It's the only one we got folks

So today is earth day! if you'll allow me a couple minutes, i'd appreciate it.

couple years ago, i made a commit to become aware of my carbon foot print. I didn't make a big deal about it, just started to try to introduce some more 'green' habits in my every day life. I'm not a tree hugger, but i do want my grandkids to enjoy the planet as i know it one day.....fresh air, food, trees, animals....

here are some simple things you can do to make every day Earth day:

-recycle. i was surprised to see that 80% or more of my everyday trash is recyclable.I put out recycling more than i do trash now. it;s like a game- how much trash a day i can keep out of the landfill.

-buy rechargeable batteries. it's a bit of a cost at first, but they have more than paid for themselves. I'm still using the same 8 AAs i bought 4 years ago...

-turn the faucet off while brushing your teeth, washing hair, etc. if your not using the water- turn it off! studies show that it could save up to 3000+ gallons a year per family!!

-stop using plastic grocery bags. i haven't carried one home in a LONG time. I have several now use them regulatory. They hold more ,so you won't need that many. They are even washable...PS if you DO use the plastic ones, recycle them!! I even have a folded up one i carry in my purse. Some shops even offer a discount with purchase if you use your own bag (maybe that's just quilt shops, tho *grin*).

-use bio-friendly cleaners. Most cleaning solutions are very toxic and get washed down the drain to end up back in the ground water. I use vinegar, peroxide, and natural plant based cleaners. I was surprised how well they clean! imagine- those chemicals are in your kitchen! NEXT TO YOUR FOOD!! *yuck*

-unplug those pesky appliances with that 'vampire' light that shows they are plugged in. That is electricity you are paying for, plus a resource that is not being used productively.

Now i know not everyone can do everything, but if EVERYONE changed one or two habits, we just might make a difference....If faced with the choice of a 'normal' way versus a 'green' way- even tho the green choice might be a bit more expensive or time consuming- it'll be worth it in the long haul, for everyone!

I know it's a clique, but i do like the quote: "we did not inherit the earth from our parents, we are borrowing it from our children"

so, do you do anything earthy? share it in the comments!!!
 

Happy 236th Birthday America!

 God Bless America!

I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the Unites States of America and to the Republic for which it stands. One Nation under God, indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for all.

my sense of humor liked this picture-

'MERICA!!

*giggle* my favorite- the walmart bags in the basket...



 

lucky day

i always thought it would be cool to have a 13th birthday cause every once in a while, your birthday would be on friday...

that and being born on leap year day...


good luck today!!

this weekend

We come, not to mourn our dead soldiers, but to praise them.

 -Francis A. Walker

fah lalalala la la la

i promised a christmas wrap up (pun intended) post....

i choose to add to the stress this holiday and i made all my presents (which i will do again, just get a eariler head start this year)

i made two faux feedack pillows for my dad using our family farm's name. It's a certified black angus farm. i got the idea from this tutorial. i don't have the fancy cutter she has, so i cut my stencil from freezer paper with an exacto knife. i kept the test pillow for myself *wink*

for my dad's girl friend, a clothesline fabric wrapped basket....i've not met her yet, so i hope she likes it.

i made a table topper for davis's mom. i used Atkinson Design's "Happy Holidays" table topper pattern and made the medium size. it took some convincing for her to actually put it on the table. she didn't want it to get dirty. she also got one of the wedding frames from this post.

i made lots of pillow cases.
davis's dad got this set which match the southwest theme he loves so much. they get to sit on this quilt i made him last year. he also got a wedding frame.

neice's pillow case set. she's not a matchy type, so her's are both different.

neice #2 set. her favorite color is blu, altho it photoed green

nephew's pillow case set. he was a bit difficult to make for. he's goth and loves black *sigh* solid black pillowcases can be bought. i put on my thinking cap and it hit me- i used moda's "grunge' black and found a nice grey homespun for the cuff. very proud of that one

i made three of my flanged pillows (my tutorial here)
one for davis's bother and his fiance. she loves black and purple and i knew immediately what fabric in my stash would work. i tried to make his 'manly'  i quilted them exactly the same....

