Here We Move Again!

Well, we did it.  We lived our 12 year old dream of living in the big city.  I have been in San Antonio for one year and two months.  Markley has been in San Antonio for six months.  And it just ain't home.  And we really have tried.  I found all the quilt shops and scrapbook stores.  He joined a tennis club and team.  We found a wonderful church...with a pastor from Sudan who talks about Amarillo and Lubbock (first hint).

Then we did the K-Love Love Dare for the 40 days leading up to Valentine's Day.  And it changed our lives!  We grew closer to one another.  And the Lord.  And then I asked Markley, "Why are we here in San Antonio?"  He didn't have an answer.  So we prayed.  And came the peace and the answer from the Lord to go home.  So we prayed some more, to be sure.  And it came back the same.  Go home.  But you know, we have this wonderful house that we love.  I said we were going to stay.  That was Monday.

And then comes in Dave Ramsey.  I listen to him every afternoon and on Tuesday he mentioned that there are houses on every corner and I remembered that in Canyon--home--there are houses there too (second hint).

                                    

So, on President's Day, I made the hardest call of my life.  I called my boss from WTAMU, and I asked her to be a reference for me so we could start looking to go home.  She said yes and asked why we were coming home.  I didn't really get into all of this, but told her about the traffic and the busy-ness of the big city and that it just wasn't home.  She understood.  Then the Lord stepped in and made room for me to come back to WT (third hint), in the position I left in 2009!!  I start back May 3rd!  On, On, Buffaloes!

Markley and I trusted in the Lord with all of our hearts and He is taking such good care of us!  Praise Him!

1 Down, 16 To Go

I finished WIP# 3 on my list!  Why #3?  Well, I'm not ready to rag quilt Markley's t-shirt quilt or the ugly color quilt yet.  I can handle the 5 1/2" blocks on the Christmas tree quilts or Julie's baby quilt, but those 12" and 16" blocks kinda scare me to be honest.  So I moved on to the watermelon Bull's Eye.  Ta-da!

I am so excited to be finished with one...especially since all it needed was the outer border.  I'm not a fan of cutting or sewing borders, but I love what borders do for a quilt.  My next WIP will be #4, the brights on black:

              

If I remember correctly, most of the blocks are completely sewn down.  Now it's time to decide if I'm going to cut them apart (like the watermelon Bull's Eye) or just arrange them as is.  I think I'm going to cut them apart but put them back together in a random pattern, something like this (source unknown):

Markley and I had a lot of fun for Valentine's Day.  In fact, we made it last two days, both Sunday and then on Monday when we were both off for President's Day.  We slept in and then went to the Tower of the America's for lunch.

                   

              

This is the third tower that we have had lunch at.  We have also enjoyed Reunion Tower in Dallas (our first), and the Space Needle in Seattle.  Comparing the experiences and the food, Reunion Tower in Dallas is, by far, the best.  It was an all-you-can-eat buffet with a chef who did made-to-order omelets.  I enjoyed that!

On Sunday, Markley and I made Sweetie Pies from the Farm Chicks website.  It was so much fun!

               

I must say that you have to try these!  It's a little messy, as anything with flour is, but they are so much fun!

Too Much Paper...No Way!

When Carla and I went to Arkansas in October, I saw the coolest scrapbook cookbook in Hobby Lobby and decided it was time to update my recipes.  I don't want anything too fancy...something that wouldn't be practical to use...but something that would be cute.  I bought my binder at the Scrapbook Cottage here in San Antonio.

Then I started buying food-related background paper, two sheets at a time.  You know how it goes, you buy a couple here, a couple there, then you go to cut down the 12X12 sheets into 8 1/2X11 to fit and you find out just how many sheets you have...

                             

Um, just a few.  Here's one of my favorite sheets, it reminds me of my Grannie:

                                      

I also bought the "From the Kitchen Of" stamp set from Stampin' Up!.

                                

The little food category stamps are going to be perfect to label and separate all of my recipes.  I plan to type my recipes in Word and print them on a half sheet of paper (so you can see some of that cute background paper!), and then take a photo of the item after Markley or I cook it.  A real-to-life cookbook.  Now, there's an idea!  I'll keep you updated!

