Piggies get Tails!

 At work yesterday every time I was on hold I was working on piggy tails.  It was busy so took me about six hours to get all four on!  I then had an easy job in which I sewed the binding on the fourth one but forgot to take pictures of them all!  Now the piggies are separated.  One is at work for me to use, one is going to Norway for Rachel--in 2004 when I went to Norway we stopped at a grocery store with the kids and took silly pictures with the big pig out front (el reiser or el greiser or something) and so it made me think of all that silliness!  The other two are awaiting homes.

 I also worked on this hexi for Bonnie's mini quilt.  I have not touched it in forever.  I had the kit with me to sew the pig tails and since my evening job was alot of sitting and not alot of interpreting (easiest job I have had all year!) I got the center hexies all stitched up!  I also am listening to lots of audiobooks again.  This one is Neurotribes about the origins of autism and it is really interesting.  I have read over 100 books this year!  More than double last year (or right on double) and there is still a week to go!  I think listening to podcasts about books and not having cable helps with that!

You cannot really tell from this picture, but this is Egg Brunch.  It is covered in bread and paprika.  It is our go to breakfast holiday meal.  So mom made a pan sans mushrooms and I make one with.  I bought a special huge pan this year because I am tired of bringing two smaller pans!  It smelled amazing and I am looking forward to breakfast tomorrow morning (after Weight Watchers) at Mom's house.  We will be spending the day and night up there and then returning home and celebrating with Randy.  Coleman, Heather and her six kids are on there way here from Ohio and we will celebrate with them whenever they arrive too.
Clue five on the Quiltville mystery is out!  I am hoping to at least prep it tonight but will be lucky to get this one going before the link up Monday.  Been working like a fool and today after work I got a pedi and then busted my butt cooking and cleaning. I am so tired and I still have a few things to do to get ready--like pack!
Happy Holidays!

Piggies, Flamingos and Gnomes, Oh My!

 Today was a sewing day at Barb's.  I am all caught up on the mystery so I decided to bring some fabric and one of my new design boards and cut out four of the Penny Pig Mini Quilts by Lori Holt. 

 They were lots of fun to make while we gabbed.

 I forgot to put the tails on before I stitched them up but may figure out how to add one on each of them yet.  I am keeping the one that has yet to be hand stitched down  I am not the best binder in the world but much better than I used to be.  I had a partial migraine all day today and so I am sure that did not help.  I stitched with Barb til it was time to go to Pilates and the day went by fast!

 Kathy finished clue three of En Provence!  She still has to cut the wings for part four and then she can start sewing.  This is the best she has ever done at keeping up with the mystery.  Kathy is calling her quit En Patriot!

 While I was sewing, Barb finished up the last of the towels she volunteered me embroider for me.  She borrowed my machine and did some stuff for her brother with it (it is bigger than hers) but mine needs a tune up so she did the towels on her Bernina.  I really need to learn how (ok I know how sort of ) and just try this myself.  The designs are so cute!  These two will go to Margie (my dad who passed away seven year's ago's girlfriend since I was eight).  She loves flamingos and every year I send her flamingo something or other.  Her box for this year already went out but will randomly mail her these just for fun later on.  I think she will like them alot.

 I love these designs SO much!  We are keeping "love beyond measure" and "Life is short, lick the spoon" and gifting the others to my sister, brother's ex, and current. 

 My mom, sister and I LOVE gnomes.  I may give mom one of these, but they are so cute I do not want to part with them!

This one with the birds is for mom.  She loves birds and swears that is how her own mother visits her.  When she sees a pretty bird she thinks, there's mom.  So we are always picking out little birds for knickknacks. 

Hold on to Your Hat, I Sewed Again!

 Last weekend I whipped up two pillowcases for Coleman.  He took his with him and when he returned a week ago (he left his wife--long story but for the best) he brought almost nothing back with him.  I had some twin sheets and we got him a new twin bed, but the pillowcases mysteriously disappeared so made him some fun ones. 

 I had kitted up a few cats a long time ago for Christmas gifts for my daughter and my son Mac's fiance.  Pattern is from Lori Holt.  So I finally worked on them last weekend and then finished them up today.

 Kathy finally finished up Grand Illusion which was Coleman's wedding quilt...it never was sent to Wisconsin since it was not done.  Kathy put the last of the binding on it right after Coleman got back here so now he has a new divorce quilt.

 Last weekend I spent a few hours tracing out and attaching the scalloped binding for Allietare.  I had to do quite a bit of easing since I neglected to do the binding out of the bias.  Oops.  It may be the last scalloped binding I attempt!  Today I tried to machine bind the top half but had to rip out the two short sections I tried.  I then decided to hand bind it though on the front.  I did one long side today and have made a goal of doing one side per week so this will be done long before the next mystery starts!

