it does lay flat and it is 3 1/2-inch square.

As you can see it takes a rotary cutter, mat and 3 different rulers to cut the pieces. Overkill in the ruler department........not really. Each ruler has a function. I use a 2x18-inch Draft N Cut ruler, 6 1/2-inch Easy Angle ruler and 6 1/2-inch Easy Square, Jr. I never used rulers like this until I found Bonnie Hunter's site and started using her patterns. The rulers make it so much easier cutting the pieces.

Now that my curiosity is satisfied.........I need to finish up housework that I've put off today so I could play with my stash.

Bonnie Hunter's New Year's Eve Mystery Quilt - Clue One

The first clue for Bonnie Hunter's Double Delight Mystery Quilt was posted this morning around 6:30am. The photo show what the finished block will look like........it doesn't show that each block is 3 1/2-inches. We are to make 120 of these blocks.

My quilt will be a little scrappy as I am using several prints for each one of the colors. I want to use some of my stash instead of going out and buying more fabric. Of course............using several prints from my stash will diminish my stash and we can't have that...........so I will be shopping for more prints soon. I try to take advantage of Joann's sales and coupons.

On Black Friday after Thanksgiving I was able to purchase $140 worth of quilting supplies for $63 by using my coupons and buying what was on sale. I loved the early bird coupon that you could use to get a percentage off your whole purchase even sale items.

Off to walk for 15 minutes and then on to cutting pieces for my 120 blocks.

Anxiously Awaiting First Clue

The above photo was found on a quilt blog. I thought it was quite unique.

I'm anxiously awaiting the first clue for Bonnie Hunter's New Year's Eve Mystery Quilt. I have my fabrics picked out, pressed and ready to cut. Now I have to finish moving my sewing machine and getting everything arranged again. I don't know why I decided to move my sewing machine in the first place. I loved it where it was at and I had everything within reach that I needed.......rulers, rotary cutter, scissors, cutting mat, threads, fabric sorted by colors, ect.

Not only is Bonnie Hunter.....www.quiltville.com having a Mystery Quilt for New Year's. Planet Patchwork.....www.planetpatchwork.com is having one starting at 11am EST and ending at 5pm EST. There is also going to be a Mystery Quilt at About.com:Quilting starting at 8am EST. From the fabric listed it will be a wallhanging.

I will save the clues from both of these sites for another day. One of the ladies on a quilt group I belong to said that she will be doing 3 Mystery Quilts on New Year's Day. I don't think it would be a lot of fun trying to do 3 projects of this magnitude at one time. I would rather save 2 of the projects for another day.

Mystery Quilts can become additive I have found. I have finished 2 and will be starting my third as soon as Bonnie posts the first clue.

Is it New Year's Eve day yet???????????

I'm so excited about the new Mystery Quilt that Bonnie Hunter is doing this year on New Year's Eve day. I have my colors all picked out and ready to go. Now I'm just waiting for the first clue!!!!!!!!! Can you tell I'm excited????????

I moved my sewing machine to a different area in the living room about a month ago........thinking that I would have more room for everything. WRONG!!!!!!!!!!!! So today I'm going to put it back where it was located.

I know that I really should move everything into the craft/computer room........I can't stand being isolated when I am sewing. It's a good thing that Rich grew up with a sewing mother. She too, didn't like to be isolated. Her sewing machine was located in the dining room. Rick said that she would sew while all the kids did their schoolwork at the dining table.

Our living room, entry, dining room and kitchen are all open to each other. My sewing machine will be moved back to entry area. With it there I can use the dining table which is located close to the entry way. I just have to remember to push in my chair so that its not blocking the front door........which is hardly ever used as our mobile home is set up backwards and we enter through the back door. That's a lot easier that walking across the lawn and around the corner to the front door. The reason the mobile home was set up backwards is so that we could see out across the valley through the bay windows across the front of the mobile.........otherwise we would have been looking straight into a hillside. We bought the mobile home already set up.........so choice was not ours.

Well, I'm off to get laundry started and then start moving my sewing machine and fabric stash.

