Tuesday--last day of March!!

Well---March is over with--here in NY it when out like a Lamb--it was sunny and in the 50's--so a nice enjoyable day--and I was able to finish off all my March quilt projects, except for getting one block done on my Orchid quilt(had done to do 2 blocks--but only got one done!!) I did get a quilt in the EZ3 quilt frame:
The quilt is one done in the 30's prints that I did last year or the year before?? It was already basted so decided I would start with it to see how it would work using this frame, instead of doing my hand quilting in my lap----WELL, I even got one block done this afternoon--BUT--it was not so easy--I need to scrunch up the fabric in my hand to be able to stitch--but maybe it just takes some practice--we will see?????? Does any one have one of these frames and do you have any helpful hints for me???????????????
Now for an Easter picture:
I just love this "Chick" I got it in Wal-Mart a couple years ago and I just get a smile everytime I look at her. Do you have an Easter item that makes you smile????????????????????????
Have a great Spring Day--see my other blogsite in the side bloglists for Di's Workbasket to see all my actual projects and to read March's finished list--Til tomorrow--Just, DI

A New Week!!!

It's almost over--the month of March--my goodness--where did it go???? I do know I have been busy getting my quilting to do list done--and now this next month I want to add a couple more projects--like the shell purse in the last post and to get the breast cancer blocks started from the Homespun Mag.--but we will see--one can only plan--then try to work that plan--but then at other times there's this thing called "life" that really enjoys throwing us some curves~~~~~know what I mean~~~~even the weather is in on it~~~~one day it is 65 and the next it may get up to 35!!!!
Well, I actually need to use my internet for some research--so this is short and sweet today---take care and work to get those March quilt projects done--still got a couple hours????? Hugs--Just, Di

SATURDAY--ANOTHER SUNNY DAY!!

OH--HAPPY DAY--OH--HAPPY DAY TO ME--LOOK WHAT CAME IN THE MAIL TODAY:
NOW I KNOW THAT THOSE OF YOU WHO LIVE IN AU COUNTRY GOT THIS ISSUE A MONTH OR SO AGO--AND SOME OF YOU HERE HAVE A SUBSCRIPTION TO IT--BUT I DON'T YET (BUT WILL BE GETTING ONE SOON)--IN THE MEAN TIME I HAVE BEEN "DIEING" TO FIND A SOURCE TO PURCHASE MY COPY--- and I finally did when I also found a source to get some of Bronwyn Hayes books--







And look at which book I was able to get of her's first: Her very first book--I can not tell you how excited I am about this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I also have at least 3 more of her books and patterns on my "wish list" (along with alot of other AU quilt/stitchery artist---So I know I am going to be busy for awhile:







Can you believe this gal is only 10 years old that designed this purse??? and even though my MAIN reason for the magazine is to do the Mystery Breast Cancer blocks--I do believe I need to start with this purse first!!!! I am even going to do the beaded handle--or so I plan????





Well have a great weekend--Keep "dry" I hear we got some rains coming??? Blessings to you and yours--Di

FRIDAY!!

It's Friday for all you working bloggers--so start warming up those sewing machines for a weekend sewing "to-do list"--cause we will all be out in the gardens before much longer--cause Spring really is on it's way?????
It has been one of those days of "In and Out" all day--this morning was a Doctor appointment to get my monthly B-12 shot--then stopped at Mary's apartment and made her her cup of tea she likes and we finished watching Matlock. Then I worked on a couple of quilt block preparations for the quilt club blocks, had lunch and kept looking for my sister, who was suppose to come and didn't so a friend ran me up to her apartment on the hill to check on her--she's ok, but down with a cold. Just got back home and another girl-friend stopped by and asked me to go to an ice cream stand with her and her mother--SOOOOOOOOOOO off I went again:



I got Vanilla with dark cherries, and chocolate filled cherry drops in it--it was really, really, really, good--espcially when I don't get to go very often and ice cream is about the only other sweets I eat besides my dark chocolate every day!!



Here is another picture of an Easter Craft I did last year, it is a pattern this time and it also done all in felt:

Sorry the picture is not that good--I'm still working on that angle!!!!
Have a great day and enjoy any sunshine that may come your way

Blessings---Di

THURSDAY-- My Quilt history

We had alot of "wet-rain!!!!" today here in NY--but I just a blog since I got on here, where they where expecting snow either yesterday or today--soooo--I won't complain about a little rain???

This tablerunner I designed last year or the year before--I left my rabbit ears floppy--I did do the blanket stitch around each one though. ( sorry--I did iron it--yet it does not look like it here?)

