Spring Cleaning

I'll try to post when I can, but I'm cleaning out closets and....(gasp!) the 'attic'. I'm throwing away things that have been up there 15 years, plus we're having a garage sale...which I hate doing. I hate it because I don't like dickering over an item I have marked .25 - I usually just say take the damn thing. Oh...don't get me started! Anyway...no quilting, sewing or shopping for me this week!

Say a prayer for me to watch my mouth and not 'cuss' anyone out!

Later,

Debbie

Trippin'

Got home from our shopping trip and thought I'd share some of our finds from Sir's Fabric. This only a little of our haul! We also got buttons, templates, some quilt books (.88), and other do-dads we really didn't need!

I don't have a cat, but I've always wanted to do a 'cat quilt' and these fish bones were so cute!

Hmmm...do I see a 'frog' quilt in the future?

We also stopped at Old Time Pottery and I picked up these baskets...
more organizing.

In response to the comment from Paula (the Fraker Farm)...(thanks for comments Paula!), Sir's Fabric is great if you catch them at the right time. They were having a Truckload Sale, but it was on decorator fabric - loads and loads of it. But...there was not as much cotton as I was looking for. The store is enormous, as well as the outdoor fabric store (across the street). As I said, if you catch them at the right time, you can really stock up - most of the fabric is anywhere from $1.99 - 2.99 (cottons) - decorator fabric (used for drapery, upholstery, comforter, etc.) is very, very reasonable - anywhere from $3.99 - 14.99 (Waverly, etc.) Really good stuff. So, would I drive 3 hours to come? Maybe not, but...if you are in the area, oh yeah, I'd stop. They are located only about an hour from me, so it is worth the drive. They have a web site if you are interested.

Note to husband: "Honey if you're reading this....take deep breaths....I really didn't spend much money! Love you."

Later,

Debbie

Organized...who me?

Road trip! Yay! Bonnie and I are going to Fayetteville, TN tomorrow. We're going shopping at Sir's Fabric. We've both been wanting to go for a while and the opportunity came up, so we jumped at it. Lots of fabric...good buys!

Now...as for being organized - I'm really not! - but, I needed something to keep my fabric swatches in. I couldn't think of anything and was looking through my closet and found my old CD case. Perfect! I took out the CD's and cut 4x4" pieces of paper, cut out my swatches and stapled them on. It fits in my purse and I can add to it if needed or when I finish a project take those out! I'm so excited (and yes...you can say it - I need a life!).

CD case

Some of my swatches!

You know you're obsessive compulsive when:

You eat the M&Ms in color order. (Me!)

You fold your dirty clothes before putting them in the hamper.

You have all your canned goods organized by type, flavor, and use.
and they're all facing the front.

You organize your closet by color, season, and fabric.

Every e-mail reply that you send has been through a grammar checker...
...and you correct the original message. (Definitely me!)

How about you?

Later,

Debbie

Chocolate + Mint = Goodness

Okay...we all know what it's like when that mean, old chocolate monster jumps on your shoulder and demands to be fed. We search the house high and low trying to satisfy it. Well, I gave in and this is the results:

Crispy Mint Cookies

1 pkg chocolate mint chips
Ritz crackers

Melt chips in microwave 2-3 minutes.
Drop crackers in melted chocolate one at
at time (I do this with a fork). Place on
wax paper to set.

Very easy for kids to make or for a quick fix.

I use Andes Creme de Menthe baking chips and about one and a half sleeves of crackers. (...and yes, I know there's not that many on the plate....I didn't eat them all - I promise - I gave some to my neighbor!)

Later,

Debbie

Turn out the lights....

The party's over and it's late, but I decided to post a picture of what I did with some of the fabric I bought yesterday (I decided on the apron). I just wish Alabama Girl was here to model, but she had to go back to school.

The reason I'm up so late (besides the fact that I'm 'getting older' and can't sleep anymore!) is that it took me forever to vacuum up all the threads from my sewing project. I guess I'm going to have to get a new vacuum cleaner soon. Although, I'd much rather have something else... like...hmmm... maybe a tank of gas!

Later,

Debbie

Is this Monday?

It must have been, because nothing went right. I found a Babylock embroidery machine on Ebay. The owner was a pawnshop in Birmingham. My friend, Bonnie and I thought we'd take a ride up there to look at it. We decided we'd stop and call when the store opened and find out how much he wanted for it...too much! Oh well, easy come, easy go. So, we turned around and went to Cullman to go to a quilt shop...it was Closed on Monday. Next, we went to a BBQ restaurant...Closed on Monday. Amish bakery?...Closed on Monday. Okay, I'm getting ticked off, do they roll up the streets on Monday? But, we were determined not to have this trip turn into a bust. We drove a little further into Cullman and saw a Hobby Lobby...lots of cars...why? We went inside and it was a grand opening. I won a $10 gift card, yay! I also had a $25 gift card from Christmas, so guess what I bought?

