It appears that all is forgiven after last week's kitty bling post...
I had a tiny brown girl on my lap along with a chunky white girl half on my lap.
And off to the side, one chunky brown boy!
All is right here at Casa Grande!
Friday, June 29, 2012
Feline Friday - 6/29/12
I know these aren't the best pics but all I could reach was my "stupid phone" and everyone was so chummy it was hard to get a good angle.
It appears that all is forgiven after last week's kitty bling post...
I had a tiny brown girl on my lap along with a chunky white girl half on my lap.
And off to the side, one chunky brown boy!
All is right here at Casa Grande!
It appears that all is forgiven after last week's kitty bling post...
I had a tiny brown girl on my lap along with a chunky white girl half on my lap.
And off to the side, one chunky brown boy!
All is right here at Casa Grande!
Thursday, June 28, 2012
Shopping Spree Contest Winner
Last week I posted about the awesome shopping spree that I had attended at our guild meeting and asked readers to guess how much I spent (without going over) and how much yardage I came home with (not counting the scraps). 10 people left guesses.
Of course, while taking photos for today I think I discovered why my count had been different than the staff at the sale. Either way it doesn't affect the contest as Denise won both categories!! We always joke that we are so much alike that there must have been some mental telepethy going on here... Congrats, my friend!!
Yardage was on sale for just $3 per yard and all the pieces were already marked. Someone(s) had spent a lot of time preparing for this sale. I was able to pick up 5.5 yards for $16.50.
FQs were $1.25 each with quantity discounts, namely 13 FQs for just $10. Some of the FQ had a small piece missing and most were bigger than a FQ. And this is where our figures were off. I thought I had picked up 6 yards and 26 FQ but the sales staff only counted 5.5 yards and must not have counted the FQs because I found a striped half yard folded like a FQ (without a yardage tag). Oops. I got 26 FQs (or 6.5 yards) for $20 and the folded half yard was free.
Two huge bins held scraps. Some were fairly small scraps but the bins included anything less than a FQ. Each quart bag was $1 and I could stuff them with the best! This 14" wide bowl has a 9" high pile of those scraps and they weren't fluffed at all, just how they came out of mythree overstuffed bags. I meant to weigh them to figure out yardage but ran out of time. This was just $3.
That brings us to the checkout stand... I spent $39.50 and came home with 12.5 yards plus the scraps.
Denise guessed $39.00 for 12.5 yards. Creepy!
Of course, while taking photos for today I think I discovered why my count had been different than the staff at the sale. Either way it doesn't affect the contest as Denise won both categories!! We always joke that we are so much alike that there must have been some mental telepethy going on here... Congrats, my friend!!
Yardage was on sale for just $3 per yard and all the pieces were already marked. Someone(s) had spent a lot of time preparing for this sale. I was able to pick up 5.5 yards for $16.50.
FQs were $1.25 each with quantity discounts, namely 13 FQs for just $10. Some of the FQ had a small piece missing and most were bigger than a FQ. And this is where our figures were off. I thought I had picked up 6 yards and 26 FQ but the sales staff only counted 5.5 yards and must not have counted the FQs because I found a striped half yard folded like a FQ (without a yardage tag). Oops. I got 26 FQs (or 6.5 yards) for $20 and the folded half yard was free.
Two huge bins held scraps. Some were fairly small scraps but the bins included anything less than a FQ. Each quart bag was $1 and I could stuff them with the best! This 14" wide bowl has a 9" high pile of those scraps and they weren't fluffed at all, just how they came out of mythree overstuffed bags. I meant to weigh them to figure out yardage but ran out of time. This was just $3.
That brings us to the checkout stand... I spent $39.50 and came home with 12.5 yards plus the scraps.
Denise guessed $39.00 for 12.5 yards. Creepy!
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Weekly Walk on the Wildside
It has just dawned on me that I didn't change my camera from "flourescent" to "daylight" for today's photos...sorry :(
I adore the smell of bee balm and was surpirsed to find that some of the blossoms coming out this year have another blossom coming out of the first one. I really don't remember that from last year...
The purple coneflowers have petals coming out. They start a pale green and gradually turn purple as they lengthen. If last year and this picture are indicators, they will be HUGE this year.
