finally the UFO's are done !!!

channel quilted on the bernina ... oodles of thread

 

 this has been in the UFO box so long I don't remember piecing or even beginning hand stitching the binding down ... I am bad, really bad.

 

 

table runner from left overs.

 

 

long arm quilt rack ....

 

 

The roofers have arrived and it's noisy, really really noisy -- pulling off the old roof first ... good thing I really haven't planned on getting anything done this week.

 



let the cutting begin

  ah ...

 

the fat quarter bundle of my flea market fancy horde.  180 5 1/2 inch squares -- the leftovers cut into 1 3/4 to 1 1/2 inch strips and a garbage bowl of small leftovers ... most of which I attempted to toss -- aren't my rulers organized ... asked (and showed) #1 a ruler holder ... time will tell -- he's busy welding steps for farmer's "fuel tank containment system" ...  which translated from commissioner speak to english -- elevated gas/diesel fuel storage ..

 

 

and I'm flip and sewing the strips into a table runner .. and some of the small pieces still need a home

 

 

and I tried to clean the creative space.  Tried ... this does look a bit better but I didn't take an after picture ... the ultimate goal is to have all of my UFO's completed and done before tax season arrives ... so I have to get moving.

 

Happy Sunday!

M

 

 

 

fabric overdose

holy smokes it was floor to ceiling fabric ...

 

stacks upon stacks

rows upon rows

 

 

but I found my favorite sheep fabric .. first thing I spotted so I bought it all

it's all marked at retail -- and at the register (after you cut your own --- it is 1/2 price)

 

the 29 yard haul.  most of the stuff I bought was 3 or 4 yard hunks -- the roll of floral in the foreground is 5 - I wanted 6 ... they cut and measure anything over 5 on a roller thingy

 



 

mom with the cart and the reload .. she was my runner -- I'd cut and measure -- she'd run it back to the aisles

 

SR Harris Fabric Outlet in Brooklyn Center Mn ... the link is on my Friday Post.

 

it was

a) an experience

b) kind of a messy place

c) hard to find a specific fabric

d) not a lot of moda

e) not a lot of nice solids

f) batiks are expensive everywhere

 

but they had my sheep!!!!

 

off to sew!!!!!

A finish ...

 

 Another crib quilt -- more strips ... quilted on the long arm with an all over stipple ... getting comfortable with the long arm and the stipple

 

 

awesome color combination eh~

 

 

I was prerusing the book stash for inspiration last night ... the strips must be getting dull ... this one started it all

 

 

and then I started cutting into my "flea market fancy" .... my block set is going to be 4 by 5 so by my calculations 180 5 1/2 squares ... first 2 cuts of the fat quarters done and then sub cut the leftovers into 1.75" strips ... ya, strips.

I did finish channel quilting on the 4 patch crib quilt -- not doing that again -- dang --- back and forth, back and forth .... watched Season 1 of Downton Abbey at the same time -- it took at least 2 of the 3 dvd's to get it done -- next up is binding. 

 

the wind and rain have arrived -- stay tuned not sure of today's adventures -- might be south, might be west and it might be north -- vehicle issues -- some day's I miss having a regular automobile or SUV.  I know, shut up and drive. 

 

Happy Saturday !

 

Me.

 

 



when it rains ....

  or when rain is in the forecast one should.

a) go to market and be cold and crabby or
b) make alternative plans

b -- seems to be winning at the moment.  I think there is a road trip in our near future.  Since I've heard of this WONDERFUL PLACE I've been dreaming of checking it out.  It is calling my name.  Even with my self imposed fabric ban.

 

this shot is 106' batiks at $30 a yard ... ya spendy but a fast back ...

 

does it not look enticing .. since the idea popped into my head I've day dreamed of nothing else -- emailed the City relatives ... one is on board ... one with new babies doesn't live to far away ...

 

I was somewhat good last night.  I WALKED up to the Scrap Shack for chit chat with the happy stampers -- unfortunately there was a horde of them in attendance so, I texted nephew Nick and he gave me a ride home.  Yes, I am a lazy diva -- but the back and feet kind of hurt.  This back pain is new and frankly not liking it at all. 

 

hummmm decisions, decisions.

