Plain and Fancy

The Journey Continues…

2010-01-28T23:53:00.001-06:00

Life is so much busier now that I’m working. And to think that it is only a part-time job.

How on earth did I ever hold down a full-time job, take college courses, and raise three children?! I wish I could remember how, because time is just flat out eluding me. Maybe some of you younger women can enlighten me. I’m up for suggestions. Bring them on… quick!

It seems that by the time I get home, make dinner, and clean the kitchen, it’s nearly bed time – and I’m not talking about old folks bedtime!

At least this job is only three days a week!

Besides, it will (eventually) provide me with some extra mad money so I can…. do what? …. all together now: BUY MORE FABRIC!!! And maybe some yarn too, ‘cause I’ve been bitten by the knitting bug – big time!! But most importantly, I love the job and the people I work with are really great – couldn’t ask for better!

Almost forgot – I promised a picture of my office Christmas gift. Let me introduce you to my desk mates – made by one of my super coworkers:

They make me smile; but they have no names yet… any suggestions?

On another note: my January block is complete for our little virtual quilting group. This one is for Gayly….

She said the stripy fabric was an online buying mistake, but the exchange student that was living with Gayly and her family loved it. Go Gayly is putting the quilt together for her young friend as a surprise. It really is an interesting fabric with lots of possibilities. You can check out the other blocks here.

Before we head back to Italy to see the fountains, I’d like to point you to the new blog of a friend of mine. Gayle is, in my estimation, an expert on health foods and whole body wellness. If one of your New Year’s resolutions was to take better care of yourself and live a healthier lifestyle, then you should definitely check out Healed by Him.

Now, here are but a few – a very few – of Rome’s fountains. And I must apologize up front, because I know the name of only one them.

Trevi fountain was made popular many years ago by the movie “Three Coins in the Fountain” with Audrey Hephurn. Since then, so I’m told, you have to elbow you way through the crowds to get a decent view. But it’s worth it. Trevi is just spectacular!

Then there was the intersection with a fountain on every corner:

A fountain at the bottom of the Spanish Steps:

And others here and there….

Our next trip will be to the Vatican. Hope you’ll join us.

Arrivederci,

Iva

The End

2009-12-31T10:23:00.000-06:00

Of 2009, that is.

It was an interesting year, to say the least; and a challenging one in many ways. But there seems to be a slight glimmer at the end of that proverbial tunnel. So let’s lift a glass and toast in the new year with all the hope and anticipation and optimism that we Americans are known for.

Okay, enough of the serious stuff. I need to show you my most recent completed projects, and pictures from Rome….

For Christie in our A Dozen Quilters group, a “Swanky” Jumping Jack block:

For the coworker whose name I drew for our office Christmas party, a cute junior legal pad folio:

What was so fun about this drawing is that we each had to make our gifts, and they couldn’t cost more than $5. Originally the cost was to be less than $1, which would have been really challenging (for me anyway), but there were some funny ideas being tossed around. Maybe next Christmas.

Since I am rather limited in creative talents, I resorted to what I know best: sewing. And because my coworker is all about recycling, repurposing and economizing, I thought using selvages to make the exterior of the cover would be perfect for her.

The good news is she loved it, and that makes me happy. Problem is, I had fun making this folio and am so thrilled with how it turned out that I now want to make more, along with some journal covers. But who would I give them to?!

Hmmm….I’ll come up with someone – several someones – because they are just too darned cute to stop at one. Hey… maybe a future giveaway???

The gift I received is still at the office. As soon as I return, I’m taking a picture of it to share with you. Absolutely priceless! I can’t wait for you to see it.

Aside from cutting and glue sticking a million petals for my Jacob’s Coat blocks (with only a gazillion more to go – I’m just a tad bit behind the rest of the group!), I don’t think I have done any other quilt-related or knitting projects. Bummer! I need to do something about that, and soon!!

So, why don’t we return to Rome? How about a tour of the Colosseum???

Enjoy…

Exterior:

Interior (just a few):

Looking out from the Colosseum:

Our next excursion will be to see a few of the fountains of Rome. Everyone stay together now.

B.I.N.G.O.

2009-12-13T10:49:00.000-06:00

The Quilt Shoppe is hosting a fabulous holiday bingo on their blog. Rush on over there now to get signed up and join in on the fun.

Iva

This, That, and the Other

2009-11-08T18:56:00.001-06:00

Okay. Time to get caught up, again, on the happenings in the Plain and Fancy household. And as a result of my lack of dedication to this blog lately, you will have to suffer through many pictures.

First of all, yes, I have taken on yet another project. Kellie of Don't Look Now fame is hosting a Jacob’s Coat Quilt Along, and when I saw her first beautiful block of pink petals I knew I just had to join in and make this one. Even though I’ve never appliqued anything in my life!

This is the layout; however, I’ll save the pink for another time. For now, these are the prints that will go into my quilt…

I can’t wait to get started, but I’m waiting for the arrival of one very crucial item. Some ~~over-achieving~~ better organized individuals have already posted their first block on the flickr page, so you will want to head on over to Don't Look Now and check out those beauties.

In other news, my Red and Aqua Disappearing 9 Patch blocks are now in the possession of Jane who is frantically sorting and redistributing to all of her 88 participants.

And for my November A Dozen Quilters project, these two blocks were mailed to Carmen who wanted roses and shabby chic. (She received two because these were just too darned easy :D)

In the midst of all of this, Adorable Granddaughter had a milestone birthday. She is now the ripe old age of 5! So Mimi had to bring her home with us after the party so that we could have a Girls’ Shopping Trip (renamed to Shopping Girls by that adorable little munchkin).

We bought clothes and shoes and glittery hair clips and a princess “umbella” and a few other odds and ends.

We also did lots of coloring in our princess coloring book, chasing the kitty, playing at the park and with the neighbor children, and playing….. “swimming balls.” :D !!!

It took me a minute or two to figure out what she was wanting to do the first time she asked, “Mimi, can we play swimming balls again”? Huh. Wha…ummm. Okay?

We had great fun, but she was definitely glad to see her mama when we took her back home.

I also received my Friendship Bag… great job, Kathleen! I love it!

Whipped out this selvage skirt for Adorable Granddaughter…

… and dropped it in the mail on Friday.

Plus made up 12 pints of Salsa Verde from all those green tomatoes left on the vines.

I think I’m caught up on all the news now. If not, you can expect to see whatever I’ve missed in the next post. Aren’t you lucky?!

Until then, just a few pictures of Rome….

More later….. Oh yes, there are a lot more ;)

Iva

This is the day the Lord has made,

2009-10-23T07:57:00.000-05:00

let us rejoice and be glad in it!! (Psalm 118:24)

There is always a noticeable difference in my attitude and my day when I start off with this scripture. Even though we have had lots of gray and gloomy days lately, just saying this verse energizes me. Does anyone else have one that really sets the mood for your whole day? I would be interested to know.

