Pumpkin Patch Primitives Quilt Shoppe

We Have A Winner!

2012-01-14T16:58:00.005-05:00

The ever so crafty Terry Giet has won the Girls in the Garden pattern bundle. My most sincere thanks to all who joined in the fun, and to Traci Marvel of Bigfork Bay Cotton Co. who so generously donated the patterns for the giveaway. You can see all of BBCC's patterns on their website, HERE. For those who did not win but would love a copy of any of Pat Sloan's Girls in the Garden patterns , you can find them there. =)

It's A Giveway!

2012-01-09T00:46:00.015-05:00

Happy New Year! I hope your new year is off to a great start. Mine started slow but I'm picking up speed as it goes along. It's so hard for me to slip out of holiday mode... I think I might still have a sugar high from all those darn cookies and Fruit Cake. I still have the tree up, mind you. GP has decided we shall keep it up until MARCH! Hello! Oh yeah, and the lights are still on...all the time! I asked him if we can at least turn off the lights and he said he liked it with the lights on so ON they shall remain, until March...or until we move, whichever comes first. LOL. His reason for keeping the tree up was simple, "I like it!" and since I like it too, I don't see a problem. Well, unless you're trying to get creative. I think my brain has been on a crafting hiatus for too long and finding my mojo has been a challenge.

I know I am not alone in my quest to find my mojo and when Traci from Bigfork Bay Cotton Co called to ask if I wanted to join her Girls's in the Garden Giveaway I was delighted. She sent me the entire collection to give away. Thanks Traci!

There are four pattern, one for each season and the winner takes all. Can't beat that.

These are designed by Pat Sloan and they are fast, fun and easy weekend projects. You can make up any of these in a weekend, even if you're a beginner. Really.

Again, winner takes all four.

To enter the giveaway leave a comment and tell me if you have a garden, and if you do, what you plant in it. Dreaming of warm days spent in the garden always make my heart happy, maybe it will make your heart happy too! Winner will be selected randomly from among those who post a comment. Please do not leave your comment on FB only entries here on Blogger will be counted. Thanks for joining in the fun!

Retail Value for the set is $50, and they ship free to the lucky winner. If you're having a hard time be sure to close the Networked Blog tab at the top right of the page (when arriving from Facebook). That should do the trick.

This giveaway is closed! No more comments are being accepted.

If You Believe in Santa

2011-11-15T08:40:00.006-05:00

It's that time of year again. Can you believe it? Seems like just yesterday when GP taught us who trumps Mom and Dad in the gift giving category (Santa2010).. and although this year his list is so short it's just barely a list at all, and he is very much aware that he is too old to make Santa's list, he is still concerned about a few things... which he chose to discuss with "HIM"

I was not allowed to eavesdrop but when I asked, GP told me that he was "just asking about the naughty children" and I asked him if he told Santa he was naughty this year. He gave me the "Are you nuts?!" look... and said, "I was a little naughty in the past, but not anymore!" ... and as if to reiterate how "IN" he was with Santa he told me, "And, I'm not too old for Santa's list. I am young at heart!". OMG! If that is not straight out of Santa's mouth, I don't know what is, LOL! That was hilarious. But the truth is that I think Santa's reassurances just confirmed what he already knew...

If you believe in Santa he will always bring you presents...

no matter what your parents say!

Searching for Home

2011-10-02T08:00:00.005-04:00

I've been house hunting for months and with the arrival of Fall I feel my hopes and dreams dissipate. The reality that I will probably remain in this house another Winter brings a feeling of disappointment that is hard to explain.

Once I decided that I would in fact leave my house. I shut down my nesting feeling and tried not to pour my heart into this house so I would be open to love another. Only someone who spends most of their life inside their house would understand this... If you leave your house for ten hours a day, you probably don't get this. If you spend 20 hours a day in one space, you have to love it, or you'll be miserable. Right now, I am miserable.

I want to paint, I want to redo my wallpaper, I want new lamps. I want to call the landscaper... I want to fix my house... but if I fix my house, I will never leave. I know I won't. So I am living in a house that is in disrepair and every day that passes without finding a new house makes me feel more depressed. This is no way to live. This is like putting your life on hold.

You know the old saying, "life is what happens while you are making plans????" My life is going on in this house while I search and search for my next one. I am living in a mess of a house until my house shows up. That just makes no sense to me, and it breaks my spirit.

I have a house to live in but I have no home. I feel that I am in fact "Home"-less.. and Winter will be here soon, and suddenly I feel like I can't breathe.

A house is just a house until you put your heart into it and make it a Home. I have my heart in my hand and I need a place to put it. Who knew my little love shack was so hard to measure up to? I did... maybe that's why I've never tried to move before.

Life Is Too Short For This Much Stress

2011-09-15T06:33:00.005-04:00

Ever have so much stress you think you're having a heart attack? Ever live in such stress that you don't realize it really is stress???

Early on when GP was a little boy and he was diagnosed with Autism I lived in such a state. It was a time of terrible, terrible stress. It was living and breathing autism, coping with the tantrums, staying up late finding out what the heck this Autism was doing and would do to him. It was the way my life and my son's future had been snatched from right under us and I refused to just "take it". It was a HARD fight for many years of "silence" and fighting to change opinions from "He'll never do XXXX" to "Wow, that's great progress".

The thing is, when you live in that state of stress, your brain shuts it off. You just move from one task to the next and you literally forget you are stressed out. You're cranky, you're tired, you're sad...but you have more important things to worry about than yourself, so you move on.

Then, one day, you have this pain. This pain that won't quit, and you self medicate, and it goes away...but then it comes back; with a vengeance. The more you ignore it, the more severe it becomes until one day your mind CLICKS and tells you, "Oh, sh**! I think I'm having a heart attack!" And you're not even forty! How the hell does that happen??? Easy, it's called STRESS!

I went to the emergency room a few times (better safe than dead is what I say), and each time was told "You have to take it easy. You have too much stress" I swear, when a stranger who knew nothing, nothing about me or my life other than I was a "female presenting with chest and back pain who has difficulty moving her right arm" told me I had too much stress I KNEW it was bad.... the last guy sent me home without even a prescription. He said take tylenol, aspirin and REST. He obviously did not know I had a five year old autistic child who could not speak, was not potty trained and was screeching all the time. Easy for him to say!

Anyway, I started to pay attention to my body and what it was saying because the only thing worse than a stressed out mom is a dead one so I bought Tylenol in the Family size and when my body said stop, I would pretend I did not notice my house was falling apart, my son was screeching and would take to the road. GP would nap, and I would "breathe"... and so I survived. It wasn't the day at the spa the MD suggested but it was the best I could do with what I had. =)

Last night my body told me again that I needed to breathe. With craziness at home, homeschooling now in progress and a day of nothing but stress, my right arm started hurting early in the morning, I ignored it and by midnight my chest and back were in a vice. It had been so long since my body reminded me that stress is no joke. I found myself climbing up to bed and reminding myself that rest is not "optional", and praying that I would sleep and recover.

Today my body aches and I am recovering, but well aware that "I have been warned".

I hope that if your body is telling you to BREATHE, you heed the signs and quit while you're ahead. Trying to keep up with your life is important but of you're dead, does it really matter??? Probably not. Today I will ignore the laundry, and will not dress the bed. I will homeschool my son, fill some orders, go to the PO and.... oh yeah, that's my stress free list. You should see the other one. LOL! Take it easy today.

I'm Setting The Record Straight!

2011-09-13T02:21:00.001-04:00

I am not a "real" quilter. Most of you already know that, but some of you are a little confused so I thought I'd put that out there. My quilting days can be traced back to just a few short years ago when my handy-dandy Singer sewing machine died. I had a sewing machine not for crafting purposes but for utilitarian purposes. I had a sewing machine to hem pants and I am not kidding when I say that that was it's one and only use. When it died I bought a Bernina. Whatever you do, if you need a sewing machine, do not take a quilter with you to buy a replacement, you'll come home with a machine that has more featues than your car... and more decorative stitches than you will ever need... I am so not kidding.

Anyway, I felt that to justify my expense (oh, did I mention it cost as much as a car payment, or two? Oh yeah, a "real" sewing machine's price starts at triple digits and only goes up from there. It's insane! ), I should learn how to do something more than hems and whala! A quilter was born; ok so maybe not a "real" quilter, but a quilter non the less.

I always think of "real" quilters as people who make large quilts with fancy techniques, or miniature quilts with a gazillion tiny little stitches. Yeah, that's never gonna happen. I will never make either one of those qualifying quilts.

Here's something I have learned, real quilter's have sewing machines that have first and last names. I am so not kidding. Their machines have names like "Bernina 'something or another'. If you ask someone what kind of sewing machine they have and it doesn't have a last name, they are not "real" quilters. Oh stop it, if you are a real quilter you KNOW this is true. Stop pretending you have no idea what I'm talking about, you so do know the make and model of your machine. You probably know mine's!

Quilters and their machines are like men and their cars. It's crazy! OMG! They pimp them up too... I started pimping mine recently so I might be turning into a more dedicated quilter myself. See the fancy little lamp I have on mine? Oh and I have a vice pincushion on it too... I'm thinking I might bedazzle it soon. What do you think, TOO much? =/

I'm so bad. I will never be a real quilter. I accept that. I can live with it, but I thought I'd put it out there so other folks can see that you don't have to be a REAL quilter to have quilting fun. Quilting is a great crafting activity. Give it a try...you'll love it!

What Were YOU Doing on This Day, Ten Years Ago?

2011-09-11T09:28:00.008-04:00

As a young woman I had heard over and over again, "I remember what I was doing when JFK was shot. I was ..." Somehow I didn't get the significance of that. I didn't understand how something that happened "to someone else" could really have a life changing impact on your life. It seemed to go against my steadfast belief that "you are responsible for your own actions and no one else's". That changed, on Sept. 11, 2001.

It was an absolutely gorgeous day in New Hampshire. A sunny, crisp and cool morning that reminded me of why I love Fall in New England. After having dropped off GP at school (what was to be his last semester, ever) I came home to tackle this cabinet. I say tackle because it had been a work in progress for a few years before I had decided that this was going to be the year when I would finish it. I laid it across the table, gathered my supplies and turned on the kitchen TV. Engrossed in my sanding and glazing I heard something that caught my attention and when I looked up at the TV there was one of the twin towers with smoke coming out of it. I stopped what I was doing and brush in hand raised the volume.

The anchor, I think it was Peter Jennings, said a plane had just crashed into the tower. My thought was, "What an idiot! How the hell do you miss the twin towers???" I swear, that was what I though.... but lets regress, there had been a plane crash a few months prior, and the pilot crashed into a building, accidentally! He had lost control of his plane and crashed it into a building, and it was all over the news, just a few months before. I, being of the flying class, the ones that believed that flying was safer than driving a car thought, "This is insane. They need to stop handing out flying licenses to every Tom, Dick and Harry!" I swear, this is really what rushed through my mind as I stood there, in the safety of my kitchen paintbrush in hand, shaking my head. Mind you, I did not know it was an airline jet. And of all the things that I could have thought, even now as I remember it, I don't think there was any reason, any reason at all for me to have thought of terrorism as even the most remote possible cause of this crash)... THEN, as I watched and listened to the anchor speculate as to the cause of the crash, the second plane came into the screen, and right before my eyes, crashed into the second tower. THAT'S when I knew, this was not an accident. This was bad, really bad.

I will never forget what I was doing when something that happened thousands of miles away from my home, to people I did not know, changed the way I live my life to this very day. Pretty much the same way my parents will never forget what they were doing when JFK was shot and killed... but alas, I know my son and children of his age will never understand what it is that makes this day so unforgettable. They were too young to have lived the life of freedom we enjoyed before TSA, before Homeland Security... to them, this is just the way things are. This is the way they have learned to travel, to live. You cannot REMEMBER what you never lived.

My cabinet stands unfinished in my family room and every time I look at it I remember. I remember I was painting it on this day, ten years ago.

I bet you remember what you were doing too.

*Image is a cropped screenshot of the Jules Naudet footage that is included in the Naudet brothers' documentary film 9/11, originally broadcast on March 10, 2002 on CBS, and later released on DVD. It is a historically significant image of the crash of American Airlines Flight 11 into the North Tower of the World Trade Center.

Buttons and Blooms Weekend Sale!

2011-09-10T07:42:00.010-04:00

I saw these fabrics at Spring Market and almost keeled over. I am such a Whimsicals Fan I border on groupie. How bad is that? I know, it's bad, LOL! Anyway. I had to order them and have been harassing the folks at Red Rooster since July (they were supposed to ship way back then, but they kept being delayed for one reason or another), and they finally came in yesterday! OMG! They are soooo cute. I love them all, and think everyone needs a yard, or two of these so I am having a weekend sale to share my love of Buttons and Blooms. I even put the book on sale for those who need a little inspiration and find themselves in love with the fabrics but pondering the age old question, "What would I use it for????"

I love the wallhanging in this book. I saw it at market and yep, it was amazing... Here's another great quilt I saw made up using the panels and fabrics from the collection. I asked around an no one knew who designed this one or even of there was a pattern. It was at one of the distributors, someone at their company had made it... I love it!

I also love the little owl in the book. It's like a pincushion on steroids!

