Wednesday, July 31, 2013

The first day of Ho Ho Ho blog hop

here you go!  so start hopping!!!! 


                                                                          July 31
                                                                           Carol

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Paradise in the White Mountians!

Hi everyone!  I didn't get as many pictures as I should have while visiting my parents.  But it was such a relaxing week.  I loved every minute!  thanks mom and dad. 

 


See the enclosed porch?  That is where my Mom and I sewed everyday.  And as we were sewing, this is what we saw:


My parents have about 8 feeders hanging there.  Dad has to fill them everyday.  These hummers are little pigs!  LOL.......

One night, we had my brother and his wife, Aunt and friend, neighbors and a childhood friend come over for dinner. 

Do you watch Trisha Yearwood's food show?  Well, if you don't, you should.  We had Low Country Boil  It was so easy to fix.  and unbelievably GOOD!!!!  It asked for Zatarain's crab and shrimp boil seasoning.  I found it at Albertson's and Wal-Mart.  The first time I made it, was for Bruce and my MIL and I.  I opened the seasoning bag.  DO NOT OPEN IT!!!!  you just throw the bag into the boiling water!  the first time there was mustard seeds EVERYWHERE.   still good, but a little frustrating with those seeds.  Much better leaving the seasonings in the bag.  Another thing,  since shopping is a bit limited in the White Mountain area, I bought the shrimp at Walmart.  it was $23 for 3 or 4  pounds of jumbo shrimp.  it was deveined and cleaned.  And it was very good!  we had to shell the shrimp as we ate it.  but it was part of the fun.  So good! 


Now, just to warn you, this recipe feeds A LOT!!!  We had 10 people, and 3 pans of this stuff.  I didn't not double the recipe.  And we still had leftovers.  enough for 3 people with a little more left! 


It was a great week.  hugs......

Sunday, July 28, 2013

Stash Reporting!

Hi everyone!  I have spent the last week up in the White Mountains - oh heaven.  It was so cool.  rained everyday but one.  Had a wonderful time.  More on that later! 


Bobbins used this week: 6
Bobbins used year to date: 59
Thread spools emptied this week:  0
Thread spools emptied year to date:  6
Fabric used this week: 0
Fabric used year to date: 89 1/8 yards
Fabric added this week: 20 yards

Fabric added year to date: 147 1/2 yards

Net fabric add for 2013:  -40 7/8 yards

UFOs finished this week: 0

UFOs finished year to date: 40

Update of fab 4: 
I am not going to do fab 4 for the next little while.  Vicki and I have challenged ourselves to finish Christmas UFOs in preparation for the Ho, Ho, Ho blog hop.  We are going to see how many we can finish!  wish us luck! 

I will report here how that goes, but no pics.  saving that for the blog hop.

Finished Christmas UFOs:  12
 
Oh about the 20 yards, Amazing Quilts was having a clearance sale.  40% off on a lot of Christmas fabric that wasn't Christmassy.  Great for some borders and backings.  soooooooo.........   Borders and backings I do not have in my stash.  so I would I have to buy it anyway.  so I get it when I find on sale.  I always, buy with  a project in mind.  I don't buy yardage just because. Almost always!  LOL... but this time, with projects in mind! 

New projects started:  
Postcard cuties for winterall twelve blocks are done, top is together.  Just need to do the borders. top is done!
Hexie project with Vicki.  3 done 
Wool table hanging BOM:  finished: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul,
Lady bug Twister - everything cut and sewn together.  now I need to cut apart and resew.  
Barn Quilt: all fabric bought
Mini Warm Winter Blessings BOW: finished block 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7,
Broomstick Hollow:  Cyndi and I are working on this together.  I am cutting up my oranges for it.   Oranges and blacks are all cut.  I can start sewing! all houses and pinwheels are done.  now for the stars! 
Blessings of Spring - rebloomed BOM:  blocks #1, 2, 3 done
A little bit of Boo:  everything cut
Mom'a 9 patch block qlt:  all blocks are done (100), all sashing sewn to one side, 2 complete rows sewn together. 
Wool tulip basket table mat:  all ready fused and ready to do the hand part
Shabby Roses Beauty Mystery Qlt:  center block prepped, and hand embroidery started. 

While up in the mountains I did a lot of sewing, or rather my Mom did.  I did some.   My mom wanted to start another qlt.  Yeah!!!  This is her third quilt.  she just wanted to sew to squares together.  big squares.  So I looked in my scrap drawers.  my 3 1/2" squares were over flowing.  I thought those are big.  we will use those!  Well, her idea and my idea of big are very different!  LOL... 

She sewed 900 squares into rows of 3. 


Then into 9 patches, then a strip of sashing to one side.  Now she has 100 blocks



 
 Before I left, she had 2 rows completely done.  I left the featherweight with her so she could sew until I could get up there again.  each row has 10 blocks.  she is doing a great job!!! 

