Big Birthday Surprise!

Wow!  What a day I had Sunday.  I spent all of last week preparing for a big surprise party for my Mom's seventy-seventh birthday.  Sunday finally arrived and I tool her to the Casino in Erie, along with me younger sister, Sarah.  Sarah texted madly from the back seat to let everyone here at the house know where we were on our journey home.  We arrived and Mom had to go potty, so everyone that was hidden in the dining room had to wait a little longer to yell Surprise!  When Mom entered the dining room she was sure shocked to find the whole family there!  The candles on her cake were lit and she blew them out.  My hubby, Rick said that they had all been waiting for a while for our arrival so they should all go outside.  Everyone went out back on the deck.
    My Sisiter, Sarah asked me for a Qtip so I went to get her a Qtip before going outside.  When I stepped outside I was surely shocked.  Everyone yelled "Surprise"!  There were even more people, besides the family out back.  It turned out to be a double surprise party!
   Rick had invited some of my clown friends and two of them even came in costume!  They were out in my yard entertaining my neices and my grandson.  It was a wonderful party!
   I got lots of wonderful cards and gifts.  Sarah got me a new birdbath and I even got a stripper!  Not what you might think, it strips fabric!  The best kind of stripper!  I also got some nice gift certificates that Ill have to find the time to spend.  It was a wonderful day.
I can't imagine how Rick and Sarah kept it all a secret.  Mom knew there was a party for me, I knew there was a party for Mom and Rick and Sarah had to be very careful what they said to whom!   They pulled it off!  Sarah and her husband John stayed late after the party and helped to clean up.  That was maybe the best gift of all.  Happy Birthday to me!

Wow!  What a wonderful couple days I've had.  I went to North East, Pa. to see Bonnie Hunter, a fabulous quilter, artist, author and all around fun person.  She was hosted by a fabulous group of ladies called the Crazy Quilters from North East.  I went to her trunk show on Sunday and I took a class today on how to make her star struck quilt.  I had a wonderful time.
 My wonderful husband paid for everything including one of Bonnie's books called "Adventures in Leaders and Enders".  Tomorrow is my fifty something birthday and I think that was the best gift I could ever get.  My hubby supports all of my artistic endeavors, even if some of them make him go hmmmmm!
  Now I'm just hoping that the family remembers, if they have to buy me anything for my birthday realize that fabric would be right up my alley!  I have one neighbor who always gives me some kind of soap!!!!  I wonder if she is trying to tell me something?  I really think she is just trying to be kind and wants to give me a gift but really doesn't know what to give me...so she trots off to Bed, Bath and beyond and I get....soap. God Bless her for even remembering my birthday every year!
   On another note, I finished making all my strawberry freezer jam and the raspberries have begun to ripen.  I've been picking them now for three days and I have about two quarts.  I see raspberry jelly in my future!
   My sister stopped over tonight and we are planning a surprise party for my Moms birthday on Sunday.
I have been working frantically to finish the lap robe/small quilt I am making for her.  It was an ugly fabric quilt challenge that I found online.  I incorporated a set of blocks that say "What Cancer Cannot Do" and I think Mom will like it because she has certainly had a battle where cancer is concerned.  Her birthday is a true testament to the fact that no Doctor can tell my Mom when she should die.  According to him, she has four months, maybe six.  That was three years ago.  Go Mom!  Lets just hope she has enough energy for a party after we take her to the casino!

Finally figured it out!

wow...I think I just figured out how to add a new post to my blog.  About time.  Believe me, I am no tech wizard.!  I have been plodding away at my ugly fabric quilt challenge.  It is actually a top now and I am quilting it for the 2nd time.  I tried machine quilting it and I am just not good at machine quilting.  I tried a meander stitch and decided I didn't like it.  I spent a whole weekend removing all those stitches.  I am now hand quilting it.  I am hopeful that I have it done by the 25th of June.  I want to give it to my Mom for her birthday!  She will appreciate all the love that went into creating it.  I am still trying to figure out how to use the last few bits of ugly fabric that I have left over.  I am thinking maybe I will create some yo yo flowers for the barer spaces on the quilt.  Something to use the fabric and add another splash of color.  I originally had applique flowers in these spaces, but decided I didn't like them either.  Oh My, I am so picky at times!  I've never tried anything like this and I am not sure I ever will again.  I feel so much pressure to get it right.  I am not a get it right gal.  I usually think out of the box and create my own path. 
  So in between pulling weeds and planting and work, I have been sewing away.  I am currently hand quilting three quilts and I am assembling blocks for another.  If I get tired of one project I can move on to another.
I am taking this weekend off and running away from home.  I'm going to Vincennes, Indianna for the Red Skelton Festival.  On Saturday, they have the largest clown parade in the USA.  Its a blast to see the huge crowds and visit with all of my old clown friends.  We all stay at the University and its a great time.  I am dressing as a ballarina clown and carrying giant car keys and a sign that says "Ballet Parking". 
Well, now that I finally figured out how to post, and not simply by accident, You'll be hearing more from me.  Actually I don't think anyone reads this or follows this, but it gives me a chance to say all the things no one here wants to hear me talk about!  Its my online sanity checker! 

