Good Morning Everyone

So far it's a nice, quiet Sunday morning here. I'm the only one up. Just now working on my first cup of coffee. Ahhh!!!! It's nice and peaceful. I thought now would be a great time to do a post.

I haven't gotten much quilting done but I have been somewhat productive this week. I finished up one of the covers for the back of honey's golf cart. I have another one to make but I want to see how this one works first before I do the second one. I was going to applique the shop name on the drivers seat but I want to make sure it fits before we get fancy. lol. So tomorrow honey has to take the one and see how it fits and then I can get busy on the second one and call that project done.

I did work on the Flower Garden for a little while yesterday. I started the last spot where I am going to be so particular with the stitches. Once this is done, maybe I can have some fun in finishing it up. I sure can't say it's been fun so far. I just am not happy with my stitches. I need to work on my consistency. I got little itty bitty stitches and then I have the nice big long even ones I like. So far the only way I've found to get the big stitches I like is to go so slow. I just read last night where the only way to get consistent is to try and try again. So, try I shall. lol.

I got this offer in the mail yesterday from American Patchwork & Quilting magazine. I got a free year subscription (with a paid year of course) and I will get a free gift as well. It's a little booklet called 101 tips for Successful Quilting. I'm so excited. I wanted my reservation taken to the post office last night but it did not make it. It must today. As I will have to wait 6-8 weeks before I even get my first issue. lol. I feel like a kid waiting on Santa Claus now. lol.

Some of you may remember me mentioning making the microwave heating pads here awhile back. Well I came up with this idea to make up a basket full and put together a little "business plan" and see if my boss would let me sell them at the store where I work. Well, the bag my son ended up taking for his headache actually turned black and almost burnt in his microwave. I had just told him a horror story I read about someone's house burning down cause their heating pad caught fire. They put it in the sink and extinguised the flames but because it smelled they threw it outside on the porch and it was not completely out and later on burnt the house to the ground. Uh, no!!! I decided that I couldn't live with that on my concious if someone's house burnt down. So, they never even made it past the cut-out phase. My son still wants one but he knows now that he must watch it more closely than just pop it in the microwave for 2 minutes and let it go. I have an acient microwave with the turn dial on it still. I cooked the particular bag he took at least 3 times, maybe 5 for 2 minutes each time to test it and it was just fine, worked like a charm. But the boy's micro is brand new and two minutes in it was just too much. So, long story short, if you make these please be sure to warn the recipients of the dangers of not watching the bag while it heats up and the dangers of heating it too long. I recommend they are never left unattended in the microwave while they are warming up. Just thought I'd share that as I think it's an important lesson learned for me anyway. Problem is now, I have no other little ideas to try and set up a little display with at work. Any ideas? I'm looking for like a five dollar item. Of course I have to give the boss a cut so she can make money from it too so it can't be anything extrodinary and it has to be something that appeals to the general public. We have alot of elderly folks and mommies with little ones so I thought the heating pads would be an excellent idea. Hah!!! Shows what I know doesn't it? lol.

I've warned the fella's that since I felt they ruined my day yesterday as far as sewing goes because they couldn't make up their minds what they wanted to do, that today is my day. Today I quilt. lol. No more mister nice guy here. I hate working on stuff when they are around but sometimes I just feel like I have to do something for me too. lol. We'll see how it pans out. I am Mom so chances are my plans will take backseat to anything that may come up today. All Mom's know how that goes.

Until later, Have a great day and Happy Quilting!!!!

Renee

A Productive Day Off?

Do those even exist anymore? lol. I haven't found much lately to make me be productive on my days off but today I do have some things I need to get done. I just finished up number one on the to do list. I dragged out what I call an oldie but a goodie and added it to my etsy site today. It's something I've been doing now for about 13 years. This will be the second attempt on etsy. Wish me luck please!!! Here is the link to the new item: Hand Painted Personalized Photo Christmas Ornaments.

I also intend to work on that Flower Garden quilt today if it kills me. I am glad to be done with the stuff on the computer this morning so I can get to the sewing room. Bad thing is as soon as I'm able to get over there one of the boys will show up on their daily trips in and out of the house. I hate working on something when they are home. It makes me feel like I'm ignoring them. But if they nap or go upstairs and play videos, I'm sewin'. lol.

Here's hoping we all have productive, creative days today!!!!!

Happy Quilting!!!

Renee

Demolision Derby

Just for fun I wanted to share this photo from a little gal I work with. She was in the demolition derby last night at the fair and came in 4th in her heat. She's a spitfire! lol. She got in one good hit while in reverse and then she got hit by 3 cars at once. At some point she lost her tranny which put her out or I'm sure she would have gone further. She missed being in the feature by coming in 4th. Poor kid. I was so rooting for her. I wanted to go watch her in person but I couldn't make myself go out there to the fairgrounds in that crowd and was worried about getting cold and home late. I chickened right out on her. She was so psyched Friday about it when I saw her last. But she had fun and plans on doing it again next year. Good luck next year Nick.