Shirley

Double Delight Mystery Quilt

As most of you know I'm a huge fan of Bonnie Hunter.......www.quiltville.com She periodically has Mystery Quilts on her site. In the past she has done Carolina Crossroads, Orange Crush and Old Tobacco Road. I have finished Orange Crush and Old Tobacco Road tops.......they are waiting in line to be quilted. I didn't get in on the Carolina Crossroads project at the time it was going on.........I do have all the clues saved for a time when I need a project. Yeah, right!!!!!!!!! You needing a project. Bonnie's new Mystery Quilt is called Double Delight and it will start on New Year's Eve Day. She has already posted the material requirements. It calls for Double Pinks, Light Neutrals, Indigos, Brown and Gold/Cheddar. I hurried to my fabric stash.........and was soon disappointed that I didn't have any Double Pinks, Indigos, Brown or Gold/Cheddar. Now what am I going to do????????????? So soon after Christmas I can't go shopping for fabric........so I need to sit and rethink my color choices Okay.........I found some beautiful red fabric I will use instead of Double Pinks............some shades of blue that are lighter than indigo..........some beautiful black with silver design that I will use instead of brown.........then I found some dark yellow with gold fabric that I can use for the Gold/Cheddar. I had recently bought several pieces of small tan and beige fabrics that I can use for the Light Neutrals. After placing all my fabrics together I think they will come together and make a beautiful quilt. Now, I have to patiently wait for the first clue

Over for Another Year

Christmas is over for another year!!!! To me, it didn't seem like we even had Christmas this year. I didn't feel like spending 2 weeks putting up our tree and decorating the house this year. Usually I can't wait to start dragging out all the boxes of Christmas Goodies. I kept dragging my feet until Rick asked me if I needed any help dragging all the boxes out of the storage shed. I told him that I really didn't feel like decorating for Christmas this year. He told me what ever I decided was okay with him. I kept thinking that I would find the energy to decorate..........I never did. Maybe not decorating the house was one of the reasons it didn't seem like Christmas to me this year.

I could go on and on about why it didn't feel like Christmas........now that it's over I guess it doesn't matter so I might as well focus on getting in the mood for next year. Maybe if I start now I can find my Christmas spirit that I seem to have lost this year.

Shirley

I'm Still Around and Kickin'

It's hard to believe that I haven't posted to my blog since July. The reason why I haven't is because we have not had internet in our home since August. I have been going to the library and using the computer 1 hour each week. In that time I don't have time to blog........I barely got everything else done I needed. We now have our internet back in our home. It's so nice to be able to communicate with all my family and friends once again on a daily basis.

Rich is still busy working and counting down the years until he can retire. He has been having some medical issues. They found that some of his arteries around his heart are small. They think it is a heritary problem. He has to go back for more tests in March.

I have been doing pretty good lately with my Fibromyalgia. It hasn't gone away.........it still rears its ugly head some days and I can't get out of bed. I've been busy making Christmas gifts. I have been sewing pillows, tablerunners and crocheting hot pads. I think I can crochet the hot pads in my sleep. I'll have to take some photos and post later.

Talk to everyone later.

Happy Birthday, Misty!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Happy Birthday, Misty!!!!! Misty was born on July 4th, 2006. She was such a little girl when we brought her home. She loved to curl up on Rich's lap and sleep. Now that she is all grown up she would rather take her catnaps in the box at the top of her playstation. Since we brought her home she had gone through multiple color changes. The photos don't do justice to her colors.

