Michael Miller Quilt-along

I don't believe I have mentioned about our MIchael Miller Quilt-a-long. It started in January and we go each month to the store and get our pattern and material for that months block. In twelve months we will have a beautiful quilt. I changed my material a little because that is the way I am! We just had our 3rd class and I have not made a single one. First class, one of my BFF's kids fell and broke his arm, so I was dealing with that. Second class, my mother in law was sick in the hospital and I did not want to get to far from home. Third class, I was just getting out of the hospital with the kidney stones. I am going to the 4th class!! My dear best friend Dawn as always takes care of me. She has been going and picking up the stuff and getting the lesson to share with me when she returns. The picks above are the first months blocks. Some of ya'll may be doing this as well. They are promoting it all over the country. I really like it because it is on my own pace. I have yet to finsh the second months blocks, but I hope to work on some of that this weekend.


Just a little quick note to say have a great weekend! Ya'll go out and do something nice for someone today--a random act of kindness. You will be surprised what it does for you as well. Take care this weekend. Be safe, healthy, happy! Hug those you love! Smile and laugh! Pray, get close to God! I will be glued to the tube Saturday for some great March Madness.! I beleive this is the best Final Four I have seen in a while. I love basketball! Some of ya'll may not believe it, but I was on a high school team that won 100 games in a row! We were in the Guiness Book of World Records at one time, and may still be. I know some have come close to breaking our record, but I think we still hold it. Anyway, just a little side note about me. Have a great day and GOD BLESS YA'LL!!!!!!!!

Spring Hats

Thanks for all the prayers and concerns involving the little "critter" kidney stone. He decided he did not like his location anymore last Monday and things have been good since. They have not decided why after 14 years they decided to start forming again, especially in multiples, but we are doing tests to check and see if they can determine the cause. My MD I work for and myself have determined that it is probably going to be my blood pressure medicine I started in November. This is not good folks because stopping the BP meds is not an option. When I had them years ago, I kept shots in my makeup bag for the pain. I would give them to myself until I could get to the hospital for real strong meds. This was begun after I had an attack at a college football game with the kids--they were 8 and 9, and all the men in my life were at deer camp without phone service. Hard headed as I am, I left the game, loaded up the kids, and drove home to my hospital with my doctors. This was about 2 hours away. Quite an experience!!!! I have done it once and I can do it again, but I really hate to know that these "critters" are back. I call them "critters" for lack of a better word.


Anyway on to better things. I have made use of my down time by crocheting. I made these hats and several more over the last 3 weeks. My daughter has lots of pregnant friends and Angel Baby loves a hat, so I downloaded several patterns, tweaked them to my liking and here are the results. The pics are not true colors. My bag looks like a sherbet parfait. All the colors are so sweet and soft. I have really expanded my crocheting skills. The only things done previously were scarves and afghans in straight lines. I was always scared of circles, but it is all the same.


It is time to head out to work, so ya'll be safe, happy, healthy. Hug those you love. Smile and laugh! Pray for our soldiers and their families. Pray for peace and GOD bless ya'll!!!

Fabric Bracelet

The sun has been bringing warmth to us all weekend. Looks like we are going from sweaters to flip flops quicker this year than I can remember. I even turned my air conditioner on yesterday!! Ya'll have to understand I have worked in an extrememly cold environment for most of my working life, and hot is not an option, especially with hormones ranging!!! My family freezes here most of the time, but I explain very kindly that it is a lot better for them to layer up than to have to watch me strip down and walk around naked!!! They quickly agree and get a blanket. The hubby and little buddy son went fishing a short while ago. Hubby came in late Friday night, and will only be here until early tomorrow. Yesterday was spent handling business with his Mom's estate and catching up on little house hold fix ups. Little buddy spent the night out Friday and did not get into late yesterday, so they are spending today doing the boy things. I have already got a pork loin slowly cooking on the grill, and told them I would have their favorite meal ready when they get in--pork loin, wild rice, asparagus spears with lemon and butter sauce, and pear salads--everyone in the family has a favorite on that menu. Oldest son called this morning to check in, he had been to the farm hunting turkeys. Daughter and Angel Baby have just come over to visit. We are going to browse a little this afternoon for some furniture pieces she wants for her new house. They will be moving to a larger house in April. There are a few pieces of mine she wants and I said no, so we are trying to find her something similar. They have bought new bedroom and living furniture, but the pieces we are looking for are are odds and ends she could use but does not have to have. Things to fill open spots and making for more storage.



The fabric bracelet is a copy from blogland, and I cannot remember where and I am so sorry because hers was so much cuter than mine. I thought I highlighted the site, but apparently in my sickness stupor over the last 2 weeks I have lost it. Anyway, you cut 3 strips of fabric about 1/2 in width and maybe 22 or so inches long and braid it. Do this 3 different times using a different pattern of fabric for each braid. Then you sew the braids together. I used my machine to make the initial seam but hand sewed all the rest as I went down, then finished with a sturdier machine stiich when I got it to the length I needed for my wrist. You can put clasps on, or sew the ends together, either one works the same. Make a fabric flower by twisting strips of fabric and then forming a circle to the shape you want. I found out tapping a little dab of glue here and there made it easier and sturdier for wear. This was made out of some fall fabric I am making a quilt out of, but I have just purchased some red, brown, yellow, and cream fabric that I think will make a great one for summer. As soon as I get the quilt pieces cut, I will start on the bracelet.