For the past five weeks, I have been enjoying Beth Moore’s "Stepping Up" Bible study which takes an in-depth look at the Psalms of Ascension. It has been a fascinating journey as we ascend to closer relationship with our Lord, and one that I will miss when we climb that last step next week.

In my opinion, last week’s session was one of the best in the series. Beth talked about (and read some excerpts from books authored by others) how with all our opportunities for instant socializing (email, IMs, texting, etc.) many of us are still very lonely and starved for some depth.

Can you relate? I know I can. I thoroughly miss the deep relationships and the face-to-face, sit-down-let’s-chat socializing that we used to engage in before we were inundated with so much technology.

So, although not completely surprising, but still eye opening, these authors went on to suggest that because we have ceased to practice deep relationship building, more and more of us are dealing with loneliness, depression, stress, and untimely health-related deaths. Whoa!

One author stated (and none of this is verbatim) that having strong social support is a great stress buster. The other suggested that if you have never engaged in a social group, by joining one you will have increased your chance of living another year by 50%. 50%, ladies!

We were made to be social creatures, and we were commanded to encourage and build up one another. So might I suggest you grab your best friend or someone you would like to know better and go have a cup of coffee. Then you can feel good that you just extended two lives :D

You never know when someone else needs this. Your encouragement and support may be just what a weary sister traveler needs to get back up and get back on the road. (This may be a quote; so just in case I’ll give credit to Beth Moore!)

Have a great weekend, ladies; and don't forget:

"Encourage one another and build up one another..." (1 Thessalonians 5:11)

Iva

What Happened?!

2009-10-14T15:22:00.001-05:00

Before leaving on my oh-so-wonderful vacation to Rome (will definitely share pictures later), the weather here in Doo-dah was lovely: sunny and warm days followed by fairly brisk nights. It was enough to give me encouragement that cold weather was possibly several weeks away. I was even a little concerned the tomatoes still on the vine might ripen while I was away.

Ahhhh, and then the weather in Italy was just as spectacular – for 7 glorious days the temperatures ranged from the upper 70s, to low 80s. Yes, pictures… will absolutely be sharing pictures.

But when we landed in Kansas and walked down the ramp to cross the tarmac, we were greeted by cold wind. C.O.L.D.

The next couple of days weren’t any better. It was cold and rainy; and the forecast for Saturday included a freeze for that night. Why??!!! This isn’t supposed to happen yet! I’M NOT READY! (lots of drama, huh?)

So I spent Saturday morning (before it “warmed up” to 45 degrees) attempting to save my “crops.” By the time I had finished gathering all the remaining tomatoes, bell peppers, eggplant, and parsley, my hands were almost numb from the cold.

The good news though is I turned all of this (and there was much more parsley than this pictures shows):

into 8 lovely pints of parsley pesto (should have taken the picture though before putting them in the freezer) using Pam’s recipe that you can find here…

We now also have 8 quart-size freezer bags of chopped, home-grown, heirloom bell peppers; and all that is left to do is turn all those green tomatoes into salsa verde. Yum!

I know we are going to enjoy the pesto and veggies for months to come. But I can’t help feeling bummed that we seem to be jumping straight from summer into winter. I like autumn. I would really like to experience autumn before having to endure the winter cold.

But all my whining isn’t going to change anything, so…

I want to share with you two great contests that have lifted my spirits a bit, in case you need a lift too.

The first is here at Mrs Schmenkman’s. Scoot on over there now because you too will want to win those luscious fabrics she is giving away!

And the other is here :

In the winter, I practically live in my Uggs. So I’m hoping to win a pair, ‘cuz it’s nice to have options, and a girl can’t have too many pairs of Uggs! Especially when it’s looking like it could be a very long winter.

Good luck!

Iva

Okay, I’ve returned to my sewing room….

2009-09-27T17:21:00.000-05:00

and with the days getting shorter and fewer warm ones remaining, it wasn’t easy to give up my time on the golf course!

But we can’t always play; sometimes there is work that needs to be done and we need to be responsible individuals.

At least that’s what I’ve taught my children.

But they don’t need to know that I don’t always practice what I preach, so let’s keep this to ourselves. Okay?

Anyway, here is what I’ve managed to accomplish so far:

One outfit for Adorable Granddaughter Alexis…

Nothing like waiting until the last few ~~weeks~~ days of warm weather for an outfit like this, right?

A quilt block for the new virtual quilt group in which I’m participating.

This one is for Becky who is the first person we are all making quilt blocks for. She chose the colors red and aqua for her month, which is October (and I want you all to notice and be impressed that this is still September and my block is complete and will be in the mail tomorrow…see I can accomplish some things before the last minute).

Next is a cute little bag for my secret partner in the Friendship Bag Swap sponsored by Quilting Gallery…

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I hope she likes it! (p.s. I don’t know why is says “view full album”; there is nothing else there!)

And I got really industrious and made a cute little “passport bag” (that’s what I’m calling it any way) for my sister for her to use on our trip to Italy later this week. It’s a perfect size for carrying a passport, a small camera and a wallet, with a little bit of room to spare. The bonus is it can be placed right in front of you, where it’s easy for you to access and prevent someone else’s stealthy hands out – very important when traveling abroad.

And that’s it for now, folks.

Now I’m returning to my sewing room because I also want to attempt to make me a passport bag, and maybe even get my red/aqua blocks made and in the mail for Jane's Disappearing 9-Patch Swap, all by tomorrow night.

(Those D9P blocks aren’t due until November 2; so if I do get this accomplished between now and tomorrow night, you can really be impressed then.)

Ciao!

Iva

Quilty people are the greatest!

2009-09-10T07:24:00.000-05:00

This has been a great week with packages arriving in the mail from a couple of quilty/crafty gals. I LOVE receiving goodies like these in the mail, don’t you?

One came from Melissa as a thank you to all of us who are participating a virtual quilting group she is hosting. This will be my first VQG experience and I’m very excited about it. Thank you Melissa for this sweet gift.

That butterfly fabric was an exciting bonus since it will work perfectly in a swap project that I can now get to work on. You saved me some time in my already busy schedule…thank you, thank you, thank you!

The second package came from one of my MIL’s neighbors.

A couple of months ago, this sweet lady came knocking on MIL’s door with a bed skirt in hand. A customer of hers had contracted her to make the bed skirt. But after the project was finished, the customer decided she didn’t want it after all (good thing she paid in advance).

Not having a need for it and knowing what a philanthropist my MIL is, friendly neighbor gave the bed skirt to her to donate to someone in need.

Well, MIL was very excited indeed. She had been keeping an eye out for a bed skirt (because yours truly had not yet gotten around to making her one) to match the quilt I had made for her a couple of Christmases ago.

After a (very) brief moment of feeling guilty about wanting to keep the bed skirt for herself, she told friendly neighbor that it would be a perfect match for the quilt on her bed and invited her in to see it.

