Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Hump-Day?

What is it about "hump-day"? I think for me it is the combination of a week rolled into 3 days? I had that eye appointment  this morning so I got up early to do all my morning chores & feed us & then off we went . My little vehicle is making a bad noise . I am worried it might be the transmission , but I am the worrier in the family - DH always thinks if it "ain't broke - don't fix it"!

We did make it to the eye doctor on time . I totally love my eye-doctor . He is about the same age as our oldest son & he is the only doctor that I actually love to get to go see. He is kind &  gentle & has a quiet personality & he always makes time for his patients to talk to him. He does not make you feel like he needs to dump you out the door -just to see the next patient. I probably also love him because I have never seen "Needles" at his office. :LOL
I could not believe that he gave me such a good report - :for my age"! LOL  He checked my macular & is keeping an eye on it. He said the vitamins I was taking that he had recommended was helping & this time he changed it to Icaps with omega 3 oils. I told him I knew I was needing more omega 3 oils anyway.

I asked him IF they could reuse my frames & they said to check next door & if they could not then there was a way-maybe. With DH guiding me next door we did ask & they said No. So, back we went & she told me that he had a practice in Galax & they filled prescriptions there . He warned me that when they take those frames off sometimes there is the possibility of them shattering  & that sometimes instead of 2 weeks it had been known to take up to 6 weeks. So, I handed over my precious pair that had fixed not only my ability to see but also my fibromyalgia pain from trying to wear just regular frames. These are those extra-light-weight frames that cost me a fortune & that was why I was trying to hang onto them.

I told him I had a spare pair that I carried with me for emergencies & I would fall back on them. These were the ones I had made the week before I had these made & I could NEVER wear them- believe me after the eye drops wore off & I started to see a little - I thought what rotten timing I had picked to do this because our bills are due the end of the week & seeing them to fill them out is going to be mighty "iffy"?  But, you know how bills are -they want their money even if you have to stand on your head.

We had 4 hours to wile away for my counselling appoint & it would save gas if we did not just drive home & come out later so DH went to a fuel oil place & picked up a small part for something to do with our woodstove . I will just have to wait & see .

Then we went right by two thrift stores on our way . I got a small pitcher for fifth cents - I need it for DH's orange juice when I make it from frozen concentrate - and another stop at two health food stores.  We had to stop & get gas & then we made it on time.

My appointment with my wonderful counselor is like being able to just Stop the world  & step off of our world &  be reborn & recharged to step back in & continue our lives. Even if I had the money to pay her - it would Never be enough ! She is Priceless to me.

We finally made it back home & I locked the chickens back up for the night. I fixed us a shepherd's pie with baked beans. We both love the baked beans & we "scrap" over dividing them up equally -down to the last bean- I think I got a few extra tonight! LOL

After we ate I headed to the sewing room with one project , but ended up working on two of DH's lounge pants. The first pair I had made him about 4 years ago now had the pocket ripped out of them - so I got that fixed  & then the pair from 3 years ago where now too short so I added an extension on  them to make them longer.

Believe me I HATE this pair of glasses I am forced to wear right now - so using my dear eyeballs might be very challenging for a while.
O, and to top off the day - we are under a Tornado watch for another hour.
I hope that each of you has had a wonderful day & maybe included some creative pleasures!
Love to all

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Remember those scraps from the jacket?

You know how it is - the majority of fabric folks love fabric & also never want to waste any. Maybe partly from that generations old saving - "Waste not - want not".

SO when I had those left over scraps from the jacket yesterday I could not bear to just throw them away. SOOOOOO - I decided to make Miss Mochia a jacket for those cold nights to go potty.. She was actually very patient with me . IF I had an embroider machine that would work I would have added some designs on it, but since mine does not work - I had to settle for a solid coat without any embellishments

. Wonder what she is attempting to tell me?At least she was not like my first chihuahua who Bit me because I was crocheting her a jacket & she got tired of me putting it on & taking it off for measurements! LOL
It was a perfect weather day today-It was one of those "short - sleeve" days & holding my breath worrying
about all these flowers?



Not my "finest" project - but she will appreciate it more when it is freezing LOL

I had a few scraps left so I cut them out  & when I ASKED my machines to sew 6 layers of fleece - they balked on me. The serger just throwed them out away from him -so I moved to the sewing machine & when it discovered that the pile was so tall that I could Barely get the fabric under the pressure foot -even with me holding it up as high as it could go - it asked me IF I was some crazy woman -treating it like it was a commercial machine?????????????? LOL

AaaaHHHH shoot - it was fun messing with their "chips" . LOL
Hope you guys had a wonderful day too. :-)

Monday, February 27, 2012

Double layer fleece jacket-curiosity satisfied

Well, "Sewing  Families" - I am here to tell you that you can make a VERY warm fleece jacket from a double layer of those little fleece blankets (aprox. 6ft. x 8ft.) . It took 6 of them to complete this jacket.

As I cut out each piece from a double layer of fleece I then zig-zagged  all around the piece to keep them even . I think that helped to make them behave themselves and not try to walk all over the place with me.

I tried it own & of course it swallowed me up-but then I rolled the sleeves up to my size -which would be smaller than a man's size & you talk about WARM!  Where was this jacket when we had that blue-blazing cold last month - I sure could have used it!  LOL

Of course IF my dead embroidery machine was working I would have embroidered something on it -like maybe an eagle flying on the front? So, without embroidery - it seems kinda naked to me. I did make one Bad boo-boo & that was where the hood & the front hook together - I just serged them together & I did not like that look, I took them apart & turned the raw edges to hide that top edge of the zipper & I liked that better-except I had kinda "shagged " the fleece & did a satin stitch to cover it. I wish now that I would have used gray thread to do that. But, live & learn. I am anxious to get it to my son & see what he thinks -since he was the one who got me the fabric to play with.

