Question for all of you?????

Yesterday I was in a big box store that sells fabric. They had fabric that looks like repro prints from the Civil War era. Ok I got it for a song and a dance. Well 2.97 a yard. Not a lot of money. I got 8.75yards. It isn't $10 a yard, but for utility quilts am I wrong to buy it.

I know others use slightly used sheets. Some use old clothing for quilt scraps. I guess I feel guilty for not spending a lot of money for backing fabrics.

So am I wrong for utility quilts that kids and dogs will be using everyday?
Chris

Finally tried again

Finally I got the pictures to reload. I read on the help section on blogger and it said to remove cookies. I didn't have that many, but it seems to work now.

Here is some of the stewed tomatoes. I have 21quarts canned now and 3 pints. On the plates are pepper seeds drying for planting next year.

Here are some of the goodies we are getting out of our little garden. Jeff just went out and picked 6 more pounds of green beans. We planted a second crop and this was the first picking off of the new plants. I have 45 quarts canned and frozen from the first planting. We never know from year to year what will grow and what won't. Chris

Still fighting with uploading

I tried uploading two pics and got one. I have been doing so many other things beside sewing. Like Pinterest. Total waste of time.

I need to focus on other worthwhile things. Today is errand day and then Netflix is going on and the hum of the sewing machine will be heard. I have whined about stress and I need to get over it and deal with the matters at hand. 

The baby went to the Dr. yesterday and she is growing and improving. Poor little thing is a drug baby and she has had so many things to overcome. She is happy for the most part and doing well. She is tiny and is growing slowly, but learned to go forward in her walker the last few days so she is mobile. Look out now.

 

Chris 

Tomatoes today

I have a table full of tomatoes to get canned today. They are winding down so it won't be much longer and all the canning tools can be put away.

I've been caught up in family drama and my stress level is raging. Maybe can call it PTSD at this point. What happened to respect others?


My house is in serious need of Fall housecleaning. Cleaning is something that never ends. My Mother never told me it was something you had to do all the time. LOL

Need to clean up my computer and see why my pictures are not loading. I think my PC with Windows XP is rebelling. My laptop is set up to accept picture, but I just haven't done it yet. Calmer days will be on the horizon and I can play around with it. I'm to do mending in between getting canning done today. Mending jeans is not my favorite chore. Take care. Chris

Update

Very upset with blogger. I download my pictures either to my documents or to Picasa and blogger will not upload to my blog. Getting very frustrated with the process. This is the one picture out of three that would upload. She was here Thursday for several hours. She likes tummy time now. She has figured out how to get her feet under herself but can't get the arms to support herself yet. Soon she will be up and moving.

They change day to day at this age. Have a good day. Chris

My mind is on overdrive.

I was standing peeling tomatoes this morning to can and my mind is drifting off in a different direction. I'm perplexed I can't carve out 2 hours in my day to get some ME time. Maybe I can't say NO....

Yes I'm a hands on grandma and I devote my time to the kids while they are here. I try and stay in focus when I deal with my husband. Some days I feel like a piece of homemade taffy that is getting pulled in every direction.

I'm going to try and find at least 10 minutes today to get a project restarted that has been set aside.  Hope you all find time for yourself today. Chris

Today this is my guest

This is Autumn. She is almost 6 months old. She will be coming to Grandma's house today to play. As you can see for the most part she is happy. She has had some set backs, but now is doing really well catching up. She is playing with a caterpillar and she thought it was funny. Today it is hot and humid already. Stay cool. Chris 

Drafting a pattern

I have been trying to find a new pattern I saw online. Well guess what no where to be found accept in a site from Australia. I'm not sure of rate of exchange so I was determined to figure it out. I think I figured it out.

This will be a hand piecing project. It will use up scraps. Right up my alley. It will be a longtime project. I know I should get something done this year, but finishing is a myth right?????

Canned more tomatoes and my neighbor brought me a bag full last night so 4 more quarts to be done. I think today we are going to pull some vines. They barely are alive anymore. Anything turning will go on the kitchen table till ripe. Tomatoes are not plentiful in my part of the country.