i love the purple thread on the dark grey
so his had to have blue on the tan...

i also made one pillow for my FIL's girl who's-a-friend. she bought new couches and nothing she already had really 'matched'. now she does *grin*

i love making gifts for family and friends, but am a bit bothered that they won't use them cause they are scared of them getting dirty/worn/torn/etc. i found a good response to those concerns: "i want you to use them, that's why i made them. it's a compliment to me if you love it to death. and if you do love it to death i promise to make you another one in a different color" worked like a charm.....

i wasn't gonna mention anything, but Davis accepted a job as an electrical contractor and is in Afghanistan. he was scheduled for R&R in january, but surprised us all when he walked in during the family get-together. i love surprises! that was my favoritest gift- having my hubby home for our first married christmas....so i have one itty bitty favor, when you think of him; send a up good thought for his and the troops' safety over there. thanks...he will be 'bouncing' all over afghan. he jokes that his new service truck is a black hawk....

 so what did Santa bring me?

i was apparently a good little kwilter cause i got a SewEzi table for my featherweight. i even got the accessory tray...and i also have the clear insert that makes it a light table.

davis made me a para-cord bracelet. it's nice to be on the receiving end of a home made gift....

i bought myself a new ruler at Intown Quilters (on sale). i needed one. my old one is about 8 years old and the markings around the edge are worn and some are gone...my old ruler was 6.5 x 12.5 my new one is 8.5 x 12.5. i can't wait to use it.....

oh- for those that think i'm sitting at home alone and all vulnerable......i'm keeping myself busy. i knew that stash would come in handy.

...oh, and i have guns and know how to use them *giggle*

auld lang syne

i want to wish all my readers a very happy new year! thank you for giving me a reason to blog....i can't wait to see what 2012 holds for us all

May your best of 2011 be the worst of your 2012!

i just got use to writing 11....

merry christmas!

have a very merry christmas!!

i'm busy finishing up christmas presents. i was sick last week and slept for a couple days- that put me a little behind, but i'm feeling much better now, so it's back to a sweat shop in the studio.

i'll be back later to share some quilty goodness.

thanksgiving wrap up

thanksgiving was spent south with davis' family.

went hunting friday, with no luck- but there's enuf deer in the woods to have better luck later....

i got to do something i've never got to do before- lay pennies on a train track. we stopped at a transfer track intersection and the front train was stopped while the back train passed. i placed three pennies on the track and waited....

(i learned that those type of train cars carry automobiles to savannah to be shipped overseas- how cool)

i was surprised how loud the noise was as the train ran over my pennies *thunk thunk thunk* then when the pennies vibrated and fell off the rails, no more thunks......it was cool!

the holiday weekend was pretty uneventful- except when i locked the keys in the truck and had to call a locksmith on thanksgiving afternoon....that wasn't cheap.

11-11-11

thank you to all the soldiers, veterans and active duty, for defending my freedom. thank you to the families for their sacrifices in support of those soldiers.

i want to share my newest quilt!!

i wanted to get out of the house this week, so lisa hosted another sew-in at her house. i finished my to-go quilt 'Weedwacker', and didn't have anything readily portable to take. then it hit me....

i had all those way-extra strips i cut for for Echoes and caroline mentioned on my halloween UFO finish post about the moda bake shop pattern that used 2.5" strips to make a neat spiderweb quilt, so i grabbed all my fassett strips and of to lisa's we went (barney is welcomed as well).

i spent the afternoon sewing strips together and cutting 60degree triangles...so in the afternoon i stopped and laid out some triangles on the background. we had to run up to the walkway and look over to get a better idea....L.U.V!  so more strip sets were sewn.

this is what i have so far, and i have decided to make it bigger, so this weekend i might sew some more strip sets (lord knows i have the strips).


















i found the perfect border lurking in The Stash....rotary cutter for scale.

it's going to be a fun quilt!!

yesterday Nemo was treated to a spa day.

his old shoes were replaced by the new M&M Wheels from APQS. what a lovely difference!

i would of took pictures, but i don't think you'd been able to see thru the mess. the machine and frame had to be partially deconstructed, and it's tight in my studio to begin with.... 

since i had nemo out of the frame and upside down i decided to repacked the grease in his bobbin box (it was needed) and now he purrs. he's like a whole different machine!

there's so much more to LAing than stitching....there's all this maintainence stuff that needs to be done too...