Many Faces of Misty

Rich holding Misty outside on the porch.
Misty checking out my treadmill.
Whenever I am taking photos of my quilt tops Misty thinks she has to give them her seal of approval.
Misty hiding in her play toy she got as one of her Christmas presents.
Misty checking out the Christmas ornaments. She thought she was hiding so I couldn't see her.
Taking a nap on my craft desk. I hadn't opened the curtain yet so she climbed under the curtain and covered up with it.
Taking a cat nap on our bed.
Misty posing on my Christmas quilt top.
Misty checking out something on the floor from her perch.
Misty having one of her several catnaps each day.
Believe it or not.......this is her favorite position to take one of her catnaps.
Misty loves the color red.......the little teddy ornament had a red Santa hat on.....she thought it was fun to bat it and watch it swing back and forth.
Misty looking at some cherries after she put her little paw in the box and pulled them out.
Peeking through the curtains while laying on my craft desk.
She seems to be thinking........Put that camera where the sun doesn't shine!!!!!!!!!!!!
Taking a bath.
Sound asleep laying on her back.
Curled up on the sofa pillows.
Misty settling down in a box of my fabrics to take a catnap.

It's Been A While

Bonnie Hunter's Orange Crush Mystery Quilt that I have finished. Just have to do borders and quilt.

It's been a while since I last blogged. I went out and got a job at a bakery/deli at one of our local grocery stores. I thought I was being hired to help at the counter, do cake decorating and make sandwiches. It turned out I was hired to do all the dirty pots and pans, take out 5-33 gallon trash bags, sweeping, mopping, cleaning the fryers and every other nasty job they could inflict on me. I hardly ever got to work on the counters, make sandwiches and never got to help with cake decorating. I was taking 15-20 Extra Strength Advil every day just to make it thru my shifts.

So, I quit! Didn't give a notice......just walked in and quit! This is not like me as I have never done that in my life with a job. I have always given notices. This job just pushed me to far and I couldn't stand it another day.

So, I'm unemployed and will be out looking for another job tomorrow. I'm going back to the Truck Stop and ask for my old job back in the Deli. At least there, I worked the counter and register. We had to sweep and mop a very small area and take out 2 kitchen size trash bags. We did not have to do any dishes.........they all went down to the dish room and the dishwasher did them for us. I guess I had it good and didn't realize it. Anyway I'm going to talk to my old supervisor and see if he might has a opening for me. It will be full time work. I will have insurance and other benefits by working full time.

I've been busy doing my crafts. I recently finished 12 Dotee dolls for a swap. We was to make one to represent each month of the year. I had a lot of fun making mine. I also received my box of 12 Dotee dolls from Robin in Virginia. They are so cute. She named each one of them. I will take photos and upload them later. Rich and I both loved the one for March.......she called her Patio McFurniture. She has green hair, clothes and accessories. Robin said that her husband helped design her and named her.

I've also been quilting. I have my Orange Crush Mystery Quilt top finished. I now need to sew the blocks for the borders. After finishing the borders I need to quilt it. I've been practicing machine quilting on smaller quilts......just don't know if I can do a queen size quilt on my small machine. I might just tack it out. I really need to get busy and finish some of my quilts. I have several of them in various stages of completion. I have them all in boxes labeled and stored in the corner of my dining area.

Talk to everyone later.

Shirley

Happy Father's Day

You might be wondering what a cotton boll has to do with Father's Day!!!! One of my earliest memories of Dad was when I was around 3 years old. Dad and Mom left Oregon for California. Dad and Mom got a job picking cotton by hand in the fields in California. We were the only white family there, all the rest were black. As Dad picked cotton he had a canvas bag that would drag on the ground behind him. Dad would let me ride on the tail end of his cotton bag while he went up and down the rows picking cotton. I believe Dad said they got paid a dollar a hundred pounds of cotton picked....not quite sure I'll have to ask Dad if he remembers. Anyway, I would take the picked cotton and make animals out of them. I would show Dad my chickens, rabbits, cats, and dogs that I would make. Dad said the black cotton pickers would laugh and carry on about the little blonde girl riding on her Daddy's cotton sack making little animals. After a long day of picking cotton we only had a utility trailer with a tarp on top to sleep in at night. Dad said my Grandmother was beside herself because her first grandchild was sleeping in a utility trailer. After a while Dad rented a house and we moved into it in Madera, California. I remember getting up early with Dad when he went to work and watching cartoons on the TV. We had several channels to choose from. My favorite cartoons were Woody Woodpecker and Chilly Willy. After a while we moved back to Oregon and lived close to Grandma........and she was thankful!

