Blog Layout Ungrade

Yes, I decided to take the plunge and upgrade my layout.  I can see where this is going to take me awhile to get it back to the way I want it.  I guess I'll have to keep playing with it little by little.  Hang in here with me while I work it out.

Isn't It Spring Yet?

I am sitting here next to my extra large window and I'm watching us get dumped on.  Although it sounds now like we won't get the 14 inches of snow that they were calling for yesterday.  I think the forecasters have dropped it to 8 inches.  Oh, I know there are places here in the US where there is more snow that what we have but I must say, I have had it with Winter! 

I woke up this morning with a toothache from hell and because of the weather conditions, there isn't a flipping thing I can do about it today!  So I've been taking Advil and trying to keep busy.  Yes, I needed more pain and another bill!  Like I haven't had enough of either in the past year and then some!  This too shall pass!

For anyone who hasn't seen snow in person, it's really not pretty!  It's a nuisance and after a day, it gets dirty and ugly and quite honestly, all that white is so depressing to look at!  I am very much looking forward to having green grass and leaves on the trees again.  Being able to sit outside on my deck or by my firepit.  Oh and not having to go outside with 10 tons of clothes on!   I keep telling myself that Spring is just around corner.  And I say God bless the day that I see my first Robin bird of the season!!!

My Garden Crazy Quilt project has certainly helped to keep me focused on nicer weather.  I finished up Block #7 the other day:



Only 2 more blocks to go!  Although I'm taking a little break, I thought you'd like to see the completed blocks that I have done so far, all put together:



I'm not sure if I'm going to sash the blocks but I have decided on pink taffeta for the borders.  You know it has to be pink!

While I take a break from the Garden Quilt, I'll be stitching on a couple of small CQ's:



These little pieces are 5 inches square and will go on top of trinket boxes.  I just sewed them up this morning.  My Treadle machine was calling to me!  Gave my legs a good workout too!

I also added a few new things to the shop this morning.  First are my Marie Antoinette tags:



Yes, "Marie Mania" continues at Pam's house!  I made these on Saturday when I was at mom's.  I had planned on doing something else and then this idea popped into my head so I did this instead.  Oh and wait until you see what I have going at mom's now! 

And then mom made these little Easter pretties:



I had a hard time taking photos of these.  The basket handles were in the way.  But they are so cute and sweet! 

Well, I'm off to stitch and wait for the snow to stop.  And maybe have some soup and 2 more Advil!

Vintage Images

Scott took me up to Michael's and Borders this morning and when we got home, he helped me make 3 batches of Valentine cookies for the residents at the retirement center in town.  Silly me is so worried about getting to look through my new Artful Blogging and Where Women Create magazines that I packaged the cookies all up before taking photos!  Geez, I am so brainless sometimes! 

Anyway, I will take photos at mom's when we get our cookie bags put together.

For now, I have nothing terribly interesting to share with you but I have been meaning to post a link to Heidi's blog.  Heidi shares her beautiful and expansive collection of vintage ephemera on her blog.  If you're on dial-up like me, you'll want to load her site and then go get some thing to eat, something to drink and something to read while you wait.  But it is so well worth it!

Well, I'm off to flip through my magazines, stitch and watch my Marie Antoinette movie again.  I'm making Nachos for dinner tonight.  Scott celebrates the Superbowl and I celebrate the end of Football season!

Busy As A Bee!

Well, Spring is coming!  At least that's what I keep telling myself.  For my readers on the east coast, my heart goes out to you!  I'd be out of mind if we were getting that much snow.  Oh wait, been there, done that!  I do try to have a sense of humor about my depression experience! 

Anyway, I spent today listing things that mom and I made.  I didn't even get everything done before I had to say, "enough"!  I'm spent now so I'll be heading off shortly for a nice warm bubble bath and a few magazines.  I'll list the rest of our things over the weekend.

In the meantime, I thought I share photos of our creations.  First is my mom's latest St. Patrick's Day Tussy Mussy:



Isn't she pretty?  And so cute with her little Irish Setter!

Next mom made some Easter ornaments:



And some Blanket Babies with Bunnies:



Those are just so sweet!  and perfect for New Baby package tie on's!

My offereings are these pretty little Shamrock Ladies:



I did 4 of them but if you look closely (click on the images), you'll see that each one has a different Irish lady on it.  These were fun to make!

And this is my Piece De Resistance: 



My Marie Antoinette Trinket Box!  Oh, how pleased I am with this!  And so much fun.  I used a ton of my vintage millinery flowers and some vintage rhinestones that I painstakingly took out of some junk jewelry that I bought at a flea market awhile back.

I have all sorts of new projects planned.  I have to keep a journal for my ideas now! 

Tomorrow will be another day with mom and flying glitter!  Ha, ha, ha!  After then bank and post office of course!

For now, I'll leave you with an update on Block #7 of my Garden Crazy Quilt:



Not quite done yet.  Still a little ways to go.  Have a good evening everyone.  I think I'll have Scott order carry out.

Reclaiming My Mind

Ladies, I'm happy to say that today, has been the most normal feeling day I've had in well over a year!  Now, keep in mind, I said "most normal" rather than normal.  No, it's not gone yet.  I think I'll fall out of my chair and hit my head on something the day I realize that it is gone but for not being gone, it's definitely improving.  All this despite having to shovel snow, clean snow off my car and drive in snow this morning.  I can feel twinges of my normal emotions coming back. Just a little here and there. I feel grief off and on for my Garfield (am really, really noticing that he's not here now) and although I know I've always hated this time of year and esp. snow, I have pretty much been oblivious to my feelings of disliking it.  Until this morning.  Oooh, I hate shoveling and I hate driving in it!  And I say good because I actually felt something other than weirdness! 

With that said, I finished up my Marie Antoinette Trinket Box and will share photos soon.  It's gorgeous!  I used tons of my vintage millinery flowers on it and some vintage rhinestones and feathers and ooof!  So pretty!

I also worked up my 2010 Just Cross Stitch Ornament design and I stitched (early this morning) on Block #7 of my Garden Quilt:



I've been experimenting with woven stitches.  I'm not 100% pleased with how they look at the moment but you know, the minute I get some beads in there, they'll look very cool.  You can see the first one worked in yellow and the 2nd one at the bottom right.

The blue floral trim is from a vintage baby dress that I bought at a flea market awhile back.  It was pretty beat up but the trim was in great shape so I bought for the trim and took the trim off.  You'd be surprised how much trim you can off of a little tiny baby dress!

BTW - Jo in NZ is back and she's starting on a new project.  Do hop over and take a peek.  It'll be great fun to watch Jo's progress on this quilt.  She's planning on getting quite crazy with it like I do.  I told her that my crazy quilting is just as crazy as my head!  :)