WIP Wednesday

I first blogged about this project back in May.  You can read about it HERE   I am almost finished!  Hopefully this will be done by Christmas for my oldest son.  Maybe tomorrow work will be closed due to the huge storm that is supposed to hit southwestern Wisconsin tonight and tomorrow.  There is a possibility of up to 18 inches of snow and blizzard conditions for my area.  Quilting through that sounds good to me!!!

Here is the link on youtube for directions to make this quilt and a bonus quilt too Missouri Star Quilt Company Serendipity Quilt  Two quilts from one block!!




I'm linking up with Freshly Pieced WIP Wednesday

Winter in Wisconsin....

Ya gotta love winter in Wisconsin!!!  This is what the weatherman is predicting for my neck of the woods, I sure hope he is wrong like he usually is!

BLIZZARD WARNING:

Issued at: 7:34 PM CST on December 19, 2012, expires at: 12:00 AM CST on December 21, 2012

• ...Blizzard Warning remains in effect until midnight CST Thursday night...
• heavy snow will fall tonight into Thursday afternoon.
• 14 to 18 inches of snow will fall...with locally higher amounts possible.
• Winds of 25 to 35 mph with gusts to 45 mph will accompany the heavy snowfall...particularly Thursday. Blizzard and whiteout conditions will occur with near zero visibility.
• Significant blowing and drifting snow will cause 2 to 4 foot snow drifts...especially in open areas and on ridge tops.
• Travel will become impossible and life threatening if you become stranded. Do not travel late tonight through Thursday morning.
• Emergency services and rescues are likely to be halted for a period during the height of the storm. Precautionary/preparedness actions... A Blizzard Warning means severe winter weather conditions are expected or occurring. Falling and blowing snow with strong winds and poor visibility are likely. If you get stranded...stay with your vehicle.

They closed school this afternoon already!  The kids are so happy...

A finish and a plea for help...

Here is my finish for this week... One box of 35 scarves!  My daughter helped me make these simple scarves and we will be making many more in the next few weeks.  These will be going to an Indian Reservation in Wanblee, South Dakota.

Have you ever found out something that just tears you up and you feel that God has put you on a path to make a difference in the lives of people who are in desperate need of basic everyday things that we take for granted???  Things like running water, a warm home, a bed with cozy blankets, where your next meal is coming from, how you will diaper your baby and clothe your children.  Would you believe that right here in our country there is third world poverty and starving children???  I have family that has been doing mission trips to Wanblee, SD (part of Pine Ridge Reservation) for the past five years and recently my aunt and uncle have also gone out to help.  The things they told me had me awake nights and spending my days getting donations, going through my house and sending anything I can spare to help.  The one thing that hit me the hardest was hearing about parents/grandparents having to use news paper for diapers.  One baby's Grandpa walked in the freezing cold without a coat because he had wrapped the baby in it so he could try to get a couple diapers.  Can you imagine five kids sharing one pencil to do schoolwork because there is no money to buy school supplies?  Could you imagine not having a bed or blankets to tuck your children in at bedtime?  Or not having food to feed your hungry kids?  Or having to put plywood over your windows to keep the snow and animals out of your house in the winter?  These people are in need of everything.  Mary Ann and Bob Epps (my wonderful family) are working on starting a non profit organization called Families Working Together.  They have all the necessary papers filed and are waiting on the government to finalize everything.  Mary Ann set a goal to have 400 Christmas boxes to give to each child and though generous donations they have met that and are leaving this coming week to deliver them personally to each and every child.  They have already bought lots in the town and have hopes of building a community center so people will have a place to go for help.  There is also a very high rate of diabetes among the Indians and because of the lack of health care many have failing kidneys so they are on dialysis.  They are in need of blankets and quilts to keep them warm during the many hours they have to spend hooked up to an I.V.

Is anyone willing to help?  In my travels through my quilting journey, I have found that quilters are very generous and I'm hoping that some of you will find it in your heart to help in some way.  Here is a list of some of the things have been given...

