A little sewing, stitching and knitting, Glorious Sunrise

This moring as I sat at my desk, I looked up in time to see a glorious sunrise. I jumped up and took my camera out to capture the moment. I love the view out my office window, but this was one of the best.




I have been working alot this week, but when I get a moment I run to the sewing room, at least until someone comes in and says, " there you are" :))) My favorite part of winter is that I get to spend alot of time in my sewing room. So late fall I really get the itch to be in there... and since my office is in my home, I can take hobby breaks from the computer....

This little wool stitchery block is a BOM from Primitive Gatherings designed by Buttermilk Basin. I love sheep and Lisa's dyed wool is beautiful. It is a simple project that goes together quickly each month, I like that part..... this sheep needs some feet and the flower needs its stem but it is almost done.

I love buying fabric, sometimes I just cannot use it until I find just the right project. I just hoard it, then its a celebration using it up. That is what I am doing here with a fat quarter bundle of Daiwabo Japanese Taupes. They are mostly woven pieces which adds alot of texture to the quilt. A couple years ago, The Buggy Barn advertised they were getting them in, so I called and I asked for a fat quarter of each piece. LOLO.... such fun... well I went to my first session of a mystery class in Sept with Lawry ( can you tell I like her mysterys), from The Stitchin Post, and it was not long before we knew we were making a log cabin project. I love them, and it was a requested design. I picked out some Jo Morton pieces to go with my bundle, and a few other pieces from my stash.

We made 24 blocks last month, this month we will make 16 light colored courthouse steps variation, and 24 dark. I believe I am going to love the finished project, I may have to do some extra blocks to make the project a bed size quilt.

I am a beginner knitter, but I found this book with projects that use one skein of yarn. Named, One Skein, imagine that..lol.... there is a baby bolero that is so cute. I am making one for the triplets. Or is it, I am making 3 for the triplets...either way, I am!!!. I couldn't get all one color so I settled for 3 colors, darn......... using an organic cotton yarn that is so soft. The back has a little pattern that was fun to make and hey not even hard. I felt so clever when it was done..... I have to get snapping, Jaxon is growing fast. I went to see if they had a bigger pattern but they didn't so this gramma has to get going... lol.... it is a fun project to make. I made one in pink for a friend who had a granddaughter, that slowed me down but it was good practice.

I received the cutest pictures of the boys last weekend, my DIL's mother came for the weekend and my son and DIL went on a date to the neighborhood party. They dressed up as prisoners, ball and chains with Hayden, Ethan and Jaxon's name on them. LOLOLOL.... so perfect.....

Oh, you know I could sit a look at these boys all day......they seem to be growing right before my eyes.

Wishing you all the best this fun fall season, watch out for the ghosts, spiders and bats and boos.

Fall Blessings, Carrie

Autumn Colors, Family visit

I went to visit my mother this week for a couple days before she leaves for Yuma, Arizona. The drive over the Cascades and down the McKenzie River never disappoints. The vine maples in the lava flows were almost passedtheir prime but I found a few. It was a blue sky day which made for perfect travel.


One of my most favorite stops is Sahalie Falls. You can pull over just before the falls and see this.

The river is really moving fast and the sound fills your ears. I love the sound. The falls are only about 50 feet or so from this spot.

The lichen that grows below the falls on the north side is a bright green, I just love the color. The serenity of this place is so amazing.
It was early afternoon and the sun was shining bright on the falls, my little camera isn't the best but the falls are so cool. If you visit the area this is a perfect place to stop.

My mothers home is quite a place. It sits up on a hillside just a few miles outside of a Cottage Grove. It is situated in the timber and has Chincapin trees. They call it Chincapin ridge. Dad cut down some Chincapin and the cabinets in the house are made from the trees. My father passed away last year but driving in the drive he cut through the trees, reminds me of him. In the spring, Lady Slippers grow in these trees. Dad would always pick mom a bouquet of them. They smell so good, they are very small orchids.