I am pleased to satisfy my curiosity & can state that it is REALLY warm & soft. Both of those work great with my fibromyalgia which likes to complain about everything that touches me. But, I shut him up this time! LOL  If that young man that we got it off of has anymore to part with I might make some for all of the family  and for him too. I am a happy camper when I can make somebody happy - as DH asked Emmett if the young man liked the blankets I sewed for him & the answer was yes- that he did not expect to get that many of them back -since nobody else had returned anything to him. LOL Let's just say I made him enough to make sure he is warn in the winter time. LOL

I did not have hardly Any scraps left over - I am going to check them out & see if there is enough to make a doggie coat,maybe? WELLLLLLLLLLLLLLL I can't stand to throw out scraps if there is a use for them. Plus, I can shred them with my scissors & add them to the bag of shredded knits that I intend to put in another doggie pillow, as I noticed somebody was shy one last night- who knows they probably had a 'doggie- pillow -fight'!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! lol

Sunday, February 26, 2012

Curiosity Does What????????????

It has been a busy , successful day with ups & downs. The kids came early to cut firewood-matter of fact they came before I had even rolled out of bed. So everybody went to work- I went out & did morning chores while the grandkids went to cut firewood & the oldest son went with DH under the house because our water that runs in the house from the outdoor wood stove had sprung a leak. They had to take it apart & re-work it & turned the basement into a mud puddle-but they got it fixed.

I started on the cornbread & told the kids it would be ready in 30 minutes - so they hung around as they had already worked up a good appetite. I pulled the corn bread out -it was perfect & I put the bowls & spoons & chow chow out & told them to come on. I could see they were having some strange looks- so one of them finally got brave enough to tell me that the beans were not done - matter of fact the beans were not even plugged in. O Yea -one of those times that you want to disappear . Here they were starving & rock beans. Not to worry I pulled out the pressure cooker & told them to give me 20 more minutes & I transferred the rocks to the pressure cooker. I knew since they had soaked all night long that it would not take much to pressure cook them.

I had transferred them to the pressure cooker & now I could not find the lid!!!!! Now, the kitchen is a very small kitchen & there is only so many places that you can look. I even got the flashlight down & rechecked- but no lid? Then Ronnie (grandson) came & was helping me look -when I noticed his partner , Jade was giving Ronnie some more of THOSE looks - so they both broke down & told me the lid was laying on top of a computer that was sitting right BESIDE the stove ??????????????????????? I was not even seeing the computer because it is a "dead-duck" & to me it is not even there - LOL - By now they all knew I had lost my marbles !


After everybody had eaten & gone out doors I headed to the sewing room to regain a little of my dignity.
I had been dieing of curiosity to see if you could take two of those fleece blankets that Emmett had brought me & put them together somehow to make a warmer jacket. I sat & figured & studied & then hope sprang eternal & I decided to just go for it & see what happens. So this was the first two blankets that I started with.

I decided to start with  the front pieces & here is four pieces of the fleece sandwiched together.

I had made this pattern several years ago & I could remember some of the problems it gave me & I was hoping to re-invent my progress to manage a better job.I decided to put the zipper in first instead of almost last because I knew that for ME- this way I have better luck at getting both pieces to line up & not be cock-eyed.

While I was wandering down the path of creativity everybody finished & came in & said bye . Our oldest son , Cory stopped to take a gander at the lousy embroidery machine to see if he thought that piece was bent. When he leaned back to rest his back - Miss Rosie decided that was a perfect time to snag herself some petting. He was not petting her - she was the one doing the rubbing against his fingers . LOL

Cory said that he did not "trust " her because she was at his back & he could not "keep an eye on her". He probably felt that way about it because he has always been the one who gets the best of her when he holds her down & wools her. She does not forget -and she very seldom forgives until punishment has been rendered. She must have been in a gracious mood today because no punishment was rendered. LOL

When quiet returned & everyone was gone I got back to studying that sheet of instructions to see how else I could organize the process -that was when Miss Rosie thought I needed to see instructions in a different light?

I believe that she thinks she is pretty & so do I - but - she is one of the most cantankerous felines that we have ever shared our life with.  But, she is starting to mellow a little - just like I hope we are. Maybe it is her job today to remind me to take little breaks because of the problems that I am having with my eyes. I have an appointment on Weds to go see what is going on with them ????  My eyesight is one of my most treasured gifts - so it scares me to death to have them get sick. At least today they are good enough to see a beautiful kitty with her lovely blue eyes. :-)

 As I was studying the layout now that I had my papers back all of a sudden at the back of my knees little Mr. Bandit jumped on the back of my knees kinda causing them to buckle forward -to get my  attention. DH used to pull that one all the time on me - so I snapped Bandit's picture - he was "caught in the act". LOL

And last but not least is Miss Cocoa who crawled up in my chair to see if she could be of any assistance. She knows I totally adore her & she always makes me smile when she comes for a visit. My goodness after all of the extra incentive I should manage much better.

I Almost got to the end of my journey with this project - but every time I thought I was almost finished - there was another step I had forgotten about - like cutting out Half of the hood & having to go back & be glad I had the left overs to cut the other half of the hood from. I am also making the hood from double pieces , hoping to keep those ears warm when that cold breeze blows through - or - yeah , I only ended up cutting out One sleeve & had to go back & cut out the other double pieces.

I finally did get "pooped" & decided to quit for tonight before I get too tired & start to mess up -especially since I am now down to the hood! I really do have high hopes for this jacket & I will finally "satisfy" my curiosity about using two pieces of fleece to make a jacket to see if it does indeed make it warmer????????

Saturday, February 25, 2012

Have You Ever Tried to Photograph the Wind?

Well, I had not either! This was on the way up to lock up my chickens . The wind was whipping so bad that it litterly blew me up the hill -that was the good part. I snapped this lovely picture but I cannot see the trees bending like they were . It was litterly taking my breath away & the power of the wind as it swooped down through the hollows  & then rattled the trees was something to appreciate.

