Sunday, August 31, 2008

Making Progress Again with The Flower Garden

Yep, I just got on it here the last couple days and while I've ripped more stitches than I care to admit, I am much happier with the final outcome. I'm about a third of the way done unless I change my mind again on it. lol. Now I'm coming up with ideas on how to make a matching pillow for it. If I get time tomorrow I'll take some pics of it as it is now and see what you all think. I sure hope you'll stop back to take a peak in the next few days.

Have a Great Night!!!!!

Renee

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Wow, I've Missed Posting

Hi Friends. I am so happy today to have a moment to do some posting and updating on the blog. So many things have happened that I want to share.

First of all, my son was married on August 9th and I now have a wonderful new daughter-in-law. I am so proud and so happy for them as they start this new phase of life as man and wife. Here are a few photo's I wanted to share.

Mr. and Mrs. Anthony Shaffer
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Our New Family
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My Darling Great Nephew
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Our Youngest Son Shawn
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As you can tell I haven't quite mastered manipulating photos as of yet so I apologize for the super-size gigantic ones and then the little tiny, itty bitty ones. lol. I have wonderful memories of that day.

Some other things going on in my life right now are that I have began a plan to come off of my medication and I hope it has some positive effects for me. Not a big deal to most but something important in my life right now.

My youngest son Shawn started his senior year of high school today. He wasn't very excited this morning about it whatsoever. I am glad I had the day off to be here with him and get him up. Not sure how tomorrow will work since I will be at work. I guess it's time to dig out the old alarm clock and pray he hears it. I can call him but that will get old real fast so I really hope he comes up with a solution. I am real happy for him to have accomplished everything he has. I just wish he had some more confidence and maybe a better attitude about life. He's kind of a quiet kid but not very happy and so very serious. And bullheaded. Gee, I wouldn't know where he gets that. lol. Those that really know and love me could shed some light on that one. lol. Anyway, my prayer is that he flourishes this year not only academically but socially as well. Perhaps he will find his place where he feels comfortable among a group and wants to make new friends.

I still haven't done much more on the Flower Garden project. Except I have ripped alot of stitches. Once again, I felt what I had done was infantile and I could do better. So, now I am basically back to square one with it. Still not sure when I'll pick it back up. The person I thought I could sell it to will probably be a grandmother before I get this one done for sure.

I've been busy with a couple of Associated Content pieces the last few weeks. Not alot but it's keeping me busy now and then. And what I make off of articles helps me pay my etsy listing fees. If you'd like, please stop by my content page in the next few days to view my latest articles. Here's my link:
http://www.associatedcontent.com/user/65887/renee_shaffer.html

I've still not gotten the fabric for the golf cart seat covers but just told hubby I need to get on it as I could use the money I will be paid for making them. Now, today I have this brilliant idea of repurposing an old futon no one wants that I'm stuck with and completeing two tasks in the process. First off, the brilliant part came in today when I figured I could use the foam from the mattress to stuff my couch and love seat with. I guess we bought somewhat inferior furniture as not long after we got it, it started to lose it's plumpness. Over the years I've stuffed it with blankets, pillows and what not but today I figure I can use the foam from the mattress and cover it with this blanket I use to wrap all the other blankets in I use to stuff it because it matches the furniture and isn't so noticeable. Now I can't hardly wait to start on it. Then I thought the old cover that is over the futon mattress is just the kind of fabric I need to make this seat cover for the golf cart and if I do it right I may have minimal work to do to it to convert it. Of course this all sounds good now. lol. Just wait til I actually tackle the project and see what tune I'm singing. lol.

For now though I think I will end for today. I am also going to re-photograph the items I have for sale on etsy and update that site but I am also going to put the items on ebay as well. I'm not real happy with my pictures, I never have been so today I might try and take some better ones. Wish me luck. Of course it's my day off and I just might sleep too. lol.

Thanks for stopping by. Have a great day!!!

Renee

Thursday, August 7, 2008

My Apologies

I am such a dork. I was looking at the post from 7-30-08. Well, the post is misleading and after I looked back at it I figured I better explain. I titled the post The Flower Garden Is Done. NOT!! The quilt top is done but I'm not done with the quilt by any means. I got it all pinned together and everything and thought I would try my hand at stipple quilting it. Hhh!!! I should have thought better. What I ended up with was a mass of tiny, little, itty, bitty stitches real close together. Well, trying it once wasn't good enough for me so I tried it again after I tore out all those little tiny wretched stitches. Guess what I ended up with? The same mess all over again. Grrr!!!! So I go back at it with my seam ripper and tweezers and in the process I managed to "pull" my fabric and I plain out ripped it in two spots. What a jerk. I was so mad that I wanted to throw it out. And it all went together so well otherwise that I was not un-doing it all and replacing those strips I had torn so my dumb ass(sorry for the french) took another block I had and patched over it and I don't like my zigzag stiches at all and I'm t-totally aggravated with it. Truth is I shouldn't have been messing with it right now. My son's wedding is two days away now. My husband is the only one with a shred of sanity left at this point. But I had been working on the quilt to kind of keep my mind from going crazy about the wedding and it really has had just the opposite effect. You can tell my mind is on something else. But I won't despair. If nothing else, I will use this as a practice quilt to try to get better at my skills. I may even give it to my sis cause she told me it was beautiful just the way it was when she saw it. But anyway, I just felt dumb announcing I was done and I am not. The quilt top was only thing I had done at that point. But I won't be posting for a few days now due to the wedding and the quilt is definately off limits at this point. It may be awhile before I can pick it back up. Thanks for stopping by and please come back often.

Happy Quilting.
Renee

Friday, August 1, 2008

Plugging Along

Well, after about an hour of either being on my knees or my all fours, in above 90 degree weather, I have pinned The Flower Garden together. After I finish my cigarette, I am headed over to sew the seams together. Then I will flip it inside out and re-pin it again to begin quilting it. I'll get it flipped for sure and probably pinned again tonight but I won't even start quilting because it's almost 10 p.m. now. I'll save that for a fresh new project in the morning. Plus my machine needs a servicin' before I start another major project. But I just felt compelled to write tonight and update on my progress with this thing.

Toodles,
Renee