Quilts (and I bought a whole bunch more fabric to make quilts for kids!)

Clothing-baby, kids, adult

Mittens

Hats

Scarves

Coats

Socks 

Undies

Blankets

Shoes/Boots

Feminine Care items

shampoo

bar soap

laundry soap

dishes

diapers (I'm now going to buy a pack every shopping trip)

non perishable food items

toothpaste/brushes

and anything and everything else!

Here is Mary Ann's address if you would like send quilts or other items to help 

Mary Ann Epps

409 Yahara Ave.

Deforest, WI.  53532

or you can email her... mgrimmeepps@yahoo.com

To get the word out could any of you make a mention of the needs in Wanblee in your blogs?  I am praying every day that God will bless this and bring in the help that is so greatly needed.  I will also be posting updates periodically to show the progress.

Merry Christmas and God bless!!

 

My awesome find!!!!

Last Thursday I went to Goodwill with family and found something I have been wanting for years!  On the way out the door I saw out of the corner of my eye "sewing table $9.99".  I walked out and then stopped and went back in.  The table was ugly and from the 60's or 70's but I thought "that might fit my old sewing machine so my daughter could use it"... I flipped the top and guess what I found!!!!!!!

My mom in law asked if I wanted it for Christmas and I said heck yeah!!!!  It's a 1902 Singer hand crank!!! For only $9.99!!!!  It's dirty but all parts move free and smooth... Now I have to figure out how to clean it and what to clean it with.

Here's the serial number....
Any advice would be appreciated on cleaning!!

Confessions of the Pickle Quilt

I must confess!!  I love this quilt...BUT...I also hate it!  I will explain.  In our family at Christmas, we have a pickle that gets passed around each year.  The only catch is if you get the pickle you have to bring a gift the next year for the next person that gets the pickle and it has to be a handmade gift.  The last two years I have made a quilt for the pickle gift.  Last year (2011) was this quilt.  I had the top all done and I started the quilting and halfway through I realized there was trouble, so I tore out ALL the quilting, redid the pin basting and set to quilting again...More trouble!!  I had to rip out the quilting again!  So I redid all the basting again and quilted only to realize I had the same problem!!  The backing as supposed to be a soft almost like minky fabric but I bought the end of the bolt and it was woven wrong.  One half of the quilt quilted beautifully and the other half was horrible.  I had to take just the quilt top to show whoever got the pickle.  My cousins boyfriend got the pickle and asked for the quilt to be longer. Our family is on the short side so I had only enough fabric to make a quilt for a short person!  And to make matters worse I would not have enough binding fabric either!  Off to Joann's to find more fabric.  When I got there it was all gone, so I tried to order it.  No luck, they told me it was not longer being made!  The top stared at me and taunted me every time I went into my sewing room.  I spent the last 10 months trying to find more fabric to match something in this quilt and in October, finally,  I found it in the red tag bin!!!  And the best news of all is the boyfriend is now my cousin's husband and their wedding colors match the quilt.  The pickle quilt is now also a wedding quilt for them.  Congratulations Tina and Lenin!!!!

Thank God no one was home when I finished this quilt cuz there was some crazy dancin' going on to this awesome song and now all the blood, sweat and tears and a few choice words seems worth it!

This is the feature fabric my mom in law chose and it is sooo true!!!

Other quilting confessions...

I almost never use pins

If it doesn't match up, I fudge it till it does

I am afraid to try free motion quilting even though I have had all  the tools for the last year

I love my Accuquilt Go cutter!

I always put my binding on by machine

My sewing room is always a mess

My Ipod is my favorite quilting tool

I am a self taught quilter and I do things wrong but in the end the quilt looks good so it doesn't matter, RIGHT!  Sure,as long as a pro isn't looking at your quilt

The best advice I was given when I started my first real quilt:

"Remember Only God Is Perfect

Our Quilts Don't Need To Be"

This is on my wall and has kept me sane for the last year

Linking up to finish it up Friday with crazymomquilts

and

Can I get a whoop whoop! at confessions of a fabric addict

Four things that made me smile today.........

