are you kidding me???

What happened to global warming??

I spent most of yesterday doing laundry and cleaning... so today I get to work in the sewing room all day. I have 3 quilt tops ready to go...a kit to work on...a secret project to start...

Saturday I met my sister at the local nail spa...she and 5 grown kids are heading to Disney this Labor Day so some pedicures were in order. Then we dropped in at the local Mexican joint for lunch and a local purse store...My sister is a purse NUT!! She loves them and owns more than I think she will admit to. I am not a shopper, but I have had my eye out for a new fall/winter purse... Look what I found!!



This local store carries designer bags at really good prices. And they are real, not knock-offs or at least that's what I have been told ... I have NEVER owned a designer bag (and probably won't ever again) so this has to last me a while...LOL

Ok, off to shower, run a few errands and start sewing!!

Edited - Hey, there's toilet paper and milk.. no errands for me today...



Nancy

the rest of the story.....

I took 88 photos at Retreat... Pictured are all the quilts that the rest of them finished.... I won't even attempt to tell you pattern names....

Enjoy the show!!





























Nancy

Pike-Lin Retreat....

It came and went so fast. One minute we were unpacking our sewing machines and the next minute we are packing the car to come home.... I think everyone had such a good time. We sewed, we laughed, we played chicken foot, we ate, we talked....

I worked on a few things...




As a group we made 13 bags (only 12 shown here). These will be donated to a local Abuse Crisis Center.




I used Rachel's tutorial from The Moda Bake Shop to make this Christmas table topper. Fabric is Figgy Pudding by Moda. I finished the last border...







I started this quilt, but didn't get the final borders on. I didn't have enough white for the border to do the borders without piecing. I don't like to piece borders if they are solid fabrics. Just me...



And finally I did start and finish this quilt for a son-in-law. Can you read the name of the quilt on the photo? I dubbed it "The Road less Taken". This is a simple Yellow Brick Road. I have made probably 6 or 7 of these. I got the first set of blocks all finished and went on to the next cutting step. Came back to the sewing table and started putting block 2 together. Something wasn't right. I counted and figured and was just stumped... Um..it appears that I started with step B instead of step A. I finally had to improvise. My step A blocks and Step C blocks look NOTHING like the original pattern. Oh well, it will all quilt out...

So let's count how many things I got finished....
1. 2 tote bags
2. Christmas table topper
3. Son-in-law quilt
4. secret project

Yes, I finished a secret project. Absolutely no photos will be shown until later...much later.... don't even ask....

So I guess I finished 5 projects. YEA ME!!!

5 people guessed 5 projects (what are the odds?)



hubby - I asked him to please smile nice... I won't repeat what he said...


The WINNER!!!!!!



Um...I think I have your address already Linda, so watch the mail...

You'all come back tomorrow to see more photos from retreat and what everyone else finished.....

Nancy

oh, wait...what? Did you ask me a question? You want to know what Linda won? Um...I don't know... After setting up our sewing machines, we headed over to the Hickory Stick Quilt Shop... and I got so excited buying for me that I forgot to get a prize...so I will get something today or tomorrow and show it .. sorry...

don't do it...

Don't...

Don't click on this link....

Isn't it pretty though...I really like the dawn colorway... I warned you..

Back tomorrow with the final count of finished projects. Keep leaving your guesses.. realizing that there are only so many numbers to pick from it's ok to pick a number that someone else has already picked.... Of course it ISN'T fair to pick a number if you were sitting across from me at retreat and saw what I finished!! LOL

Happy Sewing,
Nancy

I was gone....

Wouldn't these be the cutest suitcases to take on a trip? Unfortunately mine aren't that cute and colorful, but they were packed...

I have been off on retreat. I left the Rock Star here by himself (talk about being nervous....) ...and I have had 3 days of blissful sewing.

I was almost afraid I wouldn't have any projects to take. I added another one at the last minute. I haven't counted, but let's have a contest. Guess how many projects I got finished. I will give you a hint. I tend to finish most of what I take and I can positively think of 3 projects I have packed and I know there are more I have thrown in there. So leave a guess on this post and I shall come back tomorrow and show you what I finished and send a little surprise out to the winner. Not sure what it will be, but I am pretty sure there was a trip to a local quilt shop...


Nancy

Hilarious with a capital H.....

back to the ol' routine....

Today is the beginning..... He was up and headed out at 6:45am for the first day of his Senior Year!! Yes, my baby is growing up.

Today is also my first born's birthday...(when she turned 16, she had her first day of school on her birthday!!) She is 35 getting older and doing so well in her career. She is married to a great guy and is in charge of 3 of my wonderful grandkids... including Bitty who will be coming to stay with Grandma this weekend...

Today I will be running errands....so off I go..

Happy Sewing,
Nancy

shopping results....

Yellows.....



Greens.....



Browns.....



and just because.....



The shop had all of the FQ's laid out on tables and they were 20 for $29. I didn't need 20, but sure didn't have trouble buying them.

Today is guild meeting and we are having a special guest speaker.
I hope I remember my camera.....

Happy Sewing,
Nancy

Blueberries....

UpstateLisawas feeling blue yesterday... She and her family picked almost 10lbs of blueberries. That's a lot of blue....

I picked some also. I pushed my way through millions of others in the heat. We all landed at the local grocery where blueberries were on sale for $1 a pint. Is that a good price? I don't buy them all that often so have no idea...


So now what to do with them? I got on RecipeZaar and looked up blueberries and found an easy recipe. My sister is the cook in the family and she uses recipezaar a lot. She still uses it even though they don't know it. She was kicked off!! LOL For being a bad girl. So she just signed up again using a different name..LOL HA HA...(oh..I hope they don't read my blog) Hey Sis, should I be worried that they will kick me off too????

Anyway. I found a recipe for Microwave Blueberry Jam. Here....I will share..

3 cups blueberries
1/2 c sugar
1 tsp cinnamon

Put the blueberries in the blender (or food processor)I used my blender. I have a food processor but it was my grandmas and I swear it was the first one ever built. I only have the bottom knife part, not the grater or anything and it's really old and crappy looking and I think I will ask Santa for a new one...but I digress... So put the blueberries in the blender (or food processor) AND process til liquid. Add the sugar and cinnamon and mix. Pour all into a microwave safe 12 quart whatever.
Then microwave on high until it starts to boil. Then microwave for 1 minute more. Stir once.
Pour into a sterilized jar and refrigerate and it should set up.




Mine didn't. Whatever. I wasn't going to use it for jam anyway.



Ha...I used mine on ice cream. Edy's French Vanilla Ice Cream. YUM....

This weekend I will heat up the rest and use it on pancakes. Even more YUM....

No sewing yesterday. Some FQ shopping today. I am desperately trying to find browns/blacks/tans/cream that look MANLY... Making quilts for the sons-in-law this Christmas. It's really hard to find MANLY fabrics...and one of the no-so-LQS is having a FQ sale today. 1/2 price. I am there. Right now. While you are reading this. I am shopping. Don't you wish you were too?

Happy Sewing,
Nancy

photo by Rock Star



It was hot yesterday. I think this little fellow wanted to come in and sit awhile in the air conditioning...

Off to Patchwork & Pie this morning. Taking Apple Pie to share...

Happy Sewing,
Nancy