Well finally getting numbers up there.

I have been watching my stats on my blog as of late, but the last 48 hours I have been really sick. It started out as stomach flu and now I am wondering if it is gall bladder.

I have spent the better past of two days in bed. I am up early today and need to go and get somethings done so I will force myself to go and get a few groceries.

Well the numbers thing I have 100,592 views of my blog.I have been blogging since Aug of 2009. For someone that didn't have a lot to say I guess others have looked.

I have though about not blogging in the past and yet I try and keep it going.

Temperatures in the low 40's this morning. Hope you have a good day. Chris

I'm here

Been trying to keep busy. I have done some cleaning and picking up. Yesterday took my daughter-in-law and the two little ones rummage saling.

We made a good day of it. I think we got almost everything she needs for the new baby and then some. Newborn clothing is outgrown before it gets stained. We bought clear up to 6-9 months while it was available.

The little ones were good until we got back to my house and they started fighting. So they had time outs and got in the car and on the way to pick up one of the brothers they had long naps.

I have done some hand sewing and yet I still haven't walked into the sewing room to do anything. I got the dimensions for the crib mattress. So I can  now look for fabric for sheets.

I am sure I have several pieces to make at least four sheets if not more. I make them without elastic and they stay on the mattress much better.

My Grandson had his first date tonight to go to Homecoming dance. The girl called him 30 minutes before they had to go. His step-mom got it all done and he was out the door.

Should be interesting as to how he liked it. Well going to go watch some Netflix. Chris

Been a solemn few days

Tomorrow is the year anniversary of my Mother's Death. I miss her everyday and I struggle more some days than others.

My Brother texted me today, but nothing was said, but I know he is struggling also. It was small talk, but for him to contact me that is saying a lot. We were close when we were young, but things changed.

Family is a different dynamics than what it use to be. Every family has issues that create differences which change the closeness of the family. I have said illness and death will make families ugly.

I have my son and grandkids and my husband so I will be ok. My Brother hasn't got any children he only has his wife and a dog.

I haven't touched a bit of sewing and yet I want to, but still don't feel real swift. It rained today off and on and we got an inch of rain. Chances of rain over the next few days off and on so not a lot of outside work will happen if it is to wet.

Hope you all are being very productive with your projects. Chris

Hexie's are coming together

This is the connecting color for this quilt top. I added the color around the flower and stitched it to the long row of diamonds.

The dark green flower has some of the red around it and I positioned it on the right side in the top picture In the second picture I added it to see what it will look like on the left side.

This is the thing I like about this setting. It is all color and you add what looks good to which ever side you want. As I add more I will show you the progress.

Finally today I feel better. The sun is out and the humidity is down. Had a couple really rough days. I try and move, but sometimes it is more than you can handle. Thanks for your support.

Today I need to look in the freezer and get creative with a meal. We have been trying to cut back and sometimes it becomes just to mundane. I will be going to the grocery sometime today and picking up some things for sides.

50 more days of this circus going on over the Election 2016. My Mother taught me not to says something to hurt others. I wonder why this has to happen.

Hope you have a wonderful day. Chris

A little more

Yes the sun is out even though they predicted 80% chance of rain today. We had thunder for about 20 minutes and no rain. Hopefully we get a little bit or we will have to water those plants we moved the other day. 

Ok a little work was done after the post last night. I started on a row of the diamond blocks. I thought I needed to get a few of them done so I have a base to sew the mini flowers onto. 

I have cleaned some in the sewing room. I took down the ironing board again and opened up the floor space. I also found a spot for all the loose batting I have. Much of the quilting I do has leftovers so I save like kinds and stitch together to make a larger piece for utility quilts. 

I also had two odd tubs that had leftover fabric from garments in. I found a home for them out of the main floor area. They have denim pieces and fleece in them. 

I plan on getting one more table cleaned off then I will be in a better spot with the things that I need to work with being available and not so penned in. 

I got my dishes done and the counters all wiped off so I can do some more cleaning in the extra bedroom. First I have to pick up toys. I didn't realize they had such a mess in there or they would have had pickup time. Note to self watch the play area better before they leave. 

The bed needs a fresh set of sheets and also some dusting needs doing. Housework never ends. 

