That Thing I Do....

Another Gift Idea

2011-12-14T10:22:00.001-07:00

So I'm a little late showing you another piece of the gift baskets!

These are wonderful gift ideas, all alone... for people in your life that you want to give a little something to, but just aren't sure what... this is perfect!

They are hand scrubs!

Have you been to Origins or Bath and Body and used their hand scrubs?

Dan and I LOVE them!!

These will be going to girlfriends.. a couple of the gals at Starbucks that are always so kind to me.. and a few relatives.

I used these tutorials - Lemon Hand Scrub & Brown Sugar and Vanilla Body scrub

I used these wonderful print out labels and hand wrote in instructions and such...

I used old jelly jars, small jelly canning jars etc that i picked up at the thrift shop...

and tied them with bakers twine and old tiny souvenir spoons that i had laying around from the shop and crafting. Cute right?? :D

I don't know how I get anything done around here with jokesters like this following me around.... LOL

He's like - MOM take the picture!! See? It's like the jar has bunny ears!! bahahahaha!!!

Yah. crackin himself up! LOL what a goofball!

Tomorrow i am going to show you one more thing! AND show you what i recently won and am in love with !!! wooohoo!!!!

Have a great day!

I am off to sew! (for the first time in... 2 weeks?!)

What a great day!

2011-12-11T23:29:00.000-07:00

We're tired! :)

Happy and tired!

We had the most gorgeous weather we could have asked for, after several weeks of VERY cold cold cold, did i mention cold? (-9* - w/o windchill!)

Today was beautiful! I'm guessing high 40's or low 50's even.

We wore ourselves out for three hours, starving afterward went over to chili's and woofed on some great food... and then it was home for a couple hours of guitar hero together!

(yes, i'm proud to say i can actually hold my own in that game! lol)

All in all a perfect day!

Hope your Sunday was just as perfect!

Bren

ps... hoping i don't scare ya'll with pics of me with no makeup!!! ugh definitely looking my age without it! :(

Advent "Calendar"

2011-12-04T15:51:00.002-07:00

Hello friends!

I am soo excited, I just got these done this afternoon!

I have been wanting to make a swag like this for years, but just never got around to it in the seasonal rush. This year, I said no more! I am going to take the time to do some of these things that are important to me!

So I did! And i LOVE them!!

And because I couldn't see worth a darn on my little (mini) laptop screen which pics were which while i was trying to upload - they are all mixed up! Sorry!

And yes, since it's already the 4th and i didn't get this done by the 28th of november, i decided to just start on the fourth this year! LOL

But of course i did make the others as well for the coming years.

Soo excited!

Had so much fun filling them with family activities and scripture!

And today's activity is put up the Christmas tree and decorate... so I'm off!

'Tis time for my elf self to take over for the next month! :)

And since we just got a gob of snow, and i got this made, and started on my gifts, i am now mentally where I should be!

Yay!

May you all be abundantly blessed this Christmas Season!!

Bren

Starting on Christmas gifts...

2011-12-01T13:45:00.000-07:00

Hi!

So this year I am way behind on making my Christmas gifts! How bout you?

Last year I made everyone quilts - and worked on them all year. This year... I just couldn't settle on anything. So I started scouring the web for ideas, and came across some great tutorials that helped me decide what I am going to do!

I have several women in my life that I like to gift to at Christmas, so it seemed fitting to make kitchen oriented baskets this year. Here is the start of what will be going in the baskets.

Oven mitts made to their kitchen colors, with matching potholders.

I used this tutorial for the mitts. And changed it up a little bit, as the thumbs were just gigantic, as were the hand part, so i made them a little smaller to fit women's hands :)

I also added a loop on the side with snaps. I don't know about you, but I never have a convenient place to put an oven mitt! And great... they all have loops... but i have no place to hang them! If only I could hang them on my oven door....

So by adding the snap closure to the loop and inside cuff, you can hang them on your oven and just pop them off when you need to use them, and then they will be out of your way when you aren't using them!

(please disregard my horrible sewing job on this one - it was my first and will consequently be staying with me, since i discovered so many things along the way! lol)

Little tip if you go to make these: I used home dec weight fabric. Great for this purpose! But add the heavier fabric + insul brite+cotton batting+ lining for each side... it is THICK!

And word to the wise, when you quilt that kind of thickness the only bendability you are going to get is whichever direction you quilted!

This one i did vertical lines.... um... yah... no bendy! :D

and the pot holder i did diagonal lines... care to guess which way it wants to fold when grabbing a pot?

Sooo... the next few sets I made I quilted horizontally - and voila they work great! LOL

Still have 3 more sets to make, but now that I know what I'm doing, it will go fast!

Next item in the basket will be home made vanilla!

mmmmmm!!!

yep, getting a late start these won't be ready to use until about feburary!

But I will be putting homemade labels on the bottles, and little hang tags that say "I'll be ready to use on this day" - Here's what they look like right now...

Not very attractive yet. LOL

But they WILL BE!

I followed this fantastic and easy tutorial here.

And yes... that is a little mini cheap wine holder! hee hee... they were the only bottles I could find that would work! So hey... got a few glasses of (actually not too bad) wine in the process! :)

If you're interested in making some great vanilla follow the link!

I got my beans HERE. Great prices, great fast delivery!

I'll give you a sneak peek to the rest of the goodies in a day or so!

Bren

On of those moments you wish you had a camera!

2011-11-22T17:13:00.000-07:00

There are things to be thankful for EVERY day! I count my blessings every single day.

But there are moments in time, where you just wish you had a camera glued to your hip all the time - am i right?

And as a mom... there are MANY of those moments where you are kicking yourself for not having a camera handy! Well at least I do ! :D

Today was one of those times.

And one of those thankful "Mom moments"

You know the ones... the kind that just warm you inside and out, and reconfirm that you have raised good kids!

I had to run my high school sophmore son's lacrosse stick down to the school for him, and Calli was with me. We pull into the school, and immediately see Bailey ~~sitting~~ posing on the bleachers. Obviously, he thought some girls must be ~~ogling~~ looking at him. LOL Wearing nice jeans, a white v-neck T, and his shades. Could he look any cooler? (obviously we know that HE didn't think so! *coughzacheffroncough*)

Big man on campus and all that. High school years - remember those? :)

I'm rolling my eyes at the posing and huge ego, but didn't say anything. lol

He opens the van door, we chat for a second and he gets his stick, says thanks for bringing this mom. Sure no problem :)

And then...

one of the moments that just defined him as the coolest big brother ever - he asked Calli if she wanted to come and hang out with him and his lacrosse buddies.

She about jumped out of her seat - YES!!

I asked Bay - are you sure? She'll be bored... and you really want her tagging along?

His answer - yah, it's totally cool.. i don't think she'll be bored. C'mon Cal :D

That little girl (9) was soooo absolutely thrilled !! And watching them walk up the hill together... (i have a "thing" for backside shots of big person and little person walking together) him in all his high school coolness... and her small frame hustling to keep up with him... and looking up at him with that look... you know the one... the one that only the camera can capture all the emotion in such a simple look of "my big brother is soo awesome!"

And i didn't have a camera!!! Arrrggghhhhh!

But ya know what?

Photo or no photo, he earned points today. Mom points, sister points, and just all around brownie points! LOL and yes... my heart swelled, as it often does in those moments, and I was thankful for my kids!

There are silly little tidbits like this every day. Maybe I'll start sharing more of them. They make me smile... and years from now, going back to my "online journal" ~~that i dont make enough entries to~~ it will bring a smile again!

What are you thankful for today?

In Progress...

2011-11-21T22:50:00.000-07:00

In progress... working on getting this top pieced tonight :) and then starting on some Christmas gifts. If i don't get a chance to post again before Thursday... wishing you all a very warm and blessed Thanksgiving!!

Bren :)

1 UFO Finish!

2011-11-03T14:01:00.000-06:00

First UFO finish! And as much as I struggled with this one - which was actually more of a struggle with my non existant creative juices at the time -it has turned out to be one of my favorites thus far! It is such a soft quilt... a soft drape, perfect suggle-ability for those cold nights on the couch! And I really think that denyse schmidt green floral made it all come together. I LOVE it! And I'm happy to finally have it done! :)

We had a snow day yesterday (schools closed we got hit so hard) so I have no where to lay this to take pics, except thrown over my couch!

on the outer borders, I did free motion daisy chains with leaves in between. The border isn't crooked, that's just my picture taking skills! lol

For the back, I used an art gallery print that I had a yard and a half of... and this other sweet print that is butter yellow with soft pink polka dots and flowers. I just love the feel of the art gallery fabrics!! And I think this backing was cheery and well suited to the quilt :)

Binding was an old tula pink print that i found in my stash, and had just enough to bind with! I don't think it could be any more perfect! I'm loving how the greens pull everything together in this quilt!

And... plopped on the back of our couch. Looking at this picture i am seeing how tired our couch is starting to look :( (and in case you're wondering what that brown cushion is all about... we put a throw over the middle cushion, because we all like to curl our legs up under us when sitting on the couch - and knowing that would become the most dirty, worn part of the couch, I have always just tucked that throw on there to protect it! It looks horrible i know. And when company comes over, it comes off. But I didn't feel like cleaning up before taking these pictures! LOL)

And not to be left out of the picture taking, Lexi kept moving around trying to get IN the pictures. LOL (if you zoom up to the first picture, you'll see her trying to be incognito) So, to make her feel better, I snapped one just of her :)

It's been a long couple of weeks. My mom is doing pretty good. It's slow healing, and frustrating for her, but it's amazing how fast the body heals and makes progress! Every day there is small improvements.

I am beat. We've all been fighting this flu bug that has been going around... so far Dan, Bailey and I have managed to keep it from coming on full force. Calli wasn't so lucky ;( She was sick all of fall break, and I was at my mom's all weekend and into this week. And while they all took a snow day yesterday (rest, movies, and play) I was busy trying to get the house back in order from my absence. I'm mostly just taking it easy today. Finishing up laundry, cleaned the kitchen and made a pot of chili. Wanting to sew.... but just not having the energy ;( Hopefully by tomorrow I'll be feeling better rested! Taking my vitamins and drinking echinacea tea and hopefully a little rest will keep this bug at bay!

Hope you all have a great week!

Bren

Progress

2011-10-21T10:20:00.000-06:00

Good morning :)

Not a whole lot to post about right now. My mom had knee replacement surgery early monday morning, and I have been with her at the hospital since then. I have come home to sleep, and that's about it! I'm beat!

She is doing extremely well. Prais God!!!

Thank you to all of you that have been praying for her this last week!

Last saturday and sunday, I worked a bit on this quilt.

I had a hard time deciding how to quilt it. My first instinct is of course to do them all in my favorite loopty circular free motion! But... i was trying to step out of my little box and do what the quilt called for. This one was hard to determine what the quilt was calling for!

Not sure if you can see it in this picture? But I went with a flowing intersecting line that is twisted. It kind of reminds me of butter braids! I was originally going to do this a lot smaller... in each of the yellow areas, but quickly realized it was much too small of an area at only 5"! So I gave up on that idea and searched for something else. I finally ended up coming back to this design, but on a larger scale. I think it suits the quilt well! It's like straight line quilting, but a more flowing feeel - the downside is there are a LOT of stops and starts! I was stumped as to what to do in the wonky coin areas... but i think i've finally settled on something. In the outside borders, I am again going to try something new.. and free motion flowers along the border. We'll see how that goes!

I am eager to get started on the rest of this and just sit down and sew all day and get it done!!

But, my mom is coming home today. She will be staying with my mother in law for the next several weeks as she recouperates. And so I will be there all saturday, sunday and monday, as they will be gone and someone needs to be with her all the time to make sure she doesnt fall! So hopefully sometime next week I will be able to get a little sewing in! :)

Until then, i am again the caretaker :) I enjoy spending time with my mom, so it's not hard at all! Just tiring :)

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Bren

I DID IT!!! WOOHOOO!!!

2011-10-10T15:18:00.000-06:00

I DID IT!!

And ALL because of the wonderful crafty people here in blogland that were willing to help!

A humongous thanks to Julia and Pokey!!!

I am doing the happy dance BIG TIME! :D

Pokey suggested pressing the curve into the bias tape as you go... so not smashing it with the iron once you have it lined up and won't work! LOL That worked WONDERS!!!! (why was i so short sighted that i didn't see that to begin with? grrr)

And Julia suggest sewing the inner curve first - which would allow the outer curve to actually curve and stretch as needed.

I was doing it backwards!

I was adjusting the loop so that the outer curve would lay flat - which left a ton of excess fabric in the inner curve and looked like this:

And for the life of me, couldn't figure out where all that excess was supposed to go??!!

And with that advice, I was able to go from that....

to this...

!!!!!!

IT CAN BE DONE! LOL

wooohoooo!!!

I am a basket making fool now!

THANK YOU Ladies!!!

I really could kiss you!!

xoxoxoxo

Basket Quilt Love & Bias Handle Hell

2011-10-09T11:21:00.000-06:00

Thank you Pokey & Julia!

You're right, maybe some pictures will help!

I have been wanting to make a liberated basket quilt for well over a year (maybe 2 now?) based on Gwen Marston's Easter Basket quilt in her book Collaborative Quilting.

I have several half baskets made. LOL And cannot get my handles to work :( Every couple of months I pull them out again and give them a try.

You know the definition of insanity, don't you?

Doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results!

I keep trying different things though... and keep coming up with the same result. FAIL!

Here's a few pics of what i want to do...

above pic is a Gwen Marston liberated basket quilt. Couldn't find a pic of the easter basket one i am referring to...

below is one i found on google images

These two were borrowed from Blue Elephant Stitches -LOVE how her quilt came out!! This is very similar to the look i am going after. Just look at how flat her handles are! See how they bend like they are supposed to? Mine end up with too much material in the inside curve, and trying to ease the fabric in, makes the handle look squared and bulky :( What am i doing wrong??

Ok, so here's where i'm at...

yes, i have cut all my handle material on the bias - 45* angle, sewn them together... after struggling with trying to fold and iron them myself, finally went down and spent the 5 bucks on a bias tape maker. LOL MUCH better success!! Have the tapes made and pressed and wrapped around old spools and ready to go!

Except when i go to curve them (and not even as much as some of the above ones) I end up with bulkiness. Even on slight curves.

So - i am obviously missing something huge! LOL!!

And probably something extremely simple, knowing me!

I need bias education! :D

Ideas? Thoughts? Step by step instructions?

ANYTHING would help at this point! :D

Bren

Help!? Bias Tape is the pits!

2011-10-08T23:37:00.000-06:00

I want to make basket handles on a quilt - I have tried this sooo many times, and cannot get it to lay flat!!

i am in bias tape hell!

Seriously people. This is rediculous!

Have made my own bias tapes, pressed and ready to go - but these suckers do not BEND like they are supposed to!

They get all chunky with extra fabric on the inner curves - HOW DOES ONE AVOID THIS?

HELP??

PLEASE?

Anyone know any tricks to making bias tape work for appliques of basic curves?

(i'm not even trying to make it into a celtic knot here... just a basic basket handle! LOL)

ANY and ALL tips, ideas, or help is welcome and needed!

Hoping someone (or a lot of someones) can help!

2011-10-06T22:02:00.000-06:00

Hiya :)

So I've been quiet on the blog front, yet again. Mostly because I'm still in that creative funk, where nothing is truly motivating me. Still not liking that last quilt I put together. And yes, I think I am going to border it with some of that darker raspberry, and see if that will tie everything together. But none of the local stores have anything that will work, so just ordered some online and have to wait for it to get here.

In the mean time, when I have a little time to sew, I have been plugging away at my ufo's.

Got this top finished, and now to piece the back.

This started out in a funk - just to make myself sew - i started sewing a charm pack of Hoot to this banana kona - just chain piecing the squares... figured at least I was DOING something! LOL which promptly started the juices flowing again - and these got pitched in a corner while I madly sewed on something else. They got pulled out again a month later... only to find that the basic squares still held no interest to me. So, I started chopping them up. :) Wonky stacking and wacking. Wow what a labor! And really a pain in the behind! Mostly trying to get them to stay straight in one long line was the irritating part! So.... got 5 long rows pieced, and still didn't like it. Set it aside once again, and decided to quilt the whirlygig quilt that has been sitting in my sewing room for almost 2 years - get this - already backed and basted and READY to go. I think that's about when I started having machine issues - so there it sat. sheesh! ( i have two others basted and waiting as well!)

So got it quilted and it's now being bound in the evenings. :) (sneak peek below)

Came back to this gold one and decided to separate the rows with more yellow, and I had decided to do thin scrappy pieced horizontal lines. So pulled out fabrics... tore thru my scrap basket... but nothing seemed to work. Wasted two days pulling different fabrics and throwing them in piles. LOL Still it just wasn't working. See what I mean about a creative funk?

And then this Denyse Schmidt green floral seemed to be the way to go. But I didn't want to give up the scrappy pieced look... wavered back and forth and finally (geez FINALLY) decided to just use it and get the blasted thing done!

And yah know what? Now I love it! :)

Do you ever hit that point, where you just don't feel like you can trust your instincts? And analysis paralysis sets in and you get NOTHING done? Yah. That's where i've been for way too long!

Funny how easy everything is when you're not having stunted brain issues! LOL

So, beyond the creativity line is family life :)

Staying busy!

I've been volunteering a couple times a week at Calli's school. She's so funny! She loves it when I come! Begs me to!! I keep thinking I'm going to embarrass her (just by being me!) but no - she thinks I am the coolest! I figure I might have one... maybe two years left before that changes. Gotta suck it up while I can!! :D

Luckily my teenage son isn't embarrassed by me either. Mostly. LOL

As long as I don't act like a retard around his friends! hahaha!

