Just an apology to all who left me such sweet comments the last few days ~ I am going to respond personally, but with two transcriptionists out this week, I've been very very busy, too busy to even stitch. Then add in to the mix this little precious thing...

We found this sweet thing outside a friends house hiding in the gardenias.  I estimate he's about 4 weeks old.  Absolutely COVERED in fleas!!  I brought him home because my friend is not a "cat person", but I don't know what I'm going to do with him.  My two labs think he's the next best thing to a running squirrel and I don't dare let them near him.  Any suggestions on how to keep the dogs from eating the new kitty?

Awesome Recipe ~ Carabba's Tagliarini Picchi Pacchiu

Made an awesome pasta dish last night and wanted to share. It's from my favorite Italian restaurant, Carrabba's. I've made it several times and we love it ~ so easy & fresh.  I had wanted to include a picture, but totally forgot to take it ~ we were really hungry!  However, here's a pic I found online just to share ~

Carabba's Tagliarini Picchi Pacchiu

Servings:  4

16 oz. angel hair pasta
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
8 large cloves garlic, sliced (I used minced from jar - lots!)
16 ripe Roma tomatoes, diced (I buy the big pack from Sam's, but this is a good way to use all those tomatoes from your garden)
16 -20 basil leaves, roughly chopped
Pinch salt and pepper
Lots of shredded fresh Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions (do not overcook ~ you want it al dente).  Meanwhile, simmer sliced garlic in olive oil over very low heat for about 10 minutes (I also add some red pepper flakes for a little bit of kick at this time so it infuses into the oil).  Add remaining ingredients and stir over medium heat another 2 minutes or so.  Toss with cooked angel hair pasta and serve as a side dish for chicken or shrimp.  Also makes a vegetarian entree.  Serve with shredded Parmesan cheese ~ Yum!

Baby Quilt Update & Baby Shower!

Warning:  Picture heavy post!

Christa & Michael's baby shower yesterday was absolutely wonderful!  Several games were played (of course), but the funniest and grossest was the poopy diaper!  Using one's sense of sight and smell, you have to guess which candy bar is melted in each diaper (there are four diapers passed around)! We could only hope really poopy diapers smelled like candy bars....

This adorable cake was made by the hostess's stepmother ~















These are two "heirlooms" that I passed to Christa...the blanket was crocheted by me when I was pregnant with Christa and the dress/gown was smocked by Christa's aunt.

My DH took this picture of me when I was crocheting the blanket over 24 years ago (sitting next to my dear late Grandpa Dickson).  Check out the purple eyeshadow!!

Next is a little cross stitch I made a few years ago which was stored in my "Drawer of Shame" (a drawer containing completed cross stitch pieces which have never been finished, the contents of which will be shamefully displayed later).  I'm going to make this into a little hanging pillow.  This is a Shepherd's Bush pattern stitched on 10 ct. cream Tula using the recommended floss (WDW, CC, and GAST) and buttons ~ too cute!!!  BTW, this pattern is for sale on my selling page!

I made a diaper stacker for Christa.  I got the tutorial on Sew Dang Cute!  My applique was a little off ~ oh, well!



















The fabric for the dust ruffle is the same green above.  And here is the finished quilt top.  I only need to make my quilt sandwich and actually quilt it.  This is the hardest part because I "don't" quilt well at all.  I had thought about doing diagonal lines, but would really like to try something new.  Maybe quilt each pinwheel with a large flower using a tracing paper template to sew over?  Of course, doing the meandering stitch would be my preference, but I'm too chicken right now to try ~ no practice at all!

Oh, well ~ enough show & tell for now.  Hoping each of you had a wonderful, cool weekend!

~Progress on Baby Quilt~

Well, my ABC fabric finally came in (the right color) and I spent a very nice evening, just me, my sewing machine, and Law & Order SVU.  I was going to watch some NCIS, but I know I would have gotten distracted gazing at Very Special Agent Jethro Gibbs (sigh!).  I got all 12 blocks made ~ yippee!  I did have one block that just wouldn't come together ~ I lost count of the number of times I took it apart and resewed it.  But finally I'm happy with all my points.  Yes, some aren't quite perfect, but close enough!  Here's the layout ~

Now, to sew these together and start my borders!!!

