New Bird Sighting and Nanook

We were visited today by a pair of Pine Grosbeaks in the kitchen window feeder. I had to check the Audubon book as I had never seen them before. The bird book says that although they are uncommon, they are quite tame (similarly tame like the Chickadees that we have flocks of) and that they are known to start nesting in January. They are drawn by the cedar trees and obviously like a good sunflower seed meal. There is always something new to see here in the forest.




I was only able to get a pic of one, the other directly on the feeder was to the outside.

And here is my "Nanook of the North" husband using his snowblower for the first time. His eyelashes and mustache were totally encrusted with ice when he was done. It was hysterical!!! We are getting a good blast of the white stuff and it is not supposed to let up for a day or two. 10 degrees is the temp here at 1:30 so this is probably the days high. The woodstove is keeping it nice and toasty and believe it or not, we have not had to use the furnace yet.

Latest Quilting Arts & Etc...

I changed the format of the blog around a little bit so please be sure to look at the links section as I put some of my favorite tutorial sites there as well as some pattern sites. I hope you enjoy it.
The latest Quilting Arts came yesterday. It was chock full of good reading and loads of inspiration. I really enjoyed this issue.


Monday I dumped out the " big tub" of the fancy scraps.

No rhyme or reason, I just started cutting 7"x 2" strips.

I dread the cutting as I have to do the floor thing on my knees.

Here are the piles stacking up.

OK... now what?? I flipped and sewed them to a lightweight interfacing.

Somehow fans got into the equation.

This is the top after I stitched it together last night.

It was interesting setting in these fan corners. I had never attempted anything like this. Although the points don't line up, they blend in. As long as the main blocks aligned , I was happy.


From the back... the seams are bulky but ironing does make them lay down better. I am thinking this will be a table topper or couch back throw. I have a yellow fringe to finish the edges with... but I am not sure yet what other kind of stitching to do to it.

This is the last bag of "church cloth" I am recycling at the moment. I have been working on a large bag of alter cloths and vestments that an old coworker gave me quite some time ago. Her church bought new and the lady knew about my love of sewing and brought the old stuff to me. The first time I looked in the bag I couldn't believe it! The silks, satins, and brocades were nothing like what I was used to and the colors were my colors. I have been slowly cutting it up and removing some of the embroidered motifs and fringes for use on other items. There are whole banner pieces yet that I just can't bring myself to cut up at all.

The Christmas cards I was making are done. A couple gift cards and lotto tickets and I am all set. Of course I will have to find something for Dan but I don't know what yet.

The sky was really clear this week before the snows came. Its one of the neat things about living here... sitting on the couch and still seeing the clouds like this.

Have a great week, everybody!

From the Inside Looking Out...

The view from my kitchen window looking towards the road... 5 more days and we will all be free to enjoy our uninhibtated romps and rendevous outside.

And here are the forlorn looks of the "pups" who have had their wings clipped due to hunting season. They look to say, " If the red scarves aren't bad enough, must you take our pictures to show our agony over this whole "grounding" thing ???

I removed Tangs pic because a friend brought it to my attention that his dog tag was giving out all my personal info. Ever since I saw that creepy movie where the photo developer guy saw everything in these peoples house and could therefore terrorize them, I try to be careful of stuff like that. That one definitely slipped by me.

I think I have the photo dilemma solved. If I save my pics to the most outside part of a file they load... the further the program has to go in, the longer it takes, and I time out on the upload. Again, we'll see.

Dan is cooking today and I am up in the "room of creations" scratching my head, tracing on fusibles and plying my head.

Some pics from yesterday

I am able to get a few loaded but ran into a problem again. My ISP is either dialing my power back or it could be a program that my husband had me download for him for one of his sports shows. I think it has some shareware issues and I may be un-installing it. Maybe it is still Blogger,we'll see. I use a dinasaurean system anyway so when it doesn't work, it reeeaaallllyyy doesn't work, if you know what I mean. I enjoy blogging, but it when it comes to the photos (which make or break a blog) it takes so dang long to do it, that I lose some of my gumption for wanting to post.