He cracks me up. He's recently discovered the theater crowd at school, since he signed up for tech theater this semester. :) And, he ditched marching band this year because his schedule conflicted with getting all his honors classes. So he got "stuck" in men's choir. Imagine his surprise when it turned out to be one of his favorite classes! LOL

So this last weekend we held a garage sale on friday and saturday. Ugh. I was soo whooped! Bailey had play production thurs, fri and sat, and late nights and crew parties. (and mom is still the taxi). And then Tuesday was their choir concert - which turned out to be amazing, and not the dud type concerts we have been going to for the last 6 years. They had "inductees" that had to give solo performances to get into AP choir - their FIRST solo in front of a crowd. Oh man. Some of them were just AMAZING!! Soooo much talent in some of these kids! It was truly a CONCERT! Many a goose bump moments, and incredible performances!

And the men's choir - ohh the characters in that group!! The baritones! (be still my heart!) And the cocky attitudes that only teenage boys can pull off! LOL! My face hurt from laughing and smiling so much!

And there was my son, front and center enjoying every minute of it! I think it is soo cool that he is so comfortable in his own skin, and he is loving every minute of the different aspects of high school! :)

Wednesday night both my sons went to a rock concert with a friend and their dad. (Bailey's first REAL concert) And Gavin crashed here for the night.

He ended up just hanging out with me all day today! I kept thinking he would want to bail and go do something fun - so kept trying to give him an out! LOL!! Nope. He was all about just hangin with mom today. (ok... tremendous smiles) even when I said i had to run to joanne's to grab some fabric so I could finish that yellow quilt - he was like -COOL!

SAY WHAT?? REALLY?? LOL

Ok. (shocked)

It was a nice day :)

We came home and picked up Calli and her friend. They all busted into nerf gun wars for the next hour or two, and I escaped down to my room. Gav came down to visit for a while during the tactical rest periods. lol

Things that may sound dumb really. But it's those dumb things that paste a smile on my face from ear to ear. Having my family together. Getting to hang out with my kids, one on one and just BE together is priceless to me. Getting to be the mom that shows up at school, and having all the kids run and say hi to you - "it's Calli's Mom!!!" - that NEVER gets old! : D Getting to just hang out with my 21 year old - even tho it was "boring" and I was so tired - he still wanted to be here and not somewhere else.

I feel blessed. I AM blessed!

So yah, I'm not blogging much - but you guys don't want to hear about all these things on a daily basis, right?

Or about doing laundry or vaccuuming (daily) there's not much else to blog about if I'm not sewing much! :)

I'll be back with a couple of finished quilts to show you soon!

Bren

The Blues

2011-09-18T05:56:00.000-06:00

I'm not in love.

I'm not even in like.

But the top is finished. (forgot to take a pic after it was put together) Now to figure out what in the world to put on the back. Wayyy too busy in my opinion. And as much as I love each of those fabrics... it's just not workin for me all together. I think it's all the blue. LOL

But i'll finish it. It will make a great picnic/concert throw.. you know... on wet grass.. muddy feet...potato salad and ice cream drips on it. haha! Watch me change my mind after it's quilted!

UFO plan

2011-09-12T11:35:00.000-06:00

Sooo I decided I had plenty of UFO's hanging around, and I really should get some of them knocked out. So that was my plan. Only UFO's until i finished them. (yah right)

So I started working on this one. It really didn't light my fire to begin with, even though I do love the Hoot fabric... it just wasn't speaking to me. But I trodded along. It seemed to be taking forever.

And next on my list was to quilt two of the quilts that have been waiting in the wings for over a year.

Embarassingly, that plan only lasted about two days!

So... a side note...

I have been in and out of doctor's offices, and the hospital all month. Some scary things have been going on, and they're trying to figure it out. Needless to say, I'm trying to stay positive, trying to remember that fear is not of the Lord, and that HE is the ultimate master physician! In the meantime my creative mojo has been at an all time low - right when I need it the most to help keep me sane through all the medical issues! So I have been looking thru a lot of quilting magazines, flikr pics, blogs, you name it. Trying to find something - ANYTHING to spark inspiration! So the other day, I had to go downtown to see the cardiologist, and there is this awesome little quilt/craft shop only about 3 miles away from the doctors! Figured since I was downtown anyway.... I might as well stop in and see if anything would motivate me!

OH YES. AND IT DID.

SURPRISINGLY!!

I DON'T DO BLUE. LOL

And i'm really not all that fond of jewel tones.

Really. So very rarely!! (Although turquoise has surprisingly become one of my favorites this last year!) I am learning. LOL I am growing, and trying to stay open minded :)

Well... when I saw this new line by Sandi Henderson, and some of the new heirloom pieces from Joel Dewberry, something clicked!

That blue floral below is the piece that started it all! Go figure!

And then the navys. And the raspberries. Yah. I had an inspirational moment!

Added in some lime green sussex linen, a few older pieces from my stash. And ran home with a few new yards of some of the yummiest fabrics! Drew out a quick/simple/backtobasics layout... thinking bohemian... rich jewel tones... embracing my "inner Darma" as my friends and I say... (Darma and Greg... hippie... free spirit... let the universe direct your path... bright.. cheery.. etc mentality. VERY HARD for me to do! But she's in there!! lol)

And since it was simple sewing, I invited Calli to sew with me! :)

She wasn't all that into it. LOL She would sew a line and take a break. Sew two pieces together... and have to take a break. hahaha! But we still had fun!

I got 18 of the 30 blocks pieced, pressed and squared up.

It's coming together very quickly, and it's making me smile! Mostly because it is sooooo NOT ME!! Hilarious how that happens sometimes!

Hoping to sew on it a bit today after making yet another trek downtown to the doctor's.

Maybe after I get this out of my system and get remotivated, i will be able to go back to my plan of finishing up those UFO's! :D

Think that will actually happen??

Bren

Grrrrr @ Blogger!!!!!

2011-08-30T10:23:00.000-06:00

GGggrrrrrrrr!!!!

Google blogger really irritates me!

I have tried (unsuccessfully) to leave comments for several bloggers this whole week. I keep getting an error message saying my account does not have ACCESS to leave comments!?

What is this all about??

Sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn't!

Anyone know how in the world to fix this???

grumble... mumble... dumb google... :(

More Finishes

2011-08-29T10:18:00.000-06:00

Hi! Happy Monday! :)

Thought I would show you a few more of the finishes I got done this last week in my sewing binge!

Finally got this big one bound and washed. Yay!

This windowpane quilt was done using a kate spain charm pack and a few extras. I love how it came out! Wishing I was a better photographer, or had someone around during the day to hold this up! I made this for our family room couch to snuggle up in :)

I gave it a white border to add a little more width. And it's bound in the same turquoise blue kate spain print you see in the photo above.

The back i did in long strips, since i knew i would be straight line quilting... thought this would be fun :) I used that same blue print, and word fabrics from barnatex. Sorry I didn't get a close up of those... but if you go a couple posts earlier, you can see the fabrics themselves. Happy to have it done!

Now... onto a few other things I worked on last friday! My daughter is such a girly girl!!! And as she grows, she is only growing in height - so many clothes that still have good wear left in them can be modified into unique and fun girly things and in the process extend the life of some perfectly good clothes!

She's been runnin around in these faded jeans, with holes in the knees :) Ok... i'm an 80's girl... so i actually like that look! :D

But the other day I noticed they were just starting to get a bit ratty, and not so cool anymore! LOL

So I hacked off the legs....

And turned them into a cute pair of cuffed shorts! Calli chose the print for the cuff, and then she saw a piece of tufted tweets purple chairs and said OOhhhh can we put these on the front?? She thinks those chairs are hilarious! :)

I also finished this pair. I just LOVVVEE THEM!!! :) And so does she!

This is sooo easy to do!! And Calli just loves it when i do this to her jeans! It makes her feel SPECIAL! She's the only girl in her school that has boutique looking jeans with frills on the bottom! :D Wishing I would have grabbed a picture of her wearing them! They look ADORABLE on her!

Add a few special appliques and free motion them down.. and voila! Fun funky girl jeans! :)

Here's another pair I made her last year. Two of the appliques got peeled off. LOL I hadn't figured out how to sew them down with my machine on that pair - so they were all hand sewn on. Yah... that doesn't hold up to kid wear! LOL! But she has practically worn these out she loves them so much!

Somehow this little flower applique is still on the pocket!? Guessing it won't last much longer! LOL!

I love doing things like this for Calli ! And donchya know... she's still at the age where she thinks she has the coolest mom of all ! :D I'm hanging on to that title for AS LONG AS I CAN!!!!! :) All too soon, I will be the "old fashioned mom that doesn't know anything!" Until then though... i still get to walk with her hand in hand, am begged to come help at school and have lunch with her, (she actually is begging me to home school her! lol) and i get to make her fun girly things that make her feel special! Aaaahhh... wish this time period could last forever!!

Bright blessings,

Bren :)

2011-08-27T20:51:00.000-06:00

Well here is one finish this week :)

I started out making this for our neighbor boy who just turned one. But halfway through, I changed my mind, and instead I am making him one with words and bold blues, reds and greens :) I'm not quite done with it, but I'll be sure to show you when I get it finished! This one is a baby quilt and it measures 45" x 50".

And the back :)

I used a fun lime green thread for quilting, and a grey kona for the binding. Figured it was busy enough as it was... it didn't need a print on the edges! Just LOVE these kona colors! I'm not a big blue person, but this Delft (?) is just gorgeous with the terragon!

And this... well... this seems to be a new member of our family!

No, i don't normally take in strays. (yes i always WANT to. LOL But i can't help but hear my Dad yelling in my head - never never feed strays!!!) But this guy... I couldn't help myself. Someone abandoned him I think. He had been coming around for a month or so, always sneaking into our garage and eating our cat's food. We kept "pssting" him out and shooing him away. Well, I was out pulling weeds one day, and there he is meowing like no ones business. And creeping ever so closer, telling me his life story.

I kept ignoring him... until he got so close that I could pet him. Oh MY WORD. He was skin and bones! :(

Literally.

And he is a BIG BOY! He stands a full hand taller than both of our female kitties - and his paws are huge! I keep calling him "Beefcake" LOL

The kids have been calling him Socks :)

Once I touched him I about broke down in tears. He was literally starving to death! How can anyone be soo cruel???

And he was soo skittish, but was so hungry, he was willing to overcome his fear of me, in hopes of food. There is just no way on this earth that I could turn my back on him. Dad's voice or not! Ticking off my cats or not. (they are VERY territorial, and one is total alpha and doesn't take any crap from any other animal! lol) Sooo... i knew... i knew it wasn't going to go well once Pounce realized we were feeding this intruder! LOL

But somehow she knew. She wasn't happy about it. Oh no. But she knew he was starving, and she literally looked the other way and let him eat. (that is soooo NOT her M.O.!)

We put food and water on the front porch for him - not near our kitty's bowls in the garage.

But he has since taken over ownership of us. He is such a LOVE. Forever tangling himself in and out of our legs, head butting and begging for love! Ok. That was fine. I have more than enough love to go around!

Well... as any cat owner can attest... each cat has their own personality, their own routines, their favorite places to sleep, to stand guard, etc.

Mr. Beefcake has now decided that all the places that Pounce (the alpha) sleeps - is a great place for HIM to sleep too! And since she stands guard at the front door and at the garage door - he's taken over a few of her shifts for her. I'm guessing he's just trying to help her out - since she's ever vigilant, she must be tired, right?

Yah. Pounce isn't liking this one bit.

I don't think she sees it as a favor. At all. LOL More like black goldilocks has moved into her house, eating from her bowl, and sleeping in HER bed!

He's conveniently IGNORING her. Because this is now HIS house.

Ho boy. Did I mention she's a queen bee and doesn't take crap from any animal? Not dogs, fox, racoons, or cats! She's a bit of a studette. lol

So we'll see how this will go down. She's had about enough of looking the other way.

And Beefcake has finally put on a little (not nearly enough yet) weight. But I'm guessing Pounce thinks it's enough!

He keeps trying to come in the house.

I keep telling him no. For right now that is the boundry line. Come winter tho... ??

These two are gonna need to make nice first.

And THEN we'll introduce him to Lexi! LOL

(she just wants to play, ALL THE TIME, and kitties are fun to play with!)

sighhhh....

So no.. i don't regret feeding him. And i don't regret a minute of loving him. But.. what have i gotten myself into????

Bren

Goldy Girl

2011-08-26T16:43:00.000-06:00

The many faces of my goldy girl :)

She was all about posing for the camera while i was trying to take pics of a couple finished quilts! So she is my feature pin up girl today :D

Yes, I'm still alive :)

The last few weeks have been hard. I have been spending every day packing up my mom's house.. decluttering, purging, packing and storing. And then I spent the last 10 days deep cleaning every room. I am EXHAUSTED.

And of course, i had to go and throw my back out on the last day :(

But the house is now listed, and looks absolutely gorgeous! Yay!!

I might post more in the next day or two, once I recouperate fully!

Bren

Busy Week!

2011-08-11T12:30:00.001-06:00

Well it's been a busy week! Woohoo!

Kids started school. Yes, we start VERY early! And no, I am one of the weird ones that is NOT happy about that. LOL

First day they were back in school, I got my triangle top put together! Woot! And it all worked out :) Second day they were gone, I was gone most of the day to a doctor appointment and running errands. But my hubby took my sewing machine in to be fixed - AND picked it up for me!! *Happy Dance!!*

So I was able to finally finish quilting this windowpane quilt that has been staring at me for close to 3 months!!! Yay!!! It's now on the couch with binding on, and hand sewing begun! *More Happy Dancing!*

I tell ya, if straight line quilting was the only option, I don't think I would be a quilter! I LOVE free motion quilting - that is my favorite part actually. I could do it all day every day! But straight line (or rather organic line) quilting on a big quilt is exhausting! Having to push the entire quilt through the machine every pass seems to take forever, and it's a full body workout!! :D This one isn't even that big, at 74"x 78"! I did a straight line quilting on my first two quilts and almost quit! And they were 90" x 80", and 108" x 92 ! So glad I didn't quit! LOL But this was just a reminder why I'm not fond of it. My shoulders are soooo sore!! LOL I really really wanted long lines on this quilt, so it was worth it. Can't wait to get the binding done and get it washed up!!

Then yesterday, I helped out a friend who just bought a used RV and needed 4 big cushions recovered. Took me about 7 hours to get the 4 of them all done. But they look great! And I made them with an overlap envelope style, so she can removed them and wash them if need be. I felt very accomplished!! LOL!!

But still needed to sew! (geez can you say withdrawls??!!) So I started a baby quilt for a little boy - our neighbor's son is turning 1 year old in two weeks - plenty of time to whip up a little quilt for him for his birthday!

I just love love love so many of the boyish fabrics that are on the market! It was hard to choose which ones to use! I think I might put together an extra one, and put it up on etsy while I'm at it.

Also have plans to make a couple little girl quilts for etsy too. We'll see if i can stay on track, or if i get all sidetracked and start working on something else?!

But this is what i'm working on today :)

Tomorrow I'll be at Calli's school helping in the classroom, and of course eating lunch with her. LOL She's only been begging since the beginning of the week! So sadly the summer mentality is quickly fleeting, and we are getting back in schedule of waking up early, and it seems work work work just takes over at that point. Sad to see the summer go!

Hope you are having a very blessed week!! Hopefully i'll have some finishes to show you soon!

Bren

My Process. Am I a FREAK??

2011-08-07T12:21:00.005-06:00

In the spirit of the process pledge, I thought I would share the challenges I just ran into!

I think there are (at least) 2 different kinds of quilters. Ones that do projects only with patterns, and follow every direction to the letter - and their quilts turn out perfectly! And then there are those that wing everything. They get an idea, do the math and set out to make it happen. Those quilts don't always turn out perfect, and you can generally count on struggles along the way. LOL

(as my best friend says - "I don't know why you have to do everything the HARD way!")

Yah. I don't know why either? LOL

It's in my genetic makeup, I guess! I enjoy the creative process of figuring out the puzzle. I enjoy taking an idea that might work, and turning it into something that does work! That is part of the fun for me - the challenge! (Yes, I can hear all of you shaking your heads at me. haha!) And yes, sometimes I even chastise myself, asking myself "why can't you just do something the EASY way for a change?" - answer? Cuz it's not as much fun!

Maybe it's because I followed patterns in doll making for soooo many years, and when I finally set out on my own, I was much happier, and had way better - and unique - results!? Regardless... that is how I function! :)

So I started this scrappy triangle "log cabin" quilt a while back. And I made the first 4 triangles however I felt like it. I soon realized that the angles of the triangles were not uniform. No where near it! Uh oh. lol So I started the rest with unified centers, thinking the end results would be unified. Well... um... duh... NO. Not when I was changing the widths of the strips and adding at whim! So, no biggie, right? They can always be sized down, trimmed, or added to, to make them uniform. So I made 20 blocks that way. Happy as a clam :)

Fast forward a month when I was finally able to pick this project up again. (and had forgotten that little tidbit!) I started adding sashing. Figured out how it would work best (or so i thought) and made rows. I added 6" wide sashing, and staggered the triangles - shooting for the straight bottom edges of the triangle to be lined up as my guide. OK. Seems reasonable, doesn't it? Yes... EXCEPT that each triangle had a slightly different ANGLE - so regardless of the straight sashing, none of the rows would come out the same - or neccessarily straight!! GULP. Did I realize this BEFORE I started sewing them together and trimming them down???

Oh. no. that. would. be. too. dang. easy.

geez

Look at the picture below. First of all... one of these things is not like the other! ruh roh!

Second of all... do you see how the second row, and 4th row kind of veer up or down and are not straight??

BIG uh oh!

Yes, some seam ripping will be in order. And resewing at adjusted angles for those two rows. Now, that retarded bottom row - everything bassackwards had me stressed, knowing the whole thing would have to be ripped apart. Well.. i had planned to do 5 rows of 4. But once I got it laid out this morning, and realized (duh) that i would need to put sashing in between the rows - probably another 6" to keep it uniform - my quilt just grew in length by 30"! And it wasn't as wide as I would like. So - onto plan B! I hadn't yet sewn the last row - very thankful for that! Scooched the bottom row over by one, and add another triangle - problem solved! :D Adding the extra triangles to each row will balance everything for the width and length the way I originally had hoped for - but apparently couldn't do correct math for! :) Now, just so you know, I DID consider making each triangle into a square block - oh yes... that probably would have been the proper approach to something like this. Because as we all know , squares are EASY to work with! LOL And in hindsight, I probably should have! But... now... don't laugh at me... I thought THIS WAY WOULD BE EASIER!! LOL Remember, i see puzzles. And in my mind, this angled sashing was the simpler approach and they could "nest". (sure, if you're working with tangrams - do you know what those are? My kids played with them when they were young. They're little wooden shapes that you put together to form designs.) Soo... anyway... apparently I chose the hard road without realizing it. Again. sigh. But have no doubt - this WILL come to fruition! I am nothing, if not tenacious!! LOL!!

