Saturday, November 29, 2008

Thanksgiving

Our Thanksgiving went very well. All the food was delicious. My new electric roaster exceeded my expectations! And it was nice to get together with Tab, Sam and their families. It would have been nice to also be able to see Megan and Kate. Todd and I are STILL eating leftovers! Most of the new recipes will be in my recipe book from now on.

Yesterday and today I worked on my quilt. I decided to make it the size of our bed, so we can actually use it. Todd helped me with the design and this is what we came up with:
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Here it is on our bed, I think I could have made it with one less row on the bottom, but I've got time to decide if I want to take a row or two off. :D
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I need to add the boarders, then make the sandwich (quilt top, batting and backing), then it will be ready to quilt! That will be done later, first I need to make Mom's purse and get it in the mail for Christmas.

Our next quilt class is on December 15 (I think). I may go for a little, then skip the classes until they get to boarders, quilting and binding.

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

New week

I've been very busy getting ready for Thanksgiving. I'm doing a huge meal: Turkey (of course) and stuffing, green bean casserole (Sam will be happy), hash brown casserole, sweet potatoe casserole, a couple new salad recipes, pecan and pumpkin pies (making from scratch) and maybe pumpkin bars (if I have enough time). We should have 9 people there so there will be TONS of left overs. I've already got the table linens washed and folded, this morning I got up and mixed up the green bean and hash brown casseroles. (It's a good thing we have an extra refrigerator in the garage.) Tonight I need to get some more Crisco for the pie crusts, and I'll make the pumpkin one tonight. I also need to get the good plates out and wash them, in addition to cleaning the house. I have a feeling I won't be getting much sleep before Thursday.

However, last night I had another quilt class. This is a beginner class, so a little below my level, but it's a good way to get to know other ladies from our church. Before the quilt class, I met with the lady who is coordinating the school bag project and gave her the 42 bags that I had done.
Here they all are:
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These are the new ones since I last updated:
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When Mom and Dad were here, I told Mom I wanted to make her a purse for Christmas. She picked out two fabrics and told me a few things she wanted on it. She liked the really big bag I made before (see October 9 entry), but didn't want it that big. OK, a few days after they left I started on her bag and finished it a few days ago. The problem is, it's almost as big as the other bag. So, :D I used it to haul all my quilting stuff to class last night and it was GREAT! I'll make Mom another one and make sure it's not as big. ;)
So this is the bag that was going to be her Christmas present:
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I wanted to make something to carry my supplies for the class, but didn't want to use any of the fabric I still have left over, so decided the first bag was too HUGE and used it to make this (yes, I cut it apart and used the material to make this):
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The back has a pocket that my smallest ruler fits in:
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Here are the two together:
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The large bag fit all this stuff:
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Anyway, the quilt class is going well. I am way ahead of most of the people, but this will be the fourth quilt I've made. (Haven't taken any pictures of the quilt squares yet, but will when it gets down to deciding the layout of them.)
We are not meeting again until December 15.

In the mean time, I'll start working on Mom's other purse, and hopefully it will be the right size this time. :D

Monday, November 17, 2008

Monday afternoon

Todd worked on my serger Saturday morning and found a bent pin - that's why I couldn't get it to work. Although I think it had been there for a while because I ordinarily don't pin what I sew. Now it works GREAT! I used it Sunday to work some more on the bags for Church. (Which are almost done!)

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Something we need not to forget, I loved reading this!!

David Letterman wrote this; it's the David we don't often see....

"As most of you know I am not a President Bush fan, nor have I ever been, but this is not about Bush, it is about us, as Americans, and it seems to hit the mark."

"The other day I was reading Newsweek magazine and came across some Poll data I found rather hard to believe. It must be true given the source, right? The Newsweek poll alleges that 67 percent of Americans are unhappy with the direction the country is headed and 69 percent of the country is unhappy with the performance of the President. In essence 2/3 of the citizenry just ain't happy and want a change. So being the knuckle dragger I am, I started thinking, 'What are we so unhappy about?'

A. Is it that we have electricity and running water 24 hours a day, 7 Days a week?

B. Is our unhappiness the result of having air conditioning in the summer and heating in the winter?

C. Could it be that 95.4 percent of these unhappy folks have a job?

D. Maybe it is the ability to walk into a grocery store at any time and see more food in moments than Darfur has seen in the last year?

E. Maybe it is the ability to drive our cars and trucks from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean without having to present identification papers as we move through each state.

F. Or possibly the hundreds of clean and safe motels we would find along the way that can provide temporary shelter?

G. I guess having thousands of restaurants with varying cuisine from around the world is just not good enough either.

H. Or could it be that when we wreck our car, emergency workers show up and provide services to help all and even send a helicopter to take you to the hospital.

I. Perhaps you are one of the 70 percent of Americans who own a home.

J. You may be upset with knowing that in the unfortunate case of a fire, a group of trained firefighters will appear in moments and use top notch equipment to extinguish the flames thus saving you, your family, and your belongings.

