One of the reasons this was such a good day was that Catherine brought my Colonial Piecemaker’s Challenge Quilt in with the binding finished!!!!  I was expecting to sew the binding on as one of my projects and while we had breakfast together I was lamenting that I had neglected to pack the correct color of thread.  Catherine never let on that I wouldn’t NEED the thread!  You can’t imagine how happy I was – and Catherine even added a little embellished bow train with the excess binding.  I just love those extra touches that only the queen of embellishment can create.

Actually Saturday was a little bit like Christmas because Catherine brought me cat fabric from the Colonial Williamsburg white elephant table and the ATCs from July that I missed while I was in Missouri……and there was even some of my FAVORITE HOT TAMALES GUM IN THE BAG!

It was a happy day for sure AND I AM HAPPY TO SAY THAT I FINISHED BINDING ONE QUILT AND ALMOST FINISHED A SECOND ONE!  The day was perfect – except we REALLY DID miss those who weren’t with us!

I hope you enjoy the pictures.

Midnight SHEDS when she gets distressed!!!!

 Oreo Cookie (Yes that is really her name – don’t all of your pets have middle names too?)  did not complain even once  – in fact she had fun!  I think we should change her name to KITTY PERRY – her first hit could be “I KISSED A DOG….”  Ok – I just did that to make my DD roll her eyes.  (I didn’t REALLY think it was that funny – REALLY!)

I kissed a dog!

Grandangel Sarah comforts Hannah Fay

Hannah Fay thinks that she can HIDE from the vet!

Grandangel Leanna helped too!

 Hannah Fay weighed 8 pounds, Midnight weighed 14 and Oreo weighed 12 – and next time I will make sure that they all travel in SEPARATE CRATES – that was a heavy party for sure!

And while we are speaking about parties – I just had to share the cast of the movie party (and in case you must MIGHT be wondering why I took a picture of the girls in the shower – I will tell you…..it was REALLY THE ONLY PLACE where the LIGHT WAS JUST RIGHT……and ANOTHER THING – it was NOT my idea to take the picture – I am just saying………)

Leanna, Sarah, Kenzie and Kailey

Well, I spent almost two months in Kansas and Missouri – and since I stayed indoors in fancy resorts (University of Kansas Hospital and Lakeview Village – Rehab Center)  I had lots of time to read and do hand work. 

 Here are some of the fruits of my labors….

First – my hand knitted socks – I have decided that my NEXT strategy will be to FIND A TEACHER!  After trying a MULTITUDE of different knitting needles and at least 4 different patterns, I have decided to take a class (hey I am GOING to do this!  I am more determined than ever!)

sao Practiced Knitting and Unraveled SOCKS - 4 times

Newspaper Bag Rug - Side Two

Newspaper Bag Rug - Side One

I FOUND this small beginnings of a quilt top in a stack of fabric that used to belong to my sister-in-law’s mom and sister-in-law and  I decided it would be the PERFECT thing for me to practice my hand quilting on.  SO HERE YOU HAVE IT – my first hand quilted quilt that I gave to Abby!  Abby is SMALL and I figured that she wouldn’t mind my awkward FIRST ATTEMPT at hand quilting a quilt!  And you will notice I took a FARAWAY PICTURE…….for obvious reasons…..LOL

Abby's Hand Quilted Quilt

Daddy and Abby

 OK – here is a PEEK at my MODA Pumpkins Gone Wild Hand Quilted Wall hanging – close up.  I decided to go with FOLK ART large hand stitches (well, they aren’t that large, really!)…..and I will post a picture of the whole thing when I finish putting the binding on.  (Speaking of BINDING, since I have been home I have sewn the binding on “several” quilts – so my binding chair is full.  I am going to post a picture when the chair is EMPTY!  YEAH!)

Close up of PUMPKINS GONE WILD hand quilting

And now for some HAPPY ENDINGS.  I gave Jan, my CA daughter, her lap quilt – MAIN STREET HOUSES!  I hope she enjoys snuggling under it – if she EVER HAS TIME TO SIT DOWN!!! 