Friendly neighbor fell in love with the quilt, and when she learned that the quilt pattern was called “Four Sisters” (from Eleanor Burns’ “Still Stripping…”) she too became very excited. Like MIL, friendly neighbor is one of four sisters, and she declared that she just had to have the pattern to make a quilt for each of her sisters.

Knowing that friendly neighbor, being of a certain age, was probably on a fixed income, I decided to just send her my copy.

The grateful and happy friendly neighbor in turn sent a nice note and enclosed an adorable hot pad made from…

Mary Engelbriet’s Recipe for Friendship fabrics!

Truly, it was a sweet gesture and I am proud to be it’s recipient. However, it is pretty ironic (recall a previous post on these fabrics?) :-D So funny!

Life is just full of ironies, and sweet quilty friends.

How fun!

Iva

What a storm we had during the night!

2009-09-08T12:23:00.001-05:00

You know how sounds filter into your subconscious while you are sleeping and affect your dreams? That’s how the middle-of-the-night storm started out. Just enough sound to penetrate my REM sleep and help to create some bizarre dream… that I don’t recall any details of; just that it was bizarre.

Then there was a bright white flash of lighting, soon followed by a loud boom of thunder that sent Lucy and Buzz scurrying to get under the bed. Then it sounded like the skies opened up and water just poured forth, with strong winds whipping the rain first one direction then another.

This went on for what seemed like several minutes, but was probably just a very few, as I lay there in bed listening for the sound of tornado sirens. But alas, soon the noise subsided, all became calm again, and I was drifting off to dreamland again.

Then BOOOOMMM! The house shook, the windows rattled and it started all over again with more lightning, thunder, wind and rain. Maybe even some hail peppered into the mix from the sounds of it all.

This scenario occurred at least three more times when, in the midst of my last conscious awareness of the storms, my brain said “Enough! Let’s get some sleep” and it shut down for the remainder of the night.

Seriously.

I grew up in tornado alley. Have always loved listening to the rumble of a good storm. And once I feel there is no threat of imminent danger, these sounds can lull me into a peaceful sleep.

But I also enjoy the glorious sights that a storm brings with it – coming and going. The beautiful sunsets and rainbows, the trees in their various shades of green against the backdrop of a bruised-looking sky, the richer colors of grasses and flowers and shrubs after a good soaking rain.

However, this storm has been a bit more than soaking. Since whatever time it began in the wee early morning hours, there has been very little let-up. Here it is noon and, though there is currently no rain, the thunder and gray skies make us aware that it’s not over yet.

That’s okay. We needed some rain, and the rumbling sound of the thunder, in my imagination, is like the voice of God speaking to me.

So soothing.

Iva

Helloooo....

2009-09-05T15:00:00.004-05:00

It's been a while, hasn't it?

Honestly, I don't really have a lot to tell about at this moment. Just been thoroughly enjoying an absolutely splendid summer we have had here in Kansas, and spending as much time outdoors as possible.

As a result, I now have a pretty darn good tan. Although it's a goofy golfer's tan... which isn't really conducive to wearing one's favorite heels. It kind of looks like I've have new feet attached. They are rather pale compared to my legs (at least to the point of about 3 inches above my knees). Oh well... a girl's gotta wear her heels!

(Just between us, I tried to use a darker shade of mineral powder foundation on the tops of my feet in an attempt to help them blend better with my legs. It didn't quite work. I think I needed to go one more shade darker **note to self** But this will be our secret. Wouldn't want anyone to think I was some time of fruitcake now would we?)

There were also more celebrations during my absence from the blogging world: grandson #1 turned 10 -- which is just so hard to believe. Won't be long, little man, before you're a big man!! WOW... that thought makes your Mimi feel really old, kiddo!! :D

And one of MFG's nieces was married (on MFG's birthday even). It was a lovely wedding held in a cute little church camp pavillion, with blue hydrandeas everywhere, including the beautiful bride's bouquet.

Then my Leetle Seester reached one of those really big milestone birthdays. So I had to go cheer her up with some goodies (wrinkle reducing and cellulite erasing creams, Metamucil... you know, that sort of stuff... isn't that what big sisters are for!?). Really, Sis, you look ten years younger than you are, so get over it.

Since I've been such a slacker this summer, I need to head downstairs now to my work room and get caught up on some projects. But before I do, you need to be aware of a great giveaway that is going on here: http://www.fatquartershop.com/Fig-Tree-Quilts-Fabric-Moda-Fabrics.asp. If you're a Fig Tree fan like I am, you will not want to miss this.

And The Celebrations Just Keep Coming

2009-06-24T14:42:00.000-05:00

This past weekend we took a road trip to celebrate AGS #2’s birthday. It was destined to be the best birthday party ever because water balloons were involved…

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Happy birthday to my favorite-ist 6-year old in the whole wide world! I love you, Sam!!

And a very happy birthday on Saturday to My Favorite Guy/Landshark. Te amo, Baby!!

All you quilters will now want to go over and wish Jackie a happy birthday, too. She is holding a generous giveaway to celebrate her day.

Alrighty then… I’ve got to go pack now and head south where it’s probably even hotter than it is here in Doo-dah… UGH.

Have a great rest of the week.

Iva

Yummy Goodness From Your Staples

2009-06-17T10:09:00.001-05:00

No, not the ones found in your desk drawer… the ones in your pantry.

When cinnamon blondies at A Southern Grace appeared on my computer screen and I read how simple the recipe, I just had to make them myself.

After all, who doesn’t love the aroma and taste of cinnamon. It is just one of those spices that provides such a pleasant sensory experience and feeling of hominess. Not only that, but these blondies can be whipped up any time since they consist of the basic staples that stock our pantries at all times – well maybe except for the cinnamon chips; but those are optional anyway. (Come to think of it though, why would you even consider leaving out the chips?!)

After making one batch and they almost completely disappeared as soon as my guy walked in the door, I decided to check out a couple of other sources for another batch.

In addition to Grace’s Cinnamon Lover’s Snickerdoodle Blondies recipe, Maria's and Julia's recipes also provided inspiration for my own.

Serve these up Plain, with a cold glass of milk; or Fancy with a dollop of whipped cream, or (even better) a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream… MMMM.

(yeah, poor picture quality; but not much you can do with a point-and-click)

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Cinnamon Chip Snickerdoodle Blondies

2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 cups brown sugar, packed
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla
2 1/3 cups cinnamon chips
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch pan. Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon; set aside. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and brown sugar; beat in the eggs (one at a time) and vanilla until smooth.

Slowly add the flour mixture and mix until well-blended. Stir in the cinnamon chips. Spread the batter evenly onto the prepared pan.

Combine the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and evenly sprinkle the mixture over the top of the batter.

Bake 25 minutes or until surface springs back when gently pressed. Cool slightly. While still warm, cut into bars with a sharp knife. Makes about 30, depending on how cut.

Happy eating!

