SEW STRONG / BE STRONG

Garden Tour

2010-08-18T12:42:00.003-06:00

Here's another video (second one today!) of my garden; this video is more comprehensive than the last, but still only a few minutes long.

July Garden

2010-08-18T08:29:00.003-06:00

I have finally figured out how to upload a video - much harder than it should be!!

Here's my garden.

First Garden Harvest

2010-07-22T12:07:00.003-06:00

Michelle and I went to the community garden this morning to harvest a couple of rows of garlic with the garden director; he demonstrated how to get the plants out of the ground and worked along with us.

Rows are about 25-30 feet long, so we gathered quite a few plants! It rained very hard last night for about 10 minutes, so the ground was pretty wet this morning. Because there was so much mud on the garlic, we put the plants into low-sided crates (about 2' x 3') with lattice bottoms and rinsed them well, then put them out in the shade to dry.

These rows are in the Common Grounds part of the community garden, so they will go to the local food banks.

After that wonderful harvest, I weeded my row of white onions in the Common Grounds, which I had forgotten about. There were quite a lot of weeds to pull! I also care for a row of Chinese Cabbage, but about half of it has already been harvested, and there were no weeds (thankfully!)

Then it was time to check out my little plot (8' x 16'). I am a novice, so I planted waaaay too many plants, waaaaay too close together. But at least I'll have bountiful harvests throughout the summer! And plenty to share with my neighbors!

I did eat one medium-size string bean (the biggest one I saw) while I was harvesting other plants, and it was DELISH!!

Look what came out of my garden today! I was able to share some of this with Darlene, my kind next door neighbor, and with Michelle, who does so much for me.

sunflowers

beets and baby carrots
(Denny and I sampled a couple of carrots as soon as I got home! YUM!)

yellow squash (5!)

oak leaf lettuce - so tender and sweet!

Women's Voices Quilt - Blocks 5 and 7

2010-07-12T14:56:00.006-06:00

Today I'm sharing blocks 5 and 7 from my Women's Voices Quilt. Block 6 is in progress. Above each block is the description from the package - interesting history behind the names and origins of these blocks!

Block 5 - Crowned Cross

Quilts frequently echoed the religions of the Civil War era. The Crowned Cross was a popular block often used by church groups in quilts sent to the battlefield. Over 250,000 were stitched for the soldiers. They covered the wounded in army hospitals. If a soldier died, he was buried in his quilt.

Block #7 - Sherman's March / Lincoln's Platform / Monkey Wrench

This block was labeled "Lincoln's Platform" during his presidential campaign. It was also named after Sherman's March through the South during the Civil War. One could conclude it was a "union" block. This block was also known as "Monkey Wrench." It is interesting that one rarely comes across a reference to Sherman's March or Lincoln's Platform. Lavender or purple was first introduced in 1850 and became popular in Civil War quilts. It usually faded to shades of pink or brown. In 1825 manganese bronze was first used as a chemical dye. From this dye, khaki was introduced and became well used. The arrival of magenta was seen during this same era.

Wedding Gift

2010-07-06T13:29:00.002-06:00

I'm pretty sure I never posted this, so...

Here's what I made for my nephew and new neice for their wedding last year: a set of towels, etc. for their kitchen.

white scrubby pad, red-white dish cloth, 2 pot holders (my original tea pot design), and 2 linen towels

the 2 towels with red fabric accent

I love linen! It's so wonderful to handle and so absorbant!

10 things

2010-06-25T20:17:00.005-06:00

Ten things I'm grateful for...

1) my patient husband, who's put up with boxes in the living room for 2 weeks now while I re-arrange my studio to be a work room for school

2) being accepted into a distance-learning program at the University of Northern Colorado to get a degree in Educational Interpreting

3) dear friends who live across the street and call me just to chat

4) summer thunder storms

5) freshly mowed grass

6) pomegranite-blueberry iced tea

7) yoga-pilates workout

8) my bike!

9) the community garden where I have 2 plots

10) my mom, who has always been my biggest cheerleader!

Monday Tea Party with Mia

2010-05-03T18:48:00.008-06:00

Today Mia came for a tea party. We ate lots of sweet goodies with our tea (Russian Caravan, 2 sugar cubes for the chick-a-dee), and then we played some games. She brought her Bible Bingo game (I was concentrating so hard I forgot to take picutures; she won). Then we played checkers (she won again); and lastly, we played Dominoes till they were gone (are ever there winners in Dominoes? Guess I don't really know how to play this game correctly but at least I didn't lose.)

Waiting for Mia to arrive at 2:00

Michelle and Tabby walked Mia over from their home across the street, so I asked Michelle to take a picture of us before we began our repast.

Mia winning at checkers.

"WHY can't I slurp my tea with the spoon? That's the way I always do it. And besides, I remembered to put my napkin on my lap."

Candid shot encompassing the whole tea experience. :)

Aren't children fun??? We truly had a WONDERFUL few hours together!!

Here's the recipe I used for delicious scones (no eggs).

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Welsh Scones

(makes 12 small triangles)

----

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

6 Tbsp softened shortening (I used butter)

5 Tbsp granulated sugar (recipe calls for 3 Tbsp, but, oops, I added it to the flour, so had to add more to the butter!)

----

Cream together butter and sugar in a large bowl. (The recipe was not organized like I have it here; that's why I added the sugar to the dry ingredients. Hope my list here helps you!)

----

Gradually beat in:

1/3 cup milk

----

1-1/2 cups flour (I used whole wheat)

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cream of tartar

1/4 tsp salt

----

Mix these ingredients in a medium bowl, then gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix together.

