Visiting with the Triplets, Wool Quilts

I left on a jet plane January 15, bound for Omaha, Nebraska home of my three little bundles of Joy. I wanted to go in December but I am glad I waited with all the bad winter weather, airport delays, it really worked out better all the way around.
I always like things I look forward to, to be in the future instead of the past. I love memories but being in the moment is the best! A week can go by so fast. I shared with my son that I took my shoes off Thursday evening and didn't put them back on until the following Wednesday when I left for the airport. LOL.... Actually, I never left the house.
First, I want you to see the blocks Kindra made, so cutely displayed on their mantle. Thank you Kindra, I love the way they came out.


Here we are getting ready to get off to the airport, my little guys have been very sick the entire week. They have the Rotavirus, I think it is shortened for Roto-Rooter virus personally, the worst diarrhea I can ever remember. And the smell, whooooo....lets not go there...... the nurses say the smell is one way to distinguish it from other reasons for diarrhea, whatever, not for sissy's to be sure!! I am adding here after I posted that I read today that one of the goals of the " Gates Foundation includes improving global health by reducing childhood deaths from rotavirus in half. " After my week with the boys I have a new appreciation for the philanthropic efforts on behalf of the foundation

Jaxon had it the week before I came and Hayden was just getting sick, Ethan came along 4 days later. We were really hoping Ethan would not get sick. But alas, all did get it. I can tell you I was very nervous the last two days there, I was not wanting to have those symptoms for my trip home. Thank Goodness I didn't!!! Here are a couple before the bug pictures that Krista shared, it wasn't a trip where alot of pictures were taken. I'm sure you can appreciate why!

This happy picture is small, sorry, I am no techy, they come as they are!!! But they are all smiles.

They are rolling over from their tummy to their back, and so close to going back to their tummies!
I really like this picture, Hayden is in the middle with Ethan, left and Jaxon, right. They each have their own little personality and Hayden is shorter. Jaxon looks so big!
Jaxon has some important things to share with Ethan. Tummy time together was put on hold for the time I was there. We tried to keep Ethan from getting sick but in the end he got it too!

Jaxon was feeling better and Krista wanted to try some rice cereal, Yeah! I got to be there when this First Time event happened. He didn't mind, but it will take some time getting the tongue trained. LOL......

I just have to share this photo, what are Always Pads in the changing area for, you ask? And the larger overnight extra protection diapers? Well, back to the diarrhea, Ethan, bless his poor little bottom, had diarrhea so bad we couldn't keep anything where we wanted it. Oh! My! Lets just say we were trying!!!! You know the saying "pulling out all stops" Yes it was!!!

But......on to better topics...... Pictures tell a good story......and I wanted the boys to know that they were there when the first African American President was Inaugurated!! So we took pictures of them playing on the floor, and in the seats..... they like the time together, the facts were not important to them, but it will be good for their memory book. Kinda like "You Were There".
Wednesday morning Jaxon was feeling pretty good and Hayden was almost ready to be over the hump, we had a nice play time together......they are getting so fun and interactive. They know when you move away and go to help there brother, hmmmm.... giving that little cry demanding your attention back on them. Yes, they were not feeling great but better for sure!!
Jaxon gives this little expression alot, I have some Grandma studying to do with this little guy to really figure out what he is thinking!! He holds that smile back as long as possible then gives you a little shy smile. Be still my heart,.... if he isn't a charmer!

Oh, I think he is just a little sad to see his Oregon Grandma go for now, well that is what I will tell myself anyway because I sure feel sad leaving!!

But waiting back home for me besides my DH and five tail-wagging Wirehairs! It's Farmhouse Woolens BOM #3. Yes, Sunflowers are one of my favorite flowers, because I can grow them from seeds, they come in all colors and sizes. And it is a wool BOM that makes it even better. I love the wool Karen chose for every part of this block. The seeds in the flower could not be more perfect. It is fast to work up too. This month I used freezer paper for the vase and star, and Steam A Seam 2 for the flowers and leaves. Anne, of Cotton's N Wools is doing a tutorial this month on working with wool. Go over and see, wool is fun to with.

I have been in the straightening up mode in the sewing room. My wool was just to hard to see down in the basket. I took it all out and put my basket on its side and put the wool back in. Now I can see most everything, at least the biggest part. My market basket is full of solids and I organized it by color, shades and hues. I noticed that price tags were on alot of bundles and pieces. Oh My, I think I have invested pretty well, LOL..... but I have spread the wealth around to quite a few shops, so if nothing else I have enough to keep me happy for a bit. That is if I can stand to cut them up when the time comes. But it does feel good to get the cupboards organized.
I do have a project in mind for some of the bundle rolls, and getting them organized has me inspired to get my pattern ready.

