It's been so long since I blogged, I'm not sure if I can still do it!  I am so behind in all my show and tell pictures.  I made 4 beautiful gifts (not that you will ever be able to judge that).   I gave them away already!

A vest,  an apron that turns into a bonnet, a bear claw pillow and a hand towel with a beautiful spring border on the bottom.  If I can't show I can still tell right?

I am setting some goals for this month though.   I have things that I have to get done!

1.  Both of my BOMs need to be finished (I did the one but the directions were wrong so I had to go get more material and the correct directions.  Bless that gals poor heart!).

2.  Get to the next step of designing my nursing shirt/dress and put up pictures of it here!

3.  Hand quilt one of the quilts grandma sent home with me before christmas!

4. Cut out the material for the other quilts and piece them together.

5.  Make a new bonnet/apron to put on this blog site so everyone can see how cool it is!

There that should keep me busy well into April...easily!

I'm actually dreading this blog entry but I need to talk about it. 

Last week my aunts and uncles moved my grandma into a nursing home.  I am not ok with it.  I'm sad, crushed and broken about it.  I'm hurt to the core. 

See you don't understand how precious my grandma is to me.  She is the reason I am who I am.  She is a praying grandma.  She prayed for me when I was little.  She made me homemade dolls, carebears, strawberry shortcakes and leg warmers, sweaters.  The quilt she gave me the christmas of 1989 is still well loved and the afgan that she gave me on my wedding day comforted me when I was in labor with my first baby.  The children now use them to make "tents" in the house.  She and my grandpa gave their lives to Jesus when a minister came to visit and after attending services.  Grandpa thought it was best.  She said they knelt down and accepted Him.

There are 102 people in our family.  Grandma loves us all!  But I have to admit I am very selfish,  I thought I would take her when she was too old to take care of herself.  I had images of her sitting in her chair at my house with the children playing at her feet as she told stories of when she was young.  All the while I would be soaking up every ounce of wisdom that she would share, simply by just being herself.

She said that her doctors are in town (1hour and 15 minutes from my house) and that she had to stay there.  To be honest my house isn't handicap accessible.  We built this house with only ourselves in mind.  I hate myself for it.  If I'm lucky I might get to visit my grandma once a month.  It is really killing me. 

Grandma can't  knit anymore.  She can't see the patterns.  She can't do a lot of the things she used to and she longs to be with my grandpa again.  I want her to be happy but I don't want her to go.  I don't even know how to pray.  Thankfully my Savior understands.

Today was quite the day!  I had to go out to get my BOM kit and the truck died...totally...on a hill...and no gears... I was completely without the ability to put the truck in park.  So I could not  get out and survey the damage ( I heard a LOUD noise just before it all happened).

So I sat there..laughing!  I called my husband,  who laughed.  We then tried to figure out how I would get all of us home.  Who has room for 6 extra people?  Not many people!  So I called Dan the auto man and he towed us with a tow strap to his shop, which was thankfully only 2 miles away!  (Note: Dan the auto man says on a scale of 1 to 10-10 being the worst....our truck is an 11.2  This is NOT good *shrugs*)  My dear precious friend came and picked us up and helped me get my BOM!  Praise Jesus!  She took us all the way home.  I rejoice in knowing how much HE cares for me!

Once home I had to make some calls.  I had planned to go help a gal work on her rag rug on Friday and I knew I wouldn't be walking the 20 or so miles to do that.   I called her mom to let her know and her dad called back about two minutes later and said they were bringing up their truck for us to borrow!  Right down to the very last detail the Lord took care of the entire situation!

Truely HE cares for me! 1 Peter 5:7 Cast all your cares on Him for He cares for you!

Here is a picture of my BOM

One more weekend come and gone.  I did manage to get a lot accomplished.  For me, as you can tell, this blog has become a great inspiration to get a lot accomplished!  I had to work on getting a dress on my little Raggedy Ann doll that my Grandma made me when I was little.  Her old one was shredding...that really dates me doesn't it?? 

Anyway here is a picture of Raggedy Ann in her new dress:

Isn't she cute!

I had a baby shower on Saturday in the morning and it was for twins!  Boy and girl.  Twins usually come early so I converted a doll pattern that I had and made gowns for them in some retro material.  I hope they fit them!

That was my show and tell for last week!

Oh I did build a bookcase with my boys (10yo and 8yo) but I haven't taken a picture of that yet.

