Finally........

I'm sewing again!
I've been really busy with life and kids and a grand kid(not enough grand kid, just sayin) that I really haven't made time in my schedule to sew. I am starting to adjust to the new school driving routine; it eats up about two hours of my day......one of which I used to use for crafty time. I'll find a groove soon enough, don't you worry.

Today, I made the time. Nothing too strenuous since I am fighting off a cold. Me? A cold.....I am almost never sick. Yukkorama. I prepped some hand work for quiet/tv time.

Don't look at the messy table. LOL

My Crafty Chicas table runner.

Playing around with length and what kind, if any, divider I may want to add.

Trying out this instead of tracing embroidery.

I hear it's fab-u-lous

Also trying a new hoop.

There is another, spring loaded, one I want to try too. I've got an oval and a 4" round, but I think a 5" or 6" springloaded will do the trick. 

Watch for an embroidery giveaway! I will be making a little kit with a hoop and floss and my favorite needles and everything.......very soon!!

I bought this color toweling instead of plain ol' red this time.

I thought the stripe was along the bottom, oh well, I kinda like it. As you can see, a little fall embroidery motif using the sulky fabri-solvi.

And now, the gratuitous grand kid shot.....is she a doll or what?

mending

better matching denim would've been less visible, but these jeans would've still ended up the the "yard work" pile.

I need some serious thimble practice to avoid sore finger tips. lol

The County Fair

Yesterday, the hubs and I went to the Butte County Fair.  Finally, a fair with critters. We went to the Napa County Fair a few weeks ago....nada, nothing. Not even wine making demos....really?
This was a real, live, small town fair. They even had pig races and and ice cream and funnel cake eating contest!

 A few pics......enjoy. 

Baby bunny..I got to play with all the little bunnies in the pen.

Mr. Grand Champion here just kept clucking at me

I should've videoed him...with sound. lol

this one was the prettiest

the hubs favorite area....piggies

He especially loves the ones with pink ears.

The juniors showing their calves.......mayhem...wonderful mayhem. Loved it times two!

Probably the wrong choice in footwear for the barn walks....doh!

the requisite chain saw carving.... 

and tractor displayes

And the quilting and canning.

I just might have to revisit entering some of my handiwork at the fair. I haven't done it since I was in 4-H many, many moons ago. I think I  just might have a shot with my plum jam and a costume....
eeeeeeee how fun is that!!!

Do you live near a great local fair??

Chalet Progress

Here I am up at the property with the hubs. I want to go to the Butte County Fair, it's getting kinda late. He said her would be done by 2:30.........it ain't lookin' good. I could've stayed home and worked on my sewing or cleaned the kitchen or the garage door. Seems we got egged, again, last night. The Dot has broken some boys heart or ticked someone off cuz this is the 4th time in about two and a half months. I am soooo done with it, let me tell ya. Oy and Vay.

A few pics of the progress. It is much bigger than I thought!

me  lol

 

The view from up top

I have yet to master blogging from my iPad. This is gonna look odd until I can fix it on the pc. oh well, long learning curve for this app. lol

I need another pincushion like a.........................

....hole in a jar.

Wait! I do need a hole in a jar. What's that you say?  Yeppers. I wanted, nee, needed and ORT Jar. 

Old Ratty Threads or old ratted threads, I like ratty better, just saying. 

My new embroidery pincushion needed to be special since I already own far too many several pincushions that have specific uses. :-)  Please don't tell me every different color of pinhead and each style of pin do not need their own pincushion......cuz you would be soooooo be wrong.  LOL

The pincushion needed to have a place for my ORTs and I didn't want to be taking the lid off every single time I used my jar. First, what a pain, second, what if I lost the lid or had to fish it out from under the couch if I dropped it? Nosireebob, not happening. I was also tired of the same thing happening to my scissors; sliding down into the couch cushions......don't get me started.

My solution:

My ORT Jar

Side view. 

Love the Circa 1934 fabric. 

It was hard to cut into my stash because I really ♥ this fabric line.

Top view. (duh, right)

A hole so I can stuff my threads down in the jar.

Look ma, I don't have to take off the lid!!

 Wow, this pic makes me look like I have gigantor hands. lol.

