Busy Couple Weeks - Whew!! (warning again - picture heavy)

So I guess when you don't update weekly, the post can be a little picture heavy and cumbersome with information. With that in mind, I will put in the quilting/stitching updates first in case you really don't care or wish to read about what else is happening here...gasp! Hard to believe people wouldn't want to be all in the know (huge amounts of sarcasm in this sentence)!!

I am in a friendship sampler/round robin project group with my great friends. This was the first month passing around - here is what I did on Roz's...now I know, you'll see the same design each time but the colors will vary!!


Don't you just love this? Halloween is second only to Christmas in my book and I had to do this freebie!! It's from blog, plain & fancy merchant - the August 25th post. I've seen it finished on a few other blogs and my bff Mary (no blog) finished it...gave me the bottom half of her linen (which the color is almost true in this photo)...love it. I am going to attempt finishing it with wool as done in Vonna's tutorial...wish me luck!



Last weekend I dropped off my nephew's quilt (for Christmas) to my LQS - had some scraps of his choice of fabric and his birthday is today - so I decided to make a coordinating pillow. I think I will do that with each of their quilts...uses up fabric I may not use otherwise - especially when it's this specific. He loves UofM and after high school, I would think he will attend school there...my husband wasn't wild about this one - Notre Dame fan that he is - LOL!! Was good practice for matching corners and I don't think I did that bad!

I bought the fabric yesterday for one of my niece's quilt - perhaps I will get two for Cmas this year and then I will only have one niece left. How did this start, you may wonder...I probably posted it at the very beginning of my blogging earlier this year...I made a bug jar quilt for DS and it was over 10 years the making. I had the quilter do a dragonfly pattern and one of my nephews loved it - so with my scraps I made him a random square quilt and found backing on sale (but I did blow the limit we have on the kids) and he loved it. Well, you can't make one a quilt and not the others, so I did a black/white with pink for my niece last year...that brings us to the one mentioned above....I will put my pics of the beautiful (and stunning) fabrics once I drag the camera up to the sewing studio!! (sounds so much better than sewing room...or glorified guest room - although nary a guest have ever slept there).

It was homecoming week here at DS's high school! This year he decided to really get into it. He dressed up for a couple of the spirit days (hasn't done that since elementary school); he said since he's a senior, he really had to do it right. He went to his first dance - never really was interested in it. He has quite a few friend-girls (not girlfriends) and they all went as a group...he went out to dinner with a small part of the group. Don't they look great?

Driving home from the "photo shoot" last night, I saw several other groups of kids, dressed in their finest, heading to dance the night away. That's my ds to the far right! Can't believe he's here in his senior year already most days - it's been a long, hard road and I am so proud of his perseverance!

The other day was a perfect autumn day here in Michigan!! I love this time of year, my very favorite. This is the sky - in a couple weeks that tree should be more yellow - but if it's too windy before it turns, it will have naked branches!

Aren't these raspberries absolutely beautiful - they were delicious too! DH and I went apple picking a week ago...it was a little chilly, nice bite to the air when we arrived at the orchard at 8 with all the "serious" pickers - it becomes a family outing a little later and was packed when we left. In less than one hour, we had picked the apples we wanted and headed over to the raspberry bushes. Picked about two pounds and ate them, just as nature made them...only ds and I like them - dh doesn't like the seeds...had a few with vanilla ice cream, but the rest were just popped in the mouth. YUM!!

The main reason we went to the orchard (an orchard which I have picked apples ALL my life - except when I was away at college) was for the yummy apples. We picked Empire, a couple Golden Delicious, Mitsu and Northern Spy (for pies, of course). I currently have a variety of them up in my banner header picture...and here's another beautiful shot. Don't you think nature makes beautiful photos!


I made a couple pies - one for my husband to take to my Grandpa (still fishing and hunting and living alone in his nineties)...and the other for us to enjoy at home. DH has gone bow hunting for a day or two - hope it's nice there today! Woke up to 47* this a.m. Brrrrr...no heat in the house yet made for cold toes! My furnace doesn't work until November 1st - house rule...LOL!

We still have Northern Spy apples left - not quite what we eat, just as God made it...so I may make some applesauce. DS loves homemade applesauce in the winter...

Well, I must get to some fun things now - you know, laundry, dishes, uncovering the tomatoes I protected from the maybe spotty frost that didn't happen, but rather be save than sorry. I am still "harvesting" tomatoes and don't want to give up the fresh taste!

So until next post, I will let you get on with your life - thanks for checking in...and welcome to new followers, thanks for coming back to the (dare I say) old followers. Enjoy your Sunday and the rest of your week!!

Do what makes you happy - stitch, sew, read, smile!!

Sherry

Ahh Sunday - Ahh Autumn!!

Greetings everyone!!

I know, the title is forgetting that summer always rears it's hot head again in September or October here in Michigan...but we are starting to have the tease of our next season; autumn is my favorite time of year so I am welcoming it with open arms! I picked up some Macintosh and honey crisp apples at farmer's market (more on that later) and am going to the orchard next weekend for other varieties. Always a sure sign Autumn is near!!