Well, even with all the yard work, I somehow managed to get twelve blocks finished for my ugly fabric quilt challenge.  Hopefully very soon I'll find some time to escape into my studio and create the quilt top.  I have never done this before, a challenge that is, so I am making sure that I use even the smallest pieces of fabric.
I'm not sure what the finished product will look like but I think it will be okay.
I am also still quilting, by hand, everyday on my queen sized scrappy log cabin quilt I made over the winter.  Its almost half quilted!  I want to have it done in time for the Crawford County Fair in August!  I keep stitching away.  Quilting is such a stress reliever for me.  Just love it.
I really want to get it all finished so I can start a new art quilt project that I have in mind.  I swear I'll die with a thousand creative ideas in my head.  There are so many things I want to quilt or create.  Its unreal!
We finally got our pond up and running today.  Somehow I managed to smack my toe.  If I had any good luck, I sure can't find it.  This week I backed my car into a dumpster and caused about $1100.00 worth of damage.
I really have gotten to the point where I don't let these unlucky things stress me out.  I just take it all with a grain of sand, pick myself up, dust myself off and go merrily about finding my next disaster!  Don't sweat the small stuff.  Its all small stuff!

What a day I had today!  I backed my car into a dumpster trying to get out of a crowded gas station.  I had just visited a funeral home where I was trying to get my Mom's funeral arrangements completed.  I guess my mind was somewhere else.
Mom goes back to the Doctor on Tuesday, but things are not looking so good.  She is loosing a lot of weight and having difficulty eating.  She has made the decision not to have any more chemo or radiation.  It was killing her faster than the cancer.  I just wish I had more support with making all of the arrangements.  Its really hard to be strong sometimes.
  I heard from Martha today.  She is the lovely lady that I am exchanging fabrics with for the Ugly fabric quilt challenge.  The fabrics that she sent me are not all that ugly.  I mixed them with some things from my stash and spend one afternoon creating patterns for my quilt.  I really thought long and hard about what ugly is and I've also decided to incorporate the "What Cancer cannot do" blocks that I bought at the quilt show.  Cancer is UGLY!  I'll see if I can create some beauty around what cancer cannot do.
Its a quiet evening here and I'm about to tuck Linda in and head for my sewing room.  Maybe I can get a few more blocks done and forget about my day for a bit.
For those of you reading this, Linda is not my child, although in some ways she is childlike.  Linda has autism and is 60 years old.  She has been living with me for 17 years.  She is an angel sent to teach me so many lessons!

Spring cleaning?

Well, I am not sure if I am actually getting anything cleaned.  Its more like I am finding a million projects that are UFOs.  Last night I found an applique piece that I had attempted many years ago and so I spent the evening finishing it up.  I did manage to make a blank spot in my quilt room.  Everything is stored in big storage tubs and I went through several of them and culled out things I do not love. 
   I have more fabric than common sense, it seems.  Fabric hoarders buried alive!  That was the thought that came to mind yesterday as I sat sorting piles of brights from one of my bins!
I also found the wedding quilt that I started for my husband 19 years ago.  I took it to work with me and hand quilted on it when I got the chance.  I had forgotten how pretty is was and working on it felt really good.  My husband mentions the quilt once or twice a year.  I know once I do finish it he will never allow it on the bed because the dogs would destroy it, but it is nice to know he wants it.
  I went to a quilt show this last weekend and of course I bought some fabric.  It is a panel that says "What Cancer cannot do".  I'm going to make a quilt for my Grandson.  He has Leukemia.  He just turned 15.
  Well, its early morning and I just got off work.  I worked a double and I should be exhausted but, I'm not.  I think I'll grab another cup of tea and head off to my fabric hoarders den and see what kind of trouble I can get into today!

Coming right along

Yesterday I managed to complete 6 blocks for my crazy pineapple paper pieced quilt I am working on.  I have 11 blocks done already so It seems to be moving along rather smoothly.  Its so exciting to see the many different color bursts that come together during the process of piecing the blocks.  I'll post a pick when I find my missing camera.
Meanwhile, I think Ill go outside today and just soak in some of the wonderful aroma from the blossoms of spring.  It seems this week they are everywhere and they have such a short time to be here.  I want to soak them in and enjoy them!  I hope you take some time to enjoy the world around you today...its so worth it.