Sunday, December 18, 2011

Good Friends...presents, ornaments, merry - merry!

As promised, this post has updates, pics of gifts now delivered and some new things...so grab your bootstraps - this is picture heavy and probably a bit word heavy too. Anyone who knows me personally would tell you that's not unusual at all - the word heavy part. :-)

So there is this group of phenomenal women I hang with. We all stitch, most quilt...some quilt more than stitch. Some of us belong to a sampler guild and see each other at that monthly meeting; a couple times a month one of the group hosts whomever can come for the day to stitch and eat lunch; and we end up getting together for retreats (sponsored by an shop, organization, etc.) once or twice a year. They are the best friends ever, we support each other with not only our obsession with fabric and fibers, but with our families - illnesses, joys and troubles, jobs and all of what life has to give us.

Last Sunday we gathered at one member's house to stitch and eat - and boy did we eat like queens!! I fixed up this plate of shortbread - plain with milk chocolate and orange-zested with dark chocolate. It was a wonderful afternoon - so relaxing and just what I needed to start the week - oh, was it a busy one.

Monday night there is a group, kind of within that group, that exchange Christmas gifts. Wow - the gift gods were with me last year when Robin drew my name...Here is what I received:
All stitchers and quilters, alike, know you can never, ever have enough tote bags. Robin made this! Now, I can sew a block...but a bag....challenged a bit there - not Robin. She is one talented seamstress! This "folder" was inside. It's a project folder with several bags inside - with the snappy closures. This is a shot of all that was stuffed into my new bag! Don't you just love the blues and greens!


These were nested together - like those Russian nesting dolls (I think they are called Matryoshka dolls)...so cute - and so clever!!



This shot shows just how many pockets are ready for my gadgets, bottle of water and other necessities. There is even a cool "Robin" personalization. It will hold lots and lots...my lap stand, my light, and at least a project or two. And Robin made it all!!


I drew Heather's name last year. I stitched up a couple things for her box of goodies. This pin cushion is by Pineberry Lane Treasured Blossoms which has a cool scissor pocket in the back. I did up a scissor fob for the scissors. It's an Olde Colonial Design (kit) and I changed the colors to match Blossoms.
The front of this pin cushion has the letters f-r-i-e-n-d-s above each flower.
I also stitched and finished this pin cushion May Flowers by Cottage Island Needlearts. This one was hard to finish - circles are harder than a square or rectangle - go figure!



Boxed it all up with lots of other little goodies:








Shut the lid and headed off to dinner that evening. What awesome gifts were exchanged - along with what I have shown you here: a couple holiday quilts/wall hangings, stitched boxes - even one in the shape of a beehive (Pam and her husband, Bill strike again) - I received a chest from her two years ago - in my archives December 2009. (Well - I thought it was there...I will take a pic and post - wasn't blogging December 2009). Isn't the box for Heather festive and beautiful!



Peg made each of us an "ort port". Mine matches my pin cushions from my Christmas present last year (December 2010 post in archives). It now graces the table by the aforementioned cabinet with it's pin cushion friends!!
Now to think of something way cool for 2012 - who do I have? Can't say here at all...won't show any projects either as some of that group are some of my followers!!




Here is progress on the piece I posted about earlier this week. I did get my laundry done (that night anyway, as more waits for me now). It's La-D-Da's ABCD pattern that Jennifer started a "traveling pattern" group...it is my turn and it's a fun, quick stitch. I did that the other night and finished the 'd' during lunch Friday. I am putting the border on last as I may do the herringbone stitch (one of my favorites) or some other fancy stitch. Don't worry Edgar, I will get this done as quickly as I can and forwarded on to you!


This is my progress on La-D-Da's Margaret Cottam. Part one is almost done. I have part two waiting in the wings - love the colors. I am doing it on the called for linen and with the called for fibers. It's been cloudy and gloomy for two days so the picture does not do it justice whatsoever.


