WILL I EVER GET TO SEW AGAIN????????

I've tried to tell this little nut ball that her Mommy is a "Quilter;" but basically, she doesn't give a happy hoot cuz in her humble opinion, this entire world was placed here for her own personal pleasure!!!!! So far she's winning that little battle cuz she's just so darn cute!!!


And talk about full of mischief!!!!! OMG, "mischief" should have been her middle name; but to her credit, she also loves to snuggle and kiss, which is exactly what me and her Daddy need right now :)


Our Halloween decorations are still up here at the office, so Diane got her to do some posing :)


I'm sure I'll get back to quilting here in a bit; but for now, I'm just gonna take some time to enjoy this little blessing while my heart continues to heal from loosing our precious little Miss Molly.

"And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love." (1 Corinthians 13:13)

AN ANGEL ON EARTH AND NOW AN ANGEL IN HEAVEN!

Miss Molly Mae Mynatt
July 3, 1997 to November 10, 2009

The cutest, sweetest, kindest and most loving Puppy God ever created!

Our little angel went to Heaven to be with her Sissy (Micki) Tuesday morning and she took a big chunk of my heart with her when she left. Gene and I are heartbroken beyond words, but we will be forever grateful that God chose us for her! She was truly one of our greatest gifts in life. We will also be forever grateful for the 12 additional days we were given after receiving the devastating news that she was in kidney failure. That extra time was absolutely precious to Gene and I. I think it was to Miss Molly too :)

I soooooooo wish everyone in the World could have known her!!!! She came into our lives at 8-1/2 months old and brought us an abundance of joy and laughter from that point forward. It's hard to imagine life without her ... it truly is; and I will miss her always.

In hopes of healing my broken heart, my honey, that wonderful man I fell in love with 37 years ago, along with Diane, the wonderful friend who works for us, spent many days searching for Miss Molly's little Sister; and although I didn't think I was ready to give my love to another furbaby, "Dolly" arrived on our doorstep Tuesday afternoon ... Gene says she is my gift from Miss Molly!

She's a little Yorkie just like Miss Molly and her name is "Dolly Darlene." She's 14 weeks old and checked out perfectly at the Vet this morning, with the exception of ear mites, which they say is common and very easy to get rid of.

When we first brought Molly home, Micki chose 3 names for her ... "Daisy, Dolly and Molly." We immediately said "Good Golly Miss Molly," and the rest was history, sooooooooo, we chose to name this little punkin one of the 3 names that Micki originally chose; and our friend, Tori, called last night and thought we needed to add the Darlene, which was Micki's middle name, so that's what we did!

I didn't think my broken heart was ready to love this little one; but Gene was right, as she's already made me laugh and brought oodles of sunshine our way, so I'm sending a great big thank you to Miss Molly for this wonderful little gift :)

"I also thought, "As for men, God tests them so that they may see that they are like the animals. Man's fate is like that of the animals; the same fate awaits them both: As one dies, so dies the other. All have the same breath; man has no advantage over the animal. Everything is meaningless. All go to the same place; all come from dust, and to dust all return." (Ecclesiastes 3:18-20)

JUST HAD TO SHARE!

We received a picture from Halloween from our Niece, Tina, and our Great Niece, Gracie, that was just too daggone cute not to share! I think you will agree :)


OMG, Is that not the cutest "Mary Poppins and Burt" that you ever did see!!!!!! Absolutely adorable and Miss Gracie won first prize at their Church's "Trunk or Treat," which didn't surprise me in the least :)

Now on our little punkin, Miss Molly ... I have been spending an awful lot of time down on my knees during the last week sending up oodles of thanks for the fact that she is responding so well to the fluids! It's a down right miracle that she is doing so well! Just six short days ago her Vet didn't think she would make it; but by the Grace of God, the improvement is nothing short of "answered prayers!"

This picture is from the other night when I had her on the kitchen counter trying my best to find something that interested her food wise, which happened to be cheese! Talk about spoiled rotten (LOL) ... literally to the core; but she is sooooooooooooo worth it!

They say the fluids make her very cold, which is why she's sporting her T-shirt. Today we tried to give the fluids to her ourselves so we wouldn't have to go to the Vet every day; but it just plain and simply did not work! The needle is for horses and the syringe is for elepants, so I loaded her up and took her back in. It has been such a roller coaster ride of emotions and I am ever so thankful that it all seems to be leveling off :)

"Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," hesaid, "why did you doubt?" (Mathew 8:31)

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Stopping by one day early to wish everyone a Happy Halloween. We've got a big basket of candy ready for all the little "ghosts and goblins" that will be stopping by our house tomorrow night :) We've had as many as 150 in the past, but each year we seem to have a little less.