But if I had to choose only one thing to make from this book, being theWeekend Warrior that I am, I would make the runner. Be still my heart, I am in love with the simple applique and the easy piecing. It screams, "You can make me!" and who who doesn't love having something to show for their weekend of crafting??? I know I NEED to feel like I am getting something done. No matter how small, if it's done, I feel accomplished. It's the little things that make me happy.

Sale ends at midnight on Sunday. Don't miss it. These fabrics are gorgeous, I know you'll love them! You can see the complete collection here:

Buttons and Blooms by Whimsicals

What Do YOU want To Do Before You Die?

2011-07-10T07:50:00.005-04:00

My friend Linda Lum DeBono posted a great link on her FB wall this morning and I just couldn't stop thinking about it. It's not that I haven't thought about dying, I think about it all the time (that's a whole different story), or that I don't have a Bucket List (now really, who doesn't?), because I most certainly do. It's just that it caught me off guard and as soon as I read the question I knew what I wanted to do most of all... and although my Bucket List is a mile long, the answer to the question wasn't on the BL. HMMM. Kind of makes you wonder if you really need the list at all.

Now I won't tell you mine because I don't want to distract you with what I want to do, and I would suggest not reading anyone else's answer until you have posted your own, but tell me, what came to mind when you read the question? The first thought...not the rationalized, life plan answer... the very first thing you thought of. Did it surprise you?

Wow, who knew Sunday Mornings could be so full of soul searching? Absolutely amazing! Thanks Linda for sharing your great find.

You can read all about the Before I Die Project HERE!

Just Call Me Sharpie Girl

2011-05-31T05:41:00.005-04:00

It's been so long since I actually completed a project it is almost anticlimactic. I started my October Scare months ago, and I am so not kidding. I bartered with my niece who is a piecer and after I cut out the kits I gave her two backgrounds to piece. She then returned the two completed backgrounds for me to appliqué. which was no big deal. It was fast, it was fun, it was easy peasy. Now why is it that I hadn't finished this baby? It was the embroidery. What is it with me and embroidery? I just can't embroider. I am an embroidery failure. I just don't get it.

My embroidery is so bad it's like a toddler scribbling with crayons. Really, my straight lines have sharp edges. How the heck does that happen? I have no idea.
So this weekend I decided I would "bite the bullet" and take my time finishing this little cutie. I just had to clear it out and put an end to this "pending" project. I couldn't move on. I had to put this one behind me so I whipped out my black sharpie (Oh yes, I did, LOL!) drew in my lines, and then stitched on the lines. Oh and if you are thinking it's not so bad...I'll have you know that AFTER I stitched my little spider legs I went over them with my extra fine sharpie and "Fixed" them. Oh, it's "Just" a wall hanging. It's not like it's some fancy schmancy quilt... a crafter has to do what she has to do, and until my embroidery skills improve (I don't really foresee this happening anytime soon), I shall be a "cheating" with my sharpie so you can just call me Sharpie Girl. =)

If you would like to make an October Scare quilt of your own, you can order the kit here.

I Have a Zero Tolerance Policy for Attitude

2011-05-26T07:46:00.013-04:00

At forty five I feel I have lived a life far beyond my years. I feel that life's turns have tumbled me to where I am nowhere near what I thought I'd be "when I grew up". I studied hard, played hard and expected nothing but the best from myself, and for myself. You get not what you deserve, but what you work for and earn.

GP and I were at a local restaurant the other day and after the server had done one eye roll too many, one "What?" too many, and one "sigh" too many. I called her out. I did. It's been nagging at me for days. I can't let it go, and I know why. I have reached the end of my "Taking crap" line. Yep, I'm done

I have to tell you. I am so sick of people who think they are entitled to huff and puff at the "inconvenience" of having to write down "Lettuce and cheddar cheese only, croutons on the side, ranch dressing on the side, no garnish." I mean, really? Are you freakin' kidding me? Maybe the fact that I have spent MONTHS, teaching my son exactly how to phrase this so that he gets exactly what he wants, so he doesn't totally flip out and have an emotional meltdown at the table, has something to do with my zero tolerance for "attitude".

Teaching an autistic child independent living skills is no easy task. It means many, many embarrassing moments when the clerk stares at you with the "why don't you just tell me what you need lady, and leave the poor kid be?" look. It means you might get into a squabble right in front of the cashier because he refuses to figure out how much money he must give the person. It might mean that you hold up the line at the supermarket because you need him to count his change before he leaves, lest he be shortchanged. It's no small task. But one day I will be dead, and I know that he will be able to shop for groceries, make change, and eat out, among other things.

Children grow up and my once cute little boy is now turning into a young man, and because I have not had "autistic" tattooed on his forehead I have found that sometimes, some people, feel that they can treat him with contempt. It's subtle, but it's there. And I for one, will not stand for it. I think if more people were called out for their bad behavior they would stop being jerks. I think folks feel that they are safe hiding behind a badge and need to be called on it, so I am starting with the woman in the mirror.

The number of special needs children turning into adults with special needs is alarming. I guess everyone forgot that these kids grow up, and when they grow up they look just like anyone else, and if they are lucky, they talk and do things that everyone else does...except they do things in quirky ways.

Here's a hint, if someone is talking to you while staring at the table, they are probably NOT being rude, they are probably AUTISTIC. If someone is talking "at you" while on a cell phone, they are just being rude... see the difference? I was once at a restaurant where I actually told the server, "My son speaks English. Do you understand English?" Oh yes I did. She was some young Chickie whose every other word was "What?" and the more she, asked, the more GP flapped (stimming is an outward sign of happiness, distress, anxiety...); but I would NOT speak for him. I would sit there till the freakin' cows came home before I would say what I knew he could say. He could do it and he would, and I would not let that arrogant kid get away with being a jerk. Oh she clearly understood English, and after I called her out she "listened a little more carefully" and understood his order... I understand the need to have someone LOOK at you when they speak to you, I do. I struggle with it every day. I have a "Look at Mom" mantra going 24/7. But if the person is not looking at you, and clearly not distracted otherwise, wouldn't that be a clear sign that something is amiss with this person? Hello?????????????? The lack of empathy makes me angry.

If someone is telling you exactly how they want something, over and over and over. What would lead you to believe that of you keep asking the same question you won't get the same answer? "Do you want tomatoes on that?", "I want a cheese and lettuce salad with croutons on the side and ranch dressing on the side". So, you don't want onions on that?" "I I want a cheese and lettuce salad...." Hello? How many times do you need to hear the same sentence before your brain clicks to "ON" and tells you "This is a recording!" It drives me nuts. It's scripted language, it's obvious. It's so clear it could be water from a spring. Oh, OK...maybe not to everyone, but you really don't have to be the sharpest tool in the shed to get it, you really don't.

Scripted language is like a recording that helps autistic children cope with the anxiety of having to express their needs and wants to strangers. I don't expect everyone that I meet to know this. I just expect people who are in the service industry to realize that when someone is telling you exactly what they want and how they want it, you should just take them at their word and let them be. It's not rocket science. It's common sense.

So I had to vent and tell you that I now understand those angry old ladies that snap at people with very little provocation because I have turned into one of them. Be warned, if you are my server and you even glance at my son in any way that is not kind and caring, I will call you out on it. I will not sit there and pretend I don't notice because his life is too full of real challenges, he tries really hard to fit into "our" world, he is doing the best he can and if you can't or won't work with him, I'd like to see the manager because I have a zero tolerance policy for "attitude"!

Time Flies When You're Having Fun

2011-05-09T00:00:00.006-04:00

Are you lovin' my sweet Nellie? I think she's the bomb. If you're not a primitive lover, you probably won't understand the love of primitive portraits. The little kids with the small bodies, thick necks and big heads are not for everyone but I tell you, I have a soft spot for these cuties For the longest time I have wanted to add one to my home but as you probably know by now, my house is tiny (and yes, I do mean that literally). When you have such a little house you have to be very picky with what you put in it, lest you end up on one of next season's episodes of Hoarders. I had looked and looked and had not found one that I loved so it was put on my home's "wish list". Then, in late Winter Cynthia Ereksen posted a Saturday workshop for a "Primitive Portrait" and sight unseen, I signed up.
I've never been disappointed in any of the pieces I have painted with Cynthia and this one was no exception. As soon as I saw her I knew it was just meant to be. Notice she is learning to stitch... coincidence? Nah. Destiny! She was meant for me to paint and was well worth the wait.Isn't she the cutest thing ever? Look at that sweet little face, and her fancy little dress. Oh, I just love her. Now I just have to find her a spot in my tiny little love shack; I know there's bound to be a spot for her... I just have to find it, LOL!

Hope you're month is on a roll too. Is it really the ninth already? Wow! Time does fly when you're having fun...

Down Winterberry Lane Kits , Done!

2011-04-26T08:19:00.008-04:00

I can't believe I finally finished cutting these. OMG! What a task. For some reason I had not thought of how long it would take to cut all those fabrics and where all that time would have to be found; but somehow, someway, I completed this task. WOW! You have to trust me when I say there is no way I would ever, EVER, cut these kits again... just in case you were wondering. LOL! This was one of those, "what was I thinking?" jobs, and I am so happy that it's done.
For those patiently waiting for these kits, they are now posted. You can order yours here: Down Winterberry Lane Kits . Update: These kits have sold out!

April is National Autism Awareness Month

2011-04-26T05:19:00.006-04:00

If this month doesn't end soon I am going to have a nervous breakdown!

That's all I'm sayin'...

The Need to Share My Love of Roosters

2011-04-21T09:48:00.004-04:00

Sometimes I see a pattern that makes me think of others; I see a "Team Effort" waiting to happen. That's what happened to me when I saw this quilt pattern. I thought, "that would make a great Block Swap" quilt. But man, I gotta tell you, sometimes you swap blocks and half of them are "WHAT?" Don't even pretend you don't know what I am talking about. You so do. If you have ever been in a block swap, ever, I KNOW you know what I am talking about! Don't even play it... I have yet to meet a swapper who hasn't been burned, at least once. OK, so here is what I propose. I am going to make this quilt and invite fifteen other quilters to join me, but because I have been burned in the past, I am only going to swap my little treasures with fifteen appliqué lovers who have experience (turn under or blanket stitch only, no zigzag stitches), and can commit to sharing only their best work. Best Work only!!!
If that's YOU, email me for details. pumpkinpatchprimitives@yahoo.com
This quilt is gorgeous. patterns can be preordered here: Creve Coer . You can order the pattern even of you're not in the swap. We won't be using the fabrics pictured.

Floorcloth, Done!

2011-04-11T17:07:00.005-04:00

This Winter has been so hard. It really has. I feel like my poor heart has taken a beating, along with my little house. We are both recovering from a long hard season and I am sooo happy that it is behind us. Spring is playing tricks on us but this weekend it actually made an appearance and for that I am grateful.

I drove to the seacoast this weekend to paint a wonderful floorcloth at a seminar with Cynthia Erekson. It was a day of shared love and appreciation for painting. It was a little challenging to try a new surface (canvas) , and even more challenging to paint with folks that have so many more years of painting experience than I have, but all in all, I held my own and walked away with a beautiful piece for my home.

I will be framing it behind a window that still needs to be painted but having finished the main part, I feel that the rest is a breeze (famous last words!)

I hope your weekend was filled with fun and that you too are dreaming of warmer days when your spirits will soar by just standing outside in the sun without a jacket. I can't wait! Have fun this week!

Collecting Inspiration

2011-04-06T08:20:00.018-04:00

I started collecting patterns way before I could sew. I also collected fabrics as a child might collect toys. They were not there to use, they were there to inspire. Patterns tell me that I can change what I have into what I want, and that is a good thing.

My collection of patterns is extensive. I have painting patterns, punch needle patterns, quilting patterns, rug hooking patterns, and the list goes on and on. Oh, I might note that I have tried my hand at all of these, at one time or another. I am an equal opportunity crafter. A good pattern is enough to bring me to purchase all the supplies needed for a project and even sign up for a class to learn how it's done. I have learned a lot about myself over the years from my patterns too. Going through them I have seen how my own sense of "style" (for lack of a better word) has evolved. I have gone from the tan goose on blue (don't even pretend you didn't have these in your house!) to a more eclectic mix that makes sense only to me, and that's OK because it's my house and I live here...surrounded by things that make my heart happy.

No longer strapped to rules or guidelines, I choose to use my quilting patterns to paint, my painting patterns to punch, and so on. A pattern is just a starting point, it's inspiration. I buy patterns for everything, not because I can't "figure it out" but because I don't want to "figure it out". I don't want to deconstruct that beautiful quilt. I want to look at it and think of where I can put it. Someone has already gone through the trouble of deconstructing it for me, making it and picturing it so that when I see it I stop, catch my breath and think, "I WANT that!". If I hadn't seen the quilt or pattern I would not have been inspired. Does that make sense to you? Do you follow me here? I might look at a pattern and find the next wall paint for my living room, my next wall hanging, my next painting. Regardless of what makes me stop and stare, I know that pattern was the root of my inspiration... so I buy it and save it, never ever giving myself a guilt trip for not making it (and truth be told, when I purge my patterns I might even be happy that I didn't make anything from that pattern. "What was I thinking?!", LOL!)