My banner shot is one of my many, many Halloween items. I finished this late last year and love it. It's from Raise the Roof, I believe. Isn't it sweet?

Before I get into what's going on in my silly life, I wanted to say THANKS for those who have taken the time to comment on my blog - your comments make me smile and I love to hear that people actually read my babbles...A couple I forgot to address with my last post (it was so long anyway):

• Welcome to Madame Samm. I am glad I could pass on the flower frog quest. I wish it was my idea to use them for scissors, but I have seen it from many people - both blog or in person. The search took me a bit for the frog itself (received my first from Jennifer), then it seems I have found many more - maybe it took just one for the flower frog karma to hit me...and the bases take a bit of time to find, but it is fun to search. Good luck!
• Siobhan - It's nice to know others experience the same things, isn't it? I hope your daughter is enjoying her internship. I really know what you mean about most interns not paying - that's how mine was oh, so many years ago. And I agree - sometimes that dreaded basting is a necessary evil!
• Diane - thanks for the thoughts on the JJ petites. I am still using them on a couple pieces to "test" whether or not I like them...so far, they are taking a little getting used to but they are easier (for me) to do the sewing method with, when stitching in q-snaps.

Okay on to the pics...I spent Friday evening with my bff Mary. I am fortunate to have two LNS within one hour - we went to the one closer to her that sponsors a stitch-in evening once a month. When I arrived at Mary's, she presented me with a project case. Eons ago, I gave her some of my matching fabric for my basket - remember it from a precious post?

It is a basket designed by a member of Kindred Spirits Sampler Guild. I changed it up a bit, and have plans to work on the smalls inside - some are basted, just not stitched yet. I love the rich color of the browns and reds in my lining fabric...don't you? Well Mary took some of my fabrics and when I arrived Friday, gave me this:

Doesn't it look great in there - now on to the smalls! I think that may be a goal to complete by the end of this year - I have only one done - the biscornu...stitching them will be the easy part but the finish/finishing will be the challenge...



Here's a shot of it opened up. Two pockets are on the top portion, with a buttoned pocket on the bottom. I love it - thanks so much Mary!

While at the Friday night gathering, the shop owner puts all attendees' names in a basket and draws one for a prize - I won. I received this scissor case kit - isn't it sweet? How lucky was I Friday night - friends, good potluck food including cookies and a prize.

I enhanced my stash with one pattern - I also pickup some fibers but didn't photo...the pattern is the snow globe. I thought it would make a great ornament. The wool didn't show up that great in this photo. It's felted wool I picked up to do as a quick finish. I plan on working on it today (actually starting it) and this week so stay tuned and I'll take pics of my progress... The other book in the photo was a recent purchase for my library. It is a great resource book for sampler motifs and alphabets! My friend Peg ordered them for a bunch of us in the group I hang with - thanks for the legwork, Peg...I love my book!

Back to the apple crisp - DH and I had BLT's last night with what is probably my last better boy tomato...and they were delicious! I still have other varieties of 'maters coming in - yum! So the macs I picked up at farmer's market were chanting to be made into a crisp - while baking, the smell took away the bacon smell that permeated the house. Why do certain things taste so yummy, but the smell lingers and doesn't smell so good later? Off track again-back to the crisp- put a bit of vanilla ice cream, still warm from the oven and can you say "yum"! It certainly tastes best in the season, doesn't it?

Here's my BBD progress....gotta give equal time to the other house. Maybe will do some on that today too...boy, the list is growing, as I want to square up my nephew's quilt and get the backing complete so I can drop it off next weekend. Plans were to do that this weekend...

So, time to get the last laundry shifted to the dryer (and folded later) and stir the chicken noodle soup already in the crock pot...then maybe stitch a bit before a shower. Once I work on the quilt today, I need to run to JoAnns for the batting...Happy Sunday! Have a good week...

Stitch with a happy heart,

Sherry

Catching Up - Warning - picture heavy

Hi and welcome to my lengthy update!

I've been a bit, been very busy and believe it or not, I am actually stitching some and quilting some and getting things done. I will start this with a pretty picture - my rose bush blooms in ready to "vase" bunches. Sometimes it blooms in the early summer and others late summer. One year we had blooms starting in October and the early November frost took them away quickly. This just popped out this past couple weeks. Very thorny, but also pretty. I am not much of a gardener so things that take care of themselves are welcome to my dirt...this is one of them - not a fussy rose at all!

Remember the basting that I had to do to get ready for the friendship sampler with the great (did I say GREAT) group of friends I hang with...well here is my band on my sampler before passing it on. I love the way it turned out with the overdyed fibers. They are rhodes hearts with a line of van dyke stitch below it. Hope everyone likes it when I get it on their band...