Happy cooking!

C :)

All It Needs Is A Border!!

Last week, Markley joined a tennis club and practices on Wednesday nights. So, now Wednesday night is craft night at my house. YEA! After Wii Fit Plus-ing last night, I pulled out WIP# 3, the watermelon Bull's Eye.

I am almost finished with it, but the borders need finishing and I don't like to work with borders. Especially 2" borders. Especially two 2" borders. But it is the closest to being finished (the t-shirt and ugly color quilts are finished, I just have to rag quilt them).

So, I got it out and found a wonderful surprise! The first 2" inner border was on--Yea! And three sides of the second 2" inner border were on and the forth was pinned on. Yep, just one seam. Now all I have to do is add the 4" outer border then it's off to the quilters!  And I will be so glad b/c it takes about an hour to iron this thing having raw edges on both the front and back.  And guess what WIP# 4 is...a black one!

In other news, and this may seem silly to you, but Markley and I are having a hard time NOT finding things to do here in San Antonio.  One of the reasons we moved here was for all of the fun and none of the drive home, but we didn't think it through to the "which do we do" part.  Like, which rodeo concert do we go to?  We are going to 4!  That's right, 4.  And this weekend will be only the second weekend since Thanksgiving that both of us have been home.  Darn those Cowboys!  We love to go and do--both the San Antonio Symphony and Bill Engvall this last weekend--but we never imagined having so many choices.  We love it!

Happy Crafting!

C :)

99 Things...

An interesting list I found on twiddletails.blogspot.com:


Things you've already done: bold
Things you want to do: italize
Things you haven't done and don't want to - leave in plain font


1. started your own blog
2. slept under the stars
3. played in a band
4. visited hawaii
5. watched a meteor shower
6. given more than you can afford to charity
7. been to disneyland/world (both!)
8. climbed a mountain
9. held a praying mantis
10. sang a solo
11. bungee jumped
12. visited paris
13. watched a lightning storm at sea
14. taught yourself an art from scratch
15. adopted a child
16. had food poisoning
17. walked to the top of the statue of liberty
18. grown your own vegetables
19. seen the mona lisa in france
20. slept on an overnight train
21. had a pillow fight
22. hitch hiked
23. taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. built a snow fort
25. held a lamb
26. gone skinny dipping
27. run a marathon
28. ridden a gondola in venice
29. seen a total eclipse
30. watched a sunrise or sunset
31. hit a home run
32. been on a cruise
33. seen niagara falls in person
34. visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. seen an amish community
36. taught yourself a new language
37. had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. seen the leaning tower of pisa in person
39. gone rock climbing
40. seen michelangelo's david in person
41. sung karaoke
42. seen old faithful geyser erupt
43. bought a stranger a meal in a restaurant
44. visited africa
45. walked on a beach by moonlight
46. been transported in an ambulance
47. had your portrait painted
48. gone deep sea fishing
49. seen the sistene chapel in person
50. been to the top of the eiffel tower in paris
51. gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. kissed in the rain
53. played in the mud--to my Moma's dismay
54. gone to a drive-in theatre
55. been in a movie
56. visited the great wall of china
57. started a business
58. taken a martial arts class
59. visited russia
60. served at a soup kitchen
61. sold girl scout cookies--1,000+ boxes
62. gone whale watching
63. gotten flowers for no reason--but I wouldn't count Markley's love as no reason!
64. donated blood
65. gone sky diving
66. visited a nazi concentration camp
67. bounced a check
68. flown in a helicopter
69. saved a favorite childhood toy
70. visited the lincoln memorial
71. eaten caviar
72. pieced a quilt--several!
73. stood in Times Square
74. toured the everglades
75. been fired from a job--but met Markley there, I call that a winner!
76. seen the changing of the guard in london
77. broken a bone
78. been on a speeding motorcycle
79. seen the grand canyon in person
80. published a book
81. visited the vatican
82. bought a brand new car
83. walked in jerusalem
84. had your picture in the newspaper
85. read the entire Bible
86. visited the white house (3-7 years from now)
87. killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. had chickenpox
89. saved someone’s life
90. sat on a jury
91. met someone famous
92. joined a book club
93. lost a loved one
94. had a baby
95. seen the alamo in person--shoot, I live down the road!
96. swum in the great salt lake
97. been involved in a law suit
98. owned a cell phone
99. been stung by a bee

Have a happy weekend!

