Happy Birthday To Me

Should I even mention it's my Birthday if I don't have plans? 

I don't have plans for a cake.

Or plans for dinner or movie.

Or anything. 

hmmm...  Sounds rather dull huh?

I will tell you that each year my husband drives me nuts - asking what do I want for my birthday.  Sometimes he'll ask a month ahead of time.  I know it's because he loves me and wants my birthday to be special.  But this year was so great because with the trip to Denver and everything, he FORGOT!!  Finally last night he came in and asked when my birthday was I told him May 30th.  But I couldn't fool him.  I always start laughing - I'm no good at lying.

My daughter wanted to buy me one of these - a dwarf rabbit.  And if I didn't have three of these:

I would have loved it!  But I really don't need another animal to care for.  So...I just have to wait and see what the day brings. 

Doing the Civil War Block of the Week

Now have you all heard about this blog by Barbara Brackman called Civil War Quilts?  She is putting up a block each Monday to commemorate the 2011 sesquicentennial of the Civil War  (that 150 years)

 
When I first started quilting, years ago, I saw a few quilts made with reproduction Civil War prints.  Ugh!  I didn't like them.  (Yes, I said it,  I didn't like them.)  I liked SPRING and light & bright colors, flower and birds.  Well, who knows what happened along the way, but things have certainly changed for me.  I been going to Barbara's blog these past few months,  I just love all that history, and boy oh boy, she has some interesting stories to share, and finally last weekend I accepted the facts.  I LOVE the blocks, the Civil War prints and wanted to make the blocks along with her. 

I've jumped in with both feet - sort of,  I bought some duller prints or maybe I should say more subdued prints.  I've completed 7 of the blocks.  And what a joy they have been to sew.  I just wanted to let others that might be interested in her blog know about it, whether you are interested in the Block a Week or not, the history on her site is really fascinating.

Here the last 3 blocks I made:


Civil War Block #5

Civil War Block #6

Civil War Block #7

I make a list and I'm only 11 block behind. It may sound like a lot but it's really not. Most the blocks are fairly easy and it's just so much fun. So now the count down begans to stitch the 11 blocks and get caught up.

Sewful Sisters and making Friends

At Tuesday's Sewful Sister's meeting, Lois taught us how to create these two blocks.

We had a great time - it really doesn't matter about making the blocks as much as just being together having some good "chatting time". One of the members brought homemade kettle corn. It was so yummy, and wasn't that sweet of her?   I'm thinking I might have to learn to make some of that!  Just too good!!

I was talking to my daughter about having friends.  She mentioned the people that turn out to be her best friends are the ones that when she meets them, they are instantly friends.  I suppose that some of my best friends have been instant ones, but I sometimes like to wait a bit and see how things work out too.

Yesterday I got a call from one of best friends, Carol.  I haven't seen her in months - at least six months.  We live in the same town, but we just let time get away.  As soon as she called and I answered the phone "Hello",  I already knew it was her by the phone number, we both burst into laughter.  We laughed for several minutes, and I said "Do you realize we do this all the time?  We both laugh before we've even said anything!!"  After laughing a bit longer she said "Well, we know we are going to say something funny."  So true. 

It's good to have friends, whether they are instant, the kind it takes are while to grow into a friendship, sit by the fire kind or only through the Internet on a blog kind. 

Thanks girls for being my friends!!  And Hello to all the people out there that will become a friend!!

Violet's Skirt & Civil War Blocks

Hello Quilty Friends,

I'm finally back from Vacation! 

First I want to tell you that Neptune is fine.  The Vet did find a foxtail in her ear.  (I'm so glad I took her in! I wouldn't want her to have to suffer with that.)  He is such a great Vet.  I felt totally comfortable having him treat Neptune.  We did have to kennel her so that she could have her meds each day, so she didn't get an ear infection. And the Vet gave her a second med to keep the ear from bothering her so much. 

So Friday, the night before we left, I finished up the skirt for Violet.  Yay!!  Here's a picture of the two girls trying on their new skirts.  You can't really see the tulle but it's there.They are such little sweeties!!

So it was off to Denver, Colorado.  Home of my Husband's Family. We drove and it is about a 16 - 17 hour drive, not including stopping for gas, food or rest.  I didn't take many pictures.  Not even of my husband's family.  (Shame of me.)  BUT for some strange reason I took a picture of this train.

And just so you know, on the way to Denver and on the way back....Yep it works that way..... is LAS VEGAS!! Oh yeah, Home of Desserts!  (You thought I was going to say gambling?)

Oh my, these were so good, and they are not the only desserts I ate that night!  I had other ones. And see all those sugar packets I used for the coffee?  I hadn't realized I had used so many until I saw this picture.  And why would I worried about those little packets when I ate all those desserts???

I finally gambled while I was there.  I just think why gamble when I work so hard for my money and I could be buying fabric!  But I saw these fishes on the slot machine and was tempted. I figured a limit of $20.00 would be good, then I changed it to $10.00 (fabric was calling my name), and then lowered to $5.00.    I'm a winner!!!!


This is me holding my winning ticket.  I won a whole 30 cents!!  LOL!!  It was fun and I'm glad I saved the rest for fabric. I'll just never be a "good" gambler.

So....here's what I've started sewing this weekend.  I started the Civil War Quilt Blocks at Civil War Quilts.  I just love her blog.  I just love all the history about the Civil War, the women, quilts and everything else Barbara writes about.  I don't really know what Civil War fabric looks like, and being in Bakersfield, they don't really have that sort of thing.  So I bought some old fashioned (to me) fabrics.