I haven't felt real good the last few days which is an ongoing thing of late. Mold and pollen is the biggest problem. The other problem is I have lots of pain. Yes I have arthritis and with the stormy weather in the area even though it never happens here I feel the pain. Also I need to drop some weight again, but when you are in pain getting up and moving to keep it off is difficult. I know it sounds like whining and I apologize for that, but for a long time I thought I was alone in dealing with it. 

That is not the case and as I get older I can see where we become sedimentary easier. My back from a former job is so screwed up I don't think I can ever get any relief. I can walk on a level surface and all of a sudden my left leg goes numb. The pinched nerves in my back are crippling at time. 

Running after two little girls takes it's toll on me most of the time. I try and keep active, but some days are worse than other.  I was reading blogs this morning and the tears streamed down my cheeks I know it was from pain. I got up moved and took some pain meds, but it covered it up. It is back again. Life sucks some days when you have pain. Off to do some more cleaning. Chris 

Well been busy with my hands

They are larger hexagons. It is 3/4 of an inch on a side. I am cutting them out of 2 inch strips and it is going a little faster, but covering more space faster, 

I do not have the pattern for this, but found the picture in the "Millefiori Quilts" book by Willyne Hammerstein. It is a picture of a quilt she was working on.  It is sewn in strips that inter mess with each other. I have a tone on tone red print I am going to add between the flowers and diamonds. 

Yesterday we transplanted a couple plants before it rained. We had a couple Ice Plants to stitch in the ground and a sedum to move. The yard got mowed today and I did some hand sewing.

I use a thimble, nut my fingernails are getting in the way. Also hand stitching I must hold the needle to tight because the corners of my fingers where the nail is loose from the bed it is really sore. I need to toughen up. 

I got a panicky phone cal tonight from my Daughter-in-law and the three year old pulled a piece of raw pork off of a chop that had seasoning on it and ate it. I told her she maybe would have a stomach ache or run to the bathroom. I said give her a glass of milk. It has to run it course through her body. KIDS! Dad was lighting the grill to cook supper. I guess she couldn't wait. 

Five kids in the house is a little stressful. Hope you have a good evening.Chris 

  

If we could change the World.

I only wish things could be even keel. We have even issues where we live. The neighbor has been on a mean binge lately and his mouth is has gotten ahead of him.

Awful that we have to live in a World where there isn't any anger or hatred. We keep to ourselves most of the time and we try not to get involved in all the gossip.

We loved living in the country where we had neighbors as close as 2 miles away. We could do as we pleased and didn't have closeness to interfere with the way we lived our lives.

I did get and outside outlet installed on my covered deck. Jeff did that for me today. I just love having a husband that is handy.

Going in to lay down in a few minutes then start on my sewing room to rearrange. Chris

So much fun

she thought she was doing something with the computer. She is teased about being Dutch. You ask her something and she says Ya. We just laugh at her. 

She is such a cheeseball. She loves to smile. She is growing up so fast. We had jeans on her yesterday and she is getting taller and slimming down a lot.

We had fun with her and she seemed to enjoy having Grandma and Grandpa to herself. But she was glad to see her sister yesterday when Taylor came to get her.

Today I want to get some cleaning done. We have let the inside go and it is getting to me. I then want to get the extra room cleaned up. I would like to paint the walls in there and get it to look like a room instead of a warehouse for discarded things.

My plans are to hit the living room and kitchen first and work till I get the extra bedroom done even if it takes me a week. It amazes me how you can dump so many things and not ever get to cleaning up. Well it amazes me that I can do it maybe or I hope you don't.

I have been away from the sewing machine for far to long and it is bothering me. Yes I have plenty of other things to keep me busy, but it feels funny not to sew.

Well off to make coffee for my husband before he gets up. He loves having the kids, but he is wore out keeping up with them.

Take care Chris

Been busy

Kate has been keeping me busy. Autumn is with Mommy and Daddy and calls me every hour wondering what her sister is doing. 

She likes to draw and play with this tablet. We are into asking why all the time now. I just L-O-V-E that. Not! She is suppose to be taking a nap and isn't cooperating. 

She has the hiccups maybe that is why she isn't sleeping. So m uch fun. Chris

Well another day gone by and no sewing

I did get the last of the baby knit booties finished. I made 6 pairs in two sizes. They go pretty fast and I can pick up some more yarn later when I get back to the store. I have a couple months before they are needed.