Today I read a blog post and the blogger stated that she never purchased patterns. She liked "designing" her own (based exactly on a published pattern). It made me stop and think of my own personal pattern collection and how I wish some of my favorite designers would never retire because their work inspires me. I hope that if you collect inspiration as I do, you would remember that those folks who design those patterns need to pay their mortgages and if they can't pay their bills, they can't spend all that time designing your inspiration. I don't know about you, but I need to be inspired, so I will continue to buy patterns and collect inspiration wherever I should find it. I don't "design" other people's work. I buy patterns and collect inspiration.

The Gift That Keeps on Giving

2011-04-03T20:01:00.013-04:00

I was having such a bad March. I really was. It wasn't one thing, it was a SERIES of things. Ever have one of those months when you just can't see an end to your crisis? It is so overwhelming that you just want to stay in bed and pretend you're not home... as if GP and Pepperdog would not park themselves at my side and wonder when it's time for Dinner, but that's besides the point; if I didn't have people and/or pets at my bedside staring me down and/or barking at me for food, I could have done just that, pretend I wasn't home. It was soooo bad. And I am sooo not kidding. But cope I had to, and and cope I did; with a little help from my new best friend Pixie.

Oh yes I did. I went out and gifted myself a Pixie. If you are an Espresso fan you KNOW what this is, and if you are not an espresso person, then you just wouldn't understand.

This is not a coffeemaker, it is an espresso maker. And if you can't get out of bed, can't face the world, can't even bring yourself to get out of your jammies... a triple shot should do nicely. Oh yeah, add a little milk to lighten it up if you must. I tell you, this little baby goes the distance, and with Mother's Day coming up, I thought I'd let you all know that this is the gift that keeps on giving. Put it at the top of your list; you can thank me after you first triple shot.

Oh, I have no affiliation, no perks, nor have I received any form of compensation for this little blurb... I really do love my Pixie (pictured at home with all my "add ons"), and hey, if you're gonna go there, might as well get the frother, I mean really.

My bathroom leaked, the ceiling was ripped out, the roof (remember I just had the roof put in last Spring???) had to be sawed off and a new one put in, the inside gutted and rebuilt, and I had to move out of my house for a week, then when I came back the construction dust was so thick it seemed unsafe to even breathe. Now in recovery, my home is slowly coming back to inhabitable standards and I can face the challenge of working at it, a little at a time, thanks to Pixie. She is definitely the gift that keeps on giving. Gotta love that! =)

Are You Sure You're The Leader Of Your Pack?

2011-03-19T19:47:00.006-04:00

I hope you're a Cesar Millan fan. I am. I love the guy. He runs with Pit Bulls calms yappy Chihuahuas. He teaches us to be the leaders of our pack.

As soon as Pepper The Puppydog came to live with us I was auto tuned to his show making sure she didn't play me. I didn't want a little Shui-Tzu walking all over me. I was going to show her who was boss and I was convinced I had done a good job... until recently, that is.

I've just realized that I have a pack of one. Me!

It only took me four years to figure out who leads her pack, and he's not home right now. LOL!

Don't worry Pepper, GP will be home in a few hours....

Nothing but Roosters in the Pumpkin Patch

2011-03-11T04:53:00.010-05:00

I'm a woman on a mission. My mission is simple, to make it through this Winter. Wow, what a rough week. Ever have one of those weeks when it's nothing in particular, just the sum of all parts? I supposed we all have them.

This week was full of challenges that I somehow manages to survive but let's just recap the good: we had a sunny Tuesday. And how the heck do I remember that? It was the only sunny day this week, that's how! The bad: The week began with a rainstorm that made my bathroom roof leak and then dentist left me with a throbbing tooth that still hurts after four days. The ugly: I tried a new stylist and she gave me a REALLY bad haircut! Well that's when I just decided that I was done. I would just call it a week! It was so bad I had to go out and buy some Jelly Belly Beans. You know it's bad if I make a special trip to the mall to buy Jelly Belly Beans... Yeah, it was a rough week, but it's Friday so I am putting it behind me and moving on to show and tell. This is what I did this week while I was waiting for the stars to align themselves again, I worked on some roosters. Gotta love Craft Therapy.

Here's Rooster #7 Rooster#8Rooster #9: I think I might actually have these done before the end of the month. Only three more to go!!!

I decided to redo one of the roosters because I just realized that in order to keep the backgrounds in the same order as the pattern I would have to have a rooster facing the wrong way, and my OCD just wont allow that kind of transgression. I'm bad like that... so, I am now redoing it. No biggie. I think I'll be done with all the applique by next week, now if I could only get motivated to put them all together, that might be the hardest part of this project. HMMM. I have to psyche myself up for that. Piecing is just not my thing. Gotta work on that. ;)

Hope your work was not a total bust too. I know my sun must be hanging out somewhere so if you have it, please do send it back...

PS: If you'd like to start your own Seeing Roosters quilt,

you can order the pattern HERE!

I've been Seeing Roosters

2011-03-03T04:33:00.002-05:00

Lots and lots of them!
While I was away I wanted to make sure I did not have to spend any more hours on infomercials than necessary. Not being one to pack more than one suitcase for both of us (yes, that's two people, one suitcase, regardless of how long our stay will be). I had to find something that would fit, something that wasn't going to bore me to tears, and something that was effortless. I literally rummaged through my "project basket" where you will find countless number of projects in different stages of completion, and pulled out "The Rooster Project". HMMM. Maybe this one will work.
All I needed to take this with me was a scissor (some pieces were fused and cut, some were just fused, but all were ironed so there would be no tracing or "paper work" involved), then I needed some black Perle Cotton (one color for all twelve block, gotta love that), and a pack of needles (JIC I lose the one I am using, it's been known to happen). Ready.

I trimmed all my blocks the first couple of nights, then I fused some blocks and started stitching away. By the time I got back I had three completed blocks. Last weekend I worked on three more and TADA! Look what I have...
And what will I make with all these Roosters? Well a wall quilt, of course!
I'm hoping mine will look like this when it is completed. It is such a great project. It's easy to follow the pattern, the tools needed are few. The finished product will be a dream. What more could I want from a take along project? Nothing! I am loving this journey, and I'm half way there. Stay tuned for the final chapter on this one. =)

It's All a Blur

2011-02-28T08:47:00.008-05:00

Winter is particularly challenging for me personally. It's the lack of sunshine, the excess of snow, the cold weather that chills me to the core and the inability to make my son's days "fun" that make just hanging in there such a struggle. Fortunately for me, I have a long term plan that helps me through this "end of Winter" hurdle. It's called a Time Share. It's a Winter option that I have, if I can muster the courage to go.

For years I have hated my property because it has seen me at my worst and most vulnerable. It is a place where I meet autism head on and dare it to break me. Invariably, it beats the sh** out of me, but I dress my wounds and try again. Three years in a row GP broke my glasses while I was there. The nearest optometrist being a 45 minute drive, longer when you can't see where you are going. Oh wait, there was the year when he didn't BREAK my glasses he knocked them over and they fell into the baseboard! I had four men in the apt looking for my tiny wire rimmed glasses in a tan colored room. It took them a long time to find them but they did. My heroes! One year GP decided he liked the outdoor hot tub and went out at 6am to stand in the snow in his jammies watching it. You have no idea what it feels like to wake up in an apartment in the middle of the White Mountains (that pic is the view from my unit's porch) and discover your child is missing... and when it happens more than once??? The second time he was found standing by the pool, fortunately he had not jumped in, he was three or four at the time. It was so early, that's all I remember; it was so cold, and so early. By the third time he was spotted in the wee hours of the morning I was called to collect him (by then everyone knew of the little boy who was lost TWICE before), and a chain was put on my apt door to keep him in. I used a suitcase after the first time, a chair after the second. At the time we lived in a dead bolted house, and a card key entry was like an open invitation to wander. As I always say, my son is autistic, he isn't stupid! Needless to say, the chain was unnecessary, that day I simply packed up and went home. I was done. Remember GP was non verbal, non communicative. So you could ask him his name, where he Mommy was, and you would see nothing but a little boy who seemed like he was deaf... lost in thought.

Every year for one week, I would pull my son out of our home where he was safe and sound and take him to the Mountains. Every single year, something would happen. Something bad. In time it came to be an apartment full of bad memories, and I couldn't go there. I couldn't sell it though. I couldn't. I refused. I would not accept defeat. I just stopped going, but I paid it off and like a nest egg, just let it rest.

Last year we changed management companies and spent an extraordinary amount of money on renovations. After writing a check that rivaled my mortgage payment I decided it was time to go see what had been done. I dressed myself in courage and set off to face my fears.

I psyched myself up, and set off with GP. I knew I was "home" when I closed the door and the chain was still there. That chain is was like a scar, a battle scar. I caught myself standing there, staring at it and reliving that horrible stay so many years ago. But it didn't kill me and I was back. Stronger, wiser and ready for the challenge.

How much my dear boy had changed. How happy he was to be there. He was talking, choosing restaurants, making our schedule. Now he was planning sightseeing drives and checking show times at the local cinema. He was not waking up at 5am to wander in the night. He was sleeping in. I don't remember everything we did that week, it's all a blur... which is really a good thing. You know the saying, "No news is good news" ? That applies here. If nothing stands out, it just means it was all good. =)
They say that time heals all wounds but I am here to tell you that some wounds heal leaving scars so deep that you just have to stop pretending you don't see them. You have to stare at them and know that what has not killed you, has made you stronger. In my case, I faced my fear and this time, this week, I stared autism in the face and said Screw YOU!

I lived through it and if you are where I was, know that you too will live through this. It matters not what your challenge is. If you can make it through today, you have won. B.

A Day at JB Woods

2011-02-13T11:07:00.018-05:00

JB Woods is a company that makes one of my favorite things in the world, unfinished wood painting surfaces. Oh, I could hear my heart thumping as I walked the isles of their warehouse and thought of all the hours I could spend in painting bliss if someone would just lock me up there with some paint (and jelly belly beans). Oh, the treasures in the making that they had on their shelves...

Ahhh, I was in heaven. And, I was in good company, as you can see.I spent the day painting with Cynthia Erekson and a group of ladies who shared my love for her work. We painted her Lazy Lamb Farm design on a Workbench Widget Box. My box is still a work in progress (just call me Chatty Brenda, OK?), but you can see how cool it's going to look in the pic above. Cynthia is holding her sample, the pic doesn't do it justice. It was amazing.

Here is what I have done so far:and here is a close up of my little guy fishing. The coolest thing about painting with Cynthia is that her designs are fast, fun and easy. All her patterns have a story and this one was that the little man was fixing the fence (see the toolbox and all the broken fence parts in the scene???) but he was taking a break and decided he was going to spend it fishing. I never think of a painting as being a story but when I paint with her she always has one and I think that's part of what makes her work so wonderful. It's storytelling at its finest.

I'll post a pic of the box as soon as it's done. Hopefully later today.

Gotta finish it before it becomes an UFO or worse, I lose one of the parts... not that THAT's ever happened to me, LOL!

Hope your weekend is full of fun too.

Retail Therapy

2011-02-08T22:08:00.004-05:00

We all have those moments. We can either, eat, smoke, drink or shop.

I'm too fat to eat, it was too hard to quilt smoking to start up again, I'm too upset to drink, so I went shopping! Yeah, I have those days... and if nothing else works, I put on the snow boots and trek on over to the Burlington Mall for some Retail Therapy.

Yesterday I got new glasses, new Sunglasses, and an estimate on my bathroom remodel. Not only am I blind as a bat but my arm and leg will belong to the contractor effective immediately.

The snow has turned to ice and the ice is hanging over my brand new gutters and it's looking like they might not make it, the bathroom window sprung a leak, the light on my car says "oil change" and my son's trainer took the day off so I drove all the way to the Health Club to bicker with GP who is telling me, "You are not my trainer!" as if I didn't know! I slipped on the ice and fell on my *** in front of my house, and I thought, "That's it! Stick a fork in me, I'm done!" so, I

decided I'd get a jump on Spring and buy some lovelies for myself, some chocolates for grandpa and call it a day. I almost forgot what a crappy week I'm having until I turned on the TV and realized my Direct TV is still not working (Ice on the roof)... but I'm going to finish packing some orders and think of Spring. It's HAS to come soon, I don't know how much more of this I can take! Hope your day was better than mine. May your cable be working, your bathroom not leak, your car light stay off, and your butt stay dry this week, LOL!

Hang in there and remember, if nothing else works, there's always Retail Therapy!

Now Why The Heck Didn't I Think Of That?

2011-02-01T16:28:00.009-05:00

Ever have one of those moments? I have them often but rarely when it comes to GP because I swear, I never stop thinking of ways to improve his quality of life. I try to always stay one step ahead of the challenges he will face when doing one thing or another but when I saw this video I had one of those moments.

I know many of you have children with Special Needs and I hope this will help someone who is just now reaching this crossroad. I have been there, done that; and I remember how sad I was when I gave away his first bicycle, then his second and lastly when I told Gino if he bought him a new bike I would lay it out in the middle of the road.... denial is a terrible thing.