I have a love hate relationship with this weed. I mean it's a weed that just won't die but with the right camera settings it really is a pretty purple.
The orange tiger lilies are in full form and this one was just opening for the day. I've taught my nephews that tiger lillies roar - it's hilarious to hear them roar while making "tiger hands." LOL.
My blue balloon flower started opening this week! I have a white one in the back yard that seems to be struggling. It's in better soil so maybe it's getting too much sun?
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
My parents went to ...
Remember those t-shirts that say "My parents went to (fill in the city) and all I got was this t-shirt" ??
Well...my parents went to Australia and Hawaii and "all" I got was a boatload of gifts!!!! And since their luggage was delayed coming home I still haven't seen the books and things they bought themselves.
On the left is an iridescent purple bracelet of freshwater pearls and a foam plumeria hair clip from Waikiki. I mistakenly clipped the plumeria to my left side before Dad told me that meant I was married. You can bet I moved that sucker lickety-split! The cookie cutter includes a recipe for Kahlua spice cookies and Kahlua frosting - Yum!
I love the feel of tea towels and use them almost exclusively now a days. This black and white version of Aussie animals is very graphic and endearing. I hate to get it dirty from daily use...but don't want to "save" it in a drawer either.
I bet you are saying that this doesn't look very appetizing. OK the eggs and ham do but what is that purple thing??!! Trust me it WAS yummy. Mom & Dad went to a luau where they were served these rolls made with poi. Not only was it purple, one of my fav colors, but it tastes like the Hawaiian bread sold in grocery stores. I tried nibbling but it didn't last long...
Well...my parents went to Australia and Hawaii and "all" I got was a boatload of gifts!!!! And since their luggage was delayed coming home I still haven't seen the books and things they bought themselves.
They also took lots of pictures for me (Australian lighthouses and Hawaiian quilts and such) which I have yet to see.
This bone chine tea cup/infuser is from Sydney. Mom said she had a hard time picking which design to get me but the lavender was a perfect choice and it's very delicate given it's size. I just picked some of mom's lavender flowers to make lemon/lavender tea cookies - both the plant and the cookies are a favorite of mine. Maybe it's time to start my own lavendar garden.
And if you have a new tea cup, you need some new tea!!! The kiwi tea was from the New Zealand Airport (Just one of their many stop overs - why they needed 11 flight segments is beyond me!) and the rest are from Australia, altho a few say made in New Zealand. I've tried the kiwi twice and it's just divine. Today I am trying the Mi-Chai. The irish breakfast and Lan-choo are loose teas, the rest are bags. Mom sealed the boxes in a plastic bag for the flight home, opening the bag smelled like candy!
Thanks Mom & Dad!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Monday, June 25, 2012
Design Wall Monday - 6/25/11
Sorry - no time for a witty post today...
Let's just say that whereas last Monday I had 262 more black hexies to do...Today I only have 180 left!!!!
And yes...I will have enough black batik for 2 outer rows with one (I think) WOF 2" strip left over!!!
Let's just say that whereas last Monday I had 262 more black hexies to do...Today I only have 180 left!!!!
And yes...I will have enough black batik for 2 outer rows with one (I think) WOF 2" strip left over!!!
PS - Don't forget to enter last week's Shopping Spree Contest
Friday, June 22, 2012
Feline Friday - 6/22/12
Today we bring you the latest in Kitty Bling.
All the fine jet-setting pussy cats in your life deserve a little bling!
* No models were harmed in the making of this rediculous post.
*African mask was from a trip to Ghana in 2005: It's a keychain converted into a necklace.
* I think the heat has made us all go bonkers :)
All the fine jet-setting pussy cats in your life deserve a little bling!
* No models were harmed in the making of this rediculous post.
*African mask was from a trip to Ghana in 2005: It's a keychain converted into a necklace.
* I think the heat has made us all go bonkers :)
Thursday, June 21, 2012
Shopping Spree Contest
Tuesday was guild meeting and we met at the local KidStart facility (associated with ARC, Hilltop Industries and several other programs) for a computer related program and tour. Someone had donated a lot of their stash and some of the guild members thought it should be sold as a fundraiser for KidStart. KidStart thought they would only make $200 but we wowed them with over $900!
