Deadline Among Us

Although, Spring is my favorite season, Autumn follows a very close second. I love the cooling of the temperature. I love jacket weather.
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But most of all, I love the color change the tree demonstrate this time of year. I have lived in California and Florida, which are both known for their favorable weather, but neither can compare to the beauty that we have here in Indiana this time of the year.

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After school yesterday, my sons and I drove around town to take some photographs of the colors outside. I'm feeling a bit of urgency because all the leaves may disappear the next morning, if we should have some sort of wind storm come through during the night.

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Just recently, I have come across some interesting information about trees and their colors.

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During the spring and the summer, the function of the leaves is to collect sunlight with their chlorophyl, which is the color green we all see. During autumn, as the temperature drops, chlorophyl production also drops because the tree will soon become dormant when winter's snow and ice arrive. As the green chlorophyl diminishes, we see the true color of the leaves: the yellows, oranges, reds, occasional purples and peaches.

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It seems a little unfair that the Lord only allows us the enjoy all these beautiful colors for such a short period of time! It feels as if there is a hidden deadline. We are never sure when autumn will end and the winter weather will unofficially arrive.

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And speaking of deadlines, me and my boys have just successfully met a deadline. At my husband's work, they produce a safety calendar, that they pass out to their employees, using their children's artwork. Specific categories are specified for each age group - such as "slip and fall safety" or "poison/chemical safety." They have done this each year that my husband has worked there and my sons have participated each year.

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We are usually given a good month before the deadline to work on their drawings. But this year, my dear husband had brought the entry forms home this last Tuesday. And just guess the deadline, they needed to be turned in by the following Friday! That's just 4 days! (he says that he must have missed the memo announcing the contest and brought the forms home when he found out) And combine it with school, homework, dinner and showers, there isn't much time left over. In the short amount of time, we did finish them on time but I had to help them a little bit. I'm hoping that it isn't too noticeable that Mommy had to helped them this year. I'm going to keep my fingers crossed. The expression on their faces when they win is just priceless!

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Next, I'm planning on working on a lab coat for my son's Einstein costume. I'm hoping that it won't too much time, it look simple enough. Will have photos of that once it's done.

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Jane

Another Applique Quilt

A while back, I was browsing through some quilting blogs and I located this beautiful quilt - Reminiscence designed by Lydia Quigley. I fell in love with it and it wasn't long after that I had the pattern home with me!

A close-up of the sampler blocks. Not sure what I like better, the block style itself or the color scheme that was used??

My older son will be starting basketball practice next week and I had thought that some applique would be perfect to take with me - if I should decide to sit in during his practice.

Block 11 almost done.

Still need to baste Block 3.

I am using some of Nancy Halvorsen's fabric that I had left over from another quilt top. I still don't have enough of the greens and tan/browns, so I see another visit to the quilts shop in my future.

I didn't know it at the time, but this same quilt was at the at the 2009 AQS Quilt Show and Competition in Paducah, Kentucky and it was featured as a second place winner in the magazine.

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See, I'm not the only one who fell for this quilt! ; )

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Jane

Crochet

I had intended to just crochet a small sample and look what happened...

I purchased some new yarn (since there wasn't enough of the white) and started again. I just couldn't stop! I had finished this scarf in just two days! I know that it's a very simple pattern but I was so surprised on how quickly it came back to me.

I need to thank Rebecca for helping me, though. She is a crocheting WHIZ! I may know the very basics, I still don't know how to connect the yarn from one skein to the beginning to another or what do you do with the tail once you are done?? She had shown me what to do so that I was able to finish my scarf. And now, I will be visiting Jo-Ann Fabrics soon to purchase some more yarn to make a hooded scarf next time. I'll probably be visiting Rebecca some more!

Crocheting would be a great distraction from those times when I get into a quilting block. I can start on a crocheting project. They seem to go pretty quickly - perhaps I won't have to many UFO's. Or I may have to designate another part of my house for my new yarn stash. Just what I need! More stuff!!

Jane

Stash Buster Project

I have come up with an idea...it may be an outrageous idea, but I'm going to give it a try. I'm hoping that it may end up with a small cash profit, if not, it'll help expel some of my creativity. I'm not going to tell you too much until I know that it will work.