I have green beans coming on from the second planting. They will be ready soon, Today we are going to try to stay in because of heat and humidity.

I think I need to can and maybe a little cleaning. Tomorrow the baby is coming for several hours. She will keep me busy.

I think today I might try a new recipe for cucumber bread. I will report on it. Kinda like zucchini bread.  Can't hurt to try. Stay cool Chris  

Tried twice

Blogger is not playing nice with me. I had five pictures to upload and it would only allow one to appear. This is the current mess I am still working with. Still on the string blocks. I now have 42 of them all sewn together and not sure of the size at this point. My original goal was 48 so getting closer.

I had pictures of the tomatoes and cucumbers I need to get taken care of and also of what was left of my garden. We pulled the beans and planted another row. They are blooming now and we need to keep an eye on them because in about 10 days we will start picking them again.

Tomatoes are not doing the best this year. Trying to can as many as I can. Don't want them to go to waste. Suppose to be hot and humid today to canning and some sewing in order. Stay cool Chris

Threads clippings and paper scraps

If I took a picture you would swear I never cleaned my sewing room. I have been sewing strips for the string quilt blocks.

I have 36 of these blocks made and trying to decide if I need to make 100 of them or if I can stop before that many are made.

The weather is to get warmer over the course of the next week. Just in time for the kids to go to school. My grandkids start today. Where has Summer gone?

I need to start setting some goals and getting to work to get them done. I have been a slacker this year. Not one quilt has been finished. Not saying much for my skills. I guess life has gotten in the way. Funny how that happens. Have a good one. Chris

Random placement

I just put these on the table. This is 36 6.5 inch blocks.

Quite  A  riot of color going on. Had to stop sewing because the tree trimmers came and we wanted to watch. Then no Internet for several hours. All back up and running again. Chris

I'm frazzeled

No I didn't take pictures. Eight days of a large dog that hasn't ever been away from home and I thought she was 12 years old. Well she is 14 years old. She did pretty good but she wants to be around someone all the time.

Then the two boys brought all the kids. Sage 15 years old, Taylor 14 years old, Derek 12 years old, Bryson 11 years old and Autumn 5 months. The house was full for a little bit.

They have all left and I told Jeff that everyone left and we were alone. Now what do we do? He laughed. Awful that we can't handle all the confusion. Maybe I can get back to sewing and cleaning.

I'm trying to figure out where some yarn got put. I thought I would knit some leg warmers for the baby and a sweater and hat. So my agenda tomorrow is to find the yarn and needles I need. Have a good one.

See why Grandma's don't get any sewing done

Here is a picture of the smallest one. She is in guardianship at my son's house. She is now 5 months old and starting to teeth. Look at her shirt all wet. She keeps us hopping.
Then the dog is my step-son's pride. She is 12.5 years old and he didn't want her going to a boarding kennel while they went on vacation. Casey is her for a week and already ran off. She can't hear or see well. So no amount of yelling works. She got loose while I was in my nightgown and I was out running the neighbors yard trying to get her. Had to go get Jeff up and he got her to come home. She sleeps a lot because her joints hurt kinda like mine. She is a Whimerinder. She is a good dog, but not use to being tied out like she has to be here. So no sewing yet today maybe later. Chris

I am Woman but am I enough?

This a picture of my grandkids taken several years ago. They were with their Mom and Dad at a training session for fire fighter training. They have gone through so much in their young lives. Changes in the family dynamics and moves had taken the innocence of childhood away.

I have tried to be a constant and stable person in their lives, but am I enough? I'm a wife , grandma, mother and some days the tug of war goes off in my mind and I become paralysed  as to what roll I should play. I question if my contribution to this crazy World has made an impression that was worth while.

My grandkids are facing another change that will hurt those involved. I feel for their pain and yet in todays society pain is an emotion many people don't think about when they inflict others. I have to step back and listen, but not influence their choices.

Who said life was "Grand"? Boy they never felt an insecurity or separation. Why can't people set aside hatred and vengeance?

Many other families have gone through this and the pain and stress is very griping. I never went through this as a child and yet as an adult I hurt for them. I'm not really looking for answers to all this it is just venting. Love your family and try for your kids. Chris