Made some cut things

  I have made some really cute things this week and I took pictures, but they are for a swap so I won't post them until I am pretty sure she has gotten them. The thing is making them has gotten me back into the swing of things. I have a ton more ideas, but obviously they won't be going to this swap. LOL I will spend some time crawling around on the floor later getting three quilts pin basted so I can quilt the next two days, or three.  The baby quilt I showed you last month needs to go to them NOW, since the baby got here yesterday. I doubt we will be driving there this weekend, but the girls are both off for a few days next week and might decide to go see the new baby on one of those days.
  This is a busy time of year for birthdays in our family. My husband was on the 22nd, a daughter on the 27th, the next daughter Oct. 4, father in law the 3rd, and mother the 6. Then got a granddaughter on the 9th, of Oct. That is why the girls are off next week, to celebrate her birthday.  I missed my cousins BD, yesterday so I need to tell him how sorry I am about that. I hate it when I forget someones birthday and I am bad about it. Back in the day when I was single and had myself organized, I never missed any ones birthday. After marriage and children , I got lost in there. I am no longer organized and I have trouble remembering what day it is sometimes let alone a birthday. I never thought that would happen to me, and I, like so many others, who feel this way wonder what happened.
  Well, I have missed adding photos and hope to have some to post again soon. Until next time yall have a very quilty week.
Tennye

My Camera

  Well, it is Sunday evening and it has been a different kind of weekend, we didn't make it to church today. Our son and his girlfriend were here for the weekend so we went out for brunch with them instead. They wanted to get home, so they left about 2, and our middle daughter went to take a nap. She and her brother have been living on Thera- Flu this weekend.
  So, the camera, is not new in the normal terms, since I have had it for at least a year and maybe more. I still think of it as new though because I have not figured out how to use all the things on it. My cousins girlfriend is a photographer, and can figure out most of the point and shoot cameras pretty easy. She and I talked about mine at the family reunion and then again when we got together with other family for a birthday a couple of weeks ago. She said she would be happy to help me figure it out when she had time. Today she had time, and she came over here so we could use the sewing machine and the areas that I use the camera in for the blog and my tutorials. I am so excited that I finally have a good idea that I can use some of the stuff on it. My photos should look much better when I take the next round of them. I wish I had some to show you, but I have not loaded any on the computer and they are not of anything other than just fabric on the sewing machine. The fact that you can see exactly where it is and see the seam allowance measurements without a glare is amazing to me. I got the new camera because it took very clear pictures and had a lot of features. Not being able to use the features was frustrating. As a matter of fact just a week or two ago I was ready to give it to my daughter and take my old one back from her. I at least knew how to use it, and it does have some cool features, that I used when I had it. Who knows I might do a better job with that one too now that I know what some of that stuff does.
Well, I just had to share my excitement , so yall have a quilty week, until I get back to you. Tennye

Hubby Turns 62

  Well, sorry for being away so long. Yesterday was my husbands birthday and we did what we do on birthdays and went out for lunch and then when he got off work we went out as well for a little celebration. One of the girls was home sick, but our middle daughter went with us and my husbands friend whose birthday is the same as Charlies. We kind of have a thing in our family that I have discovered not all families do. We take the day off for out birthday, no working. Well, since Charlies was on Thurs. he chose to work and take the Fri. off and have a long weekend for his birthday. Our son is coming in tonight for the weekend and we are looking forward to that, it has been a couple of months since we saw them.
  I have been working on those three quilts that I have been talking about for a month or more, and just need to layer and bast them, so I can quilt. We have done a massive house cleaning and that kind of put me behind on what I needed to be doing. I should get the basting done either tomorrow or Mon. and then get all three quilted next week. I have also taken a chance on making my daughter a top. She has plans to go to a car show this weekend and wanted a special top for it. I have had some bad luck with making clothing so avoid it most of the time. I love to have clothes I make myself, but seem to have lost the knack for making them fit. I keep thinking my old skills will kick in,then the next thing I make doesn't fit and I walk away for a while again. Right now I am going to have to re-cut at least part of this top, because I fitted it to her and it is not going to be large enough. When I get it right it will be a very cute one and I will try to get her to let me take a photo to show you.
  I mentioned the house cleaning we have been doing. My sewing room was such a disaster I could just walk thru a path to the sewing table and not much more. In May or early June, I had three people bring me clothing they wanted made into quilts. These came in large plastic bags and huge boxes, which really didn't have a place to go, so they just sat in the middle of the room. Well, I finally figured out what to do with the two that I am not working on as yet so I can now see the floor in there. I am excited about that. I still have issues that need to be addressed, but I feel like I can work in there now. I am so happy with it I am even loading the software for my embroidery machine on the new laptop. I have wanted to do this for a while, but why bother when I can't even find the module to put on the machine. Well, actually it was not lost, I just didn't have room to use it, and it was very hard to get to. Now I have put it where I can get to it easily and will have the software on the computer . Yea, I can use it again.
  We still have not gotten any real rain as yet, but we are finally out of the triple digit temp.s. Of course just as I was righting that the news guy said Sun. we may have another day of it. We are at 85 days of triple digits this year in the Austin area, that will make it 86 days. We just need the rain so badly, and farmers almanac says it may not be until after Nov. that we will get the rain.
Okay, well until the next time, yall have a very quilty weekend.
Tennye