Remember just before I went back to work I took a paper-piecing quilting class? Here it is, finished in all Santa's (all three of them) glory. I still need some practice in binding the corners. I love this piece and look forward to having the witchy/candy corn pattern the teacher sent after the class.



For those nights I only have a small bit of time or don't have the energy, I am relearning to knit. I haven't knitted for about 40 years. I learned to crochet about then and didn't knit anymore. I inherited all my grandma's needles, yarn, etc. several years back and simply put them away...thought about it once in awhile. Then a friend of mine, Mary, was cleaning out her yarn-stash and I couldn't help myself...took some off her hands. What's another project or two, right? This is my start - since taking the photo, I took it out and made it a bit more narrow and much more even. I am making a scarf. Probably be winter of 2012 before it's done but I am happy with my progress. My teacher, Pam (yes, both gals are part of our "group") says I am doing okay.



It now looks like Christmas around our house, as much as it's going to! This ornament I think I showed earlier this year when it was finished - just wanted to show it while on the tree. Merry Be by Shepherd's bush. I love the ways these finish up with the ribbon hiding any errors. That is one of my mom's hand painted ornaments in the background. John and I have dozens (some are from before I met him) and Jordan's has one for every Christmas.



I bought this one - not handmade as most of the ornaments on my tree each year...but it is SO cute. I bought a couple to give away this year - love the tiny knitted sweater with sparkly, beaded hanger.


With that, I leave you with a picture of our Christmas tree this year. I have it in the family room instead of the smaller, pre-lit tree in the living room - didn't do both again. I love having it where I stitch and catch a t.v. show or two most nights. Plus we will have the fireplace going on Christmas day...




Merry Christmas to all my blog-buddies. I probably won't "see" you until after the first of 2012! Stitch lots, do some things that make you happy and enjoy the season! Oh yea, and pray Michigan has a white Christmas - my nephew and son are plotting using pam cooking spray on their sled bottoms to make it possible to sled on dead grass (or using the slip-n-slide) if we have no snow Christmas Eve - that could be so hilarious or disastrous - not sure which as Mom's hill is quite steep!












Thursday, December 15, 2011

It's Here - It's Here

The traveling pattern made it to me...I am thrilled and can't wait to start! I follow Nataly. This has been organized by Jennifer - check here to read all about it. Pictures soon...dare I say I will start tonight - it's already 8 p.m. and that's perfect stitching time but I am also doing laundry so gonna try. I've had my fabric and fiber picked out and in a drawer by my next for a couple months now...so gotta run - needle is calling me!

STAY TUNED FOR PICS OF THIS AND OTHERS - HAD CHRISTMAS EXCHANGE WITH BESTEST, MOST TALENTED FRIENDS THIS WEEK AND HAVE PICS...JUST WANT TO STITCH TONIGHT!!

Thursday, November 24, 2011

Thankful....and a (photo heavy) update!!

I'll get to the pictures and updates on stitchy/quilty stuff first, in case you don't want to read the rest.

So I needed to make a birthday pillow for my niece, Audrey, to match her quilt. Posted pics of quilt a couple postings back...here is what I came up with. Don't worry, the cross stitch in the background is a pic later in this post.



I realized when showing a neighbor pictures of the quilts I've made (she is a fellow quilter and we were sharing our projects recently) that I didn't have a picture of the first quilt I made. It took me 10 years, as I started it when my son was four. I finished it when he was 14. Its a "bug jar" quilt and I have no idea who the pattern is by or what fabric lines I used...but I loved the finished look of the entire quilt - jars of bugs on a shelf. And the quilting I picked out suited it well. Awesome, perfect and a hit with my son, even all those years later. Since it hit the laundry this past week, this was a great time to make a photo album of this one.


Each jar is made out of fabric with bugs of some sort. In the closeup of the back, you can kind of see the ants on the yellow fabric.

