Work, Work, Work...So I Can Sew, Embroidery, Crochet

I has been a few days since I posted, but I have been really busy.  Honestly, I have.

Working in the quilt/craft room.  I really need a new name...Diva Den...no, I am not a diva.  Maybe Needle Nook...not to sure about that.  Must think about that a bit more.  At any way, here are some before photos.

So much stuff.  Not sure what do with all of it.  But I figured it all out.  I even have the room divided.  Cross stitch in one corner, sewing in another corner.  Supplies stored close to each.  Just wish I could have gotten my stash closer to the sewing table, but that just couldn't work out.  For a number of reasons, the way the furniture functions (direction doors open and size) mainly, but the biggest reason is I had to put things in a certain location to make it all opposite of the way it was.  I couldn't stand to have the rocking chair in the same corner as it was when Mom was staying here.

And...drum roll please... really, it needs a drum roll in my opinion.  Here are the after photos.

This is a stained glass sign that my dad made.  It hung in there travel trailer for many years and traveled to many places with them.  My mom loved this sign, because dad made it for her.  The red horse is because Dad worked for Mobil their entire marriage.

Okay, here is the first wall.  TV entertainment center has a cabinet on the end that opens out.  It is full of my Cricut cartridges and Sizzix dies.  The other end has a glass door.  All my embroidery supplies are in there.  Floss, embellishments, machine embroidery thread, laces and trims.  The shelves have all sewing supplies, current quilt projects and such.

Computer desk, cross stitch corner.  Mom's little rocker, which does not fit me well at all. It is very small, but of course it is about 60 years old and she was much smaller than me.  I will eventually get rid of it, but at the moment it is a sentimental thing.  It was always in her home, she loved it because she rocked both her babies in it.  Lamps for better hand stitching of course, then little drawer sets have all the office stuff.  You know, markers, pens, pencils, tablets, mailing supplies, label maker and such.  The very top shelf has little bins of various specialty yarns and my Cricut cutter.

My new sewing table.  The metal file cabinet sits in the corner, out of the way but easy to get to.  It has one drawer full of recipe and menu plan files, the other drawer if full of various files that have to do with quilting, crochet, embroidery, swaps and challenges.  I also store my cutting squares and rulers in that drawer.  Now, the long curtains are to replace the closet doors.  This makes it so much easier to get in the closet.  This is where all the good stuff and bulky stuff is now housed.  Shelves that hold bins of crochet projects, fabric for garment construction, UFO quilt projects, a cool round spinning shoe and purse carrier that is perfect for holding yarn.  Small skeins fit in the shoe pockets and the one pounders fit perfectly in the center opening that is actually for the purses.  Drawers of sewing patterns, sewing supplies, another set of drawers has quilt projects, mostly block sets or flimsy type (which I believe is the term given to a top that has been completed.  My AccuQuilt Go cutter and the plastic container I bought that holds all the dies and cutting mats perfectly are also in there.  On, and my box with the dressmaker's form is in it's own spot as well.  I made the curtains yesterday, but had the wrong rod to hang them on.  The cat gets a kick out of playing with the bottoms of the curtains.  I am not sure I like the fabric though.  It looked good on the bolt, cost $2 a yard, but it reads very busy in appearance.  But they are made and hanging.

Finally, my stash.  All folded and sorted by color.  Except the top two shelves, sorted more by novelty print.  Stack for juvenile boy and for girl, older themed too.  The new Brother 770 embroidery machine sits on the little chest or cabinet.  Another piece that was my mom's.  The cabinets hold cross stitch charts and clip boards and all the college team fabric I bought while in Texas.  Both are Texas teams.

 

Now that everything is in it's own special place and cleaned up, and the curtains are made, I can get started on my most immediate quilt projects.  I need to finish some crazy quilt blocks for a challenge and a swap, then a couple of throw size quilts for my church quilt ministry's project of quilts for the orphanage we kind of sponsor.  Also am making a quilt for my youngest son's girl friend.  I will post the computer generated rendering of what that should look like.  I am starting to understand my EQ 7 software a little bit more each time I use it, so figure these charity quilts are a great learning lesson for finding and using old quilt patterns and techniques.

