On the Last day of March, I decided to.....

post a video that I took on a walk around the 26th.

Oh yeah, did you start to sing that title of this post to the tune of The 12 days of Christmas?  Ok, it might just be me.  Anyway here is the short video.

Enjoy it and have a great day.

March is almost gone

Tomorrow is the last day of March.  I can't believe it is here already.  We've had the rain the last couple of days and we still have our water laying around.

The water is starting to go down now but I wish we would get just a little more rain to wash away the mud that came with the rain.

Still is hasn't stopped the mail from getting through.  Much to my surprise, my new glasses came in the mail.  I thought that I wouldn't be able to get them until after the stay at home decree is over with.  I didn't think that they would come in the mail!

I got two pairs from America's Best.  These are bifocals and it is taking me a bit to get  used to them.  I wanted to go with glasses that wouldn't restrict my vision when I was working on them.

The bottom pair is a little larger field of vision than the top pair although I like the top pair better.  It's ok.  They are both the same prescription so the larger pair can be more of a back up pair. I will go back to the store and get them adjusted for my face when I can.

How is everybody?  Have a Teddy Bears?  Yes my section of DeKalb is going to do the Teddy Bear thing.  Know what that is?  Anybody who has a Teddy Bear puts it in a window so that kids have something to point to and try to have something to keep them occupied on walks, etc.  I don't have a teddy bear, or at least one that isn't packed up, so I am going to put a dragon in the window.  We'll see if anybody mentions it.

Dan reserved the moving van today.  It is a 26' Penske truck.  We started out with a 16' one but then decided that we needed a larger one.  We were going to go with a 22' but they discontinued that size.  At least things won't be crowded!

I also found out that there will be room my new home for a small (7 cubic foot) chest freezer.  I am totally happy about that.  It will help when I do my freeze ahead meals as well as stocking up on groceries since I will only get paid once a month.  It might have to go in by the washer and dryer but that is ok too.  I can always use it as extra space to fold clothes.

That's it for my update today.  Everybody stay safe and keep in touch.

Hugs

What I've been up to

Not the most original title for my blog but what the hey, I'm posting again right?

It's funny sometimes how you don't do something until you are told you shouldn't do it or can't do it.  That is the times we are in right now.  It's serious and while I know that inside of me, I don't like to dwell on negatives.  I did that for over 5 years and I will not go back to that place in my mind and heart.  How do I *not* go there?  I try to think on the positive side of life.

For instance, here is a link to how people can make face masks.  Either for themselves or others.  It's simple and quick.  Will I be making any?  Not in the foreseeable future since my sewing machine is packed up for the move.  Hopefully this health crisis will be ended by the time I move.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEHU0U4TQXc&feature=em-uploademail

Music is another positive.  I love music.  Can't sing a note though I should say, to be accurate, can't sing a note and keep on key.  I can certainly sing off key.  I won't put you through that but I will share a Josh Groban and Kelly Clarkson duet which is beautiful.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=84&v=AIWZfMWWvPU&feature=emb_logo

Another thing that I love is watching animals.  I am sitting at my computer and watching people walking their dogs and smiling.  Smiling is something that will make you feel better.  Something that made me smile the other day is my mail.  How often can you say that?  I sent out my Suduko wall hanging to Missouri Star Quilt Company to quilt.  I wanted to see how it would turn out.  Sort of a test for possible other projects down the road.  It came back. I thought the price was reasonable.  I bought the backing fabric from them also.  I did pay another $25 dollars for expedited delivery.  It was a special they were running. 

I really like the backing material.  They sent back the extra so I might be able to use it for binding.  I chose to do my own binding.  They charge quite a bit to do the binding which I might say yes to if it was a large quilt but not this small one.

There was a variety of quilting motifs to choose from.  This is just for me so I chose a meander.  I do like how it came out.

Could I have done it myself?  Perhaps.  I don't do FMQ and, to be honest, the quilting part of it is not my favorite thing to do.  It might be.  Maybe when I have more time I will like it more?  Hard to tell.

