Put your foot in it!

So as you know, I seemed to get behind in the sewing department after the holidays. Or maybe before the holidays too. I found the cutest western boot fabric last fall and bought it to make a pair of slippers for a friend of mine, for Christmas. Fast forward to last night when she called and was coming over for a sew in!! 

Did  I remember the fabric was sitting out in plain site?  Did she zero in on it right away and love it? Needless to say I was busted, and I had to fess up that I never got her Christmas slippers done. But guilt got the best of me, and I got up early and made them up this morning. Even got them to her before she headed back home today.

Yee Haw!  There you go JoAnn, hope you enjoy em!

In case your wondering, they are from the same pattern I made my Ghastlie blog hop slippers with, McCall's 6449.

And I do have to say, they are the darnest most comfortable things you can put on your feet! (and easy to make, but I am keeping that secret to myself)

Now on a completely unrelated subject, you remember I was going to take a class on how to use my new I-phone.  Well, lets just say, it's a sign that old people should not get new electronic toys, when they drive to the wrong store to take the class.  Really?? I know the janitor thought I had lost my mind. So now instead of being on time I am actually a half hour late. But I had a phone that I could read my email on to find that out, once I figured out how to find it in my phone!! Guess I need to look for a refresher class now!

I have decided I am not a fan of old age!

:-)

They call it a day late and a dollar short

Yep, that pretty much says it all! 

When my favorite sewing shop asked if my friend and I would be interested in teaching an Anita Goodesign machine embroidery class last year, I could hardly wait for her to finish the sentence before I answered Yes Yes Yes, a million times yes!!  Now considering that I work full time, and have an ever changing schedule, just why did I pipe up so fast and answer????  Don't answer that, it would probably make me cry!  hahahahaha

But thank goodness my friend took up the challenge too, and is willing to cover for me when I can't be there. So this is my project this month.

I was able to dig thru my scrap pile and make up this delightful tote. Each of the 16 panels are stitched separately, then sewn together. I took a different direction with my tote over the actual pattern. You know I never was very good at following directions. But for this, I wanted to make it a little bigger so I could tote projects to and from class in it. I personally think it made it much easier to put together too.  Now I suppose I have to confess, I was late in finishing it. I thought the class was not for another week, and I actually got it all done the day after the class was over.  Gheez, am I fortunate, I have the best friend in the world, who never reminded me I was late with my project. Sorry Ruth, I will be better next time I promise. Actually I have my day scheduled off of work next month, so I can be there!! Yea!!      Oh yeah, that means I need to be stitching up something doesn't it? 

I taught a "Heavenly Chocolate Bliss" class last weekend with my friend. It was a great time, and so much fun to see everyone excited about putting their quilt together. Of course Ruth was there to help me out, and I couldn't have done it without her. It was really nice to have 2 people when problems with machines, or techniques popped up. I can hardly wait to see what the gals have done in 2 weeks when we meet again.

You know how much I love this Chocolate quilt pattern, so I decided that I had to make another one myself. This time I am going with a completely different color scheme. Here's a sneak peek!

And last but not least, I have my blocks for our Sweet Treats swap ready to mail.

And for the record I am "way" early on this one!!

Finally something that isn't running late!!

Speaking of running, I have to go. I am on my way to a class to learn how to use this darn I Phone, I had to have! 

Old people like me, should not buy toys that require me to understand technology!

:-)

Tagxedo

Ok, when Barbara over at Cat Patches posted her new toy made with Tagxedo, I couldn't help but want to get in on the fun and play too!!

Have you seen Tagxedo yet?  It is a fun way to take your words and use them in a shape that is all you!

Here is what I came up with from the Moosestash...
                              Now is that just too cute or what.

Head over to Tagxedo.com and make up one of these fun little things for yourself. Remember it's all about you!!!  :-)  What can be better than that, right!

And remember I said I had actually used my sewing machine finally last weekend? While the project is not quite finished yet, I do have a photo of part of it. :-)

So if all goes well, I will have a new project to share very soon!

:-)

Civic Duty

Well, OK, I suppose Civic Duty is a bit much...

But I do feel it is my duty to keep you all updated on the great finds for your sewing room, along with sharing just what my crazy quilting buddy Ruth found for me, for Christmas.

Meet Mark...  He isn't just another pretty ironing board cover, he is shameless. You see once your iron heats up, his towel disappears.  Oh yeah baby!! And let me just tell, you, he leaves nothing to the imagination at that point!  Now you know I can't show you that!  This is a rated G site!!!  :-)  :-)

The cover wasn't all of my gift. She bought me a new Continental Platinum Dry Iron. It is perfect for fusible applique, because there are no holes in the sole plate. Score!!!  Yippee, cause you all know how much I love fusible applique. So a big thanks to Ruth, you keep me laughing all the time, and this is no exception.


Where, oh just where would she come up with this cover, you ask?  Well, the fine folks at BoNash seem to have the inside track on that.  You can  find em right   HERE  and there is even a girl for those men who hate to iron!  My coworkers have been howling over these things, and some have even ordered them for wedding gifts. How funny is that?   I can bet it will be the one gift they won't get a duplicate of!!!!