Main Street Houses for Jan

I also gave Jan her BIRTH OF A SAMPLER QUILT.  I made it for her originally but then figured it was presumptious of me to give someone a LARGE QUILT like that without asking if they WANTED it or without giving them a choice in colors or patterns.  So I gave her the small lap quilt instead and SHOWED HER the Birth of a Sampler.  She LIKED IT and so both quilts found a good home with Jan in Newport Beach, CA!  Sherry Whitford – designer of the quilt – has yet another fan!  (Oreo, the cat, had to have one last cuddle on the quilt before it went away!)  I told Jan that this was a very special quilt because I would probably never choose to have that much fun again – hence this could be my ONLY quilt with a bargello border.  AND YES, IT WAS FUN – the first time!  :)

Jan with Birth of a Sampler Quilt

And finally, Grandangel Brennan graduated from USC this spring and he got my MODA SELVAGES QUILT for a graduation present!

Brennan with Moda Selvages Quilt

Happy Graduation Brennan – I am proud of you!

Happy USC Graduation Brennan

HAPPILY EVER AFTER…

Finally – I decided that with 17 grandangels that I should start making baby afghans for my great grandangels……….hey, Brennan is 23 and I probably don’t have that many years before this generation starts to multiply.  I order the Pineapple Afghan booklet (the one that Subee used) and started making my first one – blue.    I think I made Jan a bit NERVOUS but I assured her that I didn’t know anything that she didn’t know…….but if I get a BOY GREAT GRANDANGEL soon no one will ever believe my innocence.

Stay tuned for a picture………….

OH YES – I did do one more thing – I was actually going to set up a little sewing center while I was in KC  - but this potholder is all that I made.

sao's Potholder

As a welcome home surprise I decided to post  pictures of SOME of the visitors that my Daddy had while he was recuperating! 

But let me start at the beginning.  Catherine went to Independence to visit her mom and sister on the same flight that I went on  - so the trip started out with a “gourmet airport breakfast.”  So far so good…..

Breakfast at the airport

We even managed a few giggles (sorry the camera was shaking hence the blurry picture) as we enjoyed the fashion parade.  Don’t you just love to people watch.  I actually admire people who are creative and who are not afraid to do their own thing – fashionwise.  If you combine a sport jacket with summer wear – you are halfway ready for a multitude of actitivities!

Fashion Statement

 Once I got to Kansas City, I made cookies for my daddy.  They weren’t very good – actually – I think it might have been because I forgot to put in the baking soda – or was it baking powder?  Let’s just say they were DENSE!

sao's CREATIVE COOKIES

 The RED jello, WHITE Cool Whip and BLUE BERRIES that we made for the 4th of July did kind of help my reputation in the kitchen – but then my daddy made the jello and it would have been hard for me to mess up the Cool Whip and the blueberries….LOL (in case you didn’t know, I am not known for my culinary skills!)

Fourth of July Dessert

The homemade soup was – well – I didn’t eat much – and Daddy made his “BETTER” with my homemade biscuit slathered with JELLY which he put right in the middle of his soup!  TOO FUNNY!

Soup?

Ok – so much for the cooking – I did manage to PAINT a dog with my nail polish after Daddy glued “CLEO” together again.  POP QUIZ:  Does anyone remember the US President who picked his dogs up by their ears?  Well, I picked up this CHINA DOG by his ears and one of the ears came off!  Can you believe that my Mary Kay nail polish was the perfect color for the repair (and btw, Mary Kay nail polish is my favorite!)

Glue - sao's MARY KAY NAIL POLISH - Cleo is ALL BETTER!

Now that I have entertained you with my FIX IT and my COOKING SHOW – I also had an adventure.  A mommy frog fell into the downstairs window well – AND HAD at least four tiny babies…….Daddy and I tried to stage a rescue but they were hopping around so fast that we turned the rescue mission over to my brother, Fred!

Frog on the edge of the mop

Tiny Baby Frog

 Rescue mission comes to a close – the frogs were too fast!

Daddy is pretty FRISKY - before the fall!

THEN – Daddy fell and ended up having a total hip replacement.   At age 88 recuperating from THAT was quite an accomplishment.  IN FACT,  I never KNEW how painful and difficult recovery from a broken hip really was.  Daddy has had a LONG JOURNEY – he has endured unimaginable pain and has accomplished HOURS AND HOURS of OT and PT!  He had visits from almost everyone in the family who came from Far and Wide to cheer him up!