That's about it for now.  I think I will take a short nap and then, gasp, pick up my Delft Sampler to work on. 

Take care everybody and stay well.

Hugs.

I have a place to retire to

It looks like I will be retiring to Trumann Arkansas this year.  Things are slowly falling into place. 

The house needs work done on it but the landlord says it will be done by the time I get down there.

I am thinking of renting out a storage unit up here for a couple of months so that I can start to move out things and then on moving day, I won't have to go up and down stairs so much.  Just in the thinking stage right now. 

I will be packing up my sewing projects and just keeping out the sewing machine but almost everything can get put into storage for a couple of months.  That will make it easier to load up on the Penske truck as well as make it easier to maneuver around the apartment on moving day,

What do you think?

SCORE!

I went to Goodwill after work to pick up something and scored some craft things.  They had both quilting and cross stitch so I was totally happy to get them all for $1.99 each.  Some of them were originally a little over $10.

The first picture is of the quilting kits.  They are kits and are small little projects. 

The second picture is of the cross stitch kits.  Nothing is really large to do but I couldn't resist. 

I will keep one or two things but then send the rest to my friend Deb to put in a drawing for group giveaways.  I love sending her stuff for that.  :) 

I have to get back to stitching my cross stitch quilt block.  I can't work on other things until I get the current block done.  That's it.  Work on one block.  Finish one block.  Then move on to another block.  I wonder if this is going to work.  LOL

I hope everybody has a great night/day.

Keep on crafting everybody.

Hello, my name is Bonni and I'm a shopoholic

I was going to post I'm a quilt materialoholic but that just didn't look right.  I got my income tax return recently and while I need to save most of it to help move or get a new place when I retire, I knew I would have to keep some of it to just spend.  Get it out of my system because that is what I use my income tax return for....to spend.  It's my "big ticket spending" usually but not this year. 

I didn't spend it all willy nilly.  I ordered some more slacks for work since they were on sale for 50% off.  I picked out a couple of items that I've been looking at and they too were on sale.  In fact I went to Hobby Lobby and picked up some material for quilting since they were on sale too.

You might recognize some of these fabrics since I have used them in projects before.  Between them all, I paid either $3 a yard up to $5.99 a yard.  Some time I will fold them to fit the area they will be stored in.

I have taken a few more stitches on my cross stitch quilt blocks.  I have three packages of the blocks with 6 blocks in each one.  Tomorrow I should finish the 3rd block in package 1.  I'm debating if I want to put sashing in between the blocks or not.  It will make it larger which would be nice.  I believe I have enough blocks to make it a twin size but I'll see after laying it all out.  If I did, it would probably be a dark blue since the blocks are all done in three different shades of blue.

Then I took a short nap.  I mean I laid down and thought I'd snooze for about 30 minutes to an hour.  I got up after 15 minutes and couldn't go back.  So what do you do when your nap time or down time is interrupted?  I made spaghetti.  :)  I will eat that both today and tomorrow.  I might make lentils tomorrow.  I might make mashed potatoes.  I will probably make both.  LOL.

Time to get off the blog and the internet before it tempts me to spend more money.

I hope everybody had a great Valentine's Day yesterday and a great day today.

Until next time....Keep crafting.

What? I skipped January?

Oops.  Didn't mean not to post.  I was in the slumps during January.  So much is going on in my life right now that I can barely keep up.  I'm not even sure I am keeping up but I will tell myself that I am keeping up.  All of that translates to losing my crafting Mojo.  I know that it was there because I liked to look at other peoples creations but I had no desire or drive to work on anything myself.  That also meant I didn't even want to post here.  I'm sorry and want to say a big THANK YOU for those of you who are sticking with me.