I think my lack of sewing binge is over. I managed to get my machine fired up last night, and I stitched into the midnight hours.  I love those kind of nights. It felt so good to get back to the thing I love most. I will soon have something new to share with you!

                                                                :-) Keep on stitchin!
                                                             

Bloggin' Buddies

If I have said it once, I have said it a million times!  There is nothing better than blogging buddies.

Karen over at Sunburnt Quilts send me this wonderful Christmas package.

I know you remember those ribbon trees I made. This was my inspiration. Karen has her own pattern out now!! Is it just not the cutest thing you have ever seen!

It's never too early to start on next years projects :-)

Karen, I just love the pattern, and those wonderful oriental fabrics, the ornament that was perfect for our tree, but let me tell you about those darn cookies!!  I have never eaten anything as fabulous as those cookies. I should be ashamed of myself, as I ate them all. Didn't offer to share with a single soul!  BUT, I am not!!  :-)   It's worth a trip to Australia just for them!!!   Thank you-thank you! Words are hardly enough...

Then just the other day, I got another package in the mail from England this time.
Last month when the Quilting Gallery had their blog hop, I won a couple of adorable embroidery patterns from Leslie over at Sew Happy Me.

Leslie, I can't thank you enough. I am looking forward to getting started on these little cuties!

So as you see this, blogging world gives us friends from all over the globe. Can there really be anything better than that!  :-)



I haven't been posting like normal. While I enjoyed having so much time off work from Sept thru the beginning of December, I made up for it, during the holidays. The airport was crazy busy with people. Then there were the holiday dinners. I had 32 for Christmas!  YIKES, there were people everywhere.  My fellow bloggers inspired me to set up a kids fantasy table this year.

It was perfect for all the desserts and goodies. I had treat bags so they could fill them and take home their loot!  While I thought it was a fun thing for the kids, I never dreamed that the adults would have such a great time with it. I believe I saw one of them beat off a kid for the gummy bears!!!  Ahhhh, the holidays bring out the best in all of us don't they!    :-)  :-)  :-)

Those mice that are so darn cute, came from the Martha Stewart web site.

A new holiday tradition has been born in my house needless to say!

I haven't seen my sewing room accept to replace a zipper in a jacket for hubby.
  :-(     But with the holidays over, and my house back to normal,  I hope to find some time here very soon!

Blast from the past

I can't believe I wrote this post and forgot to post it!!  Must have been too much holiday celebrating going on. But here it is, better late than never!
                                                   
                                                   :-)


Recently my boys attended the annual poker party, where all the guys get stinkin drunk and smoke cigars and gamble to celebrate the holiday season. It's a guy thing,  and they are all banished to the barn. There's beds in the old farmhouse, so no one is one the road driving. Actually I think all the wives kind of enjoy getting rid of em all for a night too!!  :-)  :-) This year my hubby even decided to join them, and he is about the least likely... ??? 

So there was a lot of cookin' going on at my house for this thing. They wanted my green chili stew, and brought me a roasting pan to make it in. I just have to share this with you.

Really???

Just how old is this thing??  You all know that smell, when  you walk into an antique shop!  That weird musty smell!  Step into my kitchen... I couldn't believe it!  We scrubbed it up good, and turned it on. It ran like a champ. A smelly champ that is, but what the heck once it gets to the farm, the cigars will overpower that smell!

Just look at this thing...

A cloth cord?  I definitely would not leave this unattended, for fear of a fire!

The chili was a hit, my hubby came home with $60 extra bucks in his pocket and no one got drunk!! Now that was a record for this bunch.

My green chili recipe came from a friend years ago. I am passing it on to you.

It's very simple.

2 lbs pork cut into bite size pieces

1 onion chopped

2 garlic cloves chopped

 ( I am lazy and buy it already done in a jar)

2 tlbs chili powder

2 cans whole tomatoes mashed

(again I can buy then already chopped, so I do)

2, 4 oz cans of diced green chili

(now I do go buy Hatch chili from New Mexico every year and chop my own)

salt and pepper to taste.

Brown your pork and onion dump in everything else and simmer for 2 hours!

It really is a great recipe!

Enjoy, but your on your own to find a roaster like this to fix it in!

:-)

Jan Trivet Tuxedo

Hope you all had a Happy New Year.

We did here, but I must admit, I am glad the holidays are over. It's always fun, but it's time to get back to a normal life and eating habit for me. My waistline has taken a hard hit this time. I have to get back on program and stop making excuses for eating junk. :-(         But I soooo, love junk food!   ;-)





Anyway, here is the last installment of Trivet Tuxedos. I sure do hope you have enjoyed them as much as I have.




  

Again, you will need to enlarge it a bit. I have had no luck trying to upload to Google Docs so you get an accurate PDF file! Sorry.

                                                                                                                                  

I used my Accuquilt GO, and the large circle for my snowman, but I have included the shape on the pattern if you don't have one.  

Off set it a bit. Then trim.

Once I got him all put together I decided he needed a little more detail in his eye.

So the finished trivet looks different from these steps.

                         Free motion quilt a few snowflakes, to finish him off.

Enjoy!