And... for my own curiosity, I will probably make another triangle quilt. Probably smaller, and I will do everything opposite that I did with this one. I will be less "wing it and have fun" on the triangles - i'll make them more uniform. And I will square them up into their own blocks, and put them together that way. Just to see for myself, and perfect the whole process. Why you ask? Am I writing a pattern? Nope. Am I making this for someone else? Nope. Am I nuts? Yep, probably. LOL

Mostly because I need to CONQUER it. Master it. Know in my mind, undeniably which way is best, and know that I can do it. THEN, and only then, can I move on to the next challenge!

Am I a freak of nature??? Am I the only one that does this??

Seriously. Sometimes that's how it feels, when I am surrounded by people that are pattern followers. They all look at me like I have 8 eyes or something!

Please... tell me... are you a mutual freak? Do you have to conquer your ideas?? Or are you one of the smart ones that take the easier road, and end up with perfect quilts every time? Just so ya know... I'm a little jealous if you are!

LOL

Bren

ps... does anyone know how to keep blogger from inserting these huge gaps in between paragraphs?? I haven't been able to figure that out - and it's driving me nuts!!

Congratulations to Traci !

2011-08-05T09:02:00.003-06:00

Congratulations to Traci W !

The random number generator chose #16

You won the wordy fabric!

Thank you to all that entered! I really enjoyed reading your words, and why you chose them!

Traci, please email me with your information and these fabrics will be wrapped and sent out to you asap!! Hope you enjoy them! :)

I am off to take my son to the doctor. Fun stuff! LOL

Hope you all have a wonderful day, and you are staying COOL!!! It's finally eased up here in Colorado - quite a bit actually. But from the sounds of it, many states are still struggling with this massive heat. :( Praying for rain!!!!

Bren

Wordy Fabric Giveaway!

2011-08-02T10:52:00.006-06:00

Like Wordy Fabrics?

I've been meaning to put up this giveaway for a while now! But time seems to have run away from me!

Sorry!!

But today is the day!

Here is a small collection of wordy fabrics. There are 4 - 1/4yd pieces of the blacks and greys, and 4 smaller 1/8th yd pieces of the ones laying sideways.

The one on the far left is Authentic in black, the next three to your right are all from Wordplay by Barnatex.

These four are also from the Authentic line by Sweetwater. (i LOVE them. And i do mean LOVE! LOL That is why there is only 1/8th cuts here! I only have 1/2 yrds left and some smaller of each of these - but i am willing to share a little! lol) I'm sure you will be able to chop them up and they will add just the right accent to something! :)

The grays in these Wordplay/Barnatex fabrics are so versatile!

Oh and speaking of Sweetwater... have you seen their new line??????? Oh my word! (no pun intended lol) it's like they designed it JUST FOR ME! I am panting in anticipation!!!

http://sweetwater.typepad.com/makelifesweet/2011/04/welcome-to-ourhometown.html

I have a thing for red and yellow together... i have a thing for polka dots... and i have a thing for words/letters. Yah. I know they were peeking into my sub concience when they designed these! LOL!

Anyway... enough about me!! If you would like to be the proud winner of these fun wordy fabrics, leave me a comment telling me your word of the year. What ONE word describes you the best this year? Or your intentions or has the most meaning to you right now?

Also, become a follower and let me know you are following!

I will choose the winner with the random generator on August 5th.

Please make sure your email is available in your blogger id, if not, please leave it in your comment. If i choose someone with no email, i will have to pick someone else!

Thanks so much! :)

Hope you have a very blessed day!

Bren

Honored!

2011-07-31T17:49:00.003-06:00

Welcome if you are visiting from Stash Manicure!

Great to have you here!

I am absolutely honored that Madame Samm chose my simple little quilt "tuitti-fruitti" to be in the banner for her wanna be a quilter campaign!

Here is the other side, in case you were curious :)

Make sure you pop on over to Stash Manicure and see all the other quilts - they are all mouth watering gorgeous!! I am thrilled to have a few extra visitors to my blog! It's such a tiny little thing, and like my header says... really just all about the things I love in life! I don't post as regularly in the summer, because I don't sew as much - and I'm just plain busy running around having fun with my kids! :D But school is starting in 2 weeks (ack! can't believe it!!) and then I will be left to my own devices again! LOL Not quite sure where the follower buttons have gone here in blogland?? They show up and then disappear again? If it happens to be here today, I'd love it if you'd follow me! I have a few things up my sleeve for the coming weeks that you might be interested in! :) Have a great day!! xo Bren

Calling all Quilters too!

2011-07-27T09:44:00.002-06:00

Oh, did I forget to mention all you experienced quilters can play too??!!

Tuesdays and Thursdays are going to be giveaways for people that already quilt!

But you need to be signed up before you start entering the contests on August 1st!

Follow me and Stash Manicure, and then

Send me an email to get qualified, so you are ready when the kickoff begins! :)

Only a few more days!!

Go take a peek at Madame Samm's personal blog - Sew I Quilt to get some sneak peeks at some of the things that are rolling in from the sponsors... all to be given away! Hundreds of chances to win!

This is gonna be HUGE people!!

hee hee... too much fun!

now if i could just get back to sewing! lol

Calling all Want-to-be-Quilters!

2011-07-24T07:58:00.004-06:00

Ladies! (and gents!) Are you hungering to learn how to quilt?

But don't know where to start?

Don't know what tools you should buy, which do you need/not need?

What if I told you you could win FABULOUS PRIZES? (do i sound like vanna?)

This is going to be soo much fun!

Read below for a very exciting campaign - put together just for people who want to learn how to quilt!

Madame Samm from Stash Manicure has put together one of THE LARGEST most sponsored giveaway campaign in blogland - just for you!!

Read below...

Calling all Wantobe Quilters? "Hello friends and followers, I would love to welcome you to a Wantobe Quilters Campaign over here. ( http://stashmanicure.blogspot.com) They are having quilting supplies to giveaway 5 x a week for 12 weeks. Supplies that will have you quilting before you know it...From sewing machines to irons, to die cutters, to mats, to rotary cutters, sewing baskets, scissors, batting, needles, rolled sewing machine bags, patterns, books, magazines...everything you could imagine to assist you in being a NEW Quilter. Even if you are already part of this community you can win quilting stuff too...Tuesday and Thursday are days for us.. All you have to do is give me your name and phone number and email sew I can submit this to the organizer, because if you win anything I can win something too. All you have to do is be my follower and a follower over athttp://stashmanicure.blogspot.com/... That is all! There are over 49 Sponsors involved. I am pretty excited to be part of this, sew should you. I love being a QUILTER! ( p.s you will not be eligible to win anything if you do not register with a blogger where you see this message)

It starts August 1st. Girls you don't want to miss this!!!

OOohh AND it's going to last for THREE MONTHS!!

You need to sign up with someone that is participating to be able to enter in each of the giveaways (which are being held DAILY!!)

To sign up through me, send me an email to HeyDiddleWool@aol.com with your name, your email and your phone number.

(no, i wont be calling you unexpectedly lol - that is so Mme Samm can keep everyone straight)

Then, when you start entering the giveaways you enter with your own account and let them know you signed up through me, Brenis :)

It's that easy!

And if YOU win, I might win too! :) Fun stuff, right?

I know several of my friends have been wanting to learn to quilt. Whether it be hand quilting or machine quilting, you still need tools to cut your fabric straight and easily. You still need fabric to work with! And on and on the list goes!

You all know I am still a new quilter. I don't have a ton of tools and gadgets, and I'm a believer of trying a craft cheaply until you know you love it and are going to stick with it - and then... well then jump in with all fours! LOL!

Girls, you can't get any cheaper than FREE! LOL!

Come and join the fun!

Send me your emails, and I will get you qualified to play and win! :D

woohoo!

This is gonna be funnnnn!!!!

Bren

Sooo glad my kids are home!!!

2011-07-19T10:57:00.006-06:00

Calli and Bailey were blessed to be able to go to camp this year! They were gone for 8 days. I thought I would be all thrilled with the quiet time while they were gone. You know. Get alot of sewing done, read a book or two. Watch a movie uninterupted for a change.

Yah. No.

I hated them being gone!

I got a little peek into what it will feel like being an empty nester. Nope. I don't like it. LOL

Can I just stop time RIGHT HERE?? Say for... oh... the next 10 or 15 years?

I LOVE the joy, the laughter, the goofiness of my kids. And the love between them/us all.

So it was a very LONG 8 days!

And the reunion was sweet! :)

So many stories to tell!

And they were lucky enough to go to this gorgeous Christian camp up in the mountains - Colorado is sooo gorgeous this time of year! (ok, well any time of year)

It was also a music camp. They worked very hard learning new intruments and put on a big show on the last day. Calli took percussion - and learned the basics of playing drums, reading music, and understanding music. She also learned basic keyboard.

Bailey already plays trombone and electric guitar. So he was in advanced band, and learned acoustic guitar. Sooo neat for both of them!!

Emily spent almost the entire week with her best girlfriend, and painted her girlfriend's room.

Mom and Dad were home trying to enjoy the break, and not succeeding! :) Pathetic huh?

Here's some snapshots I took the day we went up to get them. What an awesome day it was!

Did I mention I was thrilled for them? Did I mention i am soo happy to have them home??

They've been home all of 3 days. And they are leaving tomorrow for a week long trip with Grama & Grampa in the RV to South Dakota.

Wishing I had made plans for myself and hubby to take off for a week together! House is going to be altogether too quiet! Whaaa!!!

Anyone wanna come over and make noise at my house??

Bernina Blessings

2011-07-15T13:07:00.004-06:00

So, I didn't realize I was going to chat so much in the last post! So I split them up, since I knew this one was going to be lengthy as well!

I have one more thing to add, as mentioned earlier... Good faithful sewing machines!! I am a BERNINA GIRL! A faithful, loyal Bernina devotee! LOL! Nothing else sews like them. There is nothing a Bernina can't do well. And the QUALITY of their machines so far surpasses all others on the market! Well... that's MY die hard opinion anyway! :) So, you've heard me mention that I want to heff my machine out the window. That's because I know how it's supposed to sew. Beautifully. Perfectly. As all Berninas do! And I have higher expectations for the machine that I saved for for 2 years, and passed on cheaper models and brands so I could get the machine that would do what I wanted it to do - and KNEW unequivically that it COULD!! And Berninas are built to last - like i said - total quality!! So I had no hesitations in buying a used one! And oh how thrilled I was to finally get it! Imagine my surprise, and total disappointment to find out that the previous owner had run her machine into the ground. Obviously, she didn't take care of it, service it, or even oil it! Now who in their right mind does that to such an incredible machine that takes such good care of you?? I've had it serviced and fixed twice now by the local Bernina store - they are so awesome! And sadly the machine has been so mistreated, there's no telling if we'll ever get her working correctly :( I've just run out of money to keep trying! ;( *cry* And of course my husband is having a hard believing me that Berninas are the end all be all, after experiencing this. So he won't be buying me a new one any time soon. *cry cry* So what's a girl to do? Pull out old faithful, that's what!!

My Dad bought my Mom this top of the line machine when i was... 9?10? 12? Somewhere in there. I was sewing on my mom's old singer at the time, and having fits because the timing was so messed up. LOL But i didn't know that wasn't normal, at the time! And I made it work for me, because I LOVED to sew! :) This machine was off limits to me - a child - until several years later. I think I was about 15 when I asked my mom if I could use her machine to sew some shorts. That's the day that my life changed in sewing! It wasn't a constant struggle and tug of war with the machine. It's like she did all the work and I didn't have to! She purred instead of clanking! The knee lift was M A G I C! And the perfect consistancy of the stitches blew my mind! I was in love. For life! LOL! Over the next 4 or 5 years I used this machine solely. Then I moved to Colorado. With NO machine. Heartbreaking. It's true! :) Bought what I could afford, so I could keep sewing. A cheap Brother. I gotta say though, that that cheap Brother sewed like a work horse day in and day out sewing every single day for 6 years! It finally konked out, and being a young family with a small budget, my only option was another Brother, or a singer. Had my experiences with singers always breaking down, so opted for another brother. And still missing "my" Bernina every day, I tried that whole "too bad I don't have my bernina here in colorado" subliminally on my mom a few times :) Nope.. didn't work! LOL

But a few years ago, she passed it on to me. Yes, it's now around 30 years old. And not nearly as fancy and cool as the new ones! But she's a treasure! I know this machine's quirks, it's favorite threads, it's happy sewing speed - how can I not? I grew up into adulthood sewing on this girl! Soooo when I was absolutely desperate last week to sew, I remembered my old faithful girl tucked under my table and pulled her out! Cleaned her, oiled her... and yes.. admittedly whispered sweet nothings to her, saying she was my last hope... she came through like the champ she was built to be! And I was reminded again of why I loved Berninas -and sewing so much!

I whipped up the little pouch for my Mom, and the little bag, and still needed to sew some more, as I was enjoying it again for the first time in quite a while! So I made my bag. And loved every minute of it!

Do I wish the artista 180 was working just as beautifully? Oh yah, you know i do! But am I happy to have something to sew on - and not just any old machine - but my faithful old best friend? You'd better believe it! I hope she continues to hold up until I can afford to upgrade to one made in this century! LOL!

In the meantime, Bernie and I will continue to be the best of friends!

Now, if only my Mom could find her accessory box!

Birthday Bags

2011-07-15T11:17:00.004-06:00

Howdy!

Thought I would show you a couple of the projects I worked on this week!

Last week I was going stir crazy since I didn't have a sewing machine to sew on. All these grand ideas and projects swirling around in my mind - and could I get any machine to work??!! agurrr!! But you can't keep a good woman down! LOL! Or a good and faithful Bernina down! :D

Two Old Beautys

2011-06-30T11:17:00.003-06:00

Two Old Beautys!

I wanted to share these gorgeous hunks of metal with you!

They just don't make them like they used to, do they?

This dressmaker reminds me of a 57 chevy :) All the angles and ultra "modern" knobs and sleek lines :) Danny brought this home for me about 6 months ago or so. I immediately set her up and got her all cleaned to see if she would work! And hooo baby does she purr! There is something about these old heavy machines - they don't clack, or make click click sounds, they just run so smooth with a soft hum. And fast??!! They were truly precision machines!

I would love to do all my quilting on this beauty! I need to take it down to the local machine repair shop and see if they have a little geared ring part that I need. The old one looks like it was made of bake lite and has disintegrated and fallen off. That little gear is what feeds the dogfeed. And other than that - this baby works awesome!! Oh.. and i'll need to scour the internet to see if i can find a darning foot for it. LOL Wish me luck! :)

This one is an old singer... 1966 i think. I picked it up at a garage sale over a year ago, for $20. And dude... all the paraphanalia that came with it - two boxes of "parts" - are ALL for making button holes! LOL

It cracks me up how many steps and parts these women had to go through just to make a button hole! We are soo spoiled in our new machines with everything built in! This one is cast iron too from the hefty weight of it. I'm guessing it originally sat in a cabinet. It too hums so pretty. Everything is straight forward and basic. EXCEPT the bobbin casing and winder! This is a design I hadn't seen before. There's a little latch that you push and then supposedly you should be able to wind your bobbin - directly in the bobbin casing. Well... i pushed that little lever. Followed the directions (yep, was lucky enough to have the manual) and ... hmm... no go. I'm a patient sort. LOL I tried 5 or 6 more times, thinking it was operator error :D But still... nada. Sooo I think this girl is going to go with me to the shop also. There must be a snagger doohickey missing. Because it just refuses to grab that bobbin thread. (i hand wound a bunch just to test sew with it - but it just won't grab and pull it up) All this share and tell just to say that i am ready to throw my Bernina out the window! Man... i really got taken on that machine :( There is NO way that lady DIDNT know about all it's problems! grrr I hate dishonest people! It continues to have problem after problem. And frankly i am out of money to keep dishing into it! So, I packed her up and set her aside for a while. Lest I follow through with my desires and actually heff it thru a window! And pulled these guys out to see if i could get them working, and back to sewing without grumbling the whole time! These two machines make me feel like i should be dressed in full dress and petticoats, newly applied lipstick and hair perfectly coifed, and of course a dainty little apron on as well! Maybe I should pull out that Good Housekeeping article from the late 50's that told how to be "good wives" ?? hmmmm.... then again maybe NOT! LOL The women of that era would be mortified to see me in my sweats (or pj's depending on the day) sewing away, hair in a pony and not a lick of make up on! (that's on a full blown sewing day. Most other days i DO get dressed and at least look presentable! lol ) Hope you are having a great creative summer day!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-06-29T14:08:00.003-06:00

Well almost wordless. LOL

Do those words above count? :)

I'm free piecing words for the back of this quilt.

All these blocks make me HAPPY! :D

Artist/Blogger Shout out

2011-06-27T22:04:00.003-06:00

Well happy Tuesday to you! :)

Today's post is a fun shout out.

In case you have never met Michelle Allen in blogland. You might want to go take a peek at her blog!

I've been following Michelle's adventures for a couple of years now - and ya know... I just smile whenever I visit her blog!

She's an incredible artist who uses so many different mediums and textiles - always incorporating something new, trying new things and ALWAYS exploring and growing her creative side! (something I highly admire)

She's a successful entrepreneur, who not only started her own company -Allen Designs -with her art, but has taken it to amazing levels -and sells all over the world. A true inspiration!

Michelle's artwork speaks for itself. But if I had to put adjectives out there to describe it, I would say FUN, SPUNKY, BOLD & WHIMSICAL!

