Grandmother's Quilt Blocks

 My Grandma made the Bonnet Girl blocks in the 30's my mother divided them between my sister and I in the 60's they stayed in my trunk up until these past few weeks. I decided to get them out and it a quilt put together with them. Coming up with a block to go with them wasn't easy but the round pie using all scraps that I had from other quilts is working out nicely. I did have to remake the pink girl the fabric she was on had a bad stain that I couldn't get out.

 While working on this quilt I found the lower table I was cutting on was making my back hurt. So after telling hubby about it he and I made me a taller table using a shelve I already had we just went and purchased a second one put them back to back and added the top. I padded the top so I could use it to iron on also!

This is the shelve he put up to put my buttons and the cute Scottish Terrier bookends my daughter got me for Christmas last year!

Julie

What Do You Think?

 I was watching my granddaughter the other day and I have a basket with toys in it and there just happens to be a couple of Cabbage Patch Babies. Will she pulled this one out and I couldn't believe what I saw!

OK is it just me! What do you think?

Julie

Garden Decor

I love garden decor but most of all I love making garden decor out of stuff that is just taking up room in the garage. Will the chair wasn't but the table was, I found the chair in a second hand store for $8.00.

 The legs were a little close together so I couldn't cut the hole in the seat as large as I wanted, so you must think about that when you purchase one.  Then I put some chicken wire and a coconut plant thing in on top of the chicken wire to hold the dirt.

I painted the table orange and the chair red and teal. Then I Mod Podge the table with the seed packets that I used in my garden and flower beds. I love this so much that I'm going to be saving all my seed packets to do a potting bench for my greenhouse.

 

I still need to spray the table with a clear polyurethane. But I love how it turned out and its going to look so good between the rocking chairs on my front porch.

And my chair planter looks great in the garden next to my Father-n-laws wheel barrel and my cute polka dot boot planters. Now all I need is a garden scarecrow. I think that will be the next thing I work on.

                                    Julie

The loss of a Companion

 I know its been a year since my last blog post but a lot has happened in a year. I guess to start I must tell you of the loss of my best friend, my baby, and my companion "Paisley". It all started this time last year she didn't seem to be feeling well and hubby and I were getting ready to go to England.. So I took her to get her checked and the Vet did just about every test and could find a thing. So away we went leaving her with our daughter. She did pretty good but after returning at the end of May she continued to go down hill and by the end of June she had developed a large lump on her hip. It was just about the hardest thing I have ever had to do but on July 4th we took her back into the Vet knowing that it must be cancer. And yes I was right it was bone cancer. Our wonderful Vet knew that this was going to be hard for me but we knew that the best thing to do was put her to sleep. He left as alone with her tell we felt like we could say good bye. But I don't think you can ever say goodbye to such a sweet little girl that she was. We had her for over 14 year and I don't think there could ever be another like her. I miss her so much not a day goes by that I don't wish she was here. Its been very lonely without her. In December I thought I could get a new puppy, I even went and picked her out and took her home on February 7th. But it wasn't good timing my mother-n-law passed away that day and the following week my sisters son-n-law passed from cancer. So the puppy went back and I think it might be awhile tell I try again. I've lost several dogs over the years but Paisley was there went my last child left home and hubby started working nights. She keep me company and followed me everywhere she will be missed for a long time.

Julie

My New Spinning Wheels

They finally came my 30" cherry Schacht Reeves spinning wheel. Isn't she the most beautiful thing you have ever seen. And she spins like a dream!
And yes I got two, the sidekick is my traveling spinning wheel and she also spins like a dream and folds up to take along to spinning guild.

Its been raining here for days! I can't wait for it to warm up again but the rain is nice for the lawn.

Have a wonderful day!

Julie

Spinning Guild

This Wednesday is our dye exchange at spinning guild, the color is orange. I had never dyed before so this was a first. I couldn't do just orange so I added yellow and brown. It was one of the funnest things I have ever done. And now I think I just can't stop! I order more fiber and dye and can't wait to dye more!
I had to divide them into 1oz pieces and tag with my name the fiber and how I dyed it.
So I'm ready and can't wait tell Wednesday night!

Julie

Sold My Spinning Wheels!

I can't believe its been so long since my last post but time has gone by so fast. We spent all of October and November and most of December finishing our basement. We got it done just in time for Christmas. But after Christmas I got this idea that I should now sell my two spinning wheels and move up to a Schacht 30" cherry SR. I wasn't sure that they would sell but my Ashford Travellar sold in one day. It took a little longer for the Joy to sell but two weeks ago she went to a new home.

It was hard to see them go they were my first but I'm so excited for my new ones to ship. And yes I did said new ones. I also ordered the Schacht sidekick! It will ship on April 2nd along with the SR.

Have a nice day and I'm glad to be back!

Julie

First Block Done!

Yes the first block is done! The second and third are started!
They are going along slowly!

Julie

My Garden!

My garden has done so well this year! I think I planted about everything you can think of and more!

And my herbs growing on the wall have never looked so beautiful along with my flowers!

The long side of our lot is now fenced and hubby is working on the other side and he is already up to the garden so I'm hopeful that it will be done by next week! Lots of canning going on with pictures to come!

Julie

Ruby Lou Doll

I came across this sweet doll pattern at one of our local quilt shops and fell in love with her!

And with my youngest granddaughters birthday the end of July I just had to make her one. Lucy turned two and I thought she was just the right age for one but then I knew her older sister Lizzy would like one also so one turned into two!

