100 th Post and Gratefulness.......

No pictures...but real musings. I have had a wonderful blessed life, a great spouse, wonderful children and grandchildren. Fabulous mom and mom in law, sisters and brothers and in laws. My son in law is home from Iraq and we are all thrilled. The professor is almost finished with the first semester of studying for his doctorate, I have a wonderful longarm machine,"Rosie ( for hardworking Rosie the riviter...) and my business is starting to grow. How fortunate in difficult times I feel. We have our health and I have a nice warm roof over my head, enough to eat and a place to rest these old bones. God has certainly blessed me and my family. We have fond memories of friends overseas and people we don't see everyday. There really isn't much more than that that anyone could want. I wish the same for each of you. Have a wonderful holiday. I will be posting pics of the good holiday times..... so stay tuned.

More UFO's....Longarm practice and the Kitchen redo is done!

When the professor and I bought our home this past summer....we decided two things we had to do, was put in additional kitchen cabinetry as kitchen was cute but lacking... and a deck onto the back of the house.Well, we found a very talented in law family member who could take my measurements.... ( which could have turned out very badly) but because of his talent...he made a custom cabinet for our kitchen... giving us about 70 % more cabinets and room in the kitchen area! Can you believe the first time he saw my kitchen was yesterday when he brought the cabinet to my home to be installed. And he only did the figures about 6 weeks ago. I took photos of the existing cabinets...and requested that they be painted to match the other ones. Just not going to have all new cabinets put inot a temporary dwelling. They turned out fabulous. I am so lucky...it is a delight to be in that kitchen. So happy it is here before Christmas when 2/3 of our family will be with us. I haven't decided where to hang a little quilt or two yet in there...but I am thinking about it. The quilt on the counter...is a little practice Harvest topper...done when practicing doing the free form flowers...for a customer quilt. Think I will do the same thing for a Christmas topper. Libby showed off her special bowl...so I had to include a photo of my favorite mixing bowl...quite the antique.... and one of the first things completed for the holidays is the Chex mix we always have to eat .... perfectly mixed in that big old bowl. I also finished up another UFO, which was begun while still living in South Africa, it is quilted, and finished binding it as well. I used some of the new techniques I learned in my longarm class. This was done free hand..... with minimal marking. I had to show the front and back...as I did it in a bright lime green.... and it is pretty fun on the back too! Lots of fun to do. I think it turned out pretty well. This dear little picture of the wee one...sitting amongst the pumpkins.... loved it. Hope you all have a lovely holiday...I will try to post again before we leave for the Thanksgiving holiday. Enjoy your families.... I have so much to be thankful for this year. I will probably have to include a tic list of all my gratefulness.

My ship has come in!!!!! and more UFO's .... semi completed,SSCS SWAP

First a wonderfully mysterious Parcel arrived....sometime whilst I was away last weekend. Hmmmmmm I resisted the temptation to open it...but am looking forward to it with anticipation! I am about to send my own Swap out.... for Chooky Blue's SSCS swap. I have not divulged any of the contents.... Also, the delivery of my Ship items took place on Saturday while I was in Atlanta learning lots of fun things to do on the longarm. I have gone through it all, it seems to be all there..... a few damaged items which are the South Africa branch of the moving company...so won't hold my breath about getting any of the damage reimbursed for. But at least it is here...and I am now planning where to hang paintings, and other decor items. It felt like Christmas opening up all of the boxes...and of course brought back wonderful memories of where we purchased much of it! In fact, I was so nostalgic that I immediately called a few SA friends to hear their wonderful accents! Will post more about that stuff as it gets put out! Now about my wonderful longarm class....I learned a lot. Not mastered it yet...but wonderful class. Well worth the long drive over. The Teacher

at Pat's Calico Cottage is part of a group of longarmers...several award winners, and they did this wonderful quilt. I adored it. I also loved the batik 9 patch.... it was so well done. I really learned quite a bit. My machine seems to be humming perfectly at the moment...thanks to her husband... who sorted the few problems I have been having. I have to share a little photo of the leaders and enders quilt in progress...I am about out of red and white fabric bits...from my African quilts..but had enough to do this one. Now how to make it just a wee bit bigger...to a full bed size???? I already bought a Baptist fan template to quilt it with.... just have to make it a bit bigger. I hope you all have a lovely weekend. I am going to finish up a few things, I am binding two charity quilts to donate to the Sheriff's Dept. for our quilt guild...and have binding on a little Thanksgiving table topper to sew on this evening, whilst watching tv. Keep warm. It is getting colder here tomorrow...and we have wood being delivered tomorrow for the fire box in our Family room. Enjoy your weekend.I so am going to!