I also remember the joy in my son's eyes when he finally, at the age of fourteen, got on a tricycle and zoomed through a store where there was an adult size tricycle on display. It took him five minutes to figure out how to go in a straight line but not once did he fall off. It was amazing. He did not want the tricycle that day, but every time we go to that store he looks for it and rides it and I am confident that one day he will muster the courage to take it home, knowing he will not fail., as he did so many times when he tried to ride a bike (he doesn't even want to try those,, and I will NEVER ask him to). I wait patiently, for that day that he will want to bring that tricycle home because although I did not think to remove the pedals from his stupid bicycles (I'm not bitter, do I sound bitter?), I did think that a tricycle would put the wind in his hair and a smile on his face... and it did.

Now it's just a matter of time before he decides the isles are not long enough ,

I can't wait! =)

The Sun Will Come Out Tomorrow

2011-01-20T09:07:00.005-05:00

If you have never suffered the Winter Blues or been clinically depressed you just would not understand how hard this is to believe sometimes. When the days turn into weeks and you have not seen the sun's bright shiny light you start to feel helpless and hopeless. Every single little problem gets blown up and seems insurmountable. Really. It's hard to explain and even harder to think that a rational person who otherwise seems perfectly happy and content, would feel absolute despair because of the weather, but it's true. It's called Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) and although it can be treated (Change all your light bulbs, buy a sunlamp!), it cannot be cured.

I read a story yesterday about a young girl who committed suicide and no one knows why. "She seemed happy, she was a happy girl" ,stuck with me all day and I thought of her and how no one will ever know what happened, and how every Winter for as long as I can remember I think and have to consciously remind myself that "The sun will come out tomorrow"... and how God knows when you have had enough and if only you hang in there, just one more day, just one more dawn...it does. My heart breaks for those parents and for that girl who was too young to know you just have to hang in there ... the sun WILL come out, and you WILL survive this (whatever this is!)

Today it's sunny in NH, the calm before the storm. If you are feeling tired and blue, sit outside in the sun for a little while. I will be stepping out into the cold to recharge my soul with hope and will count my blessings that someone told me, a long time ago, that "the sun will come out tomorrow", and it was true. I look out my window and it's there, proof that there is a God and he knows when I've had enough. I feel blessed. =)

Hope your day is filled with sunshine, but if it's not, remember... the sun will come out tomorrow.

Who is Martin Luther King Jr?

2011-01-17T08:11:00.009-05:00

That is the question I ask GP every single year before declaring Martin Luther King Jr a No Home school day. The way I see it, if you don't know who he was you have no business getting the day off. Yep, my house, my rules.

Last year my Prince declared, "I can't remember" when asked this question and I quickly replied, "Well, let's find out!" and we went on to a two hour MLK Jr tutorial. Last night when I asked the same question, my son did not skip a beat and he gave me the

condensed version, the cliff notes of all answers. "He says, "No violence!"", he replied and for the first time ever my son has the day off without a MLK Jr refresher course. Gotta love that!

Yes, Martin Luther King Jr did many things for our country and said many things worth noting but if my son remembers one single thing about this great civil rights leader and it's that he stood for "No violence!" well, that's good enough for me.

My job here is done. I feel so accomplished, it's the little things that make me happy.

Image is a print available here.

We Have A Winner!

2011-01-14T23:20:00.004-05:00

Congratulaions to Tanya Grimm for being the lucky winner of the Winter Wonderland flannel Sweet Sixteen Bundle. I know you will love it!

Thank you ladies for joining in the fun and sharing your love of the snow with those of us who are burried in it. Hope you all have a wonderful weekend that does not include shoveling .

Brenda=)

It's a Winter Wonderland in NH!

2011-01-12T17:30:00.016-05:00

So why not have a Winter Wonderland Giveaway? Hello!

Yes, we've been hit hard with TONS of snow in my little state but I'm thinking, "it's all good". We're home, we have food, we have electricity, we have cable TV! Woo-HOO! Doesn't take much to make me happy these days and I'm sharing my Winter joy with all those who choose to see their cups as half full, and giving away a Sweet Sixteen bundle of Winter Wonderland Flannels. Twenty-two pieces in all, prints and plaids of yummy Maywood flannels that will surely chase your Winter Blues away and remind you of the beauty of this magical season.

To enter all you have to do is tell me why you love SNOW... If you hate the snow or have nothing nice to say about it well, just don't enter the giveaway. We'll have no party poopers!

Anonymous entries will be deleted. Ladies, if you don't want me to know who you are then why do you want me to send you a prize? I don't get that! If you have a no-reply, just be sure to leave an email in your comment.

To all FB followers, you can enter this giveaway even if you entered the FB giveaway, yes...there are two bundles one on FB and one here... I'm good like that.

I'll draw the winners on Friday night, after we are all shoveled out.

If we reach 100 comments on this post I'll throw in a third Sweet Sixteen Bundle of Winter Wonderland Flannels...because I think everyone secretly loves the white stuff, they just don't want to admit it!
Come out of the closet you snow lovin' folks, I know you're out there!!! Let's celebrate this Winter Wonderland! Happy Noreaster!

If you do not have an email on your blogger profile or you have a not enabled your profile and you have not left an email in your post your comment will be deleted! I wont "hunt you down" to give you a prize... sorry, not gonna happen!

Multiple posts will also be deleted.

A Table for Two, Now in Stock!

2011-01-10T09:13:00.006-05:00

Remember this cutie? No, not me...the awesome runner!

It's called A Table for Two! It was one of my favorite Fall Market finds and they just arrived. I'm thrilled to have them in stock. You can order your copy HERE!

I love this one, and I know you will too!!

Birds of a Feather

2011-01-09T04:07:00.007-05:00

We flock together!
Last night I met my friend Lynn at Gibbit Hill for our post holiday dinner. With the craziness of the holidays we decided we'd get together after things had settled down and we could enjoy each other's company without having to rush because we had something to do.
Lynn and I met online, blogging. She paints and loves primitives, and although we live in different states we're only an hour's drive from each other. You gotta love that.
I'm working on my commitments folks, making time for myself, check!
Hope your weekend is going well and that you too are making time to celebrate your life. Have fun!

Time to Pay the Piper!

2011-01-03T19:21:00.007-05:00

According to freedictionary.com this means:

to accept the unpleasant results of something you have done, pay the price.

According to me it simply means: OWN IT!

Yep, I went to TX where my Mom waited for me frying pan in hand and pork in the oven... If you've ever had Puertorrican food you know exactly what I'm talking about and you are just grinning. If you have never had Puertorrican food, well, I don't know why on earth you would be fat, LOL! Yeah, it's bad for you. HAHAHA.

After only one week in TX, and shortly before Christmas my subconscious was already screaming and saying, "STOP! STOP!" but my Mom continued to pull out favorites from her recipe bank and well, you know what they say, "You don't eat this every day..." Or is it just my Mom that says that? HMMM. I hope not, LOL! Well, let's just say that when I had the first nightmare, that I had gained TEN pounds, I started to think maybe it was time to start eating out. You know it's bad when Wendy's is the low cal option... but being the good daughter that I am, I ate all of my Mom's food, and then some of my Sister's Lasagna, (are you seeing a pattern here? Do I have a crappy support system or what? LOL!) and pretended I was not being BAD, really BAD!

As soon as I got home, knowing that the day of atonement was fast approaching (Ahem, can you say personal trainer?), I dusted off the Nutrasystem boxes and and thawed out the frozen veggies, I hooked up the H2O I.V. and prayed for a miracle.

God, knowing I am good, granted me a reprieve and just five days after arriving home I am happy to report that I held steady. Weight loss zero, weight gain ZERO! Hello! (No, I am not telling her how I paid the piper, I did my time and I am now back on track. Hooray!

Have you paid the piper yet?

Resolutions

2011-01-01T10:46:00.009-05:00

I love New Year's day. I feel as if I have been given a new opportunity to set my life back on the path that I strayed from somewhere along the way. I find myself cutting myself some slack, giving myself a break so to speak. And once again trying to commit to doing right, by and to myself.I have to admit that every year I make a list of things I want to accomplish. Not unlike half the people in the USA, I too make Resolutions. A resolutions is no different from a commitment but we don't call it a commitment because then it would imply that we MUST accomplish this goal and not that we "intend" on accomplishing this goal. A Resolution is an intent, a Commitment is a commitment, no way around it. Intend and commit?

Not the same thing.

So this year I will not resolve but I will Commit to doing right by Me, and for Me. I will Commit to cutting myself some slack, I will commit to being a Mom AND a woman, I will commit to setting aside time for Myself, regardless of the chaos in my life. I will commit to starting my journey back to Myself. I will commit to help myself as much as I help others.

There, I said it. I wrote it, I own it! For some reason I am thinking that Resolving to lose 100 pounds sounded easier than my short list but hey, this year I'm going all out. At 45 it's time to step it up and Go Big.

Now if I could only find my Big Girl undies I might feel more confident... wish me luck and tell me what you are ready to commit to. Happy New Year!

The Mercado Family, and then some

2010-12-31T03:42:00.006-05:00

My Family. (L-R, F-B)Mom & Dad, Me, GP, TChoco (sister), Harvey (brother), TSandy (sister), Nyshma (Niece) & Ryan (soon to be Nephew)
GP and I are finally back home after celebrating Christmas with my extended family. It had been over ten years since I had seen my brother and about three since I had seen my parents, so we had some catching up to do. My niece who just recently relocated to NH showed up on Christmas Eve with her fiance and made my sister's wishes come true. It would have been her first Christmas without her baby (who is now a little grown up, ahem!), but thanks to some awesome planning (Nyshma's) and a sneaky cohort (TChoco) was there on schedule in time for the pernil (that's the official Puertorrican holiday feast roast) prepared by grandma. Woo-HOO!
My parents have been married 48 years and I feel so lucky to have been there to celebrate their Anniversary too. Time flies, doesn't it? 48 years, Hello!
My heart is happy and I feel blessed to have spent the holidays with my family. It's hard to coordinate travel and lodging for nine but when it happens, it's just awesome.

It was hard to say goodbye but I so missed being home. There is no place like home and this was my second holiday away from home. I think I am understanding where the phrase "there is no place like home for the Holidays" comes from. I love my family and I will miss them dearly but I am happy to be home, even if it's not quite as toasty as TX...

Hope your holidays were spent with those you love, and that the New Year brings you health, happiness, love and laughter. Happy New Year!!!

The Eleventh Hour

2010-12-15T08:01:00.007-05:00

I should have been packing, wrapping things up and getting ready for our trip to TX, but what was I doing? Cutting these kits. I am so bad. I had to finish cutting them, I had to. I wanted to take one with me to make while I was away. LOL! See? I told you I had a good reason for not packing! Now I am off to take the Pepperdog to the Spa (well nobody likes traveling with a smelly dog!) and afterwards, I will get back to work. I'll fill orders and get them to the PO, run errands and THEN start packing.
So much to do, so little time... but I'm happy to have this cutie to come along with me. He's been on my list all year, and I finally cut the kits...at the eleventh hour. Talk about cutting it close, eh? LOL!
You need a great take along project too? I have one of these left and you still have time to get it in today's mail bag. Hurry! =)
You can buy the Joy kits here!

A Ray of Hope

2010-12-13T13:00:00.006-05:00

A new discovery in the quest for a cure to Alzheimer's... read about it here:

Baby Steps, a little ray of hope...I'm so happy. =)

Holiday Santa, Done!

2010-12-13T11:15:00.008-05:00

The sun did not shine but the rain stopped long enough for me to rush outside and snap a few pictures of my wonderful Holiday Santa.
This is a Cynthia Erekson Design. The pattern has not yet been released but she taught it at weekend workshop I was fortunate enough to have attended.
The face looks bright because of the glare but it is not that bright. The other colors are true. He measures 31" high by 11" wide at the widest poing. Isn't he the cutest guy ever?

Update: The pattern for this Santa has been released it is called Snowflake Santa.

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas...

2010-12-11T23:10:00.008-05:00

at The Mercado's house. Are you lovin' my Santa? He is almost ready to be "revealed" but it's too dark to take a good pic so it'll have to wait until tomorrow. In the meantime, enjoy this little sneak peek of what I painted today.

I spent the day painting with Cynthia Erickson and a group of very happy ladies who all had a crush on Santa Baby... Oh he is a cutie, eh? Nothing soothes the soul like a day of painting fun.

Hope your day was filled with wonderful crafty things. If not, there's always tomorrow. Make the most of the weekend by sneaking in a little holiday project of your own; you can do it!!!

It's a Celebration!

2010-12-10T13:03:00.017-05:00

My Facebook page has reached a milestone.
I have over 4000 followers and I think that's a great reason to celebrate, don't you? So in the sprit of Christmas, I am parting with one of my favorite little quilts and shipping it off to the lucky winner. This is not a kit, this is an actual finished Holiday Tree quilt, made by me!

This wonderful little quilt was made with love and much attention to detail. It is flannel on cotton, embellished with handmade polymer clay buttons and comes with it's own little vintage hanger (although I did put a sleeve on it too, I'm good like that, LOL!).

My image is too long for FB so I am posting it here but to enter the giveaway please leave your comment on my Facebook page. If you're not a follower yet just use this link:
Go To Pumpkin Patch Primitives Facebook Page!

