Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Cousin Bubby, Christmas tree and cards,prayers

I found out yesterday morning that my cousin, Estel aka Bubby, died. He was found dead. Not too much info really. We don't know if it was from drugs, alcohol, heart attack or a combo of all 3. I'm sure his mom and sibling could use prayers right now as they are awaiting the results of the Autopsy

We were not close. Maybe companions, when we were younger, and we would visit my grandparents in WV during the summer. All of his siblings, except the youngest who became a Christan and went into the ministry, were into drugs having sex and becoming parents WAY too early. It's to bad he was younger than I am. I feel bad for his mom. His dad passed away in 1990 or 91. He wasn't a good influence on the kids anyway. All but 5 of us cousins (maybe more, don't know) didn't get into that stuff. But, then again, my mom left WV right after she graduate from school, so she was smart. I sure am thankful for my mom's influence.

I have a radio station on that plays Christmas song all day starting the w/e before Thanksgiving and all the way thru Christmas day. "I Want A Hippopotamus For Christmas" just on.

We haven't put out Christmas tree up yet or sent out cards either. I just went to Hallmark yesterday to buy them, maybe by the weekend.

There is a family in our church who were in an accident Saturday night and the oldest daughter could really use prayer. She had to have minor back surgery today. Her family hopes she can come home by Christmas. She will be in a brace for sometime. For the life of me I can't remember her name, I think its Samantha.

Hugs and blessings.


This is for Lucy in Australia. This is my absolute favorite one I have made out of the 15 blocks. She wanted orangeish. So i made her a Churn Dash, I used my favorite shade of orange (peach is my favorite color really out of them all).

This is the last block to show today. I don't have anymore to show anyway even if I wanted. I have 2 more of the Maker's Choice block swap to do. One is already cut, only need to sew. The other, I haven't decided on the block yet.

I took a break todaY from sewing. I did a load of dishes and read some of the book I got yesterday. It's J.D. Robb's new one.

Have a blessed day.
Diana


This is obviously a plain old nine-patch for Cloe. She wanted green. I love, love, love,this green fabric. I almost used another one, but why not use it, I have too much (never!) fabric anyway. I got it Lancaster.


This one is for Janice (our list mom). She wanted small floral and I know her favorite fabric designer is Thimbleberries and I had some of the fabric, so I made her's with the navy print. The block is Calico Puzzle. I really like this one.

I was wrong there are 2 more blocks after this one, so I should have said 3. My bad!!



This one is for Theresa. She wanted purple. I love the fabric, but I don't like the way it turned out. I wanted to make an Antique Tile with only 2 colors, needless to say I won't do that again!

This is one of the blocks I wanted to get out ahead of time. The next 2 blocks are also, ones that are done early.


This is a picture of our 'girls'. The one in the front is mine, Dakota, the other is my son's, Lily. They will be 16 months old on Christmas day. We got them from the shelter when they were 8 wks old. They are sister's. They are only my chair and Dakota didn't like the fact Lily was on it, so she sat on her. LOl. Dakots knows she can sit there cuz she's my dog. She was letting Lily know she was invading "our" space. They are so funny together.



This one is for Riet. It's called 'Magic Cross'. She want turquoise or pink & green. I had the turquois, but not a green that would go with it, then I found the pink fq at JoAnn's with all 3 colors in it. This one was a bit harder than the other one as, it not only has HST's, but flying geese as well for some reason I like those much better than the othere. Go figure.


This block was for Maggie. It's a Shoo-Fly (duh, lol). She wanted black w/white, I got a lot of my fabric for this swap, from a shop in Lancaster, PA, when we go up the every summer. There is one shop up there I could spend a small fortune, okay a large fortune, and not even make a dent in the beautiful fabric there. I drool just thinking about it. lol
I really like the way the block came together, even though I abhore HST's!!

Saturday, December 6, 2008

snow, Christmas cards

It just started snowing here, very lightly, but still snowing, YUK!! I had wanted to go out tonight to Hallmark to get some cards to send out. Just too cold for me, 32 degrees. I don't want to get sick just to get cards.
I woke up in a fowl mood today. Probably PMS. I hate feeling like that. I had wanted to get my last 2 MC blocks cut out then to sew them and send them out. Just one of those lazy days, I guess.

Friday, December 5, 2008

hamster, mc blocks, dogs, Shannon

Last night Tristan's hamster died, now he wants a bird or a chinchilla. I know from experience that a bird is a lot of work. We will bury her out in the back corner of our property, where we buried our cat who died over Easter weekend.
I had lunch with my mom today at Subway, we both tried the new flat bread they have and we both like it better than the sub rolls.
I only have 2 more Maker's Choice blocks to cut out, so next week I plan on sewing them the last six and mailing them out. Will be great to get them out of the house and not worry about them for the next few months. Then I can start on the blocks for mine and Jenn's personal swap.
I would also like to make my sister a couple more pair of gloves as she has OCD. She also has down syndrome and funny as can be. Love her to death, so do my kids.