Are getting ready for Easter Yet???
Here's some of my Easter things--they got unpacked, but the "fairy-of Easter Decorating" hasn't arrived yet to give them their holiday "homes"--maybe she will show up tomorrow?????

Have fun today and do something Eastery!!! See you tomorrow--Di

WEDNESDAY--Pet Peeve Day! LAST ONE!!!!

I have decided life is too short to have a "pet peeve day"--so I won't talk about them --at least on a regular basis.
Now yesterday I had one--but that seems to be a on-going one since I started blogging--cause to blog you have to use a computer and me and this computer some days just don't agree on how "I" want to do things??????????
How is all your projects coming?? I am hearing alot about a new embroidery thread called "cosmos" anyone working with it yet?? I did find a site that sells it by the Skeins--I am worried that it looks almost "too" shiny for my country things I do--anyone know???? Do plan to order a couple skeins and a stitchery project to go with it from them--thinking of Christmas Mice by Cinderberry designs--want to get started on Christmas earlier--any one want to join me on a summer Christmas project Club???

Here is a picture of 2 old jars that I keep my "old" spools of thread and "old" sewing notions in as I find them--Looks like I need to find another old jar, before I find any more "old" things to put in it?????

Well, that's it for today--did have one more picture--but I guess the computer is "tired"out, cause it wouldn't upload it???????????

Is it "SPRING" yet???? Only 17 more days to Easter!!!
Have a wonderful day--and be sure to pop over to Di's Workbasket to see the photos of todays finished quilt projects!!

Have a Beautiful day---Di

TUESDAY--Family DAY!!

To day I want to introduce you to my daughter, Dawn. She is almost 41 years young--my goodness how time flys!!! Dawn lives in Fl on the east coast just below the space center on the beach strip--yet she doesn't actually live on the beach--it's about 6 blocks from her place. she designs houses for a living -- so it's a pretty "scary" time for her with the way the house market is going!!
It's one of those nights--bloggers--thhhhis computer is not working with me--soo sorry this picture is so small--but they say if you click onto the picture it will come up larger for you??

This picture was taken a couple years ago when her hair was down below her knees--when she did get it cut, she donated it to Locks of Love. Back just before her 21st birthday she was in a bad car accident and damaged all the bone work under her left knee cap--they took bone off her hip to rebuild it--she has had other surgery's down through the years for pain and to clean out bone chips--but now it is time for a total knee replacement--she will be going in sometime this week for that--so I ask "you-all" to pray for her this week--Thank you.

Had some other photos but they will have to wait til tomorrow to show you--oK???

Have a great sewing day tomorrow-----Happy Sunshine to everyone--Di

MONDAY--from my sewing basket

It's Monday and the beginning of a whole new week of sewing--if only that was all we had to do------

I thought I would share some of my "needle" information to day--cause without needles, we would be in a world of hurt!!!!

Here is a picture of an assortment of needles I have from my sewing drawers from different shops and different crafts--before I started taking classes I could tell one from another--but knowledge is "gold" especially when it comes to your needles--For Hand quilting I now use Richard Hemmings # 11 betweens ( Sharon S. likes #10's though). I use John James #11 sharps for applique now and you can also get them in/gold'n'glide--they are a little more expensive, but do thread easier--and let's face girls--we are still talking under $4.00 here for a package of 10!! Now for embroidery--I am still working on that one--but I actually like my quilt needle in the 10's for that--but they are a little hard to thread more that 2 strands--so I got a package of the Richard Hemmings betweens 5/10 and I like them as they have different sizes and I have a needle for how ever many threads I may need to thread!!!


In this picture do you see the little old fashioned salt shaker (which I think is actually cut-glass!!) I use this salt shaker to dispose of my used needles. And that is one big thing I have learned from my classes it: Get a new needle for every project, or every 8 hours of use!! Let's face it, we probably don't get a new needle that often, but I know I am doing a whole better about it now and what a difference it makes!!!!




Here's a picture of my needle holder I made to help me keep my needles straight and it sure comes in handy for classes--cause then I always have the correct needle for class:
I had some neat fabric with sewing themes on them so I used them to make it--sorry the color is off on the opened pictures!















Here's a Picture of some old and new needle cases:




And here is a look inside of the Gulf truck one--they even gave you some actual sewing Machine needles, plus the hand sewing needles--How nice of them!!!



And here is a photo of some of the needle "fix-it" cases I collected here and there.




















I THINK I FINALLY GOT ALL THE PICTURES WHERE I WANT THEM???????????
me and this computer have had a difference of opinion tonight!!!!!!!!
Have a great Day----Hugs, Di

WEEK-END--LAUGH AND SMILE!!