A co-worker of my DH's "does" flea markets quite a bit - he told her about the elusive flower frog (aka scissor frog) and she found this one - really clear and clean. Added it to the collection of those awaiting bases.

So I did these pieces years ago, but with the cooler (thank goodness!) weather and the passing of Labor Day, I put out the fall stitched/framed piece with all the pumpkins and changed the one hanging on my door back to the pineapple welcome. I have an 8x8 frame that I switch out the seasonal ones - I think most of them are by The Trilogy - "Treat" series (I think). The door knockers are done by Bent Creek and I love them - they were pretty quick stitches and even the finishing was a fairly easy.

I have been doing a little reading - lookey, lookey what I received in the mail over the last week or two. Love the JCS Ornament Issue and my "now no longer new" love of quilting is fed with reading the Love of Quilting just before nodding off!

My niece, Amira, spent the night over the Labor Day weekend and we made tissue paper flowers - she left me with this one to put on my basket. She was very interested in learning sewing and I showed her how to take scraps, square them up a bit, thread a needle and then we worked on pillows. What a good time we had: movie, sewing, dinner with my sisters and all the kids and their husbands...the next day we spent the afternoon (which was pretty cool) at my Mom's and had dinner. We were going to do a boating afternoon - but it was pretty windy too. Ahhh, love the change in weather!

I have been working on quilting a bit. This is my nephew Ashton's quilt for Christmas. It's all put together now. Hopefully I will be finishing up the backing tomorrow or Saturday morning so I can take it to the quilter. Now what to sew? I have plenty to move on to, that's for sure.

So in the stitching realm of things what have I been doing, you may be wondering? Well remember the group I belong to - Kindred Spirits Sampler Guild? If you remember me mentioning them, you may remember the focus project for June 2011, BBD Remembering Me - we can stitch any one of the series...well I still can't decide. I started both Merry Christmas, Ella Vaugh (pinkish house) and My Missouri Home (greenish house) and I wanted to see which I enjoyed more, using that for my focus piece and then finishing the other later. Well I can't decide. I like them both equally. Here is my progress - and I know, there is more on the M.C . Ella, but I really wanted to work on the tree to the left of the house. I will be working them again soon; they have been really fun stitches thus far.

I also couldn't resist a new start - how about you? I always love that first row or two of new colors of x's on the fresh linen. So this...

is now this...

I love this and it's been fast and fun! It's Photobooth Frank'n'Boo by Bent Creek. I also have the snowmen in the photobooth series and have wrote about those earlier. It's my late at night, go to project, of the moment.

Besides all that, my DS has started his senior year in high school and he's doing okay so far. Open House was last night and meeting the teachers (and visiting previous teachers) was, as always, nice to put a face with the voice/email and to my son's responses to questions I have for him daily regarding his day at school. He has been hanging out with friends and enjoying his senior year socially, so far! He also is learning quite a bit at his new job and I believe loving having some of his own cash.

Of course my work is just that, work - I say "drat that work" sometimes for getting in the way of the quilting, stitching and reading. But, I have to work to help out with the household expenses, and to pay for these habits - hobbies, whatever you want to call them - my passion! Now don't get me wrong, I am certainly not complaining; I know that I have a great job, work doing what I like to do (most of the time, as Human Resources is fine, but like any job it certainly has it's moments). I also know I am very fortunate to have a job that helps with these passions!

So I have blabbed quite a bit - wonder now if you have all gone glazzey-eyed (yes, it's a made up word but I know you know what I mean)...but I did have so much to tell you. Well - gotta get to bed - work tomorrow. Whatever you are up to, whatever has you smiling, hope it's peaceful to your heart! Thanks for stopping by and reading. Welcome to newbies and hi the regulars! Your comments mean so much to me and seeing my followers go up is a thrill for me....

As I started this post, I will end it - with a pic from my flower garden.

Stitch happy,

Sherry

Always Remember...

As we close this day in this great United States, nine years ago I remember hugging my son - who was in elementary school and reassuring him that I would do all in my power to keep him safe! I remember desperately trying to feel that I could do that,without much success. God Bless this world! God Bless the men and women who fight for our safety and defend us no matter what. Sleep tight everyone - and I'll be back with a post and pics soon!

Labor Day - no update pics yet - soon, tho

Well, I have no pictures - just wanted to say for those here in the U.S. - Have a wonderful, safe Labor Day....I did get some quilting done, some stitching done and have dinner in the crock pot, cake in the oven and as soon as I finish another chore or two, I am going to stitch my day off away! Check back soon for progress pictures.

Have a great first day back, for all those students who are returning to school. My son will be a senior tomorrow - yikes! And YIPPEE!!

Hi to my new followers - I have picked up a couple more...it's been almost six months since I started blogging and it has produced new friendships, new stitching projects and is much more fun than I imagined. Thanks to ALL of you who check in to see what's going on in my life every so often - I actually think some of it is rather boring...but I do like it that way sometimes...

Til next time - stitch happy (or quilt happy)....

Sherry