I got nuthin'

In the middle of summer fun, yard work, and kids off from school, I have been sooooo lazy. Not one stitch has been put in anything quilty!!! I made a few little girl's sundresses but that about covers the stitches in Granny's house this summer. I am hoping for some inspiration!!! Any body have any on hand to spare??? But I think I'm not the only one, as the summer gets busy and the yard work is plenty, I don't know about you, but I get pooped by the end of the day!

Mr. Wonderful went on a three day writer's conference in Indiana, and that left DD#3 and I to fend for ourselves,,,you all know what that means...........FAST FOOD!!!! Mr. Wonderful is such a wonderful chef, and he is basically a healthy chef, with his diabetes and all, and he really likes that "every-day-a-different-dish" thing. I, on the other hand, am a good cook as long as it is for something special, and I have specialties, (I have to admit that my fried chicken cannot be beat). So, while he was away, we hit the chinese buffet, the pizza parlor, and you guessed it, Mickey D's was calling our names!! All of those things are a rarity around here, if we have fast food, it is Subway. Now, I'm not knocking Subway, I love it, and it really is healthier,,,,,but girls, a Big Mac once in a while, mmmmm....can you hear my fat cells giggling? Let;s change the subject, I"m getting hungry!!





The beaches here are so perfect this time of year, we have sugar-sand beaches, and the sun sets over Lake Michigan with reds, purples, and oranges and makes the "evening times of life" absolutely gorgeous!!!


When the kids were younger, we co-owned a hang glider and would spend all day at the beach with friends and family. The guys would glide off the dunes over the water, and the women would watch the younger ones in the water, and pass out PB&J's and rinse off sandy little paddies.


Oh, for the days gone by, right? If you look close, to the left of the seagull, you can almost see Finn's house. These pictures were taken by my DD#2, she and a friend came to spend the weekend a little while back and the weather was not perfect for the beach, but they went anyway, away from the tourist beaches, and they had a great time.

So, that is all I have, just some summer thoughts and some dirty fingernails from weeding the tomatoes.

Hope your summers are just as "beachy"

lyn

I'm Honored

I have been honored with an award from Norma. It is not just the usual "I think you're great" award, because Norma is not the usual "I think you're great" blogger. Any of you who know her will agree, she has a rare heart, and she has touched me and welcomed me into her circle. So, I accept this award, and now it is with great honor, I will present it to five others who have touched my heart. This sounds so easy, just to run down the list of your "buddies" and pick a couple.

But then you have to pause, and remember each one of these people have shared a piece of their lives with us. They lay their heart out for all to read, and they lay their loves on the pages of these blogs hoping you will love them, too. This picture (above) reminds me of our friends on the blogs, one heart strung to the next,,,, you don't just find a friend, you are linked to all of her friends, too. Prairie Sisters. Teaching, learning, sharing, comforting, keeping each other company, and daring to shed a tear now and then with them. We are a lot like the women of long ago, bonding through a love of fabrics, threads, colors, and giggles, as they gathered to quilt.
When you (with beating heart and worried brow) log your first post, it is so scary. Will anybody be interested? Will anybody care? Will anybody read? Am I smart/witty/interesting/likable enough to find a reader who will be my friend? You shine your light off the bow, and wonder if there is another ship out there who will shine theirs back. And hope for a good wind to fill your sails.
Even if you're not the largest sail, somebody is out there! They see your signals, and understand your rigging, and ride the same waves. And,,,they leave a comment! God Bless the first person who left you a comment!!! And then they came back to see you another time! And you know that what ever you blog about, there will be a passing from that other boat, which keeps you blogging on. Before you know it, you are in a fleet, sharing the winds with so many others.
And you find kindred spirits, both sunning on the same rock. No matter what color, creed, or craze, we're all on the same rock, sharing the same sun. Swimming in the same murky waters.

So, my task is to share this award with five other bloggers. Wow, easy and hard at the same time, easy because the names burst out at me, but hard, because how do you tell them how important they are to you?

