A Little Water Never Hurt Anyone

*Update*

Hubs just texted that we need to get ready for Round 2.

He is working...again...didn't get much sleep during the last storm.  As a firefighter, he was kept pretty busy for his 24 hr. shift.  Now he is there again.

I guess we are looking for possible tornadoes this time.

In WV?!  We don't get tornadoes in WV!

Anyway, he wanted to make sure I knew where to find the pitchfork so I can clean out the culvert if necessary.  

(This was the reason for our flooding on Wednesday...a plugged culvert.)


Lots of rain today.

I think I mentioned earlier how I enjoyed the thunder this morning...

 

...well, along with the thunder came a little rain.

a waterfall for my flower garden

Mudslide, anyone?

This is where we needed a skim board...

...that would have taken us right over the hill.

And this is where the water snuck in.  Guess we'll be putting a french drain in this summer.

We are fine.  No major damage.

WIP 2/29/2012

My big finish for this week is a Kindle sleeve.  I was just messing around with some scraps and had that wonderful Ah-ha moment that resulted in a lovely little sleeve for my beloved Kindle.

I have a Quilt Monster friend that is pushing encouraging me to do a tutorial, so I will be adding that to my WIP list.  Because this was not the intended final product, I have to try and remember just exactly how I got to this lovely little sleeve.


So, here's my update for the week:


1.  Cinnamon & Nutmeg: Progress!  All of my fabric is cut.  I can start sewing whenever I want.  This one is going to have some new techniques for me (cutting on an angle) and I always hesitate on new when I don't have another person standing right there to blame double check what I am doing.  It has been way too long...planning to start sewing this week.

2.  Prairie Paisley HSTs: No Progress

3.  Jelly Roll Jive: No Progress

4.  Fun & Done: No Progress, BUT I am committing to work on it every weekend.  This weekend it will be Saturday since the hubs is working OT.

5.  Pinwheels In My Garden: No Progress

6.  Jelly Roll Sampler:  Progress!  Blocks 1, 2 and 3 are completed.  Block 4 is cut and on the mini design board (I need to make some more of these).  Thanks! to Bee in my Bonnet.

7.  Kristi's T Shirt quilt: No Progress (I need to get more stabilizer.)

8.  Craftsy BOM:  No Progress (The new lesson should be up tomorrow.  I hope.  Foundation paper piecing.)


9.  Farmer's Wife: Progress!  I only made one block of the "Big Dipper" because I wasn't crazy about it.  I got out my stash and found some other fabrics to use.  I've chosen some blues, browns and golds for the next 3 blocks.  Plan to get those cut and pieced this weekend as well.

10.  Satchel for 2:  No Progress...on either one...I thought I would do some finishing on the first one while I was in Baltimore, but had so much fun with the hubs that I didn't get a single thing done.  The 2nd one is still waiting to be pieced.

And I found these little lovelies when I dug into my stash...not sure what to do with them yet.

Finally, here are a few pictures of how I was treated on my birthday...

My wonderful first born made this beautiful cake for me...

...and even decorated the batter...

...and yes.  That is a blow torch used to light ALL of the candles!

Linky Party!!

I almost forgot about Quilting by the River's Linky Party!

I would love to put the button right here on my post, but I'm afraid that I haven't made it that far in my understanding of the world of blogging...so, you will have to go to the button on my side bar or you can just click Quilting by the River.

I haven't created a special blog for this Linky, but please check out my posts from this past week.  I've managed to create a Kindle sleeve that I am just giddy about!  I have it on my to-do list to sketch out the details of this project.  I want to make one for everybody I know that has a Kindle.  I am so proud of myself! Of course, the fact that I was intending to make a mug rug is not important any more...

Today I am doing lots of cutting and not much else.  I have cut the 4th block for Morgan's Sampler and about half of my strips for Cinnamon & Nutmeg.  54 down, 44 to go.  After that, if there is time before the kiddos get home, I will cut the next 3 blocks for my Farmer's Wife.

As soon as I figure out how to post pictures from the cell phone, I will give you a peek at my birthday weekend in Baltimore.  We had a great time and came home to a lovely birthday cake (made & decorated by my No. 1 daughter!), several home made cards and pictures, a box of French Mints and some time with my sweet kids, Mom & Dad, my other Mother (MIL) & my niece and nephew.  What a great night!

Let me know if you prefer the larger print...my old eyes kinda like it better, but I will have to make an effort to remember to enlarge the text before I publish.

 

BOMs Away...2/27/2012

Not much to show this week.  Last week I showed my Craftsy BOMs for January and February.  March should be released later this week.

I am also working on the Jelly Roll Sampler (not a true BOM, but still an ongoing project).  I managed to piece the first two blocks and have the third laid out on the design board.

No progress on my Farmer's Wife blocks.  I'm hoping that Darren will feel better and I can sneak in to get a few blocks done later today.

WIP Wednesday (Take 2)

Busy day today.
I pieced block 2 of Morgan's Sampler and trimmed the HSTs for block 3.

I cut another Satchel for 2...

Reversible (Inside)

Reversible (Outside)

The leftover scraps made a nice Kindle sleeve.  (Not on purpose, but it works & I love it!)

Wonky Kindle Sleeve

T shirt blocks

Some of the trimmed T shirt 

And, I did a little work on my Farmer's Wife.

WIP Wednesday

The only finish I had this week was the Satchel for 2 bag that I made on Friday for FNSI.  Well, actually it isn't completely finished since I am taking it with me this weekend to stitch up as we travel.

