Rocky Road to Kansas

 I finally finished quilting my Rocky Road to Kansas quilt!!!  Sadly I've had this quilt on the frame for a long time, before my sister's wedding.  :)  I love this quilt, it is one of my favorites!

 This quilt was pieced last November and I just now finished quilting it.  LOL!  It took me a while but at least it is finished!

 Now it goes in the pile awaiting binding! 

 I'm not sure what will go on the frame next...

Here is a pic that I took last night of Richard and Mammy watching some tv.  My baby girl is growing up, she turned 12 weeks yesterday.

 The weather here is turning cold.  The other night it was down to 28 degrees.  Trying to get things ready for winter.  Most of the firewood is done, still need to add to it.  Propane is full too.  :)  Now to get some good winter tires for the Jeep.  Our weather people are calling for a harsh winter in our area.  From what I've read, I think most places are supposed to get hit hard this winter.  I'm not ready for Fall to be over, I love Fall!  :)  
Kristie

Piecing Turkey Giblets...

 More sewing today!  This pattern is called Turkey Giblets.  This is what I had done earlier today.  I have a little more if it done now.  These are not sewn together but when I do all of the points should meet up.  I did a wallhanging several years ago using this same pattern but in one piece of RED.  I loved it and wished that I had made a big quilt out of it.  So I started this one in assorted blues and I'm not really happy with it so I will finish it up as a baby quilt!  At least it will not be a UFO.  I plan on making it larger than this photo here and adding a blue border on it, quilt it and call it finished.  Hehehe! 

 I still need to piece 14 of the triangles with the white in the center and then I can assemble the top.  Hopefully I can get those pieced tomorrow. 

 I also quilted a little bit on this but then my thread broke so I stopped.  LOL! 

 If you remember the other day I posted a photo of the mess in my sewing room.  Well, one corner of it.  

 BEFORE

 AFTER

 At least it looks a little better, for now anyway.  :)  

Yesterday after school Hunter had "Safe Trick-or-Treat" at school.  Here he is in his costume before we left.  He was Uncle Si from Duck Dynasty.  He loves that show. 

 And last I will leave you with a photo of Leo and Mammy.  LOL!  See Leo's ear!  I caught him in the middle of a head shake.  :)  They had just finished romping. 

 Off to do some dishes...  :(
Kristie

I've got my mojo back! :)

Oh I'm loving my dear friend Annie!!  She doesn't have a blog but she sure is wonderful friend and quilter.  I've been in a quilting slump lately.  I know yesterday I pieced the flag potholders but I just couldn't bring myself to quilt them so I stopped.  

Today I got a small package in the mail from Annie and it was a little kit of houses to make.  Twelve tiny 3" blocks!  Nothing too overwhelming but just enough to get my mojo back.  :)  I cut all 12 out and pieced 2 of them.  As you can see on my design wall they are super tiny.  I pieced them two different ways and didn't realize that until I put them both on the wall.  That's okay because it will all be covered in the seam allowance.   

 It felt so good to sew on the tiny houses that I decided I would drag something else out.  I needed something new to get me started again.  So I got out some blue scraps and copied a pattern out of a book that I have and started paper piecing this simple block. 

 I know it looks a little odd up there alone but once they are all put together it takes on a whole different look and pattern.  It is called, "Turkey Giblets"  Years ago I made a wallhanging with this same pattern only in red.  I would like to make this one a lot bigger than the wallhanging but not sure how many blue scraps that I have.  I'll post another photo of it once I get more of it done.  

A little pick of my design wall.  It is a mess!  I still have my DWR (Metro Rings) quilt blocks up there.  Those need to be finished by Christmas so that I can give it as a gift to my sister.  You can see the flag potholder blocks along with the flag fabric backing for them.  Last but not least, the new blocks from tonight. 

 I even changed out machines tonight.  I was sewing on one of my Singers but changed it out to this, Princess Deluxe machine.  It is a Japanese Singer Clone that sews wonderful.  I just love the color of it.  This is one that I have had for a long time. 

 Last but not least....my little Mammy!  This is her last night.  She was trying to let me know it was her bedtime.  :)  She sleeps in her crate at night and I leave the door open on it but when it is her bedtime she wants me to shut the door on it.  :)  She wants to go to bed around the same time every night. 

 I guess that is all for tonight.  It is after midnight, hopefully I can go to bed in a little while.  I'm still not sleepy...
Kristie

I'm sewing!!!

 I'm sewing!!!  I haven't pieced in what seems like forever!  My quilting room is a big mess but I just pushed some stuff to the side and started cutting.  

A dear friend that we go to Church with asked me to make some potholders for her to give as gifts for Christmas.  She wants several sets in different themes or colors.  The first set is, the American Flag. 

 Just a quick and simple pattern. 

 I will get them quilted sometime today and maybe do the binding too.  
Kristie

Thanking God and Quilting...

