Sheepish Grin

I think that I need to just come to grips with the fact that I am a complete 'hit or miss' kind of blogger. If you don't already know of my famous inconsistencies, let me start by telling you that I do not blog every day, or every week, or even every month. I will have an entry one day, then not again for another month, then 15 days in a row. I am trying very hard to change my ways, but I don't think that they have the kind of rehab that I require. I am not addicted to drugs or alcohol, I am not a hoarder (I hope not, anyway), and I don't have anything that I need to ''tell you more about''...but I do know that the first step in making yourself better and correcting your problems is admitting that you have a problem in the first place, however, I am not sure which ''step'' this is. I also know that one of those steps consists of tear-filled apologies to all of the people that you have affected (and sometimes infected) along the way.

So I stand sit here before you with outstretched arms (palms turned up, not begging for money), asking you all to please forgive me. I am a baaaaaaaad girl.

...and although I have some fancy, creative excuses that I have dreamed up, I am sure that the excuses are something that I am supposed to forgo in these types of settings. Still, I think that you will like the one I have that involves digging myself out of my own stash with nothing but a seam ripper...(that was really a good one, too.) Oh well, time for another giveaway. Tomorrow. What? I really mean it this time. Honest.

I May Not Finish Quilts; But I Make Damn Good Blocks!

I am so amazed at how fast some quilters 'get 'er done'. Some of these fabulous fabric lines come out, and before I can even pull out my husbands credit card...someone else has already quilted something astounding with them. I am not talking about company and designer samples here; I am talking about, honest to goodness, Sally, two houses down the street, kind of quilter. By the way, ''Sally'' has 4 kids all 1.75 years apart in age. She is president of 3 non-profit organizations. has won 5 blue ribbons for her peach pie. Now I can't be sure, but I am willing to bet she hopped up the judges with a recipe as good as this one here: Honey Bourbon Caramel Peach Pie. (yes, click on the link...you know you want to.) Sally doesn't know how to 'not know' anything. How do these kind of people do this? Don't they have Facebook for crying out loud. Do their eyes not close at night? You know what? For all I know, she is at level 1,543 in Mafia Wars and icing people left and right while she stitches the binding on her 52nd quilt this month. (and of course these quilts are ALL being donated to a non-profit organization who's main interest is saving the unicorns...yay! tax write-off!) OK, Her children even have their hair combed daily sans jelly and peanut butter. I have a little girl that likes to put her feet on the table while she eats in restaurants.
And I got another block done!

Somewhere in This Post, is a Winner

The bad news is that I am sick. I am sick with a cold that Connor brought home from school, along with a few red marks from his teacher. I guess that I should be like a ''normal'' mom and be disappointed in him for being verbal in school and for his lack in self-control during class (and that is definitely the message that I perfectly portrayed to Connor); however, I am really just ecstatic that he is not the mousy, shy boy that I thought him to be. I am sure that this bad boy image that he has acquired from his first week of kindergarten isn't a downward spiral into tattoos, body piercings, and bad taste in music. It is kind of funny to see other moms think otherwise though. ''Oh, NO! Johnny got a red mark! Now he is NEVER going to get into Yale!'' lol. Yep. You're probably right. But I think it has less to do with Johnny talking during class, and more with the bottle of glue that he chugged during recess. Really, Connor goes to school with a lot of normal, happy, good, smart kids...with a few overly privileged ones thrown in, just to make it interesting.

The good news is that I had the foresight to package up the winner's fat quarters last week into an envelope, all ready to mail. So no yucky germs being mailed to anyone! I am calling this foresight, but we all know that this was pure luck. Being a mother, you can plan a schedule better than the Presidents secretary, but that all means nothing with a baby, 5-year-old, and husband always changing things on you. You might as well wake up every morning planning for train wrecks, alien invasions, and house fires. Then if those things don't happen (yeah, right), you have got yourself a special day!

I am hoping that this is the way that the gal who writes the blog My Life in Quilts starts out her days, because these 6 free fat quarters thrown in will probably make the invading aliens seem like a minor detour. Congratulations!...And a heartfelt 'Thank You' to you all who entered the drawing. I enjoy doing these things, so I think a new one will be in the plans for October 1st as well. I will keep you posted.

Back in Session

well, my give-away is drawing near, but there are still a few days to enter to win the fat quarters. The good news to those that already have is that your odds look pretty good! See my previous post for details.

Connor started kindergarten this week. He is loving it and doing great, with just a few minor hiccups here and there. His mother, on the other hand, is trying to adjust to waking up at 6:30 in the morning, with temper tantrums and pouting. I have been going to bed at midnight or earlier (can you believe it?). It is not so bad, because now the kids go to bed at 8pm instead of 9pm. I just really wish that I could adjust as well as they have. The secret is coffee, and lots of it. Then after the kids are taken care of, I will usually have a cup myself.