I'm a Daddy's Girl!!!!! I always have been and always will be one. My Dad is the most important person in my life other than my wonderful husband.

Happy Father's Day! Daddy

Joys of Summer

I'm finally seeing some blooms on my flower plants. I planted sunflowers, nasturiums, calendula, gladiolas, and marigolds. This morning I picked English peas. I'm going to see if I can find some new potatoes to cook with them. I had a couple of volunteer plants come up and I think they might have some little potatoes I can dig early.
I survived my week of training on my new job. Boy, was I tired after being off work for 2 1/2 years and going back to work. I got a job working in a bakery/deli at our local supermarket. I will only be working 15-16 hours a week......basically 2 -7 1/2 to 8 hour days a week. That's all I think I can handle with this job. It's pretty strenuous work. There is a lot of lifting and cleaning besides helping the customers at the counter. I told Rich that it would be a great job if I was 30 years younger. But not now at almost 56 years of age. I will hang in there until we can move closer to Roseburg where Rich works at the VA hospital. With the price of gas we cannot afford to live 28 miles one way to his job. There is more opportunities for me in town too!!!! I'm hoping to get a job at Joann's or Michaels. Then there is always other stores that I can check for a position.

Hope that everyone is having a wonderful summer so far.

I think I'm gonna survive!

Well, I think I'm gonna survive!! Feeling much better today than yesterday. I think the Jack Daniel's whiskey and 7-up did the trick.

According to Doctor Rich's orders this morning I am to take it easy. I'm not to get up and start cleaning the house, working on crafts for my store.........or anything else. I am to stay in bed and rest. Also he included having breakfast, lunch and plenty of 7-up and water. Oh, that man knows me so well when I'm sick. I just like to curl up in bed, pull up the covers and sleep.

It's a good thing that it has been cool, cloudy and rainy since I've been sick as I have been neglecting my garden. Rich says it is growing. I haven't felt like even looking out the window at it.

Well, I better get off this computer and back to bed.

Sharing

Yes, I know when we took our vows that we were to share everything with each other. I really wish that Rich hadn't shared his summer cold with me. It knocked me on my butt. I spent most of the holiday weekend in bed sick. Poor Dad came by yesterday and I wouldn't even let him in the house. I don't want him or Mae to get this icky at their age. Dad said he call and check on me later and if I needed anything to let him know. Typical Dad.

Yesterday I had Rich stop at the store after work and pick up some soup and 7-up. After eating some Beef Vegetable Soup I made me a Toddy. I took a can of 7-up and put about 2 fingers of Jack Daniels in it and sipped it until it was gone. I hardly ever have a drink anymore. I have had that pint of Jack Daniels in the cupboard for 8 years and its still almost full. Rich doesn't drink at all and I just use it for a Toddy when nothing else seems to work.

Anyway, after eating I sat down on the couch and covered up with my Wolfie blanket.........between the warmth of my Wolfie blanket and the Jack Daniels I went to sleep. After a while Rich woke me up and guided me to bed. He had changed the sheets and it felt so good crawling between the clean sheets. I went right back to sleep. I woke up around 9pm and felt human again. I think I'm going to survive this after all.

The photo is Rich and Misty. Misty is not allowed outside by herself. She either has to be held or on a leash. There is just too many nasty things that can hurt her in our neighborhood. We have huge hawks and turkey buzzards that circle above our home all the time. They could swoop down and pick her up. We also have bear, deer, cougar, fox, dogs and not so nice people that could hurt her.

Apron Swap

Apron that Brandy made for me!!!
Apron I made for Brandy!!!


Recently I participated in an Apron Swap with Brandy from Quiltin' Friends Yahoo Group. I loved the swap because both Brandy and I are plus-sized women. I just love the apron that Brandy made for me. I have only seen the photo as it is in the postal system right now and I haven't received it yet. Brandy has received her Apron and she loves it. She told me that she loves the fabric because baby food doesn't show up on it. LOL!!!

I'm thinking about making some of the plus-size aprons to list in my Etsy store. I did some research and most of the aprons listed as plus-size consider large as plus-sized. And we all know that is not plus-size.