One nice thing that was shown was that the days are getting a wee bit longer each day -so I know my New Zealand & Aussie friends are getting a wee bit shorter each day too. It is a little bit amazing to discover this different way of looking at things - the fact that what affects me - also affects others in a totally different way?

I have been So Busy just doing Stuff -you know how that "life" stuff is & how it just gets in your way?
I do know that a few of the kids are coming tomorrow to cut firewood for DH & I. I have to remember to put on a big crockpot of beans for them. Then I will make cornbread to go with the beans. I have to put on a loaf of whole wheat bread in the bread machine because our oldest son enjoys that. I am procrastinating because lately one time I will put all the ingredients & the next morning the bread is perfect - then the next time I do it it turns into a fat pancake & I have no idea what is causing the difference???????????????

O, One of my dear Aussie friends shared a link with me this morning -so if any of you crochet or knit - they have some nice patterns to drool over - some free.
http://www.garnstudio.com/index_lang.php

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Sometimes I wish I could just take my "brain chip " out & upgrade it to a sharper version. The first thing this morning I checked on E-bay about an embroidery machine I was hoping for & I watched it till lunch with high hopes & then watched it fly out of my budget. I am trying not to be disappointed because there is one more I am watching ??

I did more research on the Bernina Deco 340 machines & they are basically the same machine as the Janome 350 except that the Janome seems to sell higher everywhere I looked. It is hard for me to really understand  how people can afford these machines and then they go up into Thousands of dollar?????

But I was in "stealth" mode also hoping to keep on eye on DH's trips in and out of the sewing room . I was trying to pull a "sneaky"! I had managed to smuggle in some bright red flannel (red is his favorite color)  with firetrucks all over it (he Loves firetrucks). I worked hard all after noon being sneaky .

I was getting to the end of the project when I could not remember if I had put a tie cord in that last pair of camo colors I had made him for Christmas & I spotted them in the dirty clothes so I pulled them out & my heart just sank(again?) I had plum let it slip my mind that he was the one that wanted a fly in his lounge pants & these did not have that ???????????????????????  O DARN!!!!!!!!!!!!

All of my "sneakiness" & it was I that it was pulled on!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Dag nab it!

I did finally manage to get those dirty floors tackled where the furbabies had tracked in like a bunch of kids! That made me happy.

O guess the best laid plains often go astray. LOL  The wind is about to blow us away again & we are under a high wind warning . I hope you are hanging onto your hat if you do too!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Computer chair covers

Today is one of those days that you think your house is going to "blow-away"!  Sometimes I like to think that Mother Earth is just "sweeping" her porch and it can also be a real "clutter-control". LOL Plus, after having all this snow come to visit & then make such a mess - the temperature is back to just long sleeve weather. I think that Mother Nature is almost as confused as I am at times????

I am kinda trying to come out of that depressions I was sinking into over that embroidery machine disaster. I am watching a couple of machines & also learning more about them & while I am "instigating" a plan - I started to look around to see what I could sew -without embroidery. I decided to practice on a set of simple covers for the two chairs that DH & I use in the kitchen. Those two chairs have a way of getting dirtier than any chair in the house.Part of it is that they are the first thing you bump into when you come in the back door, so they catch anything you are carrying or letting you take your coats off??? Then between the cats & the pups they love to doze there also & that's not forgetting that when DH comes in from the stove he likes to plop down & challenge that card game - Spider Solitary. So they are probably in use 90% of the time.

 It was a funny experience because with these bright colors of those polyesters that I had been given -all of a sudden I did not want to get them all filthy - so I considered making a cover for a cover.!   ROFL!!!!!!!!!!!

Maybe not - maybe I will wait till I get that new embroidery machine & then make a Spiffy pair! LOL
But, at least I am over the "depression - hump"! YEAH!!!!!!!!!

I will share with you a funny - how to overcome -experience that I had last night.
I spent the afternoon watching tv with DH , but I was thinking how I had wasted 3 whole days. There was dirt on the floor where the furbabies had been in and out- and in and out - in all that MUD-just like kids. I really wanted to embroider something and came to realize how much that I relied on my sewing/embroidery as therapy!
When it came time to go to bed I was really tired but I just could not go to sleep. There was none of that "satisfied "feeling that you get from doing something you think is creative. I tossed and turned over and over again. Finally I thought I could turn the light on and read? When I turned the light on it almost knocked my eyeballs out -it seemed so bright. I did read for about half an hour & tried it again. Still more tossing & turning. :?????

So, I took all of the pillows & piled them up near the window -opened the window to where I could now see all of those beautiful Stars up there in the night sky. I watched them wink & blink at me. I wished my eyes were not giving me trouble so that I could see them better. I pulled a blanket up around me & had a peace settle in as I breathed in the night air. The next thing I knew it was 4 AM in the morning & I was shivering from the window being open. LOL

I closed the window & settled down appreciating a warm bed and some good sleep. It must have helped jar me out of that gutter because this morning things look different. I even woke up earlier than usual & got all of my morning chores accomplished & that always feels so much better. This afternoon I get to see my counselor/friend who always has a way of letting you see things in a totally different way.Thank goodness for these people who carry a magic within themselves to help others.
love to all & may you have a blessed day!

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Snow is leaving

As you can see the snow is leaving quickly. There is a stiff wind blowing over that white stiff giving you a very chilly breeze. That is our little donkey , Yukon up at the top of the hill on the left & one the right , that white blob is one of the sheep.

It makes it hard to get around outdoors because it is pure mud.Uck! I have been on the computer all day long researching embroidery machines? If I had a pocket-full of money ??? But, you know how that is. LOL
 I am also learning that without an embroidery machine to "spiff" up individual gifts that it wants to depress me?Amazing how a machine can have that effect on you.

Love to all
Linda

Monday, February 20, 2012

Sunday nite & Monday morning snow

Well, at least Some of us enjoyed the snow-those white dots are where the snow kept blowing on my camera lens , as it was coming down like rain.