I finished embroidering the Jan and Nov blocks from the Colorwork pattern.  Now I can sew them into little table hangings.  this is a big project!  I think I have 3 months done from the whole year of hangings.  but the next step will go quickly!  yeah!!! 

    
  


I also finished all the orange houses for the broomstick hollow quilt.  I just have to add stars and moons to these blocks.  cant wait to finish this!  I love this quilt!!! 


My Mom's neighbor is a quilter too.  she brought over a top she just finished!  isn't it pretty?  I love how the stars sparkle.  Thanks for sharing Mary!

hugs.....



Thursday, July 25, 2013

Zuma Beach

hi everyone!  one of the places we went was Zuma Beach.  as we were approaching the beach area, we were going through some mountains.  There was fog.  Gunner, was getting a little worried.  He thought we might be lost!  The day was overcast and the temp was about 88 degrees.  To this AZ gal, life was good!!

The grands had so much fun.  they indulged their grandmother in wanting to take silly pictures.  I got all my ideas from pinterest!









Thanks for taking us Katrina and Micheal! 

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Justin has a birthday!

Hi everyone!  recently we celebrated our oldest grandson's birthday!  Justin is not a teenager anymore!  What?  I now have 2 grandchildren who are not teenagers! 

How on earth did that happen?  I am 29!  in just a few years my grands will be older than me!  mercy......




Happy birthday sweetie!  we love you bunches!!! 

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Movie Night!

Hi everyone!  We had movie night while in CA.  What made it fun was the movie was outside!  We had homemade pizza, which Zoe helped to make!  Katrina makes the best homemade pizza! 


 

We made s'mores!   These were Trisha Yearwood's recipe.  Oh boy!!!  GOOD STUFF! 


 



 
BTW, Logan can make the perfect roasted marshmellows, EVER! 
 
the weather was perfect.  We had a great time!!!
 
 
hugs....

Monday, July 22, 2013

Yum!

This is how the conversation went:

Bruce:  could you pick my up some bread.
Me:  Oh do you want me to go to Kneaders and get some sour dough?
Bruce:  no, that's ok. 
Me:  no problem.  I can pick you up some if you want. 
Bruce:  oh, ok.
Me:  I will get it tomorrow!

So, I went to Kneaders and picked up the bread for Bruce and a macaroon for me!  Grin!  No problem.......




hugs!


Sunday, July 21, 2013

Do you watch Storage Wars?


Just down the street from my daughter Katrina's home is a little thrift store - Grandma's Attic.  You might have heard of it from Storage Wars.  Coach Ivy as we call him, is the king of Palmdale.  He has also been my grandson Logan's football coach for the last couple of years.  He was one of the sponsors for my granddaughter Julia's pageant.  He is well loved by the Zeman family. 


                                 
The kids got to do some shopping.  Andrew and Gunner bought a present for their father's birthday and Coach Ivy signed it for them.  He was so good with the kids.  gave them great deals!  I didn't find anything this time, but I didn't get a chance to really look.  next time! 

hugs....


Saturday, July 20, 2013

Stash Report Time

Well, I have been sewing, and doing handwork but no finishes I can report.  So nothing will change on my numbers this week.  But there is progress. which is a good thing.


Bobbins used this week: 0
Bobbins used year to date: 53
Thread spools emptied this week:  0
Thread spools emptied year to date:  0
Fabric used this week: 0
Fabric used year to date: 89 1/8 yards
Fabric added this week: 0

Fabric added year to date: 127 1/2 yards

Net fabric add for 2013:  -20 7/8 yards

UFOs finished this week: 0

UFOs finished year to date: 40

Update of fab 4: 
I am not going to do fab 4 for the next little while.  Vicki and I have challenged ourselves to finish Christmas UFOs in preparation for the Ho, Ho, Ho blog hop.  We are going to see how many we can finish!  wish us luck! 

I will report here how that goes, but no pics.  saving that for the blog hop.

Finished Christmas UFOs:  12

New projects started:  
Postcard cuties for winter:  all twelve blocks are done, top is together.  Just need to do the borders. top is done!
Hexie project with Vicki.  3 done 
Wool table BOM:  finished: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul,
Lady bug Twister - everything cut and sewn together.  now I need to cut apart and resew.  
Barn Quilt
Mini Warm Winter Blessings BOW, finished block 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7,
Broomstick Hollow:  Cyndi and I are working on this together.  I am cutting up my oranges for it.   Oranges and blacks are all cut.  I can start sewing! 

These are blocks 5, 6  and 7 of Warm Winter Blessings.  only 2 more blocks!
 
 
 
This is my other BOM.  This is July.  only 5 more little hangings to do! 