Still Busy as a Bee!!!!!!!

I'm still busy as a bee!!! I've been making items for my Etsy store. The above photos are Quilted Table Runners that I have been making. I've also been making Quilted Potholders and Quilted Wall Hangings for the store. I have a whole list of items that I want to start making..........dolls both crocheted and sewn, stuffed animals both crocheted and sewn, baby bibs, baby afghans, baby quilts, crocheted slippers, crocheted hats.......the list goes on and on.

I've been selling off and on........economy is a little slow in the crafting industry right now. With gas and grocery prices rising daily........us crafters are losing out. People can't afford to buy extras when it costs so much for necessaries.

Our weather has been so strange.........105 degrees a week ago.........now it's in low 60's for the highs with rain. Poor garden doesn't know if it wants to grow or hibernate. My peas are doing great with the cool weather......should have fresh peas in a couple weeks. The potatoes are growing good too!! I found online some potato sacks for growing potatoes. Being a crafter I thought I could make them a lot cheaper. So I bought some of this garden fabric that you lay down to keep weeds from growing. I made 3 of the bags for $4........they wanted $12 per bag. The potatoes are growing leaps and bounds in them. I planted them in 4 inches of soil and as they have grown I keep adding soil. One of the bags is almost full....the others are a little behind as I planted them later. The bags are supposed to grow aproximately 13-15 pounds of potatoes per bag. We'll see!!!!

Also I am experimenting with tomatoes. I took a 5 gallon plastic food bucket and cut a hole in the bottom about 4-inches across. Then I cut a hole about 6-inches across in the lid. I took a coffee filter and placed it in the bottom over the hole. Then I filled bucket with compost and soil blend.........laid a coffee filter over the top where hole in lid will be. Turned it upside down and planted tomato in the bottom opening. Letting it grow a couple of weeks and then Rich and I will turn the bucket upside down and hang it. The tomato will be growing out the bottom of the bucket. You water and fertilize from the hole in the bucket lid. According to people who have grown their tomatoes this way you get better tomatoes and they don't get dirty from being on the ground. We'll see!!!!

I wanted to make some Self-watering planters this year........run out of time and money. Maybe next year.

I think what I need to invest in for my garden is a cage..........to keep out the pesky neighbor cats. I thought I had them broke from getting in my garden until this morning. I planted my pole beans in one of my smaller raised bed gardens..........they got into it and well you know what they did. I have little white beans everywhere but where they belong. Now I have to replant them and cover them with chicken wire so the darn cats can't dig and .......!!!!!! Next it will be the deer!!!!!!!

I'm waiting to see if I get a part-time position at the deli/bakery in our local grocery store. Right now they are checking references, ect. Hopefully I will know soon. It is only 10-20 hours a week. Perfect for me. I will still have time to create my items for my Etsy store.

Rich and I will be home for the holiday. With the price of gas we can't afford to go anywhere. It cost approximately $10 for Rich to drive to work and back. I told him if it gets much higher he is going to have to stay in town at Dad's during the week and come home on the weekends. That didn't go over to well. He loves to be home with Misty and I at night and on the weekends.

Well, I better get off this darn computer and get busy.

Busy as a Bee!!!

Cactus made for Spring Flower Swap
Square in Square Quilt Top
Parasol Girl Quilt Top
Finished John Deere Baby Quilt

Roostin' Robin Project


I've been busy as a Bee this Spring. I've been crocheting and quilting many projects. I joined a Spring Flower Swap on my CrochetAwayThePounds SparkPeople team. I had designed a potted Cacti for my Grandmother when she was in the hospital. She couldn't have fresh flowers so I crocheted the Cacti and set it in the window of her hospital room. We could choose all kinds of flowers from a list and I was happy to see Cactus flower on the list. My partner loved it and couldn't believe that I had designed it.