I did manage to get the window topper completed this evening.  Let me tell you about my other little event of the day.

Went out early, in the freezing cold weather, to Walmart to pick up the correct rod to hang the closet curtains on, a rod for the window topper, fabric for a quilt class I am taking this Saturday to match the living room/dining area/kitchen window treatments that I made several years ago.  Well I added some longer panels to the dining area windows this past summer, they are west facing so I wanted to block a little more light.  Decided to make the quilt class project match the living room and will put it on the couch.  It is a Lonestar variation. Okay, back to the point.  At any rate, I was in Walmart and had a PSVT attack.  Really bad one, lasted longer and more painful than I had ever had.  I was too embarrassed to let them call me an ambulance, so I suffered and prayed that I would not pass out in the store.  When I realized that I would have to end up going to the ER, I had to go buy a package of pads so I could have some with me.  Another stupid moment, shopping with out being prepared.  At any rate, I finished my purchase, sat down for a few minutes and then managed to get to the car.

I had to call an ambulance to pick me up from the parking lot.  SOOOOO totally embarrassing, but by that point the pain was so intense, dizziness and nausea so strong that I just didn't care any more.  Well, I had been battling the episode already for about 20 - 30 minutes before giving in and admitting I had to have some help just to get some relief.  When the EMT checked me, my heart rate was only 214.  They immediately gave me medicine to bring it down, which didn't work so followed that up with a double dose.  Understand, that this medicine, when administered, tightens the chest as if in a huge vice grip.  Off to the ER we went to make sure I wasn't having a stroke or anything else.  I have to call in the morning to have a follow up visit with my primary doctor.  I swear I think it caused a mini stroke because I am having trouble remembering some things one side of my mouth now has a bit of droop to it.

Needless to say, I didn't get anything much accomplished today.  Wasn't even able to keep the grand baby and I really feel bad about that.

Well, I am off to take a warm bath and then to bed.  Tomorrow is another day and now that I am a day behind, I really need to hit two fabric shops and a local quilt shop tomorrow to pick up some fabric that son's girlfriend picked out so that I can have it on hand to work on her quilt.  Also need a coordinating fabric for the Lonestar project to use on the insets.  The quilt is shaped kind of like a stop sign.

Thank you for stopping in for a visit, please come again soon.

Sticker Shock!

Oh my word! I thought I had sticker shock before, just with a very tiny shopping trip to JoAnn's.  Not even close to what I am still getting over from my day out yesterday.

Let me tell you.  Things have been so crazy and so hard around here lately.  Not really hard, just a little minor irritation really.  Miss Zebra has been sick, lab results came back, seems she has mono.  Nothing to do about it but let her get plenty of rest.  YEAH RIGHT!  This past weekend she had a skating performance on Friday night, band marching competition on Saturday, youth function at church on Sunday.  She is also supposed to be having softball conditioning three evenings a week.  She has been sleeping a lot, which she needs, but then she had another skating performance on Tuesday night, helped work the church alternative to Halloween on Wednesday night, band plays at home football game Friday night, then another marching competition on Saturday.  At least the skating is over, for a few weeks because then the rehearsal for the winter showcase starts up.  After Christmas break we trade band time for softball practice and games.  On top of all that, I am either just worn down and having allergy attacks, or...I have gotten her mono.  I am just worn out and today was really hard to keep up with little Mr. M.  Although, he was in a lovely mood and just wanted to sit in my lap most of the day.