K. Or if, while at home watching one of your many flat screen TVs, a burglar or prowler intrudes, an officer equipped with a gun and a bullet-proof vest will come to defend you and your family against attack or loss.

L.. This all in the backdrop of a neighborhood free of bombs or militias raping and pillaging the residents. Neighborhoods where 90% of teenagers own cell phones and computers.

M. How about the complete religious, social and political freedoms we enjoy that are the envy of everyone in the world?

Maybe that is what has 67% of you folks unhappy. Fact is, we are the largest group of ungrateful, spoiled brats the world has ever seen. No wonder the world loves the U.S. , yet has a great disdain for its citizens. They see us for what we are. The most blessed people in the world who do nothing but complain about what we don't have, and what we hate about the country instead of thanking the good Lord we live here.

I know, I know. What about the president who took us into war and has no plan to get us out? The president who has a measly 31 percent approval rating? Is this the same president who guided the nation in the dark days after 9/11? The president that cut taxes to bring an economy out of recession? Could this be the same guy who has been called every name in the book for succeeding in keeping all the spoiled ungrateful brats safe from terrorist attacks? The commander in chief of an all-volunteer army that is out there defending you and me?

Did you hear how bad the President is on the news or talk show? Did this news affect you so much, make you so unhappy you couldn't take a look around for yourself and see all the good things and be glad? Think about it......are you upset at the President because he actually caused you personal pain OR is it because the 'Media' told you he was failing to kiss your sorry ungrateful behind every day?

Make no mistake about it. The troops in Iraq and Afghanistan have volunteered to serve, and in many cases may have died for your freedom. There is currently no draft in this country. They didn't have to go. They are able to refuse to go and end up with either a ''general'' discharge, an 'other than honorable'' discharge or, worst case scenario, a ''dishonorable' discharge after a few days in the brig.

So why then the flat-out discontentment in the minds of 69 percent of Americans?

Say what you want, but I blame it on the media. If it bleeds it leads and they specialize in bad news. Everybody will watch a car crash with blood and guts. How many will watch kids selling lemonade at the corner? The media knows this and media outlets are for-profit corporations. They offer what sells, and when criticized, try to defend their actions by 'justifying' them in one way or another. Just ask why they tried to allow a murderer like O.J. Simpson to write a book about how he didn't kill his wife, but if he did he would have done it this way......Insane!

Turn off the TV, burn Newsweek, and use the New York Times for the bottom of your bird cage. Then start being grateful for all we have as a country. There is exponentially more good than bad. We are among the most blessed people on Earth and should thank God several times a day, or at least be thankful and appreciative.

'With hurricanes, tornados, fires out of control, mud slides, flooding, severe thunderstorms tearing up the country from one end to another, and with the threat of bird flu and terrorist attacks, "Are we sure this is a good time to take God out of the Pledge of Allegiance?"

-David Letterman

Monday, November 10, 2008

Monday morning update

So I'm at work, but the company's computer system is totally down so there's no work to be done.

So I'll update my blog!!!!!

I took some pictures of the bags I'm sewing for Church. So far there are 19 done.
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I still have at least 6 more to make, but if they buy more supplies, we'll have to make more bags. I'm actually not making them exactly as the pattern they gave me. Just a little change on the handles. They are pretty easy - I could sew one - cutting the fabric and everything in probably an hour. I usually try to get an assembly line going so do them in batches depending on how much fabric I have.

Friday, November 7, 2008

Another cool website

http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/wildcamafrica/

Great for kids!

Thursday, November 6, 2008

Sewing bags for church and update

Wurstbraten was Monday at church, and the purse I made sold for $25. Not sure about the reusable shopping bags, when we left they were still there. I also let them use our new electric roaster, so I need to go get that sometime soon. I just bought it to use for Thanksgiving and Christmas this year since we are not going anywhere.

I'm still working on the bags for the school kits for church. I have 14 done, then my serger broke a needle. I think the new needle I put in is the wrong size, so I need to change it and rethread all FOUR threads. If anyone knows anything about sergers, you will know how hard it is to thread them. I still have three more I started on, but are not yet finished. I'll try to take pictures of them when I have time.

My parents are coming down from Nebraska next week, so I'll be busy cleaning the house and Todd needs to get the room done so we can put them in there. He started priming it and we were just going to leave the primer on, but it is VERY BRIGHT WHITE, so we decided we need to paint it a softer color. We'll go with something neutral like the rest of the house. We also need to decide if we want to put the miniblind back up - it's a very wide window, so the blind is not one you can use everywhere. I also am going to make a valance for the room. So I'm taking next Thursday and Friday off to spend with them. I haven't seen them since last Christmas,so it will be nice to have them here again. They will have lots of fun with the great-grandkids and I'll try to take lots of pictures.

I've been very tired since the time change, so hopefully I'll get some cleaning done tonight. I need to shampoo carpets and don't want to have to do it all in one night.

That's it for the update for now. Exciting, huh??!?!?!?!?! LOL