Sounds silly - but she lets her child side out - and you can't help but smile when you look at the results! :D

And something else that drew me in years ago - she's "real". You just want to hug her, because she's true to who she is!

Here are a few pics I pulled - with her permission - but it's such a small sampling of all that she does. Pull up a chair and a cup of coffee and go PLAY on her blog or website!

( Ok, so i have to admit i am head over heels for this darn sock monkey clock!! It just BELONGS in Calli's room!!)

And check out this robot clock! Do you have sons or grandsons that would just FLIP over this??? Wishing I had little boys still! LOL

she just recently got into book/journal making - very neat! Which can be interpretted or made in so many ways!

paper mache dolls...

I think this was her first go with fabric doll making? these are a hoot!!

And ohh... sigh... her art journaling... I love that she takes snapshots and shares them with the rest of us! Always different, and she layers them as she goes - I LOVE seeing the process! And they're personal... dreams, hopes, goals, emotions... they're really special :)

And she paints! Man, can that girl paint!! Although i didnt grab a pic of one of her paintings.

It's pretty awesome! Many times she will take snapshots of the progression of the paintings, and you get to see how it gets from start to finish.

Yet something else I am drawn to - the PROCESS. Of any art form. Guess my curiosity of "how did you get from point A to point B?" is always on - no matter the craft or the art - that's always my first question! LOL! How did you DO that??

And when I get to SEE how others do it - I swear it opens up so many other options and ideas - just sparks the whole creative fire, which helps me grow! And no - I don't paint. And I don't do art journaling, (gotta admit the desire is totally there, but the talent is definitely NOT! lol) but seeing other artists work is kindling to the fire within us all. I think especially when it's a different kind of art than we ourselves do. That's why we all love seeing what others are doing! Appreciation for all the energy, time, thought and raw talent that someone has put into a project gives us the giddys! :)

And a little disclaimer.

No - she didn't pay me to say all these things. LOL

She doesn't even know that i was going to go all gushy on her!

I just asked if i could give her a shout out on my blog, because after seeing that sock monkey and falling in love, i know many of my friends have kids and grandkids that would just do flips over her stuff! And you know, we're always keepin our eyes open for birthdays and Christmas! LOL!

And even if you don't have kids, treat yourself! :)

hugs,

Bren

Has It Been Almost a Week Already??

2011-06-25T15:45:00.002-06:00

Ok, so i'm not the best at blogging in the summer. But hey, I'm doing better than last summer! LOL (ie... NO posts at all)

Nothin new or fun to report on. You know. Summer days. More swimming (of course - kids are insatiable)

Barbequeing. Playing cards or board games into the evening.

Kids have had (what feels like) a bazillion sleep overs this week alone. So there are always anywhere from 5-10 kids at the house at any given time.

NEED to hit sams club. Totally out of food now. LOL

(teenagers are ALWAYS hungry!)

Yesterday - which of course was probably our hottest day yet - is when I decided to tackle cleaning out the garage. And no, stupidity doesn't run in our family. LOL

But I was motivated to get it done, and who knew when that would show up again? :D Our garage is always seemingly out of control. Especially after winter. Everyone just piles (or drop kicks) stuff out there whenever they don't know where else to put something. Kids do NOT put things back where they belong, so there is always a trail of roller blades, skateboards, scooters, balls, mitts, swim stuff, socks (amazing how many socks i found! I guess from when they take off their roller blades??? I have NO idea? lol) you name it. And I am always tripping over them or stubbing my toe on weights! arrggh. So no small feat to clean and organize it. LOL Started at 9am.... finished at 7pm. Did i mention it was dang hot???

Yah. I was absolutely whooped when i was done.

But can i just say, it was worth every dirty, grimy, sweaty minute?!

It looks AWEEESSSOMMMEEE now!!

Down side... sadly... is now my hubby will see it as space to fill up! :(

Wonder how long I can get it to last??

Care to place any wagers?

LOL

Today i am actually child free for a few hours! Woohoo!! And sitting here at the computer like a tired old lady. Geez. I should go sew or something! But working that hard in the heat really did me in, and i'm payin the price for it today. So... good time to catch up on blog reading! No energy expenditure required! :D

xoxo

More Goofy Pics

2011-06-19T19:53:00.002-06:00

More goofin off at the swimming pool ;)

They are such goofy hams!! I love them sooo much!! <3

And do you see the sneaky one behind? Yes, Emily ended up in the pool 2 seconds later. LOL

Can't believe how big they all are now :(

Enjoyed father's day today :) Went to the park with the fam and brought Lexi too. Soccer balls, football, baseball, bat and gloves. And a frisbee. And there is a fountain at the park. Lexi was in heaven. So many different balls to chase and then quick dips in the fountain! LOL Kids and dad had a great time too :)

Then off to swim, then home for dinner and a couple movies :) Best kind of day!!

2011-06-18T16:19:00.002-06:00

Summertime summertime, sum sum summer time!

Ohh the days of being young and carefreee!

Sisters playing in the pool

Can't believe i got these two shots! How fun!! :D

Remember the hours and hours of trying to do the perfect handstand underwater?

Thinking you did it PERFECT, only to come up and have someone say - nope you were lopsided!?

But back then we didn't have digital cameras to capture the moment so quickly!

Try and try again. Finally they got it! But of course that picture is in the middle instead of last. LOL

They found a worm.... and thought that was just hilarious. LOL

We took Lexi to the dog park day before yesterday. Sooo much fun for her!! Running full speed, romping in the water, playing with other dogs. Oh yah. She was a happy camper! :) Wish I would have had a camera to bring!! Caught these with Emily's camera yesterday. We just dont realize how totally spoiled we are in this day and age!! I gotta admit... i love the instant gratification of taking a picture and seeing it immediately! I miss my camera!! Guess what i'm asking for for my birthday this month? :D

Have a happy blessed summer day!

xoxo

A little polka dot therapy

2011-06-13T13:13:00.003-06:00

So, or not sew as the case may be :) I haven't done much sewing the last few months. Lack of motivation, or inspiration, or just plain distracted with everything else. But i was jonesin! (is that still even a word? lol) I sewed up a few chemo caps for a dear friend who has a friend battling cancer. That got me back to the machine! Yay! Then the other day, i was desperately wanting to sew. I think i stood in my room... turning in circles... touching this or that... for... oh... an hour?!? Couldn't figure out WHAT i wanted to start on. Nothing was screaming - me! pick me! Don't you hate that? I much prefer the sudden inspirations where you can't run fast enough to your sewing room and rip things off the shelf - fabric flying, scissors seeming to work magic of their own acoord! And you work like crazy for two days and have something awesome to show for it! LOL! Then there are times - usually when you've gone wayyy too long without being creative - and the mojo is on ultra slow drip! My personal motto when that happens - is just start SOMETHING. Doesn't matter what. Just start. You might hate it later, that's fine. You might change your mind half way thru the process and rip half your rug apart, or quilt blocks apart. That's fine too. LOL Because that means the creative energy has returned! And the only way to get it to return is to dive in and get moving forward! Well i finally picked up a charm pack of Hoot, and some pale yellow kona. And started sewing. I hated it. Knew i wasn't on the right path. I wasn't feelin it. But i didn't care - just needed to SEW!! And ya know what? I wasn't even 45 minutes into it, and inspiration struck! Whooohooo!! I needed some POLKA DOT THERAPY!!!!!! Laugh all you want, my primitive friends :) But polka dots make my heart sing! :) Grabbed that pile of fabric and stuck it aside, and started pulling other fabrics and sliced and diced and sewed! Woot! I'm excited about my new project now!! yay! Got 8 of these made, and 4 more started in just a few hours. Feels SO good now! Can't wait to finish it!! :D

Hope you are having a great day! I'm off to sew some more!

woohooo!!!

Rites of Passage & Amazing Coverage

2011-06-04T21:19:00.003-06:00

Hello!

This week has been full of fun rites of passage for my daughter Calli. And some not so fun adult responsibilities.

First... Calli turned 9 last month. And her brother gave her money to go get her ears pierced - with a card that said, "I'll be right there to hold you hand, as tight as you need!"

Well she got them pierced on wednesday!! woohoo!! (VERY BIG deal to a girly girl!)

Today, we enjoyed one of her other birthday gifts. Her grama gave her a certificate to go horseback riding for the first time. (lol her birthday wish list read more like a bucket list!)

And... the only stables around, require that a parent accompany any child on the ride.

So guess who got to go? :D

**Let me just say here... that i got off that hour and a half ride feeling a heck of a lot older than i actually am!! LOL I knew my tush would be a hurtin! But ohhhh my knees! Streaking pain! Not quite sure why they hurt so bad?? The last time I rode for 2 hours and my knees were never an issue. But today... toooodayyy was a different story!! hahaha!**

Anyway, it was a wonderful ride, through one of the local state parks at the base of the gorgeous summer mountains! Calli's first time on a horse, and Bailey's too! (and of course the 14 year old tougher than nails "stud" says his butt doesn't hurt one bit! Aaahhh to be 14 again! :)

Mine and Calli's do tho! LOL)

My mom was recouperating quickly from her surgery, and then ran into a snag. Back to the doctor's we went yesterday, with the possibility of them squeezing her into the early morning surgery line up. Praise God, they didn't have to!

On the way home from the surgery center, my car decided to act up. We pulled into my mom's house, her with her car door open... finishing up saying good bye, and my car starts dinging like crazy. Oil light. Turn it off, and we heard the weirdest sound! Gurgling, sounded like serious boiling. Opened the hood, and sure enough, it was BOILING like mad! Spilling coolant everywhere, and it looked like it was almost empty!

----> woman who knows nothing about cars <----

calls husband. can't get ahold of husband.

thinking i should just add water to the radiator? that's not so hard, right??

calls close family friend (it's 8:30am) should i just add water? or should i walk to the convenience store and get coolant??

friend says, how far out are you? (by the grace of God i was at my mom's only about 5 miles away) He says, i'll come on over. I feel bad for pulling him away from his breakfast, and say just tell me what i should do, i'm perfectly capable :)

LOL no!... he says .. don't touch anything. I'll be there in a few!

---->really folks - I am NOT THAT inept!! <---

But God had me covered!! In his perfect grace!!! I am soooo thankful He was watchin over me!

There was a reason it just "happened to happen" at my moms... and not 20 miles away on the busy highway! Or on the way back! And there was a reason I wasn't supposed to get ahold of my husband. (who also knows nothing about cars lol) And there was a reason He had Al come take a look. Someone that DOES know about cars!

Had I driven even two more miles... even after adding water... I would have cracked a head.

---> this woman DOES know what that means! <---

Funny thing is... now don't shake your finger at me... had i not sat there for those 2 minutes, I would have been halfway home. And had it dinged at me then... i would have just finished driving the last 3 miles to home! I thought it was an oil light. And i had JUST put oil in it a week ago, when that same light had come on. So i WOULD have driven those 3 miles.

And God knew that.

ugh.

No, Brenis. That was not an oil light. That was a temperature light.

I was paying such close attention, can't you tell?

Turns out my thermostat was broken. Therefore not opening to let the coolant into the engine. Engine was bone dry and hotter than steaming hot. So no amount of water or coolant would have done any good - cuz it wasn't getting to where it was supposed to go!

Alan was an absolute ANGEL. He figured that out. And fixed it right there in the parking lot. Replaced the part, retested it, gave me a humongous bear hug and patted me on my way!

Oh man, i was sooo thankful!!

Praising God over and over!!

And realizing that today we were going to be traveling on e-470 to the foothills, which would have been disasterous!! Had we not caught it yesterday morning- it would have broken on the way home, and IF by the grace of God, it hadn't, the kids and I would have been stranded on the freeway- with a broken head no less and a $3,000 bill!

Can you say PROTECTION??

OK... sorry to be so long winded - but one little "add on" to this story.

Everything's good. Right?

So... I went out last night to drop Bailey off at bible study, and buy Alan a nice bottle of tequila (his favorite) as a thank you, since he wouldn't let me pay him.

Bible study, 1.5 miles from home. Liquor store another 1.5 miles. Came home (3 miles) told the girls to pack up their stuff and I would take Calli's friend home. Then went to Alan's ( 1/4 mile) to drop off tequila. Back home (1/4 mile) and sat waiting for girls for... oh... 3 minutes.. with car running, then ran her to her house - literally 7 houses away, and back home. So that's what? 6 1/2 miles total?

Turned off the car.

Guess what I hear??

MORE BOILING

Open the hood - and the FULL TO THE BRIM tank of coolant is down under minimum and boiling like a son of a gun. Again. :(

All in 6.5 miles??

And thinking all was good - i would have driven it today to the resevoir. On that honkin highway. 30 miles away.

Had i not gone out to get that thank you gift for Alan, last night (and almost put off to do today), i never would have known, and would have been in a heap of trouble!

OH man. The Lord's hand of protection was sure on me yesterday!!!

No ifs ands or butts. (even sore horsey butts! lol)

My mother in law loaned us her car this morning, and we took the van to Al.

It's some sort of fan switch, or fan issue, he thinks. Something he can't determine without a scan or just replace all those parts, which would be stupid. So off to the shop it goes tomorrow!

All I can say is, PRAISE GOD!!!! PRAISE GOD!!!

Sooooo many chances. Soooo many variables. Soooo much protection!!!

I feel soooo incredibly loved and protected!!

Isn't He AMAZING??!!

Bright blessings to you friends!

Bren - who will be walking like a cowgirl for the next day or two! :D

A MUST Read Book!!

2011-05-25T11:05:00.002-06:00

I just picked this up yesterday, and finished it last night.

This is an amazing recount of a visit to Heaven, by a four year old little boy!

IT WILL STOP YOU IN YOUR TRACKS!!

It's a quick, easy read, and you won't want to put it down! PLEASE take the time to get this and read it!! You won't be sorry you did! And i'm guessing you will want to buy copies for everyone you know! LOL!!

My mom's surgery went smoothly, and she is recouperating nicely! Thank you for your prayers!! While she was in surgery, I ran next door to the walmart to pick up a few things and saw this book. That yellow cover and the little boy is what caught my eye :) Once i picked it up and read the back, I knew I HAD to read it! LOL My Mom is next in line for my copy, then my husband, then my daughter Calli wants to read it, and I'm hoping I can get my 14 yr old son to read it also!

Colton's (the little boy on the cover) recount of Jesus, and Heaven is unlike anything you have read or heard before. It will give you such amazing hope, renew your faith, and give you a visual of heaven that is hard to grasp from the bible - although all the descriptions ARE in the bible we can't always get our brains wrapped around it! From a little boy's mouth... in childlike terms, you WILL be able to see it! It will give you goosebumps, and leave you in awe!!

God is sooo amazing! And this story is such a blessing to each and every one of us! Don't wait till you "get around to it" ! Go get it TODAY!!!

Here's a link to a Christian online bookstore that has it for 8.99. I paid 13.99 at walmart. And i think the family Christian stores have it on sale this week, if you have one close by. Regardless of the price - IT'S WORTH IT!!! :D

http://www.christianbook.com/heaven-is-for-real/todd-burpo/9780849946158/pd/946158?kw=the%20book%20heaven%20is%20for%20real&event=PPCSRC&p=1020037&cm_mmc=MSN-_-Titles-_-heaven-_-the%20book%20heaven%20is%20for%20real

Weekend of Blessings

2011-05-24T06:09:00.003-06:00

Good Morning!

Still no pictures! Sorry 'bout that!

Although I'm not sure what I would put a picture of here even if i could? LOL Probably pics of lots of amazing women that I met this weekend!

The women's conference was tons of fun and totally exhausting! lol

It was incredibly organized, down to the minute! And my 14 year old son was right. It did me a LOT of good! :D

I was absolutely blessed to be surrounded by my girlfriend's large family this weekend. They think of it as their girl's weekend away, and all her sisters, and their grown children, and her mom come - and turn it into one big slumber party! Full of laughter, 10 conversations going at once, ,snacks, reminiscing, sibling rivalry, and more laughter :) And each one was comfortable in who they were, in their own skin and so REAL. I loved them immediately! :D

Yes, my weenie shyness was still there, but it eased up after the first day - how could it not when you are surrounded by such loving accepting kind people?!

The conference sessions and lessons were great! And oh boy did they feed us! ugh. too much!! :)

God is soo good!

I feel like He reeled me back in, and put me back on the path where i need to be. He gave me new direction, and renewed hope. And He gave me a word. BE INTENTIONAL.

And ya know... i just gotta say... when God speaks to you, well... at least when He's spoken to me.. it's always been short, sweet and succinct! But you know in every cell in your body what He is referring to! There is no doubt. No questioning - did He mean this? or that? Ok, maybe I need to rephrase that. LOL As there have been many many times I have questioned, and not understood. But that is usually when i am asking for an answer, and sometimes the answer isn't all too clear! BUT, the times He has told me to do something, it is always loud and clear!

BE STILL

REACH OUT

SPEAK TO HIM

a few examples... short, but very clear! And sometimes intimidating!! LOL! But even in the shortness of the command, the Holy Spirit infuses you with complete knowledge as to what he's referring to. Right?

Well, BE INTENTIONAL covered a whole lot of bases!

First and foremost, i need to be intentional in my teaching of my children, my parenting in Christ. This is a place that i feel i fall down a lot! Not being raised in a Christian home, not having examples of how to rear my children in the word of God. We DO... don't get me wrong. It's just not consistent, and I don't always feel like i'm doing it "right". I know i could be sooo much better at it, but just dont know how! So anyway.. He said it all. I need to be intentional in my teaching! :)

I need to be intentional in my walk with Christ.

I haven't been for the last several months. I've let everything else get in the way!

And last but not least, I need to be intentional in developing covenant friendships/fellowship with other women in Christ.

We NEED relationship. First with Him, and then with others.

Going to a big church, that's the first thing that goes missing! And unless you intentionally set out to find a group of women to do bible study with, pray with, laugh with, you never will!

And I haven't. And He showed me this weekend what i've been missing! Loud and clear.

So was this weekend good? Oh yes.

Am I glad i went? Oh my gosh, yes!

Was I blessed? Absolutely!! :)

Did I get the rest i needed? Heck no! LOL!!