My first comment came from Kris at quiltedsimple. Her and I were newbies together, and she hung in there with me, and I fell in love with her babies, and my leg hurt when Jesse fell skating, and she was so patient through my Jacobs Ladder. (God Bless you, Kris)

Then there came Finn at Pieces from my scrapbag ! What a coup that was!!! Every body knows what a wonderful gem Finn is, so giving of her heart, to know Finn is to know generosity! But what they might not know is the little girl who plays in that scrapbag, the one who is so precious and gives you half of her cookies. I love that little girl. Thank you, Finny-finn-finn, for all you've given!!!

Norma would fall in right here, because I found her through Finn, but I can't give the award back...can I??? Her and I share a lot. Inside and out! tee hee

Caroline of Knotgarden is the most talented person!!! But, still she is so down to earth, kind, and sharing. I am honored she reads my blog. She is tutoring me in Applique, and as soon as I stitch this thing, I"ll share it with you. Her eye for color is outstanding, and I am in constant awe of her handwork. I am also drawn to her photography. I could learn a lot hanging out at her place!! And she is a lady, both in her honor and in her stitching.

And... Lorraine, at Granny Loz, and I have a wonderful Granny thing, she is sooo witty, and you should see her beautiful stitching!! I think the greatest thing would be to hang out with her for a day!! Hey, Loz, wanna "do lunch?" My sides would ache from the giggles...

The fifth person is hard for me to name, because I'm a "lurker" over there, I have not the confidence to comment. Hers was the first blog I read all the way through, from the very beginning to now. I cried when her Dad died, and I was proud of her daughter's stitches, and I know all the symptoms of Autism. Isn't it amazing how you feel so close to a person on here, and they don't know you from Eve? She is so busy, and has so many wonderful comments, so I just read her blog, I don't "participate." So, Lucy, would be my fifth, but she is on a "blogging vacation" anyway, so she won't miss it.

So, there you have it, girls, I love and admire all of you! and I'm having the most wonderful time in your "quilting bees" so I thank you all!

Hope all your "bee's" are buzzing!!

lyn

Raggy Baggy Tutorial

So many of you have asked about my bags, ie: how do you start the bottom, how do you attach the handles, so in honor of Finn, (who is the Tutorial Wonder) I thought I'd tell all of you at once, and do a tutorial. Here goes, (for my first) let me know if I've left anything out. I'm not good at reading patterns, so ,Lord help me, I'm in no position to write one, good luck with this!!!

[Any comments about the liver spots on my hands will not be tolerated! 8-) ]

I start out with a size "K" hook, and strips cut (some people tear them) to 5/8 inch wide. To make a large bag, you will need about four 4-inch balls of strips. (the equivalent of one full size sheet or 3 and a half yards of fabric.)
Chain 24 . chain 2 and stitch first dc in 24th stitch. dc all the way down your chain.
In the last stitch, dc 4, Turn the corner to dc on other side of the chain. (I dc over the tail here, to save the trouble of weaving it in later) Dc all the way down this side. Dc 4 in the last stitch and slip stitch to end first row at the first stitch. Chain 2 at start of all rows, and dc in the same stitch. Dc all the way around the row, double the stitch in the curves for 3 stitches to ease the corners for the second row. On the third row, dc all the way around, without adding any stitches, this will curl your sides up to form the bag. Continue all your rows with a single dc in each stitch. I usually go 14 rows before I add the handles.
On the 14th row, you will have a good size bag. Now we need to add the last two rows with the handles. We'll need to find your "true sides". To find your sides, lay flat and slip your finger into the lone stitch at the side, this is your true side. I count seven stitches toward the middle.
(it is very important to mark where your handles will start and stop, believe me, it is confusing if you don't) Use a strip of a darker color to mark your seventh stitch on all four sides. Dc around to the marker on the 15th row, (or how ever many rows you wish) and then chain 30. I have used less, but 30 stitches is a good amount to give you room to slip the bag over your shoulder.
Dc to attach it where your other marker is. (the 7th stitch from the left side.)This shows how the chain start would look like.

