heartbreaking

Went to a funeral service this morning, for a young boy @ 8 yrs old.  He was the youngest of 5 boys, from a family in our Scout group.  I don't know if he'd been sick for a while, or had health issues. He passed away in the middle of the night, so my guess is, yes he did.

My heart breaks for the parents.  How do you carry on after something like that?  My guess is, you still have people who need you, who need you to function in your roles as fully as you can.  My heart breaks for the siblings.  Were they close?  Did they fight as siblings do?  He's just a little boy.  I feel joyful for him, because I know he is in the presence of Jesus.  My prayers will be for the family; for healing, peace, comfort, and love.

It just doesn't seem right when it's a child.

Annual Gingerbread House Party, or something like that!

 

The kids still ask… ‘ can we have our gingerbread house party this year? PLEASE!? ‘  And me, the good mother, says ‘sure.’  As Miss Leslie said today, ‘next year, when you mention it, we’ll slap you!’

15 kids, a few loyal moms, and one big mess!  But loads of fun, I hope.  It’s always fun to see the difference between the boys’ houses and the girls’ houses.

 

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Getting messy in Lightroom

 

 

Just playing with some presets and sliders in Lightroom….

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Wisconsin, 2009

Airshow

Christmas 2010 at Grandma’s

We spent the evening visiting w/ Grandma & Uncle Rick. The kids were excited to exchange some more presents!  It was a wonderful day, all in all, and even better to end it with them!

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He's back... !

My baby is HOME!

A little bit of fun…

 

Making these cute little journals out of wool, wool blend felt, and yoyo’s from the retro fabrics. Stinking cute!

 

Roll Roll Me Right Out The Door! Part 3 & 4

 

 

I have been a little behind on my Roll, Roll, Cotton Boll Mystery Quilt project & postings.

The picture on the left (step #3) features 60 8 1/2”squares of shirting. Bonnie Hunter’s 60 squares are string squares. Mine aren’t. She has a room full of scrappy strips already cut. I don’t.  I will by the time this project is finished!

The picture on the right is step #4. This is 120 twosies as she calls them. There are also 120 2” squares to accompany the twosies.

I call it progress.

Now onto step 5, which she published yesterday. She is pretty intent on ending my joy on this project!  You’ll see when I post the next step’s 600 hsts.  I know. 600?  Does this lady sleep?  Might take me a week or 2 to do that step.

 

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miscellaneous

 

We went to the Springs Preserve 12/3/10 to take family photos of some friends. I snatched a few of my hunk & chicklet!

 

 

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Bunco!

 

Had a fun, fun time at Bunco the other night!  I was the loser, but still a ‘weener’!  I was delighted to leave with a Starbuck’s gift card.  But, the best thing, was hanging out with the Bunco chicks!

 

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Colorado Kaleidoscope

 

Presenting to you…

Colorado Kaleidoscope!

Started January 2010, top completed May 2010, quilting started/completed Dec. 2010, and…

hopefully will be bound by Dec. 2011(just kidding???)  how about, hopefully started by Dec. 2010!

 

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Montrose, Co…. Jan. 2010  Quilting Sleepover Weekend at Kristi’s..  Kristi and Lori felt I needed to work on a large quilting project that particular weekend. They generously put together this quilt kit and included a pattern (can’t even remember what it’s called!). They were so sweet they even had the strips precut. ;-)

Off to work I went… sewing away, cutting away, sewing away!  I returned home to the desert, and over the next few months, completed the blocks.  I decided to sash the blocks, using a soft, buttery yellow.  I am so glad I did that, it adds a secondary pattern to the quilt.

Back to Montrose in May for another sewing weekend, and I sashed away and completed the quilt top.

I finally sent it off to Kristina @ www.froggybottomquilting.blogspot.com

and she did an amazing job quilting it!  She did it all freehand! It’s beautiful!  I received it in the mail last night and was so blown away by it all!  The quilting is amazing! It makes me feel like a real quilter!

So a special THANKS to Kristi & Lori for forcing putting this together for me! And another special THANKS to Kristina for a beautiful, lovely job on the quilting!

Sneak Peek For Rosie!

 

Sneak Peak for Mi Mucho Gusto Amiga en Espanol!

 

Chabs

The Valley’s Green Bay Packer’s Club wanted some photos to send out with their Christmas cards…………….
I had a little fun w/ the editing! Go Packers!

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Roll Roll Part 2

Woo Hoo! 

Step 2 of Roll! Roll! Cotton Boll! done!

I am so excited I am on track and not behind schedule!

Hope

 

MacGyver, who is also a pastor, does a service at the LV Salvation Army on Friday nights for the homeless.  I took my camera last night to capture some of the evening – the message, the feeding, the coats…. but the homeless were not willing to be in front of the lens. That’s ok, most aren’t comfortable there.

