An Early Christmas Gift???

It's not what you think.

It's not a gift for my husband.

It's not a gift for my oldest son, or even my youngest son.

Nothing for the brother-in-laws in my life, nor my father-in-law.

It's not really even a gift.

So why am I posting a photo of a new set of tools from Sears? What do tools have to do with quilting anyway - isn't this suppose to primarily be a quilting blog??

Glad you asked!

You see, I received a "tool list" from my friend Jamie Wallen, fellow longarm quilter AND fellow A-1 dealer. Yep. These are the tools he said I needed to be able to set up an A-1 plus a few more that he said we'd shop for together later. Gosh darn it, that meant a trip to the mall today was a necessity.

For those of you that don't know, I 'm not really a shopper. Unless it's quilt related of course! Couldn't tell you the last time I went to the mall. Just not interested. I'm a pretty simple gal and don't have a lot of wants and needs - shopping just isn't something I make a habit of doing. If and when I go it's with a list - boom, bang, in and out, I'm done.

Not so today. Today my hubby went with me (after all, I needed a man to help decipher my tool list which I had neatly printed out and tucked in my purse for safe keeping until we hit Sears). I would have been content to park right outside of the Sears entrance, you know, the one by the tool department...nope...he said "while we're here, let's just walk the mall". Okay, sounds like a fun date - but I didn't have my walking shoes on - nope, good ole high heel boots. Fashionable with jeans of course. That's okay, I'm a Texas gal, hit me with anything and I can handle it! Keyword in my life - flexable!

All kidding aside, it was nice to 'walk the mall' -- so many things have changed since I'd been there last -- and not just Christmas decorations! New stores and such. I was glad he was with me because I get so turned around in that mall, I never know where I am. That's why when I do go I always park outside of Sears so all I have to do is look for the Sears sign and I know I can find my way to my car!

Oh, and I did do a little shopping while there -- found a store that carried beauty supplies. Last week when I got my hair done my stylist gifted me with a manacure -- don't fall over gals, but this was my FIRST professional manacure. I'm serious when I tell you I'm not a high maintenance sort of gal. It was a real blessing though because it was prior to open house and I was proud to have nice nails for my 'hands on' demos. Well, this store in the mall had the same brand of nail polish my nail technician used so I thought "why not? I can touch up the paint myself!" and found the exact color!

So as my hubby just stated "we went to the mall today to get a pry bar and nail polish!" -- they were out of the recommended size pry bar so I guess I'll just have to go and do more tool shopping between now and the first A-1 set up on Sunday! But I've got the nail touch up covered! It's all about priorities!

Christmas Open House

Yesterday was my Open House for my business, Quilts 'N Kaboodle. We were celebrating several things - one, God's mercy on our home during Hurricane Ike, two God's blessing in the increase of our quilting business to include being a certified instructor with Square in a Square (this happened in June) and our new association with A-1 Quilting Machines as their Texas dealer (this happened in November). Truly a blessing to share these praises with my friends.

So from 10 to 3 many of my quilting friends "dropped in" for a hug, a howdy, a cookie and a few demos.

The cookies were baked by my good friend Annette, I've learned to rely on her for my "food needs" when I have quilting events. Not only is she fabulous as a person and friend, but she's a great cook! and by turning the kitchen over to her I'm relived of a lot of stress (smile)

As you can see, the kitchen is a big hit with my guests, everyone loved Annette's cookies, many asking for the recipes...

I spent a little time doodling on the longarm and then asked my guests to take the A-1 Quilting Machine for their own test drive. Many took me up on the offer!

Part of the open house included some of my 'students' bringing their show and tell from the Square in a Square classes we've had this past year. This is Delores, she took the Ohio Star class but didn't want to make the six inch blocks and a small quilt so I showed her how to translate the pattern to 12 inch blocks and away she went! Turned out to be a big, beautiful quilt and it's finished!

Judy was in the Exploding Star Class, she brought her top to share and to inquire about adding more rows to make it bigger. Can't wait to see the finished project!

At the top of the hour we had drawings for door prizes. Judy won one.

And Kaye did too!