I'm not sure if Mo or Jo is back but at least one of them is.  I decided to fall back to cross stitch.  It is one of my favorite crafts and I always fall back to it when I feel like the world is spinning fast around me.  I think it is because I can be creative and I can take it with me.  I took my stamped cross stitch quilt blocks to work and managed to work a little bit on them.  I have three packages with 6 blocks in each package.  I'm almost done with my third block in the first package. 

I will probably take the quilt blocks with me to work and work on it during the lunch hour.  That is if I find a good place to work on it.  Once I start a new block it goes pretty quickly.  But that isn't the only cross stitch I will be working on.  

I needed a break from the complex Heaven and Earth Designs and ran across this pattern years ago.  I finished getting the supplies today so will be starting it.  I love Delft patterns so will love working on this.  It doesn't have many colors which will compensate for the French Knots it calls for.  I know how to do French Knots, but after a year or two of doing candlewicking, I'm not as fond of them as I used to be.

I think if I post how the steps I'm taking to work on this, it might help.  Plus a friend wondered where and how to start so perhaps it will help them too.  Just keep in mind that I am not an expert.  This might not be the traditional way or the right way but it IS the way I do things.   First of all I gathered up my floss, Aida cloth, and enlarged the pattern.  I will be doing this on 16 Aida count with probably two strands of floss, doing a full cross.  I don't want the original to get destroyed so I can mark off the stitches when I make them.  Then comes step 2 which is where I am today.

Step 2 is preparing my Aida cloth.  I don't press it or anything.  I suppose I should but I'm lazy.  What is important is that you take steps to stop the fraying of the edges.  There are products that you can use (like Fray Check) along the edge.  When it dries it leaves the edge a bit stiff like if you starched it but it doesn't fray.  You can serge along it.  You can put tape (masking tape, painters tape, etc.) all around it to stop fraying.  That is one of my most used methods.  Sometimes when you take off the tape, you might pull some of the threads off too.  Another way to help stop fraying I borrowed from quilting.  When I do quilting and put on binding, I use the double fold method.  I use a similar method to either put fabric around my Aida cloth, a good use for leftover bits of binding, or fold the Aida cloth over twice and baste it.  This is the method I am using on this project.

I am using white DMC floss (three stands) because I have a cone of it so will not run out any time soon  Maybe even not in my lifetime.  I am using three strands so it will be strong and hold it in place.    When I get to my next step I'll take pictures and post here.

Eventually I will get my quilting Mojo back.  I forgot I had ordered some Happy Planner fabric until it arrived.  It is lovely and I'm keeping it safe until I figure out what I want to use it for.  There are

various ways to prepare your fabric. 

That's it for now.  I took time out to make a quick spinach, mushroom, and feta cheese salad but now it is time for me to get back to basting the Aida cloth.

I hope everybody has a great weekend.  I'll try to write more often.  Thanks for reading it.

HUGS!

Another day closer to ending 2019

As 2019 winds down, I start to think on what 2020 will bring or, at least, what I want it to bring.  In cleaning out a plastic tub, I ran across a book that I had bought.  It is called "The Gentle Art of Quiltmaking:  15 projects Inspired by Everyday Beauty" by Jane Brocket. 

This book has resonated with me more than once.  Take page 15.  The title of the chapter is "Decisions, decisions".  She goes on to talk about how easy it is to become paralyzed by the challenge of turning the pile of fabrics into a finished quilt.  Oh boy, this explains a lot of UFO's!  I also like that she admits that he seldom buys all the fabric needed for a quilt in one shopping trip.  It is too easy to get carried away and you might buy than you need or wanted to.  She, and I, like to shop for fabrics on the internet because you can put fabric in your shopping cart, take a break and THEN go back and see if you need everything in your shopping cart.  That's not so easy while you are in a shop and can feel all the fabric, hear the other customers talk about THEIR projects and what THEY are buying, etc.  Temptation get behind me!!!!!! (unless it is Stonehenge).