Here he is at the University of Kansas Hospital ”wearing”  KU pjs delivered by my brother Jim!

Daddy with his KU PJs

So when I saw the TOPSY TURVY Tomato Planter advertised on TV I KNEW that I wanted one.  As luck would have it, my daughter asked me what I wanted for Mother’s Day – and I had my answer ready! 

It is hanging from my deck.   Already I have three green tomatos on my vine!  My DH and I have been giving it 3 quarts of water EVERY DAY and  I am so pleased to have a crop….a REAL CROP and not the kind you grow on some of the computer games with farms and frontiers.

The second thing that I wanted to share was my KEYCHAIN.  This has grown longer and heavier over the years.  When I taught at the University in CA at night, I carried this keychain as I walked across the dark campus to get to my car  - it was a great weapon (lest you think I USED TO BE WEIRD – let me assure you that it wasn’t always this LONG – and no I didn’t put the key into my ignition with all of these toys on the key chain!)

My grandangels used to play with this when they were riding in my car/ or van.  I kept it  in the back seat of ROSEBUD, DAISY, and even MRS. MISTOPHELES…….the grandangels could be entertained for long periods of time playing with the puzzles, the whistles, and the multitude of interesting “THINGS.”  The KEY CHAIN now hangs in my closet!  Maybe my GREAT GRANDANGELS will play with it one day! 

sao's key chain

And now the TTFN part…..I am leaving for Kansas City in the morning to be with my family.

Hannah is napping on my suitcase!

  I will be back mid July.  Until then, my blog is on vacation. 

Happy 4th of July everyone!

Saturday was jam packed full of fun and frivolity……and several new things.

First we had a SCAVENGER HUNT……first clue – find breakfast.  NO, not at SUBWAY – even though we were there 10 minutes after they were SUPPOSED TO OPEN……so we did NOT build a better breakfast….

Stop two – not going to have breakfast here either…..not mentioning any names but the place that we did not have breakfast at  is NEXT DOOR to SUBWAY!  They were not necessarily SUPPOSED to be open – we were just hoping….

Have you heard the expression, third time’s the charm?  WELL the third place we went was a winner and a WONDERFUL winner at that.  Catherine and I had a quiche at Panera Bread…..Catherine had Spinach and Bacon and I had Spinach and Artichoke.  OH…..it was wonderful.  THAT WAS A FIRST FOR ME – I have never eaten breakfast at Panera Bread.  They have great unsweetened ice tea as well!  I put TABSCO and PEPPER on mine – heavenly.

Not only did I get to enjoy breakfast, but I also got to admire Catherine’s jewelry.  ADVANCED JEWELRY MAKING 501….maybe I will get there!

Then we went to the VA SCRAPPERS monthly meeting and it was so nice.  There were LOTS of folks there Saturday – many were quilters we hadn’t seen for awhile so it was very special (missed you, Sheddy!)  I didn’t take pictures this time – I thought it might be nice if I let my quilting friends work in peace without the camera flash interrupting the tranquilty.  There was a whole lof of creativity going on though and I was inspired.

I was VERY HAPPY to finish the binding on  my Carolina Christmas Poinsettia Quilt.  This is Bonnie Hunter’s CAROLINA CHRISTMAS QUILT – but with only the Poinsettia  Block.  I really DID ENJOY putting the binding on.    I enjoyed having it OUT of my binding chair and crossed off my LIST too.  (There will not be a picture of my binding chair because the stack is embarrassing – but, I will take a picture of an EMPTY chair…..soon.)

 

 

 

 

And just FYI here is the other block that was a part of Bonnie Hunter’s Carolina Christmas Quilt – The Carolina Christmas Star Block.  I decided that I would rather have two smaller quilts than one very large one.  SO NOW THEY ARE BOTH FINISHED!

Carolina Christmas Star

 

 

 

Back of Carolina Christmas Star

I just LOVE Bonnie Hunter’s mysteries and I heard a rumor that she plans to have another one in November!  I will be there waiting – I haven’t missed a Bonnie Hunter mystery yet.  If you haven’t made one go look at Bonnie’s website at www.quiltville.com! 