Am i complaining? Absolutely NOT! :D

I can sleep any time! :D

Speaking of which - I need to go jump in the shower and get ready to go! My mom is having surgery on her knee this morning. She tore her meniscus a couple months ago - long story as to why the surgery is just now happening, so i wont go into it! Please say a prayer for the surgeons, and for her swift and complete healing!! Her name is Toni. :)

Thank you friends!! Thank you for your encouragement, your love & your friendship!! I am so lucky to know you!!

xoxo

Bren

Update

2011-05-20T10:03:00.002-06:00

Quick little update to my ranting last week!

Praise God and thank you for your prayers!! Calli is improving hugely on the antibiotics!

We even had to go back to the doctors on Friday! Turns out she DID have strep also, even though she tested negative. Has her mama's genes apparently ;( And I needed to get that documented in her chart. One look in that kids' throat and there was NO doubt! Anyway, she is getting soooo much better!!! Hallelujah!!

Her stomach issues are still there, just not as severe. We have to wait until the end of June (they were completely booked and we're on the cancellation list to get in sooner) to retest to see if the H pylori is gone, or whether they need to do another round.

In the meantime, we just want to get her healthy and her poor little immune system beefed up!!

She made it to the last three days of school, first day back she was still feeling pretty yucky, but she pushed through it and was able to be there the entire day. She had to take some tests she missed, and is freaked out that she missed two questions that she just didn't know. I told her dont worry about it baby!!! We're all just happy she made it back - and so is her teacher!!

So school is officially out for the year!

It has been about 40* and raining here for the last week, off and on. Doesn't feel much like summer yet! LOL!

I'm heading out to a women's conference this afternoon, for the weekend. A friend invited me to go with her. I was a little hesitant... as I won't know anyone, and I know I will feel really awkward! But, trying to force myself out of my own simple comfort zone, as I know it will bring me closer to God. And boy oh boy does my attitude need some work! Being stuck at home with Calli for the majority of the last several months, I have a bad case of cabin fever, and probably what some would call a bad case of the mommy overloads!

LOL My 14 year old son told me last night he thinks getting away will be "good for you mom" !

:D What a wise young man he is! :D

So... i'm off to pack. No clue what to wear, or what to pack. No clue if I will be able to overcome my shyness around all these people I don't know? Gotta tell ya... there is a sense of dread, and resistance. What a weenie, right? But there is also excitement, and looking forward to stepping out of the boat and trying!

The first night they are doing a "Let's Make a Deal" purse game.... ugh... what in the world do i need to put in my purse??!! Anyone?? Ideas? Help!?

Bren

Sporadic Blogger & Sick Calli

2011-05-13T13:44:00.003-06:00

Well I think that should be my new name, when it comes to my blog!

Things have been tough since about November.

I'm good at keeping my chin up, and can always find positive in just about any situation!

But, you do get worn down.

Emotionally. Physically. Spiritually.

So you just don't feel like shouting to the world what all is going on in your little world! Ya know?

Anyway... a quick little update.

My camera is broken - so no pics today, or for a while! :(

My youngest daughter, Calli, has been ill since November.

Very severe stomach pains, and cramping and nausea and vomiting. :(

LOTS of doctors visits, too many ER visits, and not enough answers!

We "wasted" three whole months with a doctor that had an ego the size of Russia, and his office staff were as inept as the size of his ego! Not a good situation! Finally fired him, and found another doctor... had to wait 5 weeks to get in to see him. But, praise God - on the first visit, they did 5 different tests, including a thorough ultrasound, xrays, stool tests and a few others. They were able to eliminate soo many of the possibilities! We spent two weeks doing an agressive flush on Calli's system, and then prepped for a colonoscopy and an endoscopy.

Her pain was constant, but would flare up for 4 or 5 days and keep her doubled over in pain... and then it would just ease up enough for her to function reasonably well.

Do you know how hard it is watching your little (and getting smaller by the day) daughter be in pain for that long??

Let me just tell you... it is THE MOST HELPLESS horrible feeling in the world!

Mommys are supposed to be able to make it all better!! :(

Anyway, she had those procedures done, and they figured out what was going on.

She had a bacteria in her stomach called Helicobacter pylori. Something that is extremely common!! But 80% of people don't show symptoms or even know they have it. ?

So why does it affect the other 20% so horribly??

I have no idea. I asked that question of the specialists and they didn't know either. Their guess is something about DNA.

Anyway, they put her on 2 weeks of doubled up antibiotics, and an acid blocker. Her stomach was already so trashed, with the beginnings of a peptic ulcer. :( Add on peppermint oil to help with the nausea and vomiting, and probiotics. She was taking a pill like every 2 hours through out the day, as they all had to be spaced apart.

Geez. We prayed over her. We laid hands on her.

We kept hoping to see some improvement after the 2 weeks.

Nope.

Ok.. so.. it's not unheard of for this bacteria to take two huge rounds of antibiotics, to kill it off. We were just hoping for the shorter version! :)

Then she got that RSV hummer of a virus that was going around.

Really??

Like she hasn't already dealt with enough?

Two weeks of it... and thankfully she didn't get it all that bad!

She was feeling much better last week. She had her birthday party on Saturday. (can't believe she is 9 !)

And then... on Sunday night she was feeling kind of yucky. By monday morning she sounded like she had croup, and had a fever of 103.

Off to the doctor we went.

Dumb doctor told me - oh it's nothing. Just give her some ibuprofen!

????!!!!!????

*ok.. sorry... insert a little momism here. Moms KNOW their kids! I knew that morning what it was on it's way to being. Doctors NEED to listen to moms! I am a mother of 4 - not a new mom who freaks out over the tinest little thing! Hellooo!*

And of course, by wednesday it was horrible. So back to the doctor we went yesterday.

Now, they have her back on antibiotics (this is not good for her system, you know that right? But what choice do they have?) AND she has pink eye to boot!

omgosh

My heart is breaking for her.

She is so miserable. :(

She's been fighting all this junk for months, and she is just exhausted, the poor baby! :(

And that cough is horrible. I know how much i hurt when i had it a few weeks ago. You never stop coughing, and ya just want someone to shoot you and put you out of your misery!

And she's so little. And it's just wracking her poor little body. :(

Arrrggghh. And I feel sooo dang helpless! I just want to make her feel better!

I wouldn't trade being a mom for ANYTHING.

But as you moms know, sometimes it just plain sucks!!

You don't sleep when your kids are this sick. The worry factor is off the charts. I'm sure i'm not the only mom who hits this point?!

She has missed a ton of school. And he last three days are next week. Praying, praying she will be well enough to go for that last 3 days. She's missed all the fun stuff this last week. Parties, yearbook signing, field trips. :( Hoping we can get her back on the road to recovery this weekend! So she can have those last few days with her friends!

Prayers for her would be wonderful!!

xoxo

Down with the crud

2011-03-25T13:17:00.002-06:00

No pics today

Barely a post :)

I've been down with this rsv junk for 3 weeks now.

Thought i was going to hack up a lung with as bad as the coughing was.

But right at the 2 week mark, i started feeling better. Soo thankful!

20%... then 40%... and then beautifully I was 90 %! Coughing up the last of the junk... or so i thought.

Yesterday it's like everything came back - with a vengance! ? ?

Chest hurts now... feels like someone is sitting on it?

Is this just the nature of the beast?? (this virus' m.o. ?)

Or do i need to get antibiotics? Anyone out there gotten this nasty stuff and gotten through it WITHOUT

antibiotics??

Thought I was! ha! Guess not?

Working on DQSX

2011-03-23T14:34:00.003-06:00

Ok, so i'm not so handy with arranging pictures on here in the order that I want them! LOL!

So bear with me that they are a little backwards! :)

I've been working on my DQSX. (doll quilt swap 10)

I got the idea right away for my secret partner. And went to town getting it started! But had a comedy of errors happen one after another while working on it! LOL

And in the pledge to show process, I guess I'll be showing you some :)

I made a couple of little pouches last night, working on a few things to send with the little quiltie.

Here's one of them... it was the first. I think i'm keeping this one!

The second one, I will be sending to my partner. It's a little bigger, and a little more usable than the first one.

And I put umbrellas on the front :)

(dummy me... got it all done and realized i had wanted to put lines coming down the umbrellas to the points. erg.. hate it when you get working and forget things!)

Ok, sooooo my idea for the quilt was multi colored umbrellas. I posted two pics on flikr, asking which my partner liked best... grey background, or white background? She liked the white. (so thankful commented!) So I made two :) I figured I would keep the grey one, and send her the white one. Doing the grey first would let me fiddle around with my idea, and if i made any major mistakes it wouldn't be on hers! LOL

So... got it all fused, stitched and ready to quilt. Then there it sat.

I knew WHAT i wanted the quilting to look like - i just didn't know how to acheive it! So i doodled. And doodled some more - not lifting my pen from the paper - like on my sewing machine. Finally i figured I'd best get on with it or else my partner wasn't going to get her swap!

So... playing with the idea of rain drops.... i started quilting.

And it just wasnt going well. I thought the rain drops would hit the umbrellas and go down and around them - that's what umbrellas are for, right? LOL

Well it turned out HORRIBLE! HAHAHA!!

I think it looked more like a deluge of pouring rain, and all whimsy was gone!

Back to the drawing board! LOL

You can see in the upper left corner I started playing with a more open and "windy" look.

So I made a much smaller version and played with that idea.

You can see below that's what I ended up going with. Still not the look i was really going for... but... it worked. ;)

So... i went to get the final one done. Well... that's when my 10 year old iron decided to have a little hissy fit, and go out in a blazing hot fit of glory! LOL!

I SCORCHED IT!!

Literally

Two big honkin yellow iron marks on the white background!

FULL iron marks mind you. With holes and all.

I've NEVER scorched anything before while ironing!!!!! Oh my gosh! And I couldn't figure out why it happened! So... thinking since I was sick, i must have zoned out or something?? I started YET AGAIN!

Dude... refused and cut all those little umbrellas, for a fourth time!! arrghh

And in making the new ones, i realized my iron was hot enough to explode! LOL!

(thank goodness i didn't figure that out on the fourth background! hahaha!!!)

Went and got a new iron asap!!

Took about two weeks off at this point because i had the flu crud that was going around. I could just see myself screwing up yet another one! So.. thought it was just better to wait it out! ha!

How could such a simple idea (and simple execution) have gotten soo convoluted?

geez!

Ok, so new iron and I set off (carefully) to get going on the final product! :)

Ironing went off without a hitch.

Stitching went off without a hitch.

Quilting semi went off without a hitch.

Trimmed, and went to choose binding.

road block

grrrr

Nothing looked right. Tried everything i have in my stash. NOTHING worked.

Turned to medium grey, thinking it would make the white and the colors pop, and set it off nicely. Yah. Boring. lol

Then thought maybe this grey with fun sewing words on it would look neat, if i could get it stitched so only one row of wording showed around the entire edge. Cut a strip and pinned it on to get a visual. (that picture is down below)

I liked it actually.

But thought it added to the business of the quilt... and wasn't quite sure if my partner would like it.

So late last night... frustrated that I could not make a decision, and not knowing what she would like, I "re-stalked" her. Read her entire blog for the last two years. lol

And one thing was loud and clear.

She LOVES GREEN.

With a passion. And would put tons of green on everything if she could.

Ok then. Green it is!! I auditioned all my greens, and finally settled on tufted tweets chairs to bind with!

It brings out the rest of the green umbrellas (which number more than the others because i knew she loved it) And hopefully -crossing fingers- she'll like it with a green binding! LOL!

Now.. as long as I don't accidentally put a slice in this baby while binding it, i think i'm finally in the home stretch! God willing!!

LOL!!

And last but not least... all the little scraps I had left over from cutting out the umbrellas were just too cute to throw away! So I made a little mini quiltie using them as a frame/border.

yes... i know her "bear" looks alot more like a frog! hahaha!! They both still need eyes stitched on, and I need to bind this one too!

Calli fell in love with it, she likes the bear/frog. LOL So once finished it will hang in her room. :D

Now, I gotta go get these guys sewn!

Bren

Best Barter Ever!!

2011-03-17T15:13:00.003-06:00

I haven't been sewing as much as I would like to the last few months. My "new" machine had a breakdown right after I got it. Nice huh? Anyway, finally got it into the shop and got it back a few weeks ago. Yay!

I'll post some pictures of what I have been working on lately in the next few days.

But in the mean time, here are a couple of pics of one I finished last month.

This was a commission/barter quilt. An aquaintance/friend of mine really wanted to buy a quilt made especially for her. And she's a young gal, still in college. She asked me if she could set up a payment plan of some sort.

LOL

For those of you that don't know me personally - you don't know how laughable that was to me!

AS IF i would take her hard earned money for something that I love to do, and would do for free!?!? Yah. No.

(enter in my loving husband who says you can't always give everything away! haha... WHY NOT??)

Sooo anyway... I skirted around her questions of price, thinking I would just make her one and surprise her :) When that didn't work - the hedging that is - i finally just said I would love to make her a quilt, and not to worry about any cost! No... she wouldn't have any of that. :(

A week or two later she was talking about some photography courses she was taking, and how her goal was to set up a photography studio.

LIGHT BULB!!! :D

So we struck a deal!

She agreed to take pictures of my kids, and our family, in exchange for me making her a quilt!

PERFECT!!

So she took some GREAT photos of our family - our goofy, never sit still, A.D.D. family. (not an easy job!!)

And in return I made her this quilt :)

She wanted springy, fresh colors. With a touch of "granny" and a scrappy look. So I went springy and fresh and scrappy on the front...

And feminine and "granny" on the back :)

She LOVED it! (man.. i was soooo nervous! That's all she would give me as far as direction or ideas - she kept saying it was all up to me. And I was really afraid I might have misinterpretted her likes! I did know she loves pink, and loves polka dots, so kind of took off with that also! LOL )

Anyway, she couldn't be happier! Yay!!!

And we were absolutely THRILLED with the pictures she took!! :D

(I'll post a few later)

What a wonderful barter!

And I made a wonderful friend in the process!

Bren

2011-03-13T10:02:00.007-06:00

The Best Things in Life Aren't Things

I love this picture. This reminder. So true, and so appropriate for my return to blogging!

So, my best friend continues to point out that it's been "____" days/weeks/months since I last blogged. LOL Yes, I am aware! :)

But where does one start when so many things are going on? And have gone on? And blogging seems so trivial in comparison to the life lessons that are being learned and taught? When the people in your life deserve and need your whole focus, everything else just falls away.

Because they are the most important "things" in my life!

Being a Mom ... a Christian mom... one that is involved in her kids' lives daily... keeping them on track and healthy, both mentally and physically... is exhausting.

And SO rewarding.

Much more so, than anything else in this lifetime!

Life is a roller coaster. With unexpected twists and turns, ups and downs, laughter and screams. And you only get to ride ONCE! :D

So please excuse my absence. I've been on one helluva ride these last few months!

Now back to our regularly scheduled programming :)

Keeping our streets safe...

2010-08-07T09:09:00.003-06:00

I just have to share this with you

this little guy cracked us up!

We were on our scooters, headed to the market...

and this little man was patrolling the street. Chest out. Swaggering slowly.

In his full get up.

Both Dan and I did a double take and flipped back around to go say hi ! LOL

Danny thanked him for keeping our streets safe. The SMILE on this little man was enough to knock ya down! :D I swear his chest puffed out even further if that was possible!!

Danny had his camera on him, and asked if he could take his picture and post him as citizen of the week on my blog. LOL He said "of course you may" - and struck this pose!!

Toooooooo darn cute!!!

(i asked his dad's permission first of course)

Don't you just LOVE KIDS?!?!?

Hope you have a very blessed day!!

Bren

Summer's Over :(

2010-08-06T12:46:00.005-06:00

Well hello my friends!

Sadly, summer is over. Not according to the weather, or the season, but according to our school system.

My kids started back to school on the 4th. sigh.

I am soo not ready for the schedules to begin again, or "school mom" to have to be back on duty!

I much prefer "summer mom" - no responsibilities, make our schedule as we see fit, late dinners, and enjoying one another in the sunchine of the day and the cool evening breeze.

But sadly, our 8 short weeks are over.

I pretty much unplugged for the summer. Didnt watch TV, blog or read blogs much, or spend much time on the computer.

I didn't sew much either!! (now that's the most surprising for those of you that know me! lol)

It was BLISS. PURE AND TOTAL BLISS.

(well... except the last two weeks gearing back up for school)

So anyway, i have to get my butt back into schedules. Back into the swing of things. Back to functioning as a responsible mom - and responsible human being. lol

I'll leave you with a few highlights of the last two weeks though :)

We were very blessed to be able to go camping for a 3 day weekend to Heaven Fest. Held in Longmont, Colorado.

It was A M A Z I N G

The Holy Spirit just flooded the place. The heat was absolutely exhausting, as was all the walking up and back from the north 40 where they had us campers. But even that was wonderful!

My son Bailey, was thrilled to death to be invited onto a small stage with a Christian group of musicians, and played for several hours into the wee hours of the night - singing God's praises. It was awesome! My camera was dead, so got this with my phone - he is there on the right with the guitar. :D Very proud of him!!!

My wonderful husband bought me a Bernina !!! Older model, but delicious none the less!! PERFECT for my needs, and i am just THRILLLLLEEEDDD to pieces!!!

Granted... have only sewn on it ... twice?! :>o

But that will change this week ! :D

One of the 2 things i sewed this summer... lol... a fun little pin cushion for the scrappy pincushion swap. A little gnome home :)

And this absolutely thrills me..... I got to teach Calli how to sew!! She is the same age as when I learned - and it was time! Oohhhh she was sooo darling! So excited! And soo dedicated!!

She is still so little - as I sit here looking at this photo - blows me away she is as big as she is - and yet still so tiny and innocent! My mommy hearts swells with pride. Can't help it!