Yesterday, I had my annual titty torture.  Yes, mammogram time.  You would think that they could come up with a  more pain free method.  I understand that they are important, don't dispute that.  I don't know about other women, but I am so small busted that they really have to tighten that bugger up to even catch the girls, much less capture their glory.  Ironically, after having my mammogram, visiting with my oldest daughter, I find out that last week she had a biopsy on one of her breast and is waiting for the results. I am praying that it is nothing, but as a mother I am really worried until I hear what they found out.  Back to the main point though. I was going to just make my appointment then get Mr. M from his mom.  When I called her, she thought she was going to have him all day so had planned on keeping him.  I told her to call me if she needed me to come get him and went home, took a shower, then headed out for my own little adventure.

It had been so long since I had actually visited any of the local quilt stores that I decided that is just what I would do.  OH MY WORD, has inflation hit in my absence!  Good grief.  The first shop was pretty much as I remembered it, for sure the place to go for novelty fabric, 30's repro as well.  I walked around the store looking at the sample quilts.  I wasn't supposed to, but when no one was looking I snapped a photo of a couple of the quilts.  It just irks me to no end to pay $12 for a pattern to a quilt that if you give me a few minutes and some paper I could replicate on my own.  I spent enough in the shop to make up for it.  I found the perfect fabric, has little dog bones printed on it, to go in my grand son, Mr. M's,  quilt that I am making. Well, thought I had it planned, until I went to Keepsake Quilting and found the red and black scotty dogs pre-cut. Now am thinking they would be perfect to applique to red or black larger squares and then use the other fabrics I have gathered in a four patch to go with it.  Or...the scotty in the center of a log cabin on white fabric and then the red and black fabrics one either side of the cabin.  That small amount of white would be okay. I am trying to stay away from large areas of white since this will be a quilt to be used by a little boy.  Oh...maybe applique the scotty dogs on a grey tone on tone square.  Now that's the ticket.

At any rate, as I said, I was in total shock at the prices of fabric, patterns, books and especially in shock of how proud they are of their machines.  GOOD GRIEF! One machine was $10,000. dollars and she thought it as a great price.  I mean come on, I just want to play around at home, not go in to business.  I wouldn't even know how to go in to business, nor do I have time.  The store did have two sample quilts that I think it would be worth the price to take because I really love the quilts.  Besides, it seems that if I take the class then I usually complete the quilt.  My only hold back to taking any classes is the timing.  I was planning on holding off until after Christmas to start anything new, actually until after the first of the year, but will see how that works out.

This is called a Swoon Block.  I did not make this block.  But it is very similar to one of the quilt's I just fell in love with.  Imagine the corner checked fabric to be white as well and the other print fabrics were done in 30's fabric, then it will look like the sample quilt. If I can figure out how to get the photos off my phone I will post them.  The other class sample quilt is really quite simple, it is done in batiks, rectangles, with one corner done in a snowball fashion with WOW fabric.  Then, that white corner is placed in such a way to make a pattern.  I love scrappy quilts, but I guess I am more a planned scrappy type, having to have a definite pattern to the end look.  One other quilt sample caught my eye.

The shop is called Strawberry Patch and they will do this as a block of the month, which is already sold out. You can see more about it on their Pinterest site. The quilt is called Sugar Kisses, I linked it to there site.  The photos do not do it justice, the colors are so much brighter in person.  I normally stay away from applique quilts, but this one just hooked me.  I am thinking maybe if I make it, a little girl will show up in the family in the future that I can spoil with it.  Actually, been thinking about making up some little feminine finery to stash away...just in case.  I mean, my youngest daughter, Miss Zebra, will only be 16 next month.  It better be quite a few years yet before I get grand kids from that one.  This shop also makes samples of children's clothes, mostly girl stuff, but they had a little set made up for a toddler boy that I just couldn't quit looking at.  Really simple, camp shirt and shorts, but the fabric they used had all these little camping trailers printed all over it.  I wanted some of the fabric, already had a pattern (okay, a few patterns) for simple little button down shirts.  Naturally, they were out of the fabric.  I asked the owner if she knew what company made the fabric, was going to see if I could find some on the internet, so she went to the sample (where I and a clerk has been looking it over like crazy) and picks up a kit for it.  Good grief, $24, for the kit, but it does come with the pattern.  Yep, I bought it for the fabric.  Of course, $12 of that was the pattern.  But...I am pretty sure that I can actually get two shirts out if using the scraps with a solid, or maybe using the scraps to make a little pocket on the shorts.  My daughter in law saw it and said, "the campers are perfect for the family reunion."  Great, now I have to wait until summer to make it so it will still fit. LOL  Oh well, little does she know that little Mr. M is getting a whole little wardrobe for Christmas, handmade that is, with some Dallas Cowboy fabric.  Guess I might have to make a Packer item too, since his mom (and her family) root for them.