 After the Scrapper’s Event we dashed over to vote – there was a Quilter’s Quilt Challenge at Quilting Adventures.  The quilters were challenged to make a quilt to signify what the Quilt Shop had meant to the individual Quilter…..here is Catherine’s.  (If you want to vote, you need to do it in person….one vote per person per day.)  Catherine featured the classes that she took from the three quilt artists that transformed her way of approaching her artistry.

 

Catherine’s CHALLENGE QUILT

 

Then – before the clock struck midnight and our chariot turned back into a pumpkin, we dashed to BANGLES AND BEADS….or was it BEADS AND BANGLES in Cary Town.  I had never been there before.  It is amazing.  THE BEADS, THE COLORS, THE POSSIBILITIES!  It is a place that I will want to revisit – over and over.

This really was a wonderful bead store.

First we had a SEW AND TELL bag event…….we wrapped and glued fabric around cording and then sewed the cord into the shape of a bag- all by hand.   This is reminiscent of the way baskets were woven by the Native Americans.   I really love the outcome!  We had started our bags on an earlier SEW SEW DAY and today we were just sharing the final outcome.  I worked on mine for parts of four or five days!

Catherine has a wonderful sense of color choices

I really love how Catherine incorporated a long shoulder strap from the continuous strip of wrapped cording…..  Her entire bag is made from one long piece of cloth covered cording.

Love the dimensional side treatment

 Catherine has a reputation for being the Queen of mixed media embellishment.  I marvel at how she can put all of these fibers and beading into the mix with just the perfect blend of colors.  All of Catherine’s fabrics are batiks – good for this project because there is not a lot of fraying  of the raw edges of the cut fabric.

Not finished yet - more fibers and beading is in the plan

Special Beading Effects

Catherine designed the special stitch for the bag too – it looks like basket weaving.  I like this so much better than the zig zag stitches by sewing machine that I have seen used in the past!

And now for my bag….  

sao's little bag

My bag  is shorter than Catherine’s for two reasons.  First, into DAY 5 of this project, I suddenly got inspired to use the purse handles that I found at the Lancaster Quilt Show…..and so I needed a shorter bag for the proportion between the bag and the handles to look right. 

The Second reason that my bag is small is because I also had VERY SORE FINGERS from doing the hand sewing and pushing the needle through the cording….LOL.  I had also stuck myself (with the VERY LARGE needle) on multiple occasions, so a smaller bag was really something that I was motivated to go for!

I got the bright idea to EMBELLISH my bag with a pin that I got when we went to see the musical WICKED!    I used a pony tail elastic as the closure to hook around a big black button that I found in my collection of buttons.  This entire bag was made from stash items – no new purchases!

It seems like every bag that I have is black or red….HM….for me, guess it doesn’t take a lot of talent to choose the right fabric! 

As a matter of fact I used fabric that I had purchased but didn’t use  when I made a quilted tote bag  at a class  that I took  at Quilter’s Corner  three years ago!!!  Christine, does this look familiar?!!!  Goodness, maybe I need to branch out a bit…..but then maybe not….all of my clothes are black! 

Sao's Quilted Tote Bag 2007

OK – to redeem myself – here is another SEW AND TELL – my progress on a Mystery Quilt led by Karen from Powhatan Quilters….it isn’t finished but the center part is together…..PINWHEELS AND POSIES……and I did use some of my 30’s Fabrics that I have been collecting.  I don’t know WHY but I have been saving it!!!  Do any of the rest of you buy fabric and then just LOOK at it and not want to USE IT!!!

Hannah the Cat on PINWHEELS AND POSIES

After a wonderful lunch break – that included a TROPICAL SMOOTHIE for inspiration and a trip to Jo Ann’s to buy a couple of jewelry pliers…..we headed back to our SEW SEW activities.

Today we had a class in Jewelry Making 101….Catherine was the teacher and I was the student.  Catherine ended up doing most (ALL) of the work after she watched me string the same bead on upside down about four times in a row!!!  But I am now armed with the right pliers and some beading springs (not the correct term but it keeps all of your beading work from sliding off the wires before they are secured!) and I am looking forward to my future fun making jewelry.