Now, the project isn't crocheting, but just a small snid-bit of it. It has been close to 20 years since my last major crochet project. I had made a afghan while I was in college. It was great for relaxation.

My mother had taught me how to do some very simple crocheting when I was about 8 years-old. Picking up the crochet needle was just like riding a bike. Soon enough, I was going along and not even have to think about what I was doing.

I honestly don't know just how well I'm doing...I'm just having so much fun with this part of the project...so please don't laugh and be nice with your criticism! ; )

Until later,

Jane

What's Going on??

Slowly but surely, my house is coming together. I've got rid of a lot of crap and it's looking so much better. I feel as if I can breathe again!! With my earlier knee pains, I surrounded myself with the items I needed: remotes, quilting items, magazines, phone... I had kept things within arm's reach so I wouldn't have to get up very often. Now that a lot of that pain has been reduced, I'm not needed to do that anymore.

Besides getting my house in order, I've been making some extra $$$ doing some clothing/garment alterations and mending for some people around town. And you know me, I still make time to work on a quilt.

I've been taking the kiddos to the local playground to play with some friends and I've taking my optical illusion quilt (still unnamed) with me.

I didn't know it if it would have the same optical effect on a large scale. I had taken this photo at about 10 feet away and it does kinda work. If you spot the safety pin (which is the center of the quilt) and move your eyes to the left, towards the edge of the quilt, do you notice how the center block seems to be the largest and the other get slightly smaller as they go out??

I can see it more clearly in this smaller version. Perhaps, once it's hang up at a quilt show and people are able to see it at a greater distance, it will be more obvious.

We are approaching the end of September, and what does that mean??!! Here at our house, it means *Halloween costumes*!! My little one is wanting to be Darth Vader this year. I cannot think of a way that I can make the helmet/mask of Darth Vader, so I may have to purchase his costume this year. I've convinced my older son to be Albert Einstein. I am planning to make a white lab coat for him and spray his messed up hair gray and add a gray mustache. I think he will look pretty convincing!

I'm getting pretty close to completing the optical illusion quilt. Can anybody help me think of a name? Hoping to have a photo soon and then to add it to the pile of other quilt tops. I've really had to get this machine-quilting thing going!!

Jane

More Treasures Found

While clean-sweeping my house, I had found some miniature quilts that I had made years (about 10 years?) ago.


I had made them when we were living in Florida and we had moved into a house that had a true laundry room. The home prior to this one had the washer and dryer in the garage. With a laundry room, I wanted to decorate it in a quilty theme, so I made these quilts.


I had hung a thin burlap rope upon the wall and hung the quilts on it with miniature clothes pins above the washing machine.

I just happened to seek a peak at the quilting on the back of the quilt. Back then, I used long quilting stitches. I was just needing to tack them together so I could display them.

I had finished my quilt lamp. Once the quilt cover was placed on the lamp, the navy blue and gold fabrics looked like black and brown (yuck!). I loved the fabrics (from the Kansas Troubles) but it didn't quite look as good as I envisioned. Then I decided to add a maroon binding along the top and bottom to brighten it up a little more. It helped some.

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I'm still quilting, but not as much with the cleaning. I will have to update soon.

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Jane

So Cute

Some more digging turned up some of these cute Halloween treat bags.

I had made these a few years ago for my older son's Cub Scout den. I think I may have made about 10-12 bags, one for each scout and extras for lil' brothers and sisters that may have tagged along to the den meeting. I'm surprised that I had any left over. I had forgotten all about them!

I'm a little sad that there will be no Cub Scouts this year. I've got an idea to make some pumpkin Jack-o-lantern treat bags but I'll have to save them for next year when my younger son will start his first year as a Tiger Scout!

My older son had told me that he already has plans for one of the bags. He is wanting to give one to his girlfriend (oh my gosh) and fill it up with her favorite candy for Halloween. Well, I don't know...we have a couple of months for me to think about it.

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Speaking of Halloween, it about that time of year to think about what my boys will want to be for Halloween. I would still love to make my older son a costume as Flint Lockwood from the movie "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs." I'd make him a white lab coat and and mess up his hair like Einstein. But who knows what he'll think up...and there's the little son, too!

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Jane