Monday, November 28, 2011

Where to start

I am so tired today.  It was a long weekend and I broke my brothers new TV that he didn't even know he had yet.  How's THAT for talent.  It's a good thing he is getting it from a rent to own because they will be picking it up today to send out to fix.

I finished the weekend with too little sleep because I overate and spent my energy sorting out my fabric stash and trying to get stuff organized.  Gave up on the organization part but things ARE put away so when I *do* try to organize again in December I can get a little head start.

Had a headache all day which wasn't fun but managed to get through it.  Took a nap when I got home and that helped a little bit.  I did perk up when I got some pillowcases in the mail for a swap.  They are in purples, pinks and teal.  I would have posted a picture here but when I put in my flash drive I found out that I have lost everything on the drive.  It is non functional now.  It wasn't full but it had a good amount of my quilting stuff on it.  I think I can recover everything but it is getting to be a pain to have to recreate it.

Now time to write on the other blog for a bit.



Thursday, November 24, 2011

Being Raised with Turkeys!

No I'm not talking about siblings.....By the time I was born, mom and dad had settled down and lived on the farm that was owned by Dad's employer.  It was a turkey farm.  Live was simpler back then and our great big trip was usually to town once a week.  Town was 30 minutes away and not large by any standards but mom would pile us kids in with the laundry and we would do grocery shopping and laundry once a week.  That, however, is another memory. This one is about Turkeys.

Mom told me later that dad's employer (Howard Kaufman from the Ho-Ka turkey farm) always said if they needed the food go ahead and take one of the turkeys.  They had enough and he didn't want his employees and their families to starve.  That was generous offer but mom never wanted to do that...until one day when she didn't have a choice.

There were some turkeys that were housed in the barns on the farm and it was our responsibility to notify the office if they ever got out and we couldn't herd them back.  They did get out occasionally but it usually was pretty easy to get them back in their pens.  One day however we had to make "THE CALL".  Not only did the turkeys get out (just overwhelming numbers all pushing on the wire fence at the same time) but they (gasp) were headed towards moms flower and vegetable garden. 

Mom grabbed up a broom to try and shoo back the turkeys but it didn't work this time.  She dropped the broom and yelled at us girls to call the main office and take the dog to try and round up the turkeys.  Her plan might have worked except for a couple of things.

1)  Us girls were still young.  I was only in second or third grade at the time and my sister was four years older than myself but not a large person. 

2)  Our dog at that time was a standard size poodle (dom't ask).  The size of the poodle was good to herd the turkeys back except the dog didn't know how to herd.  It *did* know however how to run around the house and bark.  it did that quite well. 

Patti (my sister) told me to call the Office (which I could do) and she'd get the dog.  Patti went to clip the dog (can't even remember his name) to the leash but she didn't get it clipped right and it was more of the dog was dragging Patti all around while it was having fun chasing turkeys.  Patti lost her grip on the leash and she went own freeing up the poodle to have fun with his new playmates.  The turkeys didn't want to play with the poodle though so they ran (what fun for the poodle).  Mom, I'm sure, was about to pull her hair out.  She finally told Patti and I to just get the dog and tie him back up.  Pat went one direction and I went another and the dog picked my direction to come towards.  Gulp!  Let's just say (since I am writing this) that I went down and the dog went over me. 

Eventually the dog DID get caught (not sure who did it) and we turned just in time to see our normally calm mother get extremely mad at the turkey who had DARED trample through her garden!  Somewhere she had picked up a board (dad liked to work with wood) and must have forgotten (so she said) that it was in her hand.  As she waved her hands trying to get the turkey out of the garden she heard a THUNK! 

She looked down and finally saw that she had the board in her hand but more importantly saw that she had hit the turkey with the board.  The THUNK was the turkey going down for the count.  The forever count!  She had broken his neck I guess.  Mom was afraid that Dad would get fired (she wasn't thinking that Kaufman said it would be ok) so she had to hide the evidence...and quickly.  She could see the farm hands coming down the main road and almost at our long drive way.  She pulled and pulled on the turkey, stretching its neck out as she tugged.  Finally the rest of the body followed.  Patti and I never knew that the neck could stretch that far and we practiced for weeks trying to get our necks to stretch more.

Mom finally yelled at us to get the door as she slowly pulled the dead turkey into the house and down the basement steps.  Thump!  Thump!  Thump!  all the way down the steps.  She quickly got out the washtub and put the turkey in it and ran upstairs to put the hot water over.  Guess what we were having for dinner that night!  The rest of the day was spent with Patti and I running hot water from the kitchen down to mom in the basement who had to pluck the feathers out and gut the turkey before she could cook it.  That part wasn't fun so I didn't keep it my memories.