Miss Molly came to work with her "witches hat" on this morning :) This is her with one of her favorite people in the world ... Diane :) She's our number one lady here at the office ... she takes such good care of both me and Molly and we love her to pieces :) She was standing outside waiting on us when we pulled in.

I sooooooooooo wish you all could know Miss Molly. She is literally the sweetest puppy that God ever created and she's been bringing us joy for more than 11-1/2 years now. Unfortunately, we received the devastating news yesterday morning that she is in "kidney failure." The heart ache over this is very close to unbearable, but because of a wonderful Vet and the use of fluids through her skin, she has made a turn around and is sooooooooo much better today than she has been for the last 5 days. Words cannot describe how elated we are that she has responded to this treatment. We have been gently warned that this is not a cure ... that it is just a temporary fix that she may not respond to for very long; but at this moment, both Gene and I consider any extra time we get with this "little 3 pound bundle of joy" a direct gift from Heaven :) Your prayers for our little punkin will be greatly appreciated :)

"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God." (Colossians 3:16)

SOOOOOOOO MUCH FUN TO MAKE!

Isn't this little guy cute as cute can be!

It's the coloring book and crayon bag pattern from Clothesline Quilts. Once you get it made, you just fill it up with crayons and a coloring book, and whaaaa laaaaa, you've got a great gift for a sweet little one :) I'll definitely be making more in the near future. The "first" of anything always takes me awhile, but the next one oughta go together pretty quickly, so hopefully I'll be back with a few more to show soon :)

"When I am afraid, I will trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me?" (Psalm 56:3-4)

A HECTIC OCTOBER!

My goodness, I just realized that I've only Blogged 3 times this month and it's already the 21st! It's just been one thing after the other. Our internet here at the office was down for several days, which really put a damper on the 'ol spirit! Fortunately, we finally got a tech w/the "magic touch." Then my honey hasn't been feeling very well ... and then there's always work and all those dreaded chores and so on and so on! Yep, just one thing after another in Davie!

Anyway, I'm just running through Blogville USA to show you all how the "Scrappy Grandmother's Flower Garden" is growing!

I guess it's obvious that I've managed to make some time for some "hexies!" They are soooooooo soothing to the soul and Mr. Gene loves seeing the daily progress :) Now it's time for work, so until we meet again, be safe and be happy :)

"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path." (Psalm 119:105)

PROGRESS REPORT :)

By the time this one's finished, y'all will be sick of these "Progress Reports," that's for sure!

I am totally obsessed with the "hexies;" and I can't believe that it has taken me this long to give them a try! I think "life stops" where "me and hexies" are concerned ... cuz it's kinda like "we're out of clean clothes???," or "you want me to fix supper???," or "that's surely not dirt on the kitchen floor," or "you can't seriously expect me to go to the office today!!!" In other words, all I wanna do right now is sit and sew on this quilt :)

I found the pretty yellow fabric with itsy bitsy white polka dots in my stash and I just love the way it's framing all the scrappies.

Two blocks down and goodness only knows how many more to go! It'll be four down soon cuz I got two more of the "scrappies" ready to rock 'n roll :)

Soooooooooo, if you're looking for me, there's a good chance you'll find me sewing more hexies! The laundry will probably be piled up to the ceiling, we may starve to death and the stacks of bills at my office may never get paid, but I'll have a smile on my face :)

"When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise." (Proverbs 10:19)

ANOTHER "DONE DEAL!"

I sooooooo wanna keep this one cuz I adore "red, white and black" together! I made it for a gift though, so I shall do my best to do just that ... "gift it!"


My favorite piece of fabric is in the middle section on the far right (above) ... I just love those little Daisies! I wish I had lots more of it, but I only started out with one lonesome fat quarter.



The next tote has to be Tennessee "orange and white," or so says Mr. Gene! I was actually gonna change the design just a bit, but he's informed me that he doesn't like that idea (LOL). I guess I'll do the "same 'ol same 'ol" to make him happy and just be thankful that I have a hubby who takes interest in what I love to do :)

"I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." (John 16:33)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE BOY!