With Thy Needle Mystery Sampler progress is:

I've stitched quite a bit on this since it last made an appearance on this blog! I have not stitched the birds in the big tree since I haven't decided what to do. I saw a couple with cardinals instead of the blue birds (like the one I stitched) and I am contemplating putting cardinals for the other two birds. I also haven't decided on a letter color...need something less close to the linen color - I used different linen than called for and also am using silks.

I have worked quite a bit on Mary Elizabeth Gandey since you last saw her this past fall. It is such a fun stitch. She's a reproduction sampler from Shakespeare's Peddler. I am really enjoying working on her! Here's a close up - the words are over one.


Yes, I am insane, like many of us with this cross stitch obsession - I started La-D-Da's Margaret Cottam sampler too - what's another one, right? Here is what I have done on her so far. I love, or should I say LOVE the cocoa linen with the Week's colors - doing what the pattern calls for and love all of them, nary a change.... Photo doesn't even do it a bit of justice.



I started this too - needed something easier to stitch when I felt the need to stitch, yet didn't want to stitch on 40 count or speciality stitches. It's a Blackbird Design...one of the "Rewards of Merit" I think but I can't remember the name and frankly, too tired to move past this part of the family room and it's on the other side. I promise to post the name of the pattern later, maybe even with the finish (dare I say finish-finished) pillow it will some day be.


I posted pictures a bit ago of the finish-finished Christmas Pocket. Well, I actually put a ribbon on the front so it will tie shut.

Stitched up a scissor fob with the poinsettia motif on one side, using some really pretty, green silk ribbon tied to the scissors. Normally I wouldn't use silk ribbon to tie scissors on, but I figure it won't be used for a long period of time and I will be super careful; just couldn't resist the look.


The other side of the fob is the tag which labeled our kits. This whole project turned out pretty good, despite my novice finishing skills. It's one of my favorite things I've stitched lately. I picked up a cute box from JoAnn's the other night to store it in (like the tins and boxes I have for my Halloween and other holiday stitching accessories) with matching poinsettias adorning it, along with festive cardinals!


If you're still reading and still hanging in there - thanks for sticking with me this far. That's the end of the picture part of today's tour. On to the updates other than stitching...work is work. I am getting back into it and it will definitely be a SLOW go to make up all that wasn't done. It is amazing how quickly things fall into place, though and it feels as though I never left in some ways. I am Human Resources (no reports to me so I am it for the department) and many things were necessary to be done, but much archiving and reporting for budgets and such don't have to be done daily or even monthly, but with year-end coming my boss (the owner) needs reports for budgeting...but then so does the government, w-2's, etc...and they all can't win. LOL

Home is suffering just a bit (like the things I did daily prior to being sick/surgery) each night and weekend since I am still tired when I get home and some nights just don't have any extra energy to give. I haven't even stitched most evenings. I know, it will come back, but I am not always the most patient.


Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving (that celebrates). Jordan (son) and I went to my Mom's with my sisters and their families. It was lots of good food, some laughs and very relaxing. Mom's dressing is in the fridge for tomorrow - love the cold dressing the best of all the leftovers. There is so much I am thankful for this year: tied for first place - my health and the people who helped me get back to good health. Thankful for those that sat with me, doctored me-professionally and those who are not professional doctors/nurses/therapists, etc. Thankful for those who cooked-cleaned-shopped-drove-etc.-etc. for me and my family while I was sick and recovering. Thankful Jordan is doing well in his first semester in college; thankful my husband and I both have jobs. Thankful for those who prayed for me and Thankful to God for each and every blessing in my life. It's amazing what I learned this past year about myself and those around me.


Now - on to the Christmas season!! I am settling in my chair to finish watching Charlie Brown's Thanksgiving and then off to bed shortly after, gotta work tomorrow.


Do something to make you smile!

Sherry :0)

Sunday, November 13, 2011

Hmmm...finally!

So I finally went back to work...full-time...first week was four days and then I have done two weeks of 40 h0urs. I was physically and mentally exhausted the first week. The second week more mentally exhausted than physical, but still kind of equal. Then last week I was much better physically but lots of overwhelming lists are starting to occupy my office. I am a list maker and normally that makes me feel much better...not when there are lists of lists - LOL!!

