Friday, March 20, 2015

Happy Birthday to MOM!


Recently my Mother had a birthday family celebration!  she doesn't celebrate birthdays! 

we went to her favorite Mexican restaurant.  Nandos .  they make the BEST cheese crisps.  Yum, yum! 

 
She is such caring, loving mother and grandmother.  She is so proud of each of us kids and all of her grandkids she could burst her buttons!  Her favorite things is to be with all of us.  She loves family get togethers. 

I blabbed to our server it was her birthday, so you can guess what happened.  Yep, they came and sang to her and brought the biggest fried ice cream I have ever seen. 


Hope it was a good birthday family celebration, Mom....  We love you!

hugs....

Thursday, March 19, 2015

A Day(s) with grands!

Hi everyone,  I am such a bad grandma.  Me, who loves taking lots of pictures of my grands, took hardly any!  Bad Grandma!!!! 

the grands had spring break recently,  I like to spend a day with each of them that live here. 

First off was Gunner and Andrew.  no pictures.....  the day was full of going to the movies, playing yatzee, going to McDonalds. 

then Zoe came the next day.  Off to see Into the woods, Taco Bell and getting manicures!  While Zoe was here, she did my St Patrick's Day Chalkboard!


Great job sweetie! 



When we got home I put some Jamberry Nails on her index fingers.  First time I tried them.  fun, later will be my turn. 

then the following day was Lexi.  We had planned to go to the movies too.  she wanted to see Paddington.  Well, I was doing some things around the house.  When I came into the family room, our girl was sawing logs.  She was sound asleep!  So I just let her sleep. 

Next time I came into the family room she was gone.  I heard voices coming from my MIL apartment and went in there.  They were putting a puzzle together.  They spent the whole day at it. 

 
that was the only picture I got.  I told you I was a bad grandma!  thanks to my Grands I had a wonderful week.  I hope they did....
 
hugs...

Wednesday, March 18, 2015

Birthday Swap Block

Hi everyone!  today I finally finished the March birthday block.  I will send it off tomorrow.  I belong to a group where we just have to make one block a month and send it off to the birthday girl.  Everyone picks out their own fabric and block.  For March was Broken Wheel .  It was very easy to make and I really enjoyed it.  I think a quilt made of these blocks would be wonderful. 


watch the mail Cathy!

hugs....

Tuesday, March 17, 2015

OH! MY! GOSH!!!!

hi everyone!  ok, I will start at the beginning of my story.  I read 2 blogs (OK, I read a lot more than that, my two favorite are.....),  Bonnie Hunter and Jo and Kelli .  Iread them no matter what and always first when I get online. 

Jo and Kelli have written a new quilt book.  Country Girl Modern .  It looks awesome.  And I want it.  I want it really bad!!!

well, I kept putting off ordering it.  not sure why, I just did.  Then Jo and Kelli had a blog hop of a book review of their book.  starting HERE .  She had a lot of really great bloggers.  mostly new to me.  I tell you, there were some really good ones. 

One of them is Bonnie Hunter.  Best of both worlds for me.  Well during the hop,  each blogger was giving away Jo and Kelli's book.  Ok, I made a deal with my self.  If I didn't win, I would buy the book.  I had 8 chances to win.....

AND, I. WON!!!!  yahoooooooooo!  this is the email I received from Bonnie Hunter:

Hi Lorene!

I just drew your entry as our winner for a copy of Jo & Kelli's Country Girl Modern!

Please send me your snail mail address so I can pass it on to them.  They will be mailing your prize to you.

Congrats!

Bonnie Hunter
Quiltville.com
 
 
 
Oh boy, I will be watching my mail everyday.  I wonder how long it will take?  I know Jo and Kelli will autograph for me.  I love all the quilts in there.  which one will I make first?  Do you think I will get it by Friday?  or longer?  Oh my!  hurry, hurry, hurry
 
Hugs......

Monday, March 16, 2015

Stash Report 10

Hi everyone! 

bobbins used this week: 3
bobbins used year to  date: 31
Thread spools emptied this week: 0
Thread spools emptied year to date: 1
Fabric used this week: 0 yards
Fabric used year to date:  34 yards
Fabric added this week: 2 yards
Fabric added year to date: 13 yards
UFOs finished year to date: 6
New start year to date: 2

wow did this past week go fast, so many things happening.  but busy is good. 

I finished the top of Apple Pie by Riley Blake.  I think this UFO is about 3 years old. 


I finished 40 mini Bowties!  wow, way to go, me!  I now have 180


sorry,  this picture is only 20 of them.......

And the poinsettia and the merry stocking block for Christmas Favorites quilt. 

 

I now have the blocks finished for the first row and later today I will sew the row together.  Toni and I have both commented how fast this is going together.  It just might be it is so fun to do! 

I have this urgent feeling to start a St Pat's tablerunner or table topper.  I am trying so hard to fight it.  I do not need to start anything new.  but......  we will see....  I still have 24 hours, right? 

hugs....

Friday, March 13, 2015

Sewing Day

I love getting together with friends to sew.  there is always much laughing, eating and sewing going on. 


Mardi is putting her borders on her Bonnie Hunter mystery quilt.  I have to really settle down and sew on mine.  I have all the rows done....... 

didn't get any other pictures.  too busy sewing, really! 

hugs...



Wednesday, March 11, 2015

Another program.....

this past week, Gunner man had his 3rd grade program.  it was about kids finding a box and using their imagination.  Very cute and lots of dancing going around. 