I was surprised yesterday when the oldest granddaughter showed up. She had a few minutes before she had to be at work. She had a sandwich and also some cookies before she had to leave to go into work. We don't get to see her very often. She is a Senior in High School and working about 24-30 hours a week. She keeps busy.


Suppose to be cooler today and gorgeous over the weekend. So I get the youngest one for two nights. Mom and Dad are promoting a benefit concert and she is just to little to be going. Autumn is going because she loves this band and she is going to sing with them on stage she says. I am sure she will be bashful.

She was funny yesterday when they went to feed the calves and she told me she saw a snake. She said she didn't like it. Well after all I thought she was telling me about a snake. The property is rural and it is possible. Come to find out it was a worm. Dad told me it wasn't a snake. Then she called later and said they got 5 eggs. They have chickens so she was excited about that also. They are a lot of fun when they are that age.

Kids are funny with what they share when they call you. At least they are not sitting in front of a TV or a video game for a babysitter.

I have some things that need picking up before little hands get here today and also some medicine to go purchase for my husband. So I will not get a lot accomplished other than picking up today.

Hope you have a great weekend. Chris

One of the hottest days of the Summer

They even let school out early it was so hot. 100 degrees heat index. Most schools here do not have A/C. So what was I doing knitting.The new little girl will be born on or around January 2nd and I am sure it will be really cold outside. 

I found this pattern online from Bev's Country Cottage. Beverly A. Qualheim has many patterns on her website. These called Bev's Stay On Knit Booties. They are a easy knitting project and can use different weights of yarn and needle size with the same amount of stitches. The ones on the right are size 5 needles and baby yarn DK sized. 

The one on the left is regular worsted weight with 8 needles and this is a larger bootie. The top one is the DK baby yarn again, but the size 8 needles. I plan on making several in different colors so there is a size that will fit. 

The Nelson babies all have big feet from the get go so multiple sizes are a must. They grow so fast. Then I thought I would make up several sizes and colors and save them for Great Grandchildren I am sure I will be getting. Have to use up the yarn I have laying around here. 

A pair takes about an hour of fast knitting to complete. 

I plan on trying to get some more picking up done today. I need to get to the grocery for the little one to come and stay. She is a juice drinker and milk drinker and grandma is low on both right now. I need some snacks for her also. 

Stay cool today. Chris

Such a slump I am in

Nothing is wrong just not into doing much. Suppose to get a weather change so it might be why I am in this slump.


I need to get back into a routine quickly. My life needs routine.


I have a lot of things to finish up before Christmas and that is coming real quickly. I might be absent for a couple days here. I need to get some Fall like housekeeping done. I really want to say I did some housekeeping this year like I use to. LOL Chris

yard walk before they loose their glory

This is just pictures of my yard in bloom.

We worked hard in our yard this Summer and it is paying off well with the looks. Chris

Are you a creature of habit?

First thing in the morning I am a creature of habit. I like a couple cups of coffee first thing while the house is still quiet. I wake up before my husband most days and I can sit in quiet and read or sew without a lot of noise. I read blog posts that you all write and then if I have anything to say I add it to your blog posts. I have been not doing a whole lot other than cleaning and dishes and laundry. I guess while working on the porch I let things go to much. 

I have done a little hand stitching on my stars. I was going to start something else and I just put it aside until I have a better plan as to what I want to do with the quilt. Today I do want to get more laundry done and also get my sewing room back in better shape. This week I need to get the extra bedroom usable again.

I think the little ones will be coming this next weekend for over night and if I get kicked out of my own bed I have someplace to sleep.

I have some goals, but whether or not I can get them done is a different thing. I would like to get some of the partially quilted quilts done with the quilting process so I can get them to the people they belong to. I have three for sure that I need done.

I have a little bit of knitting that needs doing also. I want to make some baby booties and also a couple stocking caps. I had been looking for a certain size needles and I finally found that at Joann's the other day.

The season of transition to being stuck inside is just around the corner. I need to finish up some cutting back in the yard and then we can get everything down to just mowing of the leaves as they fall. We have a mulching mower and we don't rake leaves because they help feed the soil if they are mulched.

Today will be open game for whatever I find to do. I would like to get something done to say Labor Day was a true day of labor for me. Enjoy your weekend. Chris