I will draw a winner on Sunday. Please remember, to enter the drawing your comment will have to be posted on FB, not here.Thank you to all who read my musings and join in the fun. I truly do appreciate your company. B=)

A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes

2010-12-07T06:00:00.004-05:00

GP wanted to go to Walt Disney World after his successful trip to Disneyland last year. I have to say that when I got home after that first trip I thought I would rather die than do it again, but you know how you go through labor and then a few years later you're ready to have another child??? I kind of think that vacationing with my Prince is a little like that. You know it's going to be hard, you know you will want to kill a few people along the way and you still can't get over the twinkle in his eye and the excitement in his hands ... so off you go begging for a favor and hoping that TChoco will say yes to his next master plan.
How lucky for us that her cup runeth over with love and patience to spare, and she once again agreed to be the wingman on this most challenging of adventures. Careful to consider every little detail she planned his trip and all I had to do was follow her lead and watch for bumps in the road. And you must trust me when I say, there were many bumps in the road... but we navigated as best we could and GP had a fun time, only hampered by a terrible cold that hit him two days into his adventure and still lingers three days after arriving home.
Thank you TChoco for your love and patience, and above all, for helping us make GP's dreams come true. XXO
This is TChoco (in her Minnie Mouse sequin ears) w/ GP at the Magic Kingdom. GP says what??? "No pictures!" LOL!

Some Projects Just Go On and On,and On...

2010-12-06T06:00:00.011-05:00

Ever find yourself wondering how something so small could ever take so long? Yep, I do too. Take this wool Monthly Mini quilt I started months ago (please don't ask me when. I blogged about it but I am hesitant to search and find out how long it's really been "in progress").

Today I thought I had finally finished the blocks and was ready to set them on the background. Well, two things happened. First, I couldn't find the pattern (I put it in a "safe" place so I wouldn't lose it, don't laugh at me!), and second, well, you tell me what's wrong with my blocks... can you tell me what's wrong with my blocks??? It's the Monthly Mini that wont end! LOL!

PS. My blocks aren't as bright as they appear, that's just a bad pic. Click on the link to the old post about them to take a closer look at some of the blocks. Better pic to follow once I finally finish this; hopefully before I'm on Social Security! HAHAHA

Mystery Quilts, Not for Everyone

2010-12-05T09:52:00.019-05:00

Have you ever taken a Mystery Quilt Class? They have them all over the place, online, at local shoppes. I think if you step into any Brick and Mortar shoppe you will find a sign up sheet for one of these classes. Be warned, do not sign up!

I took a Mystery Quilt Class to answer the "Why Mystery Quilts?" question. I have to tell you, I will never, ever, take another one. The Mystery Quilt Class offers the opportunity to meet new people with like interests, allows you to start and finish a quilt top in a day and go home with a completed top, ready to be shipped off for quilting. "What more can you ask for?" you may ask... a pattern that will not make you cringe when you finish it. Ouch!
We chose our fabrics and spent the day chatting, cutting, stitching and pressing, all on a very tight schedule to ensure that we would get the job done and once all the blocks were sewn together I almost gasped in horror.

Yep, I would never recommend taking a mystery class, ever. But I will say this, it's one way to make a a quilt in a day. ;)
BTW some ladies loved their quilt tops, which proves my point...
Mystery Quilts are just not for everyone.
My theory is, the finished quilt top was not displayed because no one would have signed up... which is exactly what I think every time I see a sign up sheet for a Mystery Quilt Class. LOL!
I will show you my MQ top someday but I'm still not confident enough to "own up" to having made that, LOL!

Squeezing In Some Work...

2010-11-28T09:16:00.010-05:00

This morning I was up at 5am working. Talk about cutting it close, eh? I decided I would work until 10 am and call it a week. Anyway, I was able to clear the que, pack up the BOM blocks for the Settler's Pride ladies and make up a new kit, woo-HOO. I am so good, HAHAHA.

I cut twelve kits of Ginger Family... I have a thing for Gingerbread, I love them and I really wanted to have this ready to go when I got back. The kits wont ship until I return but if you love it and want one, better go now, I have only five left. They are adorable. Here's a link to the kits so you can read all the details,

Ginger Family Kits HERE!

OK, now I have to go to take a shower, gotta stay on schedule. The countdown to Disney has begun! YIKES!

Living on the Edge

2010-11-27T22:13:00.007-05:00

I'm once again taking a leap of faith and taking GP on a Happy Birthday vacation. I know, I know, his BD was in Oct. but after much deliberation and planning we singled this week as being the most likely to be "less crowded" at his chosen destination. As if last year's trip to Disneyland had not been hard enough (it always sounds easier than it really is, and he never seems to realize how hard it is to make HIS vacation fun), this year he wanted to go to

Disney World. Oh yeah, the BIG one. So, off we go on Monday to show him the magic. He is sooo excited and I am so worried. My sister will once again be my wing man; I am so blessed to have an extra set of hands to help me on this adventure. I know I could never do this alone. These trips are not for the weak of body or spirit. They are hard work, they require lots of planning, lots of scheduling and lots of foresight. You have to be aware of GP and what is happening in HIS surroundings at all times.

It's hard to explain but here's a visual, when walking through a crowd, one person must go in front, GP in the middle and one behind him. The person behind him is in charge of blocking people of walking in front of him or bumping him off course, the person in front of GP is in charge of making way for the two others to follow in single file. You must make sure that you don't walk too fast, lest you lose the followers, or two slow causing a pile up... you must find the shortest distance and make the fastest time (Because of the noise and crowd) because the folks behind you can't see anything... UGGG. It is sooo stressful. If you get caught in a mob (aka parade, fireworks, or just people standing around watching the water show)...it can get ugly fast, real fast. We were lucky that by our fourth day we had a system that worked like an assembly line but by them we were exhausted too. These will probably be the longest days of the year for both of us, but more likely than not, they will be the highlight of Gene's.

I swear, if his is not living on the edge, I have no idea what that is!

It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like ....

2010-11-26T22:24:00.001-05:00

Black Friday marks the official start of the Holiday Season in my little world. I give myself permission to whip out the decorations and just go nuts. One thing I do every year regardless of how I am going to decorate my home, is buy ornaments. I will never confess to how many I own because like Longaberger baskets, they should never ever be counted, LOL!

So, today being Black Friday and all, I had to do a little shopping and guess what I bought. Oh yeah, I bought myself two new ornaments I had on my "Wish List". I was sooo good. I only bought the two, they were on sale and they had free shipping; I mean really? What more do you need to put those babies in the cart and run for the checkout? HAHAHA. OK, so I could have logged off or closed the tab but it's Black Friday, you just have to stimulate the economy! LOL!

I just love Pottery Barn! I'll post a pic when they come in.

As if on cue, my Crate and Barrel moose ornaments came in on Wednesday.
I shall blame my sister for my little wooden moose obsession. She gifted me a set of these cuties a few years ago and I check for new additions every single year. They don't make them every year so you have to watch for them because they are all different. They're out for that year and then they "retire" and good luck finding them. This year they issued a new set and as soon as I saw them I was on them like bees on honey. Are they adorable or what? This year's theme was Winter Sports so the little guys are snowboarding, ice fishing, skiing and of course, playing ice hockey. Aren't they cute? I love them. I have a few sets, they make my heart happy.

I also have a thing for Mercury Glass ornaments, these are tiny, about 2".

and oh yes, I heart candy canes

Now I shall sit and wait for my new wooden finial ornaments... Oh, it most certainly is beginning to look a lot like Christmas around here! =)

If you could ask HIM for anything, what would you ask for?

2010-11-26T08:13:00.002-05:00

For every letter received, Macy's will donate $1 to the Make-A-Wish Foundation,

up to $1,000,000.
Help make wishes come true by writing your own letter to Santa!

Like I Said, No Rest for The Weary!

2010-11-23T12:30:00.005-05:00

Is it only Tuesday? What is it about Thanksgiving week that is sooo draining? I know! It's the fact that the day after Thanksgiving we are officially IN the Christmas Season. That is definitely it for me anyway. I feel everything needs to be done before Thanksgiving or it will "ruin" the holidays. It's sabotage, I sabotage myself. It's not like anyone cares; but still... it's one of my "quirks", LOL!

Anyway, in keeping with my "pre-holiday" OCD, I HAD to have the studio shelving delivered BEFORE Thanksgiving, (God forbid Santa should come and find all the new fabric on crappy looking shelves, LOL!). So what happens? Yep, they come on a Monday. Don't even get me started on Mondays (someone needs to tell my son that there are worse things than Mondays and he should just cut me some slack already!)...argh!

But after pulling an all nighter, what do I have to show???? I have this, TADA!!!!

And why do I have to go to the gym now? WHY? Because it's on the schedule, that's why! LOL!

Love my new shelves and I think Santa will love them too... hope he doesn't expect a quilt because after all that lifting I just want a nap! HAHAHA.

Hope your little love shack is getting it's holiday makeover too. Nothing says Christmas like a spruced up home. You can do it!!! =)

No Rest For The Weary...

2010-11-22T15:42:00.008-05:00

I decided I have to make a Tree Bird Quilt, I just have to. With this little cutie as my goal I am stealing time from my crazy schedule and getting it done. The best way to "steal" time from myself is to carry my project around and that's what I have been doing. I traced and cut these while waiting for GP to get out of the shower...he takes LOOOONG showers, so I was able to get all the leaves cut out and traced, and the rest of the applique traced (onto fusible web). On another short break I got all the other stuff cut out. I think it was while I was waiting for something else. I feel like I spend half of my life waiting, on hold or in line. Is that just me???Oh now I remember, I was watching the news at noon...that's what I was doing. Lunch break!

Anyway, I finally have everything cut and while ironing a shirt I fused on the pennies and the wings. Hey, the iron was hot and I was already there...So this is what I have so far.

Well, almost, because last night while I was watching TV I was able to start the actual stitching... and loo! I have a wing, one wing is done; woo-HOO!

OK so that's not much progress, but will have you know that I am a woman on a mission. I am going to complete this kit this week. I know I will . Then I will have one of these in my studio:
I can't wait to have it up. It's so cute!!!
You can order the patterns to make your own, HERE! Fast, Fun and easy...just what any busy Mom needs, because God knows we have no time.
There is no rest for the weary!

Painting Makes My Heart Happy!

2010-11-21T12:50:00.006-05:00

If there is one thing, just one thing you could do for yourself... what would it be?
I would spend the day painting. That's what I would do, and that is exactly what I did yesterday. I spent the day painting this gorgeous cabinet. Mind you, this is a photo taken with my Blackberry so it's kind of blurry and dull but I thought I'd take the pic while I wait for the varnish to dry... multitasking, it's my new thing, LOL~!
This design by Cynthia Erickson. She is an amazing primitive folk artist. I am never disappointed in her Seminars. The actual projects we will work on are revealed the day of the workshop. When you sign up for the class it will say something like "jelly cupboard with maritime scene", and you either take it or leave it. Which is great fun for those of us who can't be bothered with the details like what color is it? What size is it? In the end I have decided that it doesn't matter. It's a day of painting fun. No phones,. no laundry, no cooking...no drama. You go, you paint, come home with a wonderful piece that will blend in somehow, somewhere, in your home. It's just awesome.
So yesterday I drove to the seacoast (Newburyport, MA) for one of the two seminars I signed up for months ago. Oh, I was giddy with excitement and when I walked in and saw this piece I was in heaven. So I spent the day painting and woke up to varnish this baby and later tonight to find it a "spot" in the little love nest.
I gotta tell you, sometimes a day of "ME" time is just what you need to get over the challenges of everyday life. Hope your weekend was fun and that you did something that made your heart happy. If not, we're painting a Santa Dummy Board in December, wanna come? It'll be great fun and I KNOW it will make your heart happy! =)

Sometimes You Need to Talk to The Guy Who Is In Charge!

2010-11-18T13:09:00.009-05:00

Can you believe it's that time of the year again? WOW! Seems like just yesterday when GP announced he had talked to HIM, "for the last time" (because he knows that Santa only brings gifts to the "children" and not the teenagers). But as you can clearly see, he has had a change of heart and has decided that those rules do NOT apply to him.

When I asked GP what he wanted for Christmas (again, because WE -not Santa, would be buying him his gifts this year), he informed me that he wanted a computer program. Woo-HOO is what I thought, and then I started searching for said program. Well, it turns out that you can buy a laptop for less than the cost of this program. OUCH! Hmmm.

I need to discuss this w/the big guy (AKA Dad, LOL!). So, I say nothing and decide how I'm going to approach the husband with this "situation", because of course GP has only told me. Anyway, GP drops me another reminder when we go to the Apple store and tells me that "THIS" is not the program that he wants for Xmas, and that the one he wants is only available online because it is a "Full version". But Oh, I am ready with..."GP, we'll have to see if we can buy that one because it's VERY expensive, and we might have to save for it". He looks a little crestfallen but not upset so I think, whew! That wasn't so bad...

OK, now brace for it... GP goes out w/Gino on the Saturday and once again comes home like the cat that swallowed a tweety bird and tells me, "I talked to HIM." and what did Santa say? Yep, you guessed it...he will bring him Final Cut Studio, the full version edition! ARGH!!!!

Note the look on GP's face, that's called Satisfaction...

Yep, sometimes you just have to go straight to the top to get what you need!

A SALE, just because I can!

2010-11-17T10:48:00.006-05:00

Did you see my new slide show? Gotta love those Remembrance fabrics.