Continue to dc around to the other side where you will chain 30 at the next marker. Attach with a dc and continue to dc through the row. On the 16th row, dc all the way around, even in the chain. This will beef up the handle a bit and the double crochet strengthens it bit more. At the end of the 16th row, tie off.
Here, you can see how the two rows make up the handles.

I always try to add a little interest, a crocheted flower, this one has a heart because I didn't have enough of the purple to do a whole flower.

And there you have it. Once you get your strips sewn and in balls, the actual crocheting only takes a couple hours. Good luck, everybody, let me know if you make one!

Hope you all have a raggy baggy night!

lyn

I'm on the run again!

My Lillies are the most beautiful thing in my yard right now, I just love these little ladies!! I am thinking about moving them, tho. I've had them for about 8 or 9 years, and they are on the East side of the house. They bloom every year, but they should have gotten a little fuller by now, and I still only get about 3 stalks every year. (I want about 20) so Mr Wonderful said he would move them to a sunnier spot? Any suggestions? I just love these, my heart soars every year when they bloom.
I am off to the Library and Video store this morning, because we are leaving for the "north country" and Elly and DD#3 are going with us this time, so we need "busy stuff" in case there is rain. Our little sanctuary is going to be a zoo this time, tho, for the holiday weekend. Good for the resort, bad for the regulars. But, there will be plenty of activities to keep two girls busy.

I hope you all have a safe and wonderful holiday...I will pause for a moment and try to fathom the depth of what this day means to us here in the most wonderful United States of America.
oh, and have a blast!
lyn

It's Official...

I have become a Bag Lady!!!! I made this one with a "Lazy Girl Design" pattern and I absolutely LOVE it!! and I have gotten many compliments on it! I highly recommend it and would give you a link if I could only figure out an easier way to do it! Any help out there, Ladies???
These I crocheted while we were up North, and they are all gone, the "Pool Grannies" all wanted some, and the lightest one ended up as a shower gift filled with what-nots and tied up with a rag bow. Lorraine bought it and is now pushing for a few more in reserve, since "green" is in with the young crowd and the bag was a big hit.
So, I am making more, and have orders for two made out of camo colors (???)
My swap partner, Rachel, is such a sweetie, and I received her box today when I got home. Above is the package I sent her, and below is the wonderful box I received. The card is covering the name of the chocolate,,,Lindt, my favorite, and the perfect little doll from the thrift store, and best of all, the polka-dot kitty...perfection wrapped in cotton!!! I'll have three grand daughters wanting to make quilts for her! tee hee.... Wonderful goodies, all over the place!!

We have been trotting the state, hither and yon, visiting and hiding. Then we run back home and work our hineys off catching up on yard work. In between we caught the nastiest "ick" I've ever had, and it lasted days...and days...I still have bags under my eyes. Could we have eaten a bad tomato??? or two? EEEK

Now we are under a severe storm warning, and it is raining sideways, so I"ll take the rest of the night to get caught up with all of you, How have you been?? I've missed you and thought of you many times!

Hope you all get to cuddle pink polka-dot kitties!

lyn

I am one big Swapper

I have joined a swap, a Sweet Goodness Swap, to be exact, and they have given me homework...so I will show some pics of Jakey to entertain you while I answer a few questions: (His little shirt says "Little Guys Rule")

Let's Get to Know Each Other And Play 20 Questions!







1. What is your favorite Summer Drink(s)?

I love Lemonade with Diet 7-Up added, even the Crystal Light is good to me




2. What is your favorite Summer Activity?

swimming and geocaching, maybe walking, too



3. If you could spend a lazy afternoon reading, what would be in your hands?

Some fiction, but I love any non-fiction, right now I'm reading Eden's Outcasts (The story of Louisa May Alcott and Her Father) by John Matteson, people's lives are so interesting to me


4. What is your favorite type of craft/art medium?

it would have to be fabric, I love the feel of new fabric





5. What is one art/craft supply you absolutely have been dying to have or try?

I think I've tried just about everything, at least once, but I would like to try braiding rugs again, now that I have the patience to finish one.





