BTT and Pay It Forward

Todays post is kind of a mishmash....

First Booking Through Thursday

“How do you arrange your books on your shelves? Is it by author, by genre, or you just put it where it falls on?”


Well, there is no order, none whatsoever. There are books everywhere. We hav 6 bookshelves, 2 that are tall, and have 5 shelves and 4 wiht 3 shelves. They are all full. Each son has a tall case in their room, there are 2 small cases in our room, one in the living room and one in the family room. Plus a box of books in the basement that I keep meaning to take to donate to the library or somewhere. The only books that have a certain spot are my classics and those are on the top shelf in J's room. Why because they are....


Then the second part of today's post. I joined a PIF back in November or something at DaisyQuilts (Hi Robyn!) and then yesterday my other friend Terry (Hi Terry) posted one, and I joined hers. So now I need 6 people, yes, 6 people. and I know there are 6 of you out there who want to do this! And if there are more than 6 of you, Terry needs 2 more! I know there are people out there who want to do this! So leave me a message and we will play!

Side note: I always thought that you listed your PIF when you received your gift, but seems like people aren't doing that so I am listing both and if you join you will receive a handmade gift from me within a year and you have to pay it forward to 3 people! So C'mon everyone - join the fun!!!

February Finish

I finally got the binding sew on my quilt so I have my first February finish, and it will probably be my only one! The pattern is called Country French and the pattern is by French Fantasy Designs. I used the Kashmir II fabric line (I think by Moda) and the backing is just a green that I found at JoAnn's that I really like. I like this quilt because of the colors, love this fabric and it is a large lap so it will cover me from head to toe. I did simple quilting in the ditch on it rather than get too fancy or stipple it.

And I have been working on T's strips for his quilt today. I have all the other colors sewn into four strips and have them cut to sew into squares, just pink and blue to go. So hopefully this top will be done in the next week or so....

Its been a slow week for quilting this week again. I fell again yesterday and am really sore today. It was a pretty bad fall and I have several LARGE bruises on my body today. Rich was home today with a sinus infection, and because he snores like a freight train I didn't get much sleep last night. But hopefully the quilting will pick up a bit here. I am going to an open house for a cleaning company tomorrow that supposedly pays like $20 an hour....yeah, nuff said. Keep your fingers crossed for me. I need to find something!

Ice Ice Baby

Today J and I went into town to check out the Ice Festival Carvings. Every year here they have an Ice Festival and people come into carve ice into these beautiful statues. We did not get to see any of the carving, maybe next year, because we had too many other things going on this weekend. But when we got there and just as we got out to walk up to the square (yes, we have a town square, with a gazebo) it starts to snow, and not just little snow but these big huge fluffy flakes and the wind picked up a bit. It was cold, but worth it. There were about 88 pictures on my camera when we were done, but here are our favorites!

Pink Panther

J playing Harp

Pineapple

Penguin

Palm Tree

The Leg Lamp!!

Kangroo knits (outside LYS)

True Love

Flutterbys

No sewing today, book club tonight and we will be staying warm! Hope everyone had a good day, back to quilting tomorrow!

Belated Valentines

I borrowed this idea from Jacquie at Tallgrass Prarie Studio, and my boys loved it! I did mine a little differently and used bags and then used scrapbooking paper for the hearts. The two little bags are T and J's. The large bag is Rich's. I left them out on Friday night so they would see them when they came down for breakfast in the morning, J of course missed his and T actually raved about it! I thought for sure he would be like "whatever" being the typical 14 year old boy, but he loved it! He must have thanked me 30 times. And of course Rich loved his. His has a few more hearts and some "personal" things that only he would understand in it, along with the normal stuff. My thought is that I can make more hearts and leave them periodically and they will know exactly what they mean. And will have a place to store them.