I didn't think to take any pictures of the sale but apparently when I got there at 5:30, a lot of good stuff was already gone. No problem, cuz I still found plenty! I'm generally on a no-buy but at these prices, who could resist?
There were 2 huge bins of scraps, which were basically anything less than FQ size down to selvages. It was $1 per quart sized bag and you could really stuff them full and have someone help else zip them closed. :)
There was a table of kits and other stuff which didn't interest me but then there was the table of yardage at just $3/yard.
There was also another table of FQs at just $1.25 each with quantity discount prices.
So this is the money shot - my haul.
BTW - I think just about every "yardage" piece and even some of the scraps had selvages = bonus!!!
I'll send a FQ to whoever guesses how much I spent, without going over.
Another FQ goes to whoever guesses closest to how many yards of fabric I purchased (yardage + FQ).
Winners will be posted on 6/28/12 and I'll take guesses up until I am ready to post the winners.
Good Luck!!!
I didn't think to take any pictures of the sale but apparently when I got there at 5:30, a lot of good stuff was already gone. No problem, cuz I still found plenty! I'm generally on a no-buy but at these prices, who could resist?
There were 2 huge bins of scraps, which were basically anything less than FQ size down to selvages. It was $1 per quart sized bag and you could really stuff them full and have someone help else zip them closed. :)
There was a table of kits and other stuff which didn't interest me but then there was the table of yardage at just $3/yard.
There was also another table of FQs at just $1.25 each with quantity discount prices.
So this is the money shot - my haul.
BTW - I think just about every "yardage" piece and even some of the scraps had selvages = bonus!!!
I'll send a FQ to whoever guesses how much I spent, without going over.
Another FQ goes to whoever guesses closest to how many yards of fabric I purchased (yardage + FQ).
Winners will be posted on 6/28/12 and I'll take guesses up until I am ready to post the winners.
Good Luck!!!
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Almost Wordless Wednesday - A walk in my garden
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| This coneflower looks more green in person. I am hoping it stays that way as I can't remember what I bought last summer. LOL |
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Tea on Tuesday
Our Farmers' Market opened for the season this past weekend. One of the regular booths is a local woman who grows herbs and makes teas from them. This weekend I noticed she had a basket of tea strainers including the 3 olders ones pictured above. I have no idea how old they are but I loved them on sight and at only $2 each who could resist. I've been making tea for friends one cup at a time with the one good "sock" strainer that I have.
The larger strainer on the right could actually be used in a tea pot since it would hold 4 or more servings of loose tea.
The two smaller strainers have a hinge (think of the rounded end of a safety pin) and when you squeeze the top axis it opens the spoon. It has "Hong Kong" and "Stainless Steel Hong Kong" stamped on various parts.
And since I had new strainers I thought I should *finally* try the tea my friend brought me from Florida: Blood Orange Smoothie Tea. Delish! Why I am drinking hot tea when it's supposed to be 90F out is beyond me. I need to make iced tea some day and also the directions suggest cream for a latte or smoothie effect.
Monday, June 18, 2012
Design Wall Monday - 6/18/12
After ignoring most chores over the weekend I made good progress on my hexie sashing...
I've been using EQ7 to track how many more sashing hexies I need to do (red is completed) and it's going to be very very very very very close to have enough black batik to do both outer borders and the binding. Keep those fingers crossed ladies. (If there are guys reading this I would love to know - speak up!)
As of this morning I have 500 black sashing/border hexies completed and need to do 262 more if I can do the second outer border row. I think there is just over 100 in the outer border if I can finish it. I don't relish picking out the ones I have done.
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| This morning - can you find the differences? Teal bolt in the foreground is the backing. |
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| Last Monday |
I've been using EQ7 to track how many more sashing hexies I need to do (red is completed) and it's going to be very very very very very close to have enough black batik to do both outer borders and the binding. Keep those fingers crossed ladies. (If there are guys reading this I would love to know - speak up!)
As of this morning I have 500 black sashing/border hexies completed and need to do 262 more if I can do the second outer border row. I think there is just over 100 in the outer border if I can finish it. I don't relish picking out the ones I have done.
Friday, June 15, 2012
Feline Friday - 6/15/12
Hello, my name is Squeaky and I like to help Momma rearrange fabric.