I am using this cartoon for Saturday and Sunday, as it fits for a joke--and a good laugh--Enjoy!!

OUCH---

Did you enjoy the National Quilting Day??? I did, even though I had to change my plans, from Plan A to Plan B---Plan A was to go to a Quilt shop that was having a 25%off sale and you know how we like them???? But for health reasons I was not able to go--SO--instead I did Plan B and it was something that I have been wanting to work on since last Dec. and that was to put together my quilt top from 2008's quilt club here at my local quilt shop--and it came out really nice and now I am ready to applique the flower vine on it--Go to my other site to see all the good pictures of today ventures. Disworkbaskettimecard.blogspot.com
HAVE A LOVELY WEEK=END!!!! Just, Di

FRIDAY--Food Day!!

IT IS FRIDAY--FOOD DAY AND THE FIRST DAY OF SPRING--and I see that everyone is very excited about "spring" this year--even more so I think that normal????
I know that I got up today with a little more energy that I have had in awhile and it felt good--so good in fact that I actually did some baking--Look at these homemade blueberry muffins:
The muffins are sitting on a green depression ware cake stand that was my grandmother's--the teapot in the background is not really very old, but the glaze is cracking some, so it looks old!!
I also baked the Tuna Pie, that I gave you the recipe for recently -- here it is:
YUMMY--so I had a nice lunch today!! and I have some leftovers--even with sharing both of these goodies with a couple neighbors!!
As some of you may know--I do have a second blog site--and it is called: Di'sworkbasket.blogspot.com and so it now also has a new "dress"--and so I have decided that I will post all my quilt pictures on that site of my present projects and those in progress--I will keep this site more for "chit-chat" and to share all my other pictures with you--and my pictures and stories of all the quilts I have made, before 2009 and the year of Blogging!!! So be sure to stop over there and see what I am up to now?????
May the Sun always shine on you and yours--Just, Di

THURSDAY-- My Quilt history

The continuing story of my quilting history: remember when I told you about my first Quilt Class at the shop in Fl--well, before I even took that class, the store's first month of business was the month of December and she had a give away of sorts--you went in and got the block for the month and did one and returned with your block at the end of the month she pooled all the names and the winner got all the blocks to put together for a quilt top. Often she did not give us a color group--but the first one being Christmas, we were told of course, green and red--so home I went and did my block and I won the first set of 12 blocks--I was so excited--but then it did take me 10 years to put them together--but I just love it and it's a great memory for me--here it is:

And I believe my block is the one right here in the corner closest to the edge???

Now for a sewing update: I had to get off the computer last evening around 6pm due to our first thunder storm of the season--and by the way--I LOVE T-STORMS!!!!!! So while enjoying natures noise and lights show, I got the embroidery work done on my first block for the Orchid Quilt :and this morning I also got my first embroidered block for the "Gardener's Journal" quilt by Anni Downs of Hatched and Patched ironed and a picture for you:
Anni's book only uses 15 colors of threads--not a Zillion colors like some patterns--so they are easy and simple to do--course I got a lot more waiting for me?????
And today I started my Easter decorating--at least on my front door:
This is all done in felt and hand stitched--I did her a couple years ago--that's a real tree branch I found outside and wanted to use!!!
Well, I need to go over to my other blog and do some way over due work on Di's Workbasket??
Have a Wonderful Day--Just, Di

WEDNESDAY--Pet Peeve Day!

Here we are with another "pet peeve" for the week!!! Today it's waiting for "people" who call and they say they will be by sometime during the day to visit--or whatever--ONLY--they never show up nor do they call and say that something has come up???? In the meantime, you always have one "ear" tuned to the doorbell and you plan your projects a Little differently than you would of if nobody was dropping by???????????????? At least I did get some applique done while I was waiting (but I might of worked in the sewing room on a block of month project--maybe tomorrow!

I have been stitching--got a embroidery block done and I got my Underground Railroad quilt all hand quilted and all the basting threads pulled out of, now I need to find binding for it--Maybe Saturday--a couple of us are planning to go to a Quilt shop 25% off sale near here??? For my picture today I am going to show you one of the Bliss Hexagon blocks from my hand piecing class and will show more later on:
Have a Great Day--Blessings--Just, Di
By the way "What is your pet peeve this week?????"

TUESDAY--Family memory day!!

HAPPY ST. PATTY'S DAY!! I really don't remember "my family" making a big fuss about St. Patty's day--except for the traditional "corn beef and cabbage" and cornbread to go with it and my mother always put potatoes in hers -- later when I made as an adult I always added carrot and we always used just the canned corn beef for ours--but that was it, folks!!! But today my St. Patty's day lunch was a yummy chicken sandwich on whole wheat and a piece of lemon pie!!!!!!