I love the aqua and olive color.

You can never have enough black and white!

$2 a yard. Maybe an apron?

The trip was definitely worth it.

I also cleaned my laundry room...

Ta Da !

Sorry for the many pictures.

Later,

Debbie

Little Bunny Foo Foo

Ask and you shall receive...

I promised I'd show a picture of the apron when I finished (next time I'll use a pattern!). Alabama Girl kindly agreed to model it for us, after all it was for her. She was true to her word and did cook! Imagine that.

She thinks she's a 1950's housewife!


But...the cinnamon crumb cake was excellent.

Later,

Debbie

Morning post!

I'm posting this morning...'cause I just couldn't wait until later.

OMG...I am lmao...I've been reading a blog...Mid-Century Modern Moms...(mid-century... get it?). It's about teenagers written by several moms. Hilarious! If you have teens or will have in the future, you've got to read this, especially the one about Boys Gone Wild! It's true...all true!

http://mid-centurymodernmoms.typepad.com/

Later,

Debbie

One of those days...

If you've ever had one, then you know what I mean.

I had an installation scheduled with the cable company between 8 and 12 this morning. No-one showed, no-one called. This has happened for the last three weeks. I was on the phone for several hours with many different people today who must be reading the manual word for word, because all said, "I understand your frustration ma'am." NO, they don't. Anyway...I'm not happy and everyone at the cable company knows it! Needless to say, I didn't get anything done today.

Well, on to bigger and better things. I really can't say I didn't get anything done. I did some much needed cleaning. One of those things I cleaned was my dining room table. Unlike some other lucky people who's names I won't mention, I don't have a room all to myself, so I do everything from quilting to crafting on that table. Today I had enough and decided I wanted to see the top of it. Here are a few photos:

Before

(Notice the 'Bite Me' chew toy? That's Chance's contribution.)

After!

(Won't be this way tomorrow!)

"I understand your frustration, ma'am."

Later,

Debbie

Pincushions, Quilts, and Aprons. Oh My!

I'm not usually late giving birthday presents, but this one was just not to be. My friend Bonnie's birthday was March 17, my husband left for Wyoming on the 16th, Alabama Girl is home this week for spring break, and then Bonnie went out of town for a few days. Things finally settled down today and we delivered the present. I think it turned out nicely. By the way...Bonnie is also a quilter so I made her a pincushion and the smaller container holds safety pins.

I'm also working on an apron...Alabama Girl said she would cook if I made one...ha ha ha ha ha! We'll see. She is gone to Six Flags Over Georgia with friends from college and will be back tomorrow night, so hopefully I can finish the apron as well as get a few things around the house done. If I can finish it, I'll post pics later.

I'm also working on a new quilt...so many projects, so little time.

Since this week is spring break for Alabama Girl, guess what next week is? Spring break for Auburn Guy! I love these kids dearly, but she likes to sleep and shop, he likes to sleep and eat. That means for 2 weeks I shop, cook, and don't get anything done before noon! But, I'm not complaining, 'cause I love them dearly and I know that in the near future they won't be coming home for spring break. Hopefully they'll have jobs and I can visit them!

Later,

Debbie

Welcome to my blog!

Okay...I've had this blog thing forever and a day, so I guess I'm going to break down and use the darn thing (another good excuse to put off house cleaning!). I've been a lurker on other people's...hope everyone enjoys mine as much as I enjoy yours.

Just a bit about me and mine. I've been married for 29 years (WOW, 30 years this November...who would have thought!) Must be love! My husband usually works out of state for a construction company. He's in Wyoming for the next three months...I miss him, but we've done this all our married life and have gotten used to it. But I'll admit that it's getting harder to be alone since the kids are gone.

Speaking of kids...I have two. My son is graduating from the University of North Alabama in May (magna cum laude, no less!) and has been accepted to the psychology graduate program at Auburn University (War Eagle!). He's so smart and we're very proud of him. My darling daughter is a freshman at the University of Alabama (Roll Tide!) She's also smart, as well as georgeous! She is planning to go into pre-law (see...I told you she was smart!) I guess I need to explain the War Eagle and Roll Tide for those not from Alabama. Well...there's a big rivalry between the two universities and since I have children at both...I'm a "house divided".

I also have a dog (don't let him hear that though, 'cause he doesn't know it). He's a maltipoo named Chance and since everyone is gone now he's my buddy. We do a lot of crafting, but mostly quilting and sewing lately.

Yeah!!! I got the picture uploaded...I'm gooood!

Anyway...I've really just started quilting, so I'm not very good at it, but I'll try to post some pics of a few I've done and some I'm working on later.

So, this wasn't as hard as I thought, in fact, I'm having to make myself stop because it's getting so late. Thanks to all who are struggling through this.

Later,

Debbie