New Year Blessings

Just wanted to take a moment and send out some Blessings! I have received many in such a short amount of time from fellow bloggers, I like saying that, fellow bloggers! What a great way to build new friend-ships, keep family updated on what is happening in our lives and share the gifts that we have with one another by way of encouraging! What a great impact that that little act can have on a person. And I personally Thank You!

I have to confess that I do a little jig when I see a comment has been posted. I shared with a new Friend how hard it is for me to leave comments, I mean you have to think about what you are going to say and then you delete fifty thousand times and finally just say oh pooh, and move on. Well, I am going to work on that, the more I do it the easier it will be right? Right!

Mary asked about the size of my little tumbler, that one was actually paper pieced and each little tumble worked out to being 1.5, I have since found a little template that finishes also at that size. All because at the Pinwheel's booth last year at the Road 2 California Quilt Show I found a monster of one that had been used in a previous block of the month! If I knew where I put the camera charger there would be a picture about............
here.

My purpose for purchasing it, along with the fact that I love that block, is it would give some nice room to practice different quilting stitches with the Beast. That is on the list of things that I would like to accomplish this upcoming new year.

Until then!

Taking a Diet

A Fabric Diet, it has been slow in coming. It all started when we first started talking about moving from Vegas, where there is a Quilt Shop on every corner, OK, so not every corner, but they were very accessible when needed at a moments notice.

So when I discovered there were no shops in the new area it was a little daunting, by then I knew UPS made deliveries and thankfully our house had it's own mailbox and we didn't have to rent a p.o.box in town, but still to not be able to have what is needed at a moments whim scared me. Being a Scrappy Quilter anyway made it fun for the kids when we would go to a shop as I would let them pick out a handful of fat quarter's, and each one had their own taste so the variety was always good thing!

Once we were moved I had to find a good source for Internet shopping, that of course took some trial and error but thankfully all ended well with fabric for the cabinet and I discovered some awesome places to order from. But still, they were the beloved fat quarters and now I needed pieces for backings, that of course was a cop out because we all know what beautiful backings fat quarters can make!

I fell into a shop closing up with everything in the store being 75% off and I was there at the beginning, middle and end of the sale! The thing was I had always tended towards plaids and stripes, and at this sale I forced myself out of the box and bought a variety, the one variety I fell in love with was the Civil War, 1800's reproductions. Sigh, if the camera hadn't died those cabinets would be shown as well. This past year I discovered Jo Morton's fabric and patterns through a really good quilting buddy that I am blessed with here in Kingman, those purchases are all her fault, she doesn't know this yet but I forgave her the moment UPS delivered!

Anyway, since the battery died, I have also not shown the BOM's, or some of Jan Pateks or Pinwheel's cute little fabric bundles are in, but they are not in vain! There is a project in mind for each collection! Trust Me....................Oh, and the same with the Denim under the cutting table!

Stitchy Fingers Web-Ring

How cool is that little doo-dad over to the right! I am very excited to be a part of this new ring that Susan has started. And the advice that she has shared with me has been priceless, this is all very new to me, it is one thing to see how other's are doing there's but quite the other when trying to apply it to your own. I am enjoying the challenge!

A new toy that came in today was Photo Shop Elements 6, had to try it right out and re-worked the picture of Chad with Dale, it took like 2 seconds to crop it! Wow! Prayerfully everything will be that easy to fiddle with and make look great. Cause if you look at those previous pictures you will see they could use mucho impovement, but they are going to stay that way so I can see how far I have already come in such a short time.

And thank those you those that have left a comment, that was like an over the top caffeine rush!That is another area that I am going to work on myself, leaving comments, I seem to get finger twisted (aka tongue tied) so just cruise right on by but now knowing what one does, I will conquer it!

The Boy Child Chad

Here we have Dale and Chad, they are preparing for Dale's sister's wedding where they are 2 of the usher's. Dale has been Chad's best-friend since we moved to Kingman 6 years ago and they have come pretty close to saying they have spent every weekend together. They work together, our families camp together and we serve at our Church together. We can also say that his family and ours have become one since we met. That is pretty awesome if I do say so myself!

Quilt Puzzles

Well, I am going to have to figure out how to do the multi picture layout! This is try two so we will see how it goes.

Puzzles, we like puzzles, we like taking a puzzle and see if it can be put together in a day. Yes, there have been some long ones! The Miecer didn't fall into that category though, she took 3 solid days and much chocolate and coffee. There may have been too much coffee.

I don't like to start working on one unless we already have the frame for it so I carry a list of the sizes we need with me and that of course means I have to stop at Joann's when we are in Vegas to see what they have. And when they don't have anything then I always find plenty of other this's and that's in it's place.

Puzzles with Vintage Sewing Machines are also around and will save that for another post with an intro into another collection of actual Sewing Machines. Now we are off to get ready for our Christmas Family Dinner, all you can eat seafood! Those pictures are going to be a lot of fun!!