This week I learned how to make my own binding.  I learned the difference between bias binding and binding.  Bias binding winds around curves.  Great stuff for arm and neck holes.  It worked perfect for the apron that I made for my 6 year old! 

This is the bias binding that I made myself!

And here is the final product! (Front)

(and back!)

More to come tomorrow on the actual Show and Tell day!  I bet you can't wait to see what else I have done!

Oh I almost forgot...I've been tagged.  Thank you...you know who you are!

6 Unimportant Things about me.

1.  I get so cold that I wear a flannel nightgown and a polar fleece robe.

2.  My hair used to look cute in a hair clip but somehow I've forgotten how to make it look cute.

3.  I have a love hate relationship with cats.   *shrugs*  They make my eyes itch.

4.  I have a clock in my bedroom that projects the time on the ceiling and I love it.

5.  I hate toys that talk.

6.  I have a diaper to change!

Ok there you have it.  But I don't have 5-6 friends to tag.  So the buck stops here...sorry sistah!

So on the lines of decluttering my life!,  I receieved this email today and couldn't help to think that it belonged here, cluttering up my blog *grin*.

100 Reasons to Get Rid of it
  
  Because You Have Too Much Stuff
1. 1.4 million Americans suffer from chronic hoarding & clutter.
2. People burn 55 minutes a day looking for things.
3. 80 percent of what we own we never use.
4. 1800GotJunk.com
Pay someone else to take out the (big, cumbersome) trash.
5. Publicstorage.com
Lock it up in more than 2,100 locations around the U.S.
6. redshield.org
Schedule a pickup with your local Salvation Army.
7. earth911.org
Find local recycling and reuse programs for all kinds of household
items.

  Because It's Fun
8.  127sale.com
Set up shop at the World's Longest Yard Sale, August 2-5, along 450
miles of Highway 127 in the southeastern U.S.
9. Or peddle your wares in your own front yard on National Garage Sale
Day, August 10.
10. Swaporamarama.org
Attend nationwide clothing exchanges and do-it-yourself alteration
workshops.
11. Wildzipper.com
Watch as a pile of your favorite old T-shirts is converted into a
quilt.
  
  Because Someone Else Needs It
Cell Phones
12. Verizonwireless.com
Put a refurbished phone (of any brand) into the hands of a domestic
violence victim.
13. Eco-cell.com
Or let its sale benefit an environmental charity.
14. Care.org
Send a phone to the field staff of a poverty-fighting mission.

  Digital Cameras
15. Operationhomefront.net
Help keep service members in touch with their families.

  All Technology
16. Rethink.Ebay.com
Work with charities to find homes for consumer electronics.
17. youthfortechnology.org
Put scanners, computers, and cameras in the hands of deserving,
impoverished kids around the world.

  Air Miles
18. Redcross.org
For Red Cross staff and volunteers
19. Heromiles.com
For deployed soldiers
20. Marrow.org
For transplant patients
21. Childrenscancerassociation.org
For terminally ill kids
  Furniture & Appliances
22. excessaccess.org
Match your household items with a local non-profit's wish list.
23. help1up.org
Furnish homes for disaster victims.
24. dressforsuccess.org
Give interview and work clothing to disadvantaged women.
25. makingmemories.org
Donate a wedding gown to benefit breast-cancer patients.
26. www.operationfairydust.org
Send formal wear to teenage girls who need help getting to the prom.
27. onewarmcoat.org
A free coat to anyone who needs one.
28. boulderrunning.com
Ship shoes and sportswear to struggling athletes around the world.
  Other
29. Suitcasesforkids.org
Supply children in foster care with luggage.
30. Uniteforsight.org & givethegiftofsight.org
Send eyewear to men and women in underdeveloped countries.
31. Savethechildren.org
Convert American Express credit card points to cash donations.
32. Cartalk.com
Donate a used vehicle to support your local public radio station.
33. Booksforafrica.org
Give everything from storybooks to encyclopedias.
34. Cap4pets.org
Send towels and newspapers to animal shelters.
35. Goodwill.org
Fund job training programs and social services.
36. Freecycle.org
Post donations for charities (and regular folks) to claim.
37. Habitat.org
Donate leftover building supplies to Habitat for Humanity's ReStores.