Around the house the Chincapin and maples are really in full color. This is the view out the living room and off the back of her new porch.

Mom has always wanted a big covered deck on the end of the house, so this summer she has kept herself busy getting one built. It is getting very close to being finished and since she will be leaving soon for Yuma it is a good thing. It will get stained this weekend and that will make it ready for good use next spring when she comes home. The railing will get finished after she leaves. The covered porch is going to keep the western sun off the windows and you dry from the rain. She has some old wagon wheels to hang in the eaves. It will be a fun place to have bbq's next summer.

Mom has a few antique quilts and this is the one I got to sleep under. The quilting is so nice, it has never been washed. It may have been a kit quilt from the 30's.

Antique pieces on the dresser at mom's, the lady is a powder sachet. It is fun to go antiquing with mom. I remember pieces like this at my grandma's house.

I finished this quilt top this summer. It is another mystery class, I had purchased the fabric to make a quilt and I am so pleased how the class turned out. That's the thing about a mystery class, you do not know what the finised quilt will be. I haven't been disappointed yet. And I always enjoy Lawry, from http://thestitchinpost.com/. My DH really likes this quilt and would like to see it on the wall finished. Me too!!

Have a great weekend...

Fall Blessings, Carrie

Triplets are Heavenly! Twisted Sisters~

We went to Omaha last week for "the boys" Christening. The outfits were made by my DIL's mother. Fine wale corduroy pantsuit with Satin vest and bowties made from DIL"s wedding dress.
The perfect little shoes.

It was a perfect day!








Jaxon with his godmother, now he has grown just a bit!








Three wonderful ladies in my grandson's life, Ethan just cannot take his eyes off his godmother, this is how he posed in all the pictures. Kelsey, right, is my DIL's best friend. She was a devoted friend during the pregnancy. :)))

















Grandpa enjoyed putting all the babies to sleep. He was very good at his job. No scary stuff like diaper changing!! :000









In July I go to Sunriver with my Twisted Sisters. There are 12 of us, we rent a large house and set up our machines and sew, shop, stay up late. Take turns cooking, eat at home together, makes it a perfect time since we don't get to see each other during the year. The Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show is held during this week, we go see all the eye candy and motivation.

Sunriver has trails for biking and walking. So we do a bit of that too. Even though it is 15 miles from my home it is perfect vacation spot with golf courses, trails, swimming, river rafting.

We do a community quilt for charity. Last year I shared a BOM I participated in even while my sewing room was dismantled and we remodeled. Crazy me, is it only me, I should have canceled that year. Well, there were 12 blocks with pattern and fabric. How convenient! It was a 2005 Jan Patek Mystery Quilt. Pieced blocks, some applique, but alot of homespun and twills too. Not really what my Twisted Sisters had worked with before. As the blocks came in there were a few comments like, " here's my block, never worked with this type of fabric before, a bit of a challenge". I put them up on a wall as they came in and just loved them. I sewed the quilt together and I am so happy they loved the quilt. They were pleasantly surprised at how much they loved the finished project. Now it is my job to quilt it and present it to the charity! Yikes, it is larger than I like to handle on my machine.


Our sewing room was the bonus room, over the triple car garage, we had 10 people set up in the room, with a pool table and furniture. One gal paints and set up in the living room. Nice big room, with a big screen to watch all those good DVD's. Grease, we had to stop for the hand jive!, Miss Potter, CSI and Bones man those are scary.







A mystery quilt with Lori from The Stitchin Post, I purchased the background fabric last year during quilt show week. I love this pine cones and this batick was all pine cones. This quilt just needs a border to finish it I think, any ideas..... ?






We made this quilt for Sally, it was a surprise. Our dear friend was diagnosed with breast cancer and late spring had her surgery. She loved her quilt. Her sister, Marian, who cannot keep a secret from her sister didn't get to make a block. Marcia got the biggest laugh out of that and she was so touched by her gift. It was a very special moment.

