Best 7 minutes ever

I just had to tell everyone. I just had the best dentist appointment ever!
Remember I had an appointment a week and a half ago? Well the next day I was eating peanut butter and an apple, when I chipped a tooth. A tooth that was in front of my filling from the day before. Of course I was upset. Who wants to go to the dentist, and I was just there the day before. Good news was that there wasn't any pain. But I was worried that if I didn't take care of it, I would end up doing another root canal. So I waited and called the dentist office on Monday and made the first available appointment, today. I arrived early, 15 minutes, before I even sat down, I was called back. The aide looked at the tooth, took an x-ray, and said it was part of my bridge, Duh. I already know that, and it still meant nothing to me. The dentist came right over and looked in my mouth, said that the black dot I was seeing was the metal under the enamel cap and that with some buffing, I'd be good to go. 5 minutes later, I was walking out of the office, Done! I was done before my appointment even started, HURRAY!
If only the vageegee doctor was as easy. I don't mind too much having the dentists fingers in my mouth, but there other doctor.... well not so much.
Now I'm doing the happy dance and heading to lunch with the Hubby.
Have a WONDERFUL day, I am!

Basket progress

I've been working on the leaves in my basket. I had to remove some of them, cause they just don't seem to want to fit. I don't know why that is, but every applique pattern is finicky. So if you see that my wash out blue lines don't match up, that's why.

One of my other project that has been keeping me busy, is the opportunity quilt for our guild. Back in December, I mentioned that I would like to be part of the quilt making. Well I missed the first 2 meeting, I was sick, and somehow became head of the project. My Husband said that's what happens when you don't show up, you're delegated for the job no-one wants. It has been fun deciding on a pattern. We are now at that point where we are buying the fabrics. Now I feel out of my league. This is not my forte'.

Yesterday we were all at HR buying fabrics, which took a long time. I was so over whelmed, that I sat back and watched. The girls had that cutting table cover in bolts of fabric. While we were there, 2 police officers came in. They asked for Carmen, the owner of the shop, and said that they had a warrant out for her arrest. If they said anything more, I didn't hear it. My mouth dropped to the floor and I felt so sorry for Carmen. They cuffed her and matched her out the door.

Do you want to know why? Check out Carmen's story here. Just so you don't have a mild heart attack, like myself, it was a joke.
Have a great sewing day.
Take care, Brandie

New Project

Every January my local quilt shop, Morning Star, does a new quilt in the applique club. Usually I have started the quilt by now. This year, I'm way behind. I have only just started it. Part of the problem is I have been trying to finish those UFO's. And the big problem, is that I'm afraid of the pattern and all that color.

This is the pattern, done in Kaffe's fabrics. I still have not acquired a taste for these fabrics yet. My color choices are a lot more subtle. So I have been putting off the quilt until I could come up with a color scheme that suited me.

I think I have found it. I think I am going to go with an aged look. I am sure all of you are shocked. Me, Brandie, do a quilt in an old fashioned color scheme. What a surprise, right girls? So I'm going to try to do this quilt in just reds and greens. My spin will be using more than 1 color of each.

So I have already deviated from the 2 color scheme, by adding a brown woven basket. But the rest will be reds and greens.
I have all the leaves cut out, 64, and I have been thinking about those orange peel shapes. Those I don't know what I will do with. I even went into MS and looked at the Kaffe's. (I'm just as shocked as you.) If there was only a 2 color Kaffe fabric, maybe I could use it. They may start growing on me after all. Don't misunderstand me, I have seen some beautiful quilts using Kaffe's, I'm just color challenged, remember. I love the Joseph's coat that many of the Aussie girls are doing, some day I might also do one.
So with that......
Take care, Brandie

Does yard work cause rain?

This weekend I finally finished up that Easter linen. I'm glad to be done. Now I can start a new project. No seriously, I will show you pics tomorrow.
I did do lots of yard work. I want to show you our Camellia tree. This tree is as tall as our two story house and about 15 feet wide. It is very hard to take a picture, without ending up in the road.
And the fairy garden had a make over. I cleaned up the mess that Mother Nature made this winter. All the leaves, twigs and dead ferns. Tears....
I uncovered some strange things.
Little shoots of?
Prehistoric roots, that look to still be alive. We'll see what they grow up to be.
Until the garden was back to rightness. I'll have to wait to see if everything comes back. But I can't wait to start planting more.
And today, it is raining. Did I cause this, is it like washing your car?
Take care, Brandie

City of ?