I took a few pix inside the Hope Chapel. Had issues with ISO so… this is whatcha get.

 

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Boll #1

Remember my post on the Roll, Roll, Cotton Boll Mystery Quilt Challenge by Bonnie Hunter @ www.Quiltville.com ?  Well, she has posted the first clue to the challenge!  And, in record time (for me), I have completed step #1! 

I am not the first to complete it, I know for a fact there is at least 1 over-achiever out there who finished it before me, and for 2 separate quilts. UGH!

Maybe I’ll feel inspired to do 2 quilts too, maybe not!  I think the batiks would certainly be easier to cut into strips & sew than shirtings. Will see!

172 pieces (actually 517 pc sewn together), but who’s counting….

Rain Flowers

 

Today brought high winds, dark clouds, and rain drops!  It’s a perfect day for a nap, in which I indulged .

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A little something

Went to Craft Night @ Mops’ last night and made a few little goodies w/ felted wool.  The flower is a barrette / pin, really cute!  The snowman is an ornament…. cute!

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Tamron Lens Give-A-Way - Contest - I want to win it!

I was on the http://www.quitville.blogspot.com/  and saw this link to http://www.southernhospitalityblog,com/ for a Tamron 18-135mm lens giveaway contest! So here I am, blogging about it!  I will be upgrading my camera within a month and would SOOOOOO love to have this versatile lens!

Check it out here!

http://southernhospitalityblog.com/giveaway-winners/giveaways/tamron-af18-270-lens-review/comment-page-8/#comment-60614

God bless!  Have a great day in the Lord!

Or Option #2 ?

 

Well, I have pondered my fabric choices for the Roll, Roll, Cotton Boll Mystery Challenge Quilt.  I looked through my shirting stash and pulled out these to  work with, just in case.  I think I’ll do these instead of the batiks. Comments?

I’ll get one more brown, one more blue, and maybe on more neutral.

Can’t wait to get this thing started. 

Actually, yes I can. I have too much going on right now.  But still looking forward to it!

 

 

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Roll, Roll, Cotton Boll Mystery Quilt!

 

 

Bonnie Hunter, @ www.quiltville.blogspot.com or www.Quiltville.com is starting another mystery quilt challenge.  If you aren’t already familiar w/ Bonnie and her websites, you MUST check them out!

Bonnie has several amazing quilt patterns on her website that are available for you to use at no charge!  She just wants you to give her credit, and send her a picture!  She also showcases a great organizational way to handle your fabric. Now, if she would just come up with one for the rest of my life, I’d be doing oooooookay!

These are the fabrics I am contemplating using for the mystery challenge.  I think  I will go w/ oranges, blues, and greens as the 3 colors, the watermelon for the anchor, and the 2 beiges for the backgrounds.  I am not too much of a purple person and don’t know that I have enough of it anyway.  But then, I have that nice, 1 1/2 yd, cut of the darker batik, maybe that as an anchor, or first border? Hmmm? 

Maybe we need to vote!

 

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Not many people will be surprised that I am using batiks.  Frankly, I am tired of batiks.  Don’t tell anyone on the Western Slope I said that, ok?  It’s only a temporary illness anyway.  But, this is what I have enough of to use for the quilt.  I believe the quilt is to be @ 108’ x 89” or so.  Nice size. And this will look beautiful on my bed. I also feel that if I deplete my batik stash, I will be able to go out and buy more, when my illness passes.  And it also shows me, I don’t have enough of other fabrics.  I better take care of that one too.

Oh my.  Poor MacGuyver,  He needs another job!

Sewing Class in the Desert

We had our home school sewing class yesterday! Due to illness running rampant in the desert, we had one family come. However, we had a blast!

We made string potholders and they turned out great! Even Miss A. made one!

I put together a cute little bookmark from felted wool this weekend, looks cute!

 

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This last picture is of a lemon from our lemon tree in the back yard.  I went out to check the lemons today, to see if they’re ready for picking, and found this one had exploded, while on the tree. Kinda looks like it has an attitude, don’t you think!?

Flower Play

Chicklet picked this flower from our yard this morning.  I was a little bored and decided to play with my camera and the flower.
This is what transpired……………….

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You can see I was trying to get the reflection of the flower & shell in the table.  I wasn't trying to showcase the dust.  We have a rule at our house concerning dust.  ' You can look at the dust, but you can't write in it!'

A walk in the desert!

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Hunks 3 and 4 joined Chicklet and I on a walk today at the Wetlands Park.  We had a great time, playing with our cameras.  The weather was a tad warm, but a beautiful breeze came along. to cool us down!  We had a lot of fun on our ‘nature walk’, as Miss Charlotte Mason would call it.
I have to get the kids to put their pix up so I can see them. Maybe I’ll post some here too! 