I do remember mom saying she never told dad (although I think he suspected) what had happened until one Christmas when at the work holiday party mom finally fessed up.  Mr. Kaufman had given all the ladies pewter turkey earrings and when mom saw them she started to cry and confess her terrible deed.  Mom said that Mr. Kaufman laughed so hard he almost fell out of his chair and finally reminded her that he said we could have a turkey every once in awhile if we needed it.  I guess mom didn't think she needed it so it was murder.  Perhaps later she could claim self defense.  She was guarding her flowers and vegetables.  LOL.

So when you eat your turkeys today (if you do) remember all the people who had to prepare that turkey before you got it.  From the farm workers to the cook. 

Thank you one and all.  Next month might be the memory of the Xmas party from the farms.  Mr. Kaufman always gave good presents....even if we had to dress up.

Happy Thanksgiving to those who are celebrating it today

Just a quick little post to say thank you to all my family (extended family too of course).  Are you doing anything special today?

I will be going to eat at my brothers and his family today.  I don't know what I will be having because they never tell me.  At least i don't have to bring anything nor do I have to do dishes.  Not a bad arrangement.  Before that I will go visit my other brother (Santa) at the rehab place.  He had a good report with the doctor yesterday but the doctor still won't schedule the bypass surgery. "Not yet" is what he said.  We'll see how long "not yet" is.  Hopefully it will be soon or in more mundane terms....before Medicare stops paying for Santa's stay with Rehab.

So family obligations out of the way (won't see mom until Sunday for Biscuits and Gravy Sunday) that means I get Friday AND Saturday to craft.  Hmmm.  Maybe just Saturday.  It might take me all day Friday to organize my room again so that I can find fabric.  I thought I had some flower fabric that would have been PERFECT (I think) to go with a small quilt or wall hanging.  Of course that means I couldn't find it and after rummaging through the fabric now find I made more of a mess and need to straighten it up before I can REALLY find anything.

Perhaps I'll work again on the quilt as you go project.  I had better do that pretty soon so that I don't have to call Connie up and say "Ummm Connie?  How did we do this again?"  :)  This time I'm not going to sew those seams (sashings) down by machine.  Will do it by hand.  That way I can determine if I'll unstitch the first two rows and resew them by hand.

I also might work on some Dresdens to put in some Xmas stockings.  The nice thing about giving gifts to quilters is that you don't have to put some things together.  They are also happy with blocks.  LOL.  Before they can be put into Xmas stockings though I need to make the stockings.  Looks like another list I need to start.  I'm not the only one who does lists though.  You might be interested in what Sew We Quilt website is doing for December.  Go here to find out what is scheduled....

http://www.sewwequilt.com/2011/11/planning-aheadfor-next-4-months.html

Time to cut some material.  Have a peaceful day and if not....HIDE and do crafts!

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

What did I just sign up for!

Kat -- I blame you....  LOL....

Some of you might notice that I have figured out how to put buttons on my blog and now sport two of them.  One of them I'll blame Kat for since I went to her blog and she talked about the 2012 Free Motion Quilt Challenge.  I'm not sure how it happened but I signed up for it also.  LOL.  Seriously though I think it will be good for me.  Another challenge to stretch myself as a quilter and Free Motion Quilting (FMQ) is used a lot today in quilting.  Check it out.

The other button is for The Quilt Pattern Magaine.  This is an online magazine which you have to pay for but the price isn't bad at all.  Of course *I* like it since I just finished being a test quilter for some of their stuff.  What a thrill that was.  I am so excited about what I did and yet I can't talk about it because it's not published yet.  LOL.  I can't wait until I get permission to show people what I did because, in my own modest opinion, I did pretty darned good on it.  It's not often I say that!  Check them out.

Well back to ornaments and planning on what I need to do over the holidays etc.  If I don't have a list and carry it around with me I don't get ANYTHING done.

Happy Holidays everybody!



Xmas projects

I think I've finally decided on what to do for the people at work for Xmas presents.  I will put some 3-2-1 cake mix (along with a tablespoon) and an ornament for them.  I just learned how to do the folded star ornaments and although this one isn't the greatest it is my first so I have to show it.  LOL.  I still need to get ribbon to go around the middle and to hang it with.


I'm thinking of making one of these for people at work and also put 3-2-1 cake mix in a nice container and put the tablespoon with it for gift ideas.


Friday, November 18, 2011

New books and fabric

What a lovely day at the post office yesterday.  Got some things mailed with minimal waiting in line and then discovered that I had a package from Harmony.  Harmony is the person that I bought my brother embroidery machine from and she said she would send me some fabric scraps that I might want to use in a couple of Xmas projects I was talking to her about.  What I *didn't* know was she put in two books for me also.  One is a quilt as you go book  and another one has some cute wall hanging projects in it.



Hopefully I will be able to get some stitching done soon.

