one the design wall now

Okay, so you know how my singer pooped out and I'm using my super old metal machine? It's been great and all but I was getting really worried that I would not be able to free motion quilt with it. I stopped into the vacuum/sewing machine repair shop and they had a low shank darning foot and it works! So excited. And, looking for something to really test it out with rather than a test square. Awhile ago I participated in an online quilting bee with vintage sheets. Before sending out a square I would usually do a test square since I was very, very new to quilting and didn't want to send complete crap to someone. I saved the squares thinking that they might make a fun sampler quilt. Perfect for a quick to put together project, right? That's what I thought, too :) Here's what I have so far: You can see the top row is bordered with white and the rest is sort of jumbled. At first I was wanting it to be all jumbled but my mind could not wrap around it. I'm blaming it on hat big house square.  It was actually bigger but I cut it down to 16 inches.  So, that is what is setting the standard for the rest of the squares.  So, I'm just sort of arranging them and then adding the white until it measures 16" and I think once it's all together they will still retain some "floati-ness".   It's funny because a few of the squares, the starburst at the bottom right, the butterfly, and the cat, were all testers for my month.  I wasn't sure what to do for my month and those were ideas that didn't make it.  Then, I had a stack of 5" squares and I thought I'd put them in as fillers between the others and that's kind of been fun.  That granny square at the top right was a pain in the bazoo, I'll tell you that! 
What else is new?  Well, I hate earwigs for one thing!  They are disgusting, vile creatures!  Why would I feel so strongly towards them?  Because they are eating my poor little zucchini plant!!!!!  BAH.  So, the war is on.  They struck first.

Oh Jane

You know how it is when you see a movie, read a book, or some sort of art or media or song or whatever just catches you and holds you and sticks? I knew I loved Jane Eyre from the movies. I didn't realize exactly how much until I read the book. I want to crawl into the book and live there. The cadence is wonderful. I came across this line and it really captures, for me, why I love it: "This was very pleasant; there is no happiness like that of being loved by your fellow-creatures, and feeling that your presence is an addition to their comfort." This quote comes about after coming home to the first place where she's felt love and acceptance. I think that many of us have grown up in homes where we are loved, at least somewhat. Imagine not feeling like anyone loved you ever and you were a burden to their very existence in life. That was Jane's reality until she came to this home. There, she was an addition to their comfort, not a detraction. I love that. I love rooting for a character and being truly pleased that finally she gets to feel loved. I think that all of us, even grumpy people who may not want to admit it, want to know that we are loved and that even our presence is a comfort. Like, just walking into a room will make someone else happy and content. I'm still mulling this story, these characters, the countryside......love it all. In case you haven't noticed, I'd totally recommend reading this book!

bunny cuteness

I finished this knitted bunny a few weeks, possibly a month ago?  His name is Max.  I brought him home from work so I could take a couple pics for the ol' blog and where did I find him?  In a tree!  LOL I guess the kitchen was too boring :) I foung the pattern on Ravelry, it was for fuzzy mitten lamb and I just modified the ears.  Okay, and now I have something shocking to tell you - I bought a pdf pattern!  I know, I know.  I have reiterated several times that I'm too cheap to buy one, but this bunny really needed a sweater!  I had seen on this blog, Flutterby Patch some really cute bunnies and as usual tucked it away in my conciousness.  After knitting up this bun I bought this pattern and it was worth it!  Really easy to follow directions and perfect dimensions for Max.  I will eventually make a female companion for him :)
I had a surprise package waiting for me on the porch when I got home, from Mom so I knew it would be something fun.  It was heavy so I was thinking book?  Opened it and was so happy to find this picture:
It is one of my favorites, ever! Love it. I put it right up on the wall. There were also, indeed, books: And fun fabric: Love it. Today I am enjoying the nice weather, have repotted a couple plants and finished Jane Eyre this morning. Oh how I lvoe that book! I ordered myself a copy because I can't imagine that I won't want to read it several hundred more times!

photocatchup

Okay, this is a phot catch up sort of post because I have been slacking a bit in the uploading area as of late. So, first up is a pic of how long my hair was before the chop. And, this is the after.  Nice up the nose shot, dontcha think?    This was taken right after the cut, I had been scrapbooking, took a break for the haircut, went back, snapped a pic and got back to scrapbooking.  I donated the ponytail to Locks of Love which is for cancer to make wigs.  Total length was about 12 inches!  And, I started this quilt on a whim.  I wanted a quick project and a lady in our bible study is pregnant. I don't know if she'll really like it so much because I recall her saying that the nursery is going to be primary colors. But, I really like the way it turned out and figure that anyone can use an extra quilt, right? Here's the back.  I basically just copied the quilt I had just finished, the ugly fabric quilt.  These were taken prior to adding on the binding because I was having a little trouble picking a color.  I wanted to use something from my stash to avoid spending any moolah.  But, I really had my heart set on turquoise and had none in my stash.  So, I ended up buying more fabric anyway but had a good coupon.  So, imagine it with turquoise binding :) I'll leave you with this, a picture of one of the flowers on my squash plants!!!!  I am so excited!  The other plants are also doing well but this is the first one to flower.  Isn't it beautiful? Okay, I can't resist a dog picture!  I was snapping pics of my plants and the boys had to be in the middle of it.  You'll notice my jenky set up here with the plants elevated.  That's because those little stinkers finally noticed the plants and felt the need to try and help with watering if you know what I mean!  Argh!Okay,  that's all for now, I've got to go get ready for a wedding!  Hope you all have a fab weekend!  It's nice and sunny and warm here and in the 80's - perfect!

for when the zombies come

I'm just wondering what in the whooville is going on?  Yesterday I was trolling around walmart and walked past a display of boxes of "emergency food supply"!  Um. Huh?  What did I miss?  The only thing I can think of is that people must be stocking up emergency food supplies for when the zombie hordes take over.  Or the end of the world in December?  But really, if it's the end of the world then you don't need an emgency food supply, am I right?  Just another marketing ploy and some dummies are buying it up!  Now that I say that I'll probably be one of those dummies once I find out what the rush is to get emergency food supplies.  But, I'd rather just can up some super yummy stuff and not some leftover astronaut food.  Just sayin.