The Bottom of the Lake!

Another weekend passes, as usual, too fast. Don I went to Mt. Nebo Saturday to check on the office and our house. We made a quick trip by the campground to check on our RV. Everything is fine at both Mt Nebo and the campground. With the high winds we had this past week I'm surprised everything was okay. The storm door blew off at Don's shop and all the planters blew into the back yard at the house in town. We're lucky and we did not lose power like some neighboring towns. While at Mt Nebo we drove to the Summersville Lake winter boat launch. I love to drive down the launch in the winter when the lake is drained. It is awesome to drive where you know you swim and ride your boat in summer. These pictures are taken on the lake bottom, where we enjoy diving in the summer. Summersville Lake attracts scuba divers because of the rocks, boulders, lake depth, and underwater terrain. This picture was taken from the campground over looking the lake. Beautiful in the summer and interesting in the winter! I've often thought about hiking the lake bottom during the winter with a metal detector. Think of all the different things that might fall over board. The lake is over 300 feet deep in some areas.

I spent some time today at the office in Beckley. I really hate it when I have to work on weekends but sometimes it's unavoidable. It's close to tax time and with three businesses to close out all the books, it's a busy time of year for me.

Did you notice the Bushfire Quilt Project on the right side of my blog? I made two star blocks to send for the project. This is my feel good project for February. I really need to do something every month that helps someone.....(maybe) feel better.

I covered my stools in the kitchen tonight and hopefully I'll get the new chair cushions made this week, if I'm not swamped at work. I'll take some pictures if I get them finished.

Hope everyone has a great week.

Quilt Along with Judy L

I've decided to participate in the Quilt Along with Judy Laquidara. This is the one and maybe only way I will ever finish a quilt. And who knows, I may learn something along the way. So the pressure is on to keep up with the gang. I think I'm up to the challange. We'll see. Here are my fabric choices for the Bears in the Farmhouse Quilt.

Do you Remember Dickeys?

After spending a wonderful weekend with my son, daughter-in-law, and grandson, I’ve come back down to reality and started my next phase of winter cleaning. I just about threw several turtle necks in the trash when I decided to recycle them. I recycle jeans and buttons so why not turtle necks. Remember the ‘70s, turtle necks were all the rage! High collars, dare we show our chest! But we sure did show the legs! I still like a turtle neck under a sweater or sweatshirt but with the big MP I tend to roast like a chicken. But I like the warmth around my neck when I’m outside. I cut out the turtle “necks” and serged the cut ends and made what we used to call “dickeys”. Are you old enough to remember?

Now I have all these knit scraps, I’ll save them too for embroidery practice stitch-outs. Or maybe I’ll use the sleeve bottoms for something like adding to the bottom of a sweatshirt sleeve, who knows, I’ll just hang on to them until next winter when I clean out my sewing room closet again, find the darn things, and wonder why in the world I kept this junk.
I picked up my framed embroidered pictures from Hobby Lobby on Friday afternoon. They look great. When I went in to claim my “original art work” there was a note on my claim ticket to call this number. Apparently an interior designer in the area saw the pictures while they were being framed and wants to purchase some pictures like these. WOW, that was a shocker, I’ve never been ask that question…..I’ve never thought anything I made was worth anything to anyone except me or maybe my family. (oh I’ll add close friends) But for a price, I’ll have to give this some thought. I did not call the lady….I can’t put a price on my hobby. Once I start selling my hobby, it’s no longer a hobby, it’s a JOB and I already have several of those. So as of today, I still have no interest in selling my hobby. But, remember, I’m a woman and it’s my prerogative to change to my mind.

Hopefully Don will help me hang the pictures this weekend and I’ll take some pictures. (Did that make since?) Now all I need is to rearrange some furniture and find an oversized chair that makes a bed and my sewing room is finished. We’ve been looking for an oversized chair for over a year. They are not hard to find, but finding the right one is our problem. I need a twin bed in my sewing room for my grandson to sleep on when he is older. But I do not want the bed in the way all the time. So, an oversized chair is the solution. I found a leather one at Home Goods, it would work but it just didn’t jump out and say buy me. We thought the price was a little high for a Home Goods chair, and they would not come down on the price when I pointed out a scratch in the leather on the back side. I knew it wouldn’t show and I guess they did too. But I’m not paying asking price for damaged goods.

Valentine Table Topper

I made this little table topper for Valentine's Day. It's very simple to make. I piece all the squares, add the embroidery, use the ruffle attachment and sew on a ruffle, line the back with quilting and backing, sew around the outer edge and flip.

This little package is coming to see me this weekend. In the picture he's eating celery with ranch dressing, watching the super bowl, in his favorite outfit; his diaper. I won't get much sewing done this weekend but it's a good trade off. I'd much rather be spending time with my grandson, son, and daughter-in-law. Family always first. Sometimes I go months without visiting them, and grand kids grow up so fast. But work and distance keep up apart. I should be thankful that we all have jobs and that's what keeps us apart. It could be a lot worse, especially with the economic crisis our country is experiencing.

Relaxing with the Bernina Designer Software

Our friend and Delegate came over this evening to discuss issues with the Elderly and Disabled in West Virginia. The WV Legislators are getting ready to go back to work after their Christmas recess. Tom is a good guy and really cares about WV.

I rushed home from work, cook pork tenderloin in the pressure cooker with a white wine sauce, rice in the rice cooker, stirred fried some fresh veggies and threw together a blackberry cobbler with fresh frozen blackberries. I had dinner ready in 35 minutes from the time I entered the house. Thank goodness for all the modern appliances. I did not know I was having company until after I was already at work today. Good thing I keep a stash of food around the house. I did not have to go to the store on my way home. Our Delegate friend left with his head full of information. I probably talked so fast and rambled so much he was totally confused and relieved when he left the house.

After I cleaned up the mess in the kitchen, I decided to relax with my Designer Plus Software. I really don’t spend as much time with the software as I did when it was new. Sometimes it’s fun to just play around with the functions. I’m trying to put together some stitch recipes for borders. I want to create a border for the fabric that I’m using on my pressing board.
Gee Whiz….how may combinations of stitches are there to use with the software? Thousands, maybe Millions? I could play with this for weeks.

I used industrial strength Velcro last year and attached my Bernina accessory boxes to the wall behind my sewing table (they are still hanging on). Every once in awhile I get around to cleaning them out. Tonight I decided to wind some bobbins while I was playing with the software.
That should do me for a few weeks if I don’t get too carried away with sewing. I really need to quilt my table topper but I just don’t have the energy tonight.

Scissor Cases...In-the-Hoop

These In-the-Hoop scissor cases are too much fun to make. I made three for my large scissors today. I found the embroidery design at Embroidery Library . I plan (oh those plans) on making four of the smaller size scissor cases for my smaller scissors. I have this little three hook wall mount to hang the three large scissor cases. I’m waiting until my embroidered pictures are framed and I’ll incorporate the hanger into the picture collage.I'm going to cover my pressing board soon, maybe this week. I've had plans (oh those plans) to cover it for some time now. I'm going to use stitch recipes on the border around the pressing board fabric.

Oh what a Super Bowl game….the Cardinals just pulled ahead! Before I could get my pictures uploaded the Steelers are ahead…..maybe, they are reviewing the play. TD, now the Steelers are ahead. I'm really not into pro football. I like college football, especially if the Mountaineers are playing! Our local high school basketball team is #1 in the state right now. Go RED DEVILS! Maybe we'll win the states this year. It's been years since they have been State Champs!

Once again the weekend went by too fast. Tomorrow is Monday once again. I hope everyone had a good weekend and you're ready for the week ahead.