want. to. make.

this belt.  from here.  we don't drink soda though, so acquiring the needed tabs (about 150) is a problem.  can you help?  if so, i would love to recycle your tabs!

grandma's quilt

We went to visit my other grandma earlier this week, and as we were going there I was feeling guilty that I didn't have anything to give her.  I wanted to make her something but was coming up with nothing.  In the course of our visit though, she mentioned her she didn't have a blanket for when she's in her easy chair and bingo!  I decided to come home and get to work on a lap quilt for her (after a brief not-so-serious thought of picking up a snuggie for her at CVS or something.  Ha! and no way).

I pulled out fabrics I thought she would like from my stash, they all kinda go together and I had just enough of each to arrange them so they fit to make a nice size quilt.  Sweet!  I used part of a yellow sheet I had in my stash for the backing, and flannel for the 'batting' part. 

Once I got it 'pieced' I had the kids draw some pictures on it, which I then embroidered on it.  As it was coming together so well, I got the thought 'hey!  I'm going to set a goal to finish this by midnight!' (I crave the instant gratification of quick sewing projects.  I'd started around 4 pm, and in between doing this and that was working on it, it was definitely achievable. especially once the kids went to bed.) Right? 

Wrong.  I struggled to stay awake as I sat on the couch embroidering a clown fish.  I fell asleep by 10:30.  Lame.

I started in again on Tuesday, sure I could get it in the mail by evening, she would have it Wednesday!  Yay!   I got close to finishing the 'binding' (the lazy Krista way of binding that is) and my sewing machine revolted.  Would.not.sew the last few inches.  Argh!   I pleaded and cajoled.  Begged.  Nope, she wouldn't do it.

I tried again last night, and still no go.  But tonight (Thursday), I got it done.  Sewing machine went fine.  And nothing else had changed.  What the heck?  I think my machine is temperamental, it's so wierd.

Anyway, so excited to get this in the mail tomorrow, I hope she loves it!

Sunday--family things

We went back to our hometown Sunday for a belated Christmas visit and were delighted to receive these snowmen ornaments above, made by my Grandma (who will be 90 this year). She also made the cute snowman below, the chenille is from my Great Grandma Daisy's bedspread. I adore these, it's so special to me to have family handiwork. Lily has claimed the snowman with the pink hat.

Mom also asked me to go through the bookcases for any books I might want and I gathered a stack.  I love this Little Farmer one by Margaret Wise Brown!

And, I was looking at Mom's coverlets and they are so amazing.  The ones she has date within a few decades of the 1850's.  Mom never paid more than $20 for any of them, she scoured auctions to find them (that's our family thrifting spirit!).  I love that.  I hope to find a quilt or coverlet that I can afford that way, too.  So anyway, I was saying how I would love to find some wool blankets and wondered if I would have better luck in New England, it would seem so.  So she pulled out these 2 family wool blankets and gave them to me!  Whee!  She'd forgotten she even had them, didn't know what to do with them, and was happy I wanted them.  She often comments how alike we are.  About certain things, yes.  I'm sure she will never understand my nose piercing though!

eating, sewing, and an animal picnic

We have been doing lots of eating around here!  Rob snapped this picture of me last night scooping up a handful of pumpkin bread crumbs.

And more eating!  Yes, that is a napkin on her head.

I had to get pictures of this little man eating with gusto!

I got some sewing time in today--yay!

And I reorganized my fabric stash--it's now in the buffet drawer for much easier access (it had been on the top shelf of the coat closet, usually causing an avalanche of fabric).

The stuffed animal friends enjoyed a lovely felt food picnic on the living room floor today.

these are a few of my favorite quotes

"There was a star danced, and under that was I born."
                                                               --Shakespeare

I love and collect quotes.  I had pages of them typed out of ones I had collected over the years up through living in our previous house...but now I can't find them.  I wonder if they are on our old computer, I need to check.

Not a week goes by it seems that I don't read a quote that I add to my 'new' quote list.  Here are a few that I love:

"Whatever we possess becomes of double value when we have the opportunity of sharing it with others."
--Jean-Nicolas Bouilly

"Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.”
--William Morris
Tell me, what is it you plan to do
With your one wild and precious life?
--Mary Oliver, The Summer Day

Giving Birth and Being Born
Brings us into the Essence of Creation
Where the human spirit
is Courageous and Bold
And the Body,
A Miracle
of Wisdom.
--Harriet Hartigan

Life isn’t about finding yourself, it’s about creating yourself.
--unknown

We came spinning out of nothingness,
Scattering stars…
The stars form a circle,
And in the center we dance.
--Rumi

We cannot depend on a market-informed cultural consciousness to enlighten us--we have to do it ourselves. --Raleigh Briggs


I have more quotes (many more!) but will stop!  I do believe I will also craft a post about a book I'm seriously loving, Women Who Run With the Wolves.  Can't say enough good about it--I'm going through it with a highlighter.  I would love to discuss it with other women who've read it and am hopeful that will happen in this new year.

Any other quote collectors?