My sister called yesterday to see if I would be interested in making some wall hangings or banners for her church in Oriska, N.D., that recently burned. They are now in the process of rebuilding. I am not Lutheran (those heathens...) :), but I am Methodist, and ''Method''ists make the best quilters, so how could I not. Plus, Oriska's church has been long overdue for a Larry-the-cable-guy lent banner, or an Elvis Easter one. What? At least people will notice them for once. Too bad they're not Catholic; I would make a Madonna Madonna.

I finished another basket for a gal in Australia that didn't get one from her swap buddy. She doesn't have a blog. She doesn't have Flikr. The only thing that I know about her is that she likes blue, and her address. Most people would be frightened by such mystery and vagueness; not me. To me it is a ticket to bend rules, and to do what I want to do. The most difficult swap partner that you can have likes ''Lego's, penguins, and yellow, but not gold yellow...and can't stand Amy Butler.'' Huh? What do you make for those kind of people? That's right! A gold/yellow Amy Butler bag! Anyway, back to this gal in Australia. If you are out there, sweetie; if you ever bump into my blog in the land of Internet and see this, I want you to know how much I loved making your bag for you. Your bag is on it's way. This is what it looks like:
I have a challenge quilt to make that is (thankfully) only 24 inches square, and it does not have to be done until February. I am going to applique some on it though, so I should get started now. Finally, I have also been working on a t-shirt quilt for a friend that I have been dragging my feet on only because I cannot stand making t-shirt quilts. I make them. I just grumble and piss and moan about it the whole time. I think it is because for every person you meet, they have a sentimental stock-pile of T-shirts in a box. A box filled enough to make 3 king size quilts. If you make the mistake of making one, you are automatically elected to make one for each of their friends and family. It is like a bad virus. The next thing you know you have 5 quilts in your closet (Jennifer's high school band, TJ's baseball, Margaret's Triathlon t's, Ed's Softball and beer drinking, and Egbert's Harry Potter). And your double wedding ring quilt that you have always wanted to do can just wait until Egbert is taken care of. Your grand children will wonder why the hell they don't have a single one of grandmas quilts, and why she made one for that weird neighbor who still loves Harry Potter.

lol. I need a coffee.

Free Fabric for Someone...

I have been buying fabric lately that really needs to be in my stash. I have always loved anything ''funky'', or ''ugly'', or just plain ''Seriously?''. I have liked them for a long while. In fact, I think that it is funny that the fabrics that I am attracted to are called ''Modern'' because they are really either a reproduction of 1940's prints, 50's prints, or most recently, inspired by 60's and 70's prints. It is like I waited 30 years for my favorite prints to become cotton instead of double knit. And now that this kind of fabric is more readily available, I can even score some at lower prices. Last week, I bought some fabric that was discounted. The catch was that you had to buy a yard minimum. I only wanted a half yard cut of these prints, but when I found them available at 1/2 yard, they were more expensive than the full yard. So, I bought the full yards, cut a set of fat quarters for a friend, and decided that I will give a set of fat quarters away to one of you fine people in blogland. I know it is not much, but it is free; and if this goes well, I will do FUNNER things again and more often. You will get the 5 fat quarters shown above with an extra bonus fat quarter. I will choose a winner from the comments of this post on September 1st. The only things that I ask of you is that you leave a comment, and tell your friends on your blog about it. (and Thank You!)

Lord, Bless This Poor Child.

Well, I am happy to report that McKenna's baptismal gown is finished. I made a similar one for her older sister, so I couldn't very well not make one for her. I started it when she was a little baby, knowing that it would take me a while to get it done. These sort of things take me a while because I worry so much about getting it right that I drag my feet getting some of the steps completed. The pattern that I used did not call for any needle-turn applique. All of the ''stuff'' that you see on the front was either completely designed by me or inspired and adapted from another source.

here is a better picture of the front:
The flowers that I drafted are Myrtles, which are symbolic for ''one converted to Christ'', the Columbines symbolize ''the Holy Spirit'', and the white rose stands for purity, (if you are Catholic, it is also one of the many flowers associated with the Virgin Mary...we are Methodist so it probably means ''brings extra food to the church potluck''). I wanted to do some broderie perse applique on the gown, so that someday, when McKenna is older, she can hopefully appreciate all of the different things that I learned along the quilting road.

This is a better picture of the collar, again with applique lace medallions:
I made a bonnet to go along with the dress:
I was wondering if it was going to even make it to her head without being grabbed and thrown on the floor right away, but surprisingly enough, she loves to wear the darn thing...everywhere, no matter what condition her hair is in, or how dirty her clothes are. She watches cartoons with it, wants to take a bath with it, and don't touch her precious 'hat' or you will surely get a display of tantrums. weird kid. Bless her heart all the way to the alter.

Who Wants a Pretty Scarf?

Dorien at Just Do is having a give-away on her blog of this spectacular scarf. She is amazing at everything! Making bags, pillows, wallets, even bike skirts. Yes. Bike skirts. You really must go to her blog to see just what I am talking about...I stalk her Flikr pictures on a regular basis. I hope you will too.