We have a winner...... Halloween fun, and other things....

There is a giveaway over at Once Upon A time

to celebrate her blogiversary. So check it out, Here are a few of our Family Halloween Photos,

Homer and little skelly,

Jenga fett, of Star Wars fame, along with the "mum" teenager

Lovely Hermione is our Elisie Pie, with her Nimbus 2000, and the lovely little princess as a Penguin.

DD as 1/5 of the Village People, all the ladies dressed up as Village People for work! How fun is that?

I have done little besides travel the past week, Arkansas, then Tennessee, in on Monday...out to Atlanta tomorrow...for my first longarm class! Woo Hoo. Hoping I learn more quickly than the pantographs took me. Now had to share these divine pics of the lovely grandbabies/kids ( sorry to the older ones) and family members. Those who know us...know that the oldest children live far, far away and their parents got into the act.... Dad as Homer ( of course this could have been the Professor...sometimes I think I AM married to Homer! And DD in law was a High school Girl, not all that far removed from those days it seems. DD and the wee one, gave out candy. Wee One and I passed out the goodies, sitting out on the porch, he had to have his horse costume on of course. Now, I have been doing a bit of hand applique...while traveling, but DD gave me her UFO quilt blocks.... and I pieced the camo looking quilt together for her. I wonder can I count the UFO as an unfinished thing for me, since it isn't mine , but I will be finishing that up????May have to ask our Judge, Finn, to get her take on that question? It will be quilted next week, and she also passed on to me her other UFO.... quilt, with incomplete borders. I will piece those on....and "get her done" next week. Want to return them for Thanksgiving.... can't wait to see 2/3 of the family. Then we will have another 2/3 for Christmas. I am so looking forward to that. I may have to post photos of the Professor and I putting my longarm into my car...to make the trip to Atlanta. That should be an interesting drive?? Now concerning the longarm, I loved several names...so may have to do one with middle names too! But I did draw for a winner. Jackie was the lucky winner. Congratulations Jackie, please email me your details...and I will be back next week. Y'all have a great one! How could I not...with learning new and better tricks on my machine. Good times ahead!

Seamingly Accurate giveaway...from none other than my DD in law!!!

My DD in law, has just returned from the Houston Quilt Festival..... and launching her Seamingly Accurate as a sewing notion.....and in honor of that has decided to do a giveaway, at ReannaLilly designs, please go to her web site for a quick comment and look see. Also a peek at the quiltwoman.com booth where she was launched! I am a proud mother in law. And it has helped me with both my quilting AND making curtains for my bedrooms. A very practical tool, with many sewing applications. So I am a satisfied user also. And had to post some lovely photos..... of yet another..... look at the Princess! She is so adorable!Happiness is found in Beans and Cornbread...even with only 3 teeth! This a a photo of another DD in law, Emikins, at the War Eagle Mill....an actual grist mill in Benton county Arkansas. A lovely setting for a nice walk, across the old....working bridge... 100 yrs young, and the original sight of a grist mill. It has burned down 4 times, but the foundations are still original.Lots of charm, a few quilts made from their little feed sacks, and a warm inviting Beanery in the attic. We had a lovely lunch and browse of the premises. Crisp Autumn weather and fun! The trees are just starting to change color...very pretty!Just found another giveaway f at Sue Daleys blog, featuring lovely patterns. Loved this Halloween decor set outside the Piggly Wiggly in Starkville, MS. Love all things Autumn! I got some lovely things from the Houston Quilt Festival for my new soon to be named longarm machine, thanks to my crack monkey DD in law! They are "in the mail" ...who knows they may beat the items from my Ship!!!!Be sure and leave a comment for my giveaway, explained on previous post. Don't you love Fall, Y'all?????