Anyway - these are a couple of oldies but goodies from my stash of things I display this time of year. I have a frame I swap out seasonal pictures and this is up for the month. I believe it's The Trilogy. I haven't finish-finished this one - I can't remember if I showed it last year - I think it's "Stackable" by Chessie & Me.

So not much to publish, not too much to report. I have some holiday stuff I will post soon. I finished the Christmas pocket and will put a pic up soon....I have stitched a bit and will snap a photo soon.


Sorry for the short and lack-luster posting. Hope you are stitching up a storm!


Smiles,

Sherry

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

TA DA!!

Ta-Da is right!! I worked from about 11 a.m, with very little breaks, until about 6:30 p.m. finishing. That's right, I said finishing... The rest of the evening was working on the pumpkin scissor fob and the ribbon the on SB Christmas piece, as they were done by hand. I am not a finisher, so this is a hell of an accomplishment for me.

This has been stitched for awhile, it was a "kitted" up gift with a few others in the chest gifted to me by Pam! Beautiful - both the the wood chest that sits by my stitching-nest chair and this pumpkin fob. It's by Sweetheart Tree.

Side one:
Side Two:

Next up, Shepherd's Bush Merry Be pincushion. I love the way this turned out!! I don't know if I will use it as a pin cushion, an ornament or just a pillow. Stunning, if I may say so myself.
Christmas Pocket by Sewing Chest Design. Judy presented this to the Kindred Spirits Sampler Guild in 2009, I think. I had part of it done prior to my illness/surgery and then worked hard on the stitching once I recovered. Then I finished it!! The needle book and case (the green part on the right side of the photo) was a gift with the kit. The scissors have Santa as the handles...I will show a close-up when I do a scissor fob in the next couple weeks. This is the back of the pocket. Words were over one.


Inside of the pocket is the next photo. Of course I see where it's really uneven and I didn't quite line the silk up enough to the edge of the linen, but I am learning and I think finishing takes lots of practice to be good - or good enough for my pickiness (is that a word? Spellcheck didn't like it). There is a piece of wool - green, under the "needles of pine" to store my needles.
Finally, the front of the pocket. I still have to get a piece of ribbon to match the silk. I changed the red on the stitching to match the silk (it came with a brighter red silk and I preferred the darker red of the silk lining). Judy also included the card punched to hold my fibers. The card above that is the needle book that slides into the green wool case. Once I have ribbon, I will tack it to the tree on the pocket top and it ties to the button to hold the pocket closed. I will use the ribbon for a scissors fob too.



Picked up these batiks, fabulous batiks when I took the class from Edyta Sitar of Laundry Basket Quilts.
I also had to have these too! I love the bottom three together and have to figure out something to use the yellow, purple and the middle batik...the purple really looks blue in this photo.

This was the class - it was hard but I did make one "plate". I constantly repeated the mantra "one step at a time" and that works so much easier for my stress level - I tend to look at things and think they are so hard and complicated looking, yet doing them one step at a time makes it so much easier!


The paper piecing class I took was much easier, once I got my head wrapped around the concept. It's at the quilters now, will just stitch the binding on like zippity-doda, add the loops to hang and presto-bango, it's done too!



I have a couple other things done and finished, but they are Christmas presents...so you will have to wait to see those. After my pals and I have our holiday dinner, I will share them!


I also relearned to knit this past week - it's been 35 or so years since I knitted, so casting on had to be the first lesson/refresher. Then I did a few rows, some with mistakes. I have cast on a different color and will show progress once there is really something to show - not much now. I think I have about three rows.


Hope you enjoyed seeing my finish-finishing attempts and some that even pleased me.


