Happy Blog Anniversary to Me.

3rd times the charm
I never imagined that I could actually keep it going but here I am today still posting. Thanks to those of you who read and follow my blog I hope to continue this writing experience. Just when I start to question my abilities to write entertain or share I get that one compliment that says I enjoy or love your blog and figure okay let’s try another one and see what happens. So Happy 1 Year Blog Anniversary to Me.                                                                                    
Out of curiosity does your blog ever move your paragraphs around when you hit post. This is the 3rd time it's done that to me. Very frustrating! Then I have to pull my post and re-do......

Now on to other topics.

ê   I surprised myself and made my first flying geese block. Or is it goose since it’s only one block? LOL. I managed to cut one okay eight of the blocks a 1/2" short. Damn so back to the cutting board. It wasn’t pretty at first but by George I believe I did it. Oh well one thing at a time right?

Does it look too bad?

      I’m not sure how pretty it is but I’m learning.
     Now I can incorporate flying geese into other quilts that I want to make. Sorry this topic is short this time but at least I’m sewing again. As I start sewing more there will be more to write and show & tell pictures. Now if I could just get back into a reading mode. I have a couple of books I need to finish rather quickly.

      Now for a renovation update. Still waiting for them the caulk and paint the ceiling of the patio cover and porch so we can finish the lighting and fans but they have started the pergola.  You can almost tell what it's gonna look like.   

ê   

ê  The garage now has windows, the back wall has been bricked and Wednesday when I
      came home they had installed the garage door. I didn't get that picture because the garage door was already open this morning. Eventually they’ll cut the pass through from the main garage into the new section. And paint. Starting to come together.


I guess I must wait patiently for driveway and sidewalks. I had hope to take better pictures when I got home today but the lighting wasn't any better than this mornings pictures here.

We go from drought to rain. We've been getting just enough rain to bring the lake up to over 100% capacity and now our yards tend to look like a lake. Obviously the ducks are confused and gathered in our yard. More of their friends continued to join them.

   One Last thing I wanted to share. It's just something I thought cute when I went to my Sunday EQ Bee at Quilter's Crossing in Tomball.

  
As I was leaving and passed the shop front entrance I noticed it had a visitor.  (The shop was closed hence no colorful quilts on the porch like usual.)

    

  

Kitty looked like that Mervyn's commerical where the woman is pressed up against the doors saying "open open open". I think Kitty is a stray that the shop owner took pitty on and started feeding it outside the shop.




Either way I thought this was so cute.

 

     

  I don't know, is it just me or does it look like Kitty is telling me 'Don't take my picture woman just let me in'!

     Sorry Kitt your not allowed in the shop.  

I don't think he cares

     

Until next Blog....

“Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world” ~Albert Einstein~

Just A Little Closer... Renovation update

We now have a completed roof on the patio and

on the garage

 extension but there's plenty left to do.

Like the ceiling on the porch needs to be caulked, the porch and the patio ceilings need to be painted. 

Can't wait for the lights and the fans to be installed.

The garage extension needs

windows and a garage door.
Then the walk thoughs from the main garage to the new section needs to be cut and framed up. Whoops and they need to brick the back wall of the new extension too. Aw crap I thought of more things that need to be done. So maybe we're not so close.
Once they finish the porch, patio and the new extension they'll start tearing up the driveway so they can pour a new one along with sidewalks that this house has never had.

It's all starting to come together kinda. They came and picked up 95% of the trash that has been laying in our yard. The homeowners association will be happy to see that.
Now the weather is gonna start hampering the progress. Figures things start progressing and it's gonna start raining again. Not that we don't need it but could it just wait a week or two.
 

 It may take that long things to dry out so they can pour concrete again.

Saturday we went on a mission. Also equates to quality time with the hubby.

We purchased one bench from Steinhausers in Magnolia

and
 ... .
   ......
        ............. two rocking chairs, that for now we've placed on the patio looking out at the lake (a lake we can actually see while sitting down) just barely under the cover. I wanted the sun to hit me while sitting in them.

These things are soo comfy and it was such a beautiful day but very breezy. A cool breeze I might add but I couldn't resist sitting in one of the rockers to soak up some sun and just stare out at the lake and robins that have invaded the yards. Dexter decided to join me. He wasn't opposed to sitting in my lap to watch the birds and sneak in a nap or two.

I think the rocking helped lull him to sleep. I might have closed my eyes a little bit too.


The robins were out in full force that day. At different times the yard was so covered with robins the ground looked black. Mmmm so if the robins are here does that mean Spring is close behind?

Some of our trees have even started to bud.
These robins are fat little burgers.










After about an hour I decided It was starting to get a little too chilly just sitting round so I got up to go inside but Dexter just went and found a new place to observe the world around him.

I love this little guy. He's my little buddy.
 
I hope everyone had a Happy Valentine's Day however you celebrate or don't celebrate.
Actually I wish Everyone a Happy Day and a happy rest of the week.

So that's it on the home front for now

Sew until next blog.........................Smile: if you can't lift the corners, let the middle sag." ~Unknown~

What is that? Scraps or is that actually…..

No Way you say! Yes way, after almost a year of nothing I’m actually playing with my fabric. Scary as that may be I’m actually trying to find that sewing groove again. I’ve got to get busy finishing some old projects and some new, Like baby quilts and like most of the projects they won’t get them before the babies are born but I’ll try.

Projects that are high on my to do list

³    Quilt top to be quilted for my step-Mom in Missouri. She’s been patiently waiting

³    Memory quilt for Officer Sandy who has also been patiently waiting well almost. Probably figures she’ll never get it but I do have the fabric in a project bin.