Pictures from South Africa..... some things I miss and some I don't .....

I am about to head out for a quick trip to see grandbabies this next week. So not done much, did finish another customer quilt, but forgot to take a photo. I will when she shows at quilt guild in December. But have to share some photos I just went through from South Africa. Can you tell by the photo that this was taken during a power outage time of year, they charge for parking with electronic ticket and arms.But just in case..the guys at the mall, have to sit there to take money or give tickets...or maybe this was for them to take the ticket out of the machine and hand it to you? I can't remember. When they switched over to having you validate the tickets at a machine inside the mall...you should have seen the back up in lines! People holding up traffic, as they exited their cars, ran back inside the mall, and validated their little cards! You have to kind of miss all of that!This next photo is of a traffic jam, caused by the Limiters they put on their big trucks (18 wheelers) as in they often can not go more than 15 miles per hour up a hill....on a winding 2 lane National highway! So it makes for interesting road trips....and opportunities to spot the baboons by the side of the road!Or as in the case of the photo of the initiation hut...very close to the side of the road as in this photo.

Or one of the many "street merchants" who used their skills...I think this was a shoe repairman, one of many hundreds on any given day in downtown Queenstown. I used to walk by them on my way to the fabric shop! They carried all of their goods in those big, plastic zip bags. We called them trolley bags, I do have a couple of them here I must admit, they came in handy storing Quilts and winter things. I do not miss the queues at all. Like the ones inside the post office, notice the ladies in their home sewn clithing. I do miss that. They always looked so colorful. I don't miss the lockup electric entrances to the Post office of all places.

Sorry for the Blurry pic but you can see a lot of people waiting in Post office, and this isn't usually this short. It is usually out the door! I must admit everytime I send off a package, I don't miss the lines. Our post office is SO EFFICIENT!!!! It is something I will probably never take for granted.
But the way that they get around may be the thing that made me smile the most. I wish I had a dollar every time I saw a truckload overflowing with passengers....I think I could bail out Wallstreet!I hope you all have a great couple of days until I am back in Mississippi.

What's in a name.....and almost 100????

Ok, I have failed to give my longarm a name...and maybe gremlins will set in...much like not naming a boat? So I have decided to combine a 100 post blogiversary with a name game. I am asking for suggested names..... just don't have any that I fancy except "EARL". And that doesn't seam proper to name the poor machine that. So if you would like to participate, play the name game or comment on the 100th ..... your name will be in the lucky draw....or it may be picked if I love the name!!!!! Either way a comment between now and Halloween gets you in. In other news.... I have finished DD in laws original dimensional quilt, I believe she offers this pattern for sale on her Reanallily blog. It was scary to do an actual design....as in not an edge to edge. But it turned out quite well. It is unbound at this time, but I also finished up my little UFO, as in pieced to a flimsy. Not sure how I want to quilt it at the moment. Any suggestions would be appreciated. I also had to include a

photo of my end of summer roses. I know they will be playing out pretty soon. I do love the little rose garden I have out back. And finally ....out of all the bits a pieces from the UFO quilt, I took orphan strips and pieced them together to make a little "Square bits" lap quilt. I haven't decided how to quilt this either, but something very simple, I think, then it will go to a family exchange member for Christmas exchange. Since I have 14 brothers and sisters, spouses and many kids, we draw names, this year I decided to do a homemade Christmas for my names.

WOO HOO!!!! Just counted...and have finished officially 10 UFO's...

Ok, I just counted through several of my finished UFO's and I have officially finished 10 UFO's....unfortunately ...not the 7 I had initially planned. Shame. Now I did complete.... 5 of the original 7, but it is sad to think .... I found about 5 more, while digging for the bits to finish these 10! I also did my first Paid longarm commission! She only wanted a simple pantograph, and I had already practiced it on my bedspread from previous posts...so I did hers.... and it was a little twin... turned out very nicely...if I do say so. I didn't think to take a photo of it... so may have to ask for another chance to do that in future. But did

get a photo of the recipient of the houndstooth I made for a local college fellow. He wanted a cozy lap quilt for his girl at the game. She loves brown and gold. And I am working on another UFO, which was started before the Wee one was born, these very bright blocks, have now been pieced together, but have to add borders to the top,as it is just under a double. Hope to have it finished over the weekend. I am planning on practicing on my DD in laws quilt...to get straight line practice, then will attempt the customer quilt. So may have a few photos to share after the weekend. If all things go well. My ship DID NOT come in this week, BUT I have been assured that it is LOADED on the truck to arrive late next week! Now I am leaving next weekend to go see the lovely little Princess, then on to see the Wee one, and will be gone until election day...so no unpacking if if arrives too late. It really may be Christmas before I get to open the boxes! AT this rate!!! Hope you all are having a lovely weekend. Its going to be a good one for me.

