Thursday, March 27, 2008

Guess what I did...

For some dumb reason, I wanted to make a dress form to fit my awful, square, old-fat-granny body. I thought it would be a good idea. So, my best (the only one I would let tape my body) friend, Annie, and I went to the store for duct tape, stopped at Good Will and picked up a couple floor lamps, threw on one of DH's old shirts, and ripped tape like mad hatters, Annie went glam, and bought purple tape, and we taped,
and we taped, till our fingers were sore from ripping the tape
But, in the end, Lucy and Ethyl were born again. I'm too tired to glue all the fabric nice and neat like I originally planned, so I threw on a blouse and pinned fabric at the bottom, and viola
If you sew any clothing at all, I recommend this very highly, I am boxy and lumpy, so off-the-rack or out-of-a-pattern always has to be altered. I have become a wiz at elastic and darts over trhe years.
This is easy, fast, (about an hour and a half for each) and cheap. Now you're talking my language!

Hope all your mini-me's are fast and easy! tee hee
lyn

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Snowing sideways in Michigan

That's right, 45-50 mph winds, and winter weather warnings. Welcome to Michigan in Springtime :-))))
The dreariness of it lasted all day till I got home from work and found a beautiful package, from the beautiful and talented finn !

I have to admit, my DH was as excited as I was and he peeked before I got home. So, I had to re-wrap for a picture, (they are so like children, aren't they? tee hee)

She shared some awesome fabric, a crochet coaster, and lots of I-can't-wait-to-plant-them seeds.


Her stationary is perfection!


Thank you, Finn, You are so giving,


Lyn

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

No quilt yet

First we had to paint some sunshine,
so we could have pretty flowers and butterflies, while we have a wonderful picnic,
then we can work inside,
and after the girls went home, we found notes all over the house,
(plese Don't thro this tisho Box a way)
because tissue boxes make the best Barbie doll beds.
Maybe we'll quilt tomorrow?
I hope the sun shines on all your picnics!
lyn

Monday, March 17, 2008

I have been tagged

by Kris at quiltedsimple to tell a bit about myself, you all know I can't spell, so I can''t use that! These are hard, kinda, you really have to think, and I just don't like to think...tee hee

here goes:



  1. Where was I ten years ago? in exactly the same place. I love it like that, I'm not a mover or a shaker, so if you give a good rut, I will wallow in it till the cows come home. I wish I still had the first house I ever bought, but I ended up with too many bodies and had to build a new one, this one is home, but that one was "back home."

  2. Things on my to-do list for today? I had to take DH to two Dr. appts, one was three hours, one was about an hour, in between I went to the fabric store to buy batting for DD#1's quilt, so I was even later to work than I thought I would be. Then I ran home for "the eatin' of the cabbage" since it is St. Paddy's day. then I ran my DD#3 to work, came home to the puter, then I'll work on my other DD's quilt, in between Dancing With The Stars.

  3. What would I do if I suddenly became a Billionaire? First I would build a new church, so our roof would never leak again, then I would build new homes for all my children on the lake, then I would supplement the state funding for our Area Intermediate School District so they would have enough funds for a water bed in each room. I would go to Good Will, and buy all the prom dresses for my dress-up-tea-parties, I could even afford to have them sent to the cleaners! Finally, I would split up all the big cities into little towns like mine, because we never have crime bigger than a tipped tractor.

  4. What are my 3 bad habits? Procrastination, first and foremost! after asking my DD and my DH, I would have to say #2 would be procrastination, and # 3 would have to be procrastination, in that order. (After some deliberation behind my back, the list is #1 procrastinator, #2 I'm stubborn, and #3 I'm a sucker.)

  5. Five jobs I've had? 1. I went around to all the independent gas stations around town and read their meters twice a day, it wasn't exciting, but I could drag the kids in the car, so I didn't have to pay a babysitter. 2. I started bookkeeping for my mother when I was 12. I'm still an accountant. 3. I was a Nurses Aide 4. I cleaned houses. 5. I taught migrant children in the summers through the Red Cross. Loved it!

  6. Five things you don't know about me. 1. I have crusty moles. thank goodness they are in spots that don't see the light of day, but they are still there, lurking on my body. 2. I collect clocks. I love clocks, I think they are fascinating! Each clock is like a child, with it's own personality. Every face is different, the chimes sing to my heart, and just the thought of watching time is a miracle to me. In the room I am sitting in now, the last count was 47. 3. I met my DH online. I know, it does not sound like me, but I wasn't one to go out "men shopping" and anything I met on the blind dates were either a drinker or a druggie, being raised in the 60's, it was very hard to find somebody my age who was "normal." This was in the mid 90's when it was odd, not fashionable like now. 4. I was Michigan's Foster Parent of the Year in 1986 and I was a single mom. 5. I am the worlds worst pack rat. Thank goodness I built this home, because I built in lots of storage. I have the oddest things, but if anybody needs leather hair curlers from 1882, send 'em my way.