Time to move away from the computer for the day. I told ya'll I was afraid all this laying around would have gotten me lazy and I believe I was right. I did go to work Friday and made it 8 hours. Tomorrow they will take the stent out and I hope I getto feeling better and more normal. I am a little concerned that if they put me to sleep to put the stent in, then why are they not putting me to sleep to take it out. I have probably done hundreds of these surgeries over the years, but it has never even accurded to me before why they never came back to have it removed. Oh well, I will know tomorrow! Wish me luck and pray it all goes well. Be healthy, happy, and safe. Hug those you love. Smile and laugh! Pray for our country, our soldiers and their families, world peace, the poor people of Japan. Oh, before I finish, did ya'll see that beautiful moon last night. Now to properly finish---GOD BLESS YA'LL!!!

Cupcake Kind of Day!

I thought I would start this glorious day off with a fun happy picture. It's a "cupcake kind of day" is my motto for this day. The good Lord has blessed us with sunshine, warmth, and many blessings so yall enjoy! I have been seeing these precious pin cushions all over blogland, and I just had to have one. This base is a dipping sauce cup that ended up in my cupboard at some time. I had 2 at one time but this is all I could find at present. I glued the ric rac around the base and top of the cup. Next I filled the cup with rice so keep it sturdy. I formed some pillow batting into a ball and covered it with felt--glued the felt, but the next one I will sew a loose stitch and pull it together. If you use glue, use it sparingly. I then cut a piece of fabric that would cover the felt ball and did the sew trick, pulled it together, and tied it off to form the top. I sewed the center in with several tacking stitches to make a dimple in the center. At this point, I glued the edges of the fabric/felt ball to the dipping cup. Then, I made a little fabric flower by folding a 1-2 inch width of fabric in half and gathering the bottom to make a ruffle. After that I folded and turned the ruffle to make a little flower and hand sewed it at the base to secure the ends. I glued the flower into the dimple because I will not be putting pins in that part of the cushion. The final step I did was to make a bow out of a matching strip of fabric and there you have it--the bright, fun, funky happy for the day!


Spring break is coming to an end, and I have enjoyed this week watching my youngest grow up. He has become very independent and his logic of things is great. I have been home most of the week due to the kidney stones, but I am going back to work today. The weekend was spent in the hospital trying to pass them, but there is one who really enjoys where he is. Please pray that he leaves soon!! Hubby comes home tonight, and we have not seen him in 10 days. He tried to come home when I got sick, but I told him by the time he got here, it would probably be over. There was really nothing he could do, but look at me. Older kids have jumped in and supervised little brother, transported him to his destinations, and kept him fed. It has been so nice seeing all my kids taking care of each other and me. If one of the older was busy, the other stepped in. Little buddy spent the night with my daddy some, and friends some while I was in the hospital. He had so many offers of places to stay, I thought it was neat he decided to stay with his granddaddy the first night. I have a wonderful group of friends and family. I have been so pampered this week, that I am afraid I have gotten lazy. I love my kids and family.



Time to get up and going. Ya'll take care. Be safe, happy, healthy. Hug those you love. Smile and laugh!! Pray for the victims in Japan, our troops in Irag, Afganistan, and other parts of the world and that the conflict in the Middle East will soon end. God bless ya'll!!!!

Hello!

Wow, I did not realize how long I have been gone from this blog! I may not have been posting, but I have been crafting. The pic above is a ruffled scarf and hat I crotcheted. The pattern for the scarf came from www.lionbrand.com. I used the Lion Brand Homespun yarn because of it's "wooliness". It is a really easy pattern, and only takes about an hour to complete. The hat is an adaptation of a pattern I had. I added a scalloped edge and changed a few rows from dc to hdc. My friends laugh at me all the time because I cannot follow a pattern completely. I am always changing it up. I made about 10 of these for Christmas presents for family next year, but we had a 4 inch SNOW here and I ended up giving away about 5 to friends at work who did not have scarves. The little doll model is something I picked up at Hobby Lobby during Thanksgiving. I got it because it makes me think of what I believe MC will look like when she is older. She loves to go hug on it. I should take it down, but she loves it so it stays up. It also makes a great hat and scarf model.


We all are fine at the moment. I have had a very hard winter. I was diagnosed with high blood pressure in November, flu in December, stomach bug is January, and just passed a kidney stone this morning!! I told my doc the other day that I had been so healthy all my life, and it looked like I was falling apart. He laughed and said you are ok, your resistance has just gotten down. He prescribed sunshine, and so I am in the process of booking our week in Destin for this summer. I told my Daddy the other day that the first warm Saturday, I was going to the lake to hang out. We lost Jack's mom last week. She had been sick for 7 1/2 years, and not known anyone or able to do anything for herself for the last 3 years. It was a sad time for everyone, but a blessing in some ways. She will not suffer anymore, and Heaven is better to have that Angel there.