----

Divide dough in half and place on floured surface. Gently pat into 2 circles, about 3/4-inch high, shaping outside of circle with hands. Using a chef's knife, cut each circle into 6 triangles, sprinkle tops of circles with a little more sugar, and transfer to a lightly greased baking sheet, placing each piece 1 inch apart. (I use a large spatula under 3 triangles at a time.)

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Bake on middle rack for 15-20 minutes or until lightly browned. Transfer to wire rack to cool.

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(I baked mine together in a circle - touching - so the insides were not quite done; I left them on the cookie sheet to finish cooking after 15 minutes, and they were PERFECTLY DELISH!)

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Here's the web site where I found the recipe. (My modifications are in parentheses above.)

www.grandpappy.info/rcookies.htm

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Women's Voices Quilt - Blocks 3 and 4

2010-04-18T16:31:00.006-06:00

Block 3 - Coxey's Camp
After the depression in 1983, Jacob Coxey led a group of unemployed men to Washington, D.C. to draw attention to the need for legislation to increase employment. In commemoration of the efforts of "Coxey's Army," this block was stitched.

Block 4 - Brown Goose

Women "raised their own feathers" for bedding; thus, this block was named. This was an easy block and was done in browns. This block is also known today as "Double Z" and is done in a variety of colors.

Women's Voices Quilt - Blocks 1 and 2

2010-04-18T15:31:00.009-06:00

This is the block-of-the-month (BOM) kit I purchased in 2005; I've been stitching it completely by hand, using templates (not rotary cutting the pieces), and I will hand quilt it when the top is finally put together. I'm close - only 3 months (5 blocks) to go! (Then, of course, I'll have to stitch the blocks to the sashing to complete the top.)

Each month, for 13 months, I received one pattern and enough fabric to make two blocks. Sometimes I varied the fabrics within from block to block to make them look a bit different. Fabric placement can do a lot to change the look of a block!

There are a total of 25 blocks in this 1870s reproduction quilt. Each block finishes at 15 inches square.

Below are the first two blocks in the series - with their explanation / history. I hope you enjoy looking at the pictures!

Block #1 - Patriotic Flags
Every time a territory acquired statehood, ladies made flag quilts commemorating the occasion. There are many varieties of flag quilts and blocks... everything from large single appliqued or pieced flags, to this one - flags waving around the block.

Block #2 - Underground Railroad
This block was made in support of the Underground Railroad during the slavery issue. Often quilts were made to raise money for "the cause." This same block is known as Trail of the Covered Wagon in Mississippi and the prairie states. If you reverse the light and dark fabrics and omit the third tone, it is "Jacob's Ladder."
Can you see the different fabric placement in these two blocks?

Time for a Change

2010-04-18T15:17:00.002-06:00

I decided with the lovely spring weather we're having to clean up my blog, too. I'm using a new template, which I hope is interesting. We'll see... I may change it again.

DIY Dish

2010-03-18T13:26:00.004-06:00

There's a new show out there you need to know about. It's called DIY Dish, and it's about creating things. This week's episode is the first, and it's a really good one! Kim and Kris made the cutest pin cushions (which look like little cakes).

You know I collect pin cushions, and I love cake (especially cake this easy to make with no calories), so these are just right in so many ways! I gotta have one or maybe several.

Tune in here: http://thediydish.com/blog and let me know what you think!

Coming soon: pictures of my civil war reproduction quilt blocks!

ciao!

Needle'nThread.com

2010-02-27T20:34:00.003-07:00

Here's another of my absolute *FAVORITE* blogs to visit. Mary Corbett is extremely generous with her embroidery expertise, and her projects are very inspiring. How does she do it - find time to stitch and blog about it every day? If you haven't been there, and you love to embroider, you gotta go visit Mary!

Needle'nThread.com

TAST 2 begins next week!!!

2010-02-22T16:06:00.004-07:00

WHOO-HOOOO!!!

HOW EXCITING!!

Sharron Boggins, one of the world's best crazy quilters, is hosting Take A Stitch Tuesday #2. (Do I dare hope it's going to be an annual occurrance?) She began this wonderful exercise last year, and I joined, though I wasn't able to keep up. However, I did follow some of the stitchers as well as Sharron herself as she took a different stitch each week and pushed, pulled, and/or stretched it to do amazing things. This weekly, year-long exercise is truly an embroiderer's dream!

Bet you didn't know there were so many different stitches that you could use a different one every week for a year and then do it again with EVEN MORE stitches the next year!

I'll be posting my stitching here.

Want to sign up yourself? or just check it out? Here's Sharron's blog:

www.pintangle.com/journal2010/2/23/it-is-tuesday-so-i-am-introducing-the-tast-2-challengers.html

I couldn't copy the link (so I typed it, and am hoping I typed it correctly). If the link doesn't work, just go to www.pintangle.com. If you go there on a Tuesday, you'll find the current stitch.

BTW, Sharron's previous blog is here: www.inaminuteago.com and you will find the most gorgeous, amazing cq there. Warning: get comfortable before you visit, and plan to spend hours and hours; there's so much to see!!

Happy stitching!

david john was here

2010-02-21T19:29:00.002-07:00

David John moved from Southern California back to Everett, Washington, in January, and he came here for a visit between homes.

Isn't he cute?

2009 MT State Fair Ribbons (a brag post)

2010-02-21T18:51:00.005-07:00

Here's a very late update on my entries in the 2009 Montana State Fair (August).

All my ribbons and my "prize" - a 5 lb bag of sugar!
:-D

My favorite tea pot with cozy. I thought long and hard about parting with this one for 2 weeks! What if it got broken - or stolen?! 2nd place ribbon.

A pewter tea pot with cozy. I found this cute tea pot at a thrift store in WA and bought it for $4 to display my cozies in a shop where I was selling them.

My messenger bag. Simple. Functional. Lots o' pockets inside.