 
Gunner with Grandma Carnes


 
Gunner and Us! 
 
Afterwards we went to Bahama Bucks.  Super yummy! 
 
You did great Gunner, thanks for inviting us! 
 
love you
 
hugs.....


Monday, March 9, 2015

Stash Report 9

Hi everyone!  here we go.....

bobbins used this week: 3
bobbins used year to  date: 31
Thread spools emptied this week:  1
Thread spools emptied year to date: 1
Fabric used this week: 0 yards
Fabric used year to date:  34 yards
Fabric added this week: 0 yards
Fabric added year to date: 11 yards
UFOs finished year to date: 6
New start year to date: 2

I am so excited.  I finished a 3280 yard spool of thread!  Next time I will write the date when I start a spool.  I know this one was started last year. 

 
I use so fine 408 to piece with.  I love it.  not linty, and thin like aurifil.  really nice to sew with. 
 
 
I made 1 lonely bowtie.  I can hardly believe that!  but I have been concentrating on other stuff. 
 
 


A couple of years ago, I fell in love with some fabric and Vicki found a free pattern from Riley Blake using the fabric I loved.  So we were excited about this project.  Right away I made the apples.  The Apple Pie block was a little more involved and kept putting it off. 

I was looking for something else, and I found the Ziploc bag of the Apple pie kit.  So this week I made 30 apple pie blocks.

  
 
they are finished and squared up.  now I can start sewing the rows together.  I am sorry.  I went looking for the pattern and it is no longer available. 
 
On the Christmas quilt Toni and I are working on, well,  Toni and I have been busy!
 
  

 

 
All of these blocks need some machine applique.  Except the candy cane, Toni sewed that one together for me.  I need to add a couple of holly leaves.  We have just about everything else cut and ready to put the other blocks together.  I can't believe it is going together so quickly! 
 
And now the May block is down for Angels amoung us.  I do have a tiny bit of green left to do on the block.  But close enough for me to start June's block. 
 
 
This week I am loading a quilt.  another Vicki inspired project.  Several years ago, Vicki sewed blue and white 5" strips together.  She told me it was us to practice free motion quilting!  hahahahahaha......  Not sure if Vicki's is done.  But mine has been hanging in the closet.  It is coming out of hiding and I am going to practice FEATHERS!!!!!  oh my gosh!  me doing feathers!  Wish me luck.....
 
hugs...



Friday, March 6, 2015

A Learning Day....

Hi everyone,  the other day I spent with some friends.  One of them has a long arm, and she is growing daily in her quilting.  It truly is amazing.  she has only been doing this for around a year.  She practices all the time and her quilting is..... beautiful! 

My other friend is new to machine quilting and then there is me, a scaredy cat.  I have had my HQ16 for about 4 years, and just now trying to do ruler work and free motion.  So silly I know. 

Well, Charlene - the very talented one - helped Toni and I.  We need lots of help!  we tried feathers....  don't you love feathers?  We had our white boards and our dry erase markers, and we drew and drew and drew.  We need LOTS of practice.  it was fun.  Thank you Charlene, you are a sweetie for helping us.  We spent the afternoon drawing away.



Charlene brought a quilt to bind.  Now several years ago, Charlene and I  were in a swap together.  the pattern was from Edyta Star.  we each made just the thread part of the blocks.  Each of us chose a color to make and I had blue.  Charlene's is finished, and mine?  well...  not finished! 



See how beautiful?  love it!!!!  Great job Charlene!

In the morning, Toni and I worked on Christmas Favorites by Nancy Halverson.  We both have lots of her fabric.  And we both have fabric. I have a lot of previous lines, and Toni has lots from the line used in this book.  so we are mixing them up! 

 
Here is the first block.  Now we can do all the sewing part.  hand buttonhole stitch or machine buttonhole stitch?  black or matching thread?  Oh the choices!  So a new start for us.  Hopefully we can keep each other on track.  And by the end of the year, a new Christmas quilt!

hugs.....

Wednesday, March 4, 2015

School Music Programs

Hi all!  one of the most wonderful fun things to do as a Grandma is go to school programs.  this time is was Zoe's 3rd grad program. 


She was so excited.  She really did a fine job.  She had a speaking part.  And I know she was nervous, but she did it anyway.  with flying colors.  It was all about learning and continuing to learn. 

Thanks for inviting us Zoe girl.  it was a perfect night!

hugs...

Monday, March 2, 2015

Stash Report 8

Hi everyone!  another week....  the weeks are flying by, crazy.  but here you go......

bobbins used this week: 1
bobbins used year to  date: 28
Thread spools emptied this week:  0
Thread spools emptied year to date: 0
Fabric used this week: 1/2 yard
Fabric used year to date:  34 yards
Fabric added this week: 0 yards
Fabric added year to date: 11 yards
UFOs finished year to date: 6
New start year to date: 2

Another UFO finish, small, but done is done!  This one is only a year old.  I bought the kit last year.  I started to cut it out and must have gotten side tracked.  The I totally forgot about it.  Well, I found it, and spent the morning finishing it up.  and in the evening, did the binding.  Really quick to finish.  Why?  Why, do I do this?  It was so fast to finish it.  So timing is perfect!  I can use this for March. 


I also finished my last redwork block for I have done my best!  That feels sooooo good!


So now to decide what to do with the blocks.....


I finished machine appliqueing block #1.  Go me! 


I also finished machine appliqued the rest of these blocks.  it's time for this UFO to get done! 

That's it folks.  not too bad! 

hugs....