³ My Bow-Tuck bag from class taught at Quilters Crossing by my friend/co-worker Margaret. The lighter blue is the liner.

³    Baby Quilts about 7 as of last count (4 go to one Momma-2-B)

³    Pillow cases

³    David’s tool pouch for the motorcycle

³    Decorative pillows

³    Table runner

³    Lots of curtains for new house

³    Quilted postcards for various occasions

³    Oh and another quilt for Pamela from the fabric we bought in 2010 while in Carthage Missouri at Block by Block. (Pam is not waiting patiently)

³    Plus I’ve been seeing some really cool sewing, crafts and DIY’s on Pinterest that I want to try

³    And the list goes on

So here I go. Wish me luck on making a dent in this project list and trying out some new stuff.

Speaking of quilts ****The quilt guild I belong to is having it’s 2^nd Quilt Show called Pieceful Moments on March 2 and 3 in Cypress Texas at the Berry Center. The first Tri County Quilt Guild  show in 2010 was a huge success and this one should be nothing less than Awesome. There will be Over 150 quilts displayed, over 20+ vendors will be there for your shopping pleasure, a Guild Boutique, a Tin Can Raffle, a Bed Turning, and spotlight quilter Libbey Lehman. 

A certified quilt appraiser will be available during the show to appraise that quilt of Aunt Petula’s you’ve hidden in the closet by prior appointment only and least I forget our beautiful raffle quilt called “Circle of Life”.

I am surround by some very very talented quilters. When I grow up I want to be just like them. Hmmm Houston we have a Problem with that statement … I’m already grown up (now I’m growing out) and I doubt with a whole lot more practice I’ll ever compare to these guys and/or gals but I’ll start practicing anyway. 

Be sure to check out the website by clicking Here and scroll down to 2012 Quilt Show on the left and click for more details.

If you want an appointment to have a quilt appraised contact yours truly and if you want raffle tickets I can help ya out with those too.

Come on out you won’t be disappointed.

This past Tuesday at Guild our guest speaker was Mickey Mowry with her trunk show "Quilts with Small Pieces.
She wasn't kidding about the small pieces. Oh My this quilter is.... I don't have the words... my mouth just fell open each time when she told us how many pieces were in each of her quilts.
To the right is a close up section of the quilt on
the left. Tiny little squares smaller than a dime.

This quilt had over 3000+  pieces.

Then she showed us her pineapple square block she started. This block isn't over 16" square and has 1800 pieces.  That's not a typo. 1  8  0  0 pieces. I'm lucky is put 10 pieces in 1 block.


 

Micky is truly remarkable. Her last quilt she showed us  here has 12,000 pieces in it.

I'm tired just looking at all those squares.

So on that note..............................

Until next blog……………….. God put me on this earth to sew and finish a certain number of things. I am so far behind now I will never die!

 

Renovation progress and Wild Life

WOW would you look at that water! We can actually see the lake without effort after the rain last week.
In July this 19 acre lake behind our house was something like 7 1/2 feet low.  It's in good shape now.

The start of the patio expansion had a slow start but now it's moving along.

Came home last Wednesday and they finished framing out the patio and got the plywood up for the roofing.

They'll move to the garage expansion after the patio is finished. Can't wait till it's finished.

Last Friday I came home to a fully shingled patio cover. Well actually they were finishing up.
The structure looks like it's always been there.

David was so excited that after supper he had me come out and sit on the patio and have an adult beverage.

I might mention that I was in a coat with a scarf around my neck and my gloves on sitting there having a drink. It was cold! But it was kinda fun.

Last Saturday the weather was gorgeous and we did find time to sit outside but no beverage this time. 

David is already talking about the landscape projects. Look out. The existing plants here are not safe and might get yanked up by the roots.

While we were outside last Saturday our local wild life caught my attention again. Yes I am enjoying the sightings of various wild life.  No it wasn't a gopher but there are plenty of mud bug mounds in our ditch and our neighbors yard where water stands for a while after any rain. Wonder if I get a line and some bacon if I could catch enough for dinner.   Yeah right.   

The really big wild life I'm talking about this time was a hawk that tends to perch in the little tree 2 doors down and just every now and then he'll perch in a tree next door. With each shot I moved a little closer. I've got to save money for another lens to get closer shots like this. 

Finally I got too close and he took off.

This week in between rain drops the guys continued to work. David got the can lights and ceiling fans set on last Sunday and the guys put in the ceiling this week. While they were at it they removed and replaced the ceiling on the porch since it had some issues and they started framing out the garage expansion!

We have decided to repurpose this space. We decided since Pam has been wanting her own space that she could move out there. She even posted a picture on Facebook stating we had her already sleeping out there. 

I was hoping they would get the roof and at least get the plywood siding up so Pam wouldn't have to sleep under a tarp to be protected from the elements. But...that didn't happen as you can see.. 

             

As soon as David can get a culvert placed the driveway will be extended across the ditch and she'll have front door parking to her own private area. Great idea don't you think? Now she will have to come in to the house to shower and use the bathroom for a while until we can build a bathroom built out there for her but she's tough.

 Okay so maybe we won't make her live out there but she started it. My boss suggested I hurry home today before Pamela got in and put a sleeping bag and pillow out there but Pamela pulled in right behind David and I and so did the Rain.

Anyway The Garage is David's Kingdom and you don't mess with his Garage.

Everyone have an awesome weekend and stay dry if possible.

 Until next blog..........

What does it mean when you live on a busy street and your mom tells you to play on the road?