5th place ribbon.

Crocheted coasters. 3th place ribbon.

The Friendship quilt Amber King coordinated with many of my friends after my surgery. 5th place ribbon.

Pot holders and dish cloth (don't call it a dish RAG!)

1st place ribbon.

Red polka-dot apron with ric rack trims. I love this apron; I want to add a bib.

3rd place ribbon.

5 pin cushions displayed at the fair. I don't see my favorite one here, but it came back, so all's well. 1st place ribbon.

I hope to update more often, now that I have a laptop and Denny and I can be online at the same time!

green crochet in my kitchen

2009-08-05T13:22:00.002-06:00

Here's my favorite kitchen set. Green pot holders and dish cloth.

The dish cloth has been used, but the pot holders are new. I put a white edging around the pot holders and entered them in the fair with a (new) dish cloth and 6 matching coasters.

I love that green. I think it's chartreuse.

Raining Again!

2009-08-02T19:45:00.006-06:00

It rained on Friday, and it's raining again right now. But it's still 81 degrees at 7:30-ish!

Here's my current favorite kitchen set. It matches the walls in the kitchen and it's such a wonderful green. Made by me, of course. This morning I added a white trim to the pot holders and matching (round) coasters, and then took them all to the fair.

Doh! I almost missed entering my handiwork in the fair this year! And I've been thinking about this year since last year, gathering things.

I've been so distracted with Denny's saga that I completely forgot to look up the entry date. Instead, I focused on the opening date. Last night, I finally realized that, of course I couldn't just show up the first day of the fair with my things! So this morning, I called the department head and told her I was very disappointed with myself for missing the deadline, but if she still wanted me to do some kind of heirloom stitching demonstration, I would be happy to volunteer again.

She was so kind and gracious! She asked me what I was going to enter and then told me to come today between 12:00 and 3:00. (Judging would begin at 3:00.) So I made it just under the wire!! She didn't have to let me enter; the rules say: "no entries after 4:00 pm on Saturday." Last night I was sad to the point of distraction; today I'm elated! Yippee!!! :-D

Long time no blog

2009-07-31T12:16:00.005-06:00

I have a friend who blogs very regularly (hi Amber!), and I love reading her posts! I had intended to update my blog often this summer, but that hasn't happened. I'm also thinking about changing the blog somehow. I have been better about posting updates to Denny's Caring Bridge page, though. It's great that people can check there for updates so I don't have to repeat the whole story so often. And I really appreciate everyone's prayers and concern for Denny. I'm happy that I've had so much time to spend with him this summer. He really needs lots of care right now. Another bonus of my educational interpreting job!

http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/dennisfischer

Today, I'm posting pictures of a creepy crawly Michelle found and had to share with us. I like caterpillars, so I wasn't afraid to pick this guy up --- until he started moving! He was so muscular, not at all like a sweet, gentle caterpillar!! I did scream, but only once and not very loud (I think).

Also, I was desperately hot last week and this week, and one day I grabbed the wooden chop sticks in my sewing studio to see if I could get my hair off my neck without interrupting my creative flow too much. It worked, and I might do it again.

crock pot recipes!

2009-04-21T21:04:00.004-06:00

I love using my crock pots. I have three, all different sizes, and find a variety of uses for them. Since I'm always ready to eat, it's great to come home after work and find supper READY FOR ME.

Denny makes AWESOME BEEF RIBS in our largest (oval) pot. Marinate ribs in BBQ sauce in plastic baggies and refrigerate overnight. Cook in crock pot 6-8 hours, then transfer to the oven on a baking sheet for 30-45 mins for crisping. YUM!

Another of our favorite recipes is CHICKEN SOUP:
chicken carcass (leftover)
3-6 ribs celery, cut into chunks
2-4 carrots, peeled and cut roughly
1-2 onions, peeled and cut into bite-size pieces
6+ cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped
Put all ingredients into large crock pot. Fill with water. Cook on high 6-8 hours.

Here's a terrific blog a friend shared with me (thanks, Amber!). This lady used her crock pot every day in 2008. She's writing a book. Lots of wonderful recipes and pictures here.
http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/search/label/mini%20crockpot

home, snow, back roads, school

2009-04-06T12:35:00.004-06:00

Here's a quick tour of my daily (M-F) journey.
First, a beautiful sunrise while waiting for Katie to pick me up.

That's my apartment building. We're on the right, middle floor. There are five other buildings just like this on the property.

The back roads to school. It's such a peaceful drive.

Approaching school from the north. The closest wing houses the band room and gym.

Parked on the street in front of school.

The fifth grade wing is closest to us. Sixth grade is off to the right. Seventh and eighth grade wings are behind these two wings.

more crochet

2009-04-06T12:30:00.003-06:00

These are crocheted coasters given to me by a friend a few years ago. She used to knit, but it was stressful for her, so she taught herself to crochet. Then she made up this tea cup design. Pretty clever, eh?

I keep them in my studio, near my sewing machine, and use them every time I sew.

Coffee Cuffs

2009-04-06T12:06:00.004-06:00

Here are the latest designs. I found some very cute fabrics and buttons to match!

One of the teachers at school mentioned my coffee cuffs to a lady who owns a couple of coffee kiosks near school, and she immediately bought 10 cuffs to re-sell. And that same teacher bought 5 more to give to her sisters.

look what Mia did...

2009-04-05T13:25:00.005-06:00

on her mini Etch-A-Sketch!

In case you don't recognize the Power Puff Girls, I'll give you a hint - this is one of 'em (Blossom? Buttercup?). They are super heroines. She's flying (obviously), and she looks JUST LIKE THIS.

Mia is not even 6 yet.

Unbelievable.

pin cushions - can a girl ever have too many?