I think the real fun was playing on the longarm...I think you'll agree as you view the photos!





All in all it was a fun day and I truly appreciate all that came. Especially Sara who took the photos and along with Amy and Annette greeted my guests. To see all the photos visit my webshots album

Yes We Need A Little Christmas - right this very minute!

That right! It's December. The time we celebrate the Lord's birth.

I'm usually not one to rush the season, I really like Thanksgiving and actually bemoan that they start Christmas music on or before Thanksgiving. But the day after, well, that's another tune!

Funny, I woke up singing "and we need a little Christmas" and that's the first song I heard when I finally did turn on the radio station the day after Thanksgiving (the same station that began playing Christmas music ON Thanksgiving - I boycotted them that day because I refuse to rush my Thanksgiving). Well, now that's its officially December I'm ready to begin the festivities!

Time to pull the boxes down from the attic and decorate!!

I started with the easiest room first - add a little festivities to the bathroom with a quilted table runner and a couple of my painted treasures from days gone by. Did I mention that I used to tole paint? Mid 80's to early 90's that was my hobby and my business, Sonshine Creations - perhaps you heard of me (yeah right!). My husband cut out the wooden items and I painted them. We even sold some items in Gatlinburg Tennessee back in the day before the imported crafts took over.. I don't have too many of my projects, most were given away, but I held on to the Christmas ones...oh the memories associated with Christmas!

The quilted table runner was made before I owned my own longarm - it was done on a rented machine. I call that my "tuition" into learning the longarm. Hate to think of what it cost me back then to rent by the hour -- oh well, just one more cause to rejoice that I have my own machine now! Just reminds me that God is the giver of good things!

Since the bathroom is shared by the two fellows in my life I decided not to do too much more, not everyone gets as enthusiastic about the decorations as I do (grin). Besides we all love the sea shells so its hard to move them out. There's stories behind the sea shells too, but I'll save those for another time since they don't have anything to do with Christmas.

Added a few items around the living room to make it bright - the teddy bear with the red pants was made by one of my great aunts, Aunt Effie. It was probably made around the time I was in high school as I have another one she gave me in my school colors. We won't mention that I've been out of high school 30 years this year (grin). My mom brought the teddy to me when she came to visit for Thanksgiving. I think he looks great mingled in with the Christmas decorations don't you?

By the way, Aunt Effie was the one who taught me how to embroidery and helped me a lot with my sewing. She was always making neat things for her church bazaar. I loved her crafts. If you look really close you can see on the bottom of the wall shelf a little red cloth clown. She made that for me when I was a child. I have a few other treasures from Aunt Effie, included a couple of her beautiful quilts. She was quite a lady! And I loved her too, not just her crafts.

I have also put out a few things in the kitchen in the way of decorations and preparation for my open house this weekend - but things aren't cleaned up enough to take photos (grin). My tree is up but doesn't have the ornaments on it yet - later tonight I'm hoping! So there will be photos and more stories to come in another post. After all, why rush the season!

What I have done is finished up a project that has been in the works for three Christmases. Well, it's not really finished yet, but finished enough....

See I have this place in my living room where I've hung a good size quilt that matched my curtains - problem is, I've changed curtains (grin) Yep! This weekend while my mom was here she helped me finish up my "new" curtains that have been in the works since summer (before Ike). Well, the wall quilt doesn't match these curtains -- I went from blue to gold tones...but there's a wall quilt in the works to replace this that DOES match the curtains, alas, it's still not finished -- it's my border quilt from my class this summer with Winnie Fleming...it needs two more borders and to be quilted (I've run out of Sundays - the rest of the year is spoken for)...so in the meantime I really have come to dislike the blue quilt on the wall...and with open house coming up....well, you see my predicament don't you?

And since I piece for myself on Sundays......and yesterday was Sunday....

Yep, you guessed it. I pulled out a Christmas quilt that I planned three years ago to take the place of the blue quilt each year around this time...problem is...it was still in blocks and needed 14 more 8 inch blocks to be pieced....add to this that my quarter inch isn't the same since I now have a different machine that the one I originally used....oh me...it's not the best pieced quilt in the world, but the fabrics do hold precious memories -- leftovers from the two other Christmas quilts I've managed to piece AND quilt through the years...well, I just had to finish it and cover up that blue quilt....