Here is an idea of the fabric cards I'm stitching up. Its a good way to use up the bits and pieces that I have kept... now I know why I kept them.


There is more to this one than meets the eye... for now, it is secret.

I am finding little patterns everywhere and I am mixing and matching; taking part of one pattern and using it with another.


Here is some of my progress on the Blue & Black block... I find that if if I don't particularly like the color scheme or the subject, my stitching shows it. I guess there is still a niche that I am hoping to find where I can do both CQ and regular quilting together. Could be that on top of my grey hair and falling face, I am also losing eyesight. Without glasses I can not see a thing close and am sure I may need bifocals with my next pair. This photo reads chocolate brown, not black- how weird.

Till the next time.... hope everyone is enjoying their weekend!

Quiet Days at Home for Thanksgiving Weekend

Sorry, I tried numerous times to upload photos, but none today folks. Everyone and their uncle from around the globe must be trying to put their turkey photos to Blogger today.... so text only.

Thanksgiving we had planned on going to town for buffet and watch the Lions game, but since we found out Wednesday that we could get it through national broadcasting we decided to stay home. The game was terrible but the food was good. We cooked a 1/2 turkey and the side dishes we like and enjoyed the peacefulness of the fire, the snow, and the fur family. I called my mom and dad and spent time reflecting on all my blessings which are many. Grace, forgiveness, and joy being paramount.
Many of the hunters have went home to their wives. One more week and gun season is over.Amen! We seem to be missing 1 of "our" deer but we will see who comes to the feed when its all said and done.
Christmas is going to be a different one this year. I doubt I will get home to see the family and I really don't have the money this year as I have in the past. The adage, "You can't buy health" rings truer as the years go by and no one I gift for needs any thing more than just that. My desire to defy the consumerism bloat for my own spiritual self is one of the reasons why we moved up here. So instead of heading to the stores today , I headed to my stash and made up some Christmas cards. These cards are one of a kind, personal to the recipient, not to be duplicated, works of my hands and heart. You don't have to wear them, accessorize with them or display them. You don't have to return them, they don't need batteries, no strings attached. How could a gift get any better than that? No obligation, no guilt, no hassle, just sincerity's of the Christmas blessing, the real one, from our house to yours. My nephews love their "gift cards" for games and CDs and I will make sure they get those, but that's it, that's where I am at this year. I best get cracking with my list and my cutting.
Maybe photos tomorrow, Blogger ??

Something for my sister & Timtex not Tyvek

Thought I would get alittle more practice by making my sis a needlebook to send with her birthday card. The size is roughly 3.5 x 4.5. This is the front.

This is the back. It looks worse here than in reality but being a tad shy of square, my sis will surely understand it. LOL

I had inadvertanty stated in one of my posts that I used Tyvek for making a fabric postcard. I meant Timtex. Tyvek is an insulated protective paper used on exterior walls in home construction.

I threw this crazy block on my Q-Snap frame and will start at the stitching tonight. This is the "Sky Blue and Black" song block I have been putting off.

The Christmas decorating is mostly done. Since its just us 2, we decided to forgo the tree indoors but did do lots of lights and garland both in and out. One tree is left to do outdoors and that one will be done for the birds with peanut butter pinecones, seed bells, etc. I have mended my moose(s) and reconciled the loses of my previous post. "It is what it is", one of my most favorite sayings.

Another point of my procrastination is this.... and I wonder why as I feel so much better after I do it. My hair is getting so grey that I look bald in spots when the color grows out. Between my hair and the failing elasticity in my face, my looks are starting to change for the first time in my life. Its scary!!!

But as long as my little snow dog doesn't run when she sees me, its OK.

Till the next time....

Updated Edit

Here is my most favorite Christmas moose from the front..............

Here is what he looks like in the back after the rodents got him .... I am so gol darn disgusted with this I could spit!!! I threw out several things and and from what I kept, this is the worst one for repair. I will mend all tonight so I can put this behind me.