Here are my blocks.  I was able to completed 5 since I can home from our trip, but I only have pictures of 4. My daughter says they are Western not Civil War fabrics and I'm okay with that.

Okay, time to cook dinner - then hopefully sew some more blocks!

A little bit at a time

You know what Pat Sloan says?  And I've been doing it for years and it works.  Just work 15 minutes each day on your project.  I've also heard the suggestion to work 15 minutes a day on a UFO and then work on regular project. 

So Wednesday night my 15 minutes turned out to be much longer and I got all 72 HST done. What joy!

I wasn't in the mood to sew last night.  So sat down to sew only for 15 minutes and finished up a few of these. Of course I spent longer than 15 minutes.  I always do because I'm having fun.

And ended up making one of these.  YAY!!

Then my needle broke.  (drat!)  and since it was past bedtime I left everything and crawled into bed with Hubby.  (Another Yay!)  

Normally I never leave a broken needle in the machine. I like to leave my projects ready for the next time.  I have everything nice and neat and a plan laid out so when I come back I'm ready to go. 

Would you have left a broken needle in the machine or do you get everything nice and tidy for the next day?

Oh one more thing.  On our walk last night Neptune was running near the railroad tracks and came back shaking her head.  She was shaking it a lot.  I wondered what she had gotten into.  When we got home I realized that her ear was hurting and she was crying just a bit.  So it's off to the vet this morning.  My husband will take her. But I'm so concerned.  First I was worried he would be too busy to take her, (honestly - that would never happen) or that the vet wouldn't be in.  So silly.   So now I'm anxiously awaiting to hear that she's fine. 



Neptune when she is not having ear problems.

10:45 a.m. Update:  Hubby said the vet suggested she be knocked out (I'm sure those were not the vet's words) so that he didn't hurt her eardrum while he takes care of it. I'll pick her up about 4:00 tonight on my way home from work.

Mt. Shasta - just so pretty.

I haven't posted anything this week because all my pictures are in the wrong camera. (Don't you just hate when that happens?)  So I keep thinking after work I'll up upload them.  Then after work I totally forget.

I do have one picture of Mt Shasta to post.  Isn't it just so pretty?

I went up to Oregon with my sisters around the first of April to see our Mom.  Oh my, if you want to have fun you'll have to join me and my sisters for a trip. We have so much fun laughing. I probably lost 5 lbs just laughing so much.   I snapped this picture when we stopped for lunch in the town of Weed. 

On the sewing side of things.  I finished Violet skirt. (Picture pending me remembering my camera.)  The only thing is I cut the tulle too short.  You can't see it under the skirt.  Darn.  So it's back to the fabric store for more tulle.  I just really do NOT want that skirt hanging around like Scarlett's did, month after month. 

I have started to work on Pat's Mystery quilt.  I have the squares cut and I'm ready to make some cute little pinwheels.  I can't wait to get started.  I only need 72 of them.  Sounds like a lot to me, however, I'm sure they will go quickly.

And this Friday is Hedi's Friday Night Sew-in. 

I'm not sure I'll make it.  We have plans to go out of town. But if you can, please join the sew-in fun and I'll check out your progress when I return.

You are never going to believe this....

I finished it!!  I finally finished up this skirt.  It was so easy.  I don't know why I acted like it was teeth being pulled.    I'm just so glad it's done.  Now I need to make a skirt for my other granddaughter.  I sure hope I just get it done instead on putting it off forever.  (Notice I didn't put the next skirt on my list of April Goals?  Don't want to even see there.  Nope don't want to see it listed.)

And my other big news.  And this is really good news!!!

We went to the DMV.  You know how everyone loves the DMV. (NOT!)  

  Usually it's Long Lines - Long Waits.  Yep it was yesterday too.

Although Serena is the only one is this "passed" line. 

Serena DID IT!!  She passed the written test.

She's now a teenage with a driving permit.  Watch Out World here she comes!

April's Awesome Goals

ME! Pick Me! It's My turn to list my April Goals!

Now you all know I post this blasted picture over and over again.

 But this time there's a difference I've actually done a little bit on this skirt. And bought some tulle to go with it.  Now if I can just motivated enough to finish it!

And for my next goal and for Judy's UFO Challenge I would be very happy to quilt my watercolor star. 

Last on my list is Pat Sloan's Mystery Quilt Step 3 - adding borders and a Sun in the upper right corner.

I think that's a fine set of goals for April - not too many so that I, Miss I'd Rather be Swimming, will have a good chance of completing them.  How about you?  Something fun you are working on that you'd like to share? 

March Success

Okay gals - time to post my March finishes for the Charming Girls and for Judy's UFO Challenge.

First up - and let me say I'm so happy with this UFO Challenge finish..... my Maywood Studios' quilt. 

Which will be now known as my sister's birthday quilt.  It was so fun to make.  I really loved quilting it.  And surprised myself that I could actually do such a nice job on it.  I had almost sent it out to the quilters to be done.  But I didn't because I thought I could do a good enough job and felt I shouldn't spend the money. Later I saw some of her (the long arm quilter) quilting and Oh My Gosh, mine was so much better!!!!  I was so happy I did it myself. 

Next up:  That stupid bag holder.  This was one of one of those project I didn't want to do and put off for months.  YEA!!  It's done!  No more bags on the floor! 

Why is it we sometimes put easy things off for so long?

Last up:  Pat Sloan Mystery quilt - Step #2 The Boat.

So only three items - but that's really good for being so lazy!  LOL!!  Actually I can say I did get sick and missed a weekend and then missed another going out of town.  But I really don't care that I don't have much done.  It's been a great month!