 



Wise Words from Mrs. P

   "you never have to worry about fabric fitting your arse" ... so true, Mrs. P, so true ....

    Shay left a comment on my blog post yesterday!  I was feeling guilty about my fabric purchase ... no longer.  From today forward I'll have the grins with every yard!

    I actually used fabric last night.  Since by 7:00 pm it's dark enough to be driven indoors -- I hit the sewing machine -- another UFO finished, and am working on the chopped up layercake project.  The layercake project seems to be a lot of sewing ---

      1 layer cake --- cut 3 1/2 inch strip from each layer -- make 2 piles
      Flip one pile over and sew back together 1 from each pile .... don't
            think about them just sew.
      When done sewing all of them -- cut them in half and make 2 new piles.
      Sew back together -- again one from the top and one from the bottom.
     Viola!  Quilt block.

     I jotted down the pattern from a blog tutorial and didn't write down the blog address.  Anyhow -- 42 8 or 9" blocks eventually arrive.  I'm to the point of sewing them into rows.  I saw the idea on CrazyMom's Finish it Up Friday Linky Party. 

    I also started watching the Voice for the first time -- actually listened since the TV is too far away to see without glasses ... back to Downton Abbey on the DVD's tonight.

M





  

Ahh, sunrise .....

Facebook (or as I sometimes refer to it -- Waste-book) has some good zingers once in a while -- when I remember to save them (or cut and paste) .. lately FBook has been flooded with receipe's ... okay I like to eat as much as the next idiot wasting time on FBook --- however if they aren't going to cook it and share it -- I don't need to read it.  Thankfully, the FBook game playing has slowed down (or I've done a better job of blocking it )  in the beginning I got sucked into the games. 

 

I finally cut the "candy crush" cord .. although I never shared it to FBook.  Damn game. 

 

I was a good and bad Diva yesterday -- my Kohl's order arrived and no, the jeans did not fit my ass properly so I returned 2 pair last night and tried on more --- no luck, the store was filthy, I could have grown produce on the floor of the dressing rooms -- it was bad enough I didn't try on some of the stuff I took to the dressing room.  And I had a spot of time, so I went to Hobby Lobby .... bad move, 6 yards of Kona solids.  Yep, bad move.

 



'twas supposed to be

   a day of self-imposed rest.

> watched my ebay listings sell (score!)
>  3 loads of laundry (on the line and drying)
>  load of trash hauled to the dumpster
>  Friday's load of squash cleaned up
           and packed away
>  straightened out the pickings

>  pulled all the remaining row markers in the patch
          it's ready to go back to black
>  picked thru the remaining crap up there
          found a couple of squash
>  packed away the un-used tubs/baskets

>  hello, time for a nap.


   okay some idiot, paid me $54 for a used lands' end down jacket -- I know I got it off their (lands' end) bargain pages and didn't pay over $35 for it ... odd ... shipping it to Pennsylvania (does it get that cold in PA?) ....

   forgot the camera on 3rd street .. no pic's of the block party last night or the nasty looking garden (might be a good thing) ...

Happy Restful Sunday.

M

hummmm

  my other favorite word ... next to Argh.

  Market came and went.  It was chilly and quiet, too quiet for this Diva.  The sore throat and drippy nose have arrived so -- the weekend plans have changed.  Lay low and heal thyself. 

   Truck unpacked -- tables & chairs delivered to the neighbors (it is block party weekend) ... next up is get Mom delivered.   Then a nap and a shower -- maybe the party.   There's a couple of Doctor's at the party --- they might have the needed cure.

   Tomorrow is another day ... the day of rest. 

Finally Friday

  I think I title every Friday -- Finally Friday -- it's been a rough couple of weeks for this Diva -- literally on the go from early morning to late at nights and it seemed like it came to a screeching end on Wednesday.  Thankfully.

  I picked a load of squash and pumpkins last night before the drizzle appeared .. one more load tonight and I think I'm done.  Like really done.  Like forever done.  I just don't know.  The drought (2nd year) and the bugs, the awful awful bugs deflated my zest for gardening. 

 

I went from this ... manageable weeds to

 

 

bug infested disaster in 8 weeks.  Since the corn was combined on Monday and Tuesday .. the deer have moved in too...

 

I just don't know anymore .....

