A little bit about everything

This is Nick's little corner of our yard. For some reason he loves Morning Glories and we have planted them for him. This year we planted 2 kinds for him. Next time you see this corner it will be over run with them. They do look pretty on the fence. Don't you just love this big cup? I do. When I first seen them a Wal-mart I knew that I had to get one for my mom for Mothers day. We both are tea drinkers. I also had to make her a big tea bag for it. I got two brown FQ's and wrapped them in tissue paper and added a string and a tag that I cut like a Red Rose tea bag. Made for a pretty cool gift if I have to say so myself.

Last week when I got around to trimming my butterfly bushes I came across this. I left it there so I could see what will come out of it. I am hoping for a butterfly. The branch looks funny there but I couldn't cut it off and when what ever it is comes out then I can cut that branch off.
I have been nursing 4 clematis along now for about 3 years and this is one of them in bloom. One of them got caught by Shawn and the weedeater and the other 2 bloom later. I only had about 4 flowers on it last year. DH wanted tomatos again this year and after seeing the topsy tervy tomato planter he had to have one only we got a different one but on the same order. We will see how many tomatos we get this year. He had to plant 2 other plant the old fashioned way just to be sure he get some. We planted a bunch of other seeds in the front beds. Hope they all grow. Cosmos hollyhocks zinnias poppys and some other ones that I can't remember. I planted sweetpeas on the front fence. I hope the grow cause they smell so good when they bloom. I've never planted them before. We have snapdragons in the lightpole bed and we don't have to plant those, they come up from last year.

Brittany's prom was last weekend. She got her princess dress that she wanted and of course she was beautiful. She also had her first date that night. I didn't have a better picture of her by her self on my camera. At least not one that showed her dress. She is going to put her pictures on a cd for me so maybe then I can post a better one.

I got busy on Wed. and made Nick Butch and I pillowcases. Nick's and mine are Michigan ones and I made Butch a Cleveland Browns and a Cleveland Indians one. Mine is pink. I used Joanne's pattern and it was easier than my pattern and the seams are finnished on the inside.

I read a few blogs everyday and on Terry Atkinson's blog she showed an Art Binder. I really liked them because I like graph paper and that is what she showed in it on her blog. Sooooo I had to try one. And one turned into 2 but the other on is not done yet. I did not know how they would turn out so I just grabbed some FQ's at Wal-mart to do them with. Turned out ok. I might have to make one for all of the grandkids. They always want me to make them things. I might have to try and make a bigger one so I can put a large pad of graph paper in it. It also holds twist up colored pencils[my favorite for drawing quilts].
I am all caught up in my blocks for the family exchange. Yea! I only have to do 7 more for the next time, but I am not behind those. I don't have to have the next 7 done till in July. I do have them started.
I have been blogging for over a year now and I am learning as I go. Sometimes things don't go as I plan them. I learned the last post that my pictures go in backwards from the way you enter them and this time I put them in the way I really wanted to post them.
I have also learned things from other bloggers. I have learned that I am not the only girl that was in love with Donny Osmond and that I am not the only person to listen to John Denver. And do you know what? I still listen tothem and I still enjoy it like I used to. I have learned many other things too like my son is not the only one that is not perfect. I pick up pointers on quilting issues and other things as well. I enjoy others quilts that they post about. I like reading about familys and just everything. Thank you everyone for letting me see into your lives. Karen

New baby girl

Sorry I am going to make you wait till the end of this post to see the picture of the new baby. I am starting out with my Dad's service. We had it on April 18. It was a really nice day and I got to see family that I have not seen for many years. The service wasn't anything fancy or anything like that. It was very simple the way Dad wanted it. It was hard to think that Dad was in that little box.

I finally have a picture of Shawn and his haircut. Turns out that he is a nice looking guy. Now if only he would keep his body parts to himself. But he does make cute babies. This is his fifth.

Meet Zoey Lynn, born on April 27, 2009 8:11am. She was 4lbs 14ozs, 19" long. Mama didn't have any trouble and once she started hard labor it went fast. So fast that she didn't have any pain meds.
Now for the bad news!! I am laid off again and have been for 2 weeks now. It don't look like I might not be going back this time. The company stopped our insurance on March 31 and then our last day was the Thursday before Easter. This time we didn't get to finish the work on out tables. Last week I heard that the supervisers are laid off too. When I went by the buildings the other day there was only 2 cars in the lot at the one I worked in and only about 5 at the main building and I don't know who 2 of them belonged to. They haven't said that we are not going back its just a feeling I have. After working there for almost 33 years I have no idea how to go about looking for a new job that will pay me as much or better that what I was making, but I did go to the Job store and they helped me do a resume. It is only a 1 pager but I hope it will work.

