Goodbye, Dear Father-In-Law.....

Just to let you know that Dear Hubby's father passed away last Friday.  Not that you knew him or would have ever heard of him but it is the reason I haven't been around for the last week.  Dear Hubby and I scooted down the road a piece (that's 4 hours in Southern-ese) last Wednesday afternoon, spent 36 hours in ICU waiting room and the last 5 hours of FIL's life with him.  What a touching but heart-wrenching moment.  One I hope to never have to repeat.

 Father-In-Law       Grandfather-In-Law         Dear Hubby

circa 1974

I had limited access to the internet.........just long enough to check emails and the bank account.  I may or may not get a chance to catch up on the blog reading/responding but I'll give it a shot.  And thank you all for your sweet comments about my kids.  Yes, they are very special.

Blessings, Cathi

Pay Attention, Kids.....

Dear Hubby and I are blessed with 4 wonderful kids (and a son-in-law).  Oh, they try our nerves from time to time and we often wonder if we have done everything we possibly could.  Well, this past weekend, all our fears were put to rest.

We wanted to get away again since it was a 3 day weekend.  Since Black Monday (the day I was laid off) happened, we figured it would probably be best NOT to spend the money.  DSK (Dear Sweet Kids) got together and gave us a large gift basket (sorry, no picture....Dear Hubby attacked the chocolate right away and put the champagne in the fridge) filled with champagne, chocolates, cheeses, crackers, sausages, etc. along with this gift certificate.

First thing Saturday morning, the Wild One and the Computer Geek (both of whom are still living at home) took "the boys" and drove to the Married One's house in Charlotte.  Later that afternoon, the Wild One put another gift basket on the front porch filled with Panera Breads and breakfast rolls. Dear Hubby and I had a wonderful weekend alone without kids, without dogs and without having to wake up first thing in the morning!

So pay attention, kids ........ Parents, feel free to share this post with whomever you feel appropriate.

Blessings, Cathi

Never enough fabric.....

Yesterday was my birthday but somehow didn't seem like it.  Last year was the big 50.  It was a very special day......actually a very special week (we celebrate birthday WEEKS at our house!)  This year was more like.....ehhhh, big deal, just another day.

But I did get some nice gifts that I have to share because that's what we bloggers do!!

Dear Hubby found out that I was going on a little field trip to the famous Mary Jo's with some friends from church last week.  He sent an email to me early that morning from work telling me I could spend a pretty hefty amount of money!  Who am I to turn him down??!! So I rushed through some patterns and books to pick out something I wanted to make, scribble down the yardage and off I went.  

Now MaryJo's doesn't carry Moda.  they won't sell to her (long story) but she does have a nice selection of Civil War prints.  So I picked out enough to make "Six Degrees" by Carrie Nelson (Miss Rosie).

Here is the fabric that I picked out.

I don't know where on the list it will go but just knowing that it's there and from Dear Hubby's heart is good enough for now.

Another funny surprise yesterday came from a quilting friend of mine that I met through our state guild.  We were on the board together for many years and is quite surprising that we are friends.  Our quilting styles are polar opposites!  So much so that when she won a fat quarter basket, she pulled the plaids out and mailed them to me!  I received the package yesterday, on my birthday, not even knowing it was my birthday.  I'm sure she didn't by the note she put inside.

For some reason, I have earned a reputation for loving plaids in our state guild.  No worries, it could be a much worse reputation!  On the plus side, I have received many gifts of  plaids over the years.  I have noticed in some quilt shops that the plaid bolts are usually the ones on the sale table!!  Better for me!  Silly people..........don't they know that every quilt can be made of plaids!!

And another surprise gift came from Mary at Quilt Hollow.  She sent a really cool book (that the Married One tried to sneak out of the house last night!)  It has a lot of fun totes and bags and ipod holders and cell phone holders.  After dinner, the Married One went through it letting me know which ones she wanted.  Good thing she knows how to sew!  I may have to let her borrow the book.

Also included was an adorable pillow all packaged up in a fabric gift bag.  Wonder how long it will be before I find out the red bag fabric would be perfect in some quilt?!  Thanks so much, Mary!

But I'm not the only one that enjoyed Mary's package!  Besides an affinity for dirty socks, Reagan also has a thing for cardboard.  I gave him the packaging for him to play with.