Happy Birthday America!

weekend review

what i did during my memorial day holiday weekend....

friday and saturday i cut 132 8.5inch squares, 66 warm and 66 cool, from my batik stash. i originally thought that i wouldn't have the stash to get the variety i was wishing for. i need to stop doubting my stash.

i am going to use before mentioned squares to start Bonnie Hunter's Scrappy Majestic Mountain quilt. i will use the warm as the 'lights' and the cool fabric will be stand in for the 'darks'....

then i got all distracted watching this little guy fill his checks with sunflower seeds. i love watching chipmunks. the way they run with their tails stuck up in the air...

i have 6 chipmunks in my yard now...i think they are a family from the neighbor's wood pile.

i wonder if the squirrels posted on FaceBook about the all-you-can-eat sunflower buffet in my backyard??....hmmm.

sunday i proceeded to starting sewing my mountain blocks. a word of advice- bonnie has you cut the squares at 8.5", make the HST, then trim to 8"....i stupidly cut all my squares before making a test block (who am i to question the generous ms hunter?) if i had made a test block i would have decided to cut my squares at 8.75" rather than 8.5" cause after making the HSTs, is it really tight getting a 8" square...i mean REALLY tight!

so here are my blocks so far....i can tell i'm going to really like this quilt. i like that it's a slight optical illusion tessellation type design...one minute the warm colors receed and you see the cool color zigzag, then the next moment, the opposite happens...kewl!

later i'm going to share what i'm making with the 'pieces' leftover when chopping up fabric to get squares....it's gonna be awesome! i just need to get some zippers, Drings,  and a swivel clasp!

wonder what did davis and lucky did this weekend?

i love it when lucky gets melt-y

today was totally unproductive- i'm nursing a migraine. it's weird to feel your heartbeat right behind your ears....

belated cupid day...

i'm a little late with my valentine's post, but better late than never....

 

i do this for davis every time we eat out and he gets a straw. there's a sweet story behind it:

we went to a restaurant and across the aisle was an older couple and their daughter with her husband. i noticed the mother was doing something with the straw. she twisted the wrapper into a heart shape. the daughter's husband asked her what that was. she replied, "mother does that for father everyday at the center to show him she loves him and they've been married for 45 years." so i prompted decided that if that's what it took :) i'd do it for davis. he loves the attention it brings and i love the smile he gets when he gets the attention.

he leaves me little love reminder notes as well...can you see it in the dirt? you might have to click on the picture...



 rememeber the snow love note? he left it where he knew i'd see it when i walked the dogs.

so here's my valentine's gift...it has a story to (doesn't something mean more when it has a story?)

i was clicking on links in blogland and ended up on Etsy where this was listed for sale with a really good price tag. i knew that it wouldn't last long cause it was unique and someone with a high blog following linked to it...i liked it and wanted it...so i emailed the link to davis with a *hint hint* for valentine's day. the next morning i looked and it had been sold. i thought, "oh, well" and promptly forgot about it.

that was until valentine's day when i opened this big box and it was sitting inside...

it is a vintage roll top sewing box. from what i can determine, it was hand made by someone. my favorite is the spool shelves.

i added the button closure. with the weight of the roll top, if you barely bumped it it loudly crashed open. it scared barney and that wasn't going to cut it :)

i am loved and am fortunate to have someone surprise me with the things he knows makes me happy, no matter how big or small they may be. our relationship has it's bumps, but the bumps are just that- bumps. in all worth while trips, the road is bound to have a few bumps. bumps don't define the journey, they just make you appreciate it more when you get there.


okay- i'm done being all warm and fuzzy...

MMXI

i have mixed feelings about the new year...i'm happy to see a new year with all the possibilities it promises, but another passing year means i'm another year older *giggle*

don't forget the

 BOM starts tomorrow!!

i've shown some of my quilty friends the first block and they were very excited to get started!