2009-04-05T12:30:00.011-06:00

I have a thing for pin cushions. I love looking at them, handling them. I don't have enough, and I will make more. But for now...

Here's my current collection of pin cushions. They're all different and I love looking at them; maybe you will, too!

(Note: NEVER squeeze a pin cushion, no matter how tempting it may be!)

My pear (about 10 inches high) won first prize in the 2008 Montana State Fair. It's a CrabApple Hill design that I started with my stitching group in Washington. I used a real twig for the stem and silk for the leaf.

This side is blue (purple?) bells.

This side is lavender.

Roses.

A pin keeper. I discovered this "recipe" on Mary Jane's web site and gave several (loaded with stitching goodies) to my Billings Proverbs 31 friends. Each had different fabrics, and everyone got to choose the one they liked best. All supplies were the same - needles, thread, thimbles, finger protection, embroidery floss, tape measure, straight pins, quilting safety pins, etc. They were great fun to put together.

Nadara made this cute little helper from a bottle cap; isn't she clever! It slides onto any finger and is great for mobile sewing!

This is a "biscournu." It's two squares sewn together with the corners of each square right in the middle of the sides of the other square. Does that make sense? Lay the two squares right sides together, then skew them so they are offset; then sew and turn right side out. Makes an interesting shape when finished.

More squares, again offset. From one of Julie and Mandi's quilting books.

Ain't she cute? bawwk, baawwwck!

I saw the "recipe" for this one in a sewing/quilting mag; had to try it. It uses circle shapes; the two bottom circles are very large, and gathered into yo-yo shapes.

This one is my absolute fave. I love the soothing green, and I use it exclusively when I sew on my machine. I put beans and lavender in ALL my pin cushions so they smell wonderful as I stick pins in and they don't slide away.

Mandi arranged my glass-head pins into fleurs and I make sure I don't disturb them. (I removed the pins I actually use for the picture.)

crocheted dish cloths

2009-04-05T12:19:00.004-06:00

At night I crochet cotton dish cloths while watching movies with Denny. Here is my collection at this point. I really like this pattern, my hands stay busy, and they make nice (quick) gifts. I love to use these dish cloths - they absorb water very well.

lime, variegated, light blue, forest green, yellow, red

cotton fibers and Autumn pillow

2009-04-05T12:03:00.004-06:00

Julie and Mandi gave me these beautiful cotton fibers in the fall of 2007. I used them on this embroidery pattern by CrabApple Hill and made a pillow that Denny and I both love. I entered the pillow in the 2008 Montana State Fair Heirloom Crafts competition and won 2nd prize. :-)

busy, busy, busy

2009-04-05T11:54:00.003-06:00

Wow! It's been 4 months since I updated my blog! With Denny's medical situation, I've just been too busy.

I'm on spring break this week, and I'm looking forward to catching up here a bit as well as spring cleaning and visiting with friends.

The birds are chirping joyfully, and the air is clean. I'm going to try to walk every day - with my camera!

Some of these luscious fibers were a gift from my thoughtful sister-in-law Diane. I've been wanting to post pictures of them for a long time!

and the wind blows

2008-11-21T09:50:00.000-07:00

It's often windy here on the prairie, and right now, it's a COLD wind blowing through Billings. Lots of kids at school are sick, including my student, so I don't have to go to school today. I have a sore throat as well, so I'm happy to stay home.

Today while I listen to the wind rattle my windows, I'm crocheting dishcloths and I might also be able to get after that 30's table topper I'm hand quilting. Later, when it warms up a bit, I'll walk to the grocery (a mile and a half each way) for a few necessary provisions.

Yesterday I distributed 16 sign language books to kids in my Sign Language Club. They were so excited! And I was excited to see their enthusiasm. I expect some questions and lots of "Mrs. Fischer, look at this!" next week. Kids are so fun!

Our whole middle school (600 kids, grades 5-8) walked 3 blocks to the high school yesterday afternoon for a musical performance. It was a play about high school kids based on music from the 80s. It was so cute and the kids did such a great job that I invited Michelle to go with me for last night's performance. We were not disappointed; we laughed and laughed. And there were all kinds of kids in the play - high and low academic achievers, special ed; some looked more comfortable on stage than others. It was not a Hollywood production, but it was VERY well done!

Snow in Billings

2008-11-19T16:58:00.002-07:00

Well, it's snowing here - just lightly. We're supposed to get about an inch, which means it will stick. Yesterday, the high was 71 degrees. Today, snow. I love the change of seasons, even if it's from day to day!

Recommended reading for girls with strong values: An Old Fashioned Girl by Louisa May Alcott

First Day of School

2008-08-27T19:32:00.002-06:00

Wow! I'm beat! The middle school I'm in is new, and the floors are cement. I stood or walked all day, only sitting for a few minutes at lunch, and my legs are killing me! Besides that, I didn't sleep well last night. I'm looking forward to establishing a routine. Whew!

Other than that, everybody had a very good day. Most of the teachers were very reassuring to the new 5th graders, and Kyle's home room teacher is a wonderful man. We're going to like being in his room! We haven't met with the reading and English specialists yet. Today was spent getting acclimated and getting everyone put in the right classroom.

I'm off to get an aspirin and some dinner.

Back to Work

2008-08-25T17:37:00.002-06:00

Today was my first day back to work. No kids yet (they start on Wed). Just a full day of meetings. Because I'm at a new school, I met lots of new co-workers and got "the lay of the land." The middle school has 5th through 8th graders, and each grade has their own hallway. They aren't usually together, except maybe assemblies. So now I know: where to clock in, where to eat, secretaries, principal and vice principal, insurance info, etc.