And whose the boy??? Well, he'd be Daniel ... our nephew, who turns 27 today :) We've been calling him "Boy" since he was just that ... "a boy!" He's been asking for months when I was gonna put his picture on my Blog; and I'm happy to say that "today is the day!"

So here ya go Boy! Your favorite picture of you and your Uncle Gene ... the day that he let you drive the boat! That only seems fitting since he was the only one out of all of us that had the courage to teach you how to drive a car.


And, even though you probably won't be overly thrilled with this one, here's one of you and your "Most Favorite Aunt" in the whole wide world squeezing the stuffing right out of ya (LOL).


I'm sure this is the look you're probably giving me right about now!!!!!!!!!


Happy Birthday sweetie! We love you more than you'll ever know and we thank you for always loving us back :)

"Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God." (1 John 4:7)

MEET "FLAT JAN!"

No, I didn't say "FAT Jan!" I said "FLAT Jan!" "F - L - A - T," as in "Flat Stanley". If you haven't ever heard of "Flat Stanley," he's this little "flat" guy that school children make and send off to travel all around the World! He visits family and friends and comes back to them filled w/all sorts of experiences to tell about :) Soooooo, without any further ado, here's "Flat Jan!"


Isn't she hysterical! She makes me LOL!!!!! Sooooooo, why in Heaven's name did I make her??? Well, here's her story :) A group of my quilting buddies are heading to Lake Logan located in the beautiful mountains of NC in 2 weeks ... 16 of 'em to be exact w/2 hubbies and one other local gal, bringing the number up to 19. They'll spend 3 glorious nights and 4 glorious days stitching and laughing together.

My friend Debbie, is leader of the "Lake Logan Pack;" and she came up with the great idea that all of us other quilting buddies who can't attend should send themselves in "flat form," so they can enjoy some of the fun in a "flat sorta way!" Sooooooo, that's why I created this silly little thing :)

She's leaving Davie today and heading up to Cocoa Beach, FL, so she can travel with my friend, Mary! I figured us FL gals needed to stick together :) The "Flat Gals" will come in all shapes and sizes and I can't wait to see them all together! My friend, Fran, from PA sent hers to my friend, Carolany, in AL; and her "flat self" traveled with a wardrobe! Such creativity :)

This next picture will give you a better idea of the size of my "flat self :)" Oooops, a bit blurry! Sorry!


Such a fun little something to lighten the burdens of the day; so as her sign says ... "Lake Logan Here I Come!"

"Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends." (John 15:13)

I'VE GONE AND DONE IT AGAIN!

And that "gone and done it again" I'm referring to is "another new project!" I'm afraid it's a sickness and I might need to seek professional help!!!!! I simply can't help myself tho, and all the blame goes to my friend Mary! She started a "Grandmother's Flower Garden" quilt; and her blocks were soooo pretty, that I just had to start one myself!


Not your normal "Grandmother's Flower Garden," that's for sure cuz I was in "scrap happy" mode, sooooo I pulled out my 4 drawers of itsy bitsy pieces of fabric left over from this and that and started snipping. If the leftover is at least 2 inches, it gets put into the drawer! I don't even have a clue where I will go to from here, but I am so excited about all the possibilities :) And talk about a good "couch potato project!" Absolutely the best!

Did you know that the "Grandmother's Flower Garden" was the most popular pattern after 1925, and that many women who never made another quilt in their life finished one of these! I find that very interesting, and I certainly understand it cuz I am having fun! On to "Block #2" after work :)

"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." (Isaiah 41:10)

HOPE SHE LIKES IT!

"She" being my friend, Eileen; and "it" being this "red, white and blue block!"


Eileen is a wonderful, talented lady with a kind, loving and generous soul. The majority of her time in her sewing room is spent making quilts for our soldiers ... for both "Quilts of Valor" and a new venture of gifting quilts to the families of those men and women who have died defending this great Nation we live in. She also devotes time to creating quilts for a local Hospice Facility ... her generosity is what I believe we could use a bit more of in this world we live in today ... it's living a life the way God intended it to be lived!