I have not been very creative at all the last few weeks and am kicking myself for that. I still haven't gotten to work on The Flower Garden project yet. I just need to force myself to go sew at least an hour everyday. I could get so much more done with just devoting that much time a day to it. But there is always something going on seems like. So please bare with me if I don't have much "quilt talk" going on here lately. I just want to get this project done and move on to the next one. I have so many ideas for what the next one will be but that's all they are is ideas unless I get busy. lol. Maybe someone can send me a can of inspiration. lol.

Have a great day!

Renee

What A Lazy Day

I haven't done a whole lot of anything today. My honey called off work sick and he was home today with me. He slept alot which is just what he needed in my opinion. I got up to see the boy off to school today and while he was having his cereal, I got so sick to my stomach that I thought I was going to be sick. I ran to get a bucket and I did dry heave I guess but I never did get sick, thank God. I despise being sick like that. No barfing for me. lol. Unfortunately, there are more and more reports of sickness every day. Either summer colds or flu-like junk. I don't like either. Seems once the kiddo's go back to school, the fun with "bugs" begins. lol. I have had the most horrific headache all day long. I even took some more tylenol before I should have to ease it and it finally has maybe. I also was experimenting with one of those corn heating pads I've been making and while I was seeing how long it would stay warm, I just decided to use it on my forehead and the bridge of my nose. It helped too I think. I'm actually going to take it down to my son when I take him some supper. He's been suffering with a doozey headache today too. I made soup beans and ham and am fixing to make some cornbread and that's going to be supper. I've cooked my beans real slow all day today and just put the ham in about half an hour ago. It smells wonderful in here.

Anyway, I came across a little project I started a loooong time ago while looking for my roll of elastic the other day. I dug it out today and took some pics of it along with the book I got the pattern from. One day I will finish it. All I need to do is make the little people. How lazy is that? lol. Here are the photo's of that side burner project. lol.



These are the pics from the book itself:




Here's my version alongside the book:




Maybe I can inspire myself to finish this up. Along with the whole box of other side burner projects I found. I didn't think I had that much unfinished business. lol. Shame on me.

For tonight, I will end. I have to start that cornbread. I can't take it anymore. Have a wonderful night.

Renee

Ahhh, my work day is done & tomorrow is my day off!!!!!

Hello, Hello!!! Wow am I glad to finally be home today and done with work until Thursday. The county fair is going on in our town right now and we figured we'd be slow this week. WRONG-A-RONI!!!! Actually I think it's quite the opposite. Seems like business has doubled just yesterday(Monday) and today. That's a good thing but man does this girl have to work when we are busy like that. I get a step aerobic workout everyday that I go to work. The kitchen and the hot deli area are up a step one way and up two steps the other way through the place. My main work area is down front on the lowest level. I am up and down and back and forth all day. When we're busy, I come home exhausted. You'd think I'd be getting thin as a rail but I'm finding that just the opposite too. I never used to eat much except for supper. Now that I work around food, all I want to do is eat. lol. It sucks. I get disappointed in myself. But, it's also good to actually feel hungry again once in awhile too. So, unless I get to where I can't get my pants on, I'm not gonna worry much about it for now. lol.

Speaking of the fair, I want to put in a plug here for the 2008 Ashland County Fair. This is the 157th annual county fair. Both my sons and their ladies are going to the Tracy Lawrence and Emerson Drive concert this evening. If they get any good pics, I'll post them. As like many folks, we experienced some extreme weather over the weekend apparantly due to Hurricane Ike, but on Sunday, September 14th, the opening day of this year's fair, they actually had to evacuate the fairgrounds that afternoon by 4:30 due to the weather we were experiencing, It did rain alot here Saturday but Sunday afternoon is the weirdest weather I have ever seen here in Ohio in my whole entire life. The wind was merciless. It had been a nice day, a bit windy and damp on Sunday but I noticed when I went to the store around 5:00 that there were alot of tree branches all over the place and the wind was definately picking up. I called home and told my husband to be ready to help me get the groceries in when I got there because I thought we were fixin' to get a tornado or something. The weird thing is and what scared me was there wasn't a drop of rain to be had. Just this extreme wind. Hubby and I went out riding around about an hour later and found two homes just barely spared by these huge massive old trees just either uprooted or snapped off right at the bottom. By 7:00, the power was out in about half the city and seems like all the rural areas. My brother is still without power and was told it could be 3 or 4 days before he'd be restored. My son's workplace lost power Sunday night as well and he was told tonight that it would be Friday before they were back up and running. Despite the inconveniences, we are fortunate. We could live in Texas. There have been alot of reports of damage throughout the county though. I feel for those who were in it's path whatever that was. Our power here at home was only off a few maybe 3 hours.

Again, mentioning the fair, lol, if I was smart I would have had a few of my items out there in a contest this year. Their theme was "around the world/transportation". I'm mad at an old lady who was supposed to get me info about getting in it this year so maybe next year I can get on board soon enough to get my own information and enter some of my sewing items. I probably am nowhere near being judged to win a contest this year anyway. lol.