As I said, it's not really finished, it is suppose to have a top and bottom border but I'm hanging it up anyway! (it's pinned to the bluje quilt) Here's the cover from the book "Christmas Heart Light" by Susie M. Robbins, Peddlars of Danville. I purchased it at the Houston Festival 2006. You can see how the pieced border is suppose to look. I changed up the blocks, but that's what makes it uniquely mine right? Maybe by next year it will be finished and quilted.

In the meantime, it's time to go warm up some Thanksgiving leftovers -- hubby smoked a brisket that we have been enjoying all weekend (true confession, I did call out for a Domino's Pizza for lunch today) and I think this will be the final meal of "mustgoes." Perphaps we can get the empty boxes back in the attic and things straighten up to our new normal after dinner.

I think we've worn out the puppy...

Grateful for The Word

Tonight there was a special service at Calvary Houston -- we are in a building phase and nearing completion. As a dedication, members were invited to "write your favorite verse" on the concrete prior to the carpet being laid.

An "open house" atmosphere made it very casual to write your verse or verses and visit with others as they were writing theirs.

How exciting to think that wherever we will be in this future worship center that we will be standing on THE WORD!

It was a little dark inside so some of the photos aren't the best, but I think you'll agree that it was a very special time. I only wish I could have taken photos of all the verses to record this in history (smile).

Quilts of Hope delivered

Today all the Quilts of Hope that have accumulated in my studio during the past few weeks waiting for a home were disbursed...Four large ones went home with Sherry from Mainland Morning Guild. She is working with an organization in Galveston that is focusing on "one family at a time" to make sure their needs are met. Sherry's adoptive family consists of a grandmother raising her three grandchildren. In addition to the Quilts of Hope they will be provided with a lot of basic necessities to set up house keeping. I don't know how many families this organization is assisting, I just know of the one Sherry is working with. The need is so great, I can't imagine!

The remaining quilts (approx. 40-50) that hadn't already found a home were taken to Maranatha Baptist Church in San Leon -- you may remember me sharing about this little church in the early days after Ike...Bro Bill told me today that the timing couldn't be better - that now was the time folks were beginning to come back to their homes and replace items to set up housekeeping again. He said if the quilts had come quickly after Ike that they really would have been in the way of clean up. This was reassuring as I had been concerned since I had spoken to him months ago concerning quilts and felt bad I was just now following up (smile). See, God's timing is perfect.

As you can see from the photos, this little church was in the center of the storm - there is still debris on the side of the road to be picked up -- it was encouraging to walk inside the building and see new sheetrock, someone working on installing the new bathrooms, and the chairs set up for services. Also in the room were tables where the ladies are sorting through clothing and dontated items. I didn't think to get a photo of the "quilt pile" added to the tables (sigh) but just know that these quilts will be given out to familes in the San Leon area who are in the process of rebuilding and restoring their lives.

As the sign says "Prayer changes things" -- why not take a moment and pray for the Ike survivors, not just here in Galveston county, but all over the Texas Gulf Coast and other hard hit areas -- it was a "Texas Size" storm that did a lot, a lot of damage! As we approach Thanksgiving I can't help but be thankful that our home was spared and that we have such wonderful quilting friends nationwide that are allowing me to be the facilitator in giving out these quilts of hope to my neighbors! God bless you all!

Wild Thing -- or What Was She Thinking!

It started out innocently, really it did! I found 40 four patches when putting my studio "back together" after one of the summer evacuation scares. They were made a year or so ago from my scrap pile and somehow forgotten. Fabrics with memories of quilts gone by that just needed to be included in a new project.

I didn't want to make more four patches to make a bigger quilt, but alone they wouldn't even cover Pixxie -- for the record, she's a southern Chihuahua and does like her quilts. Oh what to do?