I don't like to hold still for photos, especially when Momma wants to photo my little tongue hanging out...
Thursday, June 14, 2012
Oranges
Before you ask...no, I haven't seen a single Oriole yet...just the Oreo's that my silly brother insists I am talking about.
In addition to the grape jelly in my Oriole feeder, I have also been putting orange halves out for the birds. Most of them I cut in half with a little slice off the bottom so they sit flat on the back porch railing. The first batch was there forever, undisturbed. Then I noticed some of the pieces had moved down the railing but it had been windy. After a while one of the halves had disappeared and I took that as a good sign.
I also have a feeder that holds any kind of fruit hanging from the left side of my main seed feeder and I had put an orange halve on it. After a while, it was starting to sag, no doubt it was beginning to rot. Last week, I was walking home from a meeting and saw something orange in my seed feeder as I walked up the driveway. I know Oriole's don't eat seed but gosh this was gonna be cool to see a new bird!
As I got closer, I realized it was the stupid orange halve that used to be hanging from the feeder. Somehow, something, had flipped the orange up onto the seed feeder and left it there. The next morning I decided to photograph the orange saga and what should appear running across my yard and up the tree but this pesky critter:
That explains a lot and I should have known better...
In addition to the grape jelly in my Oriole feeder, I have also been putting orange halves out for the birds. Most of them I cut in half with a little slice off the bottom so they sit flat on the back porch railing. The first batch was there forever, undisturbed. Then I noticed some of the pieces had moved down the railing but it had been windy. After a while one of the halves had disappeared and I took that as a good sign.
I also have a feeder that holds any kind of fruit hanging from the left side of my main seed feeder and I had put an orange halve on it. After a while, it was starting to sag, no doubt it was beginning to rot. Last week, I was walking home from a meeting and saw something orange in my seed feeder as I walked up the driveway. I know Oriole's don't eat seed but gosh this was gonna be cool to see a new bird!
As I got closer, I realized it was the stupid orange halve that used to be hanging from the feeder. Somehow, something, had flipped the orange up onto the seed feeder and left it there. The next morning I decided to photograph the orange saga and what should appear running across my yard and up the tree but this pesky critter:
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| Yup - that fuzzy thing is the middle is one quick squirrel who was stealing my oranges... |
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Almost Wordless Wednesday - Yellow
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I've since found out this is a sun drop and could be the variety called firecracker. |
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| Stella D'Oro daylily |
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| Columbine |
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| Remember my yellow Clematis? After the petals fall off, I get these neat fuzzies. |
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
New Hexies
This past weekend I had several appointments in Perry and was too lazy (and cheap) to drive back to Castile in the meantime. Between my first appointments I decided to hang out at the LQS and being the prepared girl that I am, I had brought my hexies to work on. But really, do I go anywhere without them? Nope!
When I first got to the store, I did the usual walk about to see if there was anything new and exciting. I ended at the revamped display of english paper pieces by the register. Now you all know I'm obsessed and have so many papers already at home but I couldn't resist these little kits:
I told Claudia, the owner, that she was creating a monster cuz she always had shapes I couldn't resist but she replied that *I* had created the monster. Ok, I'll give her that.
Anyway, I thought the kits were cute. Not only are they all for 9" blocks and you could make multiples of the same or different blocks for any size quilt but I think they might also be cute as mug rugs, doll quilts or any number of things. Fussy cutting fabrics will also be fun with these blocks.
In the end I just have no self control and I can't wait to try some of the smaller projects I have in my bucket list :^)
When I first got to the store, I did the usual walk about to see if there was anything new and exciting. I ended at the revamped display of english paper pieces by the register. Now you all know I'm obsessed and have so many papers already at home but I couldn't resist these little kits:
I told Claudia, the owner, that she was creating a monster cuz she always had shapes I couldn't resist but she replied that *I* had created the monster. Ok, I'll give her that.
Anyway, I thought the kits were cute. Not only are they all for 9" blocks and you could make multiples of the same or different blocks for any size quilt but I think they might also be cute as mug rugs, doll quilts or any number of things. Fussy cutting fabrics will also be fun with these blocks.