Whew, that was harder than it looks!! If you have already been tagged, you are excused on this one, BUT YOU! yeah, you, you're it! get busy, and let me know when you have it all done, so I can get all your nitty gritty!


have a thoughtful day,


lyn


Sunday, March 16, 2008

We interrupt this regularly scheduled quilting...




My beautiful daughter is coming home from Kentucky for a week during Spring Break and is bringing her three boys with her. These three are my oldest grandchildren, Chris is 19, Andrew just turned 16, and Blakey is 7. My poor little "Sissie" is a single Mom and is so wonderful with her children, she's buying her own home, paying her own bills, working full time, and fighting the Mommy wars all by herself. I was thinking the other day, (a chore for me these days): Tonia's three stars (her wonderful boys) Tonia's quilt, three quilted stars, I should make a quilt for Sissie with three stars floating in the center square. So, I put aside my purple passion, and off I went on a tangent, only a couple hours later, I ended up with these three stars. I have to go shopping to finish the rest of the top. So far I've only used scraps, but I need more of the background, and I might as well pick up some FQ's to make corner patches that signify all her siblings. It is an easy-peasy pattern, so I should have it done in a week. I have figured it all out in my head. Danger: slippery when thinking!

Hope all the stars in your life are shining bright!
lyn

Thursday, March 13, 2008

Apple Purses...

are my new favorite,


My DH (the resident chef) made a wonderful dinner, and he also made a wonderful dessert for us and my girlfirend, Brennie. He adores her, so we always have a yummy treat when she comes. This week, he made Apple Purses, he had something similar at Barnes and Noble a while back, so he fussed and fretted, and combined about three recipes, till his came out much better! She feels so spoiled coming over to see us, and he is proud
as a peacock to feed her. He was raised in bad foster homes who only gave the bananas to their "real kids", so, to him, food is love, so he feeds you out of love and if you "mmmm" and "ahhhh" that means you love him back. This is why I am a fat old granny, he feeds me well! I love treats, I will bypass supper to save room for dessert.
Are you all drooling yet? He usually makes everything from scratch, but after Brennie left, he confided that he used "store-bought" crust. It was wonderful, and there was enough left over to eat in bed at midnight last night......yummy!
Have a treat, or come vist us and I'll have DH make a purse!
Lyn

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

She's Baa-aack

I have had problems with my cable/Internet. We switched not long ago to a "bundle" and all the computers network off mine. Something went haywire and we had to have the cable guy out here yesterday. Whew, what a hassle! You never realize how much you depend on these machines until they don't work!
Anyway,,,,,,,I've started a new project, a purple project! My husband's favorite color is purple, and his favorite flower is lilac. So, I am starting a new quilt for him, well, for our bed, and I have to paint the bedroom first and get rid of the blue. The pattern is an old 80's pattern from Eleanor Burns, called (are you ready for this?) Lovers Knot. It is only two blocks with some setting triangles, and I love the way it is coming along. I have had a lot of time to work on it this past weekend, my poor DH has been sick in bed with the latest virus going around. I'm not sure why I'm not the one who get sick, I'm the one who wipes noses, kisses baby toes, etc.
My top should be done today, but it is my "Brennie" night. I'm almost ashamed to admit it, but I have made "appointments" with all my girlfriends, to spend one-on-one time with the ones who are important to me, sounds wierd, but it works! The first Tuesday of the month is my ex-sisters-in-law night. They said I could only divorce some of the family. not all of the family. The second Tuesday is my Brennie, we have been best friends since we were 13, and I'm not going to count the years. Then the last Wednesday is my Annie, the one who was supposed to be my sister. We have been sisters since 1980. Which to me doesn't seem that long ago, but it has already been 28 years,,,,geez! And then there's Connie, she's an elementary teacher, so any night of the week is good for her as long as it's not P/T conferences, which this week is. Then, my two favorite co-workers in the world from a job I had in the 70's and early 80's meet me at Barnes and Noble every once in a while to catch up. All my other friends I see at candle parties, or baby showers, but these women are so inportant to me, and with everybody's jobs, kids, grandkids, husbands, and housework it is hard to see everybody you love. Call me crazy, but look at all the "girl time" I get, even though I work and have a family. I am truly blessed!
Have a great "girly day"
lyn

Monday, March 3, 2008

It's Time!!!

Hip Hip Hooray!

Spring is on it's way and it's time to get my seeds planted, I save all my yogurt cups through the year and start my own. Am I the only cheapskate in the crowd? I feel that God has given me these seeds free, and I"d rather start them on my own than pay $9 a flat at the greenhouse.
We can't put them in the ground here until Memorial Day, so I usually start them now, so they're bloomin by the end of May. These are Debbie's Dream marigold and I have plenty, if anybody wants a few just e-mail me and I will gladly share.
Free Flats of Flowers! Get Your Bouquet Here!
As I tell my DH, I'm not cheap, I just enjoy "free" alot.

The little quilts are practice squares from scraps for my messy, uneven, etc. machine quilting. Yes, my dears, I still need practice.


Does anybody recognize the Cubby Bear? Baseball Season is also on it's way, and we love the Cubbys and the Tigers, (even when they lose).

Happy Planting Everyone!
lyn