And surprise ---- I don't have to go to school tomorrow because I don't have a room or area to set up! So I'll be sewing again! And Monday is Labor Day, another day off. And the Monday after that is a teacher-only day! Whoo-hoo! I like this easing-back into work mode. :-)

Farm Girls' Meeting

2008-08-24T19:34:00.002-06:00

Today was the first official Farm Girls meeting for the Yellowstone Prairie Flowers. We met in Pioneer Park and hung quilts and wore aprons. Lunch was: egg salad sandwiches, chips, fruit, and cookies. We had a new prospective member. I wore my new apron, which I stitched on till 3:00 this AM. It is cute - red with white pokey-dots, pleats at the waist and looooonnnng ties. I'm gonna enjoy wearing this one! And now I'm on a quest for more vintage apron patterns. There are some really adorable ones out there! Have to wait for a 99 cent sale at Joann's.

A new job - sewing related

2008-08-20T08:23:00.003-06:00

Recently, I applied for a position at Patchwork Interactive as one of their 12 experts - and I was accepted! Whoo-hoo! I don't have all the details on my new duties yet, but I expect to be writing articles and answering questions. The site is for quilters and needleworkers; it's Australian-based, and is very user-friendly, with clean, bright images. Go check it out!
http://www.patchworkinteractive.com.au/

There I Go Dreaming Again...

2008-08-17T15:08:00.002-06:00

My dream farm will have:

dogs (maybe Australian Shephards, definitely Labradors)
chickens for eggs and meat
goats for milk and meat
bees for honey
horses
barn cats
a big garden
lots of room for storing my home-grown foods and for making beautiful and useful things
snow in the winter
a clothes line
a basement
wood floors
bedrooms upstairs
Blue Willow dishes
a treadle sewing machine

If I don't dream about it, how will I know when my dreams come true?

My New Kitchen

2008-08-06T17:11:00.005-06:00

Denny went out for a couple of hours recently, and he came home to a very different kitchen! I wanted it to be a surprise, so the paint and supplies were stored in Debbie and John's garage (and nobody let it slip!).

He was quite alarmed when he saw what I had done, but when I reassured him it was ok with Debbie (it was actually her idea!), he suggested we paint a wall in the living/dining room, and a wall in our bedroom, and the whole bathroom! "We" is actually me because Denny's not allowed NEAR anything as messy as paint, and he knows it!

It's hard to tell from the pictures, but the color is Sage Green, so very soothing... I am tremendously happy with the results!!

Light off

Light on.

Light and fish plate over my sink. The sharp glare from this light was so intense when the wall was white that I never turned the light on. Now it's perfect!

I love the soft color behind the white cabinets and appliances.

My tea pot collection looks good with a sage green background, too!

I've painted a wall in the dining/living room, but no pictures just yet; soon, I promise. The color is... A SURPRISE!

Coffee Cuff

2008-08-06T14:42:00.013-06:00

Here are my two original versions of the Coffee Cuff (also called Latte Cozies).

This one fits any size to-go cup. Talk about a win-win-win situation... It keeps your hand cool while drinking hot liquids, and it absorbs the condensation on cold drinks. And it's a fashion statement, too!

Pink pokey-dots with a bright pink fleur button! Just right for a modern girl.

I sell Coffee Cuffs, my original pattern, and kits. There are three fabrics to choose from: the pink fabric above, a blue and brown fabric, and the coffee-theme fabric on the jar below.
Coffee Cuff: $6. Pattern: $5. Kits: $7.

Farm girls drink from mason jars. Ask me how I know!

Here's my recipe for my favorite summer-time drink. It takes just a minute or two to blend and clean up, and the taste is soooo smooth!

COLD MOCHA FRAPPE
6 large ice cubes
2-3 Tbsp instant coffee
2-3 Tbsp hot water
2-3 Tbsp chocolate syrup
2 cups cold milk

Place ice cubes and milk in blender. In a mug, mix together instant coffee and hot water; add chocolate syrup to coffee and stir. Pour coffee-chocolate mixture into blender and whir 20-30 seconds. Pour frappe into mason jar and sip with a straw. Enjoy! Makes about 2-1/2 cups.

Other Projects

2008-08-06T14:13:00.007-06:00

Here are some other projects that I haven't posted yet.

Quilt for Allyson Robertus (the 4th grade teacher whose class I interpreted in last year). It's about 70" x 70". This is also a picture of my "design wall" - 2 hangers on a closet! Necessity really IS the mother of invention! I can hang my white flannel and "audition" blocks here. The center block is a Little Red School House (blue for Allyson!) with star points around it. Flying Geese blocks in the corners.

I traced all the kids' hands (and the adult aids) with their names in the yellow border, and I'll include all their first and last names on the label on the back.

I liked this design so much, I decided to do one for me, too. My Little Red School House is RED, of course.

My favorite pin cushion. About 6 inches across. Mandi arranged the pins for me - more fleurs!

Detail of the embroidered fleurs.

I read an article about these yo-yo pin cushions, and had to try it!

Pot holders / handle mitts for my cast iron skillets - I LOVE these!

Stitchin' in the Park

2008-08-06T14:04:00.003-06:00

I went to a local park a couple of weeks ago with Michelle, Terry, Mia and Tabby for a free performance of Shakespeare's All's Well That Ends Well put on by MSU Billings. Naturally, I brought a handwork project to work on (my Bible verses quilt), and before I knew it, all four of the little kids from the blanket next to me were in my lap!

The little girl in the dark pink dress (I’m guessing she’s about 3 or 4 years old) kept trying to touch the sharp, pointy end of my needle as I stitched and she finally told me, "I know how to do that. Wanna see?" They were really sweet, curious kids. I wished I'd had small samples they could stitch on!