Eye Candy

Head over to Dip Diddly Designs for some seriously yummy quilty eye candy!!!  I drooled all over my keyboard!  Where are stores like this in my neck of the woods?

Just a little rant....

I don't know about anybody else, but I was raised that when you're invited to an event and an RSVP is requested, you RSVP!!!  Why don't people do this anymore?  Are people just too darn busy to pick up the phone or respond to an EVITE?  Holy hand grenades, you're already on the darn computer, just click already!

My DD's baby shower is this Saturday.  EVITES to save the date went out 6 weeks ago.  Handwritten invitations went out 2 1/2 weeks ago ~ 60 people invited.  19 people have responded (9 yes, 7 no, 3 maybe) ~ out of 60.  How the heck are we supposed to know how much food to prepare for?


This is one of my all-time pet peeves ~ have we raised a whole generation of rude people?  Grrrrrrr!!!

Great Father's Day Key Chain Tutorial

Found this great tutorial to make a key chain for that special dad!  Go visit AlyAshCreations to see how it's made!!

Paycheck Update

I did not lose the paycheck...because it was never given to me!!! When DH got home (after not quite "accusing" me of losing it), he checked through the dirty laundry and, lo and behold, in the pocket of the pants he was wearing the day he got his paycheck, HE FOUND THE PAYCHECK!!! A HA! Now to get it deposited before I lose it for real....

Deal of the Year!!!

How could I forget this?  Was at Hobby Lobby Saturday afternoon, cruising the clearance items.  Got this fabulous Ott Lite Flex Arm Plus.  Retail price was $199.99 ~ I got it for $40!!!  Here's a snap ~

Stitching Update

It's been a kind of "carpy" several days...starting with Monday.  Mondays are always carpy just on general principal.  Nothing good happens on Mondays.  Yesterday, I got rear-ended in town...surprisingly very little damage to my car considering the jolt, but I do have a nice case of whiplash.  Now, today, I realize that I have probably lost my DH's paycheck from last Friday.  I've turned the house upside down (almost) and can't find it.  I should have deposited it right when I got it.  Oh, well.  It might still be in his truck and that he just never gave it to me.  It really stinks getting old (is 46 old?).  I can't remember anything now-a-days.

Anyhoo, on to stitching updates.  I finished Quaker Alphabet by La-D-Da.  I used the suggested fabric (35 ct Straw by WDW), but changed out the threads.  The blues just didn't do it for me.  I went with WDW Bark for the alphabet portion and WDW Kudzu for the motifs.  I love greens.  I wanted to use GAST Dried Thyme, but I didn't have enough.  I thought I had seen these two colors put together for this project on someone else's blog, but I do not remember where (again, I'm getting old!!).  I think it turned out very nice!

On the WIP front, here's a snap of the baby sampler I'm making for my soon-to-be born first grandchild, a sweet little girl who will be named Hayden.  I chose La-D-Da's Gabrielle Rose and I'm using the suggested fabric (36 ct Light Examplar" by Lakeside Linen) and the suggested DMC threads.

BTW, I would love to take better photos and have them look better in my blog ~ any ideas?  Is there a program you use to crop, etc.?  

Hoping today will be a little bit brighter????  Please????

By The Way...

I did pick up a little something-something for me at my quilt shop yesterday ~ Dragonfly Quiltshop in Watkinsville ~ a charm pack of Essence by Sandy Gervais.  I absolutely adore the fall colors.  Now I need to find a fairly simple quilt/wall hanging to make with it ~ any ideas?

Baby Quilt for Hayden

I've finally gotten together the fabric I'm using to make a baby quilt for my new (& first) granddaughter, Hayden, who is due two months from tomorrow (August 13 ~ FRIDAY!).

