Summer is in Full Swing

Well life has happened again, but the days go on. I have been weeding and weeding and weeding and eating and weeding some more. The garden is looking better this year than it ever has in the past years. My onions, zucchini, cucumbers, tomatoes and peppers are looking good.

I just planted 4 rows of bush green beans. My originals seeds rotted in the ground due to all the rain we have been getting. I am hoping to have enough to can for us for the year. I also didn't get my corn in and so will be buying that from a local farm and canning enough again for the year. I am hoping to have a fall garden that will produce peas and give us some fall lettuces and potatoes.

Checklist of things to accomplish: (yes this is boring, but the only way I can keep track)

*plant another three rows of beans

*Find seed potatoes for the fall

*plan the fall garden and get seed

*put up trellis for remaing 5 cucumber plants

*7 dust the plants

* work on finding mulch and taller stakes for the tomatoes

* finish the elephant quilt for a customer

*finish the John Deere quilt for a customer


and the list goes on.... The dog days of summer are here as we are having heat indexes around 110. Needless to say it is steamy, which causes lots of thunderstorms and then the steam and then the storms and on and on.

I have been spending these hot afternoons reading about homesteads and providing the food your family needs. I would love to be able to raise most of the food we need and only have to support the store for a few odds and ends. I should be able to do this and am just still a little leery of being able to pull off some of the bigger projects. I am thinking about ordering in some dual purpose birds in order to be able to have some fresh chicken in the freezer for the winter. I did this a couple of years ago and we loved having all the fresh chicken available. I would also like to get a feeder pig and raise it for the pork, along with a jersey cow for milk. The memory of fresh butter would spur me on to milking every morning and evening.

As with everything daydreaming never hurt anyone and gives the idle mind a place to rest.

Now back to reality and the weeding!

Poof!

Dreay Old Day

Well you gotta love Missouri weather. A week ago when we should have spring weather, we were getting into the mid 90's. Hot dry and so humid you could cut it with a knife. Well, in Missouri, the only way to get rid of the humidity is rain. Which is the story of the weekend and the beginning of this week. We have had rain everyday since Friday. And not a rain that downpours (although we have had some of those) but a rain that teases. A drip here a drop there and then maybe a small peek of sunshine. So yeah, I see sunshine. Get all the garden things out and about 5 minutes into it a small shower. I keep weeding, thinking that it will pass, but then heavier, so inside I go. Get things put up and inside and look out and it has quit raining. I just cannot win for losing sometimes. Here are a few pics of the weather lately.









I was able to weed the zucchini and I saw 4 blooms and the teeniest zucchini peeking out. I cannot wait until we have some fried (my favorite). I got about half a row of tomatoes weeded and tied up again. The tomato plants are looking really good this year and I hope we have a bumper crop. I like to can tomato sauce and juice and DH loves homemade salsa. My beans though have not weathered the rainy spring. I planted 2 rows of bush beans and a row of Lima beans. Only about 10 plants in each row sprouted. I went to look for more bean seed and the only thing left is pole beans, so looks like I will be trying that this year. Mom always said bad words about pole beans, but I have seen many rave reviews. So I guess this is mother nature's way of getting me to try them. Many people say they like them better, that they produce more and that they are much easier to pick. Anything up off the ground is a blessing to my already failing back.

The cucumbers are going like gang busters and I am going to try and get them started on a trellis this year. A close friend grow his that way and says you can pick them like bananas. Lettuce, carrots and radishes were a flop this year but hopefully the onions will do good. And I still have beets, turnips and fall peas to try and get in.

Summertime memories are some of the best ones I have. Here are a few pictures of some memories my kids are making.







Well when it rains what do you do but either clean house or sew. I think I will choose to sew. I am still working to complete the elephant baby quilt. I have decided on 9 blocks making it 3 x 3 with two outer borders. There will be 4 elephant blocks and 5 patchwork blocks incorporating the fabrics used on the elephants. I almost have the 5 patchwork blocks completed and am looking forward to getting the top put together and quilted. Hopefully I can get that accomplished today. Here are a few pictures of the patchwork.




