Archived , Do you read them?

  Hello, I have been thinking about the tutorials that I have put up on this blog, as well as the class I did for beginning quilters way back in '08 or '09. I follow a lot of blogs and I take at least a few hours a week to read up on what others are writing. I especially like a couple that I check every week to see if I have missed something they did. What I find I do not do, unless they have linked up something in that days post, is to read the archived posts. I was wondering if that is the norm for blog readers. I would bet there is a huge amount of information that we would all benefit from just sitting there in the archive of every ones blog. I think that I will start to take a little time over the next few weeks to check out some of the archived posts on some of my favorite blogs. I may see if I can change some of my format on here so that I have the tutorials and the class under one of my new, not used, tabs. I may have to do some research to get that done, but it might be a good thing for some of my readers.

  Along the same lines of the archive and tutorials, I have thought about the upcoming Valentines day , and thought I would share an old picture of my Box of Chocolates .

  Well, yesterday I completed the first of my gifts for the face book people, in the pay it forward for 2012. I admit it was my daughter, but she liked my comment so she gets something same as the others do. Besides I still have not gotten the other ones, to send me their addresses, so I can mail them a home made gift. When my middle daughter showed these to me, I knew I could make one I just didn't know why I would want to. Then we went shopping one day and she had a grocery bag hung around her shifter for trash in her car. Needless to say I made her one for her car.  I took some pictures of it in her car, and for what ever reason they did not upload to the computer when I up loaded these. She has also requested a new top, before summer, and I will do that too. I have made a list of things I want to make for the different people I am making for. I sure wish someone would comment here so I could make something for some of you too.
  Well, until I see you again, have a very quilty day.
Tennye

Pay It Forward In 2012

  Hello friends! I am a Face Book user and I post pretty regularly, so I check it regularly as well. I have a lot of friends from many time periods in my life and different areas. The first part of Jan. one of my friends ( I think we knew each other in high school) posted a copy and paste post that started with the title I have used for today's blog. In the post, she said, she wanted to make a hand made gift for the first 5 people who liked her post and then re-posted it on there own wall. Being the person I am I wanted to do the same for my friends, so I posted the same on my wall. I got two likes/comments and a," yea, I tried that I got nothing, even though I sent mine out". She wanted just one of her friends to send her a quilt block, so if I can get her address she will get on from me.
  Well, I decided to bump it up a little, so the first 5 people reading this, who would like me to make them a gift some time this year, can comment here on my blog. You choose if you want to do the same thing on your own blog, that is not my thing, it is yours.
In addition to offering this to you, I am also making something for the lovely neighbor who has given me tamales for Christmas the last three years, not expecting anything in return. I am making something for the other neighbor who has shared food, recipes and time with me and my family for years. Now I am mostly a girly gift maker, and so far no man has taken me up on this, but one of my neighbors is a family of 4, man and wife and boy and girl. I really want to do something for the guys as well as the girls. So I am on the search for gifties for the guys that I can make.
  Here is how this is going to work, I have all year to make something for you, as long as it is in the mail or to you on or before Dec. 31, 2012. If you sign up for this you will need to get me your address, we don't want those on the blog, so if you will as you comment here,  email me also, at t_giotis@yahoo.com  . That way your privacy is kept and I can have your email address to let you know it is in the mail for you. If you prefer a quilt block, rather than a gift, let me know. I am not offering blocks to the friends on face book, but this is a quilting blog so I will offer that to you. As I go along with the gifts for my face book friends and for the ones who post comments here, I will share pictures with you. I already have some ideas and fabrics in mind to use to get started for the only one whose address I have. So until my next visit with you, I hope you have a very quilty day.
Tennye

Where Has The Time Gone?

The new baby

  What can I say , here it is the middle of the month and I have only written once this year. I have no real idea, why I have been so long getting back. I have had titles and thoughts that I would have written about, almost every day.However, when I get the computer out and check the emails, I find I have forgotten what I meant to say. 

Grandpa and Uncle w/baby

Great Grandfather and baby

Great Grandma and baby

  As you know I spent three weeks with my daughter after she had her baby. Then I came home, and I was here about 11 days when my middle daughter flew to TN and drove her sister and the baby home. She stayed with us a week, and the following Fri. the two girls and baby got back in the car to drive back to TN.  Later that same day, middle daughter got on another plane and flew home. During the week they were here I spent every min. I had with my daughter and the baby. We were so busy, going to visit my dad in the hospital, and taking care of things she can't do in TN. Daddy came home from the hospital on Thurs that week, and he is so much better than he has been. Needless to say, I found no time to get into the sewing room and couldn't have if I had found time. We had an air mattress in that room and middle daughter was sleeping there.

middle daughter and baby momma

  Now, I am back into the sewing room, but finding it a little hard to keep my mind on what I need to do. I worked on the quilts that are due and cut out one for my Grandson. I think that I may actually be able to finish them by the end of next week if I work really hard. I believe my husband still has plans to be in the Dallas area visiting my Aunt and Uncle that weekend. The lady who has commissioned them lives in that area. It would be nice if I were able to complete them and take them to her instead of her having to come here. I do feel so bad that I was not able to complete them by the time she requested.
  Then on a very serious note, my husband has been told that he will be laid off in two weeks. He had the approval to look for another job within the company and has an interview for tomorrow afternoon. We have been so fortunate to not have this hit us before now. So many around us have been dealing with a job loss, and I did lose my own job several years ago. Still, my job was not the main income, and truly didn't even affect the house hold finances. I paid my own bills, and took care of the cell phone bill. One of the daughters took over the cell phone bill as her rent. We have never asked the girls to pay rent, but they take care of the groceries often and take mom out to eat on occasion. Hubby took over one of my bills and I have continued to make the payments on my other bill. Now the other daughter will take over another one of the house hold bills as her rent. We have all chosen to trust God with our future, and know He has a plan. If you pray, we would really appreciate those prayers, and until next time, have a very quilty week.
Tennye