 I promise that there are some quilting photos in this post!  LOL!  A very picture heavy post.  This is my second post today and I usually don't do that but I wanted my earlier post of my sister's wedding posted by itself as I thought she deserved her own post.  :)

Anyway....Friday we had been on the road most of the day.  That evening we took the boys by the Haunted House, Corn Maze, and shot some zombies with paintball guns.  LOL!  We had a blast with the boys.  So late that night we were on our way home and driving on a two lane blacktop road and we were all just talking and then all of a sudden Richard hits the guardrail!  It felt like it was happening in slow motion!  I was like, "hey stupid, why are we wrecking?"  LOL!  I couldn't figure it out!  :)  BTW...I love him to death but I always call him stupid, just playing around.  

We didn't have any steering at all!!  It was a little freaky!  Anyway the tie rod end fell out under the front of the Jeep!  Thank God it happened where it did.  If we had been on the 4 lane road or in a curve things would have been much different.  

We rode against the guardrail for 50-60ft before getting stopped.  As you can see it just scuffed up the plastic fenders and did not touch the metal.  Oh and busted one tiny light, nothing major. 

 We were sitting in the road with no steering, after dark and right over a small hill so it was hard to see us.  Instantly Richard had us all to get out of the Jeep and get across the guardrail so that we would be out of the way if someone hit us.  A few people passed us by but then a friend of Andrew's stopped and he works with the fire dept so he turned his truck around, turned his lights one and stopped traffic and flagged them around us. 

 My little redneck husband, that I love with all of my heart and I am so glad that he knows how to do everything.  He got underneath the Jeep and saw that the tie rod end fell out actually it was the pin.  He got back in the Jeep and found a clothes hanger with a metal top.  He broke it and used that as a pin and we drove it home!  LOL!!!!  Of course, that was just temporary so Sunday morning we had to go buy a new part and he changed it out and all is fine now!  It scared us all at first but then we realized that all was fine but Hunter cried most of the night, it scared him so bad.  I felt so sorry for him.  

While I was out there taking photos I snapped this one of my license plate.  If you have read my blog for a long time you will know that I had a precious mule so that is why I have this plate.  :)

 I promised some quilting so here it is....

 

 LOL!  Life has been so crazy for the past couple of months getting ready for the wedding so quilting was put on the back burner for a while.  This evening I did go upstairs and quilt a few passes on this quilt.  My thread broke so I just stopped.  :)  I'll work on it more tomorrow.  I love this quilt!  I actually made it for my bed but now I can't make up my mind if I am going to keep it or try to sell it.  Christmas is coming up so I could use the extra cash.  :)

Sadly this is the cleanest part of my quilt studio.  :(  I figure I will clean a little between the machine quilting and eventually get it back in order.  

Oh and a friend of mine down the road gave me some fabric that needs pressed as it was just crammed in the bag.  There are long pieces that would be great for borders but only about 18 inches wide.  I will get them pressed and put them away. 

Now on to some farm stuff...

Today Mammy turned 11 weeks old and she weighs in at 24lbs.  She is a firecracker!!!  So much energy she is hard to keep up with.  I love her so much and she has brought me such joy. 

 I have chickens but my sister has chickens and ducks.  She has so many eggs.  She sells some and gives a bunch to family.  Richard likes the duck eggs as they are extremely healthy for you.  I didn't realize that they are actually good for cancer patients too.  So she brings me this big flat of eggs up and can you see that big one in the center? 

 That thing was huge!!!  I kept thinking...poor duck!  LOL!   So I get it out to take this photo.  The big duck egg, in the center is a regular duck egg and on the right is a green chicken egg which is just a hair smaller than a regular duck egg. 

I wondered if it was double yolked like some of the chicken eggs are, but I never got to find that out as I was putting them in the refrigerator I dropped the whole flat and busted them all!!!!  :(  Do you know what a mess that 2.5 dozen eggs make in the floor????  

That is all for tonight!  I do plan on getting back to blogging regularly.  I've noticed that the comments have started to decline and I'm sorry that I have been slacking lately.  
Kristie

My Sister's Wedding....

 As most of you probably know, my sister got married a few weeks ago.  She was so beautiful.  Here are a few of my favorite photos...

This is the archway that I decorated.  Sheww....I was so nervous.  :)

 One of the bows on her cake table.  (sorry it is sideways)

 I think this is my favorite!  Ronnie broke down in tears as soon as he saw her!  He said that she was so beautiful.  :)  As you can see here he is wiping his tears. 

 My 4 year old nephew, Gabe.  As soon as he saw her dress months ago, he instantly asked, "who is going to put her slippers on?"  He thought she looked like a princess in her dress.  So that was one of his jobs, to put her "slippers" on.  :)  Can you see the smile on his face? 

 My precious brother, John.  As you can see he is very emotional.  :)  We all just love Ronnie to death but she is our baby sister.  :)

 Here I am helping her with her dress and trying so hard to hold back the tears.  We are so close that I think of her as my own daughter. 

 My precious mom, she doesn't look 60.  We love her so much.  She was so happy but also a little sad, she has had my sister home with her for 29 years.  My sister turned 29, 5 days after her wedding. 

 It was a very special day for us all.  His family are such nice people and live close by also.  Chantal and Ronnie have know each other since grade school and have been best friends for a very long time.  