God Bless you Eileen ... and God Bless all the families you create beautiful quilts for. This block will be on it's way to you :)

"The LORD bless you and keep you." (Numbers 6:24)

MEET OUR NEW LITTLE PUNKIN :)

He doesn't have a name yet, but I am sooooooooo in love with this little guy :) The moment I saw him in the Fons and Porter Magazine, I knew he had to be mine! I opted not to put the words "Boo" on him like the pattern called for cuz I don't like being scared ... also opted for "no spiders" cuz I don't like them either, so our little punkin is just plain Jane! Ohhhhhhhh, perhaps that'll be his name, which would change "him to a her!" I don't think that'll work cuz that could possibly make him all sorts of things, so back to the drawing board on the name :)


He's made from lots of little pieces of this and that from my stash :) He's also made with fusible appliqué, which I don't do that often ... actually, this is only my second time ever! I enjoyed the change and remembered very quickly how much I enjoy doing the blanket stitch :) I also enjoyed using my "appliqué pressing sheet" for the first time after buying it several years ago ... that is one great product! No, Jan, it's not yours sweetie! I promise :) Hers vanished off the face of the Earth a while back ... it just fell down into that black hole where all the missing socks go!


Doesn't he make you smile :) He kinda makes all the problems of the world go away for a few minutes ... he's a good thing!

"Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God." (Ephesians 5:1-2)

NEVER CEASES TO AMAZE ME!

When the sun goes down in the evening, come rain or come shine, 365 days a year, this is what you'll see here in Davie .............

Hundreds of 'em ... Egrets to be exact, the majority of which are white w/a few black ones thrown in.

I don't normally see them during the summer months cuz it stays light for so much longer; but I was at work late last night cuz it's been one of those "helluva weeks at Sea," so they were all sitting there on their spot when I drove by last night.

These guys lined up on the bank are waiting for a free spot on the tree! For some reason, they don't like the top part of the tree ... just all those lower branches.



All this "roosting," together with lots of other "nature type stuff" takes place here .........


I don't think they need to worry about me "swimming" cuz I don't "swim where Gators swim!" I also don't have any desire to feed or entice the Gators ... unless they are those slimy Florida Gators, you know the football team, who TN happens to be playing tomorrow in the Swamp, so basically, they certainly didn't need to put this sign up for yours truly!

They were still flying in from who knows where when Molly and I were pulling out. Yeap, never ceases to amaze me, even after all these years!

"If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me," even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you. " (Psalm 139:11-12)

LOVE "TAAAAAA DAAAAAA" DAYS!

Due to working full time and caring for my sick honey, I will admit that those "ta da" days are few and far between; but they are ever so grand no matter how long they take to get here :) I have always had mixed feelings about finishing a project tho ... I'm obviously very excited! You know, the "jump up and down" kind of excited; but then again, I get a bit melancholy at the same time, especially when the finished something will be leaving Davie. My friend, Jan, and I were talking about this just the other day; and she feels the same, so I'm thinking there might be other Quilter's out there who experience similar feelings.

Anyway, without any further debut, here it is ... the Chenille Daisy.


I'm now wishing that I had set that daisy just a bit higher. I wasn't taking the borders in to consideration when it got placed; but all in all, I'm satisfied. I also wish the picture was a bit brighter, but I'm afraid it's been raining buckets down here in Davie for what seems to be weeks now, so not much sunshine flowing into the sewing room these days.

Here's a close up of the "queeelting." It's been washed, cuz I love that "worn" look, so it doesn't show up too well. I did plain stippling in the borders and swirly q's in the strips.

It hasn't left Davie just yet cuz it still needs a label, so I get to remain in the "excitement mode" for a bit longer :)

"Be very careful to keep the commandment and the law that Moses the servant of the LORD gave you: to love the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to obey his commands, to hold fast to him and to serve him with all your heart and all your soul." (Joshua 22:5)

THE GRAND FINALE ........

....... of "Signed, Sealed and Delivered with Love!"

And the last wonderful quilt we received from those amazing women in memory of our Daughter, Micki, was for our little punkin ... Miss Molly! Can you believe that those gals made one for her too!!!!!! OMG, I will continue to be amazed at their generosity and thoughtfulness all the days of my life!!!!

Feast your eyes on this little cutie!


Micki adored Molly and visa versa. She was actually the one who named her ... "Miss Molly Mae;" and she did so from her Hospital bed. She was beyond excited when we first brought that little angel home :) We used to say "where's Sissy???" and Molly would go flying into Micki's room :)

The fabric they chose was absolutely adorable ... look at all those cute little "animal words :)


And speaking of "cute," check out all these critters on the back! Excellent choices on all counts :)


Yes, the memory of our loved ones live on in so many ways; and when I look at all three of the beautiful creations that were gifted to us with love and with sympathy, I can close my eyes and see Micki enjoying one of her good days :) Thank you all ... thank you forever and always :)


"Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him." (John 7:38)

PART TWO .........