 
Hugs.....

Friday, July 19, 2013

More Sewing Time with Friends!

A week or so ago, I was able to get with my friends Cyndi and Toni.  We sewed at Toni's home.  she is an awesome hostess.  She fixed the best lunch.  a pasta dish, which I didn't get a picture of.  Soooooo good!  and dessert?  well..... a picture is worth a 1000 words......

Fresh Strawberry Cake!  Toni I want the recipe!  it was made from scratch! 

 This is Cyndi's quilt.  darn if I can remember the name of it!  It was a BOM from a couple of years ago.  she used the 3P method to applique.  She did a fantastic job!  The quilt is absolutely beautiful. 

This is an upclose picture of one of the blocks.  do you see the ribbon swirled around the trunk of the tree.  soooo pretty! 



Next is a completed quilt that Cyndi did.  Cyndi will be a new grandmother again in August.  This time a little girl!  she has 5 grandson!  This will be the first girl.  How exciting is that!  So this will be the quilt this new little one gets from her very excited Grandma! 


Toni is working on her snowman BOM.  She is really going to town on this.  I am loving it! 
 
Toni is also working on this quilt.  She has 2 of the blocks done.  Aren't they the funnest blocks!!!!  I love them!                                                                                    
 
 

 

Toni has her border on her Postcards cuties for winter.  I love how she did the big stitching and buttons.  I am thinking I will have to do that on mine too!  It makes me so happy when my friends finish before I do.  They give me the best ideas!!!! 


Me?  I worked on stuff for the blog hop.  so no pics there.  it was an awesome day and went by so quickly.  thanks girls!  as always, loads of fun, food, and sewing.......

hugs...

Thursday, July 18, 2013

A little trip with Grands!

Hi everyone!  recently I decided that my AZ grands needed to get to know their CA cousins better.  they don't get to see each other often enough.  So Zoe, Gunner and Andrew came with me.  and well, we had a ball! 


We stopped partway, I think in Indio for lunch!  I think this explains the trip over! 

When we got there, the missionaries were there!  So we got to have dinner with family and the missionaries! 


I don't want to overload you with all the pictures, so I will break it up a bit.  More later! 

hugs.....

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

Are new scissors like new shoes?

Hi everyone!  I had to finish a small Christmas project for the blog hop.  I needed buttons.  Special buttons!  Buttons that Nancy Halverson uses on a lot of her projects.  Well the only place in town I know of - that has an awesome selection is Attic Needlework 

It's a beautiful shop.  lots of gift stuff for people who like to do needlework.  LOTS of patterns, threads, kits, frames, you name they have it stuff! 

this is what I found today.......


Does that make your heart melt?  or race?  It did mine!  besides, they jumped right into my hand after she unlocked the cabinet.....  They are all mine.....

So back to the question, are new scissors like new shoes?  my answer is YES!

hugs...



Sunday, July 14, 2013

time is a passing....... and stash report

Hi everyone!  my goodness time is just flying by!!!  I have been on a little trip and in the next week I will be posting pics of that.  but today is stash report!  I have been busy!  yeah!!!! 

Bobbins used this week: 6
Bobbins used year to date: 59
Thread spools emptied this week: 2 and one was over 3000 yards!!!!!  wow!
Thread spools emptied year to date:  6
Fabric used this week: 2
Fabric used year to date: 91 1/8 yards
Fabric added this week: 7  yards

Fabric added year to date: 134 1/2 yards

Net fabric add for 2013:  -25 7/8 yards

UFOs finished this week:3

UFOs finished year to date: 40

Update of fab 4: 
I am not going to do fab 4 for the next little while.  Vicki and I have challenged ourselves to finish Christmas UFOs in preparation for the Ho, Ho, Ho blog hop.  We are going to see how many we can finish!  wish us luck! 

I will report here how that goes, but no pics.  saving that for the blog hop.

Finished Christmas UFOs:  7
 



New projects started:  
Postcard cuties for winter:  all twelve blocks are done, top is together.  Just need to do the borders. 
Hexie project with Vicki.  3 done 
Wool table BOM:  finished: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul
Lady bug Twister - everything cut and sewn together.  now I need to cut apart and resew.  
Barn Quilt
Mini Warm Winter Blessings BOW, finished block 1, block 2
Broomstick Hollow:  Cyndi and I are working on this together.  Oranges are all cut, now for blacks!

blocks 3 and 4


  

blocks 5 and 6



This is block #2 of Warm Winter Blessings.  I am going to sooooo love this quilt. 


I also finished Sep, Oct and Nov Redwork club from this year. the pattern is from Pat Sloan.  I reduced the pattern to 75%. 


with these 3 that means the year is complete!  all done!  life is good! 


I also finished the July wool BOM.  I am keeping up with it.