It makes me so happy to see her so happy.  She is walking on air.  Ronnie fits very well into our family and we all just love him so much.  They dated for over 3 years so to us he was already part of the family.  They both just smile constantly.  :)  I love seeing that.  

This is all for this post.  I don't want to cloud her wedding post with other stuff but I do have other news to share such as quilting stuff and some family stuff.  I'll post it later...
Kristie

Morse 600 sewing machine

 I forgot to post a photo of the Morse 600 machine.  I guess I'm easily sidetracked these days.  Anyway, I picked her up a few days ago.  Cleaned, oiled, greased, and had to set the timing on her but now she sews perfectly. 

I love this machine!   The belt is rotted but as of right now it sews fine but I have ordered another belt to fit it because I know this one will break soon.  The belt only cost $2, so that's not bad considering these two machines were given to me.  

A couple of photos of my goofy dog!  She is so silly!   

 This one is my favorite!  Hunter, being the silly little boy that he is, said, "look mom, she has neck boobies!"  LOL! 

 Going tomorrow to look at another machine!  Not sure if I will get it or not yet, but it's PINK!  That's all that I know about it right now.  She doesn't even know if it works.  
Kristie

1935 New Home Sewing Machine

My new addition....1935 New Home!  

 I think I mentioned it on here a few months ago but a dear friend of mine offered me 2 sewing machines if I would just pick them up.  This was all before my sister's wedding and I was really busy but she held them for me.  Today while in town we drove on over and picked ONE of them up since that was all that we could fit in the Jeep.  I'm getting the other one tomorrow!  :)

 A photo of the decals...before cleaning!  I called Janome with the serial number and they gave me a year of 1935. 

 The manual and all of the attachments that were listed in the manual were there too!  I cleaned, oiled, greased, and adjusted and she sews wonderful!!!!

 I also canned some apple pie filling and Mt. Dew Jelly!  Andrew asked for the Mt. Dew Jelly, this was my first time making it.  I know it isn't really healthy for you but a little treat every now and then will not hurt...right?  LOL!

 Last but not least....Leo and Mammy!  Leo had her toy and she was trying to sniff it out!  LOL!  She is growing soooo fast!  When I got her she weighed 8.8lbs at 5.5wks.  She is 10wks old today and weighs 21.8 pounds!!! 

 I'll post photos of the other machine tomorrow!!!
Kristie

Apple Pie Jam

I just finished a batch of APPLE PIE JAM!  Wow!  Let me tell you this stuff is soooooo good!  LOL! 

I got the recipe from here...APPLE PIE JAM.  Tomorrow I plan on making several more batches of it!  

I also canned 7 quarts of green beans but forgot to take a photo before I put it away.  
Kristie

Post wedding update...

 I'm sitting here at almost 10pm with a lot on my mind.  I have so much to catch up on that I don't know where to start, having adult ADD sure doesn't help the matter.  LOL! 

Richard is at work and the boys are in bed.  Hunter came home from school yesterday sick.  He was home 10 minutes and vomited 4 times.  He was fevered through the night so off to the doctor this morning.  He has a virus, hopefully he will feel better soon.  

Once I get my house back in order, I will get back to quilting.  My house has not been touched for the past couple of weeks because of last minute wedding preparations.  Speaking of the wedding, I spoke to my sister and she is having a wonderful time on her honeymoon.  

Took Mammy to the vet yesterday as she turned 9 weeks old and needed her shots.  My baby is growing up!  LOL!  When I got her she weighed 8.8lbs, now at 9 weeks she weighs 18.1 pounds.  :)  He she is chewing on her favorite treat, a pig ear.  

 We got a happy surprise coming out of the vet office!  In the waiting area was her sister, Bella!  They played and played!  Bella was there getting her shots too and a checkup.  Bella lost an eye shortly after being born.  They had to surgically remove it and sew it up.  She is doing well and was very feisty!  She was so fat, she was a little smaller than Mammy but she has been through a lot in her short 9 weeks of life.  She is as sweet as can be.

 I guess I will put a load of laundry in the dryer and head to bed soon.  I was thinking earlier about quilting but I just didn't have the energy to go upstairs and clean everything up to quilt.  LOL!  Maybe in a few days.  I do have a quilt on the frame that I had just started quilting but I have to clean the frame off before I can get to it.  LOL!
Kristie

Wedding Family Photo

We all survived the wedding on Saturday!  My sister was a beautiful bride.  I'll post more photos later....

This photo shows my whole immediate family.  Mom, her 3 children and spouses, and of our children.  I think this is the only photo that has ever been taken of us all together.  (Richard and my 2 boys are on the end)  :)  I'm in the pink dress as I was her Matron of Honor.  

It all went well and of course I cried, she is my sister and I think of her as my daughter, we are so close.

We all love Ronnie, her husband he is great!  As soon as the doors opened and he saw her standing there he broke down and cried and love his heart he had tears rolling the whole ceremony.  It was precious.  He told her that she looked like a beautiful princess...
Kristie