Beatles Relive in Bulldog Band!

Well my projects for others are finished... now what.. I guess I go back to my doodling and practicing on my free motion but it is kind of weird to have time back to my self again. Summer is coming to a close and the older kids are going back to school. I don't expect to have as much company now that school will be in session and it seems kind of odd to have time again. It is guess it is sort of time to start working on Christmas presents, which in a way is projects for others, but it is more self directed which makes it a little bit harder than doing other projects. I have a picture of the costumes that we made for the flag line. They came out fantastic... wish I could have hung out longer and taken pictures of the girls in the costumes, but home was calling me back to take care of the others that are not in band. The theme of the year is Beatles and so the girls are dressed to look like Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club.. The music they are playing for half time show is also Beatles collection.
Last night was our first volleyball scrimage, and it was very cool to watch. This is going to be a tough season,  in learning good sportsmanship and in staying nice and not being mean since there are some pretty tough girls on the team.. I pray that Jodi keeps a good attitude and learns a lot but doesn't take away any bad habits. Tonight Jenni has a scrimage in soccer which means dinner will be a rushed event again, but I am so happy that my children have opportunity to participate in so many extra curricular activities!
I am off to keep busy.

August 14, 2011

This week has been crazy busy.. You would think that i would have time but between sports and band for the teenagers and sewing costumes with the band moms for the flag line I have been busy.. Also been taking care of the younger kids and we have company for the next week of 2 extra children from one of my friends who got to go on a cruise.. I hope they are having a great time.. But the insanity seems to be settling into a routine and if I stay up late or quilt while the baby is resting I may actually get some time to practice.. I am going to start doodling on cucumber vine. I will see if I am able to do this... I am kind of excited to try this and I have looked at some others practice, and I think that I will be able to do as well as they have. Off to sew!!

   Today I have caught up on some of the practice that Leah has put out there for us to work on... I have made some progress.. I usually draw my design with pencil so that I get an idea of where and how I am to put it down with thread and not get lost along the way.  I have included pictures to show how I am making a reference book of my samples and drawings. I am having a blast as all of this has been stretching my abilities. I don't feel that I am great at this as I have said before I am not a natural doodler but this is so outside the box for me that I could imagine ever going back to what I did before.

   I have been using Isacord thread for most of my recent projects but today all of my pictures have just 100% cotton since I had started using cotton on the quilt that is pictured before I had ever heard about Isacord. I am not having any problems with the thread breaking but I do have some problem with how thick the lines are because when I am travel stitching the lines become very thick, and I find it extremely noticeable when I go off the line. This doesn't seem to be as big of a problem when I am using Isacord. In the tree roots design I have travel stitched a lot on purpose so that I could have more practice with it as I have found travel stitching to be more difficult to keep perfect.

August 4, 2012

This is the quilt that is going to our firefighter!

Jessie at 7 months!!

up close of the star

At the fair after the judging!!
BEST OF SHOW!!

It has been a long time since my last post... I have been very busy.. School let out and the older children have been home for the summer.. I have also had two quilts that were due for the county fair.. our four H children from our club have made the two quilts that will be donated to first responders in our county to thank them for all the work that they do... Our kids in our club are very community oriented and they have done a great job.. I agreed to quilt the quilt as it was more practice for my FMQ,  but I have not had time to work on Leah's quilt alongs while I was working on the quilt for our club.. this past week was the fair.. our clubs quilt took best of show in the open class. This is exciting.. I am hoping after the fair is over that I know how they judge us and how many people were entered in the class.. I know we won.. I want to know why because I thought there were some very beautiful quilts in the show..
I also have my baby who is getting older and therefore doesn't rest as much, which means I am not able to have as much time to quilt, or keep up but, I hope to be able to keep up with some of the quilt alongs now that the fair quilts are finished.
I am so glad that Leah has posted the question about not wasting material to practice on.. I love that she has encouraged us work on quilts and improve that way.. as this is what I have been doing mostly... I have had some problem with some designs.. Like left turn right turn, this is not a design I have tried on a quilt because when I have doodled it on paper I get lost after about the third row.. so I am not ready for this... I seem to do better when I say left turn.. right turn.. but it doesn't flow easily... Leah has been encouraging us to try circuit board. I also have been slightly afraid to try circuit board, as it looks a little similar to left turn right turn and that I will get lost... I will try it but, I find it intimidating...
Thank you to Leah for all of her patience to teach us.. I know she probably doesn't know that she is being patient with us.. and I know that she probably isn't going to  know us personally but I feel a strong kinship with a person who has fabulous fun sitting on the couch with her hand work.. I also love my work like this and feel like it is great fun.. I think I am a little weird because I haven't met too many people who are like me in this respect... My mother is like this but not many of my peers.. thanks again..