Iva

Celebrations

2009-06-10T15:34:00.002-05:00

The first celebration is NEW BATTERIES… which are absolutely essential. Without them my pictures had been held captive for weeks. Not that they are artistic wonders. Just that I promised you guys there would pictures (and even a video if I can figure out how to load it) of your, and my, favorite little people having fun with Papa and Mimi, and Papa and Mimi having fun with them.

Really though, the real, official, first celebration is actually Sam’s (little cutie in center) kindergarten graduation. Congratulations, Sam; and thank you for inviting me to your very special event!

Just look at those CUTE dimples! I could just eat you up, little man!! And doesn’t this just look like a fun bunch of rugrats?

After graduation, Mimi loaded up all three of her adorable munchkins and we headed to Oz for a week of celebrating the beginning of summer vacation.

There was lots of fun and chaos and very little structure because, after all, one is supposed to have tons of fun when visiting the grandparents! We will leave structure and discipline to the parents.

So…

There were green slides and red slides to delight in:

Mama was missing her girl, so some phone time was in order!

And lots of sand to bury ourselves in:

Then we had to touch the clouds with our toes:

The usual pestering:

Fish and frogs to be caught:

Lots of climbing:

Getting dizzy:

Of course, fun in the water (had to wrap the cast in plastic bags because we just couldn’t let Hunter miss out on the fun):

Papa you are so awesome! Just the best papa ever!!!

Plus lots of fun and popsicles with the neighborhood children, picnics, playing catch with Papa, looking for awesome rocks with Mimi, late-night movies and popcorn, and hours of searching for “rolly pollies” and snails.

And of course what trip to Papa and Mimi’s would be complete without a visit from “Wedgy Man.”

To think they actually look forward to this and, from the moment they walk in the door, practically beg their Uncle Adam for the experience. Of course he makes them wait… until the very last evening of their visit. But I think it was the highlight of their whole stay; not to mention it has pretty much become a tradition. Go figure. Will they still be begging for wedgies from the Wedgy Man when they are teenagers?

Another celebration: the dining room chairs are now complete. YAY!! Pretty decent if I do say so myself.

And one final celebration: Mary of Little Red House is celebrating her 500th post with a spectacular giveaway. If you haven’t seen her blog yet, you certainly owe it to yourself to get over there now. Her decorating style is impeccable. Her photography, breathtaking. I’m so envious.

All in all, life is good!

Iva

Another First

2009-06-02T13:01:00.001-05:00

I couldn’t stand that you all were having so much without me. So I’m jumping on the bandwagon and participating my first quilt-along being held over at Old Red Barn Co.

Whether you’re a seasoned quilter or a beginner, you’re sure to want to participate in this project. Go check it out and see why.

(If you are a beginning quilter, you are going to LOVE Dana’s oh-so-easy to follow directions.)

Happy quilting!

Iva

A Little A.D.D?

2009-05-15T10:28:00.001-05:00

First I didn’t think we would ever have warm weather. Now I’m not sure it will ever stop raining. My fear is that summer temps will take effect before we even get to experience spring. Really though, I can’t complain, because there have been some really splendid days interspersed with the cold and wet.

But this weekend, rain or shine, I have got to get these babies in the ground. Otherwise, the Plain and Fancy household will not be enjoying some fresh, home-grown tomatoes and bell peppers this summer.

There is another tray of plants above this one and I have NO idea where I’m going to put them all! Because we don’t have a large backyard (and the neighbors would not appreciate me creating a garden in any part of my street-facing front yard area), they will all have to get scrunched into the flower beds. That should be an interesting sight!

But, oh my, am I ever looking forward to eating some “real” tomatoes!

In addition, I have to get my basil and parsley seeds in the ground – and pray this weekend’s rains don’t wash them away!

PLUS… I have started a new project (surprise!): re-upholstering the dining room chairs.

Not something I’ve ever done, so I need a little encouragement and support here!

Then there is the Orange Crush project to finish.

(Remember this from the OP challenge? Still not done!)

And the “Danielle” quilt project…

(She’s much further along than when this was posted.)

Not to mention completing the de-construction of Aunt Josie’s project.

(Exciting news – at least for me anyway! I have come up with a new design for her quilt, which is partially sketched out. Still working on ideas for the borders though.)

Lastly is the sweater that I am knitting. Which I won’t bother with a picture of that until I see how turns out. Since it is my very first knitted sweater it could end up being a complete disaster!

So what do you think? A little A.D.D.?

I’m thinkin’ ADDDDDDDDDDDDD!

Have a glorious weekend!

Iva

Fun With the Family

2009-05-06T10:15:00.001-05:00

I adore my children and grandchildren! Their wackiness makes them such a blast to be around.

This excursion was in celebration of DS#1’s birthday. That’s him on the receiving end of the sword (his wife enjoying the giving end; DD fondling the samurai's leg; and AGD in one of her very brief stationary moments).

We missed those who were not able to join us. They would most certainly have added to the zaniness.

Drum Roll Please

2009-05-01T11:38:00.001-05:00

But before we get to the winners of my first-ever giveaway, let me share with you what I will be working on next.

Several years ago I was visiting with my favorite aunt, Josie (Josephine to others who also adored her). Aunt Josie and I were talking about one thing after another and somehow we ended up discussing quiltmaking. She had found in a magazine a very simple pattern for a quilt she wanted to make and was excited about getting started on it.

Aunt Josie’s quilt was going to be constructed of 4” squares of all the fabrics she had in her collection. The fabrics were remnants of dresses and outfits she had made for herself and for her daughter when she was a child. And somewhere in that quilt, Aunt Josie was going to incorporate alternating red and white squares. I don’t recall her ever showing me the magazine picture of that quilt, but my fuzzy memory tells me the red/white was to be an inner border.

Fast forward a few years during another visit, I had asked Aunt Josie about her quilt and told her that I had recently made a couple myself. Her eyes lit up and she went into her room and came back with a small paper bag and a rolled up bundle.

In that bag contained lots and lots of fabric squares; and the bundle consisted of many strips of 4” squares sewn together.

She handed it all to me, said that it was now mine and asked that I finish making her quilt. I’m not sure if she just lost interest or if her health (which had for several years been in decline) prevented her from completing the project herself.

Well, I’m sad to say that years slipped by since that day and I still had not done anything with those squares and sewn strips. Every so often an image of that bag would flash across my mind and I would feel a slight pang of guilt. To top it off, we lost our dear Aunt Josie last year, which only compounded my guilt for not following through.

This week, however, during what has become a frequent occurrence of sleeplessness (thanks to hormones!), Aunt Josie has been flooding my thoughts. So a couple of days ago I dragged out that bag and those sewn strips and took a good evaluation of what I had to work with.

After careful examination, I determined that all those that are already stitched need to be taken apart. The squares are not all uniform, the stitching varies from a scant 1/4” to almost 1/2”, and there are some stained/damaged pieces that need to be eliminated.