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

It's done!

Have a seat and let me tell you the story about the BLUE DEMON.  That is the name I gave my last project from Hell.  Appropriate name on multiple levels but that is another time and place.  This innocent looking project started two months ago.  Everything was going fine and on schedule so I was pretty happy.  I managed to get my embroidery machine to do buttonhole stitching around it nicely and my four blocks all intersected nicely and life was good..........UNTIL......

October rolled around and I picked up the wall hanging (didn't have a name yet) and smiled.  That smile turned upside down rather quickly once I tried to quilt my fabric sandwich.  Not a problem I was thinking.  I messed up this one section but this could be an opportunity to practice stippling.  I'll just cover it up with that.  Uh huh...I can see and hear you other quilters starting to chuckle.  You know where this is headed don't you.  Yep.  It didn't work out and in fact made it worse.  So I took my picture of it (it's in the blog somewhere) so I would remember not to make the same mistakes twice.  I didn't.

By this time I am past the deadline but so was my partner so we made arrangements to just keep on working on our projects and exchange at a later date. So I searched through my fabric and found that I had enough of MOST of the fabric that I used in the earlier project and was still happy.  The front of the piece would be a different white on white but that would be ok.  So now starts the NEW mistakes.  Fused the applique pieces to the wrong side of the fabric.  Luckily I caught this before I had finished so I turned it into a two squares fused on right side of fabric, two squares fused on back side of fabric.  Needed  to be careful with layout so that they wouldn't be put together.  Not too bad.  Pretty proud of myself for avoiding that little disaster.  

So I traced out and cut out and ironed on my pattern.  Looking good so far.  

I did say so far didn't I? I sewed the four squares together (and the seams matched) and then I started to do my buttonhole stitch around the design on my embroidery machine since I had just finished stitching up a design for the label.  That worked out pretty good.  I had gotten 1/4 of a block done when I remember I had to finish up another project that evening.  So stop working on the Blue Demon and get out the other one.  I was working on the new project and got it 3/4 of the way done when my embroidery machine froze up on me.  I mean totally froze up.  I couldn't (and still can't) get the needle to lift up from the plate.  I will have to take it into the shop when my income tax money comes in.  Until then it is back to the Singer which sounds like it will quit working anytime.  This is where I named the Blue Demon project.  My Singer doesn't do buttonhole and I wouldn't have enough time to do it all by hand.  So I switched stitches.  One of the four squares is 1/4 done in buttonhole and the other 3/4s is done in feather stitch (as well as the other four squares to the wall hanging).  Sigh.  Ok ok....i stepped back and looked at it.  It's not THAT noticeable I keep telling myself and I can get it sent out.

Fold, put in plastic, put in envelope and take to post office.  Take back from post office because I forgot the customs form and the address.  It's STILL the Blue Demon.....but after I put it in the mail tomorrow it will be somebody elses Blue Demon (and I'm NOT going to tell them what I named it because they might ship it back)!




PS:  Don't tell her that the label is from different fabric than the back and perhaps she won't notice.  This wall hanging isn't as wrinkly as it looks in the picture either.

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Busy life!

Life has been really busy these last days.  Not sure where I will find the time to fit everything in but then that typical of the holidays which are upon us.

Took inventory of what I need to do. I am listing it here more as a reminder and a checklist for me to keep on target.  Without a list I will forget something.  Of course there is the chance that I will forget to put it ON the list in the first place.  LOL.

Bonni's end of year to do craft list (not in any particular order)

Finish up the Quilting in the New Year project from Hell.  Otherwise known as the Blue terror.

Work on the test quilting project - wish I could post pictures on that but can't.

8 Elf Stockings for my Elf Envelope Assistant Elves.  I figured they needed something for being such good Elf Assistants.  I might cheat a little on this.  I found some pre quilted white (off white) material that I might use for part of the stocking.

Make or figure out what to give Grad Assistant (female) for Office Xmas
Make or figure out what to give student helper (male) for Office Xmas
Make or figure out what to give Bossman for Office Xmas.

The Offix Xmas presents need to be done before the 1th of December.

Do the turtle wall hanging for Dan's "betrothed".

Finish up QAYG crib quilt....it is 2/3 done

Figure out Xmas presents for some quilty friends.

Work on Dan's Medieval Quilt (although this might be when we are closed down between Xmas and New Years)


Figure out what to give Tony (brother in rehab and looking at by pass surgery) for Xmas.

Figure out what to give Mom for birthday (December 10th) AND Xmas.

Figure out what to put in Mom's and Tony's Xmas stocking.

Whew!  That's all I can think of right now.  You'd think that I would be getting going on some of them wouldn't you.  Well last night was a good start.  I managed to work on some blocks last night and also worked on the Blue Terror.  I won't be able to do much quilting stuff this weekend because......

drum roll......