A Mini

This is one of my first mini/doll quilts. It is a charm, no two fabrics alike. In my UFO's I have another one in progress that I am using as my leader/ender's as I am piecing. That one is going to finish in a long twin size, these kids are pretty tall so quilts need to be able to cover them completely, at least that is what they like! To bury themselves under the covers!

Chad's Best Friend

Here is Murphy, he is actually one of two of Chad's Best Friends, and they are that! Three Pea's in a Pod or The Three Stooges on any given day! Couldn't ask for better for my boy. This is a gift he recieved from his Grand-Parents and he is sharing it with us.

Other Girl Child

Here is Courtney, she is 15 and there is a boy child between her and Levia. Trying to get him to sit for a picture is like.......well, I haven't succeed in that yet. So back to Court, here she is working on her culinary skills, she has chili in the pot and cornbread fresh from the oven! What better way to keep the insides warm when it is 20* degrees out and still dropping!

Christmas and Quilts

Well, I can't believe Christmas has come and gone, we have spent the month celebrating so it was a nice quiet day to be had! We rented the six hour version of Pride and Prejudice and made shrimp savoy for dinner. There were plenty of breaks for snacks and feeding the wood burner as it was a cold day out.

Here is another quilt for the St Jude's children, this particular chapter takes care of the abused and neglected children that are from the Las Vegas area. I used the Circle Lord Squares template and love the South Western feel it added to the quilt. It is one of my favorite templates! Although you may see that statement on all 6 that I have.

I am thinking it is time to get a proper hanging system up so I can get some better shots, we have the idea and the supplies but have been lacking in the time area!

St. Judes Quilt

Here is one of the quilts that I did for the project, I love how the clam shell's give the effect of beng a puffy quilt! I am not sure what the loftness was on the batting but it gave it a nice touch to something so simple!

Some Treats

My Son's Courting Partner Sara and her family made a surprise visit to Scott on his birthday this past Saturday and her Mom made this for us. It, of course, is already missing some of it's sweets but I thought it looked mighty fine on the mixer! Now to be able to enjoy it for a few more days, wonder it that is really possible?

When we lived in Vegas our families served together at Twin Lakes Baptist Church so they have known each other since they were about 5-6 years old. It has been way sweet to see them growing closer these past months and we look forward to what the future may hold for them!!

Blog?! What Blog?!

Too Funny! Yes! Everyone can see you!

Levia

Here is Levia, my tom-boy girl who will be 19 in January! There is cammo fabric with that orange plaid that she feels will be the perfect quilt! Scottie is helping her audition.

A Success!

Just wanted to see if I could figure this out, guess once I push the button we will see! This is Scott, he will be 22 Saturday and is the oldest of the clan. We are very proud of him, he has just been accepted to become a Sheriff's Deputy and will be heading to the academy in February!

A First!

Hello and Welcome to my musings! I have spent much time agonizing whether to start a blog or not and with the encourangement of my family here I am! It is simply amazing to see what others are doing and my stuff doesn't even begin to compare but my heart is in every stitch that I piece or quilt on the longarm!

A little about myself, I am 38 yrs old and have been married for 21 years. We have 7 children, 5 boys and 2 girls, the oldest being 22 and the youngest 9. There will be pictures of the clan sprinkled throughout as they mean as much to me as my quilting!

I have been piecing for 12 years now, my has the time flown! And my DH gifted me with my Beast (APQS Millenium Longarm) last February, we have 'beastly' as well as 'beautiful' days! There is still so much to learn but I finally found my confidence to offer quilting for a group of ladies who are supplying quilts to a home for abused and neglected children, St. Judes is the group to whom they are going to and I had the honor of quilting 27 of them to date, all being twin sizes to some of them even being full size. As soon as I figure out how to post photos and links there will be some of those here to see!

We live in the Hualapai Mountains amongst the Pinion Pines that is outside of Kingman Arizona, one of the highlights of the area is that part of the original Route 66 runs through here and is home of the late actor Andy Devine. We have been here 6 years this Christmas and come from Las Vegas NV. The area is still growing, we are very excited about Starbuck's opening a few months ago that is how small we are yet!

Thankfully Vegas is only a couple hour drive from us and have a healthy supply of quilt shops and any other shopping that needs to be done! I remember one of my first thoughts and questions to the realtor was 'does UPS come this far?' Thankfully yes, but I have to be careful where I order from because we show up as a non-existant address in the Postal Service System!
How funny is that?!

I love to make quilts that are going to be used! As tents, picnic throws, to keep warm by a campfire or spit upon by a baby! I also sell my quilts at different craft fairs in the community and take special orders as well, those tend to get me out of my box and that is always a good thing!

Well, I better close this up for now, it is time to figure out how to post some photos because it wouldn't be complete without them!!