Memorial Weekend

It is almost Memorial Weekend! Just a few more hours!I haven't gotten as much sewing done this week as I did last. Three more pairs of pajama pants for Tyler, a baby girl quilt top and I laid out a new quilt on my design wall. I shipped 2 quilts off to Quilts 4 Kids, and sent the QOV to the long arm quilter. I guess that is a lot!

I made a great dinner last night. Penne with turkey cutlets and sauteed veggies. I cooked zucchini, crook neck yellow squash, broccoli and red bell pepper in Italian dressing. Marinated the turkey cutlets in lemon pepper marinade for about 20 minutes then cooked them up and mixed it all together. Nice and light and fresh!

Weather permitting, the weekend should be all grilling, right? They say it may rain every day this weekend, but so far this week they have been inaccurate as usual. Keeping fingers crossed. My honey wants to take the newly repaired boat out for a spin on the Blackwater River and soak up the sun on one of the little beaches there. This is the rocket I will be riding in. He promises not to go fast from now on. Parts and gas for this thing are not cheap. If it breaks down again, it is not getting back on the trailer to go home. Not kidding.

Have a wonderful weekend, and don't forget to thank any military members or their families for protecting and serving our country!

Quilt Tops Done and Blog Clothing Weeks

Have you heard about Kids Clothes Week? I have been making pajama pants for Tyler, as I stated on an earlier post. I have added Teeny Tiny Zoo pj pants in chocolate and some clown fish fabric pj pants to his wardrobe, but of course they are in the wash and not photographed so I can't show you them, can I? There is the set I made a few weeks back with Heather Ross' seahorse fabric and a plain white tshirt. Hopefully you read that post and visited Hawthorne Threads shop for some great fabrics! I also made a pair from an aliens in outer space print on black, shown here.

I have been a busy girl, but a bit behind for sharing on Spring Top Week, which ended 2 weeks ago. Nevertheless, I was inspired to take one of my skirt fabrics and make a cute top. Cool and colorful and easy. I am glad I read the pattern reviews first because they helped a lot (the back is too wide, so make it narrower by at least 1 size or your bra straps will be showing!) New Look 6891 is the one I used for it, but mine is shorter than their version. I will be looking up pattern reviews from now on when I sew clothing.

Many miles have been put on my 2 machines lately. I finished up several UFOs, made a very cute Whirly Wheels Baby quilt (from Moda Bakeshop) that will be a QOV  and it is made with Moda's Cherish Nature. Jelly roll plus a little yardage and you can make this in one day! I have quite a stack for the long arm quilter.

I don't do the quilting myself. I would need a class, which isn't possible here. It would be great to someday have the confidence and talent to make it from start to finish, but for now I leave my quilts in the hands of practiced and talented long-armers I know.

This is my version of "Orange Crush," the Quiltville.com mystery quilt of about 2 years ago. Bonnie's version has an elaborate border, which I am not going to do. I think I may add a simple solid border to this and call it a day. I used so many bright scraps here that I am naming mine "Key West Crush." I put it in a box when I had all the rows together because I just wasn't sure I liked it at all. Now I love it. It has been properly aged.

Last but not least is my expanded version of "Off the Grid" from Quilt Dad and the Moda Bakeshop. I added a 4th row to his version so it will cover more at Christmas when it adorns the sofa. Also, I omitted the rows of honeybun strips between the blocks. It took 2 packs of Glace charm squares and a Glace honeybun to make it. Really easy.

I should get all of the above quilt tops (plus one more I am not showing yet) back from the quilter by the end of Summer. I want to beat the holiday quilting rush.

It's a Beautiful Life

 Crazy, hectic, stressful sometimes, but overall it is a BEAUTIFUL LIFE! These are some of the things I have thought about since Mother's Day:

There are so many people living alone. Grandparents who live thousands of miles from their grandchildren, like mine did most of my life. I get to see my grandson every day.  There are many parents who rarely see their kids. I have both my kids right here in Pensacola, and my daughter and grandson live with us. We get to be a part of raising Tyler to be a good person and a confident, responsible man, steer him towards college and a career he loves. Teach him values and goals and skills.

He's already very much a helper. Just over a year old and he wants to sweep the floor any time he finds the broom or dustpan. Here he is helping wash Mama's car. Okay, he'll do anything with water and bubbles, but he really wanted to help do this too.

The other day I was bending down, reaching below the porch to where some wild blackberries were growing and he came up next to me and pulled on my arm to "save" me from falling off! (I wasn't falling, but he sure thought I was too close the edge.) He had the most concerned look on his face. Chivalrous! And he gave me 2 spontaneous kisses for Mother's Day weekend. Those were the best part of my weekend!

My grandparents and both my parents are here in Pensacola. It is nice to have lots of family close by, even in this technological world we live in. Email can never replace a hug. I am not sure who gives better hugs, my grandmother Elsie, or Tyler.

Having such a supportive husband who has my back at all times is something I do not take for granted either.He is awesome 100% of the time.


I thought I would share a fun song with you.Yes, it is disco-y. Very ABBA sounding, but I love it. Who can listen to it and not want to get up and dance? It is too upbeat to sit still! I hope you enjoy this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pyly3JtXoy4&feature=related

Mother's Day

Was your day nice? I hope so. I got to relax and actually sew all weekend! I am proud of myself for getting some UFOs done. Accomplishment goes a long way, doesn't it? Working full time means there is always something on the design wall waiting, waiting, waiting.

I got flowers from my husband and also from my daughter. My son sent me my greeting via email.

Such a sweet card from my girl, about how we are friends and how lucky she is to have me as her mom!!! How great is that?  Totally what I was aiming for as a mom. Friendship after they are all grown. She bought me these roses and Bryan brought me the mixed arrangement!

The weather was so beautiful - meaning clear with low humidity and not too hot. I stayed out in the yard for hours getting some sun and playing with my grandson in his little pool.

I spent Saturday at the sewing machine mostly. I got out a quiltville.com mystery quilt that I never finished putting together. 2 more rows to join and that top is finished! Yeah! I had it laid out on the floor and Tyler was dancing all over it. He likes the colors a lot. It is very bright. And I had leftover blocks, so I put together a baby quilt for him. I should have pics to post of them later this week, although it won't be quilted yet.

So all in all, it was a wonderful weekend and Mother's Day. I think being a mom and grandmother is the best. Not always easy. Sometimes hard on your heart and your nerves, but totally rewarding.