Wow 9:15 PM and still 93 degrees

This is so unusual, but here we are half way through Sept. and it is still in the triple digits. Today was the 85th day for the Austin area to be in the triple digits. We broke the record back on day 69. We have broken temp. records that are close to a 100 years ago. We are also at a 14 inch deficit for rain for the years normal averages. That is why we are having so many wild fires in the area. I know other states have wild fires, and floods, and so much devastation, but it seems a little harder to see when you can actually see the faces, and know the names of some of the people who have lost everything they own. I am so proud that I am a part of a yahoo group who have decided to try and help the ladies from the Bastrop, TX area who have lost their stash, scissors, and quilt supplies. I am going through mine now to see what I can share with them. They are coming from CO and since I live so close I will just meet them when they get here. I know that they are more concerned about a roof over their heads and clothes for their children, but I can't imagine thinking about having to start over with my stash, and supplies.
Well, I got the two tops finished today of the mans pants legs. I think they look great, but they are just not going to be big enough for a bed. I have many in my house that are the same size as these are, but some people don't know the joy of a lap quilt on a cold winter night. I can't imagine not having these all over my house. As soon as they are complete I will get real busy on the baby stuff I need to make for my new grandson. I still need to get the diaper bag made too, and that will be fun. I have a design in my head, but I have some things I need to work out, before I get it made.
Okay, well, it is late and I need to go for tonight, until next time, have a very quilty week.
Tennye

The Fires and My Work

  Well, I have been frazzled with the fires all around us, and therefore I have not had a chance or the inclination to sew for the last four or five days. At one point on Sun. we were very literally surrounded by fires. We have been very grateful to have been saved from the fires , but also sad , sad, sad for those who have been evacuated from their homes. The news has said there are somewhere around 700 or more homes that have been completely destroyed by fire. So many have lost so much, and I want to help and even feel some what guilty to be so protected as we have been so far.  Last night we had the closest fire, and I loaded my van with a lot of stuff. I have decided to leave it there for a day or so, and hope I don't need it to be there. Safe is better than sorry, and that is what I have been told my entire life.
  My girls and I have a movie we enjoy watching, that is about a girl who goes to Ireland to ask her boyfriend to marry her. It is a comedy of errors how she gets lost and then has a hard time getting to where he is. In that time she and the man, who ends up saving her through  all the mess she has to go through, discuss the fire alarm going off and what would you get to take out in that ten seconds.  I have heard about that ten seconds to get out, but never thought I would do what I did. I always thought I would get my pictures and clothes first. I had a plan in my mind, or so I thought. When it came to us yesterday, not ten seconds, but still time to think about getting out. I was surprised to see I got the three quilts I have here that are not mine, but belong to someone else. I made plans for the things I would get when the time came, and I packed some bags and funny thing, I grabbed all of my hanging pants and pajama pants and put them in the van. They are still there. hahahaha I did not feel threatened all weekend, and even though my daughters packed a suitcase and when they went to work on Tue. after the holiday weekend, took a suitcase and some of their most important things. My sewing machine was on the list, and I got all the feet and attachments to my machine in a bag. I may leave some of those packed for a while too.
  Writing this has been very healing for me, and I finally believe I not only can but want to go sew again. This is the first time I have felt that way in at least four or five days. It feels good, so I am off to the sewing room and wishing you all a very quilty week and I will be back soon.
Tennye

The Week Gone By

  Well, I had a nice weekend with my family, and at our reunion with our extended family. My parents made the drive there and back the day of the reunion and did just fine. I got a little upset with them, because, mother left her phone in her purse where she couldn't hear it and daddy just didn't turn his on. I worried about this for hours before we got to where they were and found out they were safe. Sometimes they might as well not have cell phones. We had them get cell phones so we could get a hold of them when they were out traveling. I understand them not wanting to have them in a hand all the time like so many of my children do. I admit I am guilty of the same thing sometimes. I do try to at least have it in the same room I am in.
  Okay, on to other things, I took my camera and I used it the day we got there while we were on the tour of Garrison Bros. Distillery, in Hye, TX. Sadly after that I put it in the car and I just didn't ever go get it to use. So the photos I have are those.This is the building we saw as soon as we got to the Ranch that the Garrison Bros. use for their distillery.

That is my hubby enjoying a beverage while we waited for the tour. The bench he is sitting on is in front of a huge fire pit, that can be used for cooking as well as just enjoying a nice fire. Not now in this terrible drought we are in, but some other time when it is over. They have lovely rocking chairs too.

On the barrel between these two chairs is a cute turtle made of concrete and stones.








   I sure wish I could show you some of the other pictures that were taken while we were on the trip, but I just don't have them. My daughter has some but her sister won't let her share them with us because she tends to take those pictures you just don't want to see. I am hoping my son and his girl friend will share some that they took, but that is not something that happens very often.
  Well, as I told you last week, I really should have finished the two quilts I am working on by now. However, as is often the case when I have gone on a trip I came home and had no desire to go into the sewing room. I did finally get enough desire to do something that I went out and bought the fabric for the backing on both of them. I am not happy with them, but satisfied, and sure they will look great. I thought I would get in there today and work, but just have no desire to sew. That grieves me, and I hope it does not last long. I did go to the Dr. yesterday for a physical, something I should have done a long time ago. I ended up seeing a new Dr. and I like her very much. I will be making my appointments with her from now on.
Well, since this is a quilting blog and I am having trouble doing that I will simply go for today. Until I have something to say I will wish you all the very quiltiest weekend.
Tennye