OH NO, Another UFO

This is the very first applique I ever did. It was a lesson from the class. We were to make one block the learn curves and some straight stitches. I had so much fun, I did four blocks. I had already done some piecing so the little pinwheel in the middle was no problem. I gave this to my MIL along with my very first quilt. But I always thought this quilt needed something.
Back in the days when I hand quilted everything. I still love the look, but I have so much to do, I don't have the time for it anymore.
Along came this book. I was surprised by the way everything fit so well together. Who ever heard of pink and yellow together? But I loved it!
So I made my own version. I didn't want to copy too much of the same pattern. I wanted it to be my own. Also this was before I know about quilt fabric verses Walmart or Joann's. The only thing I didn't like about "Pink Lemonade" was the fried egg flowers. So I used the same type of flowers from the quilt above.
I loved the insects in this quilt. Learning from the book that spider and their webs were good luck, made me put them in many of my later quilts.
The fattest spider to never live. But I loved the web. This quilt is also hand quilted.
A close up of the ugliest dragonfly ever!
A every primitive bee.
So the point to all this was, The first quilt needs a border just like this one to finish it off. Then I can give it to my MIL. I think she thinks I forgot about giving it to her. Someday I will finish it and you are all witness's that this is her quilt.

Take care, Brandie

Does anyone else remember underoos?

When I was a young girl, I had a large crush on a movie star. I might have even believed she was truly real. Who you ask? Wonder Woman, AKA Lynda Carter. I would turn and swirl for hours, trying to turn into her. Just so you know, nothing ever happened, except I got very dizzy. I even had the underoos. I wore them as often as I could. They made me feel so strong.

A couple of years ago, my husband found grown up underoos. You'll never guess what kind. Yup, Wonder Woman. I was so excited, my kids thought I had finally lost it. Not only did I get new underoos, they were sent by Major Steve Trevor.
The only bad thing is, now I afraid of wearing them out. I've worn them maybe 3 times in the last 3 years. So I need to buy another pair. I'm using this as motivation to lose more weight and buy a smaller size.

This year, I have more to add to my collection.

My daughter found this for me. I not really a belt person, but I did wear this all day, over my underoos and with my red boots, hidden by my clothes. I felt so powerful and strong. After the Bad Day, I needed all the help I could get.
Sorry, I don't know why my pictures are sideways. I've tried uploading them twice.

Cousin Nikki found this mug for me. Isn't it great? I love Wonder Woman so much, I've thought of getting a small tattoo, on my toe, of her crown. But I'm a coward and would probably never do it.
For Mother's Day, which my b-day fell on, I received a new Ipod. I had a first generation Ipod with 10 GB. The family upgraded me to a 160 GB with video. I have loaded it up with every bodies music and I still have 58 GB's free. When I say everything, I mean it. Weird Al to classical. 4 banker boxes full of CD's.

Both kids have their own and I didn't want mine confused with theirs, so I made a sticker. I went to skinit.com and made my own sticker using pics we found off of google. I love it!

I haven't gotten any sewing done in days, I've been cleaning out a couple of closets and reading. Tonight is Guild night and I might have something to show you tomorrow that is quilt related. But don't hold your breathe, I still not feeling it.

Take care, Brandie

A Very Bad Day

I have a poor me story to tell you today. But don't read this if ...

1. you have no sense of humor
2. or you are sensitive to arguments

My son, who has a great sense of humor and is usually so easy to get along with, had an argument with me on Christmas eve. I was still going through an emotional time and this silly argument, about olives, made me cry. He left mad and I went to my room angry and hurt, ready to call Christmas off. After I regained some of my composer, I continued with Holiday baking and such. About an hour later, I received an e-mail that sent me right back to my room, crying like a baby. Throwing myself on my bed, in a childish tantrum, I felt a wet spot. Apparently while I was feeling sorry for myself, my little princess PugsLee, peed on my bed. Guess what, I cried even harder. Several hours later, still soft and tender, I re-entered family life. My daughter and I spent some time looking at awkwardfamilyphotos.com. Some of these pictures were quite strange and helped me get out of my funk.
We all had dinner together and I started to get back to my usual optimistic self. After dinner we opened our 1 present. This has always been PJs so that Christmas morning the kids were in festive PJs for pictures. This year was no different. I found red long johns for my son. I knew he would like them, I just hoped he'd keep that back flap shut. My daughter and I mentioned this to him, as he was stripping naked to put them on. He was in another room as he did this, don't worry. He wanted a picture for his girlfriend and thought it would look good in his PJs. So he laid out on the couch, doing the Burt Reynolds pose. Dad was taking pics, while Bridgette and I were cooking pies. I made a detour to the living room for something. So as I entered the room I was looking at William posing and I started to say "your buttons are undone and your belly is hanging out". As I was saying this, I realized that that wasn't his belly and screamed and ran from the room, laughing the whole way.
Apparently, Dad was taking his own awkward photos. William as usual, laughed it all off and doesn't seem to be fazed by it one bit. Me on the other hand was and am traumatized. But after that horrible day, I have a funny story to tell.
Thank you for reading this, I told you all as a bit of therapy. I'm laughing now and I hope you are too. I also hope I'm not the only emotional female out there. I need to grow a thicker skin and not to let such silly little things bother me.
Take care, Brandie