......... of "Signed, Sealed and Delivered with Love!" Remember the 31 wonderful ladies who made the gorgeous sampler for me in memory of our Daughter, Micki??? Well, those same ladies made this beauty in memory of Micki for Mr. Gene; and they named it "Tennessee Hugs."


He simply could not believe that they had made him his very own quilt; and he sat there for quite some time studying every square inch of it. Actually, I didn't think he was ever gonna stop looking at it ... ya see, I was ready for him to put it down and start looking at mine (LOL).

They chose the "Tennessee Block" cuz the great State of Tennessee, a/k/a "God's Country" is where we are originally from and is where Micki was buried just below her Papaw Bud in a beautiful Cemetery in Powell, TN.



I just adore the way that dark blue thread looks on that gorgeous yellow fabric and I am in love with the way they did the binding. It's all pulled towards the back, which gives it a really nice, clean, crisp edge :) All the girls really wanted Gene to use the quilt, but he would much rather sit back and admire it! He's a big guy and he's always been hard on vehicles, shoes, recliners and quilts; and there's no way 'jose that he would do anything to mess up this work of art that was made and delivered with so much love :) I like to think that Micki was able to peak down from Heaven and has seen this beautiful creation that was made for her Daddy in her memory :)

We will remain eternally grateful for all the love and sympathy that went into these quilts :) Oh and there's one more to show you, so I'll be back soon :)

"He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty." (Psalm 91:1)

SIGNED, SEALED AND DELIVERED ... WITH LOVE!

"Quilters" commemorate all the joyful occasions in life with quilts ... it's just what we do! You've got the birth of a new bundle of joy, the joining of two people in holy matrimony, the successes of a graduate and the blessings of a landmark Anniversary or Birthday ... the list goes on and on and on; and we all hope that the quilt becomes a treasured possession to our loved ones.

There's also the solemn occasions in life ... the death of a loved one ... their memory living on in bits and pieces of fabric sewn together with love and with sympathy, which is exactly what Gene and I received 3 months after our Daughter, Michelle (Micki) passed away suddenly and unexpectedly on April 28th, 2007, at precisely 4:45 p.m.

Micki bravely battled Crohn's Disease for 23 long years, the last 10 being the worse; and she handled it all with an amazing amount of grace, dignity and an abundance of faith. When she died that Saturday afternoon just a little over 28 months ago, we were devastated, shocked and heart broken. She was terribly ill at the time, but we had no idea that she would be leaving us so soon; and were in total disbelief when a blood clot went to her lungs.

The three months following her death are still somewhat of a total blur, during which time 31 of the most amazing women you'd ever want to meet ... 31 woman who reside all throughout this glorious Country we live in were busy putting together 3 absolutely gorgeous quilts in loving memory of our Daughter. These quilts touched our hearts more than they could possibly ever know ... as strange as it sounds, it represented a turning point in our grief ... we still grieve today and always will; however, when we received the beautiful work of these special ladies, our hearts softened and we were able to see more clearly ... to see that God's timing for Micki was perfect. He knew she had had enough and that it was time to bring her Home. We finally knew in our hearts that she was where she was supposed to be ... in Heaven, where sickness and suffering is not allowed ... where only happy times and happy thoughts exist. We finally realized the abundance of the blessing that God chose to give her; and although the pain is still significant today, our hearts are at peace; and her memory will live on always ... in the very depth of our souls, in the members of our family and yes ... in all the bits and pieces of fabric in this beautiful quilt.

Today I share with you the first of the 3 quilts that these wonderful ladies presented us with, which is the one they made for me ... an absolutely gorgeous "Sampler."


If you enlarge the photo above, you'll see that this adorable block is embroidered with "Sweet Memories of Micki." The rest of the photos are close up shots of all the gorgeous blocks ... aren't they awesome!!!!!!!!







Gene and I will be forever grateful to the love that was given us in this quilt and it will warm our hearts all the days of our lives. God Bless all 31 of the wonderful women who played such a loving part in the creation of this masterpiece :)

"I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living." (Psalm 27:13)

DAY DREAMING AGAIN!

Sooooooooo many quilts and soooooooooo little time!!! The patterns and possibilities in today's world are truly endless and so many of them continue to speak to me daily. The most recent culprits???