What are you trying to do in 2020?  I hate to call it New Years Resolution since they always seem to get broken.  I must correct myself.  They USUALLY seem to get broken.  In 2019 I've managed to complete two if not 3 of them.  I paid off my car and I paid off a huge loan.  I also lost 102 pounds and, going by today's date, only need to lose 20 more by the time I retire to meet another goal.  If I lose it, fine and if not fine.  I will adjust.  Sitting at the computer eating potato chips is not going to help but my body said it wanted potato chips so it is getting it.  :)

One goal that I have for 2020 is to REALLY limit my spending and sock money away to retire.  We'll see.  I am not good at saving.

Well that is what is my plans. I hope you have a wonderful day and week.

Hugs.

Oops - forgot the YouTube link

Ooops.  I forgot to put in the link to the YouTube where MSQC shows you how to do it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCWFH94kvwg

Enjoy!

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas everybody!  I hope that you have/had a great day.  For me it was a quiet day but I had some phone calls from friends afar that brightened up my day.  One of those phone calls came from a quilting friend who wondered how I did quilt as you go hexies.  I took some pictures and thought to put them here in case others wanted to see them too.

I am using the QAYG 2 1/2" template from Missouri Star Quilt Company.  You don't need this but it does help to make it a little quicker.  Just make sure that whatever size your hexie is (for the finished size, your outer shell is larger.  For this, the outer shell is approximately 3/4" larger.  I also got for Christmas (I am so nice to myself) a rotating 14" (even though the squares measure 13") cutting mat.  I.LOVE.IT!!!!

Now on to the pictures of how I did my hexies.  I don't do them like some of you probably do.  I found it was better for me to change it up a little bit.

Here is what my template looks like.  There are two sections to it.  The inner section and the frame or outer section.

The inner section pops out so you can have an easier time cutting that fabric out.

The hardest thing for me to remember is that even though it says 2 1/2", the finished product is NOT 2 1/2".  You measure hexies across the end.  Like the top of the hexie here would measure 2 1/2".  In the picture below, it is sitting on top of a charm pack which is 5".

You use the inner section to cut the fabric you want the inner fabric to be as well as the batting you want to use.  This is great for me right now, because I am using up a lot of leftover scrap batting.

That takes care of the inner portion for cutting so now let's look at the outer portion.  You use this to cut out the backing fabric.

This is where I change it up a bit.  To make sure that I do it right (yeah, I know me), I trace the outline on the back of the backing fabric.  Not only do I trace the outer guidelines, I also trace the inner.  I just use a mechanical pencil.  It is on the back and will be covered up so nobody sees it.

Now comes the assembly part.  Put the backing hexie that you cut out face down and then the inner batting on top.  The batting would go in the middle of that inner marking that I did.  That's why I do it.  It is easier for me to line up.  Easier for me means less headaches and pressure.  :)  Then you put your center fabric that was cut out on top of the batting.. 

I usually put one straight pin in the middle or some place to keep the three layers together while I fold the backing fabric in.  You fold it twice.  The first fold is up to the batting and front section.  Finger press and then you fold it again so it is up and over.  This way you don't have any raw edges.  You can pin it or do what I do which is baste it to hold it together until I get to sew it.   If you look carefully, you can see my basting stitches.  The individual hexies will look a little "puffy" but they will flatten out when you press them.

Here is a finished one.  It is nice and flat so I can stitch them together  after I get enough to lay out in the design I want.  I am doing mine by hand but you can also do them on the machine by stitching in that outer border and joining them with a zig zag stitch.  My sewing machine only does straight stitch and I could do that but I like sewing them by hand.

I'm not sure if I'll do a tacking stitch in the middle to help secure the layers together or not.  I can go back and do that after I decide.  Depending on what I want to make (quilt, wall hanging, table runner) I might be able to sew a button in the middle of it. 

What do you think? 

I hope you had a wonderful day and are enjoying Christmas and perhaps family.  I am going to call a friend so I shall stop here.  My ham is done and I'm about ready to make roasted garlic mashed potatoes.  Easy peasy dinner.