Preparations for Montana State Fair

2008-08-06T13:12:00.009-06:00

The Montana State Fair (http://www.montanafair.com/) begins this Friday, and I'm busy getting ready to demonstrate embroidery, crazy quilting, and hand quilting in the Heritage Arts building. I have 6 items entered.

This is my first time ever to enter the fair, and I'm excited that I'm going to demo my favorite heritage arts! I can't wait to see ALL the items entered in the Heritage Arts category.

Here are 3 of the 6 items I've entered in the fair.

crazy quilt pillow (all "fancy" fabrics - silks and velvet)

Autumn pillow in cottons (the pattern was a gift from Julie and Mandi; pattern by Crab Apple Hill)

my Mandi doll (my own design; completely hand stitched; tea dyed muslin)

She doesn't really look like Mandi, but she's still cute!

Changes

2008-06-26T11:10:00.003-06:00

Denny called me from work yesterday afternoon and told me to sit down. What he said next is NOT what I was expecting... They fired him; he hadn't sold enough cars. (Next week his insurance would have begun AND they would have to pay him the "signing bonus" they promised.)

Well, the bad comes with the good, so we're not complaining. We'll just wait in hope and see what God has in store for us. (All things work together for good to those who love Him. Ro 8:28) Denny's already started checking the Classifieds.

In the meantime, it's a gorgeous summer day here in Billings, MT, and I hear country music through my open windows. Yesterday evening we had another 10-minute thunder storm.

Life is good.

And it sure is interesting, isn't it!

What Are You Reading?

2008-06-25T10:48:00.003-06:00

Summer vacation is true luxury! I've been reading my Bible for hours each morning, while sipping my favorite drink (a very good imitation of those expensive coffee house blended frappes).

I usually get up about 5 or 6 AM to pray, then I take out my King James Bible, which is less than a year old (a lovely gift from Julie and Mandi!), so it's not marked up yet, and I'm doing my best to color and underline where needed. I fell behind when I got sick, so had to catch up, and I can't read for long at night, so my best studying is in the morning, and I love being able to do it for HOURS! What a great foundation to begin each day.

My night reading happens after I lay down and before I fall asleep, so very often it's only 5 minutes! Right now, I'm reading between two fictional series that are a lot of fun and very sweet.

The first series was recommended by my mom. The author is Alexander McCall Smith, who wrote The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency and subsequent books about Mrs. Precious Ramotswe who lives in Botswana, Africa and becomes... you guessed it... a detective! It's an addicting series full of hope and sweetness and a lovely view of Africa. Here's the official web site in case you're interested: http://www.alexandermccallsmith.co.uk/

The second series is a quilting-murder-mystery series by Earlene Fowler (http://www.earlenefowler.com/index.html). Each book in the Benni Harper mystery series is named for a quilt pattern, and the heroine is a quilter, of course, and she's always doing fun and interesting things besides solving murder mysteries. Ms. Fowler is a Christian, so you don't have to wade through the disgusting, grisly, ugly details that other authors feel they have to include in their stories. The books are quick and easy to read, and good values are presented in a fun way throughout each book.

What are YOU reading?

Important Life Questions

2008-06-13T17:59:00.010-06:00

Some days I'm very introspective. I did a lot of cleaning today, and I'm always introspective while I'm cleaning.

The same three questions keep popping up for me, as a recurring theme in my life. I'll throw them out here with my answers. Maybe you've thought about them, too.

1. What is your greatest fear in life?
My greatest fear is that people won't like me, or will disapprove of me, or will be disappointed in me. One one level, that impacts every human interaction I have. It makes me shy. It makes me wish I was smarter, or had a better education, or a better sense of humor. On another level, it impacts my relationship with God every single moment. Obviously, I'm not perfect because I'm human, so I already fall far short of His goal, and there's no way to achieve that goal.

2. What would you do if you were told you only had a few months to live?
I would be more bold in the way I live my life. I would give my honest opinion regardless of how other people's impression of me might change. I wouldn't be a wall flower; I'd KNOW others would want a relationship with me. I would study, fast, and pray more often to build my relationship with God; He's the most important thing in my life, but I'm not sure He knows that because I let other things interfere too often.

3. We're all dying, from the moment we're born. Our time here on earth is limited. Knowing THAT, what are you going to do about questions 1 and 2?
That's the big question for me. Time goes so quickly, and we must make the best use of it. I was always a good student, but life is not like school; am I failing Life 101? I have a plan, but sometimes I have to remind myself of it. As much as I'd like it to be, life is not all about sewing or reading. Here's what I've come up with.
- Take a deep breath and be real, every moment of my life, even if taking that chance hurts.
- Re-evaluate my day before I sleep every night.
- Start my days with prayer and Bible study.
- Set aside time to fast and study.
- Be thankful for the time I have.
- Try to make progress on all my goals.
- Realize that each day is a chance for a fresh start - and sometimes you have to start fresh several times in the day.
- Take a deep breath and keep going.

One of my favorite quotes is by Ralph Waldo Emerson and it goes like this:
"Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day; you shall begin it well and serenely."

Good advice. Enough said.

Bliss and More Bliss

2008-06-12T14:23:00.001-06:00

BOO HOO! My camera is sick right now. I'm not sure, but it may need a **complete hysterectomy** so I'll send it in to Kodak and see what they say. When it gets out of the hospital, I'll take pictures of my "finished" studio, which is very messy right now, even though I finally have a place to put everything... I'm creating!

MONDAY WAS BLISS -- Michelle called early to see if I wanted to go do some errands with her and the girls. We started at Michael's Crafts, but since my wallet was empty, I didn't find anything I needed. (The girls each got a CUTE pink foam cowgirl hat, and they've been galloping ever since. Giddyap!!)