I will need twenty fat quarters and that is why I purchased the rolls from the Buggy Barn.


It is this Wool Stars quilt in there book "Gone Crazy". It is just scrumptious and calling my name this very cold winter. Before I get to cutting fabric I have a challenge to keep with my BoM that I have started. I have a couple blocks to complete and then one day in February this will get underway. Until then I can look at my wools and they will be my motivation.

There is so much going on out there in blogland, I have not been able to check up on everyone. We lost our highspeed internet and dial-up doesn't like alot of pictures. We are up an going again so I need to see what Linda is saying about her home being featured in Country Sampler Magazine.

And Kindra's blocks are there in her kitchen window. Oh, and I did see Picket's painted kitchen, man she is one talented gal. My husband gasped when I showed him that, I think he thought I wanted to paint my kitchen. No, just the entryway and Master Bedroom. Teeheee........ This blogging thing is very inspiring!!!

Winter blessings!

Carrie

Sewing Charity Quilts & PIF

I did some sewing this weekend after spinning my wheels trying to locate my Quilt Sampler from Summer 2007. Colleen is sewing up a wonderful quilt featured in this edition, Karen showed her finished quilt and I had the bug...... alas, not to be for me right now. So I sewed a strippy quilt.
I saw one done on a blog, can not for life of me remember which one, that gave me the idea of using up a Blackbird Designs Jelly Roll. You sew the ends together of all the strips, I sewed them blunt end, then started sewing end to end side seams, you now have 2 strips together, sew end to end to get 4 strips together....on and on.... I noticed that mathematics was going to enter in to this idea... I should have cut at least one strip in half to start with because the finished width was going to be 43 inches and that is the length of one strip. Hmmm. I was not achieving the random pattern so I trimmed one end and started again. This helped some, I am not sure if I would use a jelly roll again for this strippy method. But this is one quilt top together for a charity quilt.
My Twisted Sisters assignment this year is to have charity quilts done before our gathering in July. I will quilt it up and try another idea!!!

This little cutie was made by my Twisted Sister, Suzie. 2007 we made little quilts and sent them to Ami simms for her Alzheimer fundraising efforts. Each month on the 1st through 10th Ami has an online auction of little quilts. I purchased this one from her little treasures category.


I noticed several little quilts made that were African inspired. My sister had been on a mission trip there and this little quilt would fit right in with a theme she was putting together. I gave it to her for Christmas last year.

I sewed this JLW quilt in December, now that I have my new little camera I took a picture. I will get it quilted up soon.


I have joined a PIF over at Sharon's ...this is my firt time so......if you want to join in with me email or leave me a message and let me know. I will take the first 3 messages. You then continue it on your blog and have your 3 to send a handmade gift to by June.


We are having amazing temperatures of 55 degrees this week, wow.....I am enjoying the bright blue skies. Central Oregon truly is a beautiful place.


Winter blessings,
Carrie

Wool selection for A Tiskit, A Taskit BOM

I am excited to get going on Anne Sutton's free BOM. I started pulling out some smaller, richly colored and textured pieces in my stash. Wool is so wonderful, it is rich and very tactile. That is one thing I have learned about myself, I LOVE tactile qualities in the material I am working with. Whether it is quilting, knitting, weaving or gardening, or picking out my chickens. It isn't just color and shape their is texture and the feeling on your hand. That is why I LOVE WOOL, I get all that and more. OK I might be off track with the chickens but its true, they have gorgeous colors and textures and can be quite personal. But I was talking about quilting, right?

These wonderful little bundles were a gift from Anne, we were so blessed to have her come teach at our guild retreat a few years ago. She came around and let us pick a bundle of wool. And then she gave me another one. Isn't she just the most generous person, so of course they will be perfect for her BOM. These bundles are packaged so cute that I have never been able open them. I actually took a piece out, cut a shape and then put it back in. LOL... crazy huh... But now I am going to open them and use them as best I can.

See how many pieces and colors are in the bundle, they are going to be a treat to use. Thank You, Thank You Anne. :))

Farmhouse Woolens has wool bundles that are very high quality, rich colors and textured which will work wonderfully for baskets and flowers. And she is having a sale through Saturday. I think this bundle is the Vintage selection. I actually used the top piece for my basket in block #1.

