Kathleen's Lighthouse Block

Our Wacky Pac Quilting Group will be meeting June 6th. It is Kathleen's month and all Wackies will be giving her Lighthouse blocks. I loved doing this block. I did look at a pattern, but put my own spin on it and "Did it My Way" I think that is a song, isn't it, Mr. Sinatra? Anyway, just thought you guys might like to see it. HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY EVERYONE!

Oh No! Not Another Flower?

I could not resist showing you this perennial that I have blooming in my yard. Bought this one last year and don't remember the name, but it is gorgeous. Don't you agree? I just had to share it with you.

15 minutes of Quilting Time in a Day--

My new tomato timer. Perfect for timing my minutes as I strive to get my minimal minutes of quilting in everyday. Most days I drift on into more time quilting, but some busier days it is a miracle if I walk into my studio (I love that word) at all. This timer reminds me of a tomato pincushion. It ticks away the minutes in a "timely fashion". The minutes pass as though they are seconds until the delicate "ding" lets me know that my goal has been met. Most days "alot" is NOT accomplished, but it seems to lead to doing more as my desire is kept alive. I find myself thinking and planning of what I will do during my ncxt session. I can't seem to wait to get there. As a matter of fact, I don't know why I am blogging right now when I could be "Busting Stash". See ya (a little Texas slang)--

Duplicating a Quilt Block

As I have told you on previous post, I am doing a Round Robin project with a group of friends. I can't show you the quilt, but I thought I would tell you about the current round. I decided I wanted to duplicate a block used on the previous round. It was done with Mar ti Michelle templates which I do not have and have never used. I don't know the name of the block, but it has an odd angle. Here is the block--

I measured the block size and it is 3 1/2 inches. I also measured down the side to the stitching line to get the measurement for my markings. The next step was to cut the base 3 1/2 squares and then the side pieces to a size that would cover the sides of the block after they are stitched in place. A method similar to paper piecing, only without the paper. It is also similar to the stitch and flip method that we all know using small squares to make triangles on large squares, where you stitch down the center of the smaller square and flip it up to make a triangle. I measured the rectangle to use as the flip side piece to be 4 1/2 x 2 inches. Here are my pieces--

Next I put a mark 1/4 inch in on one corner and 1 1/2 inches from the opposite corner.

I drew a line from the side markings through the corner mark.

Place the base square and a side piece right sides together with the side peice extending 1/4 inch past the stitching line.

Stitch on the line--

Flip the side piece out and press--

Repeat for the other side piecce--

Flip again and press-- This is what it will look like at this point.

Turn the piece over and trim to the 3 1/2 base square.

WA--LA

Please comment and tell me how you would have approached this task.

Caden's Sunflower

I promised you that I would post the picture of Caden's Sunflower, well, here it its. He was so amazed when he saw it yesterday. It is a site to behold. These just came up as a result of his playing with the birdseed. He calls them his garden. and when he sees another plant coming up he asks, "Did I do that?" Kind of reminds me of Erkle--remember him? I have so enjoyed my yard this year. We have had plenty of rain and cool weather and everything is growing like crazy. We baled hay yesterday and the yeild is more than we have had in years. My DDIL raked and my son baled along with lots of other extended family helping. My husband was working. It kills him when he cannot be in the middle of things. I also get a picture of a hummer outside our kitchen window. Not as good as I had hoped. I'll try again later. The

birds are so agressive it is dangerous to sit on the patio. They will dive-bomb you.

Also, when I took all the pictures of my flowers, my pink Petunia basket was not b looming. It is now. and just beautiful. Here is it, just for you. Have a great weekend. See ya later!

A Stroll through my Flowering Yard for the Mother's Today!

I hope everyone's children and husbands remembered Mother's Day. Mother's do and are such special people. We are the caretakers, the cooks, the nurses, the taxi drivers, the house-keepers, the teachers, the wash women, the therapists, the friends, and the lovers to their families. We are the glue that holds our families together. We love for our families to appreciate us. Some do feel appreciated, some do not. It doesn't take much--truly just a hug and thank you would mean more that the most expensive gift, but they don't believe that.

Today was a great day for this Mother. I spent the day working in the yard and on the computer uploading pictures. This is what I wanted to do. This evening both my sons, my DDL and my grandson along with my DH took me to dinner. The service was bad, but the company was wonderful. My gift from my youngest son was my favorite cologn-"Happy" by Clinque. He had to shop early to get it as we cannot get it locally. No wrap, but that's OK. He was thinking about his MOM. The older son arranged for the dinner and another gift which all had a part in. A Troyblit Mini Tiller. This is not in the same catagory as an appiliance. I ask for it. I want to be able to do my own yard/garden work. This is a great tool. I am excited about getting it.

I am very lucky to have the family I have. I am loved very much.
It's hard to be the glue sometime. I wonder what would happen to them if I were not here tomorrow. I like to be needed, yet a good parenting job would be a mother who taught her children to be self-sufficient. As I type that sentence I realize that they are that--very much so. Thank you God for my family.

Check out my newly uploaded photo albums with links on my blog: One for my grandsons T-Ball and the Stroll Through My Flowering Yard is for all the mothers. Happy Mother's Day.