Then I asked Michelle to drop me at Borders across the street while she did her shopping. She called me a few hours later to see if I was ready to go home. I hadn't read all the sewing / quilting books and magazines yet, so I told her I'd catch the bus home. Once all the books and magazines were read, I walked around the corner (stopping for lunch at McDonald's) to Barnes and Noble and read all of their sewing / quilting books and magazines.

Denny finally called me about 5:30 to see where I was (he got off work early), and since I was ready for dinner, he came and picked me up. I thoroughly enjoyed my day visiting the books; I think I'll do it again very soon!

Time + books = total bliss

MORE BLISS -- Yesterday, Nadara picked me up and we went shopping for a new sewing machine for her. Hancock's was hosting a sale on Singer student models. These machines sew AND serge -- for $99. They're left-over stock from high school orders, so should be good machines.

After Hancock's we went to Hobby Lobby, which I had never been in before. What a gi-normous store! We checked out the sewing department, of course, and not much else.

Then we hit Joann's where Nadara found the perfect fabric for a sewing hussif. It's got all manner of sewing tools on a happy yellow background. She'll add solids (blue, green and/or red) for the insides of the hussif.

Speaking of hussifs, I finally finished writing up directions for my hussif, and will make them available for sale.

Saying Good-bye at Billings International Airport

2008-05-20T19:53:00.000-06:00

The sun was bright! We're all squinting!
Den and DJ

Annie, Den, and Mom

When we drove away, we both agreed that we missed Mom and DJ already (and still do)!!!

SURPRISE VISIT!

2008-05-20T19:37:00.001-06:00

Thursday, May 1 was our 25th wedding anniversary. That and our recent illnesses prompted a SURPRISE visit from my mom and our son DJ. Here's how it happened...

It was my last week at home before returning to work. My doorbell rang, but when I opened the door, nobody was there - but there were flowers, fruit and chocolate on the doorstep. A moment later, Debbie, Michelle, and Mia popped out from around the corner! They came in and we had a brief but lovely visit.

As they were leaving, we stopped to talk with the door open, and I saw DJ come around the corner - and I screamed!!! Then my mom came around the corner!!! I was busy hugging them and crying, thinking what a wonderful, amazing surprise this was. It's on the short list of the best days of my life.

They planned the surprise for two weeks and successfully kept it a secret! Mom had been asking me if I would be home that day in case she sent flowers, and sure enough, she brought flowers, wine and chocolate.

We visited for a while, then went to Denny's job to surprise him. Here we are outside his office.

We had our special anniversary meal at The Granery (a 5-star restaurant).
Here's Mom.

DJ taking a picture of me taking a picture of him.

Everyone say "cheese!"

They stayed for 5 days. I went back to work the day after they went home. What amazing timing! They didn't know when I was going back to work; I didn't know they were coming. I'm so happy it turned out the way it did! It will be one of my best memories ever.

Proverbs 31 Gathering - March 2008

2008-05-18T17:58:00.000-06:00

Our last Proverbs 31 gathering was at Nadara's home. The next one is Sunday!

Jasmine's beautiful smile

Debbie and Jacob

Jazzy with Nadara's kid-sized tea set

Ardith

Deb

Tasha with her precious babes

Tasha sharing fabrics

Deb and Nadara

La belle Michelle

Back to "Normal" - WHEW!

2008-05-18T17:52:00.000-06:00

I forgot to post pictures of me AFTER my recovery in the previous post -- well, I'm really still recovering, but I'm very close to "normal" again. See for yourself...

Our Cute Apartment

2008-05-18T17:16:00.000-06:00

I want to show you our cute apartment... I LOVE living here! Michelle, Debbie, and Marjorie are so close by, and I cherish being able to see these friends and their families throughout the week. They took such good care of me during my illness, too, and I knew I could count on them if I needed anything!

KITCHEN

More apartment pics below...

Here are some pics of me during my recovery. I was tired and in pain all the time (and it shows). This was a GOOD DAY...

Sorry if the picture of my incision (previous post) was TMI!!

Back to the apartment...

BEDROOM (doubles as our office, too)

BATHROOM

LINEN CLOSET

I'll take pictures of the living room and my studio very soon and post them. These rooms are FINALLY FINISHED!!

A BRAVE NEW WORLD

2008-04-28T15:13:00.000-06:00

SO MUCH has changed since I last posted!

Briefly, in March 2007, our son DJ was in a terrible motorcycle accident and I became his full-time care giver for several months. In July, he was mobile enough to achieve his goal of moving to Southern California, and Denny and I moved to Billings, Montana. I am working as a sign language interpreter for a fourth grade boy in a nearby public school.

In February, I made a Comfort Quilt for a teacher recovering from breast cancer surgery. The staff signed it and we presented it to her at a staff meeting just after she came back to school.

Last month, I had emergency surgery to remove a (benign) tumor the size of a grapefruit that was causing tremendous pain; this also required a complete hysterectomy. I've been at home for 5 weeks, but will probably go back to work next week. It's been a slow and sometimes agonizing recovery, truly the worst pain of my life. I have an 8-inch vertical scar to show off (ha!), but life is finally getting back to normal. Friends from all over have been so good to me and I am very grateful for their love and prayers on my behalf.

We moved to a small apartment the day before I got really sick, so my studio is not organized yet. But a friend is going to put up shelves for me; then I can unpack all my tools and start using them! I know just how it's going to look, but here's how it looks for the moment...

Two weeks after my surgery, Denny got an infection in his big toe (he's diabetic), and had to go to the hostpital. He ended up having surgery, too, and had to stay in the hostpital for 9 days.

Now I know why they say "Life is short; eat dessert first!"

New business!

