Happy St. Pat's

Recently with the "Think Ruffles" Blog hop Joan of MooseStash Quilting created a St. Pat's themed moose in a green tutu drinking green beer through a straw for her entry.  If you missed it, you owe it to yourself to go back and take a peek at it.  She has such a fun sense of humor!

Anyway, she asked us to relate a favorite St. Pat's story in our comments.  Here was mine.

St. Pat's story: way back in 1978 the first time I kissed DJ was in a parking lot at Long John's Silver because he caught me with a "Kiss Me I'm Irish" button on. We were not even dating at the time, I knew him to talk to but that was about it. He maintained for years that it was not a very good kiss---and I always retorted that we were not even dating so why would I really lay a lip lock on him? I also had to kiss his best friend from work too but he was married so needless to say, that was just a peck on the cheek. DJ later found out that I really could do much, much better!

I still have that button and though my desk is virtually emptied out as I am getting ready for it to be carried into the master bedroom, I knew exactly which little basket it was in.  He always insisted that I did not go out with that button on and may have hoped that I had tossed it, LOL.  Trust me, I am NOT the only person who is a bit sentimental judging by the cards and notes I have gone through recently.

 It is a nod to my Scotch-Irish ancestors on my mom's side (where do you think I got the red hair?)  if I were to actually wear it.  I have yet to get dressed so there is still time to put on something green so no one feels compelled to pinch me.  Alas, my shamrock socks have finally had to be tossed (I think).  Last year was a little suspect and I had to wear them over another pair.

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What is going on here otherwise?  I sort of took part of the weekend off from estate stuff unless you count emptying out the desk and swapping out the file cabinets.  Mine goes in the master, his stays in here next to the computer desk that should be arriving today.  I have to assemble it but that is not a problem until I need it carried into position.

 This last Thursday I got the push mower lesson and mowed the back yard.  I still need to know how to use the weed whackers though.   I spent Friday doing a bit of cooking ahead.  I just cannot seem to get in the hang of my old routine of cooking a meal.  There is so much leftover even with halving some recipes plus the freezer is getting full of small containers.  Anyway, some of the leftovers were re-purposed as a black bean pumpkin (chicken) chili, a small dish of cavatini with the rest of the meat stuff going for meatballs (spaghetti or meatball marinara sandwiches).   Still containers of THAT stuff for the freezer.

Yesterday I did attempt to deal with some of the financial papers but I need to verify that my name is not messed up on the death certificates first.  One line has it Linda married name, then maiden name and this is not my legal signature.  Another line lists it correctly Linda married name so is it just some goofy way of writing it?  Once on my drivers license they had it written Linda maiden name, married name so who knows? Checking into this further is on my list of today or tomorrow "to-do's".

It is not a very pretty day---coldish, damp and maybe raining or about to.  We had two inches of rain the night before but yesterday's low is supposed to be today's high with it dropping down to freezing again tonight.  Spring supposedly is almost here but the calendar anyway.  I am not fond of that in between weather as it is not cold enough to trigger the furnace and then it just feels colder inside.   Yesterday I was  wrapped up in a fleece throw and finally put on my outside sweatshirt with the thermal lining.  Between turning on the oven to make some corn muffins to go with the chili and eating the chili, I finally could ditch wearing it in favor of the apron!  I also made some Tex Mex sheet cake but some of that is going to the neighbors and the rest the freezer. I'm going over to get my hair trimmed up soon.   Just wanted a taste of chocolate not eat the whole blooming thing.  I'll bring the rest to Belles next meeting.

I did spend part of Saturday prepping what will be my entry into the "What's Your Superpower" blog hop for next month.. It was National Quilting Day after all.  I was not going to celebrate by sewing as I often would so this was as close as it was going to get.   A bit of it is done.  I did a bit last night in the middle of the night too------sigh, I was hoping that 2 a.m. wake up call was behind me but apparently not.   I also have a couple of inches done on that basket weave baby blanket I had started.  

And so it goes-------

spring has sprung

Happy National Quilting Day! If you don't celebrate that, go for the fact that it is officially, if only by the calendar, the first day of spring. We are at the mid 60's today with sunshine and a light breeze blowing. Lovely day! Warm enough to shut off the furnace and crack a few windows. Skyler is loving it, running from window to window and back to the front door to look out.

The picture shows him up on the buffet in "begging" position and that point he thought he needed his "treat" bite. He kept wiggling so I didn't get the cute head to the side shot, LOL.


I took some outdoor shots to share---the daffodils in fuller bloom than a previous shot.
















The camellia is loaded with blooms though it has been trying to bloom for months. In previous years the frost would zap them but I guess the sustained colder weather this winter convinced it NOT to bloom too early. Or not as much anyway.
At any rate we haven't seen it looking this good.







The Bradford Pears are not quite there. I swear this just happened overnight---buds to just starting to open. Soon it will look like popcorn bushes. Same with the forsythia. These are in the neighboring subdivision. The two rows at the subdivision entrance are not quite there but will be in a day or two, I bet. I have spotted some tulip trees out as well when out in the car.