Again, I don’t recall her showing me a picture of the quilt in her magazine and all I have is my fuzzy memory and her hand drawn sketch of the layout (drawn on a piece cut from a paper bag).

She placed marks here and there, and some sections appear darker (highlighted?), but I have no idea what her intentions were. So I have decided that I will create my own design that will showcase some of the more interesting fabrics like this one of old movie scenes and actors:

And one that will pay tribute to a lady who was so well loved.

As you can see from Aunt Josie’s sketch, there are at least 418 squares! Which is a good thing, because I am going to make two quilts: one for her daughter and one for her son. Can you believe she cut each one of these using a paper template (assuming from that same paper bag)? Wow!!!

Wish me luck!

Now for the winners (who were selected by the Pawsitive Tails crew who licked, sniffed and tried to eat the paper strips with your names printed on them)…

Mary Engelbriet Fabrics: Sara of NE Ohio

4-Square Blocks: Shelly of Tennessee

And because there were only three entries (bummer for me, but great for you ladies!!)…

a Sussie (little giftie) for Kay of Oklahoma

Ladies, if you will email me your address I will get your goodies on their way to you. Congratulations and enjoy!

Oops! You need an email address don’t you? ivamcadams At sbcglobal DOT net.

Have a fabulous weekend…

Iva

Trying Something New and A Giveaway

2009-04-24T10:09:00.005-05:00

Rhoda over at Southern Hospitality has praised the benefits of using Windows Live for blogging. So much so that I just had to try it out myself. Supposedly inserting and manipulating pictures is a snap. I certainly hope so, because that seems to take such a v e r y long time – for me anyway – with the format I have been using. So let’s see if it’s true:

Well, that was cool! This program allows you to crop and size and other fun things right here on the page.

Since I'm new to blogging (fairly so anyway -- still learning; does that count as new?), I found writing, editing, linking, pictures, etc. much more user-friendly than that other program. If you're not already using Windows Live, you really should give it a whirl.

Anyway…

I’ve been pretty lax in posting, haven’t I? But it hasn’t been for lack of material. There have been several events in the Plain and Fancy household, what with family, vacation, outings, projects, and “stuff” (as my youngest, during his teen years, used to say)…

Me: “What have you been doing today?”

Him: “Stuff.”

Me: “What did you buy at the mall?”

Him: “Stuff.”

Me: “After 3 years of flying lessons (that have cost me a bazillion dollars), what have you learned to do?”

Him: “Stuff.”

Me: “How exciting that the President of the United States was the speaker at your friend’s graduation ceremony! What did he talk about?”

yep: “Stuff.”

Does anyone else have these same kind of stimulating conversations with your teenage son?

Anyway, I’ll get caught up on “stuff” soon.

In the meantime, the Mary Englebreit fabrics in the picture above… well, I purchased those to participate in a block swap that didn’t turn out so great. And on top of that, I am just not a fan of Mary Englebreit things. Not that there is anything wrong with them mind you, just not my thing.

(Yes, I realize that one should only participate in swaps that appeal to them. But it was my first swap and I wanted to get the jest of the concept; and now that I know, it's time to move on.)

Although my first inclination was to go ahead and make something with these fabrics -- maybe a baby quilt or bag or...something -- I couldn't face the prospect of working with fabrics that didn't at least give me warm fuzzies. Instead I decided why not just find someone to give them a loving home. So as a result of this brainstorm I will be holding my very first drawing.

One lucky winner will receive the group of fabrics pictured, which consists of four fat quarters and two 3/4 yard (approx., maybe more?) cuts. And one runner-up will receive a small batch of 4-patch blocks.

To enter, leave a comment with your name and the state you currently call home (ex: Hi, my name is Iva and I live in Kansas.). Double your chance of winning by mentioning this give-away on your blog.

Drawing will be held on Friday, May 1st (May Day!). Good luck.

Just. Couldn't. Re-sist.

2009-04-01T16:34:00.005-05:00

Last week while working on my charity blocks I realized that my fabric stash had a major shortage of light/background fabrics. Since one of the local quilt stores was having a really good sale, I decided while I was already out and about I would stop by and see if they had anything (on sale, of course) to help me fill in those gaps.

But those fabric store ladies are oh-so clever. They know that not only can we quilters not pass up a good sale, but once we're inside that shop we also won't be able to resist all those gorgeous new spring fabrics!!

Don't these look luscious?!

MFG would be thrilled to know that I did restrain myself and only bought a ~few~ Fat Quarters (that is if he was even aware of these purchases to begin with... shhh). There were so many more just calling out to me. So, you know, I saved a bundle there. Right?

The other good news, Sweetie, is that I saved 31% on the already marked down price of those other yardages that I "needed"!

So see, you married such a clever shopper.

Ladies, go check out Judi's new pattern, Strippin' Time. She's having a giveaway to celebrate.

Edited to say: Almost forgot to tell you that Coffee Time Stitches is also having a giveaway to celebrate her 400th post. Hurry over!!!

Project Improv

2009-03-30T17:28:00.008-05:00

Oh. My. Stars. This month is gone and I've only accomplished a tiny fraction of what needs to be done on my To-Do list!!!

It's not that I've been (totally) slacking. There have just been too many irons in the fire; not to mention the fact that I haven't been very good about time management these days. We just won't mention that at all.

Plus, I had the pleasure of having my two adorable and extremely active grandsons for a whole week during Spring Break (more on that another time).

But I did, FINALLY, get my wonky log cabin blocks in the mail today to Jacquie over at Tallgrass Prairie Studio. It's a good thing she lives close by, relatively speaking, because the deadline is Wednesday!

Jacquie developed a charity quilt project titled Project Improv. The idea is to have volunteers make and send in 12.5" blocks in their choice of three different color schemes. These blocks will be made into quilts to be given away or auctioned off for charity.

Although I volunteered to submit blocks in the red/aqua color format, I decided instead to make two blocks in each colorway.... partly because I couldn't remember how many I had volunteered to make. sheesh!

Oh well; at least they are done now and on their way to a good cause.

Anyone want to chance a guess on how long it took me to figure out how to create that mosaic?

FAR TOO LONG!!!

One more thing to add to my ~growing~ list of things to accomplish: learn to utilize some of the cool tips and tricks and gadgets and widgets that are available to bloggers.

Let's Celebrate!

2009-03-09T09:53:00.002-05:00

We have all been holding it in for months. Some even for years.

But today is the day to let it all out. Let go. Release it to the winds.

Because today is PANIC DAY!!

Our economy is in a mess. Our retirement savings are depleted, or nearly so. The roof is leaking, the car needs tires, the kids need new shoes, and our seams and points aren't as perfect as we would like them to be.

So go ahead -- let's all just break loose and have that well deserved panic attack we've long been needing!

Then when we've got that out of our systems we can take a nap because it is also NAPPING DAY.

