Brayden's quilt is all finished.  It's been washed and ready to be wrapped.  You know I made the top so long ago it was before I really got into quilting I did more sewing.  As I was quilting it I noticed not everything was all that square. (whoops)  The same quilting was done on it that I did on Sharon's flag quilt loops and stars.

Thought I would show you the back.  Seems like I always forget about the back.

My sewing machine has the alphabet in it.  A few years ago I thought monogramming the binding would be much easier than doing a label.  I do put the date on it.  Just did not show up in the picture.

TaDah

Now it is time for me to do some valentiney things.  I think for the heart box I am going to but buttons, rick rack and ribbons.  You know I just love all kinds of rick rack.  Today I cut out a valentines apron  and made my own bias tape.  It just needs to be pined on and sewn down.  That is the worst part for me.  Can never figure out how to get the stitches just right on the back.  Guess I need more practice?   Hope everyone has a great week.

All I have left on Brayden quilt is to sew the binding on.  The quilt came out really cute.  Pictures tomorrow.  Yesterday I told you about some vintage valentines I bought.  Well thought I would share them with you.  Just hope the pictures are good enough for you to print and make some pretties with them.  You know I'm not that great with the camera.

Memories of my mom making homemade corn dogs.  I have tried to make them in the past but could never get the batter to stick on the wieners.  Well this morning we where watching Paula Deen and her son.  They where making tail gating foods.  One of them was corn dogs and the trick to get the batter to stick is to roll the wieners in corn starch.  It worked I was so happy when they came out.  And they tasted just like moms.  So I thought I would share my moms corn dog recipe with you.  1 cup cornmeal, 3 cups pancake mix, 2 cups of milk, and 1/4 of a cup of sugar.  Oh and enough cornstarch to roll the wieners in and then dip in the batter.  The mix needs to be the consistency of pancake batter so you may want to add a little more milk if needed.  You can always add a little at a time but you can not take it away.  Deep Fry. And Enjoy.

Today there was not get much sewing done.  But I did go antiquing and found some vintage valentines.  Thinking maybe recreating something with them would be fun.   I also dressed up my antique kitchen cabinet and placed one of my valentines on it.  Brayden's quilt is still on the quilt frame.  Hoping to finish it this weekend.  Guess I did not realize his birthday was the early part of February.  (Whoops)   I have just been piddling I made some more buttons and a few yoyo's. 

I am still collecting treasures.  And what fun that is.

This morning I decided I would make some valentiney things.  Last year I bought boxes of chocolates in heart boxes and I saved the boxes.  Thinking I would decorate them.  Last Valentines Day came and went so I have them for this year.  I have only done one so far.  My thought is to fill it with goodies and give as a gift. So I thought I would share it with you.

You just have to love it when your husband comes up with an easier idea on how to something.  I was covering buttons when he stopped by my sewing room and tells me he has something that would make it easier.  Yahhh!  It is one of his reloading presses. 

When you are ready to put the back on your button you just pull the handle and it pushes it right down.  I can make buttons all day with this thing.  

TaDa beautiful buttons.  Well it is time for me to put some more stitches in Brayden's quilt.

TTFN

 

Well I have not done much sewing this weekend.  Yesterday was filled with doctors appointments and errands.  I did do a little treasure hunting but I really did not find anything I could not live without.  I pulled a quilt top out of my closet that I pieced I think in 1998?  It is a little Texas quilt.  Nancy my co-worker and a great friend has a grandson that is turning 3 in February.  He is the cutest lil cowboy.  Thought he needed to have this quilt so I embroidered lil cowboy on the top and his name on the bottom.  I did manage to get it on the quilt frame today but I only quilted 2 rows.  I do not have very much MoJo today.  But I have so many gifts to get done by March.  I have a birthday quilt to do and a baby quilt.  And the baby quilt I has not even been pieced yet.  Then there are so many Valentine things I want to make.  I found the cutest little bags for gift giving for Valentines day on The Farm Chicks blog. http://thefarmchicks.typepad.com/farmchicks/  You have to scroll down a bit but it is the cutest download.  Thought you would want to make some. 

Well I had to crop off part of the picture becasuse of the string on my camera got in the way.  I took it off so that does not happen again.  When I am done quilting it I will show a full view. (sorry)

Happy Quilting

Today is our 27th wedding anniversary.  Wow how the time flys.  I meet my husband when I was a freshman in high school.  We starting dating my sophomore year.  And have been happily together ever since.  My sweetie took me to dinner tonight . Then we will be home for quiet time together of course in front of the TV.