I am still embroidering but off on another project. I decided to switch gears on the calendar quilt-lets and do stitcheries instead of fusible appliques at least on most of them. The Art to Heart button set that I purchased as part of my Christmas present should still work. I spent some time on Thursday organizing the floss that I needed and made a run to Hobby Lobby for what I needed. I have been piddling with the March block and will be ready to layer it for quilting as soon as I get the verse part embroidered. Break out the sewing machine to add some sashing bits anyway.

Hope that you are having a lovely day where you are--------

National Quilting Day

I guess that this is considered the official National Quilting Day but I believe we quilters here in the U.S. celebrate it with sewing events at various weekends throughout the month. Normally I would be hard at work on some donation quilts here at home but I spent all week quilting my way through the "stack". I showed you two of the ones I did for pay in my post earlier in the week. I also did 5 donation quilts done since then. That just one leaves one that I will set aside for now. Of course, I will add 2 more to it when we pin my Twisted Sister tops. I have something else to do today'this weekend but will get to that in a minute.

DJ said it looks like we had a rabbit invasion around here. LOL, it kind of does! I have not put out the Easter decorations in several years so it is fun to see these again. Since I won't take pics of the donation quilts till the bindings are completed, this is what you get for post pictures---past crafts and such. Even the "Be Kind" be-attitudes block I prepped last night has a rabbit on it. I'll get a picture of it once it is hung on the wall though as I still need to do the button hole applique and hand applique touches to bring it to life.

So what are you looking at here?
Above, the Easter wreath that I made several years ago. I do not have a clue about the pattern source at this point or if I even still have the pattern to go look. I used to hang it on the door between the utility room and the kitchen. However, we took that door down several years ago. (It was just in the way especially when you opened the utility room storm doors to let some cross breeze through.) Not to be deterred, I dug out the hanger from one of the Christmas decoration boxes and put it up on the inside of the living room door.

We just re-connected to a satellite TV service so we are back to a box on the entertainment center. No more decorating surface up there again. Still, Fleece and Floppity beanie babies found a spot they could sneak onto.


Proceeding up the hallway you can see that I put in the rabbit insert to my Katrinka Designs multi-seasonal banner. I love the little pompom that I used for the tail but Skyler better not see it or he is apt to want to paw it off there. I hung my little floppy legged bunny from the rod as she just won't sit up anywhere. I used some same fabrics in her outfit that are in my appliance covers, LOL.

Next up on the opposite side of the hall---about the only decorating space left in the house so it is over crowded.

Top shelf--a little ceramic bunny container that my mom made on the left. Purchased resin bunny but I think it might have been a secret pal gift. Little bunny basket with wooden eggs, I picked up at a craft sale. Those had to be glued down to keep Pippi from digging them out!

The cookie cutters hanging from the knobs were a secret pal gift though I have never actually used them for cookies, come to think of it.

The quilt is one I made from Tonee White's Appliquilt. Not sure if I decided one of the carrots should be wilted or she did but I think it adds a whimsical touch regardless.

I also made the Gardening Rabbit and the accessories. Well, not the watering can but the other stuff. The cabbage was styrofoam balls covered with raffia paper twist. I painted the purchased wheelbarrel though and tracked down the veggies in it---also glued down to keep Pippi from running off with them. I didn't have room to put up the Easter egg tree but then I am not entirely sure which box it is in either.


Lastly, the computer/sewing room. Two little resin bunnies---him and her. I changed the desktop wallpaper to a cute one from the Debbie Mumm site in honor of the holiday and switched out the insert to the door welcome sign.

Today I am going to participate in a Move It Forward challenge with any of the FABS that want to do so. 4 Patch Posie that got hung up in the sashing phase. I'm won't do the next one like that skinny stuff but love the idea of just four pieces in the Stack and Whack.

Next week will be busy---doctor's appointment, Bama Belles early in the week. I have been asked to make another t-shirt quilt for a client of the quilt shop many of us use for long arm quilting. I knew it was a possibility when Judy and I ran some tops up to Susan and she asked if I was interested. She called mid week to say it was definite and the box of shirts arrived yesterday. Looks like I will need to round up some background fabric first though. As payment Susan will quilt my Cheese and Crackers top and reimburse me for the supplies I use. I asked if she would consider quilting my 92 x 102 sized quilt in lieu of payment as chances are she would have gotten the top for quilting anyway. I think we both win on this one! In addition, Judy dropped a quilt off that she made for a fund raiser for a group she belongs to. She is paying me to put the binding on it--machine and hand finish if that is my choice--as that is not her strong suit. Busy, busy as always

Well off to see what I can get done on the Posies to move it along. I need to go walk but there is frost on the ground and down in the 30's when I got up. I'll squeeze it in sometime this morning--like when it hits mid to high 40's if there is no wind. Either way, I am out of here for now.