This is one of my UFO's. It's biggest hold up is that the town has no name. I thought it would be special to incorporate my name with my Husbands name. You know, something special. So if you come up with a name using "Brandie or Todd", let me know. At this moment, I have been thinking of using my Grandfather's name, Lowell.
Yesterday Gail, E and I got together and did some sewing. I sewed down the lace on the linen. Worked on some pillowcases. Added more "apples" to my orchard. Planted 2 rows of cabbages and a couple rows of pumpkins.
Click on the pic to see my apple orchard.

I even had time to erect a scarecrow with a pumpkin head. The garden needs some thread play still, but you can see where I'm going with it (crazy that is. This is what happens when I don't have a pattern, craziness). My garden still needs a couple of rows of? Carrots?

The city of Lowell, established in 1914.

If any one has a better name, let me know.

Have a wonderful day.....

Take care, Brandie

Almost

I mostly finished my linen. The linen came with 4 napkins. They looked as if they had never been used. They were a different color than the linen and the small flowers are a bit brighter that the big flowers on the linen. The linen is also faded and stained in several places. But I have this miracle wash that I will soak it in when I'm done. But even if the stains don't come out, it will still be lovely.

I put 1 napkin in the middle of the quilt and the other 3 are just the right size to go on the end. The circle quilting is not perfect by any means, but I've found that I like lots of quilting. I've also learned that washing and drying a quilt will make small mistakes disappear. Isn't there an old saying " it'll come out in the wash"? It doesn't come out, it just disguises it. I still am trying to come up with a plan for the middle napkin. I quilted the main flowers onto it, but it needs lots more. Also there are those 3 other napkins to quilt.

Well we know what I'll be working on.

Take care, Brandie

Introducing...

I'd like you all to meet, our own little Easter bunny. This was my Daughter's room mate, Haddes. She left him here when she moved away. She says he is too noisy and he keeps her awake at night, on purpose. As if a cute, not quite 2 lb. bunny could be that noisy. So now he lives with the rest of us and comes out to play with PugsLee. They run around and chase each other, unless there are carrots involved. If the Bunny get carrots, Pugslee has to have one also. She will even block the door the of the bunny cage, so he can't have any carrots. But now that I now this, I don't give Haddes any carrots, till PugsLee has one.
Haddes is a Netherland Dwarf, about 5 years old. He is very affectionate and cuddly. I think that if he made noise at night, maybe he just wanted attention. Well he's all better now, and he has a friend to play with.

When this pictures was taken, he had just knocked over the basket of eggs. He is kind of mischievous, but awfully darned cute!

I have been quilting on that linen. OK here is the 411 about linens. I bought this particular linen at an antique shop. I have now layer it like a quilt. I will turn it into a mini quilt, 32x42. I did not do any of the embroidery, it was all done for me. If there are stains, we still buy the linens cause it adds character, and this linen has several.

I feel that I am taking something old and giving it a new life. What will I do with this? I don't have any plans, but it looks so much like Spring that I will probably use it on a table. Also the great thing about little projects, there are completed sooner.
Take care, Brandie

Weekend fun

This weekend Gail, E and I went to a neighboring towns quilt show. It was a little road trip just for she girls. Gail knitted in the backseat (soon, she'll have one beautiful sock), while E drove, putting me up front as the navigator.
This town has a quilt show every year. We are trying to figure out how they do this. Are their guild members more active in quilt making? Or is it as I suspect, they repeat some of their quilts.
It was an OK show, we all had a hard time finding a favorite to vote on (we were just being snobs about it and thought our guild had better quilts).
There were a couple of photos that I did want to share with you. I thought this quilt was a great way to showcase large print fabrics.

This was an interesting strip quilt. It looked like it was part cathedral windows. Click on the pic to enlarge it and you will see the folded points. She won a ribbon, so it must be good.
This was my favorite. These are all self portraits of a first grade class. Their teacher then made the pictures into a quilt. How cute is that? Even though this was not a beautiful magazine quilt, I loved it.
Friday I made a stop a Morning star, and they had a class going. It was Cindy Needhams, Linen Ladies. They were all working on gorgeous linens. My mouth was salivating. So I came home and pulled out a couple of linens that I had previously marked. I know I should be working on my UFO's, but I'm so tried of them. I want to work on something pretty.
I don't know if I will use my marks, or come up with something different. Either way, this is what I'll be working on for the next couple of days. Till tomorrow....

Take care, Brandie

Sweet smell of spring

The last couple of days, the air outside as been delicious. The scent is light and clean, not overpowering. I got down on my knees yesterday and stuck my nose it the Daphne. Yummy.

This Daphne lives in my fairy garden. In the last 3 years it has lived there, it hasn't grown any bigger, but at least it's still alive. And the smell, wonderful. If I even move, this little bush will be going with me.

What is also scenting the air is the Clematis. Back when it had snowed, there was just a little bit of the Clematis growing on the fence. Yesterday I looked up and it has grown onto the power lines. I'm not going up there to pull it down! I would have thought that was taken care of by the tree trimmers who come by every year. It scares me, but it is gorgeous.