Well, the first would be this little "Happy Jack" from the Fons and Porter magazine. This little guy makes me smile; and OMG on that little stand! Isn't it adorable :) I'm envisioning an itsy bitsy quilt for every month of the year :)


Then there's this gorgeous quilt!!!!! OMG, my eyes haven't been able to leave the page of this "American Patchwork and Quilting" issue. When I close my eyes, I can see it all done up in appliqué ... wouldn't that be gorgeous!


Last night, after appliqueing for a bit, I decided I wanted to go browse through some of my books, when I ran across this one. I am soooooooo in love with the little quilt on the cover. It spoke to me instantly when I saw it on the stand a few years ago. What a wonderful creative way to use those cute little hexagons!

And last, but certainly not least, there's this cute, cute, cute as a button jumper and these adorable corduroy cherries. I haven't made any apparel in years, but what can I say ... this just hollers "make me;" and I've got a sweet, sweet little girl in mind :)

I'm off to push some paper now, but I'm sure I'll spend a lot of that time "day dreaming :)" It's what keeps me sane through these hard economic times that our business and so many other businesses are facing.

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." (Phillipians4:6)

THE RAINBOW TOTE :)

That's what this one reminds me of ... a "rainbow!"


My DSIL, Betsy, asked if I'd make her Dear Sis, Kristina, a "quilty something" for her Birthday; and Kristina ended up choosing all the fabric for the tote in MO and sending it down to FL :)


It's the first time I ever used one of those little "magnetic thingies," and I love it! I'll definitely be using them more in the future :)


Sure hope she likes it!

"And God said, "This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: ¹³ I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. ¹⁴ Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, ¹⁵ I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. ¹⁶ Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth." (Genesis 0:12-16)

OVER EASY OR SUNNY SIDE UP???

Or how 'bout just plain 'ole raw!!!!!!!!!


Ya see, I went and got a brilliant idea yesterday ... OK, perhaps it wasn't quite so brilliant; but because it 's been so daggone hot down here in SFL, I was just about 100% convinced I could fry an egg on the pavement!!!!!! When I say "hot," I mean the kind of heat that makes a body that doesn't normally curse, curse!!!

I was quite disappointed when after 30 minutes my egg was still raw as raw can be; and that's when I decided I really need to get a life (LOL). Right about that time, a neighbor came by and informed me that cooler weather was on it's way! Fortunately, he did not see my raw egg :)

When I told Mr. Gene about my little experiment, he of course called me a "Big Nut;" but then he added, I bet it would work on the hood of the car!!!!!! I quickly responded ... "not on the hood of my car!!!!!!!" He graciously gave me permission to try it out on his, which I might just do here in the near future :)

Leaving you with a bit of the sky that's been delivering us such treacherous heat. May this week be abundantly kind to you all :)

"For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer. " (Psalm 32:4)

AN OLDIE BUT A GOODIE :)

I am sooooooo happy we are the "guardians" of this old quilt top!

It's one of those "true treasures" in life :)

Gene's "Granny" gave it to us many years ago. She told us that she was the maker; but her Son, Uncle Jack, laughed when he heard that cuz he said he doesn't remember his Mother ever making it!!! He said it was Granny's Mother, Muddy, who made it. Now if you had known Granny, that would have made you LOL big time cuz that gal was something else ... another of life's "true treasures :)"


If you look closely, you'll see oodles of "feed sack" fabrics .......


........ and it was pieced by hand.


IMHO, it beckons to be hand quilted, which I hope to do someday; and when I do, I know memories of Granny will be me with :)


Wasn't she gorgeous!!!!!!!! She was 84 when this picture was taken and she floated peacefully up in to Heaven 6 years later at the wonderful age of 90 :)

"Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever." (Psalm 23:6)

SLOWLY BUT SURELY ...........

......... on the "Puzzle Quilt."


I actually finished the appliqué several weeks ago and have been auditioning border fabrics ever since. I think I've finally settled on the yellow for a small inside border and the red for the larger outside border. Of course, I am a woman, so it's quite possible that I will change my mind once again!!! Suggestions will be welcomed.


I'm hoping that when it's finished the Autism folks will want to take it and raffle it off ... but first, the key word is "finished!" Hopefully soon :)

"The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them." (Psalm 145:18-19)

A LOVELY UNEXPECTED SURPRISE!!!!!

When you're least expecting something, it makes for the nicest kinda surprise, don'tcha think; and that's exactly what happened on Saturday :) My honey bought me a necklace a YEAR AND A HALF ago, hid it so I wouldn't find it and then went and forgot totally about it!!!!! The big nut! (LOL) He then spotted a red bag in his closet ... the same red bag that I've moved several times but never looked in; and he got to wondering what was in it, so he opened it up and waaaaaa laaaaaaa, this is what he found .....