Sewing Day in the desert

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We had only one Mom/Daughter team show up for Sewing Class this last week. We truly missed our other girls, but had a LOT OF FUN anyway!
The girls made a set of pillowcases for their beds.  They did a great job, I am so proud of them!  I even made one for my body pillow!  You know, the one that supports my poor hips, destroyed by stretching chicklet ‘ in utero’.  But I digress…………….

The Snake

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So the bug man bought himself a Rough Green Snake the other day. He called from the Reptile Convention and told us about it.  He told us it was only 10” long. Then 7” long. Then, maybe 5” long.  It’s actually about 20” long. Oh my!

But it eats crickets, not mice. That’s ok.

Chicklet’s Big Quilt

 

Chicklet has been working on this quilt for almost a year! We get it out, do some sewing, and it gets put away, and then forgotten. Then we find it, and the whole vicious cycle starts again.

NO MORE!  WE BREAK THAT CURSE!

She finished the top the other day.  I bought a light green sheet at the thrift store and some batting.  I may try & layer it this morning before the wind starts.  Then she can quilt it!  It’s pretty big. 72” x 72”, but we can do it! Oops, SHE can do it!

Pictures of a Chicklet

 

Had an opportunity to take some pix of Chicklet while enjoying Grandma’s back yard. She’s such a pretty chicklet, and very sweet.

 

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Happy 12th Birthday To My Bug!

 

 

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Happy Birthday to you Bug!  Can’t believe you’re 12!  I remember the first time I saw you… the nurse wheeled you into my room and brought the cradle over to the bedside. I saw that jet black hair, with blonde highlights, and said those infamous words…. ‘’He’s cute, but where’s my baby? My babies have red hair.”

Since you looked so much like your daddy, I didn’t fuss too much (and I knew there were only 2 other babies in the whole hospital & they were girls, and I knew you were a boy) and was already in love with you. I knew you were mine!

You are such a fun boy. All my friends adore you and call you the ‘All-American Boy’ with those precious freckles.  You are a sugar-freak and your sugar intake needs to be strictly controlled. You are quick to laugh.  You are a peacekeeper (90% of the time) and a peace breaker (the rest of the time). You love to work with your dad. You love history – civil war history is one of your fav. subjects. You love machines, you love to fix things, you love to build things. You are an incredible artist. You have a beautiful voice and are a talented musician.

You are just such a bug!

Teeter Totter!

 

 

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Yesterday I took Hunk #4 and Chicklet to the Climbing Center. They had lots of fun, as usual, and were really excited to see the ‘tightrope’ up! They had lots of fun trying to cross the ‘bridge’ without falling into the swamp full of alligators!

 

 

 

Happy Birthday to you!

October 12, 2010

Today would be Timmy's 51st birthday!  He's been gone for 6 1/2 years.  It's hard to believe it's been that long since he passed away.

He ALWAYS!!!  had a joke he had 'just heard' and could ALWAYS!! remember the punch line!

He didn't have the easiest of lives... he was hit & run over by a train right after completing his freshman year at school. He lost part of his leg.  He later became ill from a blood transfusion he had received during the triage, and died of Hep C in 2004. 

He was very very good with kids!  He had so many friends who deeply loved him! 

No one could make my mom madder or make her happier than he.

We miss him!

A Week in the Life…

 

Just a few things from this week, in my life!

A felted wool barrette for Miss Rosie’s bday present…

Froggy beanbeag for Kristina w/ a K at www.froggybottomquilting.blogspot.com

My bedroom floor

Nutella on graham crackers, one of God’s best creations!

 

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I can't be THAT old?

I can't possibly be old enough to have a 19 year old!   Wow... when did that happen?

He turned 19 on the 3rd of October.... his first bday away from home.  He called the night before and talked for 30 minutes, what a blessing that was to me!  Then he called his dad at home & talked to him for a while too!  I know he must have been a little homesick to devote that much time to us, lol!!

Happy Birthday My Handsome Soldier!

More from the mountains….

 

Here’s a few more pix from this past weekend’s retreat.  

The house wall hanging is called ‘Love is in the house’.

I bought the 2 wall hangings (Thimbleberries) last fall on the way  back to the airport from the October ‘09 retreat.  I found them recently,  I also found a bag of 1” strips and used them to make a piano key border for each one.  I had to borrow a few more strips from Kristi to finish #2, (the one w/ the big leaves). But it works!  Now, to add another border, quilt, and bind! Then I’ll keep one & sell one on Etsy!

 

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Quiltin’ in Colorado!