DD #2 is supposed to have a softball game tonight, but I am almost sure that it will be rained out. She also has a tournament this weekend and from the forecast if will be in true summer softball fashion. Meaning that it will be mid 90's and humidity nearing 80%, without a leaf wiggling in site. Gotta love the thrills of summer sports.

Well since it is to discouraging to work outside, I had better get back to sewing!

Poof!

Life Happens.....

Well I apologize for not being on here for a while. As I said in the title, life happens. Without going into too much detail, we have been trying to learn about and handle a family health issue. Also, without being to sappy, we would appreciate all your prayers, as I truthly feel that prayer heals all things.

Now on to more happy news..... I attended a meeting of a guild in a neighboring town and learned that their bi-annual quilt show was on June 5th and 6th. And you can bet your boots, I went. I could have spent days in the show looking and dreaming. There were over 350 quilts on display. From the simplest quilts to extravagant ones that took months, maybe years, to complete. There were quilts that were completely done by hand and some that used the latest in machines and long arm setups. There were even some very, very old quilts predating this century.

Also one of my favorite places to spend time at a quilt show was the vendor area. I received an idea from one vendor that inspired me to start and almost complete the John Deere tractor baby quilt that I had been commissioned to make for a friend.

So since I was so excited about making the quilt, I didn't stop to take many pictures, but I wanted to show you some of the process. At a later date I plan to do a tutorial on the making of this quilt. It is really a quick and easy way to get a quilt finished quickly since once the initial sets are done, the quilting and backing are also completed (Quilt as You Go).


Here are the fabrics that I chose for the quilt. Of course, John Deere green and yellow and a focal fabric of tan and yellow plaid featuring the John Deere logo and also different types of John Deere tractors. Although green and yellow Never show their face around our farm, I had so much fun knowing that this little boy would be enjoying the quilt for years to come.



This is a picture of the overall quilt. The technique of using two different fabrics makes it look like the traditional "robbing Peter to pay Paul" quilt pattern. It also gives the back a little motion as each square alternates in color.


And a look at a close up of the blocks.....

















And last but not least is a picture of the back of the quilt.


I only have the sewing of the arcs left to complete, so keep your eyes peeled for the completed quilt coming very soon. I have also been working on some of the elephant blocks for the other baby quilt I was commissioned to do. I will be posting pictures of that quilt also as it takes shape.

I would love your feedback on these quilts and would greatly appreciate any ideas for future quilt you would like to see made.

Poof!

The Good Ole Days..........

Do you ever long for the good ole days. I find myself longing for them quite often. I dream of sitting and quilting while listening to the radio. Kids playing quietly with toys that don't make their own noise pollution. Hubby sitting and doing some woodworking or repairing leather on a harness. Really doesn't make a difference what we would be doing, I think it is just that we would be doing it together. As a family, we do most things together. I think that way the kids grow up in situations that require good behavior even when they are bored. We have always taken the kids with us to events we attend when possible. I wonder if we had family resources if that would have still happened. I hear so many people saying that they won't go since they would have to take their kids. I think that is so sad, but goes to prove the fact that families tend to go in one thousand different directions.

Well sorry to stray off track, but back to the good ole days. I love hard work and the feeling of accomplishment when the day is ended. That feeling of I cannot do another thing without crashing, makes me appreciate all the things my grandparents had to do just to live. Think about cooking over a wood burning stove when it is 95 outside. Or putting in crops with a mule and hand plow. I am not sure I could have survived, but I think anyone can learn to do the things needed to get by.

I often try and keep some of the old traditions in place so that my kids have a fairly good work ethic in place when they grow older. We use a regular washer but from about March thru October I try and hang all of my laundry outside to dry. The children have "chores" even though they are only 6 and 3. These chores include picking up their rooms, making beds, helping in feeding chickens and the oldest is able to help with dusting and such. Every year I put out a garden and can the extras from that. Last year's garden was a bust, but most years we have veggies to last us all year. I have incorporated the kids in working in the garden with me and helping me with planting. This helps them to become excited about eating what they have grown and in turn helps them learn you reap what you sew.

Well enough of my sentimental rantings and on to the quilt stuff.

I had talked about a baby quilt I was asked to make for a little boy. Even posted that I had found material that I was going to use. Well those plans fell through since that material was only available on line and we do not have/use credit cards.