Whew! We needed that. Panicking takes a lot out of a person. Besides we need a nap to make up for that lost hour of sleep as a result of Daylight Savings Time.

But today is also GET OVER IT DAY.

Which is confusing and hurts my brain.

Think I'll go take a nap!

Must Be Spring...

2009-03-07T20:51:00.003-06:00

Over the past few days writers of some of my favorite blog sites have posted SIGHTS and SIGNS of spring in their various locations.

Here in Doo-Dah:

Yesterday there were the SOUNDS of children laughing and playing in the back yards that adjoin ours. Then this evening we were treated to the sound of tornado sirens!

Could this be a precursor for what lies ahead for the remainder of the season?

Pawsitive Tails -- Sweet Surrender

2009-03-03T16:14:00.008-06:00

Bet you thought I dropped out of the OP Challenge. Nothing since the last post showing the first three completed blocks. Yep, she gave up. Dropped out. Hung it up to dry. Couldn't hack it.

Well, you're wrong.

On the weekend of the virtual retreat with Pat I made a trip to Oooo-kla-homa. My DD had turned another year older and I chose to go celebrate the occasion with her.

Dang it girl! I still can't believe you are.... the age you are. Stop doing that to me!

But before returning to our neck of the woods, MFG and I took a side trip to visit DS#1 and, of course, I had to scoop up our Adorable GrandDaughter and bring her home with us.

This little princess is full of spirit and exuberance, and she just flat wore out her Mimi. But I loved every minute of it.

Tex, on the other hand, was not so keen on having this rambunctious intruder in his castle.

For the first two days of her visit we did not see hide nor hair of the little guy. MFG did spot him peeking his head out of his hiding place one night after AGD Alexis and I went off to bed. Once he determined all was safe Tex proceeded with caution up the stairs for food and water.

Next morning Tex decided to try his luck again and worked his way upstairs only to be spotted by AGD. At the sight of the cat she squealed in delight and went running after him... K I I I I TTTYYY!! Then off he would disappear again as fast as his legs would take him.

This scene was repeated several more times over the course of that day and the next. Each time I would explain to Alexis that when she yelled and ran after the kitty it scared him. That if she would be quiet and gentle he might let her pet him.

Eventually the concept took hold.

On the afternoon of day four we went downstairs for some quiet time. And there was Tex, lying peacefully on the sofa. As softly as she could in her excitement Alexis said, "Mimi, please catch the kitty so I can pet him."

Was I going to turn that down? Absolutely not!

So, quietly we walked to the sofa. I picked up Tex and we all sat down together with me petting and reassuring Tex as we settled in. Then I gently placed kitty on Alexis' lap and we both continued to pet him. Once Tex was relaxed I removed my hand and she continued to stroke his fur ever so gently.

And then it happened...

Tex curled into a soft little ball and snuggled in, right there on Alexis' lap!

And, oh, the look on that precious baby's face!! The melting of her heart poured through her very being. Her limbs and body collapsed into a blissful, enraptured slump. Her facial expressions ranged from sweet surprise, to near tearful affection and delight, then to one of a loving little mama, as a soft, sweet little "ohhhhh" escaped her lips.

How I would have loved for someone to be there to record that moment. That sweet, beautiful moment in time. One that will be etched in my mind forever. A memory that, for the rest of my life, I will recall every time I look at that adorable little girl's face.

So it was for the next couple of days when one little kitty gave such great joy to one precious princess.

Thank you Tex.

Orange Crush

2009-02-21T00:20:00.004-06:00

Little did I realize how much I really do like orange. After all, my basement family room is orange... all the way around too; not just one wall! However, MFG is the one who chose the color, not me. But I have to admit that after 3 years it has grown on me. Or I've turned a blind eye to it. It took the OP challenge for me to notice these orange walls again.

Pat's orange pile virtual retreat has been been great fun so far and I can't wait to see what's in store tomorrow. You should go check out her site and take a look at all the different color combinations with orange.

Here's what I've accomplished so far on my OP quilt...

And considering the fact that when it gets late my brain stops functioning properly, which only results in far too many mistakes. So I am calling it quits for now.

Catching Up

2009-02-09T10:31:00.015-06:00

So here's what I've been up to lately...

Finished a quilt top (the first one for 2009). Yeah, I'm not a quilt-a-week-type gal (or a month for that matter). The pattern is Double Takes I from Anka's Treasures

Even though the Quilt Inspector gave his approval, he did point out my mistakes in the quilt top. Can you find them??? You know, there are some quilters who actually plan a mistake into their quilts. Pshaw! Amateurs!!! My mistakes come naturally.

In my defense for only completing one quilt top so far: I've also been learning to knit; however, there's no need to punish you with a picture of that sad project! And continuing to do the hand quilting on Precious Granddaughter's quilt. And participating in Beth Moore's newest bible study, Esther. (If you've never done a Beth Moore bible study, I would highly recommend you do so soon!)

Also found the fun fabrics for pat sloan's new orange challenge. Don't they make you feel happier just looking at them?!

But while I was shopping for these, I also discovered Pat's new Arabella line in the shop. And of course I had to have some of that too!!! Now I ask you.... how could one possibly pass on these?

I also selected my next quilt project and have already begun the cutting process:

Yes, you are right.... I told you before blue is not one of my favorite colors to work with. But... the green just made it so irresistible.

Next there is the mini scrap swap I'm participating in. This is just a hint (in case she hasn't received them yet) of what I recently mailed to my swap partner...

Lastly, to prove to you that I really did organize and clean my sewing room:

Still kicking around ideas for the window treatments/curtains. Everything in due time. But check out the earlier post and tell me if this is not a definite improvement!

So... what have you been up to?

Pawsitive Tails -- The Quilt Inspector

2009-02-06T11:16:00.008-06:00

Some people have quilt cats.

Cats who sit demurely atop a quilt or a stack of fabrics.

Refusing, in their regal-ness, to look at the camera.

Adding an air of aplomb and sophistication to the setting.

I, on the other hand, have.....

BUZZ THE BEAGLE

He is always ready to inspect and provide his input....

Aahhhh

He approves!!!

Buzz blesses this quilt top by doing the

Snoopy Dance!

And all is good with the world :D

Pawsitive Tails - Winter Woes

2009-01-27T13:19:00.008-06:00

Mo-ommm.... I'm sooo bo-ored! When will Spring be here?!?!!!

Poor Lucy~

Reflections

2009-01-23T09:00:00.007-06:00

An excerpt from A Well-Tended Soul - Staying Beautiful for the Rest of Your Life by Valerie Bell

How Did Mother Get into My Mirror?

Beauty Tips: For attractive lips, speak words of kindness. For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people. For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry. For beautiful hair, let a child run his or her fingers through it once a day. For poise, walk with the knowledge that you'll never walk alone.

People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed; never throw out anybody.

Remember, if you ever need a helping hand, you'll find one at the end of your arm.