So, on to the next quilt store I went.  They have a totally different look to their fabrics, but offer a lot more in the way of patterns.  I love looking at their sample quilts as well, they just don't label them as well so usually have to ask about the ones you like.  Which they may do on purpose.  At any rate, this is the quilt store that has all the AccuQuilt products and where I can rent out their studio AccuQuilt at a nominal fee.  One of my groups is planning a strip exchange, but has to be cut using the AccuQuilt.  I was actually planning on buying that die, but then decided I would just take my fabric and go down there and use their big one.  That particular die really needs the larger cutter anyway.  I will be taking a class there in February.  A lone star quilt.  I love those quilts, just never wanted to tackle cutting all those diamonds.  Then, seeing that the AccuQuilt has a die for that, I got the bug again.  I even bought the Eleanor Burns book, the quilt in a day series, for the lone star.  Just never got brave enough.  This class uses the strip cut method and a special ruler.  I just can't wait to make that one.  Going to use bright red, blue and yellows in it.  While I was there, I found a pattern for a cut quilt that uses 2-1/2 inch strips to make trees. At the check out, I came across the $3 basket and picket up a few patterns from there along with some pre-cut fabric.   Apparently it was a kit that was caught wrong, so she just bagged it up to sell in the clearance basket.  Well, I found out pretty quick, I couldn't even come close to buying the fabrics in that kit for that price.  There is a focus fabric, pretty good size piece, and then two coordinating solids to go with it.  I will be able to use it somewhere.

Needing to eat and take a bathroom break by this point, I headed to the house.  On the way to the house, the thought popped in my head of JoAnn's so headed there, since it is on the way to the house.  The night before, while looking at my last quilt magazines in the bathroom, waiting for the bath to cool off a bit, it struck me that the last time I bought any quilt related magazines was in 2011.  Almost a year old.  You guessed it, I forked out a small fortune.  While looking over the selection, catching my breath at the prices of those magazines, I get a call that youngest daughter, Miss Zebra, is sick and needs to come home.  Paying out I head off to the school, pick up some lunch (to go now, since I couldn't go sit down some where) and finally get home to find a package sitting on my front porch.  I was so excited.  Of course...I knew it was my Quilt Design Wizard software, I had gotten a text while shopping that it had been delivered. Technology, got a love it. Now to find time to play with it and see if I can learn how to work it.  I really want to learn EQ 7, but for the money I feel this a good place to begin.  It is made by the same company.

Now...to get this house cleaned up, the rest of my fabric out of storage and put away (hopefully finding all my blocks and charms) and I can start playing.  I know that some where I have a ton of charms.  I had gotten to where when ever I had scraps from quilts that I would go ahead and cut them in to the largest pieces I could on down.  I would start with WOF strips, then squares.  I especially collect 5" squares called nickel charms.  Have two books for nickel quilts.  I used to keep every little scrap, but toward the end had taken the attitude of anything smaller than 2-1/2 inches is tossed.  Unless of course it is long enough to use in a strip quilt.  Don't really like them, but is a good way to use up scraps and good to use for lap, isolet and other charity quilts.  Am wondering what my "tightwad, not waste a bit, use it completely mind" is going to do when it encounters the scrapage from using the AccuQuilt cutter.