6. What are your favorite colors in our 'rainbow sherbet' theme? Pink, lime green, yellow, orange, aqua (or blue)

pink, yellow, and blue





7. What is your favorite sweet treat?

oh, easy...milk chocolate



8. Are there any craft or art supplies you would NOT be interested in receiving?

can't think of any...I'm easy





9. What is your favorite song today?

I cry every single time I sing "How Great Thou Art"





10. How do you 'pamper' yourself during the hot summer days?

I stay in the cool house and I eat ice cream cones



11. Do you have any kidlets or pets?

I have two of the best dogs in the world, and I have 8 grandbabies ranging from 1 to 18 that come to play with the dogs.



12. What is your best potluck dish for summer get togethers?

Usually, everybody asks me to bring my cheeseball and my cherry chocolate cake



13. If you could take a summer vacation anywhere, where would it be?

I would go back to Martha's Vineyard, I just love the slow, summery style there, it is a little like my small resort town, only on a much grander scale





14. Describe your decorating style. Does that say anything about your personality?

I'm not sure I have a "style" ...and I think that says everything about my personality...I am a "collection" of all that I love





15. What are your initials?

LSH





16. Why do you like to join swaps?

I have always loved to "share" things and get to know people



17. You have 25 dollars to spend just on you for a little treat. What do you buy? ((you can list more than one thing)

I would spend it junk shopping, (my favorite) we have a little store called the Junction, and all proceeds go to fund church camps, so I spend a lot of time there.


18. What's one craft supply or art supply you absolutely can not live without?

I would shrivel up and die without my sewing machine, it grounds me.




19. Who's the last person you hugged?

I just hugged my daughter good night




20. What's your favorite number and why?

I love 8, obviously, but don't you think 3 is just a pretty number? both in scale and in appearance.

So, there you have it! More snippets of the secret life of Old Fat Grannys!!

Hope all your treats are chocolate-y!
lyn

Marshmallows, Hobo Pies, and Kids, OH MY

I have come to the conclusion that the best part of camping is the food, and the unlimited caloric availability. S'mores,
and can you just smell the cherry pie in this little baby here? HMMMMM life is good.

And then it's off to the pool (16 thousand times a day when the kids are with us) and my beach bag was drenched after two trips. I pulled out my crochet hook, gave up on the idea of a basket, and made a better bag, one that would dry faster....

Granny's got a brand new bag! All the other "Pool Grannys" were ooohhing and aaahhing over my bag! I have orders for at least three more!
So, we played Strawberry Shortcake, we colored, we dodged raindrops, and we sang till our voiceboxes were raw, and we just about gave up and went to town to rent some movies, when all of a sudden, the skies became clear, the Lord smiled down on our campsite, and three nice little giggling girls (and a most hilarious boy) ran up the hill and asked Liberty if she wanted to play...(my Lib is on the right)
We were truly blessed with these kids, and they had such good Moms!

Now we are home, and Libbee is back with Mom and Dad, and Granny and Papa are rested, looking forward to Elly's turn!

Hope all your weekends were full of giggles and catapillers!

lyn

What season is it?

All our spring blossoms are "past their prime" like me, but it is not quite summer yet... at my house, we call that Helicopter Season, translated, that means I am sweeping the deck and sidewalks daily and it looks like it's snowing when the wind blows. The good news, is that in a week and a half, Mr. Wonderful can put down his cedar shavings and make all the flower beds look gorgeous!

My "Ethnic Stars" are coming along slowly but surely, they are kinda finicky because I picked the stripes,,,forethought is a wonderful trait that I know nothing about. But oh, girls, look at how ethnic it looks!! How fitting for today!