I heart Brannock & Patek. Their fabrics are just gorgeous.I uploaded the complete collection of Remembrance last night and to celebrate I've decided they should go on sale, woo-HOO! There are forty prints to choose from and at $7.99 you just have to add some to your stash... but hurry, sale ends on Sunday! B=)

See all Remembrance fabrics here!

I'm such a Techie, NOT!

2010-11-16T16:27:00.007-05:00

"Tree Bird, a new kit coming soon to Pumpkin Patch Primitives"

So you know my computer is having a hissy fit and I have no intention on putting any more time, energy or resources ($$$) into it. I decided that I needed to go Mac and I did...almost three weeks ago, thankyouverymuch!

Well, while my new baby sits and waits for me to unpack and learn how to use it, life and business must go on. Today I had to post a pic of a kit I have on the cutting table that I will be listing later tonight and I had a Techie "moment". What if I put the little camera card in the little slot on the computer tower, like Sandy does? HMMM. Will it swallow my card? (OH stop it, you know you have that question too but are too chicken to stand up and say so!)...
Well, I'll have you know that it does not swallow the card, it pops up a window and OMG! Your pics are there. HAHAHA. How amazing is that?! Don't laugh at me! I'm trying to teach you something here!!!

OK, OK...so now that the pic is in the computer (and because the computer refuses to do any work on its own), I found a program online that crops, tags and resizes everything. so you can save the image exactly as you want it. TADAAAA. And it only takes 45 minutes to do one image, LOL!!!

OK, so it's not the fastest way, but I just had to show you... I'm so on my way to becoming a bonafide member of Best Buy's Geek Squad, NOT! HAHAHA.

I'm Alive but My Computer is Dying!

2010-11-15T21:35:00.003-05:00

I'm Alive! HOORAY!

That was the good news...the bad news is that although I have TONS to tell you, I am a graphic person and I need pictures to tell my stories. If I can't get my pictures up, I just lose my mojo and don't want to share. Yep, I'm like that. No pictures, no story.

And so, there you have it. I am a no show because my computer is sucking the big one and it refuses to let me do anything. I would tell you where and how I got this image but I refuse to incriminate myself so let's just say, "I found myself" online, LOL!

This is a brand new pattern I picked up at market and will soon have in stock...

Oh yes I did, I went to market... Don't even get me started. I had my sister taking pictures left and right and now they are zipped up tight in a folder I cannot access on my computer.

Anyway, I have sooo much to say, and no pictures so I'm leaving now before I have a meltdown.

I just wanted to let you know that I just bought a new computer and as soon as I get it up and

I finally have access to my pictures I have a BOATLOAD of stuff to share.

Oh, and my handsome Prince turned 15. Can you believe it? I can't believe I have survived the past 11 years, I think it's just God's mercy but there you have it... eleven years of Autism and I am still here. Moms with new DX's take note. If it doesn't kill you, it will make you stronger!

I have a story to share..but not without a pic.

OMG! I'm taking GP to Disney. Next week. I feel like I'm about to stand on a ledge and jump. Yep, it's another scary adventure and when my dear friend Michelle (Rocking Chair Stitches) asked me why I was taking him there if I was so terrified, I told her the God's honest truth, because he wants to go and I want to make him happy. So there you go. Send me your prayers 'cause you KNOW I'm going to need them. I have a great pic of GP on his BD. It's on Facebook because I can upload it directly from my phone.

I'll be back soon folks. Please know that I have not deserted you .

My computer is running on fumes, LOL! Big hugs, B=)

Stand Up and Be Counted!

2010-09-14T07:27:00.004-04:00

Today is election day folks and regardless of your political views, it's the day when you stand up to be counted. As a woman and mother I can tell you that there is much at stake. It was not that long ago that we as women didn't have a say in what went on in our country. When all you could do to contribute was to whisper in your husband's ear and hope that your voice was heard.

Now we have a voice and we have a say .

We stand up for ourselves and for our childen.

Stand up today and be counted, VOTE!

This has been a public service announcement sponsored by GP's Mom, =)

A Quick Update!

2010-09-09T03:12:00.013-04:00

I've been busy. Homechool is back in session, GP is up to his old tricks trying to weasel out of work and watching for the next holiday. I'm up before dawn and finding I need more time to play catch up. Oh, life is good. Busy hands are happy hands is what I say.

But it's not all work and no play around here. Last weekend I paired up with Ms Troublemaker herself, Lynn (Painting Thymes Needfuls), whom I just happened to meet in Blogland (and folks wonder why blogging is so much fun, duh! You meet people without leaving home, hello?!)

Anyway, we went on a Road trip out to the boonies, to a place called Country Mischief...and look what I found... (No, that handsome guy actually lives in my house. The cabinet, the cabinet's what I brought home!) Isn't it the bomb? GP was so happy with his new addition that he actually helped me carry it up to his room, without me having to resort to the "Mom is so old, she needs help" story. And now it's just waiting for a couple of toggles to make sure it doesn't pull the plaster right off the wall. It's wayyyy heavy.

Anyway, I have loads more to share but I'm running low on pictures. I really have to get better at taking pictures. I'll take pics of my new wood Fall decorations and post them soon.

Hope you're having fun too. The weekend is coming up and I'm heading to Rhode Island for another trip to Brown and Hopkins Country Store, OMG! Put that place on your destination list, and bring your spending $$$ because you're not likely to leave empty handed. I'm psyched!

Gotta run, but I'll be back soon! Have fun, B=)

Windows, Done!

2010-09-01T03:54:00.008-04:00

Although the outside of my house is still very much in distress, the inside is beginning to look a lot like home. These pics were taken yesterday during the day in the hopes you would a have better view of the finished project. The shades are down to keep the glare out of the pics. But you can see the new twelve over twelve grid, can't you? Aren't they cute?
No painting or staining on the schedule. Still much cleaning to do in the office and the kitchen where everything landed clearing the way for the office windows. OMG! It's so bad it looks like an episode of Hoarders, and NO, there shall be no picture sharing of the "Work in Progress" zones, LOL!
We are now ready for another semester of Homeschooling. The Homeschool Zone is now Open for Business!
Electricians coming in tomorrow to work on the bathroom and the studio... another great big mess. UGH. Home Improvement is not for the faint of heart! More pics as I clear the mess!

Mayhem, Total Mayhem!

2010-08-26T12:43:00.005-04:00

I want to blog, I really do. I also want to quilt, to sit and watch TV and I would love to go for a drive on this wonderful sunny day, but look at what's really going on in the Pumpkin Patch... It's mayhem, total mayhem. Day two of the New Windows Saga, now in progress... Day one brought water, mess and drama. Day two is off to a better start...if all goes well, I might have four new windows today and four more to go, LOL!

Eye Contact, Priceless!

2010-08-19T07:29:00.006-04:00

As you may or may not know, when GP was young and very much non verbal we thought he was deaf. We didn't know he was autistic, we just thought he couldn't hear because A. He didn't speak and B. He didn't look at us when we called him. Little did I know that was just one of the first signs that something was amiss... Well, GP could hear us just fine. He just didn't want to look at us because eye contact is just not something that autistic children are comfortable with.
To this day, I am constantly reminding GP to "Look at Mom"...

it goes something like this:

Mom, "Gene Paul did you find your belt?"

GP (looking around)"mumble,mumble..."

Mom" Gene Paul, did you find your belt? Eyes to Mom!"

GP, "Yes, I have it on!" (as if I can see it under his untucked shirt, duh!)

And so it goes, it's like a sentence that signifies, "Social interaction is required". It's as if he totally forgets to look at you when he speaks, even when HE initiates the conversation!

It's like "Yes, I was talking to you eventhough I was looking the other way and speaking softly...what? You didn' get that?" LOL!

While at the beach earlier this week I called him (Blackberry in hand, ready to snap his picture) and when I said "Gene Paul" He lifted his head and looked straight at me, and smiled . I think my heart skipped a beat. I can't believe I actually snapped the picture. He looked straight at me without a prompt. This is sooo rare, and I am so grateful for this small blessing.

Eye contact, it tells me that he hears me. It tells me that he sees me.

It tells me "I am here, Mom."

Eye contact, positively priceless!

Sloppy Joe, It's what for Lunch and Dinner!

2010-08-09T14:51:00.006-04:00

There is no such thing as Sloppy Joe for one so here's my recipe for Sloppy Joe. You can feed EIGHT, on one pound of beef, no kidding!

You'll need:

One pound ground beef, I use 95% lean but you can use whatever you like,

but please none of that chicken stuff, yuk!

Two Peppers, I use one green and one red. I've tried lots of pepper combinations, trust me, this one is the best.

One Vidalia Onion, nope yellow is not the same and the end result will prove it... trust me, I've been working on this recipe for years. hahaha

One tablespoon of ground mustard. You can use the liquid kind, but again...not quite as good (but then my favorite liquid one is French's so if you have a fancy one that might have more kick to it, go for it!)

THREE cups of ketchup, I know, I know...use organic if it makes you feel better but I heart Heinz!

Two packs of rolls or pita pockets

BIG, BIG pot...so your stove wont get all messy. =)

Procedure:

Brown the beef, mine has no drippings but if yours does, scoop them out...yuk!

Add everything, and I do mean everything...ketchup, mustard, onions, peppers, kitchen sink...oh wait, leave that out...

Cook:

As soon as you add everything in the pot, mix it all in till it's all pink from the Ketchup.

Lower the heat to LOW, and simmer for one hour (the longer the better...). If it starts to get too dry while cooking add a cup of water, it should look like stew or chunky spaghetti sauce.

It will thicken upon standing.

Let it sit for a while before serving (it'll be even better the next day and it will freeze beautifully!)

Serve: on buns, or in pita pockets for less WW points. =)

Enjoy... it's what's for dinner at my house, and as you can see...it's what we had for lunch!

Hooray, It's National Underwear Day!

2010-08-05T06:38:00.009-04:00

I am sooo not kidding. I can't possibly make this stuff up. A company called, wait for it... FRESH PAIR (No, I am NOT kidding, the company IS named Fresh Pair and NO, GP is not the president) started celebrating NUD eight years ago.

Isn't that a timely celebration?

Dollars to doughnuts GP will ask for the day off, LOL! (If you are a new reader you should know that my son is Irish, Jewish, and Christian, depending on what holiday needs to be obseved... if there was a National Chicken Day on the calendar he would be a chicken and want the day off from Homeschool!)

I wonder if they're having a sale on White Fresh Underwear...HMMMM.

Better go check that out now, JIC! HAHAHA!

A Brief Note on Laundry....

2010-08-03T16:44:00.012-04:00

GP is getting way too picky... so he tells me, "I need fresh underwear". I tell him, "There are fresh undies in your drawer". He says, "we're all out!" I say, "NO you're not. I put them there just yesterday. I'll get them." Up I go and sure enough he has half a dozen "fresh underwear" (GP need not wait to have dirty underwear, he likes "fresh underwear", about three times a DAY! Thankyouverymuch!) So anyway, I come down and hand him a pair of "fresh" underwear, and he says, "NO. I need fresh underwear." And he is starting to get distressed.

I say "GP these are FRESH, I just washed them ." And he says, "I Need WHITE fresh underwear!"

OMG! I could not help but laugh and...I asked him, "BUT what's wrong with these? He says, "Those are PINK; those are GIRL'S underwear!" HAHAHAHA. I cannot believe my son, who can wear plaid over plaid, red shirts with green pants (just a string of lights short of a Christmas Tree), is now getting picky about the color of his underwear.

WHAT? So I washed a red placemat with the undies...there are ALWAYS undies in there! How the heck was I supposed to know it would turn his undies pink?
I would tell him about all the undie-less children who would kill for a pair of FRESH PINK undies but somehow I don't think it will help my case so off to the basement I go to fish out the White fresh underwear... somedays, I just can't win. Sigh~!

Scarecrow Jack in the Pumpkin Patch

2010-08-01T21:21:00.006-04:00

A funny thing happened to Scarecrow Jack this weekend. He moved out of the Pumpkin Patch and into a Wool Crazy Pincushion. It was just one of those things. He was all cut and ready to go onto his mat and then Sandi's wool crazy base came in with a Fall theme and no matter what I tried, nothing fit quite as perfectly as Jack so.... TADA! One of my four Jacks has left the patch, and boy does he look cute n his new pad! HAHAHA~! Guess I'll just have to cut out another one , and hope no other Fall projects come along needing a handsome scarecrow. =)

If you haven't picked up a scarecrow jack kit yet, you better hurry. They are back in stock but going fast (eeks, there are only two left!)...You can order it here:

http://www.pumpkinpatchprimitives.com/catalog.php?item=1155

With A Little Paint

2010-07-28T12:13:00.013-04:00

You can fix anything! This is the back of the pot... (well you didn't expect me to put that great big chip in the front , did you? LOL!) Oh dear, but there was a chip on the other side...so I "fixed" that with another little saltbox.

And in true trash to treasure style I put the unscathed part forward and added my favorite, the barn...in the apple orchard. Note the cows, the chickens and the cute little weathervane...

If farms were not so much work I would live on one. HAHAHA.

And my little chipped pot sits happily in the Pumpkin Patch holding patterns.

Can you spot it in the picture? I bet you can't see the chips! =)Hope you day is filled with wonder. Give those old chipped pots a chance...

with a little paint.