Oh, and speaking of cutters, I came across a blog of a lady that posted all about using her Sizzix to cut squares and hexagons.  Said that when ever she makes a quilt or such, the scraps hit a basket full of all the left overs.  She would then grab her Sizzix and the basket and would settle in a chair of an evening and just crank them out while watching TV.  I can so TOTALLY relate to that.  Not the Sizzix, although I am going to check and see what they have since I have the Big Shot, but the cutting the scraps in to usable scraps.  That is why I know that I don't want anything smaller than a 2-1/2 inch square.  I tried a postage stamp quilt, which uses one inch finished squares, just can't take it.  Those pieces are just too small to work with.  I do have a list I am working on of more dies to get, if I find I like working with it.  Now, to just have it arrive.

Well, thanks for stopping in.  Over the week end I will see if I can get some more photos posted. For now, I am headed to soak in the tub and head to bed.  Hubby is off tomorrow, am hoping he will be busy with his building project and won't be under foot too much.  Come back and seem me soon. Feel free to leave a comment for me.

Got the bug!

It's official, I have the bug.  The quilting craft bug that is.

This was the last project I did.  My youngest grand son, Mr. M, was born 7 weeks early, weighing in at around 3.5 pounds.  I made this small quilt to cover his isolet in the hospital.  He is now over a year old.

Ain't he a cute thing?  I have fun with him, since I am daycare for him.  My oldest two grandsons live in Texas and I only see them about once a year.  That is hard, but that is how it has to be.

Before that, I made these.

The quilt set was a baby gift, although as I look at it am pretty sure that the sweater did not fit.  It seemed a little small when I made it, but I went with it any way.  The casserole carrier was a wedding gift.  I made the little pot holders out of the fabric that was cut out to make the handles area.

Now however, I am so ready to get working on some projects from my UFO list.

If you have been  following my blog, you already know that I have been on a long break from any crafting.  I used to have a corner of our bedroom for sewing. Then I was foolish and took a job outside the home, worked there for three years before resigning due to health issues.  Sadly, I don't qualify for any type of disability yet cannot go back to work.  I only went to work in the first place to earn work credits so I could draw my social security. Seems that even though I put in a fair amount of money over the years I worked before kids, I cannot draw any of it because I am lacking in the work credits.  Now I will never be able to get it.  Yes, I can draw on my husband, but darn it I paid that money in and should be able to get it.  At any rate, thought I would be working longer so packed up most of my quilting supplies since I didn't have time to work on anything.  Of course, when my dad passed away in 2003, I just kind of lost interest in any of it any way.  He was my biggest fan and with out him it just wasn't the same.  At any rate, I thought that I might like to start up scrapbooking.  So, I would take my check and buy all kinds of gizmos and gadgets for scrapbooking and lots of supplies in general for paper crafts.  Thinking I was preparing for my eventual retirement and would then have it all to work with when I no longer worked.  Only problem, I don't really like scrapbooking and it would seem that I am allergic to paper, well wood or wood products actually, and break out when ever I work with the papers.  I do however love to make cards, so guess the investment wasn't for nothing, except for a ton of rubber stamps I will never use.

Having all these supplies was a storage problem as you can well relate.  So...when youngest son moved in with a friend of his, I promptly repainted his room, moved my youngest daughter in to his room and then repainted her room and took it over.  Hubby calls it "the cave", I have tried to figure out a name for it.  Craft Cave, Sewing Studio, Diva Den, and so forth, but when I am talking to the family it just always comes out as "my room".  Sounds like I don't sleep with my husband, so don't like that part of it, so now it has just become the "spare room".  At any rate, I settled in and was actually doing quite a bit of work in there.

This is one of the ATC (Artist Trading Card) that I did with paper.  They are the size of a business card.

And of  course, I did some with fabric.  These are crazy quilt style.

I made card for various occasions, various techniques.