Current Projects:

1.  Cinnamon & Nutmeg (No Progress, although I did get my sashing fabric picked up.)

2.  Leftover Prairie Paisley HSTs (No Progress)

3.  Jelly Roll Jive (No Progress)

4.  Fun & Done (No Progress)

5.  Pinwheels in my Garden (No Progress)

6.  Jelly Roll Sampler (Progress: Block 1 assembled.  Blocks 2 & 3 cut and on design board.)

Sampler Block 1

Sampler Block 2

7.  T Shirt quilt (Progress: Shirts washed and cut.)









8.  Craftsy BOM (Progress: Ripped stitches and re-assembled Balkan Puzzle block.)






 9.  Farmers Wife (NEW Linked to Randy's Sow-along.  Blocks 1 & 2 completed.  I am making 2 sets of these and maybe a third in batiks.)

10.  Satchel for 2 (NEW Cut 1 pocket, but couldn't seem to process the scrappy fabric with the pattern instructions.)

Monday's Update

First off, the kids were home from school today...Happy Presidents Day!

The older kids did a little make up job on the twins...and they want everyone to vote...

Who makes the best Joker?

Thing 1 & Thing 2 Who is the best Joker?

They are looking forward to comments.

My update for the day:

I did 2 (4) Farmers Wife blocks.

Basket Weave & Contrary Housewife

Finished the first block of Morgan's Sampler.

Tulip block

Laid out the 2nd block for Morgan.

Rocky Road block

And chose the fabric for block 3.

Star Choice block

And that is all I did today!  If I could stop time, I could get so much more done.  Now, off to soccer.

Have a good one!

BOMs Away Monday 2.20.12

I've decided to link up with LynCC from What a Hoot!  to show off some BOMs.

Right now, I am participating in the Craftsy Block of the Month (there is a button on the right side bar).  We are doing 2 blocks a month for a total of 20 blocks.  I have made all of my blocks with some Kansas Troubles scraps that have.  So, without further ado...

Here they are:

January's Asterisk Block (slash & stitch)

January's Wonky Pound Sign (slash & stitch)

February's Balkan Puzzle (HSTs)

February's Chunky Chevron (HSTs)

This one isn't a "true" BOM, but it is a periodic project from Pam & Nicky Lintott's Jelly Roll Sampler Quilts and some leftover Urban Indigo strips:

Tulip (Block 1)

Sorry about the quality of the last pic...my camera never wants to do what I tell it...it kept flashing when I didn't need a flash *sigh*.

I found a Farmer's Wife sew a long!  The button is on the right side bar.  Gotta get started on that...I'm already late...

OH YEAH...

NO STINK BUGS LAST NIGHT OR THIS MORNING!!

I Thought Sunday Was a Day of Rest!

Wow!  What a day!
But, let me back up a couple of hours.  Last night the Stink Bugs were out in full force.  I couldn't stay in my room with the light on because they were buzzing all over the place.

Now...I have some sensory issues...so the buzzing was kind of driving me crazy.  I spent several hours on the internet looking for the best way to get rid of these things and found out that they are worse than rabbits about reproducing!  I made up my mind that I needed to attempt to kill these little critters.  Prior to yesterday, they were just a nuisance.  But now...I've had enough!  They have got to go!

So, this morning I emptied six baskets holding a variety of yarns, weaving supplies and wool.  Most of it is in the freezer to make sure that I kill any eggs that might have been laid.  Then I started scrubbing.  I've cleaned windows, washed down walls and wiped down furniture.  (I even emptied one dresser to clean out the drawers and check to see if any of those little beasties were hiding in there.)  When I pulled the window in to clean the tracks I found all kinds of squirmy legs in a space between the window and the exterior siding...NASTY!!

Mom & Dad came out to bring me the carpet steam cleaner and the supplies to make a "Stink Bug trap".  We will see in the morning how well it works.

I have to say that tonight, there aren't any bugs flying around my room!  Yea!

So...on to happier things...

After cleaning and re-organizing my quilting desk I decided to cut some T shirts for a quilt I've been planning for a while.

I also wrapped some shuttles with fabric so that I can start a rag rug.  I wasn't very productive in 2011 with my rug loom, and I figure I'd better get a few projects knocked out.  Then I can decide if I really want to keep it.

While I was sewing strips together and wrapping the shuttles, the Fam was in the kitchen playing Aggravation...with consequences.  Aggravation by itself was not so much fun for us so Darren made up consequences for sending someone "home".  It really is quite entertaining.

FNSI: Satchel for Two

I've nearly finished the Satchel for Two.  I just have to close the opening left for turning.

  

I started cutting fabric around 430 yesterday and sewed until the older kids came home from a late movie.  (They went to see Woman In Black and really liked it.)  They got home after 1130...so that means it took me approximately 7 hours to make this bag.

  

 While I was sewing this was going on in the kitchen...

 ...I just love this little guy!  It makes me so proud to see them reading on their own.

I also found another stash of small HSTs.  These are Fig Tree Quilts Urban Indigo fabrics and a really cool tomato red (that I can't find anywhere...dangit!)  I now have 3 boxes of small (about 1 1/2 inches) HSTs.  They don't really go well together, but I'm sure that in no time, I will have more.  I really like star patterns & pinwheel patterns  and both of those seem to contribute to my collections.

Well, I need to get off my duff and head out to the Quilt Shop...I need to get crackin' on this Cinnamon & Nutmeg!