It has got so cold here, can't stand it the cold weather. I should be used to by now, as I have lived in this area all my life. My husband has gotten so he doesn't like it either and he grew up near Erie, PA and went to college in Rochester, NY.

Sure would like to retire some where a little warmer in the winter. We even had to put blankets on the ponies tonight.

Shannon has a friend sleeping over tonight and they are watching Ghost Whisperer now, I will watch it in a bit as I TiVo the show, so I can skip the commercials.

Tomorrow I need to go to Hallmark to get some Christmas cards.

I'm thinking about joining another yahoo group and have been considering it for a few weeks now. Not sure how to do it.

Our two dogs, that we got from the shelter, are getting their 3 yr rabies shots in the morning.

Have a good weekend.
Hugs,
Diana

Thursday, December 4, 2008

other block from Jenn




Here is other block Jenn sent me, its called "Planned Patchwork". The other on is called "Antique Tile". Sorry about that.
Diana




These are two blocks my friend, Jenn, made me. We are doing a swap between the 2 of us. We are using the Fabulous Fall fabric from Moda. We have picked about a dozen blocks and there is no deadline. One of the blocks will be our respective state. Mine Virgina and her's from Texas. It should be fun. We are not setting any certain monthto do them or what color to make each block, we just surprise eachother.

Tristan is home today. Poor boy can hardly walk. He pulled the hamsting in his right thigh.

Everyone is home tonight, which is a big switch for once. That will be nice for a change.

Our satellight hasn't worked in 2 days on our T.V. upstairs, so I started watching the movie 'Notting Hill' and finished it last night.

Hope everyone has a good day.
Hugs,
Diana

Wednesday, December 3, 2008





This one is for Donna in CA and is called "Starlight and Shadows"



This one was for Patricia and is a "Pinwheel"



This one I made for Carolyn who lives in Texas and it is called "Austin"

Bev's block





Here is the block for Bev, its brown and tan, its called "Contrary Wife"

Busy, Busy, Busy


That is the block for Shiela who was my Secret Santa person and is my version of the Nine Patch variation
After all I said about getting the block for the swap to my Secret Santa at the same time as her pkg. I forgot to put in the box and had to send it separately anyway. LOL!! I just had to laugh at myself. I also had to get a new laptop, as my other one just died. I'm still not used to this one, but will learn in time. I have only had it for 10 days.
The kids were off the Wed. before Thanksgiving as well as the day after. Maybe it's just me, but we went out shopping Friday, Saturday and Sunday and it didn't seem to be as crazy as it usually is that weekend.
We didn't do to the movies the weekend I thought we were going to but this past Sunday. We were going to go on Saturday, but the kids were being very dis respectfufl to me so, I told them we weren't going and maybe we can try for Sunday. They were better. We saw Madagascar 2. I didn't think it was a good as the 1st one. Then we went shopping at Sears, Barnes & Noble and Shannon just had to go to Hollister. She spent her own money, so that was fine. We did buy Tristan a new coat for winter that is lined with flannel and not the shiny stuff that most are lined with. The only things I don't like about Hollister is the prices and the smell of their clohes and other items. Gives me a headache. LOL!

I am going to post some of the blocks I have made for the Maker's Choice Swap I'm in.


Today I made two more blocks for the MC swap. Yipee. I will post them in another post, once I they have them.

Tristan pulled the hamsting on his right thigh and is hobbling around. Poor guy!

Friday, November 21, 2008

Not sure what happened!!

I had wrote more and saved the post but, was in able to get the whole thing to publish what I wrote. Since I'm a newbie to blogging, I will chalk it up to inexperience and not stupidity. LOL!

I have my Secret Santa pkg to send out tomorrow as well as her Maker's Choice block for the swap. I had to do my own 9-patch variation cuz I just couldn't do it the way the directions wanted you to make the block. I hope she will like it, I do. I like the way it turned out and it can be put up or down, it will still work. Some blocks it either one or the other. I can't post a pic yet, just in case she happens to look at the blog, then she will know who sent her SS pkg. If I was smart I would make the other Maker's Choice block to the ones whose name hasn't been called and send them out then I wouldn't have to worry about it for the next 5 or 6 months and do some of my UFO's and not just quilty things.

Shannon stayed home sick from school today. I think she got too cold last night at her riding lesson, it was only mid-30's when she was at the barn. At this rate, I won't get any time to myself until after winter break is over from school, which is Jan. 5, 2009.

We plan on going to see Madagacar 2 tomorrow unless it snows. I don't do snow! It was suppose to snow today, but thank God it didn't. Tristan said it snowed at school though. Just a heavy dusting. Not a flake here!! BooHoo. lol.

I hate wintery weather!! Especially the ice, which we get more of than snow most of the time. I HATE being cold and the winter months, very depressing. The snow is pretty when it 1st comes down and of course, I like Christmas. HaHaHa!!

A good friend of mine and I are planning to make quilt blocks just for eachother for the next year. I am so excited. December is the first month we are making the planned patchwork block with Fabulous Fall fabric from Moda. We aren't telling eachother which fabric of that line though so we will be surpurised. How fun is that going to be?? We are also going to make eachother a signature block and one one from eachother's state.