After I got to the little hen-house I discovered that there was "Trouble in Paradise"! The hens were all scooting away from the center -where the Miss Guinea - had come to get out of the snow. She is so mean  to all of the hens that nobody wants anything to do with her. She will grab them by their wings & just fling them around like an old rag doll. I tried getting her out, but without any success . She was determined to stay in our of the snow & SO SHE DID!  LOL

Honeybear was having problems plowing through the snow because she is so short. But, that did not matter to her as she was having so much fun.  She let me & the other furbabies make a path for her.

I had to laugh at some of the "spare" roosters that run free & roost in the trees. They just did not think much of this white stuff.

This guy was the first to make it to his tree & he said he was going to stay there for a while too.

It looks like magic right now . If I ever get my wish I would wish for a "sunroom" - only I could call it the "snow room" where I could sit & watch the snow. I say that I don't like snow ,but that is because I Hate to get out in it. I don't like to get cold & wet & even fall down & get hurt-or people who have to drive in it for jobs. But I do love to just watch those little snowflakes come tumbling down from the heavens. Isn't it amazing that each one is totally different? That is hard to wrap my mind around.

There were two embroidery machines on Ebay that I have been watching & I let the first one go last night. Probably because of all the problems I have had with this Brother PE-700II. . Now that I know it cannot be fixed I find myself in a quandary .  I thought ok, I will let this one go & see how I feel about it?? Well, it did not take very long for me to discover a very interesting fact.

Without the embroidery work to make it article specific to what ever person I am making things for - - - - - I just did not want to sew? With no way to tell someone that I love them & that is is because of something I know about you & respect you for - ??????  I am not saying this for ANYBODY else- just my feelings.

I know of MANY of my friends who have just given their machines away or sold them -it was just too much trouble to them & I would be the first one to tell everybody that thinks about embroidery - it can be a nightmare. Each type of fabric seems to offer up its own unique set of challenges & you throw in all of the different tidbits of how you manage to pull a project off including threads , stabilizers, tension settings , bobbin problems & even if you think you have a machine that hates you-these things can all have an effect on your work.

I cannot speak for all of the machines as I have only had Two. This brother PE-700II which has broken my heart & the little Bernina Deco 650 which only does a 4 x 4 project  & you have to us a Magic Box to get your designs into the machine . But, it is an excellent little machine.

I wanted the Brother PE-700II because of the ease of transferring designs from the Internet straight into the machine -plus, I wanted the larger design. Well, I got both of those wonderful features- But - they do me no good with a machine that cannot be fixed.

Well, that is just my thoughts for the day - maybe as the snow melts outside -the perfect answer will present itself to me .

So, enjoy your weather no matter where you are !
Love to all
Linda

Sunday, February 19, 2012

Surprise

I had been out this morning & completed all of my chores. But from the time that I went in the back door & DH told  me to look out the front door - This was what was happening.


We both feel so wore out today. DH had been up a lot during the night & lost sleep so I think that is why he is felling rough. Me? I think I am getting my days & nights mixed up & yes, it is my own fault. But like last night when I went up to "feed" the stove & was coming back to the house - it was just so beautiful- the stars & the moon  & the quiet enveloping me in a cloak of darkness. There are times I feel so sorry for people who live in the big cities with all of the commotion -they never get to experience the gift of quiet.

This was another "gift" that I received today - the gift of the sound that Snow makes as it crashes to the earth. Of course it is a different sound if it lands on a roof-top & also different roof-tops have different sounds also. When you are right out there in the midst of it - it has another quiet- busy sound.

I came in & went to the sewing room - but golly jeepers I was so tired that I caught myself snoozing at the keyboard & would come to my senses before I would topple out of my chair. LOL I was trying to do some research on embroidery machines. There are two on E-bay I would like to have & I know they would be good machines - not like this Brother PE-700II that is a lost cause. I Really do not want to give up my embroidery work that I love so much?

These two are both Bernina's & each have their pro's & con's ???  I also checked out some Janome's  . After moving on up from the 4 x 4 to the 5 x 7 -I really do not want to go back. That size is good for getting into pillowcases .

One thing I have noticed this morning is that the market is swamped with Brother PE-700II's . I hope that does not mean that there are a LOT of people who will be so disappointed -like I am.I understand that "machines will be machines" -but after pouring money & time & effort into getting this machine fixed & and it is still unusable just breaks my heart. And, the fact that the company really just does not care -what does that say ????  Maybe that we each buy a "pig in a poke" -so buyer beware.

OK, enough whining , time to do something constructive.Time to go feed DH , so I give you one last look at our crazy weather?

Saturday, February 18, 2012

She's At It Again

See- I made the mistake of laying this green polyester on the cutting table & that is all it takes. It has to be one hundred percent approved by Miss Rosie!

This was the fabric that my Sister-in-law & her DH gave me that came from both of their Mothers , who have passed. I kept wondering what to do with them & today it hit me that I would make the computer chairs a cover from the polyester because it is so tough & it takes a beating & keeps on keeping on --plus, it is so easy to wash!

It did me No Good to rearrange it & try to even it up so I could make straight cuts- Miss Rosie was still testing it out. She is so full of herself.
It was So warm & nice here today - and now they are calling for either rain or snow tomorrow- we will just have to wait & see which it turns into? My daffodils & tulips are sure wishing for rain! I have Never seen my tulips this early in the year before - it is usually around Easter time-so I don't know whether I should be thrilled -OR- scared stiff I might lose them?????????????????????????

Our company did come today & had a nice visit. Kat brought me their sheet that had ripped while they were in bed so I hopefully sewed it up, but it was that material that wants to keep on raveling . I used a very dense zigzag stitch & I hope I caught it all.

I gave them both their birthday presents (His was in Nov. &hers was in Feb. ) so I was a little late. He liked his John Deere lounge pants - yes , I added pockets  & hers was a pair of shorts that I had drafted a pattern for. I wanted to see how I had done & they seemed to pass inspection.Now, I just need to REMEMBER to pick the more stretchy knits for the job.I have another piece of knit I wanted to test because it has the spandex in it & I am hoping that might keep it from "wrinkling " so  much when she sits down?? I would bet you IF I am not careful & pick a nice ,comfortable cotton with very little stretch that it would not work.

