DIY WITH BEST FRIEND GETS TABLE REFURBISHED

My best friend and her  doxies came to spend the week.  It is always the best when we are together and the laughter, food, wine, beer, playing angry birds, playing Words w/Friends, shopping oh yes the shopping then the ultimate is our DIY projects.  We have torn out, redone, painted, tiled, sewed, put in lights, ripped out and put in counter tops, a bit of plumbing and well, if it was a project, we went for it.  This was the situation of my breakfast table.  A purchase of the 80s it had tile top that was so needing to be retiled; thus our project was born.  One week and a plan was in the works.  Now I did have to work so she and my dear husband started to put my project into action.  First day I return from work to see destruction of the tiles well under way and I dived in with my whole heart.  It was do much fun to smash and destroy.  A couple of trips later to Lowe's and Home Depot we got a putty knife that got us to the finish line of getting all the tile out of there!! It was ready.  We had no idea how hard the project to find tile would be, need I say we drove most of half a day only to learn anything we liked would have to be ordered, or the places we went did not sell except to the "trade".....So we finally ended up again at Lowe's to buy tile.  We found that the mesh glass for back splash worked so cutting tile would not be an issue, who knew they did not make 8" tiles anymore?  Live and learn.  Not a problem, the mesh backed small glass tiles worked great.  To refinish the table she and I have been intrigued by the Rustoleum product to refinish cabinets that takes no stripping.  WE LOVED the product and must say it did everything it was designed to do and more.  If you want to refinish cabinets I would most certainly say buy it and you will not be disappointed.  I have plenty left and plan to use it on my cabinets in the laundry room.  More about the shopping for decor later....we had so much fun shopping.

Baby Shapes to Sleep On

I loved doing this free style baby quilt.  The color for the nursery was gray and yellow with no theme.  I had no idea where I was going to start, but figured no one can go wrong with starting with heart, thus the heart shape.  Then I just went with shapes.  The final quilt was really fun as I added the chenille for texture to run little fingers in.  Squares to count, triangles to point and circles to flow...it was just a one day, get it done, don't think too much and go for it project.  Mom and shower guests loved it!

Baby Quilt "Go To" Pattern

This baby quilt was made with the magic 9 patch pattern from Quilters Dream in Colleyville, Texas.  www.quiltersdreamtx.com  This pattern is my "go to" for baby shower quick sew quilt and allows the perfect way to use the baby colors the mom has picked.  I can do this in one day if I start early.

Passing

Mary Grace McDonald Fisher
April 20, 1914-July 6, 2011

My Mom passed on July 6 after 97 wonderful years of life,  peacefully with me by her side.  My Mom taught me to sew, cut patterns, know great material from not so great, how to craft, stencil, etch glass, make crepe paper flowers, turn a pillow case into a sundress or curtains and a trillion other crafty things.  If it was a craft my Mom tried it or did it.  Mom crocheted all her life and the wonderful full table cloths, full and twin bed covers and yards and yards and yards of edging ( in my sewing stash) are the ultimate handmade items.  All these things will always remind me that no matter how hard Mom tried I still cannot crochet, knit I can do, crochet can't do.  But then no matter how much she tried to knit she never could.  We spent many hours, her with her hook and me with my knitting needles.  She is now with Dad and I know happy to be in heaven as she was a Godly woman.  Thanks Mom for the love and care and being the best Mom ever.

 I am off to Spokane, Washington tomorrow, July 13 to attend the Women of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America national triennial gathering and vacation w/hubby.  I am so excited to be spending time with my Lutheran sisters from across the globe and my wonderful husband.  Fun,Fun.....www.womenoftheelca.org

Fireworks all round

Happy 4th of July and God Bless America!  I have had a really great long weekend working on Baltimore Quilt blocks, knit socks for my BFF, and actually cooked something in the slow cooker.  The block for the BA is not finished, but here is a pic of one that is done.

This laurel wreath has 3 dimensional flowers to set it off.  It was fun to make the flowers and learn a new flower to make.  More pics of additional blocks to come.  I love to applique because it is relaxing and creative.  The blocks are those many women have created before but each one has it's creator in it and they each speak separately while bonding many women together.  The women who first created them had no idea what they were sending down the ages.  Thanks to them, I can imagine their world just a little.  They were in the history of creating a new nation, I am in the history of keeping it alive.
Until the next stitch, keep the stitches alive and live well.

Happy Independence Day

Happy Birthday to Me!    ....It's nice to be recognized on your birthday and I am blessed to have been recognized in many and different ways.  Flowers from hubby, gifts from friends, cards, calls and Facebook make it a good day.  I always think of my parents on this day and what joy I know they had as they held me, talked to me, hugged me and put hopes and dreams into the moment of first sight of their only girl.  I always knew I was loved, cared for and just special in every way for them.  Dad taught me what he knew about being smart, good at math, compassionate, and how to give love to family.  He is forever my hero and I miss him.  Mom taught me how to be strong, creative, self reliant and to never back down if you believe in the cause.  Now I am her care taker, advocate and voice and I consider it an honor to be those things for her because she was always those things for me and her family.
I am having a great time tonight after a nice dinner doing my Baltimore Album block knowing my parents gave me the necessary tools to do this creative outlet and live life everyday to the absolute fullest.  Thank you Mom and Dad, thanks you so much.  God bless.

Knitting day this Sunday as Saturday was get the bow on the basket on the Baltimore Album quilt.  Visited Mom this morning and spent the time prayer for her.  She did not know I was there as she would not wake.    Next week will be visiting with the care center to revisit her condition.  She has gone down quickly, but it's not like I did know this from other older relatives I have gone down this road with.

Cast on day.  My BFF wants socks for her birthday and since the first ones I started I frogged, it's cast on day for the new plan.  The yarn is wonderful hand dyed blue/black reminding me of denim, so just a vanilla sock will be the plan  Wish me luck to get the pair done in a month.


Until the next stitch, keep the stitches alive and live well.

Friday in Stitches

Friday is fun stitches day so get to work on my Baltimore Album block a basket with ivy and a bow.  The basket I made from some decorative black and gold trim my Mom had from 1952.  It is fun to see what year my Mom bought craft and sewing items because she always wrote dates on things.  Applique relaxes me and give me joy to see the "picture" come alive.  What makes you come alive?  Still promise pics soon. Until the next stitch, keep the stitches alive and live well.

Taking the First Stitch

No matter what the project we all have to take a first stitch, a first step, a first word; whatever comes first.  I am taking the first step in blogging and it makes me happy to just be doing something new and different.  I know someone may read it or no one will read it.  That does not seem to be important because like our first step who knew where it would all go?  


Quilting needle has Baltimore Album on it.  Block 6 in what is the first year of what may be a few years to complete.  I love to applique and BA blocks do not disappoint.  Pictures to come


Knitting needles have socks on them.  Well, did have sock on the needles, just ripped it out and will start again.  Sad story of how two of the four needles got pulled off the stitches and with the lace pattern could not get them back on....so rip it was.  I'm letting the thread rest a few days before I jump back on to cast on.  


Have had a wonderful time, as always, living the life of a needlewoman.  Until the next stitch, keep the stitches alive and live well.