C :)

Check One More Off The List!

Well, this long weekend we went back home and while we were there, I finished my Christmas stocking! Sandy was asking me when I started the stockings (remember now, her stocking and Markley’s stocking have been finished for a while now—pics of them tonight). Let's see, I remember working on them when Markley was at MD Anderson in July 1998 right after we were married. And I know I bought them at the old Wal-Mart in Canyon after Christmas one year. So that puts them at least 6 months older than that, but they could be as old as January 1996 which is right after my first Christmas in Canyon.

I am so excited about getting things finished up this year! My next project will be a cute little tote for my supervisor Charlotte. Then on to the watermelon bull’s eye quilt. I have attached the top and bottom of the first inner border already; just need to finish that; add the second inner border; the outer border and send it to Country Corner Quilt Shop in Arkansas to have it quilted. I know that sounds so cheesy to only need to add the borders, but it’s the truth and it’s sad.

Happy Short Week!

C :)

A Finished Quilt, Ghosts of Crafts Past, and Unfinished Projects

First, let's start with the finished quilt. This is Mary’s Christmas quilt. She brought me the fabric in JULY (didn’t she buy beautiful fabric!!) when we sold the Canyon house. I finished the quilt Christmas Day. It’s a rag quilt, but it’s not clipped in this pic. I love this pattern—it reminds me of a cross-stitch pattern. Lots of little blocks of color going together to make a picture. My third quilt ever was this pattern and I made it all by myself, no class.

Now, on to ghosts of crafts past. Y’all know my first craft was cross-stitch. I have about 6 framed and 13 unframed FINISHED cross-stitches at home. Then there are the 3 that needed to be finished (we aren’t going to talk about the 35 that I want to do). The first one is the SHAWN cross-stitch designed by me. Shawn was my high school sweetheart and I finally decided that even though I designed it, it needed to be tossed. And it was last Friday. I call that finished.

I started the wedding couple in 1998 for my wedding…and it is now finished! I’m going to make a pillow out of it for the guest bedroom. I have my wedding flowers, candle sticks, and cake topper in the guest bedroom, so why not add this? I can always use new pillows. Also, Markley bought me the actual figurine for my birthday that year and it’s in there too.

The last cross-stitch is my Christmas stocking. I finished Markley’s and Sandy’s years ago. Mine has hung by the chimney w/o a name. Luckily, Santa knows that I haven’t finished anything. But, now, I have finished drawing the pattern and picking the DMC thread and it’s in my desk drawer to work on each day at work.


Now, the multitudes of unfinished projects. I have 17 (two aren’t pictured). My goal is to finish all 17 projects THIS YEAR, 2010. So, here’s the list (pattern or name; fabric line or store)
1. t-shirt; Hard Rock Café & Planet Hollywood t-shirts (not pictured)
2. ugly color quilt; various (not pictured)
3. Bull’s Eye; red, pink, and green to look like watermelons
4. Bull’s Eye; bright colors on black
5. Folk Art Log Cabin (Thimbleberries); various Alco
6. Cake Stand; carnival blooms
7a&7b. Watermelon Log Cabin; various Sisters’ Scraps
8. Christmas Table Attire; Holly Jolly—bright
9. Crazy 9-Patch; French Gardens
10. Crazy 9-Patch; Garden Market
11. Lucky Stars pillow shams; Wal*mart
12. A Slice of Summer; A Slice of Summer
13. sun glasses holder; Cherished Teddies
14. Crazy 9-Patch; Figgy Pudding
15. Crazy 9-Patch; pacific point, wild wasabi, sahara sand colors
16. Texas flag rag; various Sisters’ Scraps
17. Crazy 9-Patch; Debbie Mumm gardening

P.S. This doesn’t count the ones that I have fabric for but no pattern. Or a pattern and no fabric. Maybe I will look at these next time or maybe I should just think about the 17 above.


Happy New Year!


C :)