See, I am still LEARNING so much& I hope my Brain appreciates my effort. :-)

Oooops - time to go check that woodstove !
Hope you have had a wonderful day!
Love to all!
Linda

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Mom's black cotton /spandex slacks

Isn't Miss Rosie funny - I wonder if she is really saying her prayers? She is a real character who guards my sewing room . I have worked all day long & I am so bushed.Of course morning chores came first & then our breakfast, and afterwards cleaning up our mess. We humans are SO messy.

We were expecting DH's sister to show up & I had things I longed to complete , so I grabbed Honey Bear the pekingese & gave her a bath. She looked so dis-respectable . She was covered in dirt because she LOVES to go out with me & then her main joy is sliding back down the hill when we come back to the house. Sometimes just doing the hootchy-kootchy back & forth as she comes down-thus result is a belly so dirty that sometimes I cannot get it clean. But at least she smells better  & I was smart this time & locked the doggie-door before she could make a break for it - so she settled for rolling -over & over & over the floor. 

Then I moved on to the living room & slide DH across the room so I could have space to pull the furniture from one side to the middle so I could steam clean the hardwood floor. It always amazes me how beautiful it is when it is clean & it is really hard to keep clean when you have 7dogs -3 cats-& two human beings who go out in all of our mud.. I really Hate mud-but it seems that it certainly Loves us.

So , I scooted everything back & completed the other side & then everything back in place & did the center. It was so pretty that I kept the doggie-door locked for several hours today , just so I could enjoy it. LOL

Nobody had showed up yet - so I headed to my bedroom & started tearing it apart looking for a small jar I had misplaced. Of course that was when I discovered how bad the mice damage had been & it literally made me sick. They had even got in a metal cabinet & between the chewing damage & the mice droppings it was awful

It had almost got dark on me before I knew it & my back was complaining. Well, there are only two small spaces left & I hope to search them tomorrow afternoon. So I took a break & we snacked on some brownies I had made and a glass of milk. Yea, I know they are not great for our  health -but they certainly are comfort-food.I ran up & fed the stove for the second time today & that will only leave one time left tonight around 12ish.

I can tell my body is mad at me for putting it through too much today because every joint is screaming in pain. DH called his sis to see where they were & she told him that it was Saturday they were coming????????????? I knew it was too good to be true -because this would have been the first time for them to visit & I actually had things looking pretty good & a fresh pot of beans with cornbread & the brownies would have been for dessert.

My next move was to head to the sewing room & check out a project.

. HUM????????????? This is very strange - because this is a pair of slacks that I have bought the fabric from The School House & it is a piece of BLACK cotton knit with spandex . I was hoping to find out that since it has the spandex in it -maybe it will not wrinkle up all around my knees???? But as you can see - it definitely does not look BLACK to me ??????????????? Wonder how that happened?

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Emmett's grey fleece

Each day is a new adventure. I did out door chores early this morning because we had to have our vehicle at the glass shop . It was a 3 hour wait -but - I got to do a lot of reading . LOL  I enjoyed that .  I am so thrilled to have a windshield that is not broken all the way across. It is quiet handsome. LOL I think our vehicle needs some kind of BIG SHIELD sticking up to protect my poor windshield.

Then we had to "Go back to DH's doctor's office to show them that he only got 6 of his pills & he is suppose to take one pill morning & afternoon for a month & that would be hard to pull off with only 6 pills? They called the drug store & straightened that out & we picked them up on our way home after my counseling session. I really needed that because the mishap with the rock brought out some more of the Post Tramatic Stress I am dealing with. I told her that I could not stop trembling for two hours after that happened & I was disappointed in myself because I was really trying to "handle it"!

I had a happy adventure after we arrived home. Our youngest son came up with his best friend , Bronson & Bronson busted up more of the firewood  for us. Emmett brought a black trash bag full of fleece blankets that he had traded some work for the blankets. They were a 5 x7 size I think. The man he got them off of had earned them cleaning up after a tractor trailer that had wrecked . He had tried to find someone to sew two of them together to make a big blanket . He said he had given many of them away trying to find somebody who would do that for him - Yet none of them had been returned .

It did not take me but a jiffy & it had turned two into ONE Big Blanket. I sewed him 5 big blankets & he told me to keep four of the small ones. I am tickled to death because I have wanted to experiment with using a double layer of fleece to make a "warmer" jacket than just using a single piece of fleece. I am so tickled ! As you can see they are a grey in color & I love that!

I could not  help but notice that I was so happy to be able to do something useful for someone else -who also shared with me. To me that was a WIN-WIN  situation!!!!!!!!! LOL

Well, my eyes are giving me a fit - so I better say Good Nite!
Smiles - Linda

Monday, February 13, 2012

My young hero

This is our young friend , James who comes & helps cut our firewood & anything that is hard & heavy. He rides his little blue machine & travels approximately 20 mile one way.He does it entirely from the goodness of his heart. I am so grateful to him for all that he does.

While James was working with the firewood we had to go to town to go get DH's meds. I always Hate to leave while James is there - Just in case he should get  hurt.  When I had called & talked to the drug store  on Sat. they had said that we had to come up with 260.73 out of our pocket Before DH could get Any of his meds. If we could not then he could not get his meds all year long -but - they would still take our payments to the insurance company  out of his check each month? How fair does that sound to you. It sounds like a legal way to steal to me.

The only solution I could come up with was to take the money that I had been saving to get my top teeth? So, we went to the drug store & paid that fee - only to discover that NONE of his pain meds  had even been called in??????????? It just seems that nothing ever seems to work out the way it should.