Here's some "green"news for me today--all my tulips are coming up and the 3 beds that I take care of here are gonna be full again this year--today here in central NY near the PA border the temp in is 57 and I have 2 windows open---that's my "green" for today!!!!!!!!!!!!
So happy day to you all> new surprise for you tomorrow here on this blog--so tune in then?????
Hugs--Just, di

MONDAY--from my sewing basket

Today I want to show you and tell you about one of my "bestest" finds!!!! And that is the scissors that I use for all my hand sewing, cutting the threads, clipping the curves, ( remember in applique you only clip the inny curves--never the outy ones)!! This scissors are small like you regular ones, but --but these have serrated blades to grip the fabric as you cut, and they really do an excellant job and a much neater job on your projects than do regular scissors--these are WELL worth the extra price for a pair--you will wonder how you ever sewed without them before???
In case the picture is not clear enough the name of them are "Elan" and they are 4" size--Let me know if you use these or if you purchase these and how you like them??? Thanks

Well, fellow quilters, I have "decided" to get alittle on the WILD side of things!!! And I am going to be very colorful on the birdhouse block bom, by Sindy Rodenmayer, decided I was tired of basically plain backgrounds--then I found this fabric that I used on the backgrounds when I was looking for something--I had gotten it awhile ago and I really really liked it--yet it just had not worked into any of my projects so far--It knew it was just waiting to do it's own "loud" shout of "look at me" and how "prefect" I am for this quilt!!!!!!


So do you like the flowery background on these birdhouses??????? They are much prettier in the real life, than here--only problem I have is at the time I wasn't thinking how much background fabric I would need????? Duh--Di----I only have a yard and that is only enough for 16 of the birdhouses and there will be 24 by the time it is finished as Sindy gives us 2 blocks each month--so if I can't find any more of this--the last 8 will be another project--right???
Blessing to day--Di

SUNDAY--This makes me smile

The color "green" makes me smile---NOT because it's St. Patty's Day--But because, green means SPRING/SUMMER is on it's way-----YES---And they say if you want to attract luck wear green!!! Studies show people associate the color of green with wealth and money (neither of which I have???) A survey showed that people associate green with good luck, confidence, and a nurturing personality--and instantly feel more positive about the person wearing the color green!!!! BUT me --I just like green grass--green shoots of new plants poking their heads up from underground, green buds on the trees--so I like my green outside, plus my houseplants, and not on me--personally I don't look good in green!!!

SATURDAY--Time for a laugh!!

This week's joke is: Leaving the party late, two friends compare notes. "I can never fool my wife," the first says."I turn off the car engine, coast into the garage, sneak upstairs, and undress in the bathroom. But she always hears me. And she wakes up and yells at me for being out late." "You should do what I do," says his buddy. "I roar into the garage, stomp up the steps, throw open the door and start kissing my wife. And she pretends to be asleep"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Quilting update: for work done on Friday---


This is block one of the houses quilt BOM from www.forevergreenquilts, this block is called "Brenda's House. and is really simple to do.

I decided to use civil war fabrics for this quilt as I have been working on a collection of these fabric, but had not found a pattern for them.

Below are pictures of the second blocks in this quilt and they are called "Barbara's" apartment houses, two are sewed together and the other two are each separate and will go in different areas of the quilt. These blocks are really easy and fun to make.

s

FRIDAY--Food Day!!

It's "Friday"--remember when we all looked forward to Fridays???? Well, I still look forward to them, for 2 reasons--one I get to share a "food moment" with you, and second--usually week-ends are alittle less demanding for me and I can get more quilting done, or discover some ways to make this computer work for me??????
Today I want to share a recipe that I have made many times--but I was invited to lunch a few years back now and this is what my girl-friend, Sally made for me and she had such a pretty table set and the prettiest blue plates to eat on---Thank you Sally for a sweet memory!!!
I also like to use canned salmon in mine and I use whatever leftover veggies I may have. I have also just grated some raw carrot and added it, it cooks up ok by the time the pie is done. Have fun with this recipe and leave me a comment as to what you put in yours??????/




Time for a sewing update: I spent the afternoon in hand-piecing class--we are working on a style of hexagons blocks. I am doing mine in purples and greens and we worked on #6 today. Only one more block for this top in this series. Of course this class was taught by my very favorite quilt teacher--Sharon Stroud and we all had fun while learning, and lots of M&M's to keep us in energy and a sweet mood!! I also got a chip for my new camera, so I will doing some more pictures for you of my quilt projects tomorrow--so be sure to tune in over the weekend????