Swiss and Provolone on toast

As you can see I've been working on Lori's doll quilt. As I explained yesterday, I didn't have any "cheddar", so I've used swiss and provolone. I would like to double the size and turn it into a baby quilt. Now my only question is will I have enough scraps of each color. This is why I haven't sewn the blocks together. That and I'm hoping I have the blocks correctly lined up. It has been fun putting this little quilt together. And there's a bonus, using up scraps. When I say scraps, I mean left over pieces, 2 inches or more. I didn't use to keep scraps, but my friend E always uses scraps and her quilts are beautiful. E has a real eye for color, instead of her quilts looking busy, they blend beautifully. So I'm learning from her, all scraps have a place and should be loved and used.
Take care, Brandie

Weekend Fun

I had a great weekend, how about you? Has anyone else seen "Its Complicated"?
Without giving away too much, I'll say it was very entertaining, but maybe that was because of the cousins. Do you watch movies and put friends and family members in those rolls? Well we did and that made it funnier. There were a few surprises that they didn't show in the previews, so that was nice. Meryl Streep's character had a wonderful bakery shop that I would love to run, just a little dream of mine. And her house was beautiful as well. So if you like movies and you have fun girlfriends, I suggest you all go together.

Also this week end I did get a little sewing done.

I think I'm done with the layout of the Dresdens. As you'll notice I did add a strip to separate the lights and darks. This isn't a masterpiece, but I'm happy with it. The original layout, just didn't work, so I rearranged till I saw something I liked. I still need to buy a backing, so I will set it aside, only for a moment, and work on something else.

Have you all looked at Lori's doll quilt "Cheddar Cheese and Crackers"? Well I started to cut out the scraps to do this small quilt. I had a couple of small piles going when I thought, "These are too big". So I went back to look and sure enough I had cut my square too big. Lori asked for 1 1/2 squares. Really Lori? I really need to wear my glasses for this quilt.
I didn't have any "Cheddar" so I'm going with a swiss and a provlone. Maybe I make it bigger and turn it into a baby quilt for my niece. But I'll have to actually put a block together to see if I might be biting off more than I can "sew".

Have a great Monday, Brandie

Do you remember the little pic I teased you with? This is the finished project. I made 2 exactly the same, but have only seen one model. I had bought this fleece years ago and had just enough for to make jackets for the younger girls.
I really need grandchildren. Next I will be make clothes for complete strangers children. Maybe I should start making clothes for my future grandchildren, I've already bought clothes for them, this wouldn't be much different, right?
Tonight is girls night with the cousins. We are going to see "It's Complicated". I'm hoping that the preview haven't shown all the good parts.
Have a great weekend, Brandie

A Special Girls B-Day

This is my niece, who was luck enough to be born on New Years Day. Today we will be celebrating with her.
Last night Nichole and I made homemade cannelloni. We brought in the New Year with pasta. We made 2 different kinds. One with a meat filling and tomato sauce and one with ricotta and seafood.
It is very exciting to see the noodle come out of the machine.
This was my first time to make a filled pasta. I'm not an expert, so I made up my own way to do this.
The meat filled, after baking. I was so impressed with the way they looked after being cooked.
The ricotta filled, after baking. Again, isn't it pretty?
Plated, with scallops and shrimp on top. YUMMY! I will definitely be doing this again. Nichole and I thought the seafood cannelloni was the best.
Even with cleanup, I was bed by 10:30.
What do you all do last night? Let me know if you had a big party or were you like me and home in bed before midnight.
Take care and Happy 2010, Brandie