Why not surround the patches with strips and use my newly found skills as a Square in a Square certified instructor and turn them into Option 5's (anything in the middle). And why not use that bolt of beautiful black wood-tone looking fabric? Why not indeed. Okay, round one and it wasn't much bigger. Hum...what about that cool lime green stripe that I just had to add to my stash earlier this summer? Make it an Option 2 (two times around)...hum...why not. Oh I loved what the stripe did for the overall look! But I didn't want to put lime green next to lime green, it was too dizzy looking. For the record, I like dizzy - but the quilt needed something else, besides it was still small and if you are going to make a quilt and really use it (and use up some of your stash) then it's gotta be bigger right?

Well, about that time I nicknamed this my 'dangling carrot' cuz it was really hard to keep focused on the task at hand (as in "punching the clock on Monday morning" -- this potential quilt was calling my name! Quite a distraction I must admit.)

As I shared in an earlier post several online friends said they'd help me out and send me carrot fabric, I asked for 5 inch squares thinking I'd just join it in with the SnS format...in the meantime I purchased 3 yards of carrot fabric to use "somewhere" in the quilt...and then I got emails that folks had other veggies besides carrots did I want those too? why not! and before I knew it I had carrots and other veggies (and seed package prints) included in this wacky wild quilt.

And it GREW!! 88 x 111!!

Is that wild or what!

Here's a close up of the blocks.
The carrot sashing was suppose to make a secondary design of a star, but sorta got lost since I didn't use the back in the center -- my thinking? I wanted more scraps!
Oh well, maybe there will be secondary stars sashing in another quilt...

Here's the close up of the veggie blocks in the border from my friends

More blocks from friends
Did I mention that I used lime green thread?
Why not!?!

Close up of a little thread play at the bottom

This is the back flipped over to show the thread play AND the hand dyed backing.

I used a new batting, FiberCo's bamboo blend, a 50% bamboo and 50% cotton - just a little something I picked up at Houston Market (smile). I can't wait to bind it in that lime green stripe, on the bias of course. Once it's bound I plan on washing it to see how the bamboo holds up. I've been told that it does beautifully and drapes really well. All I know is it is SOFT!

So there ya' go my friends -- my Dangling Carrot quilt is wild and wacky and finished, and no, I couldn't tell you what I was really thinking as this quilt grew...I was just escaping to my own little corner in my own little room in my own little world on my "day off" and yes, it took a month of Sundays (smile) but it's finished and when the next cold spell comes we'll give it a try out on the bed to see if it's as warm as our Hobbs Tuscany Wool batting (smile).

Did I mention it was 70+ degrees today!! Oh I love the Texas Gulf Coast!!

Pictures are a great visual

and a reminder to continue to pray. The Lord hasn't forgotten - and we need to continue to do our part to lift this need of the missing plane and crew to Him in continued prayer.

Another update

Sent: Monday, November 24, 2008 9:37 AM
Subject: Nevrdun News - Prayer Request Update 26

No word on any new developments.

However, just in case you have been wondering, "Why is this taking so long?", thought you might like to see some pictures that Wes took yesterday while flying over Guyana . . .

Stay strong - my prayer for the missing crew, the rescue crews, as well as all the families involved. Stay strong, we are still praying! And eager to offer our Thanksgiving for your safe return

That Dangling Carrot!

Hum....anyone remember way back when (probably the end of August, first of September) when I shared that I was working on a personal project that I called a 'dangling carrot'? Well, if not, I'll enlighten you (smile).

It was after one of the hurricane scares (before the scary one known as Ike). I had packed up my studio to prepare for the storm and in doing so found these 4 patches in my stash of UFO's.

After the storm I decided that these 40 four patches ought to be a quilt, but I certainly didn't want to make hundreds more, that was too much trouble. Being a newly certified Square in a Square instructor I figured I needed the practice so why not turn those four patches into the center of a square in a square? why not indeed?

Many times I've made mention that I piece and/or quilt for myself on Sundays after worship services -- it's my day of rest or rather, my day of pleasure, working on something I enjoy while listening to praise and worship songs....well, during this time I was behind in my customer quilts due to all the evacuations and storm mess so I found myself with a customer quilt still on the frame on a Sunday afternoon. Oh how I wanted to work on my own project! Alas, I came to a compromise...I worked a little on the customer quilt, then I'd set the timer and work a little on my own...I called it my 'dangling carrot' because knowing that I could take a break soon from the customer quilt kept me focused on finishing the task at hand. I joked and shared online that I ought to add some carrot fabric so I could legally call the quilt when it was finished My dangling carrot. And the rest is history!