  Computers
38. Cristina.org
Technology and training for the disabled and disadvantaged.
39. Sharetechnology.org
Connecting donations with charities across the U.S.
40. Worldcomputerexchange.org
Send computers to more than 50 developing countries.
  41. Nikereuseashoe.com
Recycled footwear materials become sports and playground surfaces.
42. Patagonia.com
Donated Capilene base layers become polyester fibers for new Capilene
garments.
43. Pangea organics' packaging becomes an herb garden when planted in
soil.
44. Cargo cosmetics' PlantLove lipstick tubes come in plantable boxes
that sprout wildflowers.
45. Pencilthings.com
Old newspapers become colored pencils.
46. Vivaterra.com
Rubber tires become sleek purses...
47. Passchal.com
...or rugged iPod covers.
48. Gaiam.com
Plastic soda bottles become durable hammocks.
49. Recycline.com
Yogurt containers become colorful plates, flatware, toothbrushes, and
razors.
  
  Because It Will Make Your Life Better
50. Getting rid of clutter will reduce housework by 40 percent.
51. Erase a $10K credit card debt (with an average interest rate) 65
percent faster -- and pay 75 percent less total interest -- when you pay
double the typical minimum monthly payment.
52. Download security software like Stopzilla to keep a lid on computer
pop-ups.
53. Around 23 percent of people pay late fees on bills they cannot
find.
  
  Because You Can Get Something Back
54. Return six MAC Cosmetics containers to any MAC store and receive a
free lipstick.
55. Trade in an old iPod and receive a 10 percent discount on a new
one.
56. Coinstar.com
Easily convert spare change into "real" money.
57. Craigslist.org
Sell it to your neighbors.
58. ebay.com
Sell it to anyone.
59. giftcardbuyback.com.
Get cash for gift cards you'll never use.
60 Paperbackswap.com
Trade the books you have for the ones you want.
61. Peerflix.com
Trade the DVDs you've seen for the ones you haven't.
62. Spun.com
Clear off your CD shelves, and make money in the process.
63. Titletrader.com
The great entertainment exchange: books, music, movies, and games, all
swapped in one place.
  
  Because It's Old/Expired
64. energystar.gov
Replacing old appliances with new, energy-efficient ones saves money
and fuel.
65. Running shoes should be retired after 300 to 500 miles in order to
prevent injuries.
66. Deep-six your toothbrush every three to four months.
67. Swap your pitcher's water filter every two months (or as directed).
68. Change out disposable air conditioner filters once a month during
cooling season.
69 Replace the batteries in your smoke detector at least once a year.
70. foodsafety.gov
Find the USDA's recommended storage limits for refrigerated and frozen
food.
71. Throw out mascara and moisturizer after three months.
72. Discard foundation and sunscreen after six months to a year.
73. Keep concealer, lipstick, eye- and lip liners, fragrances, powders,
blushes, and shadows for only a year and a half to two years.
74.-76. Say goodbye to the dried-out remnants of your favorite
no-longer-available lipstick, and check out threecustom.com, T.J.Maxx stores,
or Lancome's beauty bye-bye program for replacements or duplicates of
discontinued cosmetics.

Because You Don't Want to Suffer from "Stuck Song Syndrome"
77. And these five tunes are among the most persistent: Chili's "Baby
Back Ribs" jingle, "We Will Rock You," the "Mission Impossible" theme,
"YMCA," and "It's a Small World After All." (Tip: Try drowning them out
with classical music, which is less likely to haunt you after it's
turned off.)
  
  Because the Last Thing You Need Is More Paper Lying Around
78. File your taxes through an authorized IRS e-file provider.
79. Eliminate paper statements by banking and paying bills online.
80. Call 1-888-567-8688 to stop unwanted credit card solicitations.
81. Opt out of mailing and telemarketing lists by logging on to
dmaconsumers.org.
  
  Because There's a Better Option
82. Search for phone numbers online instead of storing bulky Yellow and
White Pages volumes.
83. Lose the road maps and get a GPS system to download up-to-date
travel guides.
84. Read "Dating Up: Dump the Schlump and Find a Quality Man," by J.
Courtney Sullivan (Warner Books, $14, 2007).
  
  Because You Don't Want to End Up Like Them
85. Miss Havisham in "Great Expectations"
86. Big Edie and Little Edie Bouvier Beale in "Grey Gardens"
87. Oscar Madison in "The Odd Couple"
88. The family in the documentary "Packrat" (packratthemovie.com)
89. The Bronx, New York, man who, in 2003, was trapped in his home
under an avalanche of books and newspapers for two days before being
rescued.
 
