Saturday, October 30, 2010

check off another project!



Back in mid-September I decided to make some color rolls to hold colored pencils for the grandkids for Christmas.  I got started, then as usual life got in the way.  Well, lo and behold, today I got back to it and finished the first of the three.   I got the idea from someone's blog to color coordinate the pockets to the colors of the pencils, but changed it up a bit to suit me.  And well, to make it easier on the kids' moms.  Instead of having a ribbon to tie the roll up, I made a velcro tab.    So, here's 4 year old Ashlynn's colored pencil roll.

Here it is rolled up.

I've got two more to make.  One for 5 year old Rhett, and one for 8 year old Lily.  They're started, so shouldn't take too long.

And how about those Rangers???!!!!!  I'm not usually a big sports enthusiast, but I have to say I'm proud to see our Texas Rangers make it to the World Series.   And I've even got the t-shirt!    GO RANGERS!!

Have a good week...

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

another ufo finished!

I finished the Vacation Memories quilt.  Turned out to be lap size, which will work well this winter when I want a little something over my legs while watching tv. 
It always amazes me on this type of quilt how much arranging and rearranging takes place.  I started out with bigger t-shirt squares, and huge bandanas.  I decided it gave a better balance to trim things down, since I didn't want a huge quilt. 

Another ufo is done!  Woo hoo!!!

Also, here's a Happy Birthday to Elizabeth.  It was actually yesterday, and we met for lunch. Yes, this picture has been shown before, but it's one of my favorites of her (and Elise just happens to be in it).

Have a good week...

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

family time and geocaching

Sister Nolene joined me on Sunday to head over to Arkansas to see sister Sue and her family for a quick visit.  Had a nice time, and picked up a few geocaches along the way.

We made a stop at the Arkansas Welcome Center just a few miles out of Texarkana, and picked up two caches there.  Nice way to stretch my legs and get a touch of exercise.  Wouldn't want to overdo.  They were probably the requisite minimum distance apart of 1/10th of a mile, which wasn't bad at all.  We did see a snake in one, which was a little disconcerting (also a little bit plastic-y), but all in all, fine.  These were our only caches on the way to Sue's.

Today as we headed home, we decided to take a bit of a scenic route, and headed down Hwy. 259, through Daingerfield (hi Sherry!), over to Gilmer, turned onto 155 and caught 20 to bring us on home.  We found a couple more caches in Daingerfield, and one was especially interesting.  Remember the old drive-in theaters?  One was hidden there, and it was so overgrown that it was practically invisible from the road.  Indeed, had we not been looking for it, we'd have flown right on by.  Here's the booth from days gone by where you'd stop to pay the entrance fee.
 Here's the listing for the cache in case you're interested.

We also found  a couple more in cemeteries along the way, and wherever people decided to hide them.  Here's more info on geocaching.


Driving down Hwy 155, we came across some interesting names for streets.  I have a feeling they were probably county roads that had been given regular names at some point, that happened to us when we lived in Burleson about 20 years ago.  These were Snapdragon, Begonia, Nasturtium, and Periwinkle, as well as Iris, and Hydrangea.  Really rather fitting in the country setting.  This was on the stretch before we got to Gilmer.

Changing subjects, my vacation memory quilt is at the quilter's.  Ty wasn't able to fit it into her schedule for several weeks, so my friend Linda has a friend who quilts.  Linda recently completed her first t-shirt quilt, and took both hers and mine to her friend.  I'm looking forward to getting it back.  Be assured I'll have to post a picture of it when I can finally say it's complete.

Guess that's it for right now.  Catch you later.  : )

Thursday, October 7, 2010

October has arrived

It's the first week of October, so of course I have my latest package from my Secret Sister.  Too cool!  She pulled from her stash this month to help me out on making an I Spy quilt for the grandkids.  She sent a wide variety of fq's, as well as packages of 3" and 5" squares already cut.  How great is that?!?  Believe me, it's a big help.  She also tucked in a few books and some tea so I could just curl up on the couch and be cozy when it gets cold.  Just another couple of months, and I'll know who she is.

Since I finished one of my ufo's last week, I pulled out my vacation quilt to see what kind of progress I can make on it.   Here's a picture from early on in the idea process.

Here's a little further along (actually yesterday).  In the process, some have been reduced, some eliminated, and others added.





I've now progressed to having the upper 2/3 sewn together.  My shadow quilts seem to take a lot of manipulating to get them to fit.  Somehow the pieces are never all the same size, probably because I pulled from a variety of sources...t-shirts, bandanas, and fabric, as well as a patch.  Oh, and I printed some of my trip pictures onto fabric, which I was really pleased with.  But it's coming along, as you see here.

I'd love to have the piecing finished this weekend.  I should, unless life gets in the way.  Once I'm satisfied, I'll send it to my friend Ty for her to do the quilting.   I may have mentioned I want to do more of my own quilting, and I did on the last wallhanging, but anything bigger than a wallhanging is too cumbersome for me.

Another ufo getting closer to being a fo!

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

a link to our past

I received this in an email, and while I don't forward a whole lot of things, I want to share this one.  So many who fought in Vietnam were my generation.  If you're like me, you have moved away from the area where you grew up, and may have lost touch.  This is one way to check in.
 

Vietnam Wall
First click on a state.  When it opens, scroll down to the city and the names will appear.  Then click on their names.  It should show you a picture of the person, or at least their bio and medals.
This really is an amazing web site.  Someone spent a lot of time and effort to create it.
I hope that everyone who receives this appreciates what those who served in  Vietnam sacrificed for our country.
The link below is a virtual wall of all those lost during the Vietnam war with the names, bio's and other information on our lost heroes.  Those who remember that time frame, or perhaps lost friends or family can look them up on this site.  Pass the link on to others, as many knew wonderful people whose names are listed.

Saturday, October 2, 2010

another ufo is now an fo

On New Years Day there was a mystery quilt on the HGTV quilting forum, and I managed to get the top together.  I didn't do it all in one day, and took my time, but eventually that part was finished.  Then life got in the way and the mystery quilt got set to the side for several months.  It rose to the surface again, and I was able to get it sandwiched in preparation for quilting.  Then it only sat around for a month or so before I got to it again.  I can justify part of that time because my sewing machine was in the shop getting cleaned and serviced.  : ) 

But, finally, I sat myself in the chair and got busy.  Well, during Elise's nap times anyway.  And in the evenings.  And whenever I could slip in the sewing room and stitch another few minutes away.  This afternoon I finished the binding and the hanging sleeve, and wah-lah, here it is.  A mystery no more!