We had also gone by the doctor's office & picked up his cancer meds but when we got home with them Only one of them was  in the bag & the other one that they said HAD to be taken with it were not there? See why I find myself getting lost. Now, it will require more phone calls & more trips to town with gas that we are almost out of the money to pay for that.  Sometimes I just wish I could stick my head in the sand?

I want to find something creative to do , but I look at the embroidery machine & the 45.00 that it cost to get it unlocked & then be able to only do about 75 stitches & then it gets the thread jammed up again?

I look at the serger & the Janome sewing machine & wonder how bad they hate me today?I want to work on those two black & grey tee shirts that I cut out , but I have to embroider on them first & I cannot do that .

Well that is how my day has gone .
How is life treating you today! :-) 

Sunday, February 12, 2012

Cory's b-day shirt

Today it was blue-blazing Cold - it was absolutely miserable outdoors doing chores.  I worked on making sure that everybody had some nice warn water this morning. . I carried more wood too. I started with a couple of armfuls & then I spotted DH's truck & it was just too good to pass up. I sweet-talked it into helping me. I put about half a load on the truck & backed it down to the stove.

Then I trotted in the house & fed us & cleaned up our mess just in time for the phone man to show up. He was a very nice young man who said that he & his wife had a horse farm with 60 horses of different breeds. I wondered how they kept them fed? It also made me miss my Princess-the appaloosa that I loved so much.
He  thinks he has the phones fixed. It was something that the office had done & I am suppose to call them tomorrow?
 I fixed us some broccoli quiche &  baked beans for supper , cleaned up the mess once again & headed to the sewing room, hoping it would not be like yesterday. I should have known better. I cut out a shirt for our son's birthday & used my new super dooper scissors that Jodi had given me. They are absolutely wonderful - so easy to maneuver. That part was great. The fabric I had purchased for 1.50 a yard from a little fabric store out in the country & I liked the color - a light tan. It has a little weight to it - so I think it will be ok for a tee shirt to wear with his lounge pants.

But this project turned into a 3 hour war between me & the serger & the sewing machine- they Both went nuts on me. I was so mad at them-it seemed like they were doing it for no good reason & these two I normally do not have a problem with. I ran every trouble shooter I could think of & reworked the tension a dozen times & just wanted to have a "hissy-fit". But then I remembered reading somewhere that a lady had said that she only used Maxi-thread in her serger & I had that - so I pulled it out & put it on & Yep- you guessed it  The Thread had been my problem with this project. ! Can you believe it??????

I am having a terrible time getting pictures of the shirts. They are normally large sizes & makes it hard to make them look good. This one does not have any embroidery on it like I would normally have on it thanks to that dumb embroidery machine being on the "fritz". All that trouble to get it fixed & then get maybe 75 stitches out of it before it locked up with the thread once again?

Well, at least I have a couple of gifts to celebrate Happy Birthday to our oldest son who turns 38 . :-)

Well, gotta go feed that woodstove  & all in bed. Here it is almost 3AM- see how hard it is for me to keep up .
love to All!!!!!!!!!!!

Saturday, February 11, 2012

A Day I Don't Believe for Even Me???????????

We have to settle for pictures of my shy little boy - Bandit. Was it because I did not try - NOPE!  I tried every which way I could & I Hate our phone company & our electric company. Why ? You might ask-well let me tell you a story.

It was nice this morning & I did all the chores & was quiet proud that I got it accomplished in a reasonable amount of  time. All I had to do now was feed us & be on my way to projects I was dreaming of accomplishing . After all , I had almost a full day in front of me.

I did put a load of laundry in while I was studying what to tackle next. Well - our oldest son has a birthday this coming Monday & I had hopes of getting him a shirt made out of the black & white camo fabric . I wanted to embroider him a deer or something hunting related to the front of it. I decided that a light brown deer would really stand out on the dark black shades.

In order to accomplish this goal I would have to tackle that green shirt for me -the one that got stuck on the embroidery machine when it froze up?? Yes, I have it saved in the drawer right here! My first thought was Is there ANY way that I might get lucky enough to line up the project in the hoop with this Brother PE-700II embroidery machine????? Well, I was going to give it my best shot.

I found the design & the size that I needed & downloaded it into the machine . That part worked -yea!
The next problem was that the design showed up UPSIDE DOWN!  Hum? Warning , Warning?
I worked for two hours -using every trick I could think of  - then I pulled out the manual & read everything they had written (which did not include any information on downloading designs from the computer to your machine??) Well, another hour into the problem I sweet talked that design into standing upright in the position I was aiming for -(miracle)  It has a test button to mark off where you design will be sewn & I discovered I was a little off target, which did not surprise me one little bit. I was PREPARED!

After another sweet talking session I finagled it into the right position ! (Another miracle)  I checked it on the computer & I rechecked it on the machine & I let it plunge that needle down to see what would happen?
Miracle ! This has to be too good to be true for me -it is in the perfect place where it should be. I was delirious with joy , so I hit the on button & she roared to life - ONLY _ everything in the house went off. Yep, our electricity went off!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (We are having terrible winds) I know I looked like a blown up toad frog , as my eyes bug out & my face turns blue!!!!!!!!!!!

No , he is not growing - he is Smiling - but his expression made me think of me!!!!!!!!!!
About the time I get over fit number 1 -the electricity comes back on? I don't know if this is a good thing or a bad thing but I go check & Sure Enough my hard earned design is no longer on the machine?????

Well, since I had found it once -maybe luck would be with me ? I check & find it on the computer once again -but EVERYTIME that I attempt to send it to the computer it goes back to being UPSIDE DOWN.After an hour of fighting with it I get the bright idea to pull out my flashdrive & see if I had saved a copy there? Yes, I do find the flashdrive & YES the design is on there.  So, I poke that booger into the computer & download that "puppy" onto the machine . YEA  again!