I also must make the dogs some big orange bandannas tonight. Hunting season begins day after tomorrow and already the woods and roads here in the neighborhood are full of "drunken yahoos". I am sure we have ticked off a few hunters by building our home here but they had the same opportunity as we did to buy this property 12 years ago, if they wanted it. I can feel our first year living through this will be interesting & even though my husband is a hunter (more to be in the woods than kill something), I don't like knowing that some strange idiots are possibly creeping around my house and seeing my dogs for game. I will be counting the days now till this is over on Dec 1.

Tomorrow will be better, its gotta be...

Wwwaaahhhhh.... I am Gunning for Varmints Now!

I have no pics today but had to share what todays discovery was! My Christmas things have been stored in the rafters of the garage at the insistence of my husband. Well, we go to get the boxes down today and behold, they are full of dried corn! Pounds of it that he has been using for deer feed! Some of my most special stuffed Christmas Moose and Snowmen???? Shredded to bits. What was not totally destroyed will have to be mended and sanitized. (Needless to say, my husband immediately left the premises !!!) I have just been helped along into paring down my Christmas things and I am not happy to have been put in this position. Do you beleive that this same man said something to me about storing my seasonal clothes up there ????
No mouse or squirrel is safe around here now and had best run for their lives!

Needle Book Finished, Fall Block, and SNOW

If you read these posts, you are probably tired of this. Well me too! I finally finished it off using the "pillow case" method (sew right sides together and turn inside out) by leaving a slit at the spine area. I sewed tabs there so I could attatch the felt pages. I cut and inserted cardboard for the front and back covers, stitched on the button and tassel and then turned the hem of the tabs and sewed the "felt" pages between.

This is the inside...... I'm pleased as this was my first attempt at any kind of book. I had sewn simple covers for paperbacks and textbooks but nothing with any insertions or hard cover. I was going to do pockets front and back, but invisioned them being crooked and that would have ruined it all for me ... I am learning how to avoid disappointment by not pushing a good thing.... its taken me 48 years to learn that lesson. LOL

This is my Fall STS block that was my personal challenge vs being in the swap.( I couldn't have kept the deadline on this).

I made it into a card by fusing it to Tyvek (along with coordinating fabrics inside and back.) I used Pigma pens on a piece of heavy linen for the greeting inside and stitched it down. Simple floss tied the back and front together. For the zigzagged edge work I did not shorten my stitch length as I should have. Now I know better for the next time. (This is it lying open and flat).

I must include a couple of nature pics. My husband found this guy in the corn bag in the garage. He is no worse for wear and still eating corn, but at the feeder. Less complicated for him there, don't ya think? (My nephews name is Jay and the bird and the boy have much in common as far as the activity and noise goes).

This is the snow that fell last night. A good 4" here and thankfully not the 8-12" they had predicted. It is a wet snow and clinging to the trees. Its very pretty and I felt that "Christmas/holiday feeling" when I got up.

We went into town for a couple errands this morn. On Friday I was at St Vincents and saw what I thought was a featherweight sewing table. Until I measured it I could not be sure as those tables were made for different Singer machines. I measured mine and thought I would check it today but as you can only guess.... GONE. It was only $5 compared to the $100 on Ebay. I should have got it when I saw it but did not want to HEAR my husband if it turned out to be a bad purchase. Even $5 would not have been worth that. (Another thing I have learned in these 48 years, LOL).

Hmmmmm..... what to start from my list now ???

I AM a Detroit Lions Fan ! 44 - 7 "Big W"

Image Taken from Detroit News

YES!!! I CAN ONCE AGAIN HOLD MY HEAD HIGH AND ADMIT TO BEING A DETROIT LIONS FAN! IT HAS BEEN A LONG TIME BOYS!!! SEAN " BABY" ROGERS HAD HIS DAY TODAY! WHO SAID THAT A FAT BOY CAN'T RUN?

PS. WONDER WHAT SIZE QUILT IS ON THIS GUYS BED ????
(check the days highlights to see his moves!)