Besides finish-finishing this weekend, I also made a roast with potatoes, carrots, onions and cole slaw (using the broccoli slaw instead of cabbage - we liked it) and a caprese salad for dinner, homemade butterscotch pie for dessert - first time I made it - Aunt Penny's recipe. I put fresh whipped cream on it and all I can say is YUM, YUM!! I think I even mentioned that in the last post - so that tells you how delicious this pie tasted!!


Today I made applesauce to put in the freezer - my son LOVES homemade applesauce and due to my sciatica last fall and then my illness/surgery early this spring, I never had a chance to make him the annual applesauce. Done :-) he's happy... Ran some errands and got lots of things organized and caught up. Gotta prepare for my impending return to work.


Thanks for stopping by. Hope the rest of your week is awesome!



Do something that makes you happy,

Sherry :o)

Sunday, October 16, 2011

Stay Tuned

So today is the day of finishing. I have done a tiny bit of finishing over the past week...but the plan is to get it going today! Hopefully that will happen - that was the plan last week too, but you know how that goes sometimes...


Yesterday was the day of kitchen stuff...after breakfast out with my husband and grocery shopping, I made another sour cream coffee cake - yep, another sour cream about to go out of code... Then I made a butterscotch pie - my Aunt has always made the best, so I asked for her recipe when we were up north a couple weeks ago. It is awesome' dark brown sugar, milk and butter...topped with heavy cream, freshly whipped. Yikes! Good thing my son's friend was over for dinner to have a big piece so there's less left to have calling my name.


Sad, sad, sad...Tigers fell to the Rangers, who kicked butt last night. I guess since I am an American League gal, I will now have to cheer the Rangers on once the World Series begins. That being said, what a great season to be a Tiger and we'll get 'em in 2012!!!




Pictures and progress soon - so stay tuned!


Do something that makes you smile today!
Sherry :)

Sunday, October 9, 2011

Better late, than never!! A gift completed!

Better late, than never...isn't that how the saying goes? I started gifting at Christmas, with a scrappy quilt a couple years ago, when my nephew asked to have one made with the cool dragonfly quilting done on my son's Bug Jar quilt. He asked for just with plain fabric; instead I did rough pieced squares of all the bug fabric scraps and found some cool blue batik, cloudy blue fabric for the back...a new tradition was hatched. The next year I took a class to keep learning since I was still a beginner; made my niece a quilt, black and white with pink accents. Last year was another nephew's turn (this goes over our spending limit for Christmas for nieces/nephews, so they each get a turn to be the recipient) and I made him a fussy cut University of Michigan quilt per his request (I have let each set the "theme" and I pick the pattern/design). I finished quite early in the year so my niece, Audrey (pictured below) and I were talking about what she wanted. She indicated even if it wasn't done, she would love to have her quilt in 2010 instead of 2011... So I had it cut and several blocked pieced at Christmas, wrapped those up and told her after my busy month at work in January, I would finish it. Then I got sick, had surgery and have been recovering for several months in 2011. Well, I finished...and here she is...she was thrilled and I was over the moon with how thrilled she was and how she squealed (literally) when she saw the back. You can only imagine the gasp when she saw the front. A close up. Purple is her favorite color, so that is what I used as the main color. This is a Turning Twenty pattern - it is shown in the book with lights being one stripe, darks the other. I just substituted purple batiks for one, mixed brights for the other.


My husband held it up for me to take pictures on a sunny day - spectacular, if I do say so myself. I still can't believe I can do this!



I had another stitching finish this week. Blackbird Designs Merry Christmas Ella Vaughn modified with the words "Winter Wonderland", my name and 2011. I am making this into a pillow someday. I hope that someday will come soon! I have tons of finish-finishing to do and hope to finally tackle some this next couple weeks before I return to work.
I have been doing some other stitching and will have some progress pictures up soon. I also have some other pics of a couple quilting classes I have done recently. I hope to get the backing done (just need to measure and cut) and get the batting together to drop off at quilters tomorrow - it's a wall hanging, so it shouldn't take me too long. I will try to remember to snap a photo before I drop it off to be quilted. I also have a Dresden type plate I have the main circle done for one square. I am gonna put my camera with the clean laundry to be carried upstairs so I remember to take a picture or two.