These kids of mine...

This song- Colors by April Smith  If you have a TV then you've probably heard parts of this awesome song!!

These dogs of mine...They love to chew on golf balls and my Boston Terrier is afraid of the vacuum!

And the one that made me smile the most...Women in their 70's talking about learning the dance to this SONG  This one takes the cake!!!!

What made you smile today?

Releasing the BEAST!!!!

This little beast is finally getting released from all restrictions from his surgery today!!!  On September 20th he had a bone tumor removed from his fibula (the bone that make the "bump" on the outside of your ankle- you can see his surgery quilts here) and has been restricted to walking only for the last 6 weeks.  He told me he "just wants to run!!!" so that is what we did in the doctors parking lot when we were done with his appointment.....

Then he had to race his little sister!!

He won...now we can all work off all the Halloween candy we've been pigging out on!!

I'm linking up with Live a Colorful Life for Really Random Thursday!

Yay for my hometown

Just an update...

I did a post about this quilt which was for a benefit to help out a family in my town.  I am happy to report that the benefit/auction raised around $24,000 to help this wonderful family!!!

Surgery Quilts...

On Thursday my son had his surgery to remove a bone tumor in his ankle, so of course he had to have a new surgery quilt!  I put this together in a couple of evenings and had it ready in a nick of time.  I finished it at 12:30 am and we had to leave for the hospital at 4:45 am.  Here he is with all three quilts

 (Can you tell we are from Wisconsin?)

And he had to have a pillow to elevate his ankle.  I'm not to fond of the fabric but it's what he wanted.  He has to keep his ankle elevated for three days.  He's getting a little grouchy from having to lay around and watch TV and play video games.  And he can only walk on it for the next 6 weeks which is going to be a challenge.

And my 8 year old daughter made this the other day...

She loves beads and has made about 50 necklaces, bracelets and rings.

Diamonds in the Rough...

"Diamonds in the Rough"  seemed to be the right name for this one.  I know a few diamonds that are going through rough times right now!  It's going to into a silent auction to help a family in my hometown.  Jody fought breast cancer two years ago, so of course there had to be pink, and now she is battling stage 4 brain cancer.  I chose a backing that has gray and black flowers since gray is the color for brain cancer.

A close up of the block

And on to the next project which is going to be for my youngest son.  When I first started quilting, I jokingly told my kids that if they ever had to have surgery I would make them a quilt.  This little guy of mine will be getting his third quilt for surgery this week!  One for adenoids, one for a hernia and now one for removing a bone tumor in his ankle...  Surprisingly he is happy to have the surgery so he can recover and hopefully be ready for wrestling in December!  Leave it to a kid to be that positive about surgery!!!  I know when I had to go in I was NOT happy about it!

WIP and highlights from Wisconsin Quilt Expo

This is my WIP for this week... I just need to add the last two border strips and get to the quilting and binding.  This quilt is going to be donated to help out a family in my town.  Jody battled breast cancer two years ago and is now battling stage 4 brain cancer and medical bills as well as everyday bills and adding up,  so my hometown is pulling together to help raise money to hopefully ease the financial burden.

And now some of the amazing quilts from the........Wisconsin Quilt Expo!!!

This year was the first time I have been able to go in the five years since my first quilt.  Last year I had to have surgery on the first day of the Expo.  My plan was to hijack a wheelchair and go but it turned out to be major surgery!  So this year I made it happen and I had sensory/fabric/pattern/gadget overload!  After my daughters cross country meet I grabbed her and we took off for Madison.  I talked to so many quilters and had lots of laughs.  The thing I laughed about the most was all the ladies and a few men dragging luggage on wheels, packed to overflowing with quilting goodies, through the crowd.  I was even run over a few times!!!  I'm going to save my pennies until next year and go with a bunch of money!  This year I bought just one charm pack!  Just one-there was so much to see/buy I just could not make up my mind!