 

 

I attempted a full moon shot ... fuzzy, like me.  Weekend plans in the making pictures to follow on Sunday or Monday, promises to be fun!

 

Need to pack (yes, pack) and plan the attack.  Although, I'm going for unstructured -- hard to do with my structured brain.

 

Happy Friday

Diva

 

 



Full Moon

  I'm trying to embrace the beauty of the full moon -- it was pretty last night on my trek across the field home -- kind of spooky now that the corn is picked.
 
  Green machines finished up on our acreage and have headed north.  North to Lake Prairie where according to #1 "it's a bitch" .. the corn went down 2 weeks ago in the wind and instead of combining with the rows they are picking on an angle ... it's a rough ride and slow going.  Life on the farm.

  Did a bit of piecing last night -- and pressing.  Several weeks ago I bought a personal DVD player for the sewing room ... so I'm stitching and "listening" to Downton Abbey at the same time.

  No new clothes or fabric to report -- success on day 2!  and my ebay listings are getting bids ..

M

I've become a FABRIC - HOG

  so Saturday night I bought out the balance of the bolt....today at another store I bought two entire bolts. 

  yep, 10 yards of melon polka dots and 10 yards of brown polka dots -- all on sale at $3.85 a yard .. Hancock Fabric's this time.  I got out of there quick before I had the urge to purchase more .. the possibilities were endless.

  Finally got to the battery store to replace the batteries in my un-interruptible (UPS) power source gizmo's.  We've been just "plugged" into regular power -- if Dr. Lee (the computer geek) reads this he'll be having a fit.  Anyway dashed over to Mankato before lunch and got the batteries and the fabric store was on the same block .... and the China Buffet ...

  'Twas a good morning for all....

Life in small town

  is always good when you go to a funeral ... and

a.  know the first names of everyone on the funeral committee
                (and it's not my church ... )

b.  know what kind of hot dish and coleslaw they'll be serving
                (scalloped potato's and ham today)

c.  know that chocolate cake with 7 minute frosting will be on
              the desert plate ...

d.  leave your vehicle ...
        1.  unlocked with the keys in it and your phone and your
              purse, ipad and other assorted gizmos  (and it's all still
              there after the cake)

e.  hand out squash and hugs in the parking lot because every diva
              has squash in their truck

f. wave at every combine to and fro and the combine guys wave back

g.  make it thru the ceremony with no tissues ... even when the
              grandkids did a presentation and played the piano

h.  know that it will happen 2 more times this week at different churches
                       so the hot dish will change....

Yep, 'tis a great place to live!

 

okay the video link made it but not the picture but you get the idea!

 

Happy Monday

 

M

 

 

the Lord also said ...

   Bake squash ...

   And it was awesome peeps, just awesome.  Dry -- tasty and oh, so smooth ... lots of butter ....

    Insert grin.

 

and now the Internet is working well enough to upload a picture ... since Friday night ... more stuff has arrived ... a combine, a tractor and grain cart and the $WD Tractor and ripper .. the prairie is turning black fast ... the corn is falling down due to the drought and the wind a couple of weeks ago ... the rain last night was most welcome .. but alas too late.

 



and on the 7th day ... the Lord said

   go to the office and finish up your projects.

   The upcoming week promises to be as crazy as the past week.  And well, it's cold and wet -- so I'm working.

The overnight rain was lovely ---
The laundry is done ---
My library books seem to be good ---
I bought more fabric last night ---
   ( always fun to buy out the "bolt" )
   ( Kona -- white )
  
All of the "big" pumpkins are picked and stored ---
I feel a nap coming on in about 3 hours!

Happy Sunday ....

Diva


ps.  Internet stinks on Daisy Ln .... there are pix's of harvest on the home computer -- the big green machines have arrived .... seasons come and seasons go -- time for change.

Catch up Friday ....

  I was early for a meeting last night (up until that point I was running behind all week) ... so while waiting I made a list of 14 projects with an additional 24 sub-projects that need to get completed today.  Time will tell.

  So instead of hopping in to them this morning.  I caught up on my newspaper reading -- 2 days of the Mankato paper, 1 week of the Herald, and today's Minneapolis.  I should now be wiser -- but alas, sometimes the news can be downright scary.  Peeps are becoming wackier!