The jar really is a good size. wide mouth and 12oz, about 4" tall and 3.5 inches wide.

A place for my scissors.

Sssshhhhhh, I got a new pair just for the jar. 

50% off plus another 20% off with a coupon.

Can't go wrong with ginghers!

I ♥ coupons.

I ♥ scissors that fit my fingers.

Okay, okay, I ♥ having a bunch of scissors. Jeepers already. 

Stem stitch practice.

Small lettering and stem stitch......not such a great combo. 

I am still going to finish it with the stem stitch, but live and learn, right?

To join in on the ORT Jar fun, check out this site.

http://itsdaffycat.blogspot.com/2011/11/totally-useless-stitch-long.html

She's calling it TUSAL the totally useless sew-along. You post a pic of your jar every full moon. 

That was last night/this morning. So this is my very first official ORT Jar post!!

Wooo and hoooo

FIRST DAY OF COLLEGE

My baby girl just joined the ranks of higher education. sniff sniff

First, my boy gets married and produces an heir and now this! I soooo miss their childhood.....and by that I mean under the age of 7. lol

Here she is ......college, day one:

congrats baby girl.....may all your days be as good as the one you had today!

I bought what?

What was I thinking?  I didn't need any of it. I should be trying to live with less stuff in my life, but noooooooooooo. Sometimes something just grabs you and you have to have it. he he he

The goodies that were a questionable (yet cheap) purchase.

I saw these in Cost Plus the other day. No, I don't know what I was thinking besides: Oh, that's the last package! What ever will I do if they never get them again? Doh!

These straws have been on that evil, evil, site, Pick Your Plum, a couple of times, I fell prey to their charms this time. Oh yeah, I normally saw them after they were sold out. he he he

Tell me they aren't a match made in heaven......I know, right!

Guess I need to throw myself a Trek themed party now. ;-)

 

 

Have you ever bought anything you didn't know how and when you were going to use it(them)?

I don't do it too often but it usually involves polkadots and trek. lol Okay, so I buy novelty print fabrics more than I should. Who can't use MORE Ghastlies in their stash??? Dress forms? Bras?

Embroidery: Split Stitch

As I have mentioned in a previous post or two, there is a really awesome quilt I want to make. 
It's dressed dress forms and it's all embroidered. I ♥ it a lot. 

Let me see if I can find the link........

http://www.bobbysocksqc.com/index.htm

Today I finished up my split stitch practice. 
I need more practice. LOL  
My cursive could use a little work too. 

I embroidered the Bible verse that goes with VBS this week. 

 I used four stands of orange floss on some chambray I had laying around.

The piece was just big enough.

A close up view.

Yes, I picked a pretty part. :-)

I did the back stitch here because the letters were smaller.

Looks like I need more practice there too.

 

I wonder what stitch I should practice next?? I wonder what design??
Maybe I should bite the bullet and just go for it already. After all, my skull turned out pretty good, right? Right!

I like having a little hand work at the ready. It might take me all year to do it, but it will get done!!

Wish me luck................

Sewing Goodies!

Finally, some fun mail makes it's way to the Delta!!

 

First off, Thanks Nadine!! She had a little contest and I won this plastic bag saver/holder and matching charm squares. There is a whole story behind this, let me tell you. 

Stolen mail, tossed in the bushes, found by the hubs......guess petty criminals don't know what to do with fabric.  Guess the hubs will check the mail next time I am away.

I am always looking for a better and faster way to make really good buttonholes. 

Peter, over at Male Pattern Boldness demo'd this little beauty and I had to have one. This thing looks barely used and it was only 9.00 bucks! Can't wait to pull out my featherweight and use it!

Ordered some charm squares. I am learning to love precuts.

They match my Crafty Chicas blocks perfectly.

Table runner time!

Picked these up and M and L (during my weekend in the LB and the OC) for the grand dot.

Finally opened this up and started using it. Lisa gave it to me awhile back.

I haven't been quilting as much, but now, I plan on wearing it out!

Storm clouds that look like 6 pack abs. LOL

I do not live in a rain soaked area, in fact, it's dang near desert.

So why oh why does it look like this today?

What's on your horizon?