She picked the fabrics, (i cut them) she sewed them all together, and together again. She quilted it with very organic criss cross lines, and I am binding it. She is beside herself that SHE made a quilt!!! LOL!! A little dolly quilt - and ooh seeing the light in her eyes when SHE did it all - was the best gift of all!!! :D

And last but not least, the ONE project I started this summer. LOL And this is about as far as i got in 2 days - and then decided it was too darn hot, and the iron heat wasn't helping! So.. set it aside for later when the kids started school. Which is now. :)

I have bee blocks to catch up on - i am soo behind. And then i will work on this sunny baby quilt.

Cleaned the house this morning, and am finishing up laundry from camping and swimming. Cleaned out my vacuum and swept and mopped.

Looks like things are already starting to get back to normal.

So sad!

LOL

It may take me a week or two to adjust fully. I have been reading a lot in my quiet hours, and have gone through 9 or 10 books. I still have 3 left! And i don't think i will be willing to quit just yet! lol But force myself i must... so maybe once all my chores are done, and my bee blocks caught up, I will indluge a little more before coming fully back to reality! :D

I hope you have had a wonderful summer, and taken time to slow down and enjoy your family and the dog days summer as I have!

Ours was wonderful! Something I haven't allowed myself to do for several years now - and I was the one that sorely missed out because of it! So thankful God smacked me upside the head this year! LOL!

Bright blessings to you!

Bren

Reasons I am not blogging right now

2010-06-17T09:16:00.022-06:00

Some of the reasons I haven't been blogging lately.....

(danny fell and hurt his wrist trying to show off for Bay!)

not as much of this last one as i should.... :(

but all the other's have been taking priority lately!

How's your summer going?

until the next rainy day! LOL

-Bren :)

Water loving Lexi

2010-06-07T08:26:00.005-06:00

Lexi, our 11 month old golden retriever LOVES her water.

She has always loved her baths. But that was the extent of it, until about three weeks ago.

haha... we went for our morning walk... we were both hot and sweaty when we got back, and i made a pit stop to water the flowers before going in the house.

OH YOU WOULD HAVE THOUGHT I TURNED ON A DOGGY "GO" SWITCH!!!

She WANTED that water... i thought she just wanted a drink, so let her have one. Well yah.. she did. But she wanted ALL of it. LOL

It was like every last drop coming out of that hose was supposed to be HERS.

And i really didn't want to have to contend with big wet dog that day... so... i pointed the hose in the other direction. Woops. haha. Little did I know!

This started a water chase game that was absolutely hilarious!

Neighbors across the street came out and watched and were cracking up. I was cracking up.

She was doing 2-3 feet leaps in the air trying to catch the water when i would swish it!

Turning circles. And "biting" (fast and repetitively) the spray.

Oh my gosh. I about wet my pants it was so funny!!

We played for over an hour!!

So... yesterday ... when arriving home from the morning walk - and it was HOT. I thought why not? :D

Well... of course we were a good 15 minutes into water play time when i thought DUH! Go get your camera!!

oh yah... sopping wet dog that follows me everywhere. run into the house?

well i brought her to the porch and told her to STAY.

Ran and got the camera - and what a good girl - she was right where she was supposed to be! yay!!

So i snapped a few pictures, and then tried to take a movie. I couldn't see for the bright sun, so had no idea if i was getting her or not, while holding the hose with the other hand!

Here are a few pics. And I will try to upload the movie somehow. It's not as spaztic as the first half hour of play - but I think you will still get a kick out of it!

I know it do! :D

And after an hour of drinking gallons and gallons of water, and jumping and romping, she is one exhausted girl! And looks like such a mangy mutt!! LOL! (look at how her fur acts like feathers and get all spiky and pointy! Isn't that cool?!)

And on the quilting homefont... in my springing to finish I did a big boo boo.

I made this fun little baby quilt. A wonky maverick star, surrounded by wonky (off kilter) squares. I thought i had adjusted for the wonkiness with the borders. Quilted it. Went to chop off the excess and realized it was larger on one side than the other! :>o

Soooo using my T square, i went to town trimming it up and "fixed" it.

haha... maybe you can't tell in this picture... but the bottom is a good 4" larger than the top!

omgosh

it's a trapezoid!!!

So much for using my Tsquare ruler and making sure there were 90* corners! LOL

um... yah... i dunno if there's even a way to fix this? :(

Bums me out, because i really liked how the baby quilt came out!

I have made goofs before. But none THIS big! LOL!

Debating whether i oughta cut more off of it, and then ... then what? Have a reallllllyy small baby quilt? :D

Sheesh.

That's where my "spring to finish" motivation came to a complete halt!

I got several projects done in the 6 weeks time. You have seen all the quilts except this one, and my mom's bag. But I also ripped carpet and laid a new floor for my mom, and got spring cleaning done! My "reward" to myself for finishing these things on my list of to-do's was a day at the pool, and some tufted tweets! :D

We went swimming today,- although not a long time, that is planned for wednesday! And my tufted tweets fabric is ordered. woohoo!!!!

I planted strawberries, and did a lot of running around town running errands today. All in all it was a wonderful day!

Hope you are all staying cool like Lexi!!

Calling all gardeners!!

2010-05-29T09:11:00.002-06:00

This is part of our backyard.

Please excuse the mess - we've been working!

My rock star husband did a wonderful thing for me this week!!

He knows I have been struggling with this darn yard since we moved in. I love vegetable gardening... and we have tried and tried, for 6 years to get my garden to be productive.

The problem is... (over to the right where you dont see) the people before us had laid i-dont-know-how-many-tons-of-rock on the clay soil to park their RV.

I have picked rock until my fingers are bleeding. Literally.

We have rototilled, fertilized, mulched, added about 4 tons of good soil. To no avail :(

Basically a jungle of weeds think that's their home. We have sprayed kill-all-vegetation for two years in a row - but those suckers keep coming back!

Oh.. and in all their wisdom, the previous owners had also bordered the entire lawn with 2 feet of rocks.

So... i told my husband, I GIVE UP!

IF i could get that weed jungle to stop growing, i could build a raised garden. That has kind of been our plan for the last two years. Thus trying to kill all those weeds and baby tree roots!

Yah. No go.

We live at the top of a hill, and the yard is severely slanted (so much so that a kiddie pool overflows at one end and is empty at the other - on the flattest part of the yard! lol)

I love spending time outside 3/4 of the year. And we are slowly working toward building an awesome back covered patio - that has a deck above, off of the master bedroom.

Last year we laid the patio, and inset 4x4 holders. Replaced half the fence, and the gutters, and painted the house.

(next year is the fence you see, that we share with our neighbors)

Slowly but surely!

I have been growing my tomatoes in big pots in the back yard, because i cant go without fresh maters in the summer!! LOL!

But that's about the extent of any gardening the last few years, here in the back yard!

Soooo... my wonderful husband came up with a great plan!!

He showed up the other day with a truck load of soil, and a bunch of logs, enlisted Bailey's help and they went to work!

He laid weed sheet (or whatever you call it) over the rocks, and built a little raised bed all the way around the fence line!

He said he knows I have wanted to have a bunch of flowers surrounding the yard - and he thought this would be a cool way to do it! He also thought maybe just maybe i could put vegetables in here too.

HOW SWEET IS THIS?!?

Ok, so I've been thinking!

(ouch)

And I need to learn about good sunny perennials!

I have approx 2 feet wide, by the length of this trough, by about 10" high.

And i know NOTHING about this kind of gardening!

Can I plant perennials in this depth of soil? Will they thrive or die?

What are your favorite flowering perennials?

Can you reccomend anything?

Any tips, or suggestions?

I can do some now, and seed some this winter to put in next spring if i need to.

I am really excited! But have no idea where to start! LOL

Please... oh wise gardeners out there... share some of your ideas with me?

What would YOU do with it?

oohh... sooo excited to hear your suggestions!! :D

blessings,

Bren :)

Wrap skirts

2010-05-28T11:09:00.006-06:00

Hiya!

Let me just start off this post by letting you know a quirky thing about me.

I HATE sewing clothes.

I avoid it like the plague.

I have been sewing since I was 8 years old, and creating everything under the sun. And the few times I have made anything wearable, I get extremely frustrated - so i totally avoid it! LOL

Personally I think it's because every BODY is different, and no one pattern will ever cover all of the differences in a person's body!

I am short. 5' 4 3/4" - 5'5" on a good day :)

I would have done well in the roman crusade days when they liked reubenesque women :)

Nicely put, i have curves! LOL

And sometimes those curves are bigger, and sometimes they are smaller. Right now, I am desperately trying to make them smaller! But it's been rather slow going :( These last 20 pounds are hanging on for dear life :(

Soooo ... i got a brilliant idea to make a few of these for my summer wardrobe, because they would adjust as my size goes down - and I wont have to buy new clothes until I hit my goal weight. Smart, eh?

This is "The Versatile Wrap" by Toni Crawford - Make it Perfect patterns.

I mean... how cute is this??

Simple. Comfy. Casual, and yet can be dressed up. Perfect for summer!

And how hard can it be? I am a good seamstress! LOL

(i do this to myself every now and then, i guess i forget why i hate sewing clothes for myself and have to give myself a reminder! lol)

So the pattern arrived, and I dropped everything to run down to my sewing room and get started. I was very excited!!

So being the smart girl I am... i was not going to waste good fabric to try it out and find out it didnt look good. So I made a mock up out of muslin and some ugly fabric for trim first. Glad I did!! This is a VERY simple pattern! It only took me about an hour to make it, start to finish. Three big pieces, and top and bottom trim.

Simple pimple!

And for the most part, it fit great, and was designed very well! But my short, rounder frame needed some adjustments.

So trying on the mock skirt, I discovered it veered out, making my lower half look like a big obtuse triangle. :(

Well it sure doesn't look like a triangle on the gal in the photo! haha

So... adjusted the angles way down.

And, I had a bunch of extra fabric all loosy goosy at the back of my waist, that wouldn't tighten up no matter how much i cinched it.

I assumed that was because i put the buttonhole too close to where the layers overlap. (Wrong assumption!)

So i set about making a real one, and my daughter Emily had way too much fun digging out fabric from my stash and holding it up on me - "dressing" me! LOL

So i asked her if she wanted to make one too. Well.. she jumped at the chance!

She is a beginner sewer, and this was the perfect beginning pattern for her to try her hand, and have something to wear when she was done!

Sooo.... we started cutting, and i started educating :)

It was tons of fun!

Granted... it took us 11 hours to get through the process! LOL

But she did all the measuring, cutting and sewing!

(i did help by doing the serging of the raw edges, because she was a wee bit intimidated by the serger - but i think she was less intimidated by the time we got it done- and that sure doesnt take away from the fact that she did EVERYTHING else!!)

She was totally stoked!!!

And having a normal, pretty straight frame, this wrap skirt fit her perfectly!

(we did use the adjustments for angle and waist on hers too though)

Here she is modeling her sewing accomplishment!

How cute, right?!? Well, since i was sewing on mine first, and showing her as i went - we discovered several things along the way. LOL Thankful we did it that way, so hers wasn't a frustration to her!! Mine however.... LOL

I still had gobs of gappyness at my back. So... i added some darts along the back side to help make it fit correctly. I made my buttonhole in the waist about 4 inches away from where they overlap, so there was room for losing size, and it all worked out!

Then on hers, we hadn't added the top sash yet, so we were able to curve in and take a few inches off the waist area - and that made all the difference in the world! Hers fits terrific! So... i have fabric to make two more, and i have my notes on my adjusted measurements, and I think they will go pretty smoothly now! woohoo!! So.. i'm not into modeling. LOL But here's a peek at mine :) Now that i know what i need to do, i am going to make the other 2 simultaniously. And it will go much faster, since i will be sewing alone! :D

I have some soft thin gorgeous Kaffe fabric, and some that i picked up from hobby lobby for the other two. I think i may be on a roll now! LOL Wish me luck! xo Bren

Is it worth 5 entries?

2010-05-27T10:54:00.005-06:00

Is it worth 5 entries?

To totally expose myself and my messy cramped sewing room - not moving a thing or picking up before taking pics???

For the Accuquilt cutter on IHAN's blog??

Holy cow - YOU BETCHYA!!!

Ok...

But I must admit i totally wavered on this one! LOL!

I am a MESSY QUILTER!

Dude..

Small little room, cram packed with stuff... i literally have a little walkway to get to my sewing machine, and about 25" of a table to cut on. Then of course i thought it was a brilliant idea to bring down a full size ironing board and cram it in there too. LOL

Cuz i was really tired of ironing on one of those little travel boards!

So here it is... in all it's messy glory.

ugh.

Can't believe i am doing this!

Be forewarned - I DO NOT HAVE A GORGEOUS, FANTASTICALLY DECORATED DREAM ROOM, PEOPLE!

But... it WORKS. So i am not complaining!

(i sewed for far too long in our living room!! to have my own room is such a blessing! i can just shut the door and walk away and pretend this mess doesnt exist! lolol)

My little happy place. Do you see the overflowing trash can under the desk? All the scraps on the floor? 2 starbucks cups - (one WAS from yesterday - honest! the other is empty and waiting to be thrown away. lol)

The gross orange waffle pad under my machine? (trying to keep it from sliding all over the place - it doesn't work all that great btw)

There is a cd player on the right side of the desk, a can of air, quilting gloves, scissors galore, a basket of thread and a tin of bobbins, two jars of safety pins, a lamp, and a pile of batted scraps for me to test my machine stitches on (when the machine is giving me fits, I adjust and test - so always need that stack handy!)

BIG clock above desk so i dont fall into lala land and forget to pick up my kids from school! (hubby hung that for me after I spaced picking up my 7 year old daughter one day!)

sigh. this is just embarrassing!! :(

Two baskets on the floor - for any scraps that are larger than 2", and one for selvedge edges.

The white wicker drawer cabinet holds tools and stuff. To the left is my pitifully small stash, organized by color, and a gorgeous wonky red and white quilt that Jacque made me, hangs down to hide the stacks of batting behind it. It brightens my day every day when i walk in here! :)

The quilt over the sewing machine was made by my friend Lori - such a wonderful unexpected gift - and truly what I think sent me into the world of trying my hand at quilting :D I look at it all the time and it inspires me! Her hand stitching is just gorgeous!

A little to the right, in the window is a gigantic pair of wooden painted scissors that emily made for me for my birthday last year- and are proudly displayed. :) My square rulers hanging on the wall... well some of them anyway...the ones that aren't buries on my cutting table.

The half finished self portrait rug that I did in Rae's class... on monks... in a #5 cut! (gasp! i know, right?!?) It has a slew of words of a mother's love... and i have yet to figure out the right color to go thru the background and still show up - so hung it on my wall to motivate me to finish it. Because i DO WANT to finish it!

On the ironing board are two of the skirts I made yesterday with my daughter. The blue one is mine... the white one with icky orange trim - that was my mock up made out of muslin to see if it would even fit my body when the pattern was followed. LOL More on that in another post.

Then to the right... we have a jumbled mess.. semi organized... lol.... ironing board, and a metal table that i have stuff stacked on and cut on, book shelf for books, more fabric - solids and multi colored fabrics, fabric i have pulled to make my youngest daughter a stripped skirt, but havent started yet... starch, cutters and rulers.... in the foreground you can kind of make out my Hey Diddle cat and fiddle mascot - who's always nearby. LOL

What you dont see is another shelf with primitive fabrics, and behind me is neatly stacked (i'll have ya know! lol) wool.

OK THAT'S IT KELLY!!

(note to those of you who don't know: she's really rather mean...or i should say ornery! forcing us to dance a jig on you tube, do extraordinary contortionist acts, show in depth our messes.... you KNOW she's sitting there laughing her fool head off at all these posts, dontchya? Probably sipping a glass of wine, and showing her cutie husband - "wow look at this slob!!" LOLOL)

I want that darn accuquilt cutter so bad, I can taste it! Enough to show you (and the world) my little pig sty of a sewing room! LOL

Oh... and by the way - here is my plea/reasoning and i'm stickin to it!

IF I HAD THE ACCUQUILT CUTTER GO - I WOULD SPEND WAYYY LESS TIME CUTTING, AND WOULD ACTUALLY HAVE TIME TO CLEAN UP MY MESS!!! :D

Think about all that extra time i would have on my hands! Oh.. and less scraps on the floor too!

No guarantees that i would actually empty my trash can.... lol... but i would definitely have more time to organize, prettify my room and sew more!

So please please please enter my 5 entries into the drawing!!

LOL praying they are WINNING entries after this humiliation!!!

ps...and if you want to see my friend Debbie's entry - who by the way suffered NO humiliation showing HER room (how do you manage to keep it that clean Deb?? Especially doing all that you do?!? Brat.) Click here :)

Stuff

2010-05-20T09:35:00.002-06:00

Hiya!

Not a whole lot to post about, but then again tons! Do you ever feel that way?

I have been tres busy, ripping up carpet and laying a new floor for my mom. I am sooo sore. And achy. Oh my gosh i feel like a little old lady, hobbling along. LOL I have been on my hands and knees for three days - and it's taking it's toll!

And starting that project came on the heels of tons of yardwork and planting a bunch of beautimous flowers out front. So I was a bit sore after that. Yep. pathetic huh? It's amazing... how when raking you use muscles you don't normally use!

And on one side, i feel like a total flabby wimp because i am sore. LOL

And on the other hand, i feel like SHE-RAH! "Because I laugh in the face of sore muscles and push through and got the job done! " hee hee

So today is my little Calli-Belle's last day of second grade!

Jeez, they just grow up so fast :(

I am on my way to the second grade picinic here in a few minutes... and then she will be a big third grader! How'd that happen???

She brought me this gorgeous painting. I ABSOLUTELY ADORE this!!