So, I work & work & thing & fuss and finally run that check to see if I am anywhere in the right position & discover that this makes the second time I have pulled  off a miracle for me. ;-)  Summoning my courage I hit that run button & heave a sigh of relief when the machine takes right off like it is suppose to -But- yep everything in the house goes off once again. (can you see the steam starting ?????)  I just cannot believe it- who in the world would ever be that cruel to me. As I hit the living room the electricity comes back on & everything roars to life -except for DH's television that he is attempting to watch an old western on. Does it come right back on - NO- it takes a half an hour to reprogram itself & now DH is not too  happy either because he misses the end of the story.  (I told him I was thinking about taking a  gun & going down to the road & shoot their transformer -maybe then someone would actually Fix something ???

of course I know what is facing me so I decide to take a break & eat an apple . I use DH's neato apple peeling tool that peels the apple & cuts it in slices -does all the work for you- only it does peel the apple - only it does not cut it into slices. (Is this a warning of some kind?????)

I decide I will put that crockpot of  lima bean soup on to heat while I go back to the dungeon(wellllll - it is starting to feel that way)

OK - back one more time & same deal all over again -another hour of time desperately hoping that things will go right this time before I do go shoot that transformer. OK -once again I get very lucky & am so happy. I actually get the eyeballs sewn on the birds I have been working on -only the white is just too pale & does not show up good-so I decide to use a brighter white . The first eyeballs start & I like what I am seeing -when all of a sudden the thread gets locked up in that take up lever & yep the thread is tied up !

Now I have written Brother & asked them IF this machine has some kind of mechanical flaw to it???? This is what they said:
Dear Brother Customer,

Thank you for taking the time to write to us.  We apologize for any
inconvenience you have experienced.

There is not a defect in this machine.  Unfortunately, especially if you
are doing a lot of embroidery, thread can break and get caught in the
thread take up lever.  This is something that can happen in any
sewing/embroidery machine.  We are sorry that the Authorized Service
Center did not find this problem when you took it to them.

In the future, we would recommend that you clean the machine often of
any excess lint and thread.  If any issues occur, please contact our
Customer Service Department at 1-877-276-8437.  The hours of operation
are Monday-Friday, 8:00am to 4:45pm CST.  Someone will be happy to try
and assist you by phone.  We also have several Authorized Service
Centers that aren't in Danville and may be new ASC locations.  Please
check the link below for up to date ASC locations:

http://www.brother-usa.com/service/

You can also send the machine in to our in-house repair group for
repair.  You just need to contact our Customer Service Department for a
Return Authorization.

Again, we apologize for the trouble you have experienced. We hope this
information will be useful to you.  If we can be of further assistance,
please let us know.

Sincerely,


Facsimile E-mail Support
Brother International Corporation, USA
faxsupp@brother.com

http://welcome.solutions.brother.com/bsc/public_s/index-usa.html

Well, time to take another break so I go check on that soup in the crockpot to see if it is hot enough to eat. I should have know better - for some reason it is just as cold as it was when I took it from the fridg.??? I wiggle the buttons just to make sure I turned it on -yes, I actually did so next I make sure it is plugged in & yes it is ?

So, I call Mr. Magic Fingers in to take a look at it. He repeats the same steps that I did & yep - it starts to heat!

So, I decide to run outdoors & complete my night chores. It is now BLUE - BLAZING COLD! It is horrible! I wrap up with double clothes & two scarves & it is still miserable. It is so cold that it takes my breath. I drop the treats to the guinea pigs & dump out everybody's almost frozen water bowls so they won't be so hard to deal with in the morning. I start up the hill to lock up the chickens & they all come running TOWARD me?? What in the world is going on - I give them grief all the way up to their house & then discover the wind has blown the tire & wooden prop that I use to keep the door open until they go to bed- shut on them & they cannot get in????????????? I prop it back open & tell them to hurry into their house. They seem very glad to do what I ask them for a change. Those little tail feathers are really whipping in the wind. As the last one enters I lock the door & step over & pick up an armful of small wood laying at their house. The wind & temperatures are really starting to hurt me now so I take off to the gate -only to be met by one lonely little hen. !!!!!!!!!!! I want to just say heck on her & head to the warn spot-but no - that would not be right . I circle back around their house & open the door & step back so she will not see me &  bang that door blows closed once again. O-Golly - Jeepers!!!!! If I were not so cold I would have a "wind-fit" . I grab it & hold onto it begging her to come on -and she finally does. She squeezes in with her flock members so their body heat will help all of them together -and I do not have to worry about something eating her.

Back to the wood stove & I put more wood in the stove & I learn a new lesson- Scarves that flop loose can get hung on the wood that you throw into the stove & almost catch fire & it is still hooked onto ME! Yipes!  O Glory Be - let me go to the house & HIDE somewhere. This bitter cold is so bad.

Yes, that dumb machine is still hung up - it did not fix itself ! I have taken the front off of it & can see the thread hung up down in there -but I cannot figure how to get to it? I do not want to break it because I would lose the chance to get to where the problem is.

Well, I guess my DS will not be getting a birthday surprise -unless - the surprise is that his Mom forgot his birthday for the first time in 39 years.

I sincerely hope that each of you have had a day like I"dreamed of" - not like the day I have lived through It feels like a whole day wasted. But , I guess that is the way that the cookie crumbles.  LOL

Friday, February 10, 2012

A Gift

A gift is something given from the heart with no expectations of anything in return.That is what I received in the mail from  my E-buddie,  all the way from Oregon~ I said we were almost as far away from each other as you could be in the good ole USA I on two opposite sides .

Her name is Jodi & she is also a pro at packaging things .I could not find one little inch free space in the little box. The bright red in the back is a toilet seat cover & I love it . I have been wanting to make some of them for a few years now.The little black square in the back is a REALLY neat potholder. Matter of fact I have never seen a heavy terry cloth potholder before . It is so nice and soft & flexible & she embroidered a cute little scarecrow .