It is May!!! this is a very exciting thing, Softball has started.. I have been able to walk... two days in a row and gardening... so busy pulling weeds and mowing the grass.. and sewing... I feel that a large part of my day  is spent sewing. I hope to be done with all of these extra projects soon so that I may work on some stuff just for my family. Also Jodi is in a play this weekend and Jacob has been practicing for the talent show contest... ... I have been extremely busy this last week. So busy that I couldn't even find time to write something on my post but I must get back to this as I have found this to be great for my soul..

The little boys and I are going to try and memorize 1 bible verse a week. This weeks verse is Isaiah 9:6 "For unto us a  child is born, Unto us a son is given; and the government will be upon his shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. This sounds easier than it is, as I don't find that I am all that engaging... It is something I have to work at as I would often times rather be stuck in a book or a project and to come out of my shell isn't always that easy, but that is a very selfish thing on my part and I must work hard to not hold myself so close as to hold others out...

On the book front I just finished a book called The Wolf Gift... by Anne Rice. It wasn't that good.. it was throuoghly perposterous and not that enjoyable. I made myself read the whole thing and when I was done I was like why?   So now I am reading the Hunger Games.. This is a much more engaging book that I am enjoying and having no trouble sitting down and making a huge amount of progress on. I am liking it so much that I have already put my name on the book two...Catching Fire. Also I am reading a gardening book that is enjoyable.. It is called Quarter Acre garden... How I kept the Patio, Lost the Lawn and Fed my Family for a Year! The title made me laugh and it also is something I strive for so I am enjoying it.... I love my library.. they have a little bit of something for everyone. I actually think it is the most happening place in town.

On the quilt front.. I have finished my whole cloth quilt and I gave it to my secret sister. It was great to be able to finish a project and I have enjoyed the whole process so much that I am going to make a second one that I will get to keep. I also enjoyed making the label based on a tutorial by the Fresh of the Spool blog. Thank you for your great tutorial and the great idea. I also will be busy working on Four-H quilts and so nothing of my own will get finished, but there are only so many hours in a day and my babies are more important than what I make.

Yesterday was a busy day.. doctors appointments for 3 of the 6 children.. JB isn't feeling well hopefully the medicine kicks in because if it doesn't we will need to go to the childrens' hospital for a sick visit.. Tomorrow we are having another 4-H sewing day I hope the day is very productive. So much to do .. today I am doing laundry and maybe I will get some sewing in in the spaces.

Trashy Monday!

It is Monday again and we had a very busy weekend. Jodi was asked to take out the trash and she put it in the garage. I had to tell her that it needed to go out to the barrel and she said that the garage door was shut and she couldn't do it because the door was shut. I told her she needed to open the door and then put it in the barrel. She made pretend like she was doing it and lo and behold she got up this morning and there was trash all over the garage. Such a bummer for her but apparently the dogs snuck into the garage and tore up the trash. Poor Jodi Monday stinks for her... but next time she won't leave the trash out of the barrel.

On a lighter note I finished my angel stitching for my friend. I am happy to be finished with my work. It is my first commissioned piece. It came out okay. My friend was happy with it and that is all that matters.I am happy enough with it and now I have some money to invest in my craft.  Through this work I have come to love this bible verse. God is right it is my job to Be Still and let God do his work. Thankfully I don't have to help God decide what to do.

I am so glad that we had a rainy weekend. My garden is eternally grateful and now maybe my peas will feel like popping up their little heads as they have been reluctant to do so because of how dry it has been. I am also grateful for the rain because this allowed JB to stay in the house. He hasn't been feeling the greatest this weekend but the sun can't help but enticing him to go out side to play, with the rain and cold it has been much easier to convince him to stay inside.