Jeanne from All Things Quilty was quick to respond that she had some carrot fabric..and the next thing I knew it several of my online and local friends were sharing 5 inch squares of carrot fabric...well as it turned out my online friend Dawn, of Pajama Quilter fame, said she had peas...so then things turned to veggies! I did purchase some carrot fabric to add to the excitement and I hope continuity of the quilt....

Okay, the above photo is just a teaser....I've got the 88 x 111 quilt on the frame and have started out with my signature butterfly. As you can tell it's going to be WILD! Another messy masterpiece in the works so stay tuned....Sunday is coming!!!

Missing plane - one mother's hope

More from my friend whose son is a part of the search and rescue team .... keep on prayin' and by the way, thank you to those who have chatted with me personally saying that you were keeping up with this story - I know it's not the normal thing to blog, but why not use this medium to share things of importance such as this - it's a global effort of prayer for these young men and their families. And yes, God still is in the miracle business so keep praying for one!! ko

Sent: Friday, November 21, 2008 5:47 AM
Subject: Nevrdun News - Prayer Request Update 24

We've had the opportunity to read quite a bit about Chris and Wes B. Here's an article about Patrick, the third of the missing men, from timestranscript.canadaeast.com . . .

Mom holds onto hope missing son will be found
Published Friday November 21st, 2008

Patrick Murphy, 20, missing after small plane crash in Guyana

By Adam Huras
Canadaeast News Service

The mother of a young Bathurst man is holding onto hope that her 20-year-old son will be rescued alive more than two weeks after the plane he was aboard went missing over the jungles of Guyana.

Patrick Murphy, a recent electrical engineering technology graduate of NBCC Moncton, was one of three men on board a US chartered aircraft which disappeared over dense Amazonian forest Nov. 2.

Murphy, an employee of Ontario-based Terraquest Ltd., was conducting geophysical surveys for Prometheus Resources Guyana Inc., when the twin-engine Beechcraft King Air plane he was on was last heard from.

"We just want to remain positive; we want people to continue their prayers because we truly believe that, through God, all things are possible," said Wendy Murphy, Patrick's mother. "We are waiting for them all to come home."

"What we are going through is very private, but it is very, very, very much appreciated -- all the prayers that are being given for the retrieval of all three boys."

Also on board were Americans James Wesley Barker, 28, and Chris Paris, 23, the captain and first officers of the plane.

Hope of their rescue appeared to narrow earlier this week when Guyana Civil Aviation suspended its search for the aircraft. Some 200 hours and 28,260 miles of aerial searching with no sighting of the plane prompted the government to end efforts. Guyana's Transportation Minister Robeson Benn said government teams had unsuccessfully scoured mountainous forests near the Venezuelan border.

But Dynamic Aviation, owners of the lost aircraft, and Terraquest Ltd. have now vowed to continue searching with no end date in sight. Steve Barrie, general manager of Terraquest said the search is continuing on the ground and in the air exploring "areas of interest," but did not elaborate on what that meant.

Murphy said knowledge that the search continues and other details not released publicly, amounts to the possibility of her son's safe return.
"There are a lot of details that you guys (the media) may not be privy to," Murphy said. "The Guyanese government has stopped their search, that's public knowledge, but the search continues regardless of the Guyanese government's involvement."

Search efforts were continuing as of yesterday.

Errol Persaud, department head of NBCC Moncton's engineering technology department, said Murphy's alma mater remains positive of his safe return home. Born in Guyana himself, Persaud said the Amazonian forest presents the capabilities for survival.

"The way the canopy is built down there, basically what happens is you have these tall trees and when an aircraft drops in, trees sort of open up and then closes up," Persaud said. "It's difficult to locate anything but, you know, if they survived the crash, there are plenty of things to eat, plenty of vegetation and it doesn't freeze at night like here."