UFO's, Hattiesburg , MS Quilt show...and the Halloween finery of our wee one!

Well, still not heard if my ship is coming in ...this week...but holding thumbs that it will. I had so much fun doing the barbecue on Friday, also got this lovely picture of the wee one...in his Halloween finery. His mom sent this to me.... love those Amish MUMS in the background. I so wish I had some in my yard! Had to finally finish up my little Halloween UFO.....Then had the lucky opportunity to go to the Hattiesburg, MS quilt show on Sat. with a few new acquaintances. I think my eye must have changed, as much as I enjoyed seeing the variety of pieced quilts.....I really found myself focusing on the machine quilting on many of these. So if you are bored with some of my shared photos...so sorry, but was so excited to try new things.... that had to take a bunch of photos of the quilting.

there were so many pretty ones...they had over 480. So many really nice ones, I found it hard to choose ...but liked many for a multitude of reasons. Now I have always loved appliques...but some of the cool black and white pieced ones caught my eye as well.... as have been collecting them for years. I didn't see any civil war or DJ, another one I hoped to see ...as so want to do one of each. But plenty to get my mind working on the next batch of UFO's!!!This is a closeup of my favorite, white on white..wholecloth, absolutely stunning. She only got her longarm the beginning of the year. What a beauty! There is something for me to only aspire to! And the lovely pastel pink fabric on the back. It was gorgeous..pics don't do it justice. It was on a back wall...with not enough room for longer photo. But absolutely my favorite.It even beat out the Baltimore!Hope you all have a great day!

Where does the time go.... another UFO.... and a practice piece, the wonderful Old Guard Fife and Drum corps....

Ok, I think I may have shocked a few ladies...today...telling some of the "old" days stories! I was a bit crazy back in the day.... and I will admit...I hitchiked! I even met the Professor hitchiking...... yep...and no....he didn't pick me up...but his roomate did! How else does someone from Pennsylvania get to meet someone from Oklahoma.... in Washington DC as luck would have it. The Professor was in the Old Guard Fife and Drum corps.... it is a ceremonial unit attached to Ft. Myer, Virginia. And the Professors outfit...does all the retirement, Arlington funerals, and they march in front of the Presidential motorcade...at the Inaugural Parade. He sure looked cute in his red coat and white wig...and breeches. Just like a proper old Minute Man. But that is a whole other story.I think I may have taken them aback...just a bit.... at the H ( hitchhiking ) word. I am not proud.... but I did do it. .... FREQUENTLY!!!! What was I thinking. But it was the 70's.... I was poor and carless.... so it beat going by feet. At any rate after I shocked them a bit...I did show them the latest quilt attempts. I got sick of doing muslin practices..so have been using quilts for my hand guided quilting...but decided that I really needed to practice a pantograph... so I did...but I used some

stash material..leftover from making a curtain.... on the front...and some cool green fabric... almost a light upholstery.... one..for the back. AND I love the back..... I am so glad I opted for something more fun than muslin. So I pantographed a custom bedspread to match the little bedroom curtains. And I have hung up my South AFrican MEmory quilt...on the South Korean rack I bought to hang quilts on. I can't show the AFRICA header...as have to sort how to hang it up there.... but it hangs in the lounge now. We are having a Barbecue tomorrow night...for some fellow students...so I want it up!!! I do think I like the green side which shows the pretty panto better....now just have to sort how to keep it all straight! Hope you all have a great weekend. My ship hasn't come in....but after another phone call today to the movers...they tell me it will be loaded for Texas on MOnday....so maybe next week! Hope so..... it has only been since January my ship has been coming!!!!