I need to find a frame big enough to fit. I love the bold colors, the intricate design on the bug's body. That smiley face! I just love everything about it! Things like this,total creative freedom... and when kids do self portraits - are my favorites! I have collected some pretty cool self portraits from the kids over the years, and have decided I want to frame them all, and hang them down my upper hallway. Bold. Colorful. "THIS is who i am!" It doesn't get anymore honest than that!! And it just speaks to my heart! :D

I made two market totes a couple weeks ago, for my mom and my mother-in-love for mother's day. And donchya know - i didnt take any pics! They turned out pretty fun! I made them large quilted grocery totes (or flea market, or library or swimming or whatever)

My mom's was bright limes, oranges and blues. I saw it hanging on her pantry yesterday and snapped a pic with my phone - so not the best photos in the world. LOL

She loves it :D

I still need to snag a picture of my MIL's. I made hers a little less wide, with wider quilted handles, out of Joel Dewberry reds and teals, and red polka dots. They both turned out totally different and fun :) I haven't even touched the sewing machine since finishing these guys. Just been so busy, and not home at all! Speaking of which, I better go brush my hair and make myself presentable so all the second graders don't laugh at me! LOL! See ya soon! xo Bren

Birthday sleep overs

2010-05-08T13:12:00.003-06:00

Girly birthdays are so fun!

Here is my (not really cross eyed -just focused on the cake) birthday girl :)

3 Best friends - these guys are HILARIOUS together! Sassy, spunky, and too smart for their own good! LOL And yes, my daughter thinks she needs to show ALL her teeth, when smiling.. or give the eyes half mast look. Sheesh. (seems to be a trait that runs in our family.. see below. LOL)

I wish I had the pics of them last night - they all got dressed up like princesses... or somewhere there abouts. LOL One looked like a hoochie mama gogo dancer, one was in royal princess dress and crown, and the other was a cheerleader. LOLOLOL They were giving makeovers, and built their own little "spa" (ie chairs covered in blankets, and different "stations" to go to - nails, lip gloss and blush, and hair) Oohh all three of them are SUCH GIRLS. LOL Cracks me up!

Let me just say... they are either born that way, or their not! Cuz she sure doesn't get the pampering spa girly genes and mentality from me!!!

We did snap pics (spying on them from the other room. lol) with Dan's camera. So might be able to show you those later :)

They were up til' midnight, giggling nonstop, when i finally pulled the plug and said, time to calm down and get some sleep!

And of course they were up bright and early this morning, running around and laughing hysterically! They decided they wanted to play jump rope in the back yard... couldnt find a rope - so they improvised and used the hose!

of course Lexi wanted to play too!

So last night, taking pics at the table... full of family... trying to get a couple decent pics of each person. But my kids... nooo... little posers! LOL Every time they see a camera come out, they make some goofy face or stance. grrrr. fingers up noses, sticking tongues out, crossing their eyes... you name it. They think that's just sooooo funny!

(until years later they look at pictures and say, how come the only pictures you have of me are lame??? lol)

C'mon Bay! Give me a normal smile!

Nope. Can't do it. So instead I'll give you my fake patronizing smile!

Emily - refused to smile at all. She had on her pouty irritated face. Kept razzing her trying to get her to smile! Finally, right as the camera clicked there was a hint of one!

Ok, now how bout a REAL smile? A NORMAL one??

Nope. Gonna be like Calli and show ALL my teeth! Is this good mom??

LOL

They are so goofy!

And I love them to pieces!!!!

So glad they aren't boring, totally shy, introverted people! haha!

Never a dull moment in this house! :D

Well, got most of the mess cleaned up, and the kids taken home. Taking a few quiet moments here on the computer and then I need to go down and finish my mother's day presents! (yah... i didnt wait until the last minute - honest! They are mostly done, just a few things left to do - and gearing up for Calli's party took precedence since it came first! LOL!)

Hope you all have a WONDERFUL Mother's Day!

Wishing I could sleep in tomorrow - i soo tired! But I know they will be there bright and early at my bedside with breakfast in bed! :D (gotta love it! Hopefully they'll bring me coffee first!! :D )

Bren

2010-05-07T12:59:00.003-06:00

Made cupcakes this morning.

mmmmmmm

it's all i can do not to eat one!

On my way to Calli's school to have a little birthday celebration :)

My sweet little Calli Max was born on mother's day

Best mother's day present ever!!

So every few years we share that day!

This is one of those years.

But I believe birthdays should be special - and YOUR day - not shared with anyone (unless you are a twin of course! LOL) So on the years that we share that day - we celebrate a day or two early, so the attention can be solely on her for her day!

But of course we wait until her REAL birthday for her birthday spankins! LOL

Donchya know she's looking forward to that?!? :D

Be blessed this spring day!

Bren

(those little toothpicks and marshmellows - a martha stewart trick (i think?) for transporting cupcakes - that way the saran wrap doesn't get stuck on the frosting! Nifty, huh?!)

Spring Cleaning

2010-05-06T09:54:00.002-06:00

I got a bee in my bonnet yesterday

cleaning house like a mad woman

i was a woman on a mission!

(my 13 yr old son asked me "what's wrong mom? you seem angry!")

angry no. fed up? yes

fed up with the clutter, and the mess, and all the EXTRA CRAP that our family manages to accumulate - that we dont need!

4 kids - only 3 at home now - and a hubby (cant forget him! lol)

and me - a woman that loves fabric and achechipees (snicker) - all adds up to piles of STUFF.

Just stuff.

McDonalds toys, polly pockets, books for toddlers (umm.. no more toddlers here!) paper galore, coloring books, and construction paper, and paper dolls, and crayons and markers, and board games, junky jewelry, electronics that dont work, legos, movies, children's artwork, old school papers, and and and the lists go on and on and on.

OY VAY!

So i hit my point of tolerance (happens about once every three months or so) and started rampaging thru the rooms, pitching stuff left and right. Now... can i just say...

WHERE DOES IT ALL COME FROM???!! LOL

I did my best -knowing this mission mentality would wear off in a day or two. Wishing I had ten times the energy and ten more hours of daylight to accomplish what i actually WANT to accomplish in each room! Truth be told, each room - to do it right - and go thru each and every movie, and book, and so on, and purge out things we don't use - would take a whole day for each room - in my opinion. Maybe cuz i'm thinking total overhaul, thorough purge/clean as you go.

K, so i just scratched the surface in the family room, living room and kitchen yesterday.

But it's already feeling better!

Hallelujah!

Washing curtains and steam cleaning the carpets today.

Getting ready for Calli's birthday tomorrow, so have errands to run also.

I know i'm going to be whooped once i slow down! But oohhhh feels sooooooo GOOD to get these things done!

Now... just to get buy in from the rest of the family!

Anyone have a sure fire way to do that? And convince kids they dont need to hang onto every little scrap of paper?!

(ok... look who's talking right? she who has a basket of fabric scraps and wooly worms!)

But THEY are usable! LOL

Ok.. off the computer, and onto tackling those carpets! Poor spoiled little Lexi is gonna have to spend the day outside!

Wish me luck!

Achechipees?? Goofiness!!

2010-05-03T19:05:00.006-06:00

Ok, forgive me in advance! LOL!!

I used a word that may not be widely known. *Grin*

And I got an email from a friend - who is very...umm.. particular... about her words.

LOL.. and here i am ... i can spell, and i CAN use good grammar when i'm not being too lazy, or on this little bity laptop. Most of the time though... i am the queen of run on sentences... using slang and made up words.. and slingin' words like some people sling hash! hee hee

Remember though... i have 4 children! And I act like a child myself half the time!! :D

I like goofy things that most people hear and never think of again - me and Dan - oh noooo - THOSE are the things that stick with us and crack us up - over and over and OVER again!

Yah. I know. Easily amused! LOL :D

Stupid lines, but that had perfect timing, from movies - our faves.

Things kids have said and stuck - faves.

Something you mistakenly say in conversation with a friend, and they never let you live it down?

Small example. My daughter (who is now 7) speaks very clearly, and maturely. But there are a few things that she has not gotten past... yet. And we know eventually she will... and sadly it's all too soon! Anyway, this one cracks us up.

She says HODE ON! (or, if you prefer... HOED on!)

No L

at all.

LOL

HODE ON, i'm coming

HODE ON just a sec

HODE on...

hee hee hee... so of course now our entire family says HODE ON, and probably forever will!

If i said that around adults that have never been around Calli, they would look at me like i was an idiot with three heads. Right? um yep. And have i done it? um. yep!

But funnily enough - people who are around her (besides family members) have also coined the HODE ON, and are having a hard time shaking it! LOL

Sooooo onto the entire reason for this post! :D

Do you know what Achechipees are/is??

And yes, i went fo-net-ick on that one :D

cuz "pies" didn't look/sound right! lol

Will you join in, just for fun and take a wild guess at what it means? There is a poll on the upper right hand corner of my blog -(i can't figure out why the header question isnt showing up? but it's there!) and answers from my eldest and youngest daughters as to what they thought it was. How bout you? Vote and let's see!

pssst.... and if you truly know... and you know WHERE it came from... leave me a comment telling me! LOL This oughta prove fun! :)

Bren

2 quilts & 2 Peeps

2010-05-03T08:44:00.003-06:00

Tutti-Fruitti and Panachly Charming finished, washed and ready to roll.

Both of these baby quilts will be up for grabs in our new etsy shop.

Jacque Anderson (The Doodles of My Mind) and I are doing a co-op shop on Etsy called 2Peeps. We wanted Fresh and Modern quilts to be our focus - but being that we are both primitive rug hookers and designers, you will also find rug hooking patterns, gorgeous mill wools, and hand dyed wools. Hooking achechipees and goodies, market bags, placemats and other quilty things... whatever happens to strike us at the moment! So will be changing a few things here and there to accommodate all our pursuits.

So pop on over and put us in your favorites so you can check back later as we get pictures taken, and things uploaded. There is still quite a bit of tweaking to do, and we both have been pretty busy. Hoping in the next two weeks to have it up and running full swing! :)

I'm posting this now, to try to force myself to get a move on!! LOL!

I hope you'll come check us out!

Sneak peek

2010-04-28T09:49:00.003-06:00

Here's a sneak peek of those orange blocks' true purpose...

The back of the baby quilt I'm calling Tutti-Fruitti These orange michael miller dots were just screaming at me to be the high light and sole focus of their own quilt. The front is very simple, as is the back. And even though i LOVE the front, and the simplistic geometric use of one fabric... the quilted back stole my heart. LOL I knew i was going to call it Tutti-Fruitti, because that tangerine just didnt want to be called anything else. :) So to add to the flavor I went with biig swirls in the quilting. Doesn't this scream CANDY SHOP to you?!? I'm half way done with the binding. Will finish it up tonight while watching Ghost Whisperer :) Hoping the swirls come out just as cool looking after washing! xo

Did you guess right?

2010-04-26T09:57:00.002-06:00

So did you guess right?

Here are the original pics

Michelle guessed right about the orange!!! And Dianne recognized this as Panache from Moda :) If you guys email me your addys, I have little goodies ready to go in the mail to you! Spring to Finish Jacquie at Tallgrass Prairie Studio is hosting a motivational "get em done!" on her blog I have 8 things in progress that I need to get done. The little Panache charm quilt above was one of them, and i am proud to say, it is bound and on it's way to the wash. I'll show pics after it comes out of the dryer :) The orange dots are another need to finish, and it is all together, and basted and waiting to be quilted. I still have to quilt the pinwheel quilt, the pink and orange string baby quilt, big maverick, get my bee blocks done, and hopefully going to pick up and finish my Comstock rug, and help my mom refloor her basement - all by May 31st. I'll keep you posted on how much I actually get accomplished! LOL With kids getting out of school this week... and the busy life of being a mommy... don't know how much time I'll have at my sewing machine! Are you wanting to finish up some of your UFO's? Need a little nudge? Head over to Jacquie's blog and sign up!

Can you guess?

2010-04-21T12:01:00.003-06:00

1. What color these are?? 2. What fabric this is? C'mon... guess! There might just be something fun in it for you... Besides the fun of guessing, that is :)

2 Finished Quilts & the ER

2010-04-12T08:39:00.003-06:00

2 Finishes to show you

The bumpy crinkles just make me want to curl up in any quilt straight out of the dryer! What can i say ... I've always been a texture girl!! :) The back, although a very washed out pic. The above picture is more true to color.

Girly baby quilt is done also. I love how this one came out!!

My cheapo little kodak camera doesnt do well with flash.

Natural light is always more accurate!

the back

I bound it with a dark gray kona, which complimented the pinks I think. As well as all the business in the quilt.

So... had a little ER visit last night. We were outside enjoying the gorgeous spring sunshine, and my honey was fixing the gutters. I was just sitting there minding my own business. LOL And the dang heavy metal ladder sprang loose and fell on my head! :(

Dude

Do you know how much that hurt?!?!

I swear it was like something out of a cartoon!

Felt like i was pounded into the ground by an anvil!

Snot good.

Anyway... Praise God! He was definitely looking out for me! I am ok. Lots of blood and bunches of stitches and a CT scan later, I am home and nursing a honker headache! Could have been soo much worse, with how hard that sucker hit me!

WAS going to work on quilting the windmill quilt today. But i think i'm just going to take it easy. Maybe pop in a movie and stay on my soft SAFE cozy couch and work on some hand quilting today. LOL

Must Read giveaway!

2010-04-11T10:58:00.002-06:00

Have you been coveting this new accuquilt-go?

I know I have!

Did you know "I Have a Notion" blog is giving one away on Monday the 12th???? http://www.ihaveanotion.blogspot.com Website Link : http://ihavea-notion.com/store All giveaways from March 15 - April 15 2010 are open until 10:00 PM CMT. Dude... that iron.... i have been drooling in my dreams for the last week or two... this accuquilt??!! OMGosh ... yup.. hyperventilating as we speak! (btw - kelly gives really good instructions on what to do if you are hyperventilating! LOL) Run. Dont walk. Dont wait. Go have fun entering!!! :) (and ya know... cross your fingers for me on the ones you dont want! LOLOL) pssst... you don't want the accuquilt or the iron! subliminal message repeat you dont want the accuquilt or iron.

Works in Progress

2010-04-06T10:35:00.003-06:00

Works in progress

How bout a little OZ love?

loving this soft yellow kona!! The pinwheels are basted and ready to go also. So I have three stacked, ready, and waiting for me to quilt this week :) My challenge doesn't lay in the basting. Or the putting them together. My biggest struggle, is that there is nowhere to do it! I drag in 2 big 6ft tables and put them in our family room - smack dab in the middle of that small room. Wellllll.... donchya know that everyone in the house (except my hubby) HAS to be underfoot -literally- when I do this?? Sheesh. You'd think they were toddlers!! LOL

See the small space between the table/wall/movie shelf??

I am trying to walk around that table!

And even GIGANTOR herself has to squeeze in there!

Patience. It's a virtue.... right??!!

Silliness or Hip?

2010-04-05T10:37:00.003-06:00

Sooooo...

Sharing a bit of silliness with you..

Emily got some bright funky colored nail polish in her Easter basket yesterday.

Neon orange, purple, gold, pink...

You know that's all the rage right now, right?

Teenage girls with blue fingernails?

So, I decided I needed to be COOL. In my kid's eyes that is. LOL AS IF - right?

And somewhere along the line, I decided since it was Easter, i should paint my fingernails to look like Easter eggs! :D

(enter in disclaimer: I do not wear fingernail polish on my fingers! It lasts all of a day as I use my hands wayy too much! lol I stick with painting my toes, and go au natural on my fingers.)

So just so ya know - I was pretty darn proud of myself!

LOL

I mean how cool are these?!? :D

Bright neon polka dotted easter egg fingernails!

hee hee

(i was thinkin they would be coming off early this morning - but have fun for a day!)

So I excitedly went and asked my kids what they thought

"Are these HIP?"

LOL

(another side note: NEVER ask your kids if they think YOU are cool! That's just asking for dissapointment! lol)

Emily said "REALLY MOM????? They're uh... pretty bright!" *rolling eyes*

(strike one - voted not hip)

Calli -look! how cool are my fingernails?!?! :D

"Oohh MOM. WOW. Are you actually going to keep them???"

(hmm... strike 2)

Bailey - check out my groovy wayyyy coool Easter egg fingernails! Am I hip?

"Hoooah Mom! Oh yah... you're soooo hip" *massive sarcasm*

(steeeriiiikkee 3!)

So hmm. Apparently I am NOT hip.

And it's not hip to be cool.

LOL (just for you 80's girls)

I decided to push the envelope a little bit later in the day.

"So does this mean you don't think I'm cool??"

(see disclaimer above)

Em: "Hrrmph. grumble grumble"

Calli: "oh i think you're cool mom! Will you do MY fingernails like that?"

Bay: "Mom... sigh... YOU are cool. But you are NOT hip!"

LOLOLOL

Well... there ya go!

Sometimes it's fun to push your kids out of their comfort zone! LOL!!

Hope you have a great day - try some silliness!

Bren

Happy Easter

2010-04-04T10:42:00.002-06:00

And He rose again, to give us everlasting life. Definitely a day for celebration!

HAPPY EASTER!

I pray that you have the incredible salvation that is offered to you!

Bren

ps... this little quilt was folded so it's a little warped in the middle

Quick little basting tute

2010-04-03T15:11:00.002-06:00

I ran across a gal in blogland last night, who had major sore fingers from basting her quilt.

I left her a comment explaining this easy peasy wonderful way to baste.

But got to thinking... I wonder how many people don't know about this??

So thought I would post a quick little tutorial on how to save your finger tips and be able to baste all day every day!

Tools you'll need:

A smallish (normal medium size work too) flathead screwdriver

Quilting (i like curved) safety pins

Set your quilt up to baste like you normally do.

Everything is the same - except you don't use your fingertips to clip these puppies closed!

The screwdriver does all the work for you :)

Slide your saftey pin down and in, and holding the head of the screwdriver on top of the fabric, push down. This will stabilize the fabric where it is coming up, so the fabric doesn't move, and the pin point comes up nice and easy.

As the tip comes up right in front of the SD - the SD head is under the pin point. Slightly turn the screwdriver tip upward, and push down on the top of the safety pin to latch.

It's THAT EASY!

The screwdriver does all the hard work for you, and your sweet tender little fingers don't take the brunt of it all!

Trust me. You gotta try this!

You can baste soooo much faster, and easier - you'll never be caught without your screwdriver again!! :D I just got done basting three quilts in under two hours - and my fingers are smiling! :)

Can you tell?

2010-03-31T11:40:00.002-06:00

That I have SPRING FEVER in a major way?!