So to all my friends, I can Happy Holidays and thank you for being my friends.  Now to all I shall dash away.

Christmas Eve - Eve

Here we are on the night before Christmas Eve or Christmas Eve - Eve.  Are you rushing around doing last minute shopping?  Are you hurriedly finishing up craft projects?  I'm not.  I am being particularly lazy plus since it is only me now for immediate family, I don't need to rush as much.  Don't get me wrong, I have been busy but just not craft wise.  

So what have I been  working on?  The kitchen, cleaning, and cooking.  The only part of that trio that is fun was the cooking.  :)  I'll get to that in a minute.  First let's talk about the kitchen.  It is small and never enough space.  Then I discovered that the kitchen sink leaked.  Over the last year and two landlords ago, I've had people looking at the kitchen sink about 4 times.  They always say it was fixed and it was for a short amount of time.  This latest landlord (Mike) doesn't like leaking faucets and has been out a couple of times about it.  He had a person come out and look at it and it seemed fixed.  Then I noticed it was leaking again so he came out.  He tightened up things but it is still leaking.  It's not leaking much and the small pail he put underneath it in case it happened again, which it did hasn't even gotten the bottom covered.  He did put in a call to the plumber again and he will be coming out.  I told him not to pay extra.  Wait until after the holidays if he wants since it is a small leak.  Besides it was a good excuse not to do dishes for a bit.  He did put in the call to the plumber and he will be coming out, just not sure when.  

The other kitchen thing is that I now have a new Whirlpool refrigerator.  The landlord bought the extended warranty so it is covered for 4 years!  I had to take everything out of the fridge/freezer and then put it all back.  I decided that it would be a good time to look at expiration dates and what the freezer food looked like.  A lot of it got thrown out and now I am going through and arranging things better in the kitchen.  It's hard when you don't have cupboards.  The only cupboards are under the kitchen sink (well off to the side of it) so food is on 3 foot high bookcases, etc.  

That led me to going through some boxes that were in the kitchen for years.  I moved them into the sewing area so I could go through them.  I'm down to the last of the boxes and am proud to say that if I haven't looked for what was in them or used what was in them during the last year, they got recycled/thrown out/donated. 

Why is it that whenever we clean in the kitchen that I am ready to dirty it up again by cooking?  Today was no exception.  I looked around my more spacious kitchen (since I took down the card table) and my crockpots and smiled.  What would I make?  I had it.  I would make a recipe that was made at our last work buffet.  It is a crockpot corn casserole.  I tasted it before I knew the ingredients and I'm glad that I did.  It has creamed corn in it and I don't like creamed corn but I really did like this casserole.

Crock Pot Corn Casserole:

1 box Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix

1 can corn - not drained

1 can creamed corn

1/4 cup butter - melted

1 egg (I am using two because these are those brown eggs and smaller I think)

1 1/4 cup sharp cheddar cheese shredded and divided (substitute the type of cheese you want0

1/2 cup sour cream

Pour Jiffy mix, corn, cream corn, butter, egg and 1 cup cheese into crock pot and mix very well.

Dollop sour cream by small spoonfuls and sprinkle rest of cheese on top.

Cook on high 3-4 hours or until a knife inserted in middle comes out clean.

Let sit for 10 minutes then serve.

What I changed:

mix everything together (including sour cream) and then cook it.  It gets the sour cream mixed in better.  I didn't put more cheese on top.because it is just for me and I didn't care.  I can sprinkle more on top if I want when I dish it up to eat.

Like I said I don't like creamed cheese but this was good!

I've had a cold for about 1 1/2 weeks and am now feeling better but am being careful to take naps and rest in between bouts of "I have to get this done".  That means I haven't been quilting much or crafting much.  I am working on a quilt as you go hexies which is about all I want to do right now.  I have to rearrange what I want to do in 2020 but until then I will plug along.

I hope everybody has a joyour holiday and remember:

"Christmas is not so much about opening our presents as opening our hearts" - JaniceMaeditere