It is Liberty's turn to go with Granny, Papa, and Auntie Leash to the Creek, and her last day of school is today, so tomorrow we will be off! That means S'mores, Hobo pies, Hot dogs over the fire, and Pop, I always drink Pop (Diet 7-Up) when I'm out in the wild,,,call me crazy!

So, we are packing the Strawberry Shortcake Game, coloring books, and Granny's bag has some new balls to play with....

Does this look like a basket to you? I'm gonna figure out how to make one using the rug theory. Think it will work??? I cut up two old valances from the 80's and some left over black from the rug. I think I can...I think I can...

So I will be gone all weekend, back (dirty and sore and tired) on Sunday, so you kids behave while I'm gone!

Hope your weekend is "Campy"

hugs, lyn

As a Bee....

As I'm veeerrryyy slooowwwly working on my Ethnic Star, I have been pecking away at some other things,,,,I am done with the rug, and I love it!! How scrappy can you get? I am so glad I pulled it out and started over! It is flat now and the black-ish stripes just give it a little definition, don't ya think? And the outside has been calling my name, large cuts of lilacs make my kitchen table feel like a garden,,,
and cut roses fill a vase on my computer desk, and, oh....girls.... I think this must be what Heaven smells like?
Liberty was sick, running fevers, caughing, poor baby. It was just a bad nasty virus going around... so we took Elly home with us for the week, and had a ball with her! She had the three of us going non-stop. It is so wonderful to be able to have a "tag team" with the kids, I get worn out and pass her onto Auntie Leash, then she passes her onto Papa, then back to Granny, whew, time to rest!
The holiday weekend was wonderful, with cookouts and bar-b-q's and family and friends.

My prayers and thanks go out to all the families who have sons and daughters, husbands and wives, mothers and fathers, who are fighting for our freedom, God bless us all!
lyn

Cuttin' a Rug

Getting the strips together is the most time consuming part of the process. I started sewing them by hand while watching TV, and crocheting them as I went. Tread a needle, sew strips till the thread ran out, attach strip to the last one on the rug, crochet the strip, sew strips. I got a little rhythm going during Desparate Housewives and Dancing, and I added a black stripe to contain all the scrappiness of it all. (sorry about the rotten pic)Then, I got to really looking at it, and decided I could do better, and I had a major bump in the middle that I tried to stretch out, but it always came back. So, I gave up and ripped it out, started all over, and this time it is going so fast because I (finally) followed Finns advice and sewed the strips on the machine. And now look, even Cubby likes this one better! She can't wait till I leave it on the floor for good, she thinks I lay it down just for her.

In between, I tested a theory. I wanted to put a flannel backing on the Ethnic Star, but I wasn't sure how it would wash. I had visions of the flannel shrinking and getting so soft, and the front, not shrinking as much, so it would be wrinkled, puckered, and old looking,,, sounds wonderful to me. What a wonderful, warm, cozy effect that would be, right?

So I cut a square of flannel, and a square of cotton, put a simple grid on it, and bound it. Threw it in the washer and dryer, rubbing my hands together the whole time, thinking how clever I was, I was going to make this quilt look a hundred years old! Pleasure oozed out of my pores.
Until I pulled it out of the washer. It did not look a hundred years old, it did not have the wrinkled, softly aged look at all. It just had the puffy look of the 70's & 80's. I was so disappointed. I hung my head as I brought it up to show DD#3. I handed it to her and tried to explain that I had other theories we could test out......She didn't hear a word I said, she was squeeling with delight! "OH, That is exactly what I wanted!! Look how old that looks! It's perfect!!! Oh, Mom, I"m going to LOVE it! Thank you so much!" Needless to say, I (like any of you would have done,) pretended that was exactly what I wanted it to look like.

Why is it, I think the 80's are out of fashion, and now my daughter thinks of the 80's as "retro." Go figure...

Hope your day is wrinkled and sofly aged!

lyn