Ever seen a wooly bee?

On the 3rd MONDAY each month a group of 20 or so of us have become Wooly Bees in our Wooly Bee Hive!
We are having such fun learning or rediscovering or some continuing wool crafting.



Jan worked hard to provide some wonderful packets of patterns printed on freezer paper, color copies and layouts of our patterns. Most of us are working on a Spargo pattern and a few other wonderful projects.

Our first meeting, held at Jan's, showed us we need a larger location where we can spread out and work under good lighting and so we are meeting at the Stitching Barn by Picket Fence Quilt Shop for 3 hours. It goes by too fast, though.
Jan has also been spinning wool... wool thread onto bobbins and we're purchasing bobbins of each color. Plus the wool from Sue and Las Colchas was available to purchase.
Vivia and Jan had some nice pieces for sale and Linda (me) had a tub full of wool scraps from our ropa excusion to share.
We had a fun show and share of the black bird project that Vivia taught us last month and other projects that others had to share.
And then, the two who had their first project block glue down and ready to stitch.... MiBelia and Sylvia! Congrats, Girls! Good work. Jan has challenged us to each have our first block at least glued down and ready to show at Guild for June (2nd Monday).
I don't know about anyone else, but I can't wait until next Wooly Bee... we'll have another mini project for you to consider! and... Thank you, Jan, for the little goody bags you provided. How wonderful! See ya' soon!

March winds blew the month by too quickly...

It's almost April and Easter! I've been way too busy, coming and going. Allen's mom moved in with us for a season. She had mold in her house and had to move out and has had it mostly fixed and on the market to sell. She's put a downpayment on a park model home and wants to live out at the park Michael lives at. It's probably been a good thing she was here. Maybe some restoration has taken place. Relationships have been distant and that's not what we wanted. We started cutting out carbs after 4pm so no more evening sandwiches. Plus we're trying to have more balanced full meals for breakfast and lunch.... I seem to be preparing food all the time. I went several weeks without being able to touch my sewing machine, but this weekend I've been able to work on the Frontera quilt guild's Nesting Robin. I got all the pieces done and just need to assemble the rows and it will be ready for next month's part. I need to get back to Mr. White's quilt (my first real commissioned quilt). He is in no hurry and it's a good thing with all the distraction I've had.

She's so much FUN !!!

This little girl makes her Grammy so happy! I have so much fun with her. She laughs and plays and bounces and just almost crawls, but never stay still. Pa-Paw is pretty enthused with her, too! Betsy is his little sweetheart.

This blessed me...

www.thesimplewife.typepad.com
Having a good attitude makes living simply—or living at all—that much
easier. When we choose to do something and have a good attitude in the
process it’s easier to persevere through any challenges that arise.
Why do you want to live simply? Are you excited about the prospect of
learning to say no, adding balance to your life, finding and preserving some
empty space on your calendar? Choosing to live simply can be an exciting
adventure or a journey you’d rather not take—it’s all in your attitude.
So as you get up each morning, take some time to think about your
attitude for the day. Will it be good or bad? Will you choose to complain
about what you don’t have, or to be grateful for the gifts God has given you?
Make up your mind as the day begins. The choice is up to you.
“This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm
118:24

Do blondes have more fun?

Two on my list of favorite people have decided to try it out! Well, actually, Judy knows it's more fun to be blonde, but she took it one step further to platinum! WOW! There's an actress she reminds me of... I can't think of her name! Can you?

And then there's my Betsy!... she is so cute in Aunt Mamie's blonde wig. She didn't even seem to mind wearing it....we're in trou-ble!

Key Lime Meringue Pie... to die for!

It was the best key lime meringue pie I've EVER eaten! Erin watch Ina Garten on TV and decided to make her pie. She pulled out my old Betty Crocker cookbook and started to work. The only thing I did was stir the custard mixture on the stove when she needed to prepare the egg yolks and I pulled stuff out of the oven so she didn't get burned on our "Left-handed Amazon Queen" oven. The pie crust I taught her that someone sent me as a empanada dough recipe was absolutely perfect and she put it in the tart pan and rolled the rolling pin over to trim it...perfectly. The custard was so good... tart and sweet that tingles the back of your throat, but not so tart you can't unpucker. She was going to wig out on the meringue... because we're not big meringue eaters, but I suggested she go ahead and do it for the experience. Well, it couldn't have gotten any better. Some of the meringues I've had are too eggy and under done. This was a light marshmallowy cloud that she just browned on the peaks. I'm embarrassed to say how quickly it left my plate. I wanted more... I resisted. Right now there is more pie in the fridge and it's late... no one would know... Okay, I'm going to bed now! LOl It's going to be hard to lose weight with a pastry chef in the house.

Purses and patterns

I am having a fun time with my embroidery machine. It takes a little more of me time changing things out and adding applique pieces, zippers, etc, but these in the hoop designs are so much fun. I've bought some patterns and am learning to design my own patterns, like the owl coin purse in the pic. I've also designed my own pocket tissue holder and needle book, plus some applique and lace bracelets. I'm hooked!

Quilt tops I want to finish in the year... 2010

Picture 1 is me holding the retreat project from 2007. Peg Dunayer taught this class. She's great! Picture 2 is an applique butterfly quilt I stared maybe 3 years ago or more. It's all put together now, but needs a border and quilted. Picture 3 is the mystery from Retreat 08. I love the fall colors. I put a temporary backing on it to hang it in the museum for our guild show, but it's time to take it off and quilt it for real. Picture 4 is the Puzzler that we did at Sassy Seamers Bee in 2007, I think. Picture 5 is Gingerbread Joy that we started the beginning of 2008 and I finished it in December, 09. Joy comes in the Morning!

Plus, I have a Rooster Quilt that is ready to quilt, a sampler that just needs a block or two and will be ready to put together and quilt, and a bunch of crazy quilt blocks that I want to put together, but I haven't figure out the layout for it yet (can someone say backburner?).

Come on, now. I got a quilting machine 8 months ago and I've still got all of these and some charity quilts to get quilted. That's my goal for this year... besides all the projects I'll start! I still have a mystery from a class Jan taught to finish... barely started it. And of course that will go on my ... gotta get it quilted list, too. Plus... we're starting a new BOM in Sassy Seamers that I'm anxious to work on. 2010 is going to be SEW busy!

Been Too Long...

Since last post....

Finished up my UFO project, "Joy Comes in the Morning", the Gingerbread Joy pattern and other quilting and sewing projects.
















Worked with Christy for our church craft sale doing lots of machine embroidery designs to display with Christy's beautiful jewelry creations.









Helped Erin with AWANA projects, like her Thanksgiving costume. She was a pecan pie, including whipped cream on top!
Spent as much time as possible with Betsy Bear... wonderful!

Finished up homeschool co-op with Drama and Cake Decorating for Erin. Lots of fun!

Had wonderful planned visit from my brother, Charlie, and surprise visit at the same time from brother, Jim and Gail. It was an awesome visit and made me so happy!

Worked with our dear friends, Paul and Debbie, with the Love and Respect marriage class. We love working with them and enjoy the time with all the couples.

Lots of Christmas activities and enjoying family times.

Homeschooling, cooking, cleaning, crafting, enjoying my life.