And then there is poor Nelson feeling left out.  Usually Nelson is the dominate one except when it comes to cardboard and socks! Reagan wouldn't let him near his new treasures so Nelson slunk off to pout!

Hope you have a wonderful day!!

Blessings, Cathi

Thoughts of Christmas - Row 5.....

This is Row 5 of my "Thoughts of Christmas" BOM and one of my challenges for this month's Charming Girls Quilt Club. 

Only 6 more months to go!

Who would have thought that 26° in the morning would have felt right balmy?  Not so terribly bad this morning.  Better than most but not what we're used to. 

Hope you are all staying warm.  I have a pork roast in the crock pot with some garlic and leeks so we can have burritos for dinner tonight.  The house smells daggum delicious!

Blessings, Cathi

My Gift Certificate order has arrived.....

You may remember from an earlier post, I won the Charming Girls Quilt Club Challenge for the month of December .... a gift certificate from Kelly's shop!  It didn't take long for me to pick out what I wanted.  I already had a Snibbles pattern that I wanted to make.  I ordered the Wicasset charms and yardage.  Don't they look yummy?

Take a good look at the picture.  It will probably show up again soon as another Charming Girls Challenge.  This month is all booked!

PS. Note in the picture in the top-right corner......that would be grass out the window for those of you that forget what it looks like. teehee....sorry, just had to throw that in.

Blessings, Cathi

January Challenge.....

Since I won the December Challenge with the Charming Girls Quilt Club (and finished two quilts to boot), I am really excited to forge ahead with January's.

First is a quilt for Dear Hubby.  I had started collecting fabrics over 10 years ago.  They were a little harder to find and I had no idea at the time what pattern I was going to make with them.  I finally found a pattern (Toad in the Puddle by Mary Ellen Hopkins, I think) and cut it all out 4 years ago!

I finished one block to see how it would go together.  What was I thinking way back then.!??  They are all flannels. They stretch.  The flying geese are made with cut triangles instead of my beloved 4 x Flying Geese ruler.  I don't think a single point was saved.  They were all chopped off.  I'm just going to muster through this and make it with some of my sloppiest piecing ever........but finished is better than perfect.  For January, I will be happy to finish the top.

Project #2 is to complete the January row for my BOM, Thoughts of Christmas.

Project #3 is to re-design and complete the top of a Cheri Payne project to hang in my foyer. Cheri's project is 8" x 20".  I need it to be wider so I will add a row to the side and maybe another row to the bottom.  We'll see how it turns out.

 

I also have a quilt to cut out by January 22nd for a class on the 23rd but I won't count that as a project.  That has to be done regardless.  One of my BFFs is teaching the class.  How embarrassing for her if I showed up for class and wasn't prepared!

Blessings, Cathi

Getting ahead on my Christmas quilting.....

.....for next year, that is.  I wanted to make a few things before I put all the decorations away.  It is easier to tell what I need while it's still out.  I know a lot of people have had their Christmas away for a while but since I am not working currently, I can take my time.  Besides, my house looks the best at Christmas.  But I digress......

I made this cute little number yesterday afternoon and finished this evening.

It's made on a muslin base with wool pennies.

 

 

I sure wish pictures showed up well without the big flash but that only works with the big, fancy cameras.   This little display looks cute in the dark!

Oh, and by the way........I won one of this month's gift certificates in the Charming Girls Quilt Club drawing!!!
 

Blessings, Cathi

HoHoHo, Merry Quilting ! .....

Yes, I finally finished the HoHoHo quilt.  Missed the Charming Girls December 31st deadline but I don't care, I finished it!

I am so pleased with how it came out.  I even tried my hand at meandering quilting.  Some of the loops are more jagged than loopy.  I drank coffee while I was quilting.  Next time, a bottle of wine!  It's not the best job but I think it went pretty well for my first time.   Like Mary said, I just have to use the dreaded "P" word.......practice, practice, practice.  That was the first comment Mary had left for me over a year ago when I was posting about being a topmaker, not a quiltmaker.

It's been washed.....the RED didn't RUN..... and added the finishing touches of buttons.

 

 

I have a big, open wall in the dining room that would be perfect for this to live during the holidays.  It may have to live there for a few months just so I can enjoy it.

Blessings, Cathi