I have been stitching quite a bit due to the parking of my fanny in my chair to watch the Detroit Tigers - they have advanced to the next round and are now working on the Texas Rangers...gave the Rangers a chance, letting them win last night (ha ha). I have been a Tiger fan forever, all my life actually...remember laying in the yard listening to game with my Grandpa and in the garage with my Dad, both on small transistor radios. I attended many games with my parents, sometimes with two of my cousins in tow; and many, many games just me and my Dad, for Father's Day every year once I was old enough to buy tickets. The last one attended with my Dad before he died was with him, myself and my two sisters - we surprised him, just us four. He always commented that we shopped and hung with mom, just us girls and her, and neve rdid things like tha twith him - Boy was he surprised. I had very sweet tickets right behind the dugout, on the third base line... Watching them go this far and not having him to rehash the games makes me really miss him more than the norm! My husband and son humor me listening to game talk for just so long. To my blog pals who were cheering on the Arizona D'Backs, I am sorry they were eliminated. I was looking very forward to a D'Back/Tiger game (with two 1986 Tiger World Series game winners on the D'Back staff, it would have been fun to beat them)! Anyway - GO TIGERS!!

My husband and I took another trip up north the first weekend of October. We went to visit with my Grandpa again and it was opening day of bow season for whitetail deer. My husband saw a couple, got a shot at one and missed. While sitting in my Grandpa's family room, I saw at least three deer every morning and every evening when hubby was a mile down the road in the woods. They were this far away from where I sat. You can kind of see three here - I think pictures are clickable and there's a zoomed in picture next.



Besides the weird eyeball thing the middle deer is doing, they are beautiful. This was a mama (on right) and her two yearlings that came in every day, twice a day. There were several others that waundered in a various times. There were seven in at once, one day. The fawns and yearlings were always playing a bit after eating. Fun to watch, and what peaceful creatures. They really bring pleasure to my Grandpa (94) to be able to see God's creations so close.




He spends hours each day watching the deer, bunnies, squirrels (who are very entertaining, by the way), chipmunks and birds. YOu can always tell when a hawk is overhead, they all freeze and it gets so quiet. Some of the birds are more elusive than others...these came in just before the deer one afternoon:
Three jake turkeys - no Toms and no hens. These three come in every day, sometimes accompanied by another jake or two. In the sunlight they are absolutely iridescent. You can hear them talking non=stop and when they fly, it's really noisy.




This weekend was filled with cleaning the house (hasn't been done to the level it was yesterday since Christmas last year). For some reason (sarcasm here) my husband and son didn't get it done a couple times the last few months while I wasn't able. I made the list yesterday and we all worked for over three hours moving things, cleaning up dog hair...then my husband and I worked another hour or so alone. I wiped the walls where I had dirt from me "walking the walls" once I moved on from the walker to a cane, to on my own. I even washed the curtains from the two entry doors, kitchen and bathroom window. My husband did the hands and knees thing on the kitchen floor and it looks better than it has for months...cleaning up the normal dirt, but also the dribbles and such that I had and couldn't always bend to clean up. It was a great weather day here, we opened up the entire house and it smells so fresh and clean! Since we were both whipped - we went out to dinner and I'll make the chicken, thawed yesterday, for dinner tonight.




Today I am attending the Kindred Spirits Sampler Guild and hope to see my friends Terri, Deb and Julie (no blog), along with my great friends. I know you are probably all familiar with Terri and Deb's blog - they are the reason I am blogging today. I don't know whether to thank them or curse at them - I love my blog friends, seeing what everyone is doing and boy have I been inspired and added to my list of wanna stitch and have purchased many of those items! But I also spend a lot of time reading blogs...that being said - hi to the drop-ins, hi to all the loyal followers and hello to the new ones - welcome!! Thanks for reading, following and commenting - I love all the feedback and howdies...I try to respond to all, but know that I am reading and enjoy all you say!!