..... the "missing necklace!" Isn't it pretty! Needless to say, his Bride was a happy camper :)

Didn't get much sewing done this weekend ... had chores galore and then our air conditioner decided to die. Not a good thing in this SFL heat, that's for sure, soooooooo DBIL, whose in the AC business, got a repair guy for us on Monday. Talk about happy to see someone!!!!!!!


Would you look at that gorgeous SFL sky above that wonderful repair man's truck! Even after 30 years, it never ceases to take my breath away :)

With no AC in the bathroom, I couldn't bare to "flat iron" my unruly curls, so this is what I looked like all day Sunday and Monday ......... today too cuz I was too tired last night to deal with it!!!!!!!!!


OMG! I can't believe I'm sharing this "mop" with you all; but I decided everyone needed a good laugh on a Monday morning, including yours truly :) Hope it's a good day for everyone :)

"When God gives any man wealth and possessions, and enables him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy in his work -- this is a gift of God." (Ecclesiastes 5:19)

TIP TOE THROUGH THE TULIPS :)

I would have put that song on my Juke Box this morning, but I'm afraid it's one of those songs that really gets on my nerves! It being Friday, the nerves are fairly close to being shot as it is cuz it's been a long, hectic, stressful week; and the best way I know how to deal with it all is to "day dream quilts!" Working on them is, of course, absolutely wonderful; but sometimes, just thinking about them is wonderful therapy in itself :)

As with life in general, I've got myself running in every direction possible in the quilting arena as well ... projects in every phase imaginable ... from "just started" to "almost finished," and here's one that's been sitting in the "just started" position for a while now ...


... "my tulips :)" I've been "day dreaming" about these tulips for several years ... finally started them at the first of this year; and although it might actually take quite a while longer to finish them, I do love "thinking" about that fact that they are there waiting on me when life allows me to delve back into them :)

But until tomorrow, I must try to make my mind focus on the tasks at hand. I'm sure some "quilty thoughts" will find there way in at some point; and here's hoping that you get to enjoy some nice "quilty thoughts" yourself :)

"The entire law is summed up in a single command: "Love your neighbor as yourself." (Galatians 5:14)

HAND QUILTING :)

Ohhhhhhhh I do enjoy it so ... "hand quilting," that is. It's a slow process, that's for sure; but it is so good for the soul :) I inevitably loose track of how long I work on one, so I haven't a clue how long this one took, but I know I adored the process :)


It was a wedding gift for our Niece, Kelly and her Hubby, Jordan. I hate to admit that it was about 3 years late in getting to them, but I can blame that on the "hand quilting ," which always takes waaaaayyyy longer than I think it's gonna take.


I can easily picture myself back in the olden days sitting around the fire and hand quilting by candlelight. Of course, I would greatly miss Blogging, and E-mailing, and surfing the web, and the dishwasher, and air conditioning, and vacuum cleaners, and refrigerators, and freezers, and automatic ice makers, and washing machines, and dryers, and drive through windows, and sewing machines, and my coffee coolattas from Dunkin Donuts, and, and, and sooooooooo much more!!!!!!!!!! Perhaps this time period isn't so bad after all :)

Now I just need to finish up something that begs to be "hand quilted," so I can enjoy that lovely past time once again :)


Before I head back to work, I want to send out great big Happy Birthday wishes to my DBIL, Paul, who will always, always, always be 2 months and 10 days older than me :) Hope the day treats you with kindness Paul! We love you :)

"He said: "Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the LORD says to you: 'Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God's. ... You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you.'" (2 Chronicles 20:15,17)

DAISIES :)

My current love for "daisies" could quite possibly be construed as an obsession! I can't help myself ... I'm just in love with them and can't get enough of 'em! They were Micki's all time favorite and they plain and simply make this Little Mommy smile :) I just wish I had a "green thumb," so I could grow the real thing; but I'm afraid my gardening capabilities lack an awful lot to be desired!!! I can stitch one up tho, and here's the start of, yes, "another new project!!!"


It kinda reminds me of "He loves me, he loves me not;" and I am just loving these colors together. Such a wonderful "couch potato" project; and goodness only knows that me and our couch have quite a relationship!!!

