A Valentine For Mom

Well, my new computer is down again!  Every time I get a Windows update I have trouble getting it to reboot!  Win 8.01 is the worst version I've ever seen!  I have the Geek Squad coming later this afternoon to fix it and to upgrade to Windows 10.  I pray that takes care of the problem once and for all.  Honestly, I'd love to go back to Windows 98 or even XP.  I never had a stitch of trouble with either one of those versions!

Anyway, I'm on my "slower than Molasses" laptop right now.  I thought I would share a photo of the little cross stitch ornament that I made for my mom for Valentine's Day:

It's a little complimentary design that I found online.  I used Sampler Threads to stitch and some metallic blending filament in the peacock.  I hand dyed the fabric myself.

I just finished reading Killing Lincoln.  Excellent book!  One of the best I've read in many years!!!  There was a lot more going on than what I knew about!

On the genealogy front, I'm still stuck on my 3rd great grandmother, my great, great grandmother and my great grandmother.  I really don't know where else to look for more information on them.  My 3rd great grandmother was a cousin of General William T. Sherman of the Civil War.  I can't say that I'm bouncing off the walls over that, I'm just trying to figure out who her father was.  I thought if I could figure that detail out with my 3rd great grandmother, then perhaps I could figure out what the deal is with my great great grandma Phoebe and my great grandma Adria.

I guess I'll work on that for a little while.  But first I have to the get the stupid tax stuff together.

Crazy Quilt Seam Embroidery

I haven't been doing much in the way of stitching lately.  I've taken some time to work on my family tree and I've been having a great time with that despite being so incredibly stuck on my 3rd great grandmother!

I've also taken some time to do some reading.  There's been a lot of books on my "want to read" list so every afternoon around 3:30, I make a cup of tea and read a few chapters.

I love history so my current read is "Killing Lincoln" by Bill O'Reilly.  This also helps to put me in the 1800's "state of mind" which is where I'm focused right now on the family tree. 

In thinking about when I get back to stitching, I thought I'd start working up a few seam treatment patterns.  Most of you know that I mostly use Waste Canvas to embroider the seams on my crazy quilts and when I get a bee in my bonnet about some new ones, I chart them out on my computer.

For today, I have 3 flower borders that I thought I would share here in case I have any waste canvas girls out there!

Right click on the image and save to your computer then print it up and enjoy!  If you use these, please send me photos!!!  I may include them in an upcoming issue of Crazy Quilt Quarterly Magazine!

Antique Mall Find

Yesterday was such a nice day here.  Sunny and about 40 degrees.  We decided to take our Model A out for a little ride.

We took it up to the antique mall in Volo, Illinois.  Not far from us.  We hadn't been there in awhile and thought it would be nice to walk around.

I wasn't looking for anything and I didn't plan on buying anything but you know how sometimes, something jumps out at you.

Well, this is my little find of the day:

I've been collecting pretty little vintage cat figurines for many years.  I don't buy them very often but sometimes I see one that just calls to me.

I love the soft colors of this one and his pretty little face.

In other news, Milagro Millie is doing so well!  I just took this photo today:

She's still very little and rather squirrely but her tail fluffed up a lot and she's so incredibly sweet!  I had her spayed back at Thanksgiving, she's had all her shots and she's doing great!

2017 Calendar Contest Reminder

Just a quick reminder everyone!!!!  The Crazy Quilt Quarterly magazine staff is holding a contest for the 2017 Crazy Quilt Calendar!!!  Click on the image below and check out all the details!  There are prizes for the winners!!!!

This is the 2015 Crazy Quilt Calendar:

And this is the 2016 Crazy Quilt Calendar:

If you need some ideas, hop over to Magcloud and take a look at them!

Thank you To My Staff!

I'm a firm believer in being grateful for what we have.  The sweet ladies that help me with Crazy Quilt Quarterly magazine are awesome!  It wouldn't be the nice publication that it is without them.

Mary Anne Richardson of Magpie's Mumblings blog is the most awesome proofreader!  She catches all the typos (on my part) and misspelled words and corrects grammar where necessary.  Mary Anne also contributes articles.  Thank you MA!

Cathy Kizerian of Cathy's Crazy By Design blog has some incredible ideas and suggestions.  She also helps by contributing articles and she helps with finding projects, blocks and articles by other crazy quilters.  Thank you so much Cathy!

Kathy Shaw of Shawkl Designs blog also helps by contributing articles, suggesting crazy quilters and their blocks and is absolutely awesome with Adobe Illustrator!  Kathy makes all the patterns look nice!  I can't figure out Illustrator to save my life.  I'm a Photoshop girl!  But Kathy does a great job!!  Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!

Available at Magcloud

Please take a moment to visit the blogs of these wonderful and talented ladies.  They too are crazy quilt artists and have created some of the most beautiful work I've ever seen!