Brittany has decided to go to Ohio State. She had to chose from 3. I told her that I was not going to wear one of those shirts. Really though I am happy that she picked the one that she felt suited her the best. It is a little sad though that she is going to go away. She has always been one of those special kids that just makes you happy to have her around, she is always so upbeat. I know that Grandpa and I will be making some trips to go see her.

I have gotten behind with my blocks for my family exchange. I got all the blocks cut out now and all ready to sew. I am only 14 behind but I cut them and the ones for the next time. Got them all marked with the dia. line and the squares pinned together. All I have to do now is sew.

The retreat and my quilt

The retreat is over, of course it was two weeks ago and only for two days. All of the quilt guest had a great time and got some nice gifts (from the retreat committe and from some of the other guest). On sat. morning when the guest arrived the had the desk caddy sitting on their tables where they set up their machines. In the caddies were a small legal pad, graph paper, lint roller, pen, pencil, tube of oil, small paint brush, spool of thread and a name tag for them. Saturday afternoon they all got a Tee shirt with this years block on them (thanks Sue) and a key chain. On sunday morning they came back to a bag with two FQ"s and a panel of quilters quotes a the challenge for next year.

Some of the guest got gifts for us too. Sue and Jane tried their hand at glass etching and made us a coffee cup and filled it with six coffee fq"s and a quilt pin. Carolyn and Jeanette got us a tote bag fabric and lint roller and spray bottle and binding clips and a personal fav. chocolate. Aunt Mary had Uncle Henry make us a wooden presser stick and Jane got us each a finger pincushion. Thank you everone. I came home with more than I went with. Everyones quilt was turning out very nice. To see all of them laid out follow the link to the Milan Quilt Builders blog in the right top corner of mine. Kare has pictures of the ones that got laid out on the floor. I did not get all of my blocks done there but I did finish them up the next weekend. I also got my top put together. I still haven't decided if this is for me or for Gabby. It is too big for her toddler bed and I don't have a clue when she will get a twin bed for here. I like it even if it is all PINK. When you look at it can you see the star in the center? This was a fun, easy quilt to do. I might have to do this block again. The block is the split 9 patch . We had 18 guest all doing the same block with our own fabric and all 18 quilts where very different. Very pretty too! Night Karen

Getting ready for the retreat

Wow time sure flew by and now it is almost time for the retreat. Whats more unbelieveable is I have everything ready for it. Not the meat for the sandwhichs but everything else. I got the block samples sewed last night and all of the guest gift bags packed and ready. Yeah! I always manage to get things ready in time but I start to worry about a week before. I have my rolling tote packed and my tool bag packed. All I have to put in it is my fabric for my quilt. It is all cut and ready but not in my tote yet. I also have to tear down my machine and get it cleaned and oiled so it is all ready to sew on this weekend. We have the biggest guest list that we have ever had. I hope everything goes well and we have a good time. It always has and we alway have. I have been thinking about taking my old machine just in case. Last year my machine broke down on sat. night and I had to borrow Eileen's spare. Good thing she lives down the street from where we sew.

What I have been up to

Time has been flying by lately. It seems like christmas was yesterday. Mom and I have been working hard on the planing of our guilds retreat that is next weekend and I think that we have it all under control now. I only have a few things to get yet and then all I have to do is show up. Then we will have to work for about an hour to get things set up before we can kick back and enjoy ourselfs. The quilt is all planned out and copied, the gifts are all bought and put together. I have one more set of bags to do and then it will be all done till I have to load up my car next friday night. I think I need a small truck to haul all of the stuff I have to take with me. I finished buying my fabric today so I have to get it cut next week. I am using dark pink and light pink for my quilt. We have guild meeting tomorrow so I can answer any questions that any one might have about the instructions or fabric or anything else that comes up. I hope that everyone likes the things that we got them this year. I think that this year is going to be the best one yet. I say that every year though. It seems like it just keeps getting better and better every year. I can't post what the gifts are yet as no one knows what they are until the retreat but I will post them after. HAPPY VALENTINES DAY. Happy quilting Karen

A little sadness

Larry C. Hoy October 19,1941-Febuary 4, 2009

After a three week illness I am sad to say that my dad passed away last night. He was 67. None of us thought that this would happen when he got sick this time. The cold air always made him sick because he had breathing problems along with other things.

He is getting cremated and we will have a grave side service at a later date in the spring. We are doing it this way so grandma can go. She can't get around very well and going out in the cold and snow is not an option for her.

The picture that got left out

This picture didn't get put in my last post so I had to add it. It is the one that shows a little over 8" of snow. Make sure you read my last post.