Because If They Said It, It's Probably True
90. "Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication." -Leonardo da Vinci
91. "Less is more." -Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
92. "Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or
believe to be beautiful." -William Morris
93. "You've got to accentuate the positive, eliminate the negative."
-Johnny Mercer
94. "The joy of giving is indeed a pleasure, especially when you get
rid of something you don't want." -Frank Butler and Frank Cavett, "Going
My Way"
  
  Or Just Because...
95. It has no value, sentimental or monetary.
96. It hasn't been used in over a year.
97. There is no logical place to keep it.
98. It doesn't work.
99. An ex gave it to you.
100. And what's the worst that can happen if you throw it out?


  http://www.marthastewart.com/article/100-reasons-to-get-rid-of-it?lnc=f3a762af4e2ee010VgnVCM1000003d370a0aRCRD&rsc=ood_mcr


   

I have joined 2 BOM's.  For those of you that do not know what a BOM is I will explain. A BOM is a quilting term for:  Block Of the Month.  The theory is that each month you pick up the pattern and material from the quilting store.  Then you go home and cut the material as the instructions tell you (some are less complex than others), sew it together and voila...you have yourself a quilting square.  Doing this once a month will give you 12 squares and a beautiful quilt!.

Here is my first block of my BOM.

I will be picking up my next BOM either Friday or Saturday.

Well yesterday I went into town to get my BOM (quilting Block Of the Month), only to find out that I had the   date wrong.   Next week I can pick it up.  So I looked around the shop anyway.  Big mistake.  NEVER NEVER do this.  I started to think of what "this" would look like in my house and how "that" would look hanging on the wall.  I rationalized just about every project in the store one at a time.  I think perhaps I am building up some will power?  I didn't buy a thing!  WoooHOOO!

Later that night we had to go back to town so Rob could work on our taxes (we finally got his W-2 and our mortgage statement).  So he went to BK to use the WiFi and I went to Walmart.  I still have birthday money that I want to use to buy one of those 5-6 foot tables.  Then I can put my sewing AND Essiah's on it.  Right now I have a sewing cabinet, which is nice but, no where to put her machine.  So it stays in the cabinet, unused.  If I get the table,  I will be getting rid of my cabinet.  If something comes in, something MUST go out!  So far so good.  Anyway!  They didn't have the table.  I'm wondering if I have something else I can use so I don't have to spend money needlessly.  Any suggestions?

I did get some books in for schooling.  So I took some things to Goodwill when I went in.  Now to go through the box of books to send/take to a friend.

On to my show and tell!  I had this wonderful little rocking chair that I picked up at a garage sale the first year that Rob and I were married.  Very cute,  but it really was worn out.  The seat cushion had holes in it and the stuffing was falling out.  So what I did was (before christmas) I picked out some material and then last night I traced around the cushion onto material.  I then cut and sewed up the cushion!  Woohooo.  It was late so I put the rest aside until today.  This morning I did the same with the back cushion and it is so nice!   Under where the seat cushion goes had to be taken apart.  Old burlap and stuffing and dry rotted material.   I pulled all of the staples and tacks out and found that I need to replace a spring.   So we got a part and made it work and I redid the cushion under the cushion.  Below you will see the said chair!!  YAY! 

Here it is!!

Well today we decided to go to breakfast at Arby's.  Then afterwards Rob would drive over to BK to use the WiFi to get the updates for TurboTax, while the children and I made a drop at Goodwill and did another check for pants for the boys (Trystan 10 and Reide 8) who are always and forever putting holes in their pants.  I have patched them all and they  "needed" church pants. 

After walking through the store 4 times, I managed to pay for: 1 much needed church shirt for myself, a pair of good jeans for Trystan (need to have a belt loop sewn back on...no biggie), 2 computer games for school and 4 Sugar Creek Gang books (Heather will justify this as a need if any are questioning it).  I made it out of the store without even being tempted to buy any junk. 

After we were done there we went to church to clean because it was our week.   The only cleaner  there was the really bad stuff.  You know the kind that if it comes in contact with your skin it burns?!   I'll make some of mine up and take it in tomorrow.

Which also reminds me.  Tomorrow is potluck.  I have a whole case of sour cream (free from a drop off, thank you Jesus!)  I think I'll make up some sour cream muffins and some Frosted banana bars!  YUM!