Reporting From the Not So Sunny Texas

 
Well, I got home on a lovely sunny morning  Jan. 6th.  Today we have had some dark dreary rainy weather today. We left our daughters husband at his work around 1:30 Wed. the 4th and drove to Vicksburg,MS. We might have been able to drive longer, but there just was no real hurry. We left a little after 7 the next morning and got to my aunt and uncles house in the DFW area around 2:30 that afternoon. We had a short but very enjoyable visit and left there around 8:30 after breakfast Friday. We both were happy to be home. I am glad to be here, but miss my daughter and the baby so much, I just wish they lived closer.

  I told you last week, or so, that I was teaching my granddaughter how to use her new sewing machine, and I thought you might like to see her completed project.  Here she is working on her pillow case, and for some reason I can not find the picture of her with the pillow in the case, but found one of Grandpa G with baby sitting next too the pillow.

And then I found the picture of her laying on the pillow while she was watching a movie. I sure do miss those kids, and I wanted to teach her so much more than I did. She was an eager learner and has so many beliefs that she will be a designer.

  The girls (middle and youngest dd's) will be driving home next weekend so my parents can meet the new baby, and then in a week drive back. MDD will fly up there and drive home, then drive up there and fly home. They kind of wanted me to stay another 11 days and drive home with her and the baby, but I really have to get back to work. I know I was already there, but I have been gone a long time and needed to finish those quilts I was supposed to have for Christmas. I also have a new customer who would like me to make her two new quilts, so even without having a real JOB I do need to work.
  Good to be home, and hoping you all will have a very safe and healthy, quilty New Year.
Tennye

Finaly Getting Started

  Well, the grand daughter got a cute little Brothers sewing machine for Christmas and she and I went out to the fabric store and bought her some sewing supplies. We also picked some fabrics to make a pillowcase for her bed. I plan to use the hot dog method so it will be neat at the fabric change and a french seam for the other seams.

  Her bedroom is pink and green and those are the colors she picked for this project. I picked out some scissors and pins plus found a cute purple tomato pin cushion. Once she learns how to use the machine she will be able to make some pillow cases and maybe more. So tonight while  her parents are out having baby pictures made, she is watching a movie, and I am playing with the machine. I want to be sure of what I am doing when we get started. She tends to not listen when you try and tell her stuff. LOL I am pretty excited that when I got things all opened up and set up I found a DVD with instructions on how to wind a bobbin, thread the machine and make a button home. There are even some video instructions for putting in a zipper foot and making a satin stitch. Very nice for them to have after I am gone.

  I am looking forward to my husband getting here tomorrow night. He will be here for a few days, then we will go home on Tue. or Wed. I am not sure what day we leave. I have a feeling I will cry most of the way home. Leaving my sweet daughter and my beautiful new grandson here so far a way will be hard.
I find that every time I have logged on to write this week I have had to go help with the baby or something, so, if I don't get the chance again, please have a very Happy New Year and stay safe.
Have a very quilty 2012,
Tennye

Take the Pledge - Registration for the 2012 Free Motion Quilting Challenge

Do you want to learn or improve your free-motion quilting skills, using your home sewing machine? If you do, consider taking the pledge for the 2012 Free Motion Quilting Challenge. Similar to a block of the month, every month one of 12 FMQ Experts will share a tutorial for you. While you can do these exercises anytime, if you complete them in the month that they are released, and share them in the challenge, you'll be entered to win a monthly prize. Complete all 12 tutorials, anytime during the year, enter them, and you'll be eligible to win various Grand Prizes.


  The previous paragraph is from Insights from SewCalGal blog. I want to be a better quilter as those of you who have been following my blog for any length of time will know, so when I found this on pinterest I decided it was a good thing to do. Who can't benefit from learning something new or improving on something they have learned and done for a long time. I hope that if any of you would like to join me in this, you will let the button I have added on my sight take you to her post and, consider putting the button on your blog too. Talk about a run on sentence ... Got to get better with that too. LOL
  I am still in Tennessee with my daughter and her family and this has been a rewarding experience to say the least. Who knew your heart could expand to make room for this much love. Well, mine has, for this sweet little boy I get to call my grandson. We take a picture every day and send it back to Texas for the family there so they can see our precious baby grow. I use my cell phone as often as the real camera, so I can text them home. I have not up loaded from the camera in a few days so I don't really have a new on to show you today. I know I will slow down on showing my grandsons pictures, but right now he is so new I just can't help myself. When I am back home I will have quilt stuff to show again. So until I have a chance to write again, Yall have a very quilty Christmas.
Tennye

He is Here

  Well, it has been a long , short week. Our little man got here at 12:27 AM Tue Dec. 13, 2011. We are so proud of him and he is so adorable. He had  some trouble with his breathing and they put him in the hospital for observation and to give him some liquids and antibiotics. We had to visit him only one or two at a time, and my daughter had to take her sister in. I was not able to take her with me. Today they did another x-ray and ran some tests again. He is better now and they released him. We got home about 3:30 this afternoon, and now we are all learning to have a baby. Because of his being sick they put off his circumcision until today and he is not happy when he gets his diaper changed. We are all learning when he needs to eat and how much. Sadly he has gotten used to the bottle and falls asleep when he nurses, and then wants more in a short time.
  I will be here for a while and I will add pictures as I go. I obviously won't be doing much quilting here. So until I am back yall have a very quilty weekend.
Tennye