The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure she carries, or the way she combs her hair. The beauty of a woman must be seen from in her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart, the place where love resides. True beauty is reflected in a woman's soul. It is the caring that she lovingly gives, the passion that she shows...read more

Another Fab Contest

2009-01-15T12:08:00.003-06:00

A happy Thursday to everyone!

On this frigid and snowy day I am happy to inform you that progress is being made on the disasterous sewing room. All that needs to be done now is to make and hang the curtains. WOO-HOO! I must say that it looks and feels so much better. Well, DUH!!

But even at this stage I feel it will be okay to start on my exchange blocks and finish the quilt in progress without any pangs of guilt.

Before leaving though I have to let you in on another terrific contest. This one is an opportunity to win fat quarters... not-even-on-the-shelf-yet fat quarters... and lots of them!! Just go to Calico Carriage and follow the instructions.

Good luck!
Iva

Dinner Dilemmas

2009-01-12T14:47:00.003-06:00

One of the things that I enjoy most about finally joining in on the blogging world is the discovery of the foodie blogs. There are some pretty talented and knowledgeable gourmets and gourmands whose sites have on occasion assisted me in determining what to prepare for dinner.

Personally, I get awfully tired of a making and eating meat and potato meals -- or as I call it "guy food" -- that my two guys are particularly fond of. And right now I am at that point. So tonight, thanks to one of those food blogs, I'm making a good old-fashioned New England-style corn chowder along with some of the Midwestern cornbread I was brought up on.

The chowder has potatoes in it. And it is hearty enough that my guys should be satisfied. Right?

But not only that, it's quick and easy to prepare. Which gives me more time to spend working on getting my sewing room organized.

And the sooner I get my sewing room organized, the sooner I can get to work on a quilt block exchange using these fun Mary Englebreit Recipe for Friendship fabrics!

I've never done a quilt block exchange... so I have no clue what I'm doing!! But I have been assured that it is fun and easy.

I may never be invited to participate again!

Great Giveaway!

2009-01-09T10:04:00.003-06:00

Hopefully this awesome giveaway is still open to accept entries!! Jackie at Canton Village Quilt Works is giving away three great prizes to celebrate her 100th post. Go check it out today and leave a comment.

Happy Friday!!
Iva

There's No Place Like Home

2009-01-08T13:36:00.011-06:00

Happy New Year y'all!

After two weeks of celebrating the holidays with MFG's family and enjoying the warmer climes of coastal Mississippi, we arrived back to the bitter Kansas cold that we had happily left before Christmas.

Cold though the weather can sometimes get here, it does feel good to be home surrounded by all that is familiar, cooking in my own kitchen (where I know where everything is, what is stocked in the pantry and fridge, and can cook whatever I want, whenever I want), along with sleeping in my own bed.

At some point in the future we do plan to make Mississippi our home. A few years ago we purchased four and a half acres in a brand-spanking new development, and this is where we will build our dream home and live happily ever after. With the economy tanking, that "future" is being pushed further and further out. As I told MFG, by the time we are able to make the move we're going be too old to take care of all that land. I'm not sure why we need that much property anyway. Except that after living in condos and subdivisions where your neighbors are right in your back yard, having all that space is really very appealing.

As it is though this is how we spent a portion of our vacation:

Four and a half acres, Honey!

Not to worry... MFG didn't do all the work, or even most of it. While he was riding the tractor on the back half there was brush and fallen limbs to be removed from the front of the property that is visible from the street.

Only a handful of nice homes have been built in this subdivision so far. But there are other property owners just like us who come in periodically to clean and sit and dream...

While these owners installed a place to sit and dream, Mother Nature provided mine:

Isn't this just the coolest tree you have ever seen?!! That is MFG's baby sister enjoying a relaxing moment.... before I put her to work.... LOL.... Love ya, Sis, for all the work you do out there!

But now that vacation is over, there is work to be done here at home. Although I don't make resolutions I do make plans. And my plan for 2009 is to finish some UFOs. Some of these have been around way too long and they need to be put out of my misery!! The oldest is this Ohio Star quilt:

It was the very first quilt I made (has it really been 15 years ago?? WOW!). Yep, learned a few things since then -- notice how the center of my stars stand out and the points disappear? And just too many other things to mention? I made this for my daughter when she was a teenager and apparently she thought since it was for her she could go ahead and use the darned thing. After a while it became so stained that I couldn't stand to look at it any more. I've toyed with the idea of removing all the quilting that has been done so far and putting new batting and a new back on it. But it's so close to being done that I'm even more tempted to just finish it and give it a good soaking. Any thoughts???

Then there's my second quilt -- a Triple Irish Chain. I made this one and started the hand quilting about a year after the Ohio Star.

But with a house fire, a marriage, and a move (or three), this poor quilt was also pushed to the back of the quilting closet.

Next came my Maple Leaf quilt.

Started sewing this one about 6 years ago and again got a little sidetracked. I finally finished the last of the blocks about a year ago. But it really looks like a good one for Siriporn to do her magic with on her long arm quilter. Maybe... still contemplating hand quilting though. Also, should I add another (wider) border? I'm thinking yes.

Then there is this quilt:

What was I thinking?! I don't really like blues that much!! But I saw a gal on Simply Quilts (again several years ago) do these blocks and thought how fun it might be to make. It's all squares and half square triangles, with endless layout possibilities. It's a pretty cool lap quilt... if I can just get past the blue and get it quilted. Maybe this would be a good one to practice machine quilting on (another of my plans: learn machine quilting)!

And finally the quilt I made for my precious granddaughter.

Two years is long enough! I need to finish it so that she can enjoy snuggling under it. While on our Christmas vacation I did make pretty good progress and got about a third of it quilted. So this one will be done soon and on its way to Oklahoma!

And while working on UFOs and taking care of life, I seriously need to do something about my sewing room. It has been horribly neglected lately! What do you think?

See that on the floor? Another quilt in progress (along with other stuff... good grief)!

One would assume that with there being a sewing machine in the room and the fact that, obviously, there are fabrics in same said room, someone must know how to sew, right? Then WHY are there no real curtains on that window?!!! One more thing to add to my 2009 plans.

AND, I need to try to incorporate a design wall so that the next time I have a quilt to show y'all you won't have to be looking at what's on my floor, or pieces of my furniture!

I'll keep you posted on the progress. Till then...

Happy Quilting!

Iva

Winter Wonderland, The Sequel

2008-12-17T13:34:00.007-06:00

It's still gray and dreary here, and the sun isn't being one bit cooperative. But I promised you pictures, so here goes ....

Yes, those dark spots you see in the snow are ducks and geese. I'm telling you, it's the watery sunlight... it has nothing to do with the skills of the photographer.

Really...

No, these are not real children... in either of the pictures.

Though I have seen plenty of young'uns running around here the past couple of weeks in short sleeves, and even shorts! YIKES!!