Then, I just got bored with all of it.  I did find that I really love the embossing part of the paper craft hobby.  Both texture embossing and ink embossing with heat.  The positive side, I know what I like to do.  The negative side, I have way too many supplies.  The really neat thing about it, most of my supplies can cross over so to speak.  In other words, a lot of my embellishments and ribbons for paper crafts can be used for crazy quilting and embroidery.  Some of the paper cutting equipment, the Cricut and Sizzix (die cutter) and be used for cutting quilting shapes.  And of course, I have bought more gizmos lately, for quilting my first love.

Back to the point, I had just really gotten settled in good when my mom become ill.  Soon as we found out she was terminal I packed it all up, put it in storage and turned it in to a bedroom for her to live here with us. I had a huge, I mean HUGE desk that I got spoiled to, that I got rid of when we did the change over.  I am so missing it, but there just wasn't any where to put it.  When mom passed away, we put in new carpet and I moved my supplies all back in, but I have kept some of her furniture from her little apartment.  Also bought a new sewing cabinet that has a built in cutting grid.  SO COOL!

If you want to take a peek, go to this post.  It shows the room how it is now. There are still a few changes I am going to make.  We are actually in the process of doing some remodel work on the house.  It has to go in a certain order, to make storing furniture easier, but the recliner was my mom's, I don't really like it and it is too big for this room, so am moving it in to the living room when I change out the furniture in there.  Long story for another time. I will be moving my mom's sewing machine cabinet (Kenmore model 90 machine inside it) in to our bedroom.  I should get rid of it, even though it sews wonderfully I know I will never use it. I do have loving sentimental attachments to it though.  However, this space where it is, I really need to move a small desk in here so that I have a place to write, go over bills, write out the menu plans and such so I need to get the PC and printer in here so I can easily scan and print from this room.  I also want to purchase a smaller chair and ottoman that has a pouch on each side to hold magazines, remotes and such, for in here when I move the recliner out.

So, here we are.  I am so ready to start working on projects once again.  That was a really long story to just say that when I was unpacking my supplies and stash, which I still haven't gotten all of it unpacked, just the part my hubby knows about. LOL  Any way, I found many unfinished projects, all in various stages.  Quilting, sewing garments, machine embroidery, crocheting and of course some paper crafts.  I have a good year or more worth of work, so can't possibly start anything new.  Except for some Christmas gifts.  Maybe a swap or two...okay, I will wait until after Christmas to get involved in any of that.  Maybe.

Well, thank you for stopping by.  Feel free to leave a comment, it is always nice to know some one is reading this.  Come back for a visit to see how I am doing with my crafting and what I am working on.

Now that all the family visitors have come and gone, I guess I am having a day of feeling blue.  We did so much while they were here, it really shouldn't be a surprise to feel a sudden let down, kind of like after the holidays.

First, we pick them up from the airport on a Saturday.  Went to Hearst Castle on Sunday. WHAT A TOTAL DISAPPOINTMENT.  Back in 2003 (may have have been a couple of years later) my mom and oldest daughter came for Christmas and we went there.  The weather that day was just awful, raining all day long and cold. We saw the great rooms, a couple of bedrooms, went to one of the cottages, then back to the  castle.  It was decked out for Christmas.  THIS time however...I made reservations for what I thought was the same tour.  It was not.  We got to see three great rooms and a home movie in the castle's movie room.  THAT WAS IT!  While I truly admire the craftsmanship that went in to the furnishings, I was disappointed that we paid that much money and saw THREE rooms.  Just wasn't right in my opinion.  No one in the group honestly was pleased with the tour either. The only saving grace of the whole day was we had a nice lunch on the water at Morro Bay.

Monday we drove up to the Trail of 100 Giants.  A grove of sequoia trees that are near by where we live.  Now that day was a true pleasure. Beautiful weather, walking among pure nature, just felt the presence of our Lord that day as we walked along the pathways. Little Mr. M went with us, he was such a joy to watch as he explored the world around him.  He just started walking a few weeks ago and is really starting to get around quite well.