2007-02-11T06:49:00.000-07:00

I've got a deal with the neighborhood restaurant to make these pillows - a brainchild of one of the owners. My plan (Julie's idea) was to go there and stitch one day a week... have lunch, then SEW SOME SEEDS (for business) as well as some SEAMS! Well, the owner saw me stitching and asked if I could make pillows for her niece's three children, who call her "Auntie Pillows." While we talked, she thought about registering the name and selling them in the restaurant! So I'll be madly sewing pillows for a while! I'm very excited about this!

The center section is hand-embroidered, and I purposely chose a simple quilt block pattern for the outer portion to cut down the time it takes to complete each pillow since the embroidery takes so long. I'll be changing the design a little for the store owner's three pillows. She requested that I make each pillow with the kids' names on them so they say:

name
love,
Auntie Pillows

This particular pillow will be for display in the store, with a sign that says customers can order pillows in their own colors.

I'm hoping I can sell other items through her shop as well - pin cushions, small quilts, tea pot cozies and napkins, soap, greeting cards...

My Light Table

2007-01-15T18:14:00.000-07:00

Here's the "light table" I use to trace my patterns onto fabric for redwork. It's homemade - just a piece of Plexiglas and one of those lights you mount under a cabinet. I started using it about 10 years ago for calligraphy, and what I like best about it is that I can adjust the angle to suit me as I go along. The board rests in my lap (it's not heavy), and I can move it a little or a lot as I trace a pattern. It measures 19 by 24 inches. I got it at a hardware store and it must have come pre-cut because I would never ask for those measurements! The light rests on my desk top (it's not hot), and the bulb seems to never burn out!

When not in use, I store the Plexiglas under the desk and the light on a shelf behind my desk. (It stays plugged in.)

Front view - from over my chair

Back view - so you can see the light fixture better. It measures 12.5 inches long.

Pinkwork for Deena

2007-01-15T18:08:00.000-07:00

My friend Deena LOVES pink! And we both love tea parties. Here is a pillow-in-progress I'm making for her; it's almost finished. I'm stitching the dedication on the back of the pillow, then I'll sew front to back and put a pillow form inside.

The floss is two strands of DMC (not sure what color number). It was fun to stitch this!

Redwork stuff

2006-12-27T09:03:00.000-07:00

I have been collecting Redwork patterns for about a year now.

I keep a jar of vinegar and water on my shelf and put handfuls of floss in it at a time. I don't take the wrappers off while the floss soaks so the skeins don't tangle when I take them out. Recipe: 8 oz water plus 1 Tbsp vinegar. Soak floss for 8 hours or longer. Then rinse with cold water till it doesn't smell like vinegar, and drip dry. My favorite red is DMC #304.

Here is some floss, washed and dried, ready to go. Also some red buttons, in my vintage enamal pan with red stripe. Surrounded by glass jars holding dog biscuits and buttons, and pictures of my son, age 5 or 6 (that was about 12 years ago) on the French bulletin board behind the shelf.

I keep my Redwork info and patterns on the CQ and Embroidery shelf. Everything goes into the notebook asap so I can find it when I want it! I do try to read all the info before I put it in the notebook, so I know what's in there.

...and some copyright-free patterns I printed from the internet yesterday, on my desk, waiting to be filed in the Redwork notebook. I got these flower and alphabet patterns here: http://www.ladiesinred.org.

Calligraphy Pens and Hand Made Cards

2006-12-27T07:16:00.000-07:00

Here is all my calligraphy pariphernalia and my hand made cards. Part of my ongoing project called "Clean Up the Studio So You Can Find What You Need." These things were already in order, but now they're documented, too!

All my nibs (on my closed laptop)

Calligraphy stuff back in the box and the box on the shelf.

Many of my hand made cards are here, in a cabinet in my studio. I keep them in recycled tissue boxes and file by subject (wedding, baby, some all-occasion cards, too) so I can find an appropriate card quickly when I need it.

I keep my favorite dip pen, some black ink, and quite a few cards in a basket I can take to another room. It's handy, portable, useful, and decorative. I usually have what I need in this basket. There are also some other pens, in case I feel like writing with them, but only pens I really like!

Paper Bag Folio for Cards

2006-12-27T06:40:00.000-07:00

I was writing a thank you to a dear friend on some lovely stationery and my dip pen the other day. I decided I really didn't like the plastic box the stationery came in, so I made a rustic looking folio from a paper bag, labeled it with the dip pen, and tied it with some selvage from a quilting project.

double-sided tape to stick the sides down.

dip pen and my favorite mug with tea

home at last!

2006-12-01T10:16:00.000-07:00

FINALLY, I'm not working outside my home any more. Finally, I have "free" time to spend creating, to nurture my soul to benefit my family. This is what I was meant to do with my life - create beautiful, functional things and share them. Perhaps there will be a way to earn an income, too. My life-model is the Proverbs 31 woman. She provides food and clothing for her household, invests her time and money wisely, and brings honor to her family.

I have been suffering with minor health problems for a couple of years now, and being out of the corporate world will help with that tremendously; I already feel better. Hubby is very supportive; what a blessing! There's a lot of healing power in handwork - definitely a different rhythm to the hours. I was meant to live at a slower pace than I've been able. I've spent the last few weeks adjusting to my new life, and I think I'm getting the hang of it.

I have many sewing projects in progress and many more in my head for the the near future. My goal is to spend as much time as possible each day in creating, sewing. This will require some re-organization of my two (!) sewing rooms.

A friend gave me good advice recently: "Get your housework done by 10:00 every morning, and the rest of the day is free for sewing!" I'm shooting for 9:00 on the days when I actually DO housework - heh heh!

I will figure out this blog thing and get some pictures posted soon. After all, too many words are boring!

SEW STRONG; BE STRONG!
This is my motto for life.