I always feel so KLUTSY when I am trying to learn to do something new – and when the EXPERT is watching you and you just KNOW that deep inside they must be struggling to stifle a laugh – or two.

OK – so after LISTENING to SIL Greg repair the hole in the laundry room wall that he made while investigating a leak…..we made some progress…..that WE is figuratively speaking……Catherine is doing the work.  I am doing the observation.

OOPS - the washing machine made a mess!

Here is what I am proud to say is the product of Catherine’s jewelry making expertise…..and I was once again impressed with how she can look at a conglomeration of beads and know just how to arrange them into a work of art!  My mother would have been proud to see how some of her jewelry supplies were put to good use.  Catherine used round pliers to show me how to take a jewelry pin and twist it (form it) into a ring which attaches to a jumper cable ring and then to a clasp.  I think that I need to pay more attention to some of the terminology because it all doesn’t sound quite right to me as I write this.

Earrings, Bracelet, and Three Necklaces

 It really was a wonderful day and I feel more like myself than I have in a long time.  I really enjoy learning new things and it is inspirational to watch Catherine apply her magic touch to whatever project that she is working on.

And now I am going to go work on Clues 2 and 3 of Bonnie Hunter’s FIRST MYSTERY QUILT – Carolina Crossroads.  Yes I am making my SECOND ONE….just started it with some friends on the QUILTVILLE CHAT group!  I am naming this one CAROLINA CROSSROADS TOO! 

As always Catherine had creative SEW and TELLS….her sewing kit is amazing and you wouldn’t BELIEVE how many things Catherine has in this small case – EVERYTHING YOU COULD POSSIBLY NEED TO MAKE ANYTHING!

Catherine's Embellished Sewing Kit

AND…..TA DA…..this is Catherine’s PORTFOLIO TOTE……a stiff carrier with internal elastic straps to hold very special works of art……stay tuned….

Portfolio Tote

 Catherine finished her Challenge Quilt for WHAT QUILTING ADVENTURE HAS MEANT TO ME…..it is beyond words……the work that went into this embellishment is unbelievable.   Catherine not only DESIGNED the gate piece by piece, but she also printed it…..I could go on and on.  The gate opens…..look at the four layers of fusing that went into the super-imposed figures…..       I think this is surely going to be a winner.   The three artists featured in this mini quilt were folks that taught classes at QA and they have inspired and enriched Catherine’s creativity. 

Catherine's Challenge Quilt

 Catherine and I both worked on our TOTE BAGS that we are making by wrapping fabric around cording and then sewing it into a braided wonder!!  You may note that OREO THE CAT is snoozing nearby.  I don’t think that cat got very far from Catherine all day!  She CLAIMED Catherine’s tote bag as her own special napping mat.

Bag Weaving

 OH MY – Oreo loves Catherine….it is a wonder Catherine could get anything done with all of the adoration going on!  And we even took our CREATIVE ENDEAVORS upstairs to get away from Ruby – the dog – who also loves Catherine!!!

Oreo is in love

 And speaking of major distractions – Grandangel Cooper came in to introduce Catherine to the world of BAKUGAN and believe you me, it is not easy to understand.  Catherine and I were wondering where we could snatch a calculator to keep up with Cooper’s addition of his power, energy and SUPER Gs that went into winning.   I mean just keeping straight who has gear and who doesn’t is a major feat….     (Note how beautiful Catherine’s Tote Bag is – lying untouched in the foreground  in the picture below – Catherine only has so many hands you know!)

Cooper and Catherine play BAKUGAN

Catherine Won

 After Cooper left the room, Catherine assured me that she had won the battle……I have my doubts……you should have seen Catherine’s eyes glassing over as Cooper explained the RULES to her!

It felt good to be a little creative today – it had been a whole month since I have had any creative juices flowing.  Who knows,  I might even do a bit of quilting tonight. 

In fact, you mean the world to me.

Hey, look at this picture of the family posing on the bed

and NOTE that I named my GIRL Poodle Freddie after Fred!

You are really quite funny and neat

You even talk to birds on a Kansas City STREET!

I really think you are a shining star

even with your pens in your t-shirt – you are!

I hope this is a special Day

And that you have fun in every way!

Happy Birthday

Love,  your OLDER sister, sao