Gaming on Saturday AND......

A "cooking with tea" seminar on Sunday.  It will be held at Bab's and Coco's Tea Emporium which is always fun to go to.  Will have to try some of their new teas while I'm there.

Well back to the fusibles and tracing outlines.   Until next time.

Everybody have a great day/night.


Sunday, November 6, 2011

Saturday Sewing!

Saturday has already come and gone but I want it to stay!!!!  I had my class in Quilt as You Go  and totally enjoyed it.  The  quilt shop where it was held at is small but the ladies are nice and the group in the class was talkative and great.  Thanks Connie for my Christmas present.  Perhaps we can take another class together and this time I will pay for YOUR Christmas present.  Although it has to be by paydays since I get too tempted to buy those batiks!

I'll write more later and perhaps do a tutorial on the method but for now here is a pix of the pattern.  It is too large for me to display right at home but next week I'll take the finished product to work and snap a picture where I can have somebody hold it up.


That is two rows sewn together.  I am doing a crib sized quilt so it will be about six rows when done.

Here is a close up.  I was given the backing (which is also the binding and sashings) so looked for fabric that would work with it.  I think it turned out ok for a first attempt.



Time to run to the nursing home for breakfast with mom.  We'll see if she can eat more today.  I should say IF she will eat more today.  She can but she doesn't like to since she has to be in the brace whenever she is out of bed.


Wednesday, November 2, 2011

New Blog

Am I a glutten for punishment or what?  I have started the second blog now.  The address for it is:

http://bonni-gettinghealthy.blogspot.com/2011/11/start-november-1-2011.html

You can tell from the link that I am naming it "Getting Healthy - A New Journey.  I hope to put a lot of information on there as well as journal my adventure.  Come join me.  I will be looking for recipes and comments.  :)


What a wonderfuly Morning....until....

Wow, where do I start in the "catching up" process?  I don't think I really can so let me just 'start'.

Going to the movie theatre to see the Gala re-opening of the Bolshoi was WONDERFUL!  It was well worth the $20.  I didn't think it was going to be that expensive but it was worth it.  What we thought was going to only take 1.45 hours turned out to be around 3 hours.  They had a documentary before it that was in Russian but subtitled in English.  It was really fascinating.  It showed what had to be done to restore it and all the changes that had been done to it over the years.  It also shows how they had to "wrap" the building up before restoration could be done because it was in such bad condition it would have fallen apart if they hadn't.  After all of that they showed the workers doing their stuff and there was so much gold leaf used in restoring the Bolshoi.  It was also a nice touch at the end when they showed the workers and gave them credit.

The first act of the Gala re-opening was a construction scene which was another nice tribute to all the hard work that had been put into it.  It was absolutely gorgeous and I can no way describe it adequately.  Then they showed short scenes from their seasons play list.  Well worth it but I am repeating myself aren't I.  LOL.

After I got out of the theatre, I had a text message saying that Tony had gone back into the hospital.  Most of you know that already.  He is out again and back at the Nursing Home/Rehab Center.  He goes to the doctor again on Friday to see how his infection on his leg (where they would take the graft from) is doing.  So things are still up in the air but what gets me through the day is my friends, work and quilting.

Yes work.  I love my work and my boss.  It's not every boss who is on the road for over 250 days of the year and just says "take whatever time off you need".  Family is...well family...but love every one of them...even when they drive me crazy...perhaps even more then.

Quilting is what relaxes me....most of the time.  The process of getting things prepared and set up to do the piecing (yuck) or applique (YAY) is probably the most aggravating part for me.  Now I have to look for patterns to get ready for Christmas.  I can't believe it is November and I have to have three presents ready by Mid December.  I should have planned ahead to make a full size quilt instead of a crib size in my Quilting as You Go Class this Saturday.  Can't believe that is already here also.  It will be interesting.  My first quilting class.  I'm sure that Connie is already ready to throw the phone at me for asking so many questions.  This is my Christmas present from her...hmmm.  now what am I going to give HER?  Sigh.  (grins).

I have been buying some of the charm packs (that is precut 5x5 squares for you non quilters) from Missouri Star Quilt Co. daily deal when they offer them.  Even with shipping and handling that is 40 precut 5x5 squares under $10.  I don't buy it otherwise.  I can use that for some quick scrappy quilts if nothing else. 


Well this isn't getting the other blog set up.  I'm going to start another blog about my eating healthier journey. That way all my information will be in one place.   I'll post a link when I get it start in case any of you want to add to it with comments, recipies, and/or advise.  Until then....

Keep crafting and have a wonderful day/night.

Whew! Time for a break!

I have been busy these last few days.  I even got out my sewing machine and did some 9 patch blocks so I could continue on with Fleur.  Do y...