Have a good evening and weekend!

Hugs and Blessings,
Diana

MC block and Secret Santa pkg

Well, after 3 long agonizing try to make that nine-patch variation. Just the middle block, I just put a normal square.

Thursday, November 20, 2008

quilt block, science club, Shannon

My son is in a science club afterschool on Thursdays and I am the parent volunteer. Of all, students he got on the bus to go home!! He is still feeling out of it from being sick the last 2 days. So, I had to race home and get there before the bus dropped him off. Before leaving for the school I had started to sew the block for my Secret Santa swap (I want to mail it out on Sat). I picked the nine-patch variation. It has a nine patch block for the middle square. I tried and let me tell that was such a pair in the rear end!! I thought to myself, " I will NEVER make these tiny little blocks again and I don't care if someone is willing to pay me or even for my mom!!". I basically quit and later, I decided I should try again cuz I don't like quitting. I have been through worse (malignant brain tumor over 8 yrs ago), so I should try again. I tried and discovered it was my cutting, so tried it one more time (that makes 3), so I will try it to sew the middle block again in a bit. My daughter has a dentist appt tomorrow and an orthodontist appt. on Monday, so I won't have many morning to myself for the next week. That is really the only quiet time in my house as my dogs sleep most of the morning. Shannon has to make some kind of German dish to take into school tomorrow for history class. She went to her riding lesson tonight and won't be home for a least an hour (8pm EST), then she has to cook. I'm sure it will be another long night for her. I'll get her started, but tonight is a Grey's Anatomy night and I want to watch it. Even if I TiVo it every week. Gotta go.
Hugs,
Diana

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Crazy week, pic of Shannon at show finals, dinner


This has been a crazy week and its only Wed. On Monday my daughter had to be taken to school because she was so exhausted from the weekend's show finals, so my husband took her to school about 10am and I got sick around 2pm thought I was going to have a seizure, so he had to come home with only a half day in at work. He thought he would be nice to me and fix dinner (and it was nice). However, Bless his heart. It was neither made or cooked properly! He had only taken out 1 pound of groud beef, instead of 1 1/2 the recipe called for and still used the amount of spices and liquid the recipe did call for, so the meatloaf didn't set right. He also made boxed AuGratin potatoes and put in in a loaf pan instead a casserole dish. The potatoes weren't done either. He did try though.

He just called to tell me at 3pm that he had to go to Headquarter. Didn't tell me why and I don't ask. He will never get home tonight!! Traffic around the DC area is a bi*** during rush hour, as I'm sure you can imagine. Crazy people to say the least!!!

My son, Tristan, has been home sick with a headcold thing for 2 days now. He will be going to school tomorrow, if I have to take him. LOL.

I have added a picture of my daughter, Shannon, from her horse show finals this past weekend/

Have a good evening.

Diana

Monday, November 17, 2008

Well my family got home last night about 7:45 pm. Tristan went into the family room to play his new Wii game and Shannon came in and went straight up to bed and she slept the whole way home (about 3 hrs). She didn't get up this morning until 9 am. So her dad had to take her to school needless to say she was very late!!

I had been taking care of her guinea pigs and I found out I am allergic to hay. The pigs eat the hay. I have had a massive headache and stuffed up ears. Both tend to make me dizzy. I went upstairs earlier this afternoon and couldn't get to sleep, so after 1 1/2 hrs I got up and came back down to decide on dinner. I decided on meatloaf and augratin potatoes with a salad.

I started to cut out my Secret Santa's person's Maker's Choice block from my Q4all yahoo.group., but her fabric choice is bring, I need to do it tomorrow. Bummer, I had wanted to sew it then.

The Maker's Choice is a swap where everyone who is particpating pick out a color or style for their block and its up to the person making the block exactly what shade of blue, purple, green , etc what they will use and also the maker also gets to pick out block for them. This so much more fun the to have someone tell you that for the swap it will be a red and white friendship block for instance. We are also doing a Secret Santa swap this month. My SS person's name hasn't been called yet for theMC swap (2 people a month for 8 months), so I'm sending her's with her SS gift.

Bye for now. Kids need help with homework.

Sunday, November 16, 2008

I am presently home alone and have been since Thurs morning. My daughter (Shannon) is riding in the VA horse show finals down in Lexington, VA. My son (Tristan)wanted to go so he could miss 2 days of school. So, he went along. My husband had to trailer both horses, cuz Summer gets frantic if Belle isn't near by. Our 3 dogs went to the kennel. I really needed the break. They are one their way home now. It will be a few more hours before they get here though, so I'm trying to figure out this blog thing. First time I have done a blog. My friend, Jenn, has helped so much. Thanks Jenn!! Love ya!
I am going to get some dinner now, maybe. I need to clean something before they get home, so I look like I have been busy and not just goofing off. If they only knew. LOL! I, also, need to get some quilt block cut out for the Maker's Choice Swap I'm in for my quilt group. As I get them done, I hope to show them off.