LOL

Almost done with the blog overhaul.

Still want to add button headers.. or whatever you call them.

This is a major accomplishment for me :)

What do you think so far?

Now if only we could get some cool handwriting fonts on blogger!

Kids are going camping with Grama & Grampa today.

It's 70* outside.

Hubby and I are running AWAY!

Yiiippppeeeee!!!!!!

Help? Minima?

2010-03-31T00:29:00.002-06:00

Help?! I am messing around with trying to update my blog backgrounds and stuff. Anyone know where the "minima" tab is for the background setting? LOL this is HUGE!! I'll be your best friend forever! xoxo Bren

Did you know about this shop?

2010-03-30T10:49:00.002-06:00

Ok, you guys just have to go check out Kelly at I HAVE A NOTION!

First of all, I never knew of her great shop - and now I will be going there all the time!! (uh oh lol)

Second of all, she is doing the mother of all give-aways - soooo many neat wonderful products that us crafters and seamstresses can use to make our life/joy/passion easier!

Third of all, she's hilarious! You won't be bored reading her posts!

There is a new product being given away (and many times several products) each day. She has opened my eyes to many many possibilities that I hadnt even considered before. FUN stuff!!!!!!

Have fun reading and entering to win some of these awesome goodies!!!

2010-03-29T17:48:00.002-06:00

Work in progress

Sunny

Happy

Spring

OZ by Sanae for Moda

Happy Place :D

Hoping to have the top done tonight

Sewing therapy :)

and yes Joanne... those are POLKA DOTS! LOL

Blessed

2010-03-22T12:14:00.002-06:00

Outside yesterday, in the sunshine.

Snow has melted already.

My treasures are in heaven. But I have many treasures here!

Here are two of them ;)

Absolutely LOVE the smiles on both these girls! :)

I am blessed.

And I know it!

Even though I have sounded so very cynical through this last trial,

that is not who I am.

But yes, right now I am an emotionally tired woman.

I am surrounded by love, and am ever grateful for that!

And the cynicism is just a passing thing.

Praise God!

2010-03-22T09:56:00.002-06:00

Well, they found the van! It was found the other night abandoned and towed to police impound. This morning we have been on the phone with insurance and police department. And will be on our way to go get it out of impound. I'm having severe mixed feelings on all this. On one side, I am exstatic that they found it, and I will have my car back!! On the other side, I am feeling VERY uneasy, unsafe, and invaded. :( What cracks me up, is that they DONT dust for prints!? They DONT do anything but tow it for you, and then charge you for the towing and storage! ??? That's a CSI gig they said, and since they cant prove it was used in a crime - no need to dust for prints or investigate. I'M SORRY? STEALING A CAR ISN'T A CRIME ANYMORE??? "Too bad Ms. Citizen, this happens everyday, and we don't have the time or inclination to do anything else" is what it feels like they are saying. So of course you have your insurance deductable. After paying for police towing and impound, and then having it towed to the dealership to be fixed - i'm thinkin that will just about top off our deductable! (because it makes sense to charge the victim in the crime?! instead of looking for the thief!) The ignition was busted and damaged, the steering column was broken, emblems taken off - and that's all we know so far. What else got broken or tampered with? How safe would you feel getting into that car right now?? Not to mention they stole it from our DRIVEWAY - so they know where we live, and now know how "easy" it is to take it, if they ever choose to do so again. After we fix it - will this happen again?? So am i happy? Yes, quasi so. (sp?) Am I nervous about it all? Definitely. Am I feeling confident in our legal system? Absolutely not. Am I feeling protected as the victim? Absolutely not. Am I feeling taken advantage of, and invaded? Yep. I know people go through this everyday. It stinks. And it just seems to me that they would figure out a better way of handling it, instead of further taking advantage of those that were taken advantage of in the first place! BLEH! This too shall pass.

2010-03-18T11:47:00.002-06:00

So our car was stolen last night. yep. locked in our driveway. in a nice neighborhood. not ritzy, not drug lord central - just a nice family suburb where kids play and dogs and families are workin in their yards. makes no sense?! the police just left. not much they can do. if the van is used in a crime and they catch them, it will show up as stolen. if someone joyrides and are caught it will show up in the system. that's about it. and insurance covers a whoppin $15/day for a rental. which is laughable. I'm just stupified over all of it. It's just a material item. my family is fine. we are not harmed. but its our transportation that is paid off and that makes me mad. when we are totally broke to boot, because of all the issues that have come the last few months. This is probably the LONGEST spiritual attack i have been thru. Since the end of august this has been going on. One thing after another. Big things. Satan doesn't want us to inherit God's blessing... obviously a good'un or he wouldnt be fighting so hard. He wants us to throw in the towel, and mentally quit. Well, that's not gonna happen. I just have to keep my mind focused on the reality of WHAT this is, and stand firm, clothed in the armor of God. Romans 8:31-39, Ephesians 6:10-20 But... i is tired. :( I recognize i am being worn down. And i am still shocked by the things that are happening! Each one! Still shocked. I know i shouldn't be, but it just slaps me in the face every time. I have to keep remembering that there is a war going on... more persistant and hard core than ever as the end days approach. Trying so hard to stand strong, but i feel like i am losing the battle in motivation and energy. Pray for us. Please. Maybe get us on your prayer warrior prayer chains!? I need as many supplications to the Father on our behalf that we can get right now! And maybe that's part of it. Maybe because I dont reach out and ask for prayer is why we are still going through this? I tend to be a very private person, and dont want to burden my friends or those around me with our troubles. Everybody's got troubles, and no one wants to hear it. But i gotta tell ya... the way things have been going... these are big things... Satan is kickin us where it he thinks it counts.. he obviously doesn't know me or my family very well! And maybe it's time I open up and ask all you believers to take a few moments and pray for us, for our strength and faith to remain high, LOL and for mercy! I know we have a HUGE family out there, and maybe this is one of the lessons I am supposed to learn? Not to be too proud to ask that family to go to bat for us and help us stand strong. So, brothers and sisters... we could use your help! I have a ton of nervous energy. Just cleaned the heck out of the kitchen. All the windows, and nitty gritty crud out of the corners of the appliances, movin onto the laundry room/bathroom now. LOL At least my house will be in order! xo agape, Bren

Spring Fever!

2010-03-15T22:37:00.003-06:00

This has been me all winter...

Forecast for this week:

Tonight Lo: 31° Clear Tuesday Hi: 58° Lo: 35° Sunny Wednesday Hi: 63° Lo: 36° Sunny Thursday Hi: 60° Lo: 31° Mostly Cloudy Friday Hi: 37° Lo: 22° 50% Chance of Snow (this is soooo colorado norm! 65* one day, and snowing the next! lol) Saturday Hi: 45° Lo: 26° Partly Cloudy Do you see what I see?? Could it be?? Will it actually hit 60* this week?!?!? (granted only for a couple days before more snow lol) I have spring fever sooooo bad!! Danny has the scooters charged, primed and ready to roll the minute it hits 60*!! Woohooo!! I'm thinking they are going to make their spring debut this week!! :D Oh my gosh, I don't know if i can wait that long! LOL!

Fun Birthday Surprises :)

2010-03-12T08:27:00.009-07:00

A couple months ago, several online friends from An American Primitive Gathering (AAPG), and I came together to make a special birthday quilt for our dear friend Kelley.

She had her big 5 0 birthday in Feb!

11 gals total, including me, - each one made an applique block of wool on cotton - of anything they wanted and thought would be suited to Kelley. They then sent me the blocks, and I got them sewn into a quilt.

This was so much fun! Seeing all the different blocks as they arrived. And trying to keep the secret for 3 months as we were doing it! Ack! That was HARD!! Emails were flying back and forth - checking and double checking the "to" line to make sure we hadn't accidentally included Kelley in our emails! LOL

The back was pieced in a scrappy way - i love how it turned out. Some people sent labels with their blocks, and I stitched them on behind their block. Just made for a more scrappy/patchy old look. Love it!!

Trying to remember everyone that participated in this... hopefully i get all the links right!

Debbie St. Germain - of Woolensails

Deirdre Wilson - of The Old Rose Cottage

Ginger Jackson - of Primitives By the Light of the Moon

Pati Jane - of Pati Jane's Primitives

Jacque Anderson - of The Doodles of My Mind

Jo Leland-of Cotton Eyed Jo

Kathy Harris - of Rugs of Mine in Time

Sharon Bennett-of Moosecraft

Pam Cannon - ihook2 on ebay

Merrie James Bell- of Maggies Farm

Now the crazy part, is that 12 or 13 other gals were hooking a rug for her at the same time! Ohh... and this rug was fan tas tic! Each gal would hook a portion and send it on to the next gal. Maria Barton drew the pattern up and got that part of the train going.

And as you hookers know... finding time to sit down and hook a bit, and get it sent on can take a bit of time!! This one was down to the wire time wise, and we were all having little panick attacks! LOL We so wanted Kelley to have a wonderful SURPRISE FILLED

Birthday!!! Joanne got it last, and did the steaming and binding and labeling - she was working like a madwoman to get it finished in time! ;D Didn't it turn out absolutely gorgeous?!

Well, we all made it in time, and they arrived on her birthday and the next day, I think. She was pretty surprised ;)

Things like this just make my heart all warm and fuzzy, and fill me with so much joy!

I am so very blessed to have such good friends, and belong to one of the neatest groups of prim crafters around!

(and they haven't kicked me out because of my new love affair with hot pinks and limes! LOL!!)

Hope you have a very blessed day!

Bren

What's been keeping me sane

2010-03-11T11:44:00.005-07:00

This is what i'm in the middle of right now. Just finished this little baby quilt for a friend...

the back and this one is on it's way to being finished. very girly :) I love it! Simple patchwork.

this will be the backing material

and two honkin huge blocks that i just keep adding to and wondering if i'm crazy for making them so big!? 4 of these honkers will be put in a twin size girl's quilt.

I think i'm on a pink tangent!

but when your friends have babies, it is the perfect reason to make sweet little baby quilts!

since i wasn't able to do this for my own bebes... i have to adopt other's!! LOL xo

2010-03-11T10:50:00.002-07:00

Yes, I'm alive ;)

But keepin it real... I choose not to blog about negative things. There's enough negative in our lives, you don't need to read about more on someone's blog!

And we have been under attack since about September. Wearing the armor of God full time. And it's hard.

Many of you know exactly what I'm talking about. Many of you are going "huh?"

When that happens, I go into silent mode - as I am having to stay focused on the most important task at hand, protecting my family. Making tough decisions, and standing firm.

And yes, it is a battle.

And we're still in the thick of it.

But praise God... He is righteous and truth, and His mercy and grace endure forever!

Ok, so enough of that.

There have been many bright spots that I would love to share with you!

The awesome Doll Quilt Swap over on Flikr is coming to an end - and yesterday was HAPPY MAIL DAY!!!! :)

My doll quilt arrived from Kelly (scrapstudio) !!! Isn't it gorgeous?!?!? Her quilting is supreme, and this bright happy quilt is now sitting in my home! I LOVE it!! Thank you again Kelly!

And that gorgeous yellow pitcher? It's a prize I won on Michelle's Musings blog -and it came yesterday!!! Still pinching myself that I won!! She did the neatest kind of giveaway on her blog!! She hooked up with CSN stores, and said "if you could go shopping with a $50 gift cirtificate, what would you buy?" - so of course you have to go shop their store to see what you would buy! LOL I chose some very baking dishes from Rachel Ray, and they were $35 so I stopped there. Well lo and behold I WON!!! So I won the baking dishes!! How totally cool is that?! And then Michelle says.. well you have $15 left - go shop! LOL!! And I found this fun and funky pitcher. I think i am just having a major case of spring fever! But that yellow really spoke to me and said pick me! pick me! :) My kids had dropped our other pitcher - so i was trying to be practical. LOL Practicality and gorgeous design all rolled into one and i couldn't resist! Sooo anyway, these both showed up yesterday and it was present day! :) I had a smile plastered on my face all day!! And knowing the baking dishes are still due to arrive - still filled with fun anticipation! This is the doll quilt I made and sent to my secret partner. I called it "the dots have it" all about circles and polka dots.

She got it yesterday so I am free to show you . It was tons of fun to make and I hope she likes it!

That's it for today.

I will try to post a few more pics tomorrow :)

Bren

Gigantor & Midget

2010-01-09T08:30:00.003-07:00

So...

We took Lexi to the vet yesterday for a well check and her rabies shot.

Sweet little 6 month old Lexi weighed in at 57 pounds. Which is pretty much the average for her age and breed the vet said. She will not be one of those petite females though. She'll probably finish up around 65 or 70lbs.

Well right before going to the vets, my sister texted me asking how much Lex weighed... and that Molly was a whopping 35 pounds already!

Stop right there.

Lexi hit 35lbs when she was 12 weeks old. LOL

Molly is 2 DAYS younger than Lexi. (Only 2 days difference!) She's a golden also. Molly lives in Chicago, and has THE sweetest face ever!

I get the sweetest little picture messages from her, saying hi auntie!!

LOL

Anyway, you normally will have a 5-7 pound discrepency range for dogs of the same age and breed. So yesterday, I was like HOW is it possible for them to be a whoppin 22 pounds difference??

I started teasing my sister immediately. (isn't that what sisters do?)

Was she aware that she bought a MINI golden?

Wow. Molly must be a midget!

Poor Molly.. she's probably huuunnggrryy!! :(

Po po Molly :(

And of course my sister comes back with... just because Lexi is so big... you sill love her anyway, right?

She can't help it she's big boned.

Is she at least light on her feet? (haha no! she's a clodhopper!)

How much are you FEEDING her??

LOLOLOL

So in the ensuing discussion, they now have new names.

Meet Midget Molly, and Gigantor!

I was going to try and make a picture with the two of them to send to my sis... Lexi towering over Molly like Godzilla, and a teensy weensy little molly in the corner.

But I am not good with photoshop :(

This is what I came up with instead.

LOL

New issues arriving next month.

Hope you have a very blessed day!

God is soo good! EVERY DAY!!!

Bren

Prim girls, hide your eyes!

2010-01-08T08:13:00.003-07:00

Pinks & Oranges

2 colors I just DON'T use in my love of all things primitive.

But in my love of modern quilts..

they are PERFECT together!

I decided to try paper piecing. It is so much fun! And wayy easier (at least this kind!) than I thought it would be! And yah.. kind of addicting! I guess it would have to be, as it is pretty tedious sewing all these strips... there would be no string pieced quilts at all if there was no fun in it! LOL

The needle perforates the paper so when you go to rip it off when you are done, it's fun... kinda put me in a "Zen mode". LOL

But, I like to peel dried paint off the paint pan too. So think what you like. :D

I originally made 16 of these, thinking i would make a baby quilt.

Um... yah..

Cuz this little bitty thing would only cover a small doll! I made 14 more to try and bring it up to size.

And this is where it's at now. I think I need 6 more for it to be a good baby size.

Then I will play with the squares and layout until it sits well with my eye, label them, and sew them all together! Woohoo!! How totally FUN is this?!?!?

I read the tutorial over at Film in The Fridge, and that's all the nudge I needed!

I'm thinking I might give it to my friend Kelley for her upcoming birthday.

Snicker.

Tomorrow, I really want to try making circles - check out Jacquie's post and wonderful tutorial! Curved piecing is something I am absolutely pathetically terrified of! But after seeing this, I figure what's the worst that can happen? I ruin a little fabric? Feel like a failure?

LOL Big woop!

I'll let ya know how it goes.

Have a blessed day. And STAY WARM!!!

Bren

Playing in my room

2010-01-07T08:33:00.003-07:00

Well hi! :)

Now that I am coming out of the holiday stupor... got the house cleaned up of all things Christmas... and all the pine needles (oi!) mostly gone... I retreated down to my sewing room to get caught up on some of my bee blocks. Had a great time just piddlin around down there - it's like that room is a time warp. LOL I can go in at 9 am, and POOF! In the blink of an eye, it's 3 oclock and time to pick up my kids!? How does that happen?

Is MY room SPECIAL?? Do you guys have a time warp room??? hee hee I love mine! :)

Felt really good to sew again!!

My machine broke right before Christmas... i think it was a belt. Had to borrow my MIL's machine to finish the last Christmas gift! Boy was I ever thankful she had one I could borrow!!

Then I went shopping for a Bernina.

And yah. Didn't come home with one ;(

Just couldn't justify the expense right now. But maybe someday. Someday soon?!

LOL

Instead I replaced my old beater workhorse Brother, with another. So a Brother of a Brother?

Hopefully it will be as much of a workhorse as the other little cheapy until I can get my dream machine!! A penny saved now... is another penny toward my goal!

Anyway... here's what I managed to produce in my 3 minutes down in the time warp room. :)

Playing with string blocks A couple wonky blocks for Katrina A couple blocks for Jenny And a couple blocks testing out a thought for my month in the bee- next month. Wasn't sure I had cut enough (or bought enough!) fabric to send out. So thought I would give it a trial run. Glad I did! I WAS short! So modified the fabric packs so they'd have more to work with. I love how these came out. I was shooting for a more improv type block/look. I think these fabrics will look so cool in a quilt together!

And last but not least, I gathered up the makings for two secret projects that I have to get started on. Unfortunately I won't be able to share those with you until much later! I am a secret admirer to a wonderful primitive gal in my AAPG group! Ssshh it's a secret! hee hee I love making secret gifties!! :)

Ooh ooh oh, and guess what? DQS8 is starting back up!! woohooo!! I am soo excited!

I got my mosaic made, and now just waiting to find out who my partner is, so I can start stalking her/him. LOL I've discovered I really LIKE being a stalker! :D

I have to take Lexi to the vet this morning for her shots, and it is -22* with windchill out there right now. -9* with no wind. Lovely huh?

Considering rescheduling and staying warm. LOL

Hope you have an awesome (warm) creative day today! xo Bren

2009-12-24T08:25:00.002-07:00

Merry Christmas!

From our family to yours! I pray that Christ shines in your heart all year long. And you keep your eyes focused on Him in the coming year! May you experience the childish joy every day, in the gift that has already been given to you! Merry Christmas!