Bonnie announced the next leader/ender challenge--Hourglasses.  I was not sure that I really wanted to jump onboard with a new project because I have plenty of wips to work on, however I saw these cute placemats and thought I should at least make a set of four or six.  So I will be prepping for the leaders and enders soon!
Packers won today (and so did the Patriots) so we are happy here. 

Mug Rugs for the Z Crew and Staring Circa 2016!

Yesterday  I went hiking with the Chubby Chicks Meet Up group again.  After about 15 minutes our leader got sick and so she and her adult daughter headed back down along with another gal who was feeling dizzy.  That left only me, Michelle and and Donna to continue on the hike.  We were at South Mountain and we did Beverly Canyon on to Ridgeline and then Javelina Trail back.  I had done the first two trails (though not together) and had no idea about Javelina.  We managed to find our way along with only one small detour.  It was alot of fun and close to four miles and 83 floors...new hiking record on the floors for me.  Was killer sore after and we stopped at Ikea and wished we hadn't!  Kathy went hiking on her own so she could take it easy but she had her longest hike post surgery yet.

 

One of my jobs is in video relay....phone interpreting.  I work with a fabulous group of people and it makes the job (which is the hardest I have ever had) so much more enjoyable.  I have a mug rug at work that I use in whichever station I wind up working in.  Jenn asked me if she could have one, so I made her this one.

That led to a few other folks wondering at how they get a mug rug.  I then decided I would make a few a month and eventually make one for everyone who wants one.  The cherries were for Lori.

 The heart was for Becca.

 This one was for Kelly.

And one of these is for Christine and one is for Nicole--our cat lovers. 

I have cut out three more cats (this is Lori Holt's Barn Cats Mini Quilt pattern from FatQuarterShop) for Christmas gifts next year.  They are all kitted up to take to camp or get to when I am in the mood.

Here is my first bit of Circa 2016 which has just started over at the Temecula Quilt Company blog.  I love her little sewalongs and am happy to be playing in my civil war fabrics again.

Stitching up Little Stuff

 Last Wednesday I took a few mental health hours and did some sewing.  I put together this tiny tablerunner with the We Wish You a Merry Christmas blocks, then I was motivated to quilt and bind Christmas Past and Presents from last year.

 A co-worker, Jen, asked me to make her  mug rug because she saw I always use one.  I made the one above for her and the one below for a fellow sewer down the line.

 After putting those together I decided it was time to quilt and bind this pop bottle.  This is from the paper piecing class I took several years ago.

 I went hiking this week too.  Listened to some music and an audiobook.  I love it out there!

 We also got another cat.  I know--we are nuts.  She is nine years old and needed a home. Her name was Ashley so we named her Stash (so it sounds similar) but I hate people names for animals!  At least first names.  She is SLOWLY acclimating to our zoo--we have put her in the Packer room with a gate so she can come and go as she likes but has a place away from the rest.  We are hoping she and Singer Kitty become buddies, but so far it is not looking like it.

 We had my nephew Ben overnight last night (which used up lots of my sewing time) and we took him to the Ostrich Ranch (Farm) where we got to feed and pet lots of animals. Ben loved it!  They have added Parakeets since we were there and the rainbow lorikeets were a hit as always.  Ben really liked the fallow deer too because they ate from his hand gently.

 I did manage to cut my hst's and rip the paper while watching Finding Nemo with Ben.  Later I sewed up the most recent clue for the Nimble Thimbles mystery.  Whew, caught up til January!

Sunday Funday--and a Good Read!

This morning I cleaned and sorted through one of my bookshelves.  I mostly read on my Nook these days and tend to ignore the entire shelf of to be read books.  I decided to get rid of twenty or so of them that I know I will never read, and in the sorting I came across "The Forgotten Garden" by Kate Morton.  It called to me even after reading the backs of a bunch more books so I have spent more time reading than anything today.  There is just nothing like a good book to take you away and it reminds me of when I was not even ten and discovered books like "Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm" and "The Secret Garden" I have memories of just reading and reading and never wanting it to end!  I was the proud winner of the "reading rockets" in sixth grade--by A LOT! If you are a reader, leave me a comment about some of your favorite reads please!

So I did manage to sew up the latest Ooh Rah! QOV block.  This one was a bit harder for me, the directions don't tell you the sizes to square up as I went and some tips were lost along the way, but all in all I like it.

 So here is half of the Quilt of Valor which will eventually find its way to Alycia!

 I also had some fun and quilted up this block you may recall from the RSC challenge which had to be redone since it was not quite the right size.  Waste not, want not, it is now a mug rug!

 And since I was in a putzy mood I finally quilted my tea pot into a mug rug too!

Linking up to Tickled Pink Saturday

 Here are my pink blocks so far!

 And a few mug rugs I made with pinks and a bit of red.

 And last year's pink Talkin' Turkey.  I need to make another one :)

Linking up to Soscrappy!