Tuesday we just hung out around the house. It was a hard day for me, it was my mom's birthday.  She would have been 86.  I miss her terribly.  We went out to eat Mexican food, just happened that it was at the same restaurant which was the last place we took mom and...we were even seated at the same table as we did with mom.

Wednesday we drove my in laws over to the coast. My mother-in-law's older sister lives there and they are staying a few days with her before returning home.  Big surprise there, hubby offered to take Miss Zebra and I to the outlet mall. Oh and we spent HUGE, a $9 blouse for Miss Zebra.

I have been on a little bit of a spending spree lately though, I have to admit.  I purchased an AccuQuilt Go.  It is a cutter system that uses die cuts for cutting fabric for quilting.

I have wanted one for a long time, but had always thought that I could probably do the same thing with my Sizzix Big Shot which is for scrapbooking.  Had read blogs where several people had done just that.  Went to the Sizzix web sight and saw that they have even come out with a line of quilt related dies.  Well, I started doing a little research and found out that while I might be able to work it out that way, the AccuQuilt system is specially designed and sized for what quilter's need.  Not trying to make a scrapbook page cutout work on a quilt. I found out from a great number of sources that the two are quite different.  Then I asked for some feed back from a couple of my quilting groups.  I also went to the local quilt shop and talked to the owner about the system and found out that they have the huge cutter and rent out use of it (in there shop of course) for a nominal fee per hour.  Now depending on the fabric, depending on the die, you can expect to cut through six layers of fabric at a time at least.  For the size quilts I make, that is the same as cutting out a row at a time. I had mentioned to the shop owner that I had a friend that told me she would sell me hers and she told me if I had the money I should jump on it.  I had Mr. M with me, so the owner, who was being so nice and helpful, knew that I didn't have a lot of time to work on my quilting with him under foot.  She told me that if she didn't own the shop and have the industrial cutter available to her she would absolutely invest in the smaller one.  Now, there is a smaller one called an AccuQuilt Baby, but I learned my lesson when buying my Cricut that I wanted the bigger home size, the AccuQuilt Go.  So...I made a deal with my friend.  She also has a lot of the dies, but I am only buying a couple of basic ones from her.  Once I learn what I will use the most, rather what sizes I like to use the most, then I will invest in some more.  I know that some of the more specialty dies, like the rag quilt blocks, that I would only occasionally make, I will just go down to the shop and rent out their equipment.  However, that being said, considering my time constraints with Mr. M (which I wouldn't trade for anything) I am placing an order for a couple of the dies that I know I will use a lot and know that it would be a HUGE benefit to have sitting in my own room, ready to use at any time or take along on a trip.  Oh yeah, I can just see that this would be something I would take on a camping trip to do a lot of cutting at a time. One of those is a 2.5 (a 2 inch finished) inch square multiple.  Cuts 9 squares at a time. Since most of my quilts tend to built around 2.5 inch strips this will be an enormous help for me. I am truly math challenged, so will have to figure out what size triangles will go with what before I order those.  The other dies I want for at home are shape related.  Sunbonnet Sue is for sure one I am ordering.  Maybe Sam as well.  I get absolutely giddy thinking about being able to layer 6 fabrics and cut one time and have the Sun Sue pieces in one crank of the handle.  Mix and match for different outfits and looks.  OH SO MUCH EXCITEMENT.  Now to wait for them to arrive.

Yeah I know, simple minds have simple pleasures.

Another addition to the craft room is a new embroidery machine.  I love my Brother machines, so I stuck to that brand.  I bought a new PE770.