Maybe tomorrow the sun will be out, AND the snow will still be pretty.

For now though, I'm staying inside with a cup of hot chocolate!

Yes, I Do Intend To Maintain This Blog

2008-12-16T09:23:00.005-06:00

It has been a week since my last post. Shame on me! But in my defense, it has been a bit busy around here getting ready for the family's arrival this weekend in anticipation of an early Christmas celebration. That is if the weather cooperates and they can all get here!

The snow from last week melted away before the weekend -- just in time for MFG and me to get our Christmas shopping finished. YAY!

But last night snow began to fall again and we awoke to a much more beautiful blanket of white than what was bestowed upon us last week.... aaahh, how pretty. I'll share pictures with you tomorrow.

The little ones whose back yards meet ours are outside romping in the fluffy white stuff. So fun to watch! Maybe I'll also have a snowman picture to share with you.

For now though I have to go brave the streets (and the local drivers) to run my errands or there won't be any turkeys to fry on Saturday! Oooh, things could get really ugly, so I'm outta here!! Bye...

Winter Wonderland....

2008-12-09T20:26:00.007-06:00

well, almost.

On this cold and blustery day we received our first real snow of the season. Woo-hoo! One day last week the clouds just spit a few snowflakes at us and called it good.

But not today.... no sir-ree Bob!

By about 9:00 this morning this is what it looked like in my back yard....

Of course this picture was taken from the warmth of my living room. Kansas wind, on a 30 degree day, with lots of snow thrown in.... just does not make for a pleasant outdoor photo shoot. I love ya'll -- just not that much!

The house in the background on the right? That's the snow making it look like my camera was out of focus!

At noon the landscape was beginning to take on a more wintry appearance....

And by 3:00....

And still the snow continued to fall. For about another hour. So the accumulation was a tad bit more than you see here. Not quite a winter wonderland, but hey, it's not officially winter yet. There's still plenty of time!

This has put me in the mood.

For Christmas, of course!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas.....

Mint Chocolate Chunk Quilt

2008-12-03T20:28:00.011-06:00

One Christmas gift to check off my list.... several more to go.

I made this quilt for my older son and his wife, Kevin and Lisa. These were the colors Lisa specifically requested. And because it reminded me of Mint Chocolate Chunk ice cream, that is what I'm naming it.

I swear, I'll never eat another bite! Never!

The gal who does my machine quilting, Siriporn, is a true artist. Throughout the entire quilt she did the beautiful feather stitching that you see in the chocolate outer border. It's one of her "basic" quilting designs.

Last year I made this "Four Sisters" quilt (from Eleanor Burns' "Still Stripping..." book) for my mother-in-law (who is one of four sisters). Not that you can see it, but Siriporn quilted it with another of her basic designs that, to me, was pretty amazing. Can't imagine what one of her intricate designs might look like!

Everybody else will be getting store bought gifts!!

Enough Already!

2008-12-01T09:53:00.003-06:00

What a weekend.... the stars must have been in some chaotic alignment. Well, now that I think about it the moon, Venus and Jupiter are jockeying into position for a "spectacular night scene" that we are supposed to be able to witness tonight. So maybe that is what has caused recent events?

Last night I received a call from my daughter. Shannon wanted me to know that she had been in a car accident the night before (now why did she wait almost 24 hours before calling her mama??? Gonna have to have a talk with that girl -- when she's feeling better.). Apparently the other driver must have been in a hurry to make a left turn and ended up hitting Shannon's car head on. Although badly shaken at the time and now sore and a bit bruised, she suffered no serious injuries -- for which we are extremely grateful, and just as grateful too that the boys weren't with her when the accident occurred. But once again she is without wheels. So along with offering up praises to God for Shannon's physical protection, please pray too for a fair and quick insurance settlement and another safe and reliable vehicle for her and the boys.

About 30 minutes later I received another phone call... this time from my older son Kevin. He had taken himself to the emergency room. For several years he has endured neck pain as a result of some accident, and for the past several months it has at times become debilitating. After various attempts to get a diagnosis and some relief, a doctor finally confirmed that Kevin has developed a form of arthritis in his neck and recommended steroid shots to help relieve the pain. The first shot was given almost two weeks ago. Shortly afterward he began to feel some tenderness around the injection sight but chalked it up as normal since the needle used was, in his opinion, a pretty big one. Over the next several days the intensity of the tenderness increased to the point where last night he was in enough pain he felt a trip to the emergency room was necessary. Kevin was sent home with prescriptions to help relieve the pain and inflammation and a recommendation to contact his doctor. While we are praying for Shannon, let's also please offer up prayers for greater wisdom for Kevin's doctors that they will find a treatment to eliminate his pain.

When Kevin was leaving the emergency room he saw his grandmother in the waiting room. Mom had brought my stepdad in because he was having chest pains again. Ken is now resting comfortably in the ICU. Once he is stabilized the doctors will perform surgery to remove blockages and do some repairs. Again, prayers for the doctors and for Ken.

Since things supposedly happen in threes we should be done with crises for a while.... right???

In the beginning....

2008-11-29T19:16:00.001-06:00

Okay... here it is, all rough around the edges and not very sophisticated or pretty. But this is a learning process for me, so a little patience and leeway please as I flounder through the ordeal of setting up this blog and learning how to use the darn thing.

I just read a quote (will have to find the speaker's name later) basically stating that perfectionism is a form of self abuse. Well, this is something that I am working to eliminate from my life because I have been "abusing" myself far too long now. So don't be expecting perfection here because it's just not happenin'.

What I will not do is bore everyone with my prose. This is mostly for my own benefit; an attempt to rejuvenate and reinvigorate my mind, to tap into my once creative and artistic nature (or was it more like my fantasy world?), and maybe even share "news" and pictures with family and friends.

Anyway....

This blog will be about.... well, nothing really. I'll write a little about quilting; a little about grandchildren, children, and family in general; a little about cooking, a little about gardening or the sheer awesomeness of God and nature; and whatever else might strike my fancy. Will there be daily entries? Absolutely not! I do have a life after all; and I can't experience it and share those experiences with you if I am sitting here at my computer all the time. Besides, you have a life too. You need to be out there enjoying and participating in it (or at least observing) instead of reading blogs all day long. How else are you going to share your experiences and thoughts with me???

The title Plain and Fancy may cause one to wonder if I am Mennonite or Amish, to which I would have to answer "no." Not that there is anything wrong with being one or the other, because there isn't. As a matter of fact I have a great deal of admiration and respect for both groups -- it's just that I am not, period. What it actually refers to is me: my lifestyle, my way of thinking and living, my persona.... Well, maybe as I write and share thoughts and pictures and favorite things over time this will become more obvious.

And if you are so inclined, please feel free to contribute your own thoughts... or recipes even, as I am always on the lookout for really good recipes! And good books too!!

By the way, if anyone is counting, there are 28 days until Christmas! Are you ready yet? Me neither.....