Hopscotch finished

I completely forgot to show a picture of the finished Hopscotch quilt top.  The pieced borders tried to give me trouble at first, but once I pinned them heavily and slowed myself down I was fine with the way it turned out.  Not perfect, but it's a top.

I have a growing pile that need to be quilted.  I have to start taking them to someone.  I love hand quilting and find it very therapeutic but my life is too busy these days to hand quilt them all.  I have several tops done and will never catch up, so paying a machine quilter is in my future.   I'll just have to hand quilt the most special ones.  Have one I started hand quilting this weekend. Can't show pictures, it's for someone special.

Mama Kai Kai

TOO STINKING OLD!

I just finished basting a very special quilt for a special person, sorry no pictures at this time.  But, I do have one thing to say...I'M TOO STINKING OLD to crawl around on the floor basting a quilt!  And it's not really a big quilt, lap size.  I'm very anxious to start handquilting it.  Handquilting is very therapeutic to me and I am in dire need of some therapy these days.

This past weekend I spent in my home town with some of my family.  We did a river float on tubes and rafts.  So much fun, except the word is out about this spot and it was a bit too crowded for my liking.  Still fun and relaxing.  EXCEPT when we were in the middle of the river and I realized the bone head mistake my sister and I had made.  We were in 2 vehicles, hers and mine.  We took mine over to the get out point and drove hers back over to the get in point.  We had a couple of water tight boxes for keys and phones and stuff like that.  So, she brilliantly puts her keys in the box and tells me to just leave mine in her glove box.  Ok, so you're probably brighter than we were at the moment and realize the boneheadedness (yes that's a work in my vocabulary).  So, we're floating along and it hits me what we did.  We had no keys for the car at the get out point.  Luckily there is a shuttle and she paid a couple of bucks to get a ride to her car and all was well.  Except that this will go down in family history.  You know, one of those stories that everyone brings up at each and every family get together.  I did pretty good this time.  Last year when we went I didn't use proper sun screen and was completely blistered.  This year I reapplied every time we took a break.  Got a little burn on my back that itches like crazy, but nothing serious!

The boys are outside watching the fireworks show our city is putting on at a nearby park.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA!

I'm so proud to call this country my home!

Mama Kai Kai

Almost Done

I was supposed to go to a quilt retreat this past week with some of the most amazing friends and quilters in the universe, but family stuff got in the way and I had to cancel at the last minute.  I didn't let that stop me from sewing, though.  I probably should have saved me leave and gone back to work for the week, but went ahead and took some "me" time....although I also cooked and did you know, Mom stuff.  I had bought a kit back in January 2011 at a quilt show and it's been sitting there patiently waiting to be made.  I thought it would be a good retreat project, so I had done the preliminary cutting.  Since it was all cut out and ready I spent a good deal of time sewing it up.  The pattern is called "Hopscotch" and it's from a book called "Six Halves Make a Whole".  It's not quite done, still needs borders, but it will get there soon.

The lighting in my house is not the best so it didn't photograph well.

 On another front...The OKC Thunder are in the NBA finals. Tonight was sad as they are now down a game, but I have faith they can come back....

 As we say around here: THUNDER UP!!!

 Mama Kai Kai

Decisions Decisions

There are so many decisions to make when creating a quilt.  I have one, well, two actually, that need quilting. I plan on handquilting them.  They are alike and one will be for me and the other for a very special person in my life.  I can't show pix, even though I don't think anyone reads this, I want it to be a surprise.  They are set with alternating pieced blocks and plain blocks.  I went out today to buy batting and a stencil for the plain block.  The first shop I went to had a stencil that while not exactly what I envisioned, would work, so I bought it.  Went to another shop but they one they had in the right size was was too complicated.  Got home and did some internet shopping and now have 2 on the way.  Great, now I have to make a decision on which I want.  Should have just gone with the one I've already purchased, but ALAS, one is what I originally thought I wanted and the third is probably what I'll wind up using as it fits me and the other person to a "T".

Mama Kai Kai

OH WOW!  The bad blogger that I am, never saying a word then when I decide to come in and say something things are changed.  Maybe this time I'll really take time to sit and figure all this stuff out!

Had a wonderful day today hanging out with quilting friends.  Going from shop to shop in our area.  Stopping for lunch.  Doing lots of yacking and tons of laughing.  I sure hope we can do as we're talking about and get together at least once a month to hang out and do whatever.  I'm the only one with a regular daily job so it's hardest for me, but we're thinking we can work out at least a Saturday a month.  They've been trying to get some quilts done for another dear quilting friend who is on Hospice care.  I'm working one an embroidery block for a quilt she started.  Some of our running around today was getting stuff for her quilts.  I picked up a couple of prizes for a quilt retreat I'm going to very soon.

It's coming up (Monday) on the one year anniversary of yet another dear quilting friend's passing.  I miss her so much still.  I tend to talk to her when I'm quilting.

On the Mom Journey, second son graduated high school a few weeks ago and is a certified welder and already has his first job!  They're working him hard, too.  Oldest son is starting a new job Monday.  It's working for retail company in their warehouse, but will be able to partake of store discounts.  Mama is going to like this one!  Youngest son, will be a sophomore next year!  They are three awesome young men, but sometimes I miss their littleness.  Oldest also has a sweet girlfriend who's titled me "Mama Kai Kai" so I think that might be my signature for a while....

All for now

Mama Kai Kai

Good Intentions

I got to have a fabulous New Year's with my best cousin and on the long drive home I did a lot of thinking about a really cool blog post, and then of course, I get home and real life happens and before I know it, it's a week later and I've forgotten everything I wanted to say.

I know that I was going to say that my Adele cd made excellent travelling music. That I am always in awe that when I'm driving through NE Texas my heart and soul feel content. I don't know what it is about that area that just puts me at peace. I was going to talk about how my oldest went to Phoenix at the last minute to see the Fiesta Bowl and how my stomach was in knots worried about him the entire time, it was his first big road trip without Mom or Dad.

Right now I'm just glad I survived the last week at work. We were extremely busy and very short handed with one gal still out for surgery leave (she returns tomorrow yippee), one gal took some vacation time, and one gal had to be out due to the sudden death of her Mom. My heart still hurts for her.

Sewing........quilting...........not much of that happening lately. Had great intentions today but did some household drudgery instead. Shredded a big mass of crud. Scrubbed the 1/2 bath. Just general stuff that keeps getting put off.

Do you make New Year's resolutions? I seldom do because I break them in a couple of days. I was joking at work the last week or so of last year about how my resolution was to NOT be nice anymore. I deal with difficult customers on a daily basis and I was sick and tired of trying to be nice to them. I said I was starting early so maybe it would set in before the actual New Year. Of course I've broken it several times, but if they are nice to me, I'm nice right back, but call or come in with an attitude and you're liable to get one right back. The only other thing is I told my husband today after shredding so much stuff that has just sat around is we need to start taking care of mail and stuff the day it arrives. If it's trash, trash it, if it's something that needs shredding, shred it, bills pay them. I always let paper get the best of me. How do you handle it all and keep it organized?