This selection I picked up last week in Eugene at Mindy's. This store is fabulous and I am taking my camera there next time. She has an old post office antique from Portland that is to die for. It is curved and, and the mail slots have different colors of Valdini threads. Like the little ball shown in the picture. OMG I just stood there frozen wanting the whole display at my house. She actually has two, she told me she gets so many comments on it. Yeah! Duh! I mean come on, its fabulous! And my DH had the camera!!! Anyway where was I , Oh the wool, yes this blue wool is so pretty. I am going to use some for bluebirds on my log cabin quilt.
I do like bundles, this colorway also has a textured piece and is sewn together with a button. It is good for more than marketing, it keeps the three pieces together in my stash. Even if I use them I leave them together. So this is the wool I have pulled together, rich and jewel tones. I can see I am going to like this quilt. Next I need my background.
Keeping with the, use what you have theme I have going here, I looked through a lot of printed backgrounds and nothing was jumping out at me. I went to some printed muslin and I like the snowflakes on the half yard piece I found. Not enough for twelve months but I can buy small pieces with different prints through the year. I have a piece with pine tree blocks, hmmm, I wonder if it will work with any of the mystery blocks to come. This is going to be fun!

I have some stitching to do on my stars and then embroidery detail on the snowman, find some buttons. Anne's direction state you may want to wait until after quilting to add the buttons. Thanks Anne, very good point and isn't she nice to mention that. I wonder if she learned that by experience like I always do! I did button-hole stitch around the basket and snowman but the handle and leaves I did a little whip stitch, I call it a primitive stitch! Makes me feel better if they don't look perfect!! My buttonhole stitch on small pieces just looks chunky and I want to like the finished product more than be stuck on which stitch I used!!! I have not done a lot of embroidery and some things like this snowman's nose scare me. What if it looks like Pinocchio for goodness sakes then I have to take it out and that leaves a mark. Ohhh I could stress over these things like taxes. But I'm not, I will mark it lightly and just do it. The directions tell exactly how to do it too, whew, a million thank yous!!

Then I found a picture of Linda, Susie and myself at the SOQS last July. I am ready for summer, but then I am always ready. It is so windy this week that my hat would be in the next county if I wore it now. But thank goodness we don't have floods or a lot of snow either. So just because, I am sharing a warm sunny picture! Speaking of my hat, Casey ate it! Yep, at least I have a picture of it, he got a piece loose and unraveled that rim and chewed the top real good. Argh, I was tempted to sew it back together with a zig-zag stitch!! LOL...... I really liked that hat!!

Happy Sewing, I'm back to work now!

Carrie

Bunny Tales Free BOM

I received a gift from Anne of Bunny Hill Designs and its for you too. The best gift a quilter can receive is the creativeness from another quilter. Anne didn't hold anything back with her generous gift, it will be 12 baskets full cuteness.

Hop on over to Bunny Tales and receive your gift too!

Thanks Anne for making 2009 even brighter! I love it!!

Carrie

First Finish of 2009

I purchased this little Jo Morton kit while I was up in Seattle last month visiting my sister. We went to Carriage Country Quilts where I participate in their JLW club by mail. What a FANTASTIC quilt shop. This pattern was from 2003 and it is in her newest book, Yesterday's Charm, named Cabin Corners pg. 52. It's not big but it was fun to sew up and I got it quilted, yippee!!

I finished this last month, it is block #2 with Farmhouse Woolens. I'm sure #3 is on the way. I love having a new little camera again.... no one is safe!

I surprised Steve and Gail with my nifty little friend at their New Years party we attended. They are neighbors and they held their 1st Soup Tasting party. It was wonderful. Eight different soups, Curry Squash, Beer Cheese, Indian Chicken Yogurt ( my #1), Mexican Tortilla, Broccoli, My DH made his favorite East Texas Chili. Most of the guys picked the chili as #1, it is good. I am forgetting one but they were good and it was a very fun format for a gathering. Sorry I didn't get pictures of the soups I promise to do better next time!

I joined Colleen with Crazy for Primitive Quilts and Gardens in her challenge. I said I would finish one block from each BOM I have started so I have 3 to go this month to keep up the challenge. The new year and her challenge are just the incentive I need to get going on my laid aside projects. I really still love them so it will be enjoyable to be working on them again.

Is it me or does it seem brighter outside to you, I just love January, the days start to get longer and spring is just around the corner!!! Well almost, just around the corner LOL.... It really makes me happy to think of it as just around the corner anyway.....

New Blessings to each of you!

Carrie

White Christmas and Family Visit

We had a Very White Christmas here in Central Oregon. We have a large flock of ducks that enjoy the cracked corn DH spreads for them each evening. The wirehairs go check them out of course. My chickens are not to impressed with the snow so they say inside their little abode until the snow is gone. We had blue sky for the drive over the pass to Eugene. The weather report had been for 7-20 inches of new snow but we escaped this time. The weather was clear for the drive over and then home again. The East side of the cascade was a dryer snow with fair accumulations. Plenty of snow for Hoo Doo Ski Resort to open, we saw a few skiers enjoying the day.