In the end I just have no self control and I can't wait to try some of the smaller projects I have in my bucket list :^)
Monday, June 11, 2012
Design Wall Monday - 6/11/12
I hope y'all aren't expecting anything grand and exciting for the next few weeks as I'm determined to get as much of the black sashing done as quickly as possible. From finessing my EQ7 project file, it appears that I'll have enough black for two outer rows but probably not for the binding and I'll deal with that when I get there.
I spent as much time stitching in front of the TV as possible over the weekend (you know, other than when I was gardening in near 90 degree weather and thinking of collapsing from the heat and drinking too much water). I've decided the best way to do proceed is in wedges made of 5 full and 2 half diamonds. They are a decent size to work with and easy enough to carry around. I've got meetings almost every night this week so I'm not sure how much progress I'll make but I hope to have this section done by the weekend Yeh, I'm a little slow, especially when the tv is on :^)
Today is another scorcher but we are due for some rain tomorrow - all the plants I worked on yesterday could use it. I'll try to post some garden photos so you don't get too bored with the hexies...
Friday, June 08, 2012
Feline Friday - 6/8/12
Hey Momma -
I know you were oogling that kitten's spotted belly the other day...http://flossieblossoms.blogspot.com/2012/06/bizbee-more-photos-and-one-bitty-block.html
Don't forget *I* have a spotted belly too!
Maybe if I stretch this way you can see them better...
I have more spots and racing stripes on my back but I'm too lazy to roll over...we'll do that another day!
Love ya, Pepper!!
Thursday, June 07, 2012
Hexie panic
Sew....I had a bit of a panic last night....and it's still here today...
I logged in to EQ7 to count how many hexies my finished project will have. It's 1,935 hexies, by the way.
I was getting ready to go babysit Mom and Dad's tv and thought I should cut some more black squares to keep working on the sashing. The black batik I am using came in 1/2 yard cuts and I am no longer able to remember if I bought 4 or 5 pieces. I just remember it was buy so many and get 1 free.
Since I was cutting up the whole 1/2 yard piece I decided to count how many 2" squares I got from each piece and it turns out to be 154. Here's where the panic descended because if I had 2.5 yards that would give me 770 black hexies - the EXACT number that I need. If I only got 2 yards, I am SOL.
I spent the whole evening trying to remember how much I bought and re-figuring how many squares I get from each half yard. I am fairly certain I bought 2.5 yards but I also used at least one 2" strip for another black project I was working on. I had also hoped to use this same batik for the binding. Crap how does one find a black to match a black batik? I could have bought the black hexie fabric in Syracuse for the backing and used something else for the binding.
The only way I will be able to solve this mystery (instead of just keep sewing with fingers crossed; very difficult to do) is to get back in to EQ7 and recolor the black hexies I have done and count how many more I need to do. Please keep your fingers crossed that I have enough... I have absolutely no idea what I am gonna do about the binding...
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| You can see the outer border row I am working on to the right... maybe I need to skip the second border row... |
I logged in to EQ7 to count how many hexies my finished project will have. It's 1,935 hexies, by the way.
I was getting ready to go babysit Mom and Dad's tv and thought I should cut some more black squares to keep working on the sashing. The black batik I am using came in 1/2 yard cuts and I am no longer able to remember if I bought 4 or 5 pieces. I just remember it was buy so many and get 1 free.
Since I was cutting up the whole 1/2 yard piece I decided to count how many 2" squares I got from each piece and it turns out to be 154. Here's where the panic descended because if I had 2.5 yards that would give me 770 black hexies - the EXACT number that I need. If I only got 2 yards, I am SOL.
I spent the whole evening trying to remember how much I bought and re-figuring how many squares I get from each half yard. I am fairly certain I bought 2.5 yards but I also used at least one 2" strip for another black project I was working on. I had also hoped to use this same batik for the binding. Crap how does one find a black to match a black batik? I could have bought the black hexie fabric in Syracuse for the backing and used something else for the binding.
The only way I will be able to solve this mystery (instead of just keep sewing with fingers crossed; very difficult to do) is to get back in to EQ7 and recolor the black hexies I have done and count how many more I need to do. Please keep your fingers crossed that I have enough... I have absolutely no idea what I am gonna do about the binding...