Repurposing

2010-07-27T09:01:00.007-04:00

What would you do with a wonderful clay pot that bit the dirt??? Would you say, "Oh well" and turn it to the other side? Would you pretend you can't see the chip? Please don't tell me you would toss that baby. At the very least you could pull out your kids' stamps and stamp on some stars... right?

As soon as you tell me what else you would do to your broken pot I'll show you what I did with mine. And if you don't tell me, I wont tell you...'cause I'm like that; I'm into blogger participation, LOL!

No Chick Flicks for GP!

2010-07-25T09:03:00.003-04:00

As you may or may not know, GP goes to the movies every Saturday and every Sunday. Rain or shine, snow or Northeaster, it matters not. The only thing that matters is that the movies be rated G (as in Gene Paul), PG (as in Parent and GenePaul) or PG-13 (Parent and Gene Paul when he is 13 or older, which he now is). He is NOT under any circumstances allowed to watch rated R (as in Rudeness) or rated NC-17 (as in NO Chance GP is ever watching that before he is 17!).

Sometimes finding new movies can be a challenge when you go to the movies as often as he does. Some months it seems like every new release is rated R or rated G (I mean really, how many times can a 14 year old watch Toy Story 3? C'mon!). So needless to say, he ends up watching the same movies over and over in any given month. This week was one of those "not great at the Box Office" weeks. He's seen them all...except Ramona and Beezuz.

This morning he is already up and as we are having breakfast I ask him if he is going to watch R&B (He watched Salt on Friday night and Inception yesterday, again!) , to which he replied ,

"No, that's a girl movie!" OMG! I can't believe he said that!

I think Gino has some explaining to do! LOL!

Use Your Imagination, OK?

2010-07-24T21:58:00.014-04:00

Just imagine it's not on its side, LOL!

two pincushions down, one to go! =)
Remember, there's a full album of images (not on their side, thankyouverymuch!) w/ captions on my FB page. You don't need to be a FB member to see the pics so follow the link after you take the Motrin for the creak in the neck, LOL!

Wool Crazy Round Robin #2 Pictures, here!

If you click on the images you can see them larger too! Enjoy!

Update: T emailed me instructions and I did it! I fixed the picture! Woo-HOO!

Thanks T, You're the best!!!

Oh, C'mon!

2010-07-24T09:29:00.004-04:00

I've tried to upload this darn image three times this week and when it pops up sideways I say a few words in Spanish which cannot be translated because this is a family friendly blog and just abandon the post. Seeing how it seems that I am never going to be able to share my cutie pie with you here, I'll leave you a link so you can see what it looks like when it's not flopped over. ARGH!
See it and read all about it HERE! I wish I knew how to store my images somewhere. When my sister comes in the Fall I'll ask her to teach me. I don't want to leave Blogger. I'm bummed that this image thing is ruining my blogging experience. Who the heck wants to read a crafting blog w/o pictures? Hello? Ok, no more whining...anyone have some cheese? LOL!

It's All About Wool Around Here!

2010-07-20T20:47:00.008-04:00

If you live in the United States you've probably been roasting like a chicken these past few weeks. NH has not been the exception to this horrid weather. It's hot, it's muggy and the Puertorricans are melting (yeah, I'm one of them, LOL!).

If you don't get that reference it's from one of my favorite movies...Fools Rush In.

Anyway, you KNOW I'm staying cool and dry inside my little Love Shack. The AC is blasting, the kiddo is happy. I gotta tell you, unless we have a power outage, we're pretty much all set here. That said, I'm playing with wool. I know, your hands might melt if you try to work outside with wool right about now but if you stay inside, it's just fine.

I'm working on a New Wool Crazy Round Robin. This is a brand new group of friends and we're all having a great ol' time. Our project is a pincushion and I just received my second one last week. This one belongs to Sharon Yeager (Yeah, she's the nutty one from Red Geranium Cottage...LOL!). Her theme (we all have themes. You have to stick to the "theme" when you work on someone else's project) is Summer and although I'm not ready to show all I've done, here's a little peek so you can see that I have not been slacking!

Are you lovin' the flower? You better be! Sharon put that one there and she'd be mighty upset if it didn't get rave reviews, LOL! I just added the teenie weeny little bee. hahaha. The leaves were added by Anna Romaine Fogg (I'll have all the links soon so do check back for them. Anna makes gorgeous stuff), who is also in the Round Robin.

I made this cute little butterfly (it's really quite small but I wanted you to check out my super spiffy stem stitch) I hope you're ooohhhh-ing and aahhh-ing. It's OK to gasp a little at my fancy work too, y'know? Now you might as well go on a break because that's the only fancy stitch I know and you've already seen it, LOL!
I'll see you back here in a couple of days, for the great reveal.
I'm off to YouTube to see if I can find a tutorial for another fancy stitch. I can't believe I threw down my best card first! I could never play poker...

Summer Mini Quilt, Done!

2010-07-16T15:59:00.008-04:00

I finished a little Summer quilt this week. It was a week of starts and stops, and many challenges (Life just seems to get in the way of my craftiness, what can I say?) but I did it, I have a finish for July...woo-HOO!

This is a super fast, easy peasy quilt. The applique is all flannel (my personal favorite) and the star is wool. The button is hand dyed so it's a "mystery shade" of wheat. I wish we had show and tell and you could all see it up close. It's sooo darn cute, really. The pic is well, as good as the camera could give us given the photographer, if you know what I mean...

Hope your week has a great finish too. It's the weekend so if you haven't started something, get to it! Chop-chop! =)

Kits are available for Summer, you can find them HERE!

It's Thursday?

2010-07-15T06:34:00.008-04:00

I lost a day, don't laugh at me. I lost a day of my life!

Has that ever happened to you? I actually made GP pull out my cellphone and show me that it was Wednesday yesterday when he casually informed me that we were going to Hampton Beach "Tomorrow". I said, "No, we're going to Hampton Beach on Thursday. You have to check the schedule so you can see, it's on the schedule for Thursday." To which he replied, "Tomorrow IS Thursday!" and I, in typical Mom fashion said, "Show Me."

Needless to say, I spent the next thirty minutes mumbling,

"OMG, I lost a day...I can't believe I lost a day." How is that possible? One day it's Monday and the next day it's Wednesday. And what the heck? UGH...

I want a do over of this week, so I can reclaim it!

I need more time to get ready to take that child to the beach; I'm not emotionally prepared! I woke started at 3AM this morning thinking, "Oh No, it's Thursday... it's Hampton Beach day!" I might have a nervous breakdown before he gets out of bed.

Please say a little prayer for me, I need all the help I can get!

Country Pumpkins Needlecase, Done!

2010-07-11T19:16:00.008-04:00

I had a very productive weekend, I made a needle case.
I just received this wonderful applique pattern and as son as I saw it thought it would be just perfect for a weekend project. Then I thought, well what the heck would I make with it and after talking with Kaaren and seeing a gorgeous needle case she designed, I thought I could make a "beginner" needle case. One without any complications. And so it went, I made a needle case. And if you think mine looks anything like hers, well I'd say, "You better lay off the vino." =)
Yeah, my needle case wants to grow up to be like hers but it's gonna take some time, hahaha.
Anyway, I KNOW the applique is gorgeous because Pam Minch has pumpkins down to a science, and I've never seen one of her pumpkin patterns that I didn't like, and this one is no exception. Isn't it awesome? Love, love,Love it!
Oh but for my show and tell I did encounter some technical difficulties, so if you're feeling dizzy you best skip the next picture.
*********************
Would you be so kind as to pretend this image is not flipped on its side, and just try to see the "beauty" of my needle case? LOL! This is the inside of the case the pocket is actually on the left, not at the top of the case. I wanted to make it large enough to hold an extra rotary cutter blade in the little plastic case. It fits perfectly and there's a snap to make sure once it's in there, it's not going to fall out. Unless you flip it as picture here. See? Blogger wanted me to show you how NOT to hold the needle case!

In the middle I used a piece of hand dyed wool to match the cute Buggy barn fabrics I used . Oh, all the applique is flannel. I just love working with flannel. ahhh...it's so soft and yummy...
Now looking at the back of the case we have two cool little pockets where you can stuff extra needles, an embroidery scissor or even extra skeins of thread. I "test drove" all these options, mind you... or you can just leave them empty... whatever works...

That's it for my weekend crafting. Did you get anything done? Hope you did, and if not, I hope you had fun just goofing off! I'm all for goofing off... =)

New Rides for GP!

2010-07-06T00:46:00.005-04:00

It's that time of year when we make our monthly pilgrimage to Canobie Lake Park. I've seen GP go from staring at the rides, to riding the kiddie rides, to now riding the young adult rides. It's amazing how much he has grown and how this wonderful park just seems to stand still in time (Of course there are new rides, but they do creep in gradually, almost as to not disturb the ones that have been there forever).

This year GP has been to the park four times so far, April (twice), May and June. Each month he has tried a new ride and it has been the most exciting Summer yet...(or so I thought). On our last trip he walked by the The Giant Sky Wheel and said, "Let's give it a try!". My thought was "Let's is a lot of people... more than ONE! Oh NO! He wants ME to ride on THAT???!!!"

I want to make it perfectly clear that I am all for GP trying new things. I am his biggest fan, I am his cheerleader, I am his "team", but I am not, and will never be, a good riding partner.

I really wanted him to take a chance, to step out of his comfort zone...but not with ME! LOL!
But I did get on the ride and as soon as that thing started to climb I started to pray, silently at first, then a little louder and then when we hit the top, I almost had a stroke and started to yell, "Get me off this death rap, LET ME OUT!" OMG! I was terrified. But what was really interesting was that GP looked at me and in the calmest voice asked, "You're afraid of heights?" Maybe it was the mumble of my prayers or the colorless cheeks, maybe it was the tears welling up in my eyes as I stared death in the face but the point is, he saw that I was going to die of terror on this ride...so he said, "It's not too scary." HMMM. For some reason, this turned my panic button off an by the fifth time we were up in the clouds I was able to breathe. Mind you, by then, this is what GP was doing...reading the map and seeing where he wanted to go next; and here I was risking life and limb for him! LOL!

I hope he doesn't want me to go on the coaster next. He might have to take a cab home after that one, LOL!

Update: Note that there is no wire around the basket... the Giant Ferris Wheel at Disney has a cage that keeps you nice and safe inside. I heart Disney!

ARGHHH!

2010-07-05T15:29:00.010-04:00

It's hard to post when every time I try to post something goes amuck.

Blogger is flipping my images. What is Up with THAT!? I am sooo frustrated!

I'm off to post them on FACEBOOK...

I'm so done, stick a fork in me, I'm done!
ARGH!!!

I'm A Blogger Of Note

2010-06-21T03:43:00.011-04:00

Or so say Sandy and Pam of Words of Wisdom, a wonderful blog featuring bloggers of all walks of life, doing all kinds of great things. Every week you'll meet a new blogger, and surprise,

Today it's ME! Hooray!

OK, so if you have no idea who I am and you landed here from WOW, Welcome!
I'm so glad you found me and have come to spend a little time with me.
The idea is to share three posts that you think will give the reader a glimpse into your world.
I have chosen three posts that my followers might have read some time ago but I thought a new reader would find interesting.
Your Child on GPS, Priceless!
Happy New Year!
Charity, It's Simple!
and if you're looking for some funny GP stories you won't want to miss these, LOL!
It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Xmas
The Tale of the Easter Bunny
Cello at Homeschool
Thanks so much for stopping by!
I truly do hope you will come back and spend some time with me in the Pumpkin Patch!

Vermont Quilt Festival is Next Weekend

2010-06-17T08:09:00.006-04:00

Love,Love, LOVE this show. Well, kind of. After attending this show I always want to give up quilting. It's disheartening to see those amazing quilts and KNOW that you quilts will never be THAT good. I walk away shaking my head and just thinking, "why bother?"

But I go back time and time again, and I come home and teach myself something new. I may never be that good but I sure am better than four years ago...so there! Do you know that I have been "quilting" (yeah, I don't fool myself, I know I "quilt" with the parenthesis, LOL!) for only four years? Oh, but I have had a passion for quilting for much longer than that... I was a Fabric Collector, and my sister's cheerleader, she was the only quilter I knew and the one who invited me the Vermont Quilt Festival for the very first time. I will forever be thankful for that because nothing will change a beginner's perspective on quilting faster than a look at how The Big Girls do it!

So, if you have run out of mojo and forgotten why you loved the craft...get in your car and head on over. It is sooo worth the drive! I will not be vending, but I will be there, getting my groove back! I can't wait!

For more information visit ther website:

http://vqf.org/

One More Wool Crazy Pincushion!

2010-06-15T16:56:00.005-04:00

Well it was a busy weekend here at the Pumpkin Patch but I did manage to squeeze in some fun and look what I completed. It's Pat Sloan's Wool Crazy Round Robin Pincushion. Isn't it adorable? I added the ladybugs and the bonnet along with the handmade polymer clay button by Just Another Button Company. I love it! Ok, so JoAnn Mullaly added the heart with the gorgeous butterfly, and Roseann Kermes added the beautiful flowers with the fancy "wool" hand tag (that thing makes me smile every time I see it. It's sooo tiny. I keep forgetting to ask her where she purchased it because I sure want some to add to my wool cafties.).