Here are some of the quilts that caught my eye (and my daughter's)

I also came to the realization that I am a "modern" quilter for sure!   Among all the traditional quilt booths I found only one "modern" booth.  To me it was a breath of fresh air but I did not get a picture of it...but here is a link Modern Quilts Illustrated Magazine to see some of the quilts that were there.

Also visit Freshly Pieced for WIP Wednesday

Raggedy Ann & Andy

This adorable couple was made by my favorite co-worker Margaret.  She's absolutely wonderful to work with, more like family instead of fellow employee!  These two are going into the silent auction to help out the Solorzano family this Saturday.

One of my WIPs

 

At the moment, just an hourglass quilt for my cousins baby boy.  I'm trying to decide if I should add sashing around the blocks or a framing border.  This weekend I'm starting on a quilt that I will be donating to a silent auction to benefit a family in our town.  Jody, the mom, is battling stage 4 brain cancer and has also battled breast cancer a couple of years ago.   Hopefully we raise lots of money to help out with the huge medical bills...

I just had to post this picture...It's my absolute favorite from my trip to Maine.  My sis in law wrote a message in the sand for me!

Check out other WIPs over at Freshly Pieced

Maine was AWESOME!!!!!!!

On this trip I crossed three items off my Bucket List...
1.  Vacation in Maine
2.  Visit and play in Niagara Falls
3.  Eat at the Hard Rock Cafe (I'm a huge music buff)
Now I have to make a new list!  Here's some of the best memories of the trip...

                                                              Niagara Falls @ night

                                     The Falls during the day from the Maid of the Mist boat ride

                          Me and the Hubby IN the Falls @ Cave of the Winds on the Hurricane Deck

And Jenni, my sis in law, the reason for the trip!  She is part of Project Puffin (help save the puffins!) and does puffin tours with Hardy Boat Cruises.  We took her tour out of New Harbor, Me to see the puffins and my hubby got to drive the boat...

                                                 Me, the Hubby, Captian Russ and Jenni

                                   

                                                 All of us @ Pemaquid Point Lighthouse

                                                 This is my favorite pic from the whole trip!

The trip ended on a great note but unfortunately reality was waiting to slap me upside the head when I got home.  My youngest son who is 10yrs old had been having ankle pain and swelling before we left for the trip, so we had to wait to see the doc when we got home.  After looking at x-rays the doc sent us to an orthopedic specialist in Madison at the children's hospital.  They ran tests and did an MRI and sent us home to await results.  They called to tell us he has a benign bone tumor and a stress fracture due to the bone weakening from the tumor.  We now have to see another ortho specialist to figure out how to remove the tumor and strengthen the bone and not destroy the growth plate.  He is now in a removable "boot" to stabilize the bone and can't do much but watch tv and play video games which is very hard for him.  He's very active and is the dare devil in the family (always the first to jump out off the tree, off the roof ect...)  Any ideas to keep him busy?  Being a boy he's not much into crafts or coloring and is very grouchy since he can't burn off all the extra energy!

On the upside, I finished a quilt and have two more I will be working on.  One is to donate to help raise money for a family in our town.  Jody is a mom of two and is battling stage 4 brain cancer and she also fought with breast cancer a few years back.   On September 15 there will be a benefit and a silent auction and hopefully the quilt I donate will bring in a lot of money to help Jody and the family!

It's FINALLY time!!!!!!!!!!!!

YEAH!!  Tomorrow morning we leave on our trip to Maine!! (I'm doing the happy dance right now)  I finally  get to see my sis in law!  It's been two years and I can't wait to see her.  On the way there we are going to send a day at Niagara Falls & then on to Maine.  In the mean time, here are some pics of my furry babies.

This is Mickey Moose...

This is Marley Brulee....

And this is Pepper....He is now in kitty heaven and we miss him.