Busy is as Busy Does!

I'm not sure what that title means. It most likely has layers just like anything else does. It's late, I'm tired, but it's one of those nights that I feel like I need to get a million things done. I worked hard on getting as much of the applique done on my Saturday Sampler quilt as I can. It went well. Only 3 flowers and 6 petals to add. Now I'm afraid come two Saturdays when I have to take the thing in I'm going to look like an over achiever (of which I am NOT!) I just have OCD right now about getting that quilt DONE. Of course I still have two Saturday's left (aka 2 months) to get the rest of the blocks...but whatever. I have a feeling in two months I'm going to be so freak'n busy that I'll be SUPER glad I was up till 10 (make that 11) back in March doing the applique's. I still have not put the binding on my civil war quilt. I KNOW!! CRAZY!!! It's track practice. It makes me not want to sit for very long and focus on anything. I have too many items on my plate right now, but really, who doesn't??? My husband must not, since he complains about how busy I am with track and dairy judging. Oh well... it's being helpfully and that I cannot help but do. I have sooo many projects, but for right now finishing the applique is #1 priority. then I can start a new quilt...which is most likely at the heart of it...procrastination. But at least this is usefully, unlike the book(s) I started a year ago and will never get published or even read by another soul. But who knows, maybe I will have something else to procrastinate about one day and they will get done... Take THAT!! Well it's too late to procrastinate going to bed any longer (and I just mis-spelled procrastinate for the 3rd time...certainly time for BED!!) Night all...
M

Quilts, Quilts Quilts

So Civil War Quilt is DONE (ok not really DONE Done, but it's ready for the quilter which is 89% of the work. It's been over a year in the making, so I'm glad to have it off my self. The Farm Boy Quilt is Done (aka Farm Panel Quilt) (also not quilted Done, but finished pieced). My Mom's birthday present is done (ok... also not quilted, but don't judge). It's been a busy two months of 2012! Which means I can buy more fabric (yay) Custom orders welcome :-) I do have the fabric to make another of these quilts (see above) which I am tempted to start on to have around 'just in case'.

Farm Panel Quilt

These are photos from my newest quilt. It hasn't been quilted yet, but hopefully this week while I'm in Salem I can take it with me and get it done. The applique was done on my machine with a turn-under technique so there are no edges to fray. Once quilted and bound it should be 44 wide by 49 long.

Cold but Sunny.

Jason was up at 6. Phone rang at 6:30... school needing a sub. I declined (since I'm subing there tomorrow and I have a meeting over there tonight, I figured it was worth having the day to do a few things). So thus I was up. 6:30 really isn't that early. Back in my college days I would be up and actually cheerful at 5:30 for Crew practice, then when I started doing the 'half-graveyard' shift I would be up at 3:45. That's early! But now a days 6:30 feels early. I had tea with Jason before he left for a 4 day stint to dairies and beef herds. I'm glad I don't have his job, and I'm thankful to the utmost for the income it brings. But it sucks to be a 'single mom' for 4 days. I made food for the chickens (corn, soybean meal, and a vit-mineral mix), and I'm eating and blogging till Jackson's up. I should be doing dishes from last nights Lasangana (I cannot spell...did I mention that yet?) when the whole family was here for the Super Bowl. However resting for a few moments and enjoying the sunrise seems sooo much better. BTW.. I'm ready for Spring. More snow would be fine, but this uber cold morning thing and frozen water troughs is getting old. I'm ready to get in my garden! And I'm ready for the little boy to be able to go outside without three layers. Inforcing a two year old to wear a hat and gloves must be one of the worst jobs. It will NOT happen no matter how much you protest. And then when he comes crying because he can no longer feel his ears/hands/ nose, you wonder why you went outside to start with. But alas the fresh air does us all good (even Wally dog who gets taunted over and over again when a little boy steals his precious duck). Well tea's cold now and oatmeal nearly gone. I should get to those dishes (and maybe a little sewing :-) fingers crossed). BYE.

New Bag

Custom Order! So exciting :-) Isn't she pretty?? Medium Size "Bella" bag in Kate Spain colors.

That's all for now... off to work on a baby present.

Calf Feeding.

Well it's not really a 'new' job, but I have been feeding calves for my mother-in-law two days this week and it's been nice. Getting up early, moving around outside (dispite the 7degree mornings), and feeling like I'm actually contributing. This morning however one of my 'rules' was broken. The rule is no-one dies on my watch. Unfortunately we lost a baby calf this morning. It was just one of those, life on a farm, things. She had been sick since almost day one, and had battled through scours (diarhea for those not in the know) for the past 12 days. But the super cold weather and another bout of scours must have been too much for her little system to take. So my rule was broken, but I'm trying not to let it get to me. It is after all one of those things that happens. And my 'realism' side says "Most likely she would have been a poor do-er for possibly her entire life." It's crazy to think that, but realistically it true more than not. Sickly calves have a harder time moving on, they either pick-up anything that is around them, or they are carriers, making other calves sick. Then once they hit the milking herd they give less milk, and tend to get mastitis (infections in the udder- aka where the milk comes from) more often. So though it's hard to lose one, in this case my rational side says it's ok, and to try better to have less sick ones.

On another note... Jackson's asleep. Maybe I can get a little quilting done before it's time to feed calves again.

New Quilts UP!

I made this quilt a few months ago, and have had it in a local store. It's technically still there, but I thought I would post it on etsy just to see if it could sell. I love the colors, and it's one my favorite fabric lines of all time! There is still a little of the fabric left at our local quilt shop. I keep asking the owner to put it on clearance so I can buy the rest, but she hasn't yet (says she loves it too much to put on clearance). So alas I just keep buying a little at a time and making what I think is worthy of it.
This quilt reads little girl to me, though I think it could go easily to a new mom-to-be who doesn't know what her baby is going to be. It was my first time making praire points, and they were fun! (Those are the little triangles around the body of the quilt. They are secured on one edge so they flap). This was a super fast quilt (I actually made it in one day!). So there is my update for 2012...maybe I'll most more... you never know :-)

Link to etsy: http://www.etsy.com/listing/90777334/pinwheel-baby-quilt