I joined Ann's Quilt-Along on QuiltingFriends Yahoo group. We did the Square in Square pattern from Quilter's Cache. I did mine in scrappy colors. I just finished putting on a piano border and it's ready to be quilted. I think I'm going to free motion quilt it......something I've been practicing on placemats, potholders and tablerunners. I like the pattern so will probably make another one.

One of my friends asked me why I was making so many quilts. I could only use one or two at a time. I told her that one day I want to have enough quilts finished to give each of my family a quilt that I have made.......like my Grandmother did for all of her family. I cherish the quilt Grandma made and hope that my family will cherish the quilts I have made one day.

I'm still working on my Roostin' Robin. I have one more set of blocks on it for April........couldn't find the current photo of it to upload. For May I will be putting a small solid color border to separate last month's blocks and next month's blocks. For June I will be adding 16-inch blocks all around. I've been having fun deciding what pattern to use. For April I used the Square in Square pattern. For June I might add some type of Star pattern......not sure yet.

The Parasol Girl quilt top is one I found in Grandma's quilting and sewing supplies that I inherited. It still needs some embroidery done on the faces, arms and hands of the girls. I hope to finish it and get it quilted one day. I love all the old fabrics that was used in the quilt. I don't know if Grandma made this top or if it is one that Aunt Zettie (Grandma's sister) gave to her. I just know that I think it is beautiful.

I finished the back of the John Deere Baby quilt with a fleece throw. After getting it done there was a huge discussion about using fleece on the back of quilts on my Yahoo quilting group. Some ladies say they love it, others say it is not good to use because of fire danger. If somehow the fleece caught on fire it would melt and cause severe burns to a baby or child. I'm going to be taking it apart and using batting and fabric for the backing. I don't want to take a chance on anything drastic happening to Joshua and Rosa's little one.

The garden is growing every day! Soon we should be eating fresh lettuce, radishes and green onions. This weekend I want to plant the rest of the potatoes and some other veggies and flowers.

Before we know it it will be time for camping and fishing. Dad so wants us to go up to Prineville Resevoir this year for a weekend. I'm not sure with the price of gas if we will be able to go or not. Sounds like a lot of fun! Dad and Mae will be staying up there for 2 weeks.

Today I'm making potato salad, deviled eggs and fried chicken for a picnic tomorrow. We probably will just go down by the Umpqua River and have our picnic. It's about 2 miles from our home. Either that or we might go to the park in Canyonville and have our picnic there. We'll decide when we get in the van and start out the driveway.

Just finished making cafe curtains for my kitchen. I had curtains for all the windows in kitchen and dining room except the kitchen. I had one pair of curtains left over......they were too short for kitchen window alone. So I found the rest of the material I had used and made a valance to go above the short curtains. Now, I have cafe curtains in the kitchen window. They are red and white gingham. They go with my country-themed kitchen.

Talk to you later.

A Little of This and a Little of That Today

Disappearing Nine-Patch Quilt Top
Square in Square Quilt Top
Easter Bouquet


I've been working on several quilt tops lately. The two above are the latest ones that I have finished. They are Disappearing Nine-Patch and a Square in Square. I have to purchase the batting and backing for them. I've been thinking about using two quilt tops.......one as the front and one as the backing.........this would make them reversible. It would save me from having to purchase backing. LOL

Rich and I had a wonderful Easter. Yes, the Easter Bunny brought Rich a hollow Milk Chocolate Bunny just like he ordered. We didn't have a regular Easter dinner........we had munchies! Slices of ham and turkey, slices of cheddar and swiss cheese, chips and dip, crackers, olives, and pickles. No dessert as we had our Easter Basket Goodies.

The garden is doing well even with the light frosts we have been getting. We are looking forward to fresh veggies. We should be having fresh green onions soon. The radishes and peas seem to grow everyday. I'm going to have to stake the peas soon as I don't want them falling over. They are the kind that doesn't get very tall. Staking them will keep the peas up off the ground and cleaner. Hopefully I have gotten rid of the snails and slugs that was trying to eat my cabbage plants. I hate using chemicals on my garden.....but it was either the snails and slugs or my cabbage plants...........the cabbage plants won.

Talk to ya later!!!!!!!!!!!!