Yesterday was spent mostly on the couch for me. I ended up having a temperature of about 102 and was just miserable. I did take the boys to the ortho and then took T to the drs. He banged his elbow at the game on Wednesday and hasn't really been able to grip anything since. But it is getting better and the Dr. said it is just a contusion and tendonitis. Coach won't let him practice till he sees the dr. so that is taken care of. Then I spent the day sleeping for the most part.

I did finish my book for bookclub this weekend (which is tomorrow). It is Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates. I didn't love it, but I didn't hate it. It is coming out as a movie so that is why it was picked. I am going to start the first Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants next. And of course all my TBR and challenge books!

Today T and I are going to my BFF Krissi's for her and I to sew and the boy will hang out with her daughter. J is at a rabbit show with his mom and Rich went to his Dad's to get our taxes done. I don't expect Rich back till about 7 or maybe later tonight. Tomorrow there is no school so J and I are going to go check out the Ice Festival that is this weekend in town. They have a whole bunch of ice carvings up so we are going to go see the work. I will definately post pictures, there are always some really neat ones! Hope everyone had a good Valentine's Day and is staying warm!

O-H-I-O

Is this not the coolest? It is on a barn near our house and I just had to have a picture. I love it!!!

And my sweater is done - it just needs to be blocked. Any suggestions??

Thanks MOM!

And some basketball pictures. We aren't winning but we are actually starting to play like a team so that is good. In fact our last game was close, and Wed they played the 7th graders (which these pictures are from) and played really well...

No sewing or quilting lately, just some cutting of some material, but I am really excited because I am going to see my BFF Krissi on Sunday and we are going to do some sewing!!! Yeah!!!

Hope everyone has a good weekend, hopefully I will get some sewing done!

Rain

That is what has been happening here. Yesterday was a beautiful 57 (F) degrees and today it is dreary and raining. It is still warm, around 50-55 but rain, and not a drizzle, but a steady cold wet rain.

This is what our yard looks like now:

Front Yard

Backyard

The neighbors ducks were out playing in it but swam away when I tried to get closer for a picture so I will have to see if I can get one later.

No sewing really happening, I have been job hunting and enjoying after school basketball and other activities with the kids. T had a game last night and they lost by 2, it was a really good game though and they are actually starting to play basketball versus looking lost. We have a make-up game tonight from a snow day and then we have a 4-H meeting so it will be busy tonight.

Yesterday I did make Rich a seat cushion for his tractor. He hasn't had one in at least 6 months and I kept putting it off but here it is. It is not the best, but its for the tractor so who cares what it looks like!

Hope everyone is staying dry and safe!

Bags, Blocks and Basting

It has been a busy and productive weekend for me here. I spent yesterday morning cleaning the house. Then I got down to business on this bag:] I made a great little wallet to go with it, but forgot to take a picture of it!

After that I finished up Lonesome Dove. What a great book, I loved it. I cried more than once during the book. It was just incredible. Definately earned a 5 (top rating) and is definately on my top 10 for the year (its only February!), but it was so good! It is definately up there with my other favorites like Gone With The Wind, and East of Eden.

Rich was at work and they had a huge water break so I had to play in some online poker tournament for him while he was working. I didn't do too bad, but not well enough to make some good money!

Then today I did more laundry, and basted this quilt.

I hope to get it quilted this week and then I can take it with me when we go to Rich's parents next Sunday and do the binding in the car. I get carsick if I read so this may be a good thing to take!

After that several more blocks for my Sylvia's Bridal Sampler.

Tonight, some blog reading and on to my next book, which is probably going to be "We Need To Talk About Kevin". I have to read it for one of my sidebar challenges and might as well while I have it from the library. Next Monday is book club so I also have to read "Revolutionary Road" by then.

Rich is at a baseball meeting, they are lining up their teams for next year. We don't know if we are going to have a team and he may or may not coach. He says this every year, but he always coaches and we always in the end have enough for a team. So we shall see.

All the snow in the area is just about gone. Its mostly where it was pushed up when we plowed and it was warm this weekend (in the 40's). Now if only the grass would turn green and we wouldn't get any more snow!

Have a good night and stay warm!