But then my oldest granddaughter that is leaving in September for college in Hawaii would need one to hug on those days that she was a little home sick! So I got out some of the fabric that I had left over from the quilt that I made for her when she gets married (almost done pictures to come). And yes then there was me, I had some left overs from many quilts made and so the red one is mine!

By the time I got them done I was sure glad that I have eleven grandsons and only three granddaughters. But that's not to say that I wouldn't love to have more girls!

Have a beautiful summer day its coming to an end soon!

Julie

New Fence going up!

Hubby has been working so hard on our fence but it was going pretty slow. So when our daughter asked what they all could do for Dad for Fathers Day I told them they should plan a day when the boys could all come and help with the fence. So they did and the girls all brought lunch and I got some pools for the kids to spend the day playing together! They had a ball but I decided that I need a bigger pool for the bigger kids!
They got so much done I couldn't believe it!
This side only needed three more posts after they left. And they other side that I didn't take a picture of only needed five. We are putting deer fencing up around the top its just to rocky and to many trees to go around.

Julie

Vignette Mystery Quilt

I think we are a little slow here in the US getting these beautiful patterns out of Australia. I came across the Vignette Magazine back in May and Issue 3 just came out. When I saw the first block to the Mystery quilt I fell in love. I haven't done embroidery in years and the bright colors of the fabric are great!

So I went on the web and to my surprise I found the fabric. Don't you just love the fun colors and patterns, the fabric is from Japan.

As soon as the fabric came I got started cutting out the blocks for block one! These will go around the two outsides of block one.

Then I got part of block one put together so I could get started with the embroidery work. The outside border that you see is just there to keep the red dot fabric from fraying while I do the embroidery. I haven't be able to put it down it brings back all the memories of watching my Grandmother and mother embroidery on pillowcases when I was just a little girl. I was about seven when my mother started me embroidering on a tablecloth that I still have. I'll have to get that out and post a picture!

Stay turn for more pictures as I go along!

Julie

Heart Quilt

I just finished this sweet heart quilt! I used fabric that I had won off a a blog about a year ago. Its now off to the quilters, hopefully it will be done in about four to six weeks.

I've been very busy working in the garden and yard I need to take some pictures its looking really nice.

Have a happy summer day!

Julie

The Snow has Melted

The snow is gone but not the deer, they sure like the taste of my grass!

They can stay as long as its only the grass that they eat. I had to ask this one nicely not to eat my apple trees. She stopped looked at me and walked over and started on the grass.

I love watching them but a fence is going up soon not to keep them out but to keep Paisley in!

Have a beautiful spring day!

Julie

New Red Scarf

For Christmas I gave my daughters and daughter-n-laws yarn, needles and notions plus a pattern and knitting lessons. This was the yarn that I gave my oldest daughter but I also purchased some in a pink and green that she liked better. So I took this yarn and made me a scarf!

Here's a up close look, I really like how it turned out! The yarn and pattern came from Knit Picks!

Hope your having a nice spring day we got a foot of snow in Salt Lake!

Julie

Harry Potter Sock

I've been working on my Harry Potter Socks yes that is what the name of the yarn is! Almost done with the first one and than on to to next.

Just an update I decided to not sale my spinning wheel it just spins so nicely and do I really need another one right now!

Have a beautiful day its over 50 here but they say rain and snow tomorrow!

Julie

Copper Jam Pot

I'm so excited I ordered my Copper Jam Pot from Blue Chair Jam today! I looked all over the web trying to find one cheaper but this is the best buy I found. There is one pan smaller but not much cheaper so I went with this one because it is just the right size for all of her recipes in the book. There are so many jams I would like to get started making. I'm going to try a grapefruit and lemon jam recipe that is in the Blue Chair Jam cookbook that I think my daughter is going to love! And then there is many other recipes that will use the fruit and berries that I planted last summer, just hoping that they all come back after this long and very cold winter. Wish me luck on my new adventure!

Have a nice day!

Julie

Too Sale or Not to Sale

I've been working on some spinning lately and thinking about putting my wheel up for sale. But after a visit to Three Wishes a local yarn shop where I purchased my wheel I found out that I would only get about $350.00 to $400.00 for it and to buy it new is around $600.00. Now the question is do I really want to sell it or not. I was only going to sale it to purchase a new one and do I really need a new one. Yes the new one is out of mahogany and beautiful but do I really need it. Or should I just keep this one and just get the new one, can you really have to many wheels. But this isn't my only one I also have the Asford Joy that I take with me when I travel!

So I will keep thinking about it while I spin this beautiful merino yarn! This is my third spool and I'm hoping to get one more. The colors are great and I think merino is my favorite to spin!

So what do you think!

Julie

Happy Valentines Day!

I don't know about you but Valentines Day is just not one holiday that we celebrate. Not because we don't like it but I hate going out. We tried it once many years ago and there was just to many people.

I do how ever like decorating for Valentines!

So its a night to stay home in the nice warm house sit by the fire and have a nice dinner!

Hope your Valentines Day is nice and cozy!

Julie

Yummy Biscuits!

Just thought you might like to see how nice my yummy buttermilk biscuits turned out! I love the biscuits cutters that I purchased they are nice a sharp. Did you know that you shouldn't twist your cutter just push down and left up without twisting. If you twist if makes the biscuit not as light and fluffy! I also learned from my wonderful book not to roll them out just to press with the palm of your hand.

This was one yummy breakfast!

Looks like we are going to get snow today so I'm going to stay warm in the house!

Julie