Have a glorious week - mine will be busy, once again. Building that endurance for my approaching return to work date!




Stitch lots,


Sherry :o)

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

BUSY, BUsy, Busy!!!

You know on the Frosty, The Snowman holiday cartoon when they say, "busy, busy, busy" (I think it's the magician that says it), and it's said busy with a long "z" on the end. Well, that's kind of been me - busy with fun things, to beat!

Warning though - it's definitely going to be picture heavy - so if you want to check out after the stitching, that's okay by me...

Some progress on Elizabeth Mary Gandey by Shakespeare Peddler. I am loving this stitch. I have changed very little - just the robe on the cherub...and it's hair. Oh, and the bird...but just a bit. LOL!
There's more progress on my Blackbird Design Merry Christmas Ella Vaughn - this was the adaptation for my Kindred Spirits Sampler Guild. It's almost done snowing!! Then a couple fill in of holly leaves and she's done and ready for a pillow finish - gonna put it in that ever-growing finish-finish pile. Hmmm, gotta tackle that soon too!

Up next:

Maureen Appleton's The Hearts Content Fruitful III started years and years ago...pulled it back out and did the chimney and finished house last night...it's over one.

Another one I am doing over one - bought this last Friday when I went to my LNS with a pal and I wasn't shopping. I saw this and love it...the strawberries did me in. You know I love me some strawberries - only have the leaves in for the berries thus far ... doing it over one, yikes, am I crazy! But I love the way it's looking. It's Summer Splendor by Little House Needleworks.
I've been in the kitchen a bit. Made my favorite coffee cake from my childhood. Can't imagine why this is so delicious - two sticks of butter and one cup of sour cream, some kind of nuts (I used pecans this time) and cinnamon. I had sour cream going out of code this week, hence the thought to make this. YUM!!



Tonight I took this....



added some cream, butter, onions and pasta (didn't put the apple in the mac & cheese though). Whaa-laa... Homemade, baked mac and cheese with fresh - just picked tomatoes on top with bread crumbs mixed with a bit more butter. It was delicious and there's a bit left over for lunch. My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed it...my son, well he only likes Kraft mac & cheese so he had a frozen hogie type sandwich...sucks to be him, more for us!!


Doesn't it look delicious!!


Before I forget - cool fabric (sewing, not stitching) giveaway here if you're interested. I also did some quilting lately. Took a paper-piecing class and a more complex quilting class. I will save those pictures and blathering on about them for the next posting.


Now that my son is 18 and out of high school, my husband and I can take off without worries (many, anyway) for a weekend. We did just that a couple weeks ago. My Grandpa (who turned 94 this past summer) lives a couple hours from our home...we went to see him. My Aunt & Uncle live right next door, but Grandpa still lives alone. This past few months, he's started to fail and repeats things quite a bit - but hey - Ninety-freaking-Four!! It was a nice autumn weekend here in Michigan...this is the view between the houses, of the lake my Grandpa still fishes (in a small row boat with no motor, walking down a long boardwalk to get there).

There are some mushrooms outside his house that are huge.


Right?! You thought I was kidding...that's my size 9 shoe by the mushrooms....Big as my head, they are!


We had a visitor...she is so pretty and so peaceful. This was from inside the house, a bit of distance - across the driveways, but I did the close-up thing and beautiful!


We came home to a not so dirty house - I thought it would be worse. Instead of a 10 gallon tank with fish was gone. The fish went to live with the others in the 50 gallon tank. We had a new 20 gallon tank with a tiny turtle living there. Let him know that wasn't the best decision to make without the people's consent that pay the mortgage! Besides that, he did well on his virgin voyage alone for the whole weekend.


So thanks for stopping on by! I will update you on the quilting classes I have recently attended. Gotta get to stitching to keep busy, busy, busy!


Keep things peaceful and enjoy!

Sherry :o)