Happy Friday.

M

wednesday revelations

   life is short -- live it to the fullest.


   one of the "money girls" lost her battle with life last night following a 2nd stroke ... she will be greatly missed by her family and friends -- and believe me, she is one tough act to follow.  many thanks to Judy for all her accolades and accomplishments they are well earned and deserved ...

   a past client is slowing slipping "the surly bonds of earth" ... I think that's the quote ... after a tragic accident last Friday -- recovery was not meant to be -- many characters make up my world and well this one was pretty high up on the character list -- on August 30th -- he was ripping me on a zoning ordinance issue ---- I still remember (more than a decade ago) .. he and son saw me working late on Valentine's Day ... and they brought me flowers and chocolate -- from the gas station 'cause it was the only place open! ... still brings a grin!

  so go live it up -- we are not in control of tomorrow !!!

Tuesday's Weirdness

5:00 wake up alarm and back to finish the book
6:00 body re-work
6:15 headed to office
6:30 coffee/newspaper/online reading
8:15 Board Meeting
10:30 Take Jack on a tour of Daisy Lane
10:45 Back to the office
12:00 To GAC for joint Nicollet/Blue Earth County
              Commissioners Meeting
              Food and conversation were both excellent.

2:00 Back to the office
2:05 Committed to the re-roof project .. there goes $12,000
        Payroll for idiots who don't know deadlines
        Sales tax returns
        General weirdness


5:00 Time to head back to Daisy Lane
6:00 Supper -- roasted green beans, yukon gold potato's and fresh sweet corn
6:30 Chores -- as in feed the dang cats
6:35 Head for the patch and pick thru the squash ... a load of Sweet Mama's in the ATV
7:30 Dishes and laundry
7:50 Time for my new book.   details to follow.  it's by a local author and the reviews have
             been pretty good.

 

I think I've shared this one before -- applies to a lot of lessons in life.

 

Monday Snapshot

5:00 rise and read ... the book needed to be read
        thunder, lightening and rain
6:15 body rework
6:30 southbound roll ... only to discover Dad cutting up tomato's for
           more canning.  ya, him, 13 more pints today
6:35 gas station pit stop ... pump was weird
6:50 finally coffee
7:15 client calls ... 7:15 on a Monday morning .. the beginning of the
            daily weirdness.
11:35 lunch ... interrupted by clients ....
4:30  typing this blurb
4:50  leave for road trip to Nicollet MN ... a metropolis
5:30  Extension meeting in Nicollet
7:30  I'd better be back in St. Peter



   I really shouldn't complain -- I have clients and I have things to do.  I actually got a lot done because I wasn't looking out the window -- and day dreaming of the outside projects.


   I'm not sure just how warm it got but it looks ugly out there my a/c is set on 80' and it seems to be keeping the humidity tolerable.  I'm wearing a mu mu dress -- don't go there, it's too hot for anything else. 

 

pretty much sums up my day. 

Sunday, the day of rest?

5:30  wakey wakey ... not sure why but not sleeping well (again) ... laundry in ....
         a bit of tidying and crochet amid the treks to the clothes lines
         clean clothes put away, bed made -- looked at the Bernina
         did a spot of mending
         piled up the trash for the trek to town and the curbies.
9:30 4 loads of laundry done, dishes done, body rework attempted....
9:45  at the office ... projects await me
               yes, I WORK WEEKENDS.  I must with the Commissioner schedule.
2:00  head for home
2:05  1/2 hour with the book
2:35  pick a load of pumpkins
3:15  set up the pallet system in the back machine shed
3:30  pick another load of pumpkins
4:00  gas up the ATV, clean out the truck (also needs gas)
         round up the tubs and bushel baskets
         sort out the squash & pumpkins on the pallets
4:45  play on the internet -- shopping via ebay (always fun)
5:15  supper and dishes
6:00  pick a lot of squash and fancies .... hopefully they'll make it on the
             pallet system
6:45  body rework .. shower again ....
7:00  another 1/2 hour with the book
8:30  plan of attack for the busy week ahead

     I am so anal -- my plan of attack is a detailed listing of clothes I'm going to wear (literally in piles or on hangers to go) ... a detailed calendar of meetings, projects and weekly deadlines.  Ya, I'm anal.