My MVF of the year!

Most Valuable Find at the estate sale was a sewing cabinet with a motorized lift. I have been looking for a cabinet with a lift for my embroidery machine for quite some time,but they are all so expensive, $1000 or more, depending on the style. I just wanted a simple one. This one I suppose is old, but you would not know it. The lift works like a charm and my machine fits perfectly. As you can see it has drawers on one side and a place for threads on the other. The machine included with the cabinet is a Viking Husqvarna. Old, but I do not know how old. I would guess the 60s. I can't believe the cabinet is that old, but it may be. The machine works like a charm, but I do not need it. I may use it a little and then sell it. It would make a great machine for someone who only does mending and such. Every foot is with it that the modern machines have. Ok, you want to know the price, you ask? Well, ok, I guess I will tell you. $125.00. What a steal, huh-- I know. It's almost as good as when I paid $40 for my Featherweight. Yes, that is another post topic. Come on back to My Place soon. --------

What Do You Get for 15 Minutes of Quilting?

Well, what I got was binding on a quilt. Just prepared and attached--NOT SEWED DOWN! I want to show you a new gadget that I bought at Carriage House Quilt Shoppe. They are magnetized clips that hold your binding in place as you sew. Then you move them along the binding as you get to them. They are the coolest thing. No poking of your fingers anymore (no pins). They cost close to $6 for a package of 3. I am about to try them out for the first time. I will let you know if they work, but looks like they just might be a winner. (I know the 1st pic is blurry, but maybe you can tell what they look like before they are attached to the quilt edge).

A 1/2 POUND?

Weight Watchers meeting was tonight. I took off everything I could including my jewelry before I weighed and I only lost 1/2 pound. I followed the plan faithfully. I think maybe it is because I was dieting before I went to WW and had lost 4 pounds and then I could lose no more. When I joined WW, the food they recommomended was more than I was eating. Hopefully this week I will be more successful. Of course my problem could just be MY AGE! That hurt! I have never lost weight easily. I know of a friend who is on Nutri-system and has been successful. It might be good as they mail you the food and you just eat it. I have to cook for my husband, so that would not help me get out of that. The following is a recipe that we received at the meeting last week. It sounds good. Come on over and we will make it.

Peach Mousse Pie

Serves 8

5 points per serving

Recipe ingredients

1 Keebler Reduced Fat Graham Cracker Crust

1 16 oz. package frozen unsweetened peach slices, thawed

1/2 cup sugar

1 envelope unflavored gelatin

1/8 tsp. yellow food coloring (optional)

1 drop red food coloring (optional)

1 8 oz. container frozen fat free whipped dessert topping (Cool Whip) thawed.

Recipe directions

Place thawed peach slices, including juice, in food processor or blender and process until smooth. Pour into a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Stir together the sugar, gelatin, and nutmeg. Stir into the hot puree and continue stirring until sugar and gelatin are dissolved. If desired, stir in food coloring to create a peach color. Pour mixture into a large mixing bowl and refrigerate about 2 hours, or until mixture mounds when spooned. Stir occasionally. Beat mixture with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 4 to 5 minutes, or until light and frothy. Fold thawed Cool Whip into peach mixture. Turn into the graham cracker crust; cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours or until firm.

Don't Ya Just LOVE a Good Estate Sale?

My sister gave me a heads up on a local estate sale today. I couldn't resist a chance to be an "early shopper". An elderly lady's entire household was being sold. The prices were very reasonable. To make it even better, SHE WAS A KINDRED SPIRIT! This lady sewed, crocheted and quilted. You have never seen so many beautiful pieces of crochet in your life. There was only one quilt top, non-quilted. It is an applique from 30's solids on muslin. I bought 50 ladies handkerchief, YES fifty (handkerchief quilt?). I also had the thought that it would be fun to wash and iron them and take them to the next retreat as give-a-way gifts to all my quilting friends. Wouldn't that be fun! The sellers had bagged everything into small quantities and priced the bags for $2.00 to $4.00. I bought bags that contained needle packets, a new (old) needle threader still in the box. A couple of envelopes with oval metal disks that were scissors sharpeners. I had never seen these before. There were bags and bags of buttons, lace, and threads. The story does not end there. There was a sewing chest. It has two flip tops on the ends and 3 drawers in front. The ladies told me that it is from the 30's, the top flip tops are there so that you can flip them up and stash your project inside, out of sight. I had to have it. I also bought a Husqvarna sewing machine (probably the 6os). It works beautifully, but I don't care. The cabinet it is in has a lift. I have been wanting a cabinet with a lift, but not wanting to pay the money to get one. This one works with my embroidery machine making it simple to raise my machine for embroidery and lower again for regular sewing. This little machine has every foot that the more modern machines. It is a fancy little thing. The only other thing that I bought was a beveled glass oval mirror and a antique chair. Yes, I went a little crazy----Oh yea, one more thing, an antique chair that has a bottom where a needlepoint or other handwork bottom can be inserted. I plan to make it a quilted bottom and put it in my sewing room. What a fun time--I love going through other people's stuff! lol