I have been a very naughty girl.......

Ok, first of all, not been blogging as much as I need to, but I have been very busy. I went to Nashville to the quilt show, and made a few contacts about purchasing my longarm machine. And after a lengthy, and somewhat scary drive to Snelville GA, ( didn't realize till too late I was driving all the way to Atlanta...to try out a very nice used machine) ..... I tried the machine, liked it, came home thought about it for a couple of days.... and have committed to buy it. Again, very scary... to think about the money part of it...but have so wanted one for ages. And to make a long story short.... it is coming on Sunday afternoon! I think they are trying to outrun Hurricane Gustav! So I will very soon be in possession of my very own quilt machine.... then I have to learn how to use it! Now, that said, I have been praying that this was the right thing for me to do...and don't you know... that yesterday a girl contacted me about quilting a quilt for her. YIKES!!!! NOW I really do have to learn how to use this machine! Then today, another lady gave me the name of a college boy who wants to impress his girlfriend with a throw quilt, and so I may be doing the quilt for him too! I am blessed. Just hope the learning curve won't be too long! Now, I did finish another HERO bag for me this time.... but not taken photos of it yet. But would love to share the Naughty side of me, I succumbed to the temptation of the civil war fabrics, and The Bonnie Blue quilt shop was so good, I think I could have lived in that booth! Truly, it felt like home should feel. Now this blue quilt brought tears to my eyes as it is made with South African Schweschwe. I love this fabric, and can't wait as I hope I still have some in my container items .....when they finally get here. They are in the US, customs inspected them...but still not heard when they will be parked in my driveway. Dont' you love those geometric designs. I can see them walking around the streets of Queenstown. They are produced by a company called DaGama fabrics. Now at this little quilt show, there were vendors MArula fabrics selling them...for about 7.95 a yard. But that was before washing. I don't know if I ever posted the picture of my maid washing my schweschwe...but the water was a vivid blue...after about 5 washings, it finally started to clear. She did it in my bathtub!!! Without her, I am n0t sure they would have ever come right! I do love the indigos of the schweschwe. I brought some to do a Dear Jane with.... which I may get to start someday.... when my ship finally comes in.......er......literally. HAve a great Labor day..... I am going to.

Time is still flying... my "College boy" is starting school tomorrow... :o)

HAve been sewing....but not my favorite kind. Just finished another "hero"bag... made from an old set of BDU's for a dear sister who is retired military. Started another one for my Dsonin laws MOM. Had to post that some sewing is going on although not much quilting. Found out that the Bernina I bought from an auction house back a month or so ago... the bobbin winder is broken. So guess I will be buying a sidewinder for a while. Have added a few photos of my little curtain projects. They were very simple but will work in a pinch...and the price...as in free was great. My DD in law gave me some of her sewing "trash" which worked for the sheers and the other pointed things were leftovers from a dining area we had 6 years ago..JUst cut them down. Have suffered a setback in STUDIO LAND, we thought we were going to be able to put in a new ceiling in the STUDIO, but when the young contractor quoted me over 1000 dollars to put up the beadboard paneling I had already bought and paid for.... I said no thanks. That was just too much at this time. Being the mother of invention..... I went to the 1.00 table at Walmart fabric dept. and bought all the white fabric they had on the table. So we will be installing a simple fabric ceiling. That way, no electrician has to come and drop lights... or lower the fan box.... and so hope to get that started next week or so. It is a SHED aka, STUDIO, but still a shed. And after the new roof....we are nearing the insurance value of this place. Besides,the ceiling was to help with dust from the rafters.... decided that fabric will catch it as well as the paneling. Other than a spot of sewing and a little organizing, had to post the more organized kitchen shelf, least used items at top...way up high in cupboard, does anyone know the name of the glasses on middle shelf.... think they are from the 60's maybe, they are covered in a plastic... with the white swirls for decoration. I love them...but the plastic does peel off...found that out with the Princess's dad...chewing the rim of glass and peeling off bits and pieces. Other than this, not too much going on in my world.I seem to catch the princess with the strangest faces. She is really a lovely little girl. But she does make me laugh!! Had to add a photo of the THREE STOOGES... who had fun with their glow necklaces on the 4th of July watching the fire works. Then the WEE ONE who is not so WEE anymore......They sure do change quickly.... it seems that I'll be making quilts for college any day now! Hope you all had a great week. I sure did. Off to Nashville next week to the quilt show. Hope I can find a longarm and get some good ideas.

The best plans always go out the window..... or into the yard...

We have been in the new house for just over a month... minus 5 or 6 days spent "ON the road again!" But I planned to use my workroom to put a long arm machine in...then found out the roof leaked. So.... we got a roofer in... and it has now been repaired...but I really hated the paint blob stained floor... so I decided that I would paint the concrete floor this coming week, when the professor starts orientation... and I love being with him...but feel like the mother of triplets counting down the days until school starts.... and I really am counting down the days until school starts for him. He hasn't ever had this much time off before and that is an adjustment. Especially when coupled with a new place... and unpacking...and all the stuff you find out is wrong with your house... AFTER you move in! At any rate lucky me, he decided to take charge yesterday, and did all the painting for me.... what a dear.You shold have sen the boxes...er... piles of things ... out in my yard. Thankfully no rain yesterday. So I have a painted floor... did I mention he hates to paint!!! There may be a few thin spots... but it is done. A huge improvement. Again, I am so lucky he did it...as it would have taken me several days...to move all the ...junk.... er .... stuff...that is already in that room. It is only a work shed.... that someone else will probably want to do woodworking in someday...but to me it is a STUDIO. A place where I can cut out my stuff...and walk away and shut the door. This is one time I am happy that the Professor stepped in. I felt like I had to share a few photos of Africa... I have been a bit nostalgic this week, missing the old...now that I am settling in with the new. But the pictures represent something I won't miss.... the queues at the Bank ATM's.... no drive thrus where we lived. The first photo is a pretty short line at one of the more remote ATM's...but the longer one..is taken at one of the local banks...and this is pretty typical of the queues in South AFrica. I also included a photo of the strip piecing blocks I made...then the photo of the almost finished quilt I made with them..still have to add bright borders... but since I scratched through my friends leftover crumb/stashes ...and they are all in South Africa...will have to go through mine to find some bright things to piece my borders out of. It was a lot more fun to do than I thought it would be. Since I don't use many brights... it was fun to use someone elses .... leftovers. Maybe when I get my room done... if someone wants to exchange leftovers... I found a drawer or tow of strips...from many projects. It will be fun to put them into something. NOW that I am attempting to get organized. Hope you all had a great weekend. I certainly did. Adn it seemed pretty productive...from a non-sewing point of view.