     Heat advisories have already been issued for tomorrow ... a full 24 hours in advance.  This hot humid weather crap is the pits.  I need fall.  Now. 

     Happy rest of the week.

     Marie

 

I couldn't share this until today -- I quilted this queen sized 'Trip Around the World' for some family friends to use as a wedding gift  .... It was the largest quilt I had attempted ... and

 

I had 4 days to do it in ... Cyndi and Jordan assisted in extending the long arm ... now it really takes up a lot of room and then the loading, oh the loading -- loading took almost 2 hours ... but the stitching ... 2 1/2 hours tops ... Corrine had bought some varigated thread that was beautiful, sewed up like a dream ... then when I was done, she had to bind and finish it off!

 

 

I had it done before the Labor Day weekend so she could finish it and gift it this weekend to the lucky bride and groom ... 

yep, call in the professionals

 

 Bob and his crew started the landscaping project at the office -- they hauled away 5 pickup truckloads of brush -- it was pretty awful looking -- I'm surprised the City weed patrol had not issued me a citation.  Ya, we have a weed patrol.  They aren't done yet -- but the big shit is gone.  They'll be back on a semi-regular basis ... mowing too. 

 

I garden part - time for money -- and I hire someone to mow....

 

Friday night -- picked and ready for market an odd assortment of watermelons -- the end of the first crop ... and squash the beginning ... and a few pumpkins



 

it was a beautiful morning until the sun got up fully and it was 90' -- with no wind and a whole lot of humidity -- I'm amazed I didn't get sick ... I was well hydrated -- I had a McD's stop for breakfast -- sandwich and 2 large ice teas ... I had also packed a quart of drinking water and a frozen quart of drinking water ...

 

 

I have fancy table runners for my tables ... pretty, washable and heavy enough that they do not blow in the wind. 

 

I hear the call of the Bernina ... where are you ..... I miss you ... been dreaming of quilt patterns since my new quilt magazine arrived.  Such is life.

 

Stay cool and safe .. it's nasty out there.  2 years ago we had frost on this day ....

letting go

   as I posted on waste book (face book) last night ... gave elder #1 the directive -- mow the shit down.  

   So, the north end of the patch will be history shortly.  I pulled the row markers, odd flags and posts and he's going to chop it up.  the. end. 

   I picked a few decent looking melons out of there -- 5, to be exact.  The rest are sun burnt, nibbled, and/or cooking on the vine.  Let 'em go.  If I can't have them the deer won't get 'em either.  I picked a few squash that appeared to be bug free.  Appearances can be deceiving. 

  The forecast calls for 3 more 90' days in the next 5 ... so .... let the clean up/clean out  begin.

  Most likely, the end of an era.


M

 

footprints in the sand -- pretty much sums up the season

I was trying to find my favorite patch picture.

 

not feeling the love in any of these!

 

 

 

 

 

Luck --

 

I always carry a camera on my evening treks to the patch ... always ... Nick was goose spotting again (hunting with no gun) ... and after a visit I headed home ... the setting sun against the corn was too good to pass up ... generally these never turn out as good as these three -- there are many botched attempts -- these were the only ones I took and I love 'em

 

I did not take this one!   The am/pm is mixed up on the "trail" camera -- but "you know who" was visiting.  Dad has been stalking this dude / dude-ette for a week.  So last night .... he sat in his GEO and patiently waited for it to arrive -- 9:15 and the wait and show was over!  #9.  We'll see what shows up the next couple of nights -- hopefully #9 is the last of the skunks.

 

No holes in my water tanks either!

 

 

 

 

tuesday at the Market

 

sometimes I drag so much junk with me it's impossible to tell if I'm actually a vendor  ... chair, extra t shirt ... tables, bins, baskets, bags, water, tubs, magic carpet.   whoa, magic carpet?  would not want those fruit to touch the ground -- per the department of agriculture -- I've solved that problem with my magic carpet.  It is hard to tell with this picture but my tables have fancy quilted table runners -- one should assume that since I'm a fancy quilter .... he he he ..

 

It was a warm Tuesday at the market -- I hesitated on going and probably should have kept working at the office -- where I would have actually accomplished something and been much much cooler. 