On the left back is a pattern for a purse that you change out the covers to have you a new look for your purse without all the trouble of pulling everything out . Neat idea. The brown on the left is napkins & a checked hand towel. I saw a demonstration with a towel that looked exactly like that one & the gal had used something she called paint sticks. She painted a banner on it & made it look like a wrapped package.   They had a rubbing board with designs on it & you laid it under the front of your fabric & then rubbed the design you picked. It certainly did transform that fabric. 

She had also taken a black piece of fabric & then rubbed blue & copper flower designs on it & you would never have guessed it started out as just a plain piece of black cotton & she sewed it into an apron. The top was different from any I had seen . It made you think of a halter top but with a waist band sewed on & the bottom skirt part. 


O, check these out - aren't they just the cutest! I am thinking I see place-mats-maybe? What do you think?

The characters are so cute & they really pop from that black fabric

I am just so in love with this gift. They are some of my favorite colors  & I LOVE the way she embroidered the center insert . Up close that red pincushion looks real enough to make you want to pick it up & use it. The bobbins are so pretty too-but you know how it is -ANYTHING SEWING is a good thing~  The two green strings on the sides are to tie it up with -so basically it is a book that you can tie up. Now for the insides~

  There are pockets on both front & back of the inside of the "book" & the pages are made of heavy duty baggies~ How Neat is that! I am totally in love with it. Matter of fact I am so in love with it that I do not want to use it & get it dirty! LOL

I will definitely keep it around just to admire it for a while . It is made a lot like an idea I have been thinking about - the same basic design only shrink it down much smaller & have the plastic pages to store your flash drives in?  What do you think?

And , last but not least check out this chargeable scissors!!!!!!!!!!!! I had my doubts but I went ahead & charged it over night for the 12 hours it called for . They are manufactured by Black& Decker & I do have faith in them . I was VERY CURIOUS to get my paws on them  this morning for a "test drive" .Would you believe they work like a charm! They just purr though fabric like a knife though melted butter! I was totally amazed! They are  very light weight &  easy to handle & are  wonderful for my painful hands! Talk about a winner! 

There is no way I could ever repay her - but I can certainly appreciate her kindness & generosity  & thank her for a grand education!!!!!!!!!!!

Aren't friends just so great! 

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Debbie's shirt

What a pleasant  surprise this morning after a little rest- this shirt that I had thought I had sewn the neckband on backwards was on right  & all I had to do was adjust it on the hanger! LOL What a treat. I have also learned that it is Very difficult to photograph a XXL & up size shirts . The pictures just do not do them justice .

DH had to get up early this morning to take our youngest son to the hospital where they inserted needles into his spine& it always leaves him in so much pain-not counting the pain of the injections.

I had been outdoors almost 3 hours doing all of my morning chores & also now working with the wood stove. I had filled it full & that took most of our woodpile, except for some that our young friend , James had cut up for us. So, I knew I needed to start learning these things to be able to take care of myself. He had left his little truck on the pasture side of the fence so I went for my morning walk & came back to it. It was sitting in a hollow . I walked all around it & then walked over to the 3 different ways to get out of the hollow. Two of them scared the hogwash out of me & the last one was the one that I decided to go for , as I had to decide on ONE.

I slide in the seat & turned the key & she kinda grunted at me -as if telling me that it was too cold this morning & she just was "not in the mood" to fool with me. So, I sat there for a few minutes pondering ????????????
As I calmed myself it came to me that DH used to say IF he would just turn the key a few times that would send the juice to the fuel pump & give it a chance to spritz some fuel to the motor-so that was what I did & I got a longer grunt. I knew I should not keep cranking & run down the battery, so I sat for another minute& then remembered when I had my Nissan truck that I had to gently pat the gas ONE time. Any more & it would be flooded . SO, I did that & she finally rumbled to life. I had to sit there a few minutes because if you attempt to drive her - she will always die & you have to repeat the whole process.

So we were finally ready for our trip UP the hill & around the trees -back down into the hollow. There is one place along the hollow that scares me because it is washed out & I have to be very careful to straddle it . My last 100 feet of the journey is down into another hollow where the wood pile was located. I was too scared to go on the path that DH takes because it makes the truck tip over . I stayed in the hollow & was lucky that the wood was on both sides of the hollow . I only had to move a couple of pieces so I could get through & turn around -then I started loading the pieces that I could lift. I learned FAST that I could not lift the big logs & believe me my shoulders are letting me know about the ones that I did pick. So, I rolled the big ones around to were I could find the smaller ones . I decided any that were over 12 inches diameter I could not work with. Finally I had a truck load & I made the return trip home. My next obstacle was turning the truck around & BACKING through the gate & into position in the little shed where the stove resides. I am not a good "backer"-never have been & after not driving for 4 years I was very rusty. I went slow & PRACTICED backing using the truck mirrors.(something I have never been able to do). I would go slow & then stop & study the situation & take stock of my progress. FINALLY I had reached my destination - WITHOUT having a disaster. I was tickled.

I now know why DH always has such rough hands  when working with wood. It seemed to soak the moisture out of my hands & I even had gloves on. I bet it took me about an hour to unload the truck & take the wood in the shed & stack it for tonight. .

I came back out & it Hit me that I needed to clean out the vents on the stove  . There are 6 of them - & you take a rod & run it through them from outdoors through the stove into the fire box. .We have a new metal brush to do that with - but neither of us can push it through - so we have a homemade rod with a handle & a small pulley on the end of it that we push though - IF WE ARE LUCKY. It is HARD work. I had been heaving & begging a& pleading with it for a while when DH pulled up in the yard. I was down to my last hole & not making much progress with it, maybe because I was not POOPED!!
With his help we got it accomplished & I was tired & cold & hungry . This heat issue is going to give me trouble - I need a battle plan. Maybe I can "dream - up" a solution.

So, I feel like I have accomplished a LOT today when you include the breakfast & clean up & another load of laundry accomplished & hanging out on the clothes line.
I have got to get ready for our sewing guild meeting after while . Lynne picks me up & I  appreciate her so very much. I am glad that she does not mind driving - I am such a lucky bird to have a friend like that. :-)
Love to all
linda