I must tell you about a blog I found.  Cindy makes the most wonderful aprons out of vintage pillow cases.
A must see.  http://www.retrorevivalbiz.blogspot.com/   ( if I have messed this up it is on my right side bar )
                                                                         
                                                                              ttfn

What a busy weekend it has been.  Well part of the day was gone yesterday when I laid down for a nap Whoops.  I finished the quilt with the flower blocks Nancy gave me as a welcome back to work present.
It measures 70x70.  I decided to use only 5 of the flower blocks and use the other 2 for pillows.  We painted our guest room a light yellow because my idea was to do that room in yellow and lavender.  That is my new thing to add yellow to my purple or lavender.  So those pillows will go perfect in there. 
I do not have a design wall.  So I think I am going to have to come up with something else for my pictures the floor is just not doing it. (Sorry about the pictures).

My precious Duchess is having a nap while I sew the borders.

Thought I would show you the apron my secret Santa gave me (Nancy).  It belong to her grandmother and I will always cherish it.  The table cloth in the back ground on our table belonged to David's Grandmother.  She crochted it in the early 1900's that is another one of my treasures that I just love.

 

Oh me oh my look what I got for a welcome back to work gift.  One of my co-workers and good friends Nancy gave me these quilt blocks.  There are 7 of them and all 7 flowers have different fabric petals.  They are all hand appliqued and made out of feed sack ( I think ).  There is also extra muslin blocks.  I thought tomorrow I would lay them out and get an idea of how it will look.   Nancy and I have the same taste we both love all vintage and old things.  I am not sure of the history of these quilt blocks.  But no matter I just love love them.

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Hey guys hope everyone is having a great day of sewing.  I wanted to show you the quilt below because it is The Circle of Love quilt like I am making my niece for a wedding gift.  But of course I did ours in purples.
I made ours bigger with 25 heart blocks because this quilt was for our 25th wedding anniversary a few years ago.  Right now it is on our bed keeping us warm at night.  It has been getting really cold here and for us that would be in the 30's.  I am sorry for the bad picture I have really had a hard time with my pictures lately.  But at least you can see the blocks better at the foot of our bed.

A few months ago I showed you some dresden plate blocks I was making.  I used all 1930's reproduction fabrics.  And I finally put the boarders on today.  The borders are pink but again my picture did not come out very good. (sorry)  This quilt is for my sister's birthday at the beginning of March.  I am not sure how I am going to quilt it yet.  Still need to find just the perfect back for it.  Well it is time to start getting dinner ready.  What do you think about enchilada casserole?

This morning we woke up to an adventure.  There was a little dog on our back porch.  We live out in the country and you can hear the coyote's at night.  I was worried about the poor little girl so David went around the neighborhood trying to find out if someone had lost there poor little baby.  She had no collar on so that made things a little tougher.  Sometimes people dump there dogs out here on our road.  Which I think is just horrible.  Well no one had lost there pet.  So we got in the car and went further we did not find out who lost her but we did find her a good home.  Which made me feel much better for her.

On another note my friend Sharon came over yesterday and we had a great day of quilting.  She made her mother a hexagon quilt for Christmas and we did not get around to quilting it before Christmas so she wrapped  up the top to go under the tree.  I think the fabric she used was Cherish Nature?  Anyway it came out really nice.  We quilted leaves and loops on it. When I took the picture I was hoping you could see the quilting.  But not so much sorry.  And if you can believe it Sharon and I got to talking and I forgot to take a picture of the finished quilt. Whoops.

My beautiful niece is getting married in May.  And of course I am going to make her a quilt for a wedding present.  Thought I would show you what I picked out.  The reason I picked out this quilt is because it has hearts.  Now I have a whole closet full of Thimbleberries fabric.  I used to be gaga for Thimbleberries but not so much anymore.  Now don't get me wrong there are some Thimbleberries fabric I like but I am ready to move on to brighter colors ( purples, pinks and yellows ).  I have so much fabric from different collections of  theThimbleberries from like 2004 I think I need to start sewing it up.  No since and letting it seat there it needs a home.

I started cutting out the fabrics.  For the heart block you have to make 80 31/2 inch  9 patches.  I am well on my way.  I will she show you more in a later post.  It's time for me to visit my sewing machine now.

Happy Quilting,

Well I finally finished the binding on my pink quilt.  This quilt has been quilted for many months hanging over a chair.  Now I can finally curl up with it.  The pattern is Simply Cottage by Bunny Hill Designs.   I actually made 2 of these one for a gift and of course I had to have one.

If you have not been on Bunny Hill's website bunnyhilldesigns.com you must go.  She is doing another  free block of the month Henrietta Whiskers.  Henrietta is a squirrel and I know everyone is going to love it.  I have already started the first block.  All I have left  to do is applique Henrietta and the leaves down.  I will show you in a later post. 

Happy Quilting!

I know that some of you are lucky enough to have snow to make real snowmen.  Well in this part of Texas it is warming up no clouds in the sky but I think it is going to be about 70ish today.  Thought I would show you the snowmen my boss and one of my co-workers Nancy make.  They collect all these wonderful treasures and create snow people. 

Thank you Dr. Cody and Nancy I just love your snowmen.