 

Spent some time with nephew Nick last night -- he was goose hunting -- sort of .... parked himself, ATV and gun along the tree line and was waiting for them to fly over -- it was a beautiful evening on the prairie -- after 20 minutes of waiting and chit chat -- this Auntie needed the recliner -- I never heard any shots so (a) the geese didn't fly over or (b) they were too high to shoot. 

 

 

Happy "over the hump" Wednesday ....

 



sorry

   about two days of whining / rambling / babbling.

   'tis a beautiful day in the Valley ... I'm headed to the Farmer's Market this afternoon -- I picked every watermelon I could find yesterday and a few riper looking squash and some pumpkins (mainly pie) ...

   after the wind it's really tough looking up there and hot temperatures are forecasted for the upcoming weekend (go figure) ... so ... it ... rolls.

   Happy Tuesday !!!

       Diva

life on Daisy Lane

  is generally pretty laid back ... 2 sets of retiree's, me, a couple of dogs and a bunch of wildlife.   so, my sleeping habits are well know amid the peeps around here -- I'm the only early riser, I was born that way .... I think.

   so this morning, I went to work to do the payrolls, holiday or not, payrolls roll in and need to be prepared and transmitted and all that crap.  I told elder #1 I was going to the office to work for a couple of hours ... elder #2 was still sleeping.  7:45 am, it's light out and she's still sleeping, I have 3 loads of laundry done and its out and hung on the on the outside clothes line to dry == and she's still sleeping.  this is normal, I've been up for almost 3 hours.  I've been know to run the vacuum and she's slept thru it ....

    shortly after 12:30 (I worked more than planned) I roll homeward --

retiree's #2 are out for a stroll with the dogs ...
elder #1 meets me at the door with a computer problem ---
elder #2 -- asked me why I quit early for the day?...   huh, I politely reminded her it was LABOR DAY and no one should be LABORING --- she was canning tomato juice, she forgot it was a holiday .... argh   (16 pints of tomato)

   solved elder #1's computer problem without touching a thing.  Internet was down. 

   picked the last of the watermelons and they are loaded on my truck for Tuesday market ... since I LABORED on Labor Day and a few extra projects were completed -- I'm headed to market before the weather turns ugly hot again and managed to read my book!


tired Diva .... 



  

last week in weirdness

people just have to learn to chill ....

    So Friday afternoon on the homeward commute -- I pull up to the intersection next to the office (my corner of 3rd st) and I'm going to turn east and some woman in a car is heading west ... she rolls down her passenger window and yells at me ....  "dammit, you're blocking my view" ... I was a bit taken back ... my response -- "sorry, it's a gas guzzling truck" ... chill people, chill .... 

     8 blocks up the street, heavy traffic on the Avenue (why do we call it that?) ... some idiot pulls out of the City Grille Restaurant in the middle of chaos -- illegally crosses a bunch of yellow lines and I have no where to go to get out of any one's space....dang near wiped out myself and the idiot ... the semi next to me was blowing his horn (like that would do any good) ...

     last night on the way to Mankato for my mega Office Max shopping extravaganza ... another event -- some idiot is crossing the center line at me.....   argh.


  Hummm -- chill pills people, chill pills.

  So in 30 minutes at Office Max I spent $500, yep, $500 -- won't need to return for any little stuff for a while.  TZ Tapes for Mrs. H ... colored copy paper, 3 ring binders, tape, staples, hole punches, mailing labels (why are they so expensive) .. it was 5 bags worth and all on sale !!!! 

   While eating we noticed the approaching storm and made it home in time to shut the "big"doors and get ready for the STORM ... what a joke --- 3/10ths of rain and 70mph winds.  Branches and leaves abound ... on the ground.

  Went back to Mankato this morning ... found jeans that fit my ass.  The miracle to end all miracles ... went to purchase a second pair and there were none -- hello, kohls.com ... soon to be delivered.   Lunch at the Olive Garden (hence the issue with the jeans fitting the ass).   JoAnn Fabrics and home for a nap. 

  Time for my chill pill -- a couple of hours at the sewing machine.

  Market was good yesterday!  Good to see all the shoppers and vendors ...

  Sorry about the babbling --