So on to plan B. With no local elephant material, I got the idea to applique elephants onto white backgrounds and go that route. I got the material on Tuesday and worked on them Thursday.

Here are pictures of the material I picked out and found the cutest white on white background material with bubbles on it.

Here is also a picture of the first semi completed block. He still needs eyes appliqued on.

Well I had better get busy doing something, even if I do it wrong!

Poof!

I see the sun!

Was wondering if the sun was going to show it's face around here anymore at all. Seems like weeks since we have seen it. But thanks to God's graces, I see it bright and shining today.

Every year I plant a garden and can the extra vegetables for use later in the winter. I usually plant a pretty good size one, because Mom and Dad also love the fresh veggies. I went out yesterday to look and see if I need to provide the tomato plants with snorkels and promptly sunk in my yard up to one ankle. We have had so much rain and I knew not to venture in the garden but even the yard is at it's max now. The tomato plants look like they have weathered the heavy rains, but the beans and peas have not sprouted and I am concerned that they are rotting in the ground. Only time will tell.

Well with all the rain, I worked yesterday on getting laundry caught up and searching for fabric for my commissioned baby quilts. I never thought that finding the perfect fabric would be so hard. The first quilt was requested to have elephants. I definately wanted something cute, but for a boy, also.



This is what I came up with and will use the bright red and bright blue as coordinating fabrics.

I also had time to work on a personal quilt that has been in progress for over a month now. I saw this pattern made up in a quilt and decided to try and make my own pattern for it. I was shocked to see that I can still draft things using graph paper. After making the center blocks, I started and finished the next "row" of blocks yesterday. I still have 24 more blocks to make as this one is for my bed. I showed DH last night and he was impressed and excited, until I told him that I was considering sending the completed top out to be quilted. He was kind shocked since I do most of my quilting on my home machine. I will have to think about it but shudder at the idea of quilting a king size on my little machine.

Here is a sneak peek at the center.




And after the outside 8 blocks were added last night.



Today will be less exciting in the quilting world as my real life calls me to do other things, but hope you have many happy stitches today.

POOF!

Giving a fabric hug!

I know, I know! 2 posts in one day is unheard of, LOL. But I thought that since the first post was just a history, I would be excused by the Blog Police.

Well wanted to show you a few quilts I finished lately. The first is a quilt that I made for my niece for her 2nd birthday. I cut it on Tuesday and finished about 2 hours before her party on Saturday ( you will find this is a trend with me). I found the pattern in the May 2010 issue of The Quilter magazine.
The pattern is called Forever Sunshine by Jane Quinn. I decided that for my girly niece that pinks and chocolate brown was the way to go. I also decided to add a little to the pattern by cutting and appliquing flowers spilling into the bottom border. I loved the way it finished and hope she gets years of enjoyment from it.

I also recently completed a quilt for my Mom for Mother's Day. This was also a quickly made quilt because life was getting in the way. I it from Eleanor Burn's book called "Still Strippin" and the pattern is called four sisters. Even though mom didn't have four sisters, she had four siblings. I wanted to get this to her beacause over the last several years her health has been declining due to emphysemia. It was important for me to finish a quilt so that she would always have fabric hugs from me. I liked how this one finished, but wish that I had used a green that had a small print. the green I used was a beautiful material but looks so bold because all the other fabrics are prints.



Have a sew beautiful day!

Poof!

Well hello blog world!

This is my venture into the world of blogs. Think it is about 5 years to late, but better late than never! Guess I should give you a little history of me and my family. I am married and have a stepdaughter that will be 24 and two children that are 6 and 3. I am a SAHM with several side jobs and lots of hobbies. The most important of which is quilting.

I was bit by the quilting bug about 2 years ago and havn't looked back since. If I could make it into a full time job I would. I love it that much, but for now I do a few quilts for clients and friends. I hope to be expanding my quilting hobby into a business over the next few years.

We also live on a working farm where my dad raises cattle and we raise chickens, so there will be a dab of farm life mixed in along with my rants and raves of wishing for the good ole days.

So come along for the ride and enjoy!

Poof!