Sunday, September 28, 2008

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

5 comments:

Sara said...

I have one of those fabric bags with rice in it and I have never had a problem. Did you use uncooked rice? That might be the solution. And yes, as a mom, my plans always get side tracked!

Renee said...

i read and read and read about these bags and most of the info i found seemed to suggest that field corn was the best stuffing as far as safety and duration of time it can stay warm. and the one i received 10+ years ago is stuffed with field corn so you know, i thought that was a no brainer. hah!!! maybe i will try the rice ones. i did read that they are the bomb when used as an ice pack. have you used yours for that purpose as well? if so i'd love to hear what you think of it. you may have just inspired me to try again. lol. i have about 4 of them cut out and just sitting here on top of my field corn. lol. oh and btw, my plans were side tracked but not by the kiddo's. i had the best nap today. kind of feel like i wasted the day but the nap sure was pleasant. lol.

Sara said...

ooo...naps are always a good thing! I can't complain there!
I have had my rice bag for easily 6 years. I use it when I have a migraine mostly, but they do work well as an ice bag too! I love mine and have always wanted to make another so I could have one for hot and one for cold. Mine stays warm for anywhere from 5 to 10 minutes depending on how hot I get it to start with. Not long, but usually long enough for me to relax so I can sleep my migrain off. Hope this helps. Maybe it was the material???

LuAnn said...

My first thought of something to put in the basket with the rice bag was a bottle of Tylenol but in these days that is just WRONG on so many levels!!!!! The only way I can get hand quilting to look decent is to keep it by my chair and pick it up every single day for 15 minutes to a half hour and then it isn't great.

Renee said...

i'm thinking about trying hand quilting because i get so disgusted when i sit at that machine and try and try and still i have problems. i don't think i can sew a straight line to save my life sometimes. lol. but, i'm persistent if i am nothing else. lol. i haven't had anymore ideas on things i could sell at the store where i work. i'm definately re-thinking the heating pad using rice this time. we'll see. it all takes time which i aint got a whole lot of lately. lol.