The pattern I'm using is from Moda Bakeshop ~ it's the Pinwheel Baby Quilt designed by Jodi at Simply This That and the Other

I'm not going to do the prairie points she uses since I don't want to deal with something I've never done before in a short time period.  I might just do a strip of one of the fabrics instead.  Here are the fabrics I've picked out.  Most are from the Garden Song line by Debbie Halvorsen with a few others picked up to blend.  The lighting is not too great, sorry!  I'm not a photographer by any stretch of the imagination.  I guess I should have taken the pictures outside???  I might try to do that later and substitute the picture ~ we'll see.

Here's a close-up of the white fabric for the pinwheels and the borders ~ it's got tiny ABC's in it ~ can you see them?  It's adorable!

Jodi used  a charm pack of Snippets by American Jane, but since there was not a charm pack with the colors I wanted, I simply bought fat quarters and cut out my own 5" squares.  Of course, this means I have plenty of scraps for maybe another baby quilt later!!

Hope you all have a wonderful Saturday!!

Host Pictures

What is the best place to host pictures for a blog?  Webshots, Flicker, Photobucket?  I would love to put some albums together.  Any ideas?

Ferocious Attack Kitten (Best of Craigs List)

This was sent to me a few years ago and it was funny enough to save.  Warning:  There are a lot of offensive posts on Best of Craigs List ~ you have been warned!!

Ferocious attack kitten is available for adoption to any home willing to accept him.

This destructive kitty has been trained as a proud warrior and will fiercely defend your house, even against you. Well-trained since 10-weeks of age to attack anything in his presence, he will protect your family from evil things, including the following:

* insects

* other trained attack kittens

* babies

* toilet paper

* anything under a blanket

* unwanted house guests

* paper bags

* floor rugs

* Chuck Norris

* Feet.

Great with children (assuming you don’t like the children). Probably best used for professional catfighting. He is housebroken, but only because he wants to be. This attack cat has trained himself to seek out his food anywhere you hide it and rip the bag open to feed himself, great for those who travel extensively. Also trained to drink water out of toilet bowls and dishwater from items in the sink. Knows how to open some doors. He will find you wherever you hide.

Neutered (trust me, you wont want to him to procreate). Has not been declawed, but you'll figure that out really fast.

Understands and responds to a variety of vulgar and profane verbal commands. Has a very soft and furry belly, like a teddy bear - however he will bite your face if you try to touch it.

Willing to accept trades. Potential adopters must have experience with trained attack-kittens... Please be prepared to show scars.

For the love of God, someone please take this thing out of my house.

Hand-Dyed Fibers from Vickie Clayton

Look what I got from Vickie Clayton Hand Dyed Fibers!!!  Aren't these beautiful? 

I discovered these on Stitchin Sweet Sue's blog.  The colors I got are:  BeRedded, BeLaced, BeMoiled, Old Maid of the Clay, Old Maid of the Hive, Spinach Delight, Moon-Called Sea, Petty Fog, Embers, Country Road, Jadeite 2465, Huckleberry.  Are they lovely?  And the price is sooooo reasonable!

Now that she's got those wonderful primitive colors, I'm ordering some more ;o)  The colors I'm ordering are:  Primitive Barn Blue, Primitive Barn Board, Primitive Barn Green, Primitive Barn Mauve, Primitive Barn Olive, Primitive Barn Red, Primitive Barn Rust, Primitive Barn Straw, Exemplar Milligrubs, and Marque Des Cercles.  I'm using the You Pick 10 ~ Create An Assortment feature for $12.50.  What a deal!!!

Universal Wish List

My dear MIL sent me this link to make a Universal Wish List!  Like many of you, I have wish lists at different online stores (i.e. 1-2-3 Stitch, Amazon, etc.) and now you can put all your "wishes" into one list with the link to where the item can be purchased!!!  It's free and from Amazon.  It's a Firefox add-on and recommended by Kim Commando.  Took nothing to install and is simply an additional toolbar on your screen.  Cool!  Let all your friends and family know about it LOL!!

Go here:  https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/52659/