Here are the girls from Corvallis, we loved this house and the large space for us to be together.




I just love being together with friends and family, sharing in each others lives. Helping to carry the burdens that come our way. I am so blessed.

I was checking on Anne at Bunnyhill Designs and she has pre-market sneek peeks. So Cute!!!

Fall blessings,
Carrie

Family Day

Life brings us many unexpected adventures..... With all the planning, imagining, dreaming, sometimes the unexpected happens. That is what happened last January when my oldest son called to tell us they were pregnant, with triplets!!!!! Now we knew multiples were a possiblity, they needed to use fertility drugs to achieve this blessed state. But really can you prepare yourself for triplets? Not me or THEM! LOl....... Sometimes situations take you from grandma giddy to parental practicality in a second. My DIL is not a very big person, how is this going to work. Well, like all things, one day at a time. By April 1st she was on complete bedrest. And by July 26 she told me she wasn't getting out of bed and was ready for her body back! AMEN!! So July 28, 6 weeks early Hayden ( 4lbs), Ethan(5 lbs) and Jaxon (4 lbs 9oz.) were born. Thats alot of baby.


I am so impressed with my DIL, she is a very special person. It had been an amazing challenge for her to get to this point and she made it. PTL..... And she was sure to thank hubby for all those little requests he so cheerfully performed. TeeHee!!! You know what I'm talking about........ being on complete bedrest and all. All the family and friends in Omaha were outstanding to both of them through there pregnancy. I am so thankful for my DIL's very loving family.

August 13 I flew back to visit in Omaha, NE, I was greeted at the airport by all 5. OMGosh those little babies passed their 25 minute breathing test in the car seats and were on their way home.

Hayden was still only 4 lbs and to this day Iam still amazed he passed. He was not going to be left behind.


Pictured: Hayden, Ethan in back, Jaxon in front. Love the finger!!!

One thing we noticed was they have their own language and recognized each others voices. The Home Health nurse called it triplet talking. It was so cool to observe, unless it was 2am and you were trying to get just a little rest!!!!

We also noticed when we put them together they would sense each other and roll together, make eye contact or move a hand to touch. This connection from the womb is going to be fascinating to watch through there lives.

Hayden and Jaxon, the caption possibilities are endless for this picture.

Ethan and Hayden, those eyes are just captured on Ethan.

Grandma trying to get a group picture the night before leaving, that would be about 11:30pm.

It was just so great to see them and get to know them for 9 days.

Hayden enjoying a little boppy time. His nurse said of him, " Your the pretty one!" Yeah don't tell his brothers or there will be no end to the ribbing.

What a family!!!!


Now we are just a little bit sports enthusiasts. DIL is a Nebraska Cornhuskers and DS is an Oregon Duck fan. So Game Day pics were alot of fun!! You can tell they were into the game!

Aren't they grand!!!! I will let you know whats up with Ethan's cast another time. Until then thanks for looking in on us and have a fabulous Fall day!!!!

Hugs,

Opening Statement

I have enjoyed many blogs this last year. I would love to travel everywhere I've seen those beautiful fall colors, make all those wonderful quilts or plant every bulb, flower or tree I see. You know what I'm talking about..... I have heard many of you say exactly what I say too!!! Blogging has been so fun since I would never get it all done. I am the turtle for sure. But just love the process, it is about the fun right? LOL...

Recently, I have been the recepient of two giveaways.

Kindra, gave away one of her mothers tea-towels, it is wonderfully made and I just love it.

Karen, gave the cutest ensemble.

Thank you Kindra and Karen, I just love them.

I look forward to getting a handle on this blogging and sharing with all of you too. I have been a peeper up to this point and have had alot of fun. I think it will be more fun sharing with you as well.

Next time I will share about our trip last weekend to Omaha, NE. My son and wonderful, darling DIL live there along with our two-month old triplet grandsons. And they are grand. But thats for next time.

Fall blessings to all of you,

Carrie