 

I just came back home from another San Juan Quilt Retreat in Montrose, Co.  We stayed at a local B & B and stayed up way toooo late, even though we went to bed earlier than ever before (at retreat).  As usual, lots of food, fellowship, and FUN!!!!!

 

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Fun in the desert!

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Well Chicklet’s room is finished!  She is so excited!

 

I played with some felted wool last night !!  I made a cute little flower barrette and blanket stitched a pumpkin.  I am going to do several of the pumpkins and stitch them to a black felted wool circle.  Will post pix when I am done!

Always changing something!

Seems like something is always in the works here, in this house. This young chicklet is always wanting to change something in her room!  She's always moving furniture around, trying it this way or that....    Well, it's time for some big changes!

Hubby finished painting our room and told Chicklet he'd paint hers next. Well, she got tired of waiting for him to do so, so she started it herself. Smart girl!  Of course, he wants it done right so hops right in there with her to help her finish!  It's finished and he started laying the oak flooring in her room today. The kids helped him tonight and he actually got lots done w/ their help!

I'll post pix of my room once he's done laying the oak floor in there.

Miss Alice’s Hats

Mrs. Alice Wagner passed away a few weekends ago.  The church had her memorial service this past week and they decorated the sanctuary with her hat.  Miss Alice was a classy, elegant woman.  I don’t recall ever seeing her without a hat. Really. She was a strong woman in the Lord. She was joyous.

She will be missed by many, but I am sure she is thrilled to be in the presence of the Lord and her husband.

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heavy

Today, my shoulders feel like they're holding this mountain up. 

Fall Batiks I’ve Fallen For …

 

Autumn… the most popular time of the year.  Leaves turn colors, into magical hues of golds, reds, blues, oranges, beautiful rainbows of colors!

Below is a collection of Fall Batiks I have been collecting for a few months.  There is a wonderful quilt store, back in Narberth, Pa., that has a fantastic collection of batiks. Since I’ve been there a few times this summer,  I have felt the need to support the local economy and buy some!

My local store, Quiltique, in Henderson, Nv., has a nice collection of batiks as well.  Their fall fabrics aren’t as spectacular, but I have managed to find a few that have been calling my name. LOUDLY!

I am not boasting here. I am actually putting them on the blog, in this photo format, because it’s the easiest way to show my friend, and  mosttalentedquilter, my newest additions to the collection.  She knows who she is.  And for the rest of you, it’s okay if you drool while looking at these.  Just please don’t drool on the fabric.  Look, but don’t touch or drool. Okay?  xoxo

 

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Sew Crazy!

 

We had 8 girls here yesterday for our first Home School Sewing Class!  Chicklet and 7 other girls practiced sewing stitches on paper, then on some old pillowcase fabric, and then….. they made miniature pillow cases!  I think the girls had fun.  Chicklet has the bug and has been sewing all day today, making bags and pillow cases.

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Testing one two three!

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I am trying out a new program to upload photos to my blog.  I will be able to upload more than 1 at a time, and more than 4!

These pix are from a Tea Party I attended back in January.  My daughter, the Chicket, invited me.  It was a delightful party!

Who's around the campfire telling stories and roasting marshmellows!
Looks like some ghoulies to me!

Phew, it's BIZZZEEEE!

Oh what a fun weekend we've had! Our White Pine County group came down and spent part of the weekend with us! Our house was bulging with 11 kids (including teenagers) and 4 adults, and one very happy dog! (food dropped on the floor or left on the coffee tables for him to reach easily).

The kids were in and out of the pool, on and off the trampoline, shopping and not shopping, playing,eating and eating... loads of fun!

I'm glad today is Labor Day and we have a holiday.  Although Labor Day is not celebrated for what it was originally, I am going to take advantage of this day off from school.  I will work a little, will clean house, do laundry, will shop,  will eat, will sew, will relax with family, will try to catch the Navy football game on the radio!

Go  NAVY!  Beat Army!  (and Maryland - who you're playing today!)

a better view

Here's a better view...

Another One!

Well, I am thrilled to say that the wall hanging/ table runner in the previous post has been.... SOLD!!! Woot Woot! It's nice to know someone else likes your stuff that you make! Like it enough to pay for it! I made this one a few nights ago and just listed it today on Etsy. Hoping this one sells too. My Etsy name is patchworkinthedesert. Feel free to look me up!

Fall Wall Hanging #2

I made this cute wall hanging this weekend.. to sell on Etsy.  It's @ 18" x 40" and is sooo pretty! I love the colors!

I went to my neighbor's house to borrow a candle & ended up using her table for the photo. 

Made another one tonight, more scrappy.  Will try to get a picture on tomorrow sometime...

be blessed!