That's not the only place it has grown. It was way up in the bare walnut tree, 25 feet up. I love the way it is just draped over the branch.

Tomorrow is the "Beginning of Spring". Go outside and smell the air and tell me what you are smelling.

Have a wonderful weekend, and enjoy spring where you can.

Take care, Brandie

Painfully tired

So yesterday I was little more productive. I did finish quilting the pinwheels and putting on the binding. When it has the name quilted on to it, I'll show you all.
Last night at our small group meeting, the 8 of us made 18 pillowcase for children.
There were so many on the table, that I couldn't get them all in the picture.
There are even some flannel ones in there.
This is all of them, but you can't see all the patterns. It was fun and it freed up space on my shelf.
This morning was more appointment. Another for PugsLee and I had to go back to the dentist. He told me last time I had 2 dark spots that Could be potential cavities. after thinking this over for awhile, I called the dentist back to see if this was something that insurance would cover. I have been told yes, twice now. I have a healthy phobia about the dentist and have to work up to going, but after a horrible experience a couple of years ago, I'm trying to act my age (fat chance of that happening any time soon). So I pulled up my big girl panties and went in and had 2 fillings done. One on the left top, and one on the right top. It has been 5 hours, an hour nap, and I'm just beginning to feel my lips and nose. But I'm glad it's over (as long as it's not a scam, and I end up paying thorough the nose), cause with this economy and my Hubby's job, this was better done now than too late. Oh, don't call me, cause I can't properly enunciate and I still drool.
Take care, Brandie

Too much green?

Can There be too much green?

Too much green?
Well I personally think that green is a beautiful color and it certainly makes the world more beautiful.

Yesterday was a good day. I didn't forget anything and I completed all the house work. Did I do any quilting? No, but today I have a sew day with Gail and later tonight we have a small group meeting. So hopefully I'll get back into the groove.

I did make my Hubby a special cake.

Maraschino cherries were the secret ingredient. In the cake and in the frosting.
Don't they look great already? Well after baking, they wouldn't come out of their pans and fell apart while stacking them.
So this is the ugliest cake I have ever made! (I added the chopped chocolate to hide it's problem top)
Seriously! Look at this side. I couldn't get the frosting to stay on and it puled the cake apart. Rrrg!
But my hubby said "it's all in the taste and it tastes great". Well it must have, cause there is only half a cake this morning. And NO I didn't eat any but a tiny sliver. I don't like cherries, that's why I made this cake, I thought I could say away from it if it wasn't something I liked. It works.

Have a great St. Paddy's day.

Brandie

It's a Tuesday

I've checked and double checked my calendar. There are no appointments today. The only thing written in, is my Hubby's B-day. So I haven't forgotten anything. Today I will be able to do as I please. No running around like a chicken with it's head cut off, trying to get out the door in time. I will have time to make a special cake, clean and do some more quilting. But I'm telling you all here, in writing, I will not eat cake unless I use the exercise bike!
So yesterday I went to visit Mr. Sweet & Sour, AKA pesky Uncle. He has had new lighting installed. He is very happy with the results, or he must be, he called me 3 times to come look. But that is not the amazing part. The shocking, amazing, can't believe it true part, is he and the Boss have been married for 35 years. 35 years! That's a long time to put up with a "Bunker". I actually remember their wedding. I was a flower girl, with a velvety dress in an olive green shade. I can remember getting my hair done and how beautiful I felt. I also can remember being kicked by the first born,while she was in-utero. I think I may have been jealous, definitely confused. I thought the Boss was doing it and not understanding how she did it, when I could see her hands holding the hymnal at church. 5 years olds aren't that smart.
Well, everyone out there have a great Tuesday...
Take care, Brandie

Not very productive

I didn't get as much quilting done as I had hoped. As usual, other things became more important. Like a 4 year olders birthday party and day lights savings. That really throw me for a loop. We really don't want to talk about losing an hour. There could have been something very important accomplished in that missing hour.
Well when I do get back to quilting, hopefully soon, I will finish up the stitching in the ditch. I would like to do something a little fancy for the borders, but I still don't know what. On at least one side of the borders, I will be quilting his name. But I can't do that until the name is a definite. At this moment, the parents are thinking of, Noah Riley. So until then, May, I will have to finish everything else.
I didn't show you this quilt before I sent it off. I also quilted this little girls name into the quilt. I think that gives it just a little more love.

I'll leave you now, so I can finish up that quilting.

Take care, Brandie

Pinwheel party

I finished all my pinwheels. I'm so excited! They look so cute and bright, hopefully any baby will love them. I ended up with 21 squares.
Put them all together and this is what they look like. Except I have 1 leftover block. Maybe that leftover block will turn into something.....pillow?