I already have embroidery machines (yes plural) and I love to play with them.  I have gathered tons of designs that fit them.  The one draw back to them...a 4 x 4 inch embroidery field.  Which means that most of the designs are only about 3.5 x 3.5 or less.  There have been several times that I have had to adjust the hoop several times and hope that I was lining up with the previous stitching in order to get a larger letter or such.  This new machine has a 5 x 7 inch design field.  While to those who aren't familiar with embroidery machines will think that the size difference isn't that much, believe me, it is HUGE.  By the way, I have purchased my machines through Walmart and I would highly recommend buying an embroidery machine if at all possible.  Now, there are a couple of things you do have to keep in mind when you decide to buy one.  My first embroidery machine was the PE 150.  It came pre-loaded with a lot of designs and like three fonts. In order to get more designs you had to buy design cards, which were so expensive I honestly didn't do much with the machine.  Then a friend of mine liked my machine so much that she bought one, but her and her husband were smart enough to research it and bought the Amazing Magic Box.  She was kind enough to explain it to me, since I was so jealous of all the projects she was doing.  Then, Brother came out with a combination machine. A Brother SE 270D (sewing/embroidery Disney). Hubby bought this one for me so I could take my projects traveling with us but only take one machine.  It came with a Disney card.  You have to have a card, like a miniature floppy disk or giant memory card for a camera, to put additional designs on your machine.  You can buy the cards already with designs on them, which is as I said expensive.  That is where the Magic Box comes in.  A blank design card is inserted in to the box, the box hooks up to your computer, you can then load a design on to the card. As long as it is in PES formatted language, and the design in smaller than 4 x 4 inches. So, to recap, you have your sewing machine, the computer, the box that all have to be used.  That is why I am so excited about my new Brother 770.  The larger design field, and a USB port that can read a memory stick drive.  Cuts the computer and box out of the process.  Well, you still need to have a computer to download designs on or to read design CD's, but once you have saved those designs on to a stick drive, just plug it in to the machine.  In other words, the computer doesn't have to be right next to the sewing machine.  The next step up would be a machine in the professional line, which means big $$. While I would love to have one of the professional machines that have several colors and several needles going at the same time, unless I opened up a business I just can't justify it.  I remember back in the 90's when the home embroidery machines first came out, my mom's friend spent around $3,500.00 for her set up.  She put names and flowers on some bibs, some names on vest, that's is it.  Thankfully, Brother has a very affordable version for most hobby use. I am so ready to get on that new machine and do something, just to see if the thing actually works.  The reviews for the most part were really great.  A few had tension issues, but that is why I picked Walmart, easy to return if there is a problem.

On to other topics.

Menu planning has once again become non-existent around here.  With the family visiting, we have eaten out almost every night, some times several times a day, and spent a boat load of money in the process.  I will certainly be glad to have that part of life settle down a bit.  I am in a mood to do some OAMC, or cooking for the freezer, just don't have any room in the freezer at the moment.  I plan to start using up what I have to get some room and to start getting back on track as far as that aspect of homemaking is concerned.

I received a wonderful surprise in the mail today.  A member of one of my crochet groups sent me some wonderful purple and yellow blocks.  They had been on my wish list to put together for my daughter an afghan, those are her school colors.  I have been so ready to start on some sort of project. I think if I can't do something soon I will go mad.  My crochet projects have been packed away since mom first got sick and I would take them with me to the doctor's office with her.  Just have not been able to really look at them too much yet.

I promised myself that I would not work on anything until I got this house back in order.  That is proving to be a bit difficult now that Mr. M has started walking, he just isn't happy to be confined any more not that he has had that taste of freedom. Tomorrow night, I am going to a concert.  The artist name is Rudy Parris, he is currently on The Voice, and is competing on Blake Shelton's team.  He is a local actually, but I am really looking forward to going out with a girl friend.  Then Saturday I will work on the house when I don't have the little guy under foot.  Hopefully, Sunday will be open for a pedicure and some much needed craft time.

I am trying to figure out how to add to my blog a project tracker or such to show what I have to finish and what I have finished.  You know, quilts, afghans and such.  Machine embroidery of course.

Well, this post has gotten long winded for sure.  Thanks for stopping by to visit.  I am heading to bed.  Please come back to visit often.