I also wanted to share with everyone how I made that golf seat cover after all. I didn't use the technique I saw on Sewing With Nancy as I mentioned I might in a previous post. I ended up using a modified crib sheet pattern. If you check out this pattern, the third finishing option is the one I used. My first real time using elastic. Not as bad as I thought it would be and I learned something in the meantime, maybe. I'll find out when I make the covers for the seat backs. Maybe some of you might know. My problem was that I cut the 15 inch piece of elastic and pinned it in the middle and tacked it. Then I stretched it out 12 inches in either direction from there and tacked it. So when I went to sew it, I had that 12 inches of fabric to pull and stretch on. I didn't know whether to pull the back of it coming out of the machine after it sewed or let it relax. Seems like it would be easier on your machine to pull it still instead of letting it bunch behind the needle and then still pull on it from the front. I hope that makes sense. What I'm thinking is I need to break it down into 3 or 4 inch sections when I pin it and tack it. Then I only have to make sure in between tacks that that is all I need to pull tight to sew the elastic. If anyone has any tips, I'd appreciate it. There's a million things I'd love to make but using elastic has scared me off. Not til I can comprehend how to do it properly or have someone show me hands on. In the meantime I struggle. lol. If it works though, I say run with it. lol.

I was just out back and took some pics of the "storm" damage from Sunday. I won't complain, it could be way worse. Here's all I'm dealing with:







My hot pepper plant fell right over. lol.



Tomorrow I hope to get some of my fave links posted back on here for pattern sites and such. Someday they might save someone hours of searching like I have done to find some of these that I like so well and/or have used and tried. We'll see. Looks like I got yard work to do tomorrow if it isn't raining. Cold I can take, rain-uh no. Hope you all have a great evening.

Renee

The Golf Seat Cover Is Done

Well, I just decided to get busy on this chore today and this is what I came up with.

Here's a pic of the seat front and back without the cover.





And here's the seat front and back with the cover.





I have two hours of time in the job. I have to make the little cushions for the back of the seats yet but that shouldn't take too long. I'm thinking of charging $20.00. Any suggestions?

I almost forgot to mention. I made a microwave heating pad stuffed with field corn for a friend of mine for her son. He needed a warm compress for a problem with his little eye. I made him one and made the cover of it out of this cute cowboy material I had. Well, here a few days back, another friend mentioned that her son now needs one since Brayden had one for his eye. So I made Dylan one just like Braydens but he's using his for his back. lol. They are six year olds but Dilly's back's been hurting bad. I sent a little get well card along with it for Dylan and this is what I got back:



How sweet is that?!!!!!

That's all for now. Have a great night.

Renee

My Keyboard Went Bye-Bye

I'm pouting. Our original keyboard that came with our now sixish(?) year old computer has finally let me down. I am so sad. It had all the bells and whistles and now I have this little flat, tiny plain white generic keyboard. I compare it to having someone put the latest, greatest sewing machine in front of me and then taking it away and handing me a needle and thread. lol. But I shall overcome. lol. Today, I still have some housework to do but I hope to work on that golf seat cover I've been yacking about. Honey just finally brought the seat itself home yesterday so today I have to get it covered for him to take back to work tomorrow. That's pressure. lol. But probably the only way he'll get me to do it. Sad but true. So, happy weekend to everyone and best of luck with the upcoming work week.

Renee

Have to Make this Quick: I'm supposed to be doing housework

I just couldnt' resist popping in even if just to say "Hello"!!!! I have a bunch of stuff to yack about but right now I have to do some major housework here. It must be done. lol. It's a rainy, yucky day and I'd rather be quilting but I have priorities. lol. Have a Great Day!

Renee

Have Mercy, Please Bare With Me

So I tried to use a new background template here and have really put the whammy on my blog. I've lost my links and photo's and such so I kinda think the site looks a little generic right now. I have to get off the computer for tonight and it may be Wednesday before I can fix it and add all my stuff back. So, my apologies for the bland look of things right now. I'll get this all figured out sooner or later.lol. Have a good evening.

Renee

I Had Another Article Published On Associated Content

Effexor Treatment Withdrawal Plan
A Personal Account: Part One
Today was my day off from the market again. I have done absolutely nothing. This afternoon I cleaned up my kitchen. Thought about quilting all day but decided to sleep so I wouldn't worry about stuff so much. lol. I have been trying to submit one article a week to this associated content site. This is my second published in two weeks now. This one is about coming off of my anti-depressant medication. I'm earning some "milk money" from them. I don't plan to get rich but I'm enjoying writing one a week right now so I thought "what they heck?". I'm still working on those recent photo's of The Flower Garden quilt. I just don't seem to have much energy lately. It's been so hot though. But I will go for now because my honey is finally home from work and I am going to spend some time with him and our son when he gets in for the night. Thanks for stopping by. And please, feel free to post just to let me know someone is out there. lol.

Thanks again,

Renee