I couldn't stop there, I had to finish the top. Sorry, bad pics.

So this is what I did on my sew-day with Gail. I completed my top and pinned the whole thing together. I had a large piece of blue cotton velveteen. So the quilt was based on that piece. I also added 2 layers of batting (I always use "warm & natural"). This baby will be living in a cold place with lots of snow. So this weekend will be all about quilting. I haven't completely come up with a plan for quilting, but by Monday I should have something to show you.

Have a great weekend, and take care, Brandie

New curtains

I have been working on a project for my pesky Uncle. Why do I call him pesky? He has been having an identity crisis as long as I've known him. He doesn't know is is a mean old grump or a nice guy. Even when he gave me my first driving lesson (in retrospect, maybe it was his forehead hitting the dash that made him this way, Hmm, something to think about). But it's all a big show, he's really a big ol' softie, a lot like Archie Bunker.
He is newly retired and seems without a propose. He needs something to do. Maybe now he has found it. He is turning my Grandmother's old room into his "Man Cave". So goodbye to the lovely shade of lavender and hello to a big screen TV.

If you look closely, you can see that the ceiling still retains a bit of my Grandmother's lavender. He hired me to make curtains for his new room. I think it has been mislabeled, I think the room is actually going to be his "Dog House". He will have the best appliances, so it probably won't be a true punishment to be sent there by the "Boss".
You can see some more of the lavender. Personally I think the lavender would have made a lovely, inviting room for any man, and he should have keep my Grandmother's lovely lilac curtains (they would make any man happy).

Mr. Pesky is planning on adding wainscoting and wood floors, along with that big screen. I'll have to wait and see, maybe his "Dog House" will be just as lovely as it was when he is done.

So if you see my Uncle (you'll recognize him by the dollop of whip cream on his face), just remember, he'll grump and grumble and still give you the shirt off his back.

In other news, the clematis is still beautiful after the dusting of snow.

And all the camellia's are doing fine.

Take care, Brandie

What's white all over?

Look what I woke up to this morning. Yesterday it was sunny enough to open these clematis blooms and last night it snows. Weird, but beautiful (in small doses). The first snow of the year.
Today I'm going to be working on my pinwheels. Hopefully tomorrow I'll have something to show you .
Take care, Brandie

What's up with Tuesdays?

Well Ladies, I did it again. Tuesdays must not be my day. I was taking it easy this morning, answering e-mails and thought to my myself, I have a whole day to play and quilt. Then a little thought popped into my head and made me get up and check the calendar. I really shouldn't be surprised, I had an appointment, and had only 45 minutes to bathe, dress and fix my hair.
I'm thinking that I need to remove Tuesdays from my calendar. It was Tuesday last week when I gained a day. (I'm not crazy, I'm not crazy, I'm not)

One a happy note, I received a pattern from Michele Hill. She had extras and sent me one. I'm very excited about it. I hope to have it done by Christmas.

Here is a pic for you to see. I love the birds. It reminds me of the "partridge in a pear tree".

Hope you all enjoy today, and hope that next Tuesday is better. It's my Hubby's B-day, I'll be in big trouble if I forget that!

Take care, Brandie

Fabric preview

This is from my class on Friday with Sylvia Pippen. Sashiko is not my strong suit. But maybe with practice. This is not the best example, but when do you bring something home from a class that is perfect?
I did learn a new technique using Mylar to turn your applique pieces. This seems easier than the freezer-paper way. I'll try to remember to use this technique again.

After the class I bought some fabrics for a few baby quilts. I fell in love with this argyle fabric. How cute is that? I thought that pinwheels with these fabrics would be cute.

I need to start preparing for my Nieces baby. He will be here in May, the day before my B-day. I'm very excited about his arrival. Now I just need to make as many quilts as I can. So I'm putting aside my UFO basket to work on baby quilts.

Take care, Brandie

I finished

I'm so happy with this quilt. Usually by the time I finish a quilt, I've had enough and don't care for it anymore. But this quilt is still a favorite.
This is another quickie, as I have a class with Sylvia Pippen. So I'm off for now, but I'll have more for you Monday. Have a great weekend!
Take care, Brandie

Pedal to the floor

Today I need to finish the echoing of the feathers on my outer border. I need to stick my big toshie in the chair, and put the pedal to the floor.
All so I can have it crossed off my list, at the guild meeting tonight. But I'm determined to have it done this afternoon. That means binding and label also.
So I don't plan on answering my phone or taking time to play with the dishes or even the laundry. I have a mission and I must reach it!

So a quick "Hello" and now a "Goodbye".

Take care, Brandie