S due in from school any minute, so I better get off here. Today starts his Spring Break. I sure hope it warms up next week for them. Going to be around freezing tonight, just not right for the south! Yall take care. Be safe, healthy and happy. Hug those your love! Smile and laugh! God bless ya'll!!!!!!!!!!!!

Another Flu-Bug Project

The worst part of this flu-bug we have had has been the joint/muscle aches and pains. I have been seeing these BO-BO packs all over the web, so I got up yesterday and made us some. I cut two matching size fabrics, put wrong sides together and sewed them except for a small area to turn them and insert the insides. After they were turned and pressed, I topstitched all but the opening. I mixed rice with some oils I had here at the house--again, all those buys over the years have finally come in handy. I put wild berry oil in about 3 cups of rice and mixed real well. Next I poured the mixture into the bag through a homemade funnel--a rolled up piece of cardstock. Then I top stitched the opening to close and finish the project. You can heat the pack on 2-3 minutes in the microwave, or place in the freezer for a few hours, which ever you need---hot or cold. I filled the second one with rice scented with peppermint extract--does great on the chest of you or your little ones to relieve the congestion and aches. Take care. Be healthy, happy, safe. Hug those you love. Smile and laugh! Pray daily for those in need, and may God bless ya'll in this upcoming year!!

Holiday Wishes!!

Hope ya'll had a Very Merry Christmas! We did!!! Things did not go quite as I had planned, but it was wonderful with many blessings and great memories! All the kids and significant others made it for Christmas Eve festivities and have been in and out since. My sweet Daddy however did not make it for the get together. He came down with the flu on the 23rd and is just now getting to where he feels like normal. He decided on the 24th that he would not come over and that we could not come there. He let Carre (daughter) and I take him some food and his presents. She opened them for him while I fixed the table so he could eat. He tried to stop us at the door, but since we had both had the flu shot he let us in. We came back and did the normal things we do with supper and presents here, but it was not the same without him. We traveled to and from family get togethers starting the weekend before Christmas and endng with our last one on the 26th. That is the day Simon (youngest) and I came down with the flu! It has been horrible! He has had fever as high as 103! We just got out of the bed and started to mill around the house today. I called my internist on Sunday and he put me on Tamiflu, and I think it has made mine not be quite as severe as all the others.


The pics above are from a flu project and daughters attempt at Christmas cards with Angel Baby and my first granpuppy. This year I have 2 granpuppies, Doss (oldest son) and girlfriend picked up a stray this year, who when he gets loose from them comes to my house, climbs the fence into my back yard and plays with our dogs until someone comes to take him home. Darnest think I have ever seen, most animals climb out of fences, not in. He does climb out of theirs! I love the Christmas card attempt. This is not what they went with, but I got a pic of this framed, because I love it so much. You really have to see the series of pics to appreciate it as much as I do. This is the only one out of the bunch that they both looked straight at the camera. The scarf was made from yarn I had here at the house while I was "bedridden". I used a basic single crochet stitch for the scarf, and the flower was an after thought because the scarf just looked bland. I have a new fleece that matches perfectly. See, it is a good reason for buying all that yarn and fabric and adding to my stash--note to hubby!!!!!!


This time of year is special to us all. Sometimes things are hard, but if we continue to pray and ask God to take things into His hands, the best will occur. I got off work on the 21st planning to get all my Christmas finished and be prepared for the 24th festivities without being rushed. As I entered the house my phone was ringing. When I answered it my best friends daughter was crying uncontrollably on the other end. Her grandmother was found in her bathroom covered in blood and not talking appropriately. She lives in a small town out from our town about 20 minutes away. My BFF was out of town at a concert with her hubby that they had been planning for almost a year. I told MB to get a baby sitter if she could for her twin babies and I would meet the ambulance at the hospital, and not to call her mom until I saw what exactly was wrong with Gran. (My initial thought was if it was a cut or bump on her head, we could handle it until BFF gets home later tonight--THey are about 3 hours away) It was not quite that simple. Gran did not know me when she got to the hospital, and after a CT of her head it was found she had 4 bleeds in her brain. One big one and 3 smaller ones. Needless to say when she did not recognize me, we started to try and get BFF on the phone. She called back just as the ambulance was preparing to take me and Gran to a bigger hospital about 3 hours away even more south than BFF was. Long story short I got back home the next morning about 6:30, and todays report from Gran is the best one yet. She is starting to do things normal to her. Hopefully by the middle of next week, she will be able to come home. All of this has been brought to you by the power of prayer!! God is great in all ways, and we are so lucky to have such a great God watching over us!!


Take care. Be safe, healthy, happy. Hug those you love! Smile and laugh!! Pray for our soldiers, their families, those whom you know in need, and just anyone you thinks need an extra boost!! God bless ya'll and may ya'll have a safe and great New Year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!