I also finally settled on the center for the chenille daisy :) I don't know why it took me so long to choose the "yo-yo," cuz I love to use 'em when ever I can :)

I should have fired up the HQ16 over the weekend and quilted one of the 3 tops sitting there patiently; but by the time I finished all the "must haves," I just wanted to appliqué :) But now I must work, so happy day wishes to you all :)

"Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord." (Romans 12:11)

CRITTERS!

We've got lot's of 'em in Davie, and I see 'em all along my ride to work. My first site is of these little guys in our front yard ...........

My honey will be soooooooo thrilled to see these "critters" on my Blog! Have I mentioned that he adores the ducks??? OMG, does he ever adore them!!! When I find them drinking water out of one of my good Tupperware bowls, I've wondered if they could be considered grounds for divorce (LOL). I will have to admit that the little ones are pretty darn cute. I just couldn't believe my eyes when one of our latest batches included 4 "yellow ones!" That's a first and we're now wondering just "who or what" this Mama got hooked up with!!!

This next little "critter" is one of Mr. Gene's favorites. He's one of our medium sized ducks and has a look and personality all of his own. As much as I curse the ducks, I will have to say that he's a funny little guy :)


Time to move on out of the neighborhood now and away from the ducks, which takes us from "itsy bitsy and ohhhhhhhhh so cute" to this beast!!! Whenever I see him, I just think "OMG, he's huge!!!" He's kinda skinny tho, don'tcha think??? Either way, I wouldn't wanna jump that fence wearing red!


Then we've got our "horses galore" in Davie ... known to many as "South Florida's Horse Country."
After the horses comes the great big "ewwwwwwwwwwwwww!" I do love animals, but I'm afraid guys like this give me the heebie jeebies!!! And I pass thousands of 'em every morning! Well, that's a big of an exaggeration; but I did try to count them one morning and got to 75 before giving up. I finally got brave and got out and took a picture :) I wasn't out there long tho (LOL).


We've got quite a few of these spots in Davie and they are surrounded w/oodles of critters like that monstrous lizard above! Folks still sit and eat and read and fish tho, so they obviously aren't near as squeamish about 'em as I am!!!


Well, that brings me to my office and all this paperwork isn't gonna push itself, so I'll see ya next time :) Until then, good wishes for you and yours :)

"Also, to every beast of the earth, to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, in which there is life, I have given every green herb for food”; and it was so." (Genesis1:30)

TUESDAY ..........

Pretty sorry subject line I know, but it's all I could come up with today (LOL). I wanted to Blog though, cuz it's good for my soul :) Wonder who came up with the word "Blog???" I need to google that, as I'm sure it stands for something! I'll sneak out from under my rock and look it up. It's hard to remember "life before computers," don'tcha think! "Cell phones" too!!!

Anyway, I decided to "chenille" the strips of the "Chenille Daisy Quilt," and I'm glad I did.


I highly recommend trying the "chenille by the inch!" It's fun stuff.

I also finally got around to labeling these Christmas Tree Skirts. I'm sending 'em off today in honor of two recent weddings :) I think that "First Christmas together as Husband and Wife" is pretty special, so I thought it'd be nice to mark that celebration with a little something under their first tree :)

The first one is going to Gene's Cousin's Daughter, Jessica and her new hubby, Wes. This is the 7th one I've made thru the years like this, and can you believe that Gene and I still use a tablecloth under our tree!!!!! Kinda like the "shoe repair man," who has "holes in his shoes." I must remedy that one of these days.


This second one is heading off to the children of two of Gene's oldest friends from his School Days ... yes, the Daughter of one fell in love with the son of the other. Isn't that cool!!!!!! This one was a lot of fun to make ... especially where "picking out all the fabric from my stash" was concerned. I made the pattern quite a bit bigger than it called for, so I'm hoping it doesn't swallow their living room whole!

I'm not sure what I'll be back with next ... but I'm sure I'll find something :) Until then, blessings to us one and all :)

"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." (John 13:34-35)

JUST A LITTLE SNEAK PEAK :)

Wanna see a "sneak peak" of my "chenille daisy???" Here ya go ................

It's a BIG one!!!! I've got 4 of the petals appliquéd on in the pic ... the other 2, along w/the center, which hasn't been 100% accepted yet, are sitting there patiently waiting for my return. I'm thinking about adding some "chenille by the inch" before I add the final borders ... separating all the strips of fabric. What do y'all think???

Here's wishing us all a wonderful weekend :) I'm sooooooo glad it's Friday, so come on down 5 pm!!!

"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above." (James 1:17)