Over the top of the pass and coming down the west side of the Cascades, along the McKenzie River the snow changes to a heavier snow and the trees were beautiful. Only a couple of months ago their leaves were golden. Now they are flocked with heavy snow. I love the mountains and the dramatic season changes we get to experience living close to them. I love this picture, you never know what you will get when you are taking pictures out the window. We had Christmas dinner in Eugene. Our niece had been having pain on her left side and an emergency room visit was inevitable by Christmas morning. We were all relieved that she was good to go home after 4 hours in emergency. She was a trooper and we had the nicest visit.

Joe getting a cheesy hug for my new little silver. Yes I got a new and improved version of my little silver for Christmas. A little pocket camera is a must-have for us bloggers. :))

Our nephews had a wonderful time together at dinner, there own little area to eat. This is the first time we have been together in a few years and these youngins were to little to remember. They had so much fun together, :)) thats what its all about!

And my DH doesn't miss to many photo ops, I think they like their Uncle Joe!

OK , my DH is the oldest but I think he likes being full of antics.............
And their is less than one year between he and #2 son, so he is full of his own antics......

Oh, you know Mom is loving it......LOL... anything to get the girls laughing! We were missing baby brother Dan. You will be with us next time for sure!!!

My sister does beautiful toll painting. We both started our hobbies about the same time. I love quilting and can not draw a stick person. She does the most beautiful free hand painting.

I love her box with the winter scene.... I think she must have spent hours painting on this, each layer having to dry.

Then their is her Amish lamp, simple just like their traditions.

Kindra asked what I do with my quilts. Most of them are given as gifts and my sister has a few. This fence rail was one of the first quilts I made on a machine, it was quilted by a group of ladies at the Baptist Church in Cottage Grove, OR. My grandmother belonged to this group and they quilted for many years together. My grandmother was already passed away when this quilt was finished but we love that her group did the quilting. I gave it to my niece, Beth.

This next quilt is one I made for my nieces school auction. I wish it was bigger but I didn't have enough fabric, it is nice for a wall quilt. These fabrics are some I would buy today if I found them. I just love red and green. The quilt rack was made by my bil.

Another auction quilt made for a church bazaar, my sis is my greatest fan. I did make two of these quilts. I kept one for me!.. Mine is set in barn raising. I like the quilting done on this quilt, the longarm quilter humored me with a log cabin, trees, with smoke coming out of the chimney..... and another quilt frame made by my bil.

I want to wish all of you prosperous and healthy new year in 2009. Blogging has been a blessing to me this year, I am amazed and tickled at all the talent and good humor I find each day.

God Bless each one of you;

Carrie

Holiday Shopping in Seattle

Last week I went to my sisters in Bothell, WA, better known as "Fake Seattle". My mother came up too, we shopped and browsed for three fun days. There are some good outlets in the area, they did have some very good deals. 2 days we sent packages off the Omaha for the triplets. So hard to resist buying cute stuff for those boys. Talbots Kids is closing so there was some good deals. Osh-Kosh has always been a favorite for me, there outlet had good deals too.
Shopping together was so fun, I find shopping alone boring and don't go much.
Mobalks, in Woodinville is one of our favorite stops. They have a large variety of Poinsettia's, and we took this little picture in front of the Poinsettia tree.

We looked at all their wonderful decorations and had a yummy lunch. We went to the Army Surplus in the area and found 4 wool blankets. We were pretty surprised at the selection and they will felt up nicely for wool creations.
My sister took them home and washed them, one of them has a white cross and metal button, we think it may be a salvation army blanket so we wont be cutting it up until we get more information. Does anyone out there know about these markings?
I just love this Santa. It was made by a gal in Sacramento, CA, there is so much detail, definitely a talented crafter. I put a close up of his face on my header, his eyes have such expression.

My sister lived in Texas for a few years and learned to toll paint. Her family room mantle is adorned with painted gourds. Her penguins have their own personality, and the reindeer has wonderful eyes and shading.

I was asked recently what I did with my quilts after I make them. Some have gone to family and my sister has a few. I will show quilts in her home that I have made next time, My BIL loves working with wood, the candle stands on the mantel were made by him. He also makes quilt racks and shelves for her quilts.

We are having a bluebird day in Central Oregon today, but tomorrow 7-20 inches of snow is being projected. I like snow but the timing of this storm will keep us from traveling the pass and enjoying our Family Christmas dinner..... time will tell, the weather has a mind of it own.

Safe travels to all of you and have a Merry Christmas with your loved ones..

Carrie