Now this baby is heading HOME! Yes, it's off to pat Sloan's place for a major makeover. It will go from mat to pincushion and remember, she has yet to add her own applique to the pincushion so here is much to see in the final reveal. I can't wait!

To see more pics of the pincushions check out my Wool Crazy Album on Facebook. You can "like" me anytime! Hee-Hee!

I have one more project for this week but seeing how it's Tuesday already, I'm not feeling too confident that I'm going to be able to put it in the "done" category... HMMM. We'll see...

Thanks for stopping by. Hope your having fun too.

Come back and see me soon! B=)

I'm Wool Crazy, yet again!

2010-06-05T18:51:00.005-04:00

You thought I had died; huh? Well, I'll have you know that I am very much alive. I was just on a blogging sabbatical of sorts. Life was just getting a little crazy here and something had to give so I've been Facebooking while I work and chat and work some more...". Have you "like"-ed me on FB? There's a little link on the sidebar, so you're very welcome to join in the chatter, just "like" me and you'll get all the updates!

On the crafty front I'll have you all know that the second and third Wool Crazy RR Pincushions have arrived. I didn't do a good job of documenting my progress but I did manage to take a picture of pincushion #2.

This is JoAnn Mullaly's pincushion, yes, THAT JoAnn Mullaly, the one who wrote the Wool Crazy Book we all love. Before she sent it on its journey across the states she added those wonderful acorns on the left there with the gorgeous oak leaves. Then, Roseanne Kermes added the other acorn and the gorgeous crow. I so wish you could all see it up close. Her work is just amazing. did you notice that cute "wool" embellishment?You can click on the image to enlarge it for a better view. It's the cutest darn thing! I added the pumpkin stack and the sunflower. I did a little stitching on the top there too. Nothing quite as fancy as JAM, but heck, she wrote the book; I'm just a newbie, hello?! LOL!

I have Pat Sloan's pincushion sitting on my table... hmmm... man, I can't believe I have to add something to that one. It's already been to JAM and Roseanne. Wait till you get a glimpse of that one. It's BRIGHT! I'm like a fish out of water! My brain only thinks in earth tones, argh! Stay tuned... Oh, and don't forget to "like" me on Facebook, so you wont miss me!

Horn of Plenty, Done!

2010-05-22T21:53:00.005-04:00

I did it, I finished my penny rug!

I spent the morning finishing those darn tongues...man, talk about labor intensive! Then I had to make sure that when I stitched the backing on to the penny rug I didn't catch any of the tongues. If I had to rip out the stitches I would damage my hours upon hours of work, and that would bite. So how do I make sure the tongues don't shift? I pin them!!! You might think this is Pin Overkill but after all those hours of stitching I was NOT taking any chances... After flipping it over I then proceeded to blanket stitch around the center and after a quick steaming.... I present, Horn of Plenty, TADA!!!!
I could have spent another thirty minutes pulling and tugging until it laid absolutely perfect but life is too short to get hung up on those things so I just gave it the "once over" and I am all done! Woo-Hoo!
Hope your day was filled with great stitches and a wonderful finish before bedtime... now onto the next project! Hooray!

Horn Of Plenty, In Progress

2010-05-21T16:38:00.005-04:00

I've been working on a wonderful new wool penny rug from one of the latest designers to be showcased at the Pumpkin Patch, Jan Speed. This is her pattern, Horn of Plenty as I have converted it from wool felt to all hand dyed woolens. The applique is all done but the tongues are still in progress. When all is said and done it will look like this: My pic was taken outdoors so it looks brighter than it really is. The daylight makes the other colors "bounce", but it really is not bright at all. I wanted to make sure you'd see the textures on the woolens. I love the way the applique turned out. I hope to be finished with the tongues tomorrow; stay tuned for the great reveal!
Hope you've been working on something fun too...

Wool Crazy Pincushion Update

2010-05-15T18:27:00.010-04:00

Today was Round Robin Reveal Day. Take a look at what Pat added to my pincushion. Isn't it sweet??? I just love it!You've already seen mine because I couldn't keep a secret if my life depended on it, LOL! You can see mine HERE.

And go check out the others too:

Pat Sloan (Ok, so I ruined her surprise but she has a fun post , so go and check it out), JoAnn Mullaly (don't forget she wrote the book Wool Crazy, she knows what she's doin'!) and Roseann Kermes (who just happened to come up with the cacamamey idea and still hasn't posted her picture...ahem! I'm just sayin'!), check back for hers...or should I start send her hints on Facebook ? I'm so bad! LOL!

Did you "Like" me on Facebook??? Well, I have a little button on the sidebar! Hello? I'm so fancy now I even have a Facebook page, so don't forget to "Like" me, now that there are no "Fans" just "likers", LOL!

Back to "work" for me. I want to have something to show tomorrow but I have to finish cutting some kits before the fun begins. You're going to love my new project so come back soon! B=)

Update: Candy Corn Forrest pic posted on Facebook...

My House Has a Red Roof!

2010-05-14T14:53:00.005-04:00

Look what I saw this afternoon when I went to check the progress on our roofing job

I'm so excited... lots to go but at least it's not a sea of Tyvek! LOL!
It's the little things that make me happy! =)

Settler's Pride BOM Block 1, Done!

2010-05-14T00:00:00.004-04:00

You thought I was goofing off, didn't ya? Well, I'll have you know that it's almost time to send out the next block of Settler's Pride so I was a woman on a mission. I needed to catch up, or almost catch up, with the Settler's Pride BOM ladies. I am now officially only one month behind schedule.

Take a look at what I did yesterday... I completed Block#1, TADA!!!! One down, only eight to go! Woo-HOO!

Happy Mother's Day To Me!

2010-05-13T20:20:00.008-04:00

The wait is over and today was my lucky day! I received the email informing me that the iPad I had ordered was in. I was sooo excited I rushed right over and there there it was...just waiting for me! ARGH!

And it almost got here in time for MD...hahahaha! This was my Mother's Day gift... my very own 64GB wi-fi+3G iPad,

woo-HOO!

OK, so I don't know how to do anything other than check my email on it and I did need to ask the salesperson to show me how the heck to do that, but I trust that I am capable of learning... I hope.

Oh, I know GP isn't a Mom, but he wanted one too so I gifted myself peace and quiet by buying him one too, LOL!

I just noticed his has lots of little squares on the "home" page...

wonder how he did that! ? HMMMM...

Seeing Roosters, Now In Progress!

2010-05-11T09:24:00.009-04:00

Have you ever set aside a pattern to make "someday", and one day you just find it again and decide "someday" has arrived? Well, that's exactly what happened to me this weekend. I found this awesome pattern that I had stashed away to make "someday" and thought it was the perfect one for a rainy and *ugh* soooo dreary weekend... and I was off! Hours of tracing and cutting later, this is what I have to show for my efforts:

TADAAAAA! Seeing Roosters, is now in progress! I still have SIX more roosters to cut out but I have six ready to sew, and I feel like a rock star!

woo-HOO! I'm halfway done...

Each rooster is unique and goes on a different colored background. These are on the same background because I wanted to show you the actual roosters but they will each be on a different color when they are stitched down. I am using all hand dyed woolens for the roosters and the background. I'm still deciding whether or not to machine applique them....
But I will mull that over as I cut out the last six...
Stay tuned; more Rooster news to come!

Wool Crazy Pincushion, done!

2010-05-06T18:52:00.002-04:00

After careful deliberation I decided that my contribution to Roseanne's pincushion would be Summer themed...which blended nicely with her Bee Skep. So, this is what I added: I used one of her crazy blocks and made a watermelon and then I added a flag (4th of July?) and some extra bees to fill in the spaces. I decided to stop because I have to leave space for everyone else to add their part. I did add a hand dyed button by Hillcreek designs. If she hates it it can be removed and awoolen star can be added...I like it so I will send it, as is.

Whew! One down, three to go! Wo-HOO!

It's A Wool Crazy Week!

2010-05-05T23:31:00.006-04:00

I've made some progress on my Wool Crazy Pincushion. I added a few flowers and even decided that my first flower was looking a bit too "dowdy", so I put my seam ripper to good use and removed it. My new one will be added shortly. Here's what I have so far: And as I was working on my new flower.... look what arrived:
This is Roseanne Kermes Round Robin pincushion.
I am its first stop, woo-hoo! Now isn't that bee skep the bomb? Amazing!
I will be adding a little something to it but I will have to sleep on it before I decide...stay tuned... it's definitely a Wool Crazy week at the Pumpkin Patch!

On Being Alone in a Crowd

2010-05-04T00:53:00.009-04:00

My vehicle's state inspection was due in April, and yet again, I had not had it inspected. Today I HAD to have it done, lest I be stopped and end up in some serious trouble (not sure what happens if you're caught without the inspection...they make you walk home, after they give you a hefty fine???)

Anyway, the problem was that it was HOT, muggy and just a bad day for GP so he did not want to go get out of the car once we arrived at the inspection site. He was already upset because it was too sunny so he had used the beach blanket to cover himself in the car and the only way I could get him out of the car was to tell him he could stay in his"tent"...

This is GP in the garage's waiting room.

A Mom's gotta do, what a Mom's gotta do!

(I took the pic with my cellphone; there was no one left in the waiting room and I don't think he even noticed.)

He sat there for twenty minutes and didn't make a sound.

Sometimes he just needs to be alone. =)

Wool Crazy Fun

2010-05-03T13:20:00.003-04:00

The more I looked at my little pincushion reject, the more I thought it was just in need of some lovin' to make it shine. Needless to say, it didn't take long for me to pull out my scrap bag and start having some wool crazy fun. Three hours later, this is what I had:

TADA!

Hope you had some fun yesterday too. =)

What the Heck is a Round Robin?

2010-05-01T19:21:00.007-04:00

A robin who needs to join Weight Watchers?!

No, you silly goose!

A round robin is a sort of group project where each person makes something and ships it off to other "players" who add to it. When your project has made all the "rounds", it comes back to you so you can finish and enjoy it. Simple, eh? =) Yeah, right! I didn't know what it was either so don't even play it!

I was recently invited to join in a Round Robin project by some very talented ladies and I thought I'd share my adventure with you ...

what the heck, LOL!

The first thing I had to do was make something to ship out, a base/background. Since it's a Wool Crazy Round Robin (did I neglect to mention that? DUH! Ok, so it's a WC Pincushion RR) and it's supposed to turn into a pincushion in the end I thought I'd make it round, so here you go...this is what I came up with...But then I thought the spaces might be too small so I made a little witch's boot to get the craziness started and OOPS! It didn't fit! Crap! So, I made another one. This one I kept as a square which later I will fold over and make into a rectangle/cylinder and will have all sides covered in wonderful applique pieces.... here's how it turned out.

Are you lovin' the boot???? I have teenie weenie buttons to add to it but I thought I'd add the embellishments when it comes back. I will also add the embroidery stitches when it returns. For the initial send off we just needed to have the background pieced so I'm sending it off as it is... All machine pieces and machine appliqued.

The others will be done by hand but this one is for me and I'm perfectly happy with my machine stitched boot... I'm saving my handwork to impress the other ladies, LOL!

You can see the other pincushions before they leave home, they have pics and tutorials... I'd post a tutorial but you know what they say about the blind leading the blind, LOL!!!!

Now go check out how the experts do it.

Pat Sloan, JoAnn Mullaly, Roseann Kermes

April was National Autism Awareness Month!

2010-05-01T00:05:00.003-04:00

And I just wanted you to know what Autism looks like to me.

I would write about it but I just can't...

Thank God it's over!

Settler's Pride BOM, Still in Progress!

2010-04-28T15:57:00.005-04:00

I've made some progress, I have.

I've completed the three levels of grass, the cabin, the logs, the door, the flower's stem, and now I'm working on the fence. See??? Told Ya!

I think I'm lovin' this block. Well, now that I'm at least half way done I'm warming up to it, LOL!

I feel like the little engine that could, "I know I can, I know I can..."

Maybe I'll hav it done by the end of the week; who knows?

Stay tuned!

That Little Place We Call Home

2010-04-25T19:21:00.001-04:00

I was reading somewhere about decorating with small quilts, and only then did it occur to me that I seldom share pics of my home. There's nothing particularly impressive about the tiny little house that we call Home and maybe that's why I never think that anyone would really care to see it, but because I LOVE seeing other people's homes (is that wrong of me???Does that make me nosey? Oh dear, I think it does...LOL!), and because I am asked quite frequently, "But what do you do with all those little quilts?", I thought I'd start a series that due to the size of my home, will last about 1.2 posts, hahaha! (OK, maybe three posts...) I'll call it the Home Show!
This is a pic of one of the walls in the living room, this pic was taken 04/25/2010, and yes, those are Fall quilts, and a bunny quilt living in perfect harmony in my home.
I love Fall! ... and I love Bunnies too. So there you have it... your first glimpse into that little place we call home. B=)

Settler's Pride BOM, Slow and Steady

2010-04-25T15:36:00.006-04:00

I may not be fast but I sure am steady, hahahaha.....Here's what I have :
cabin, check
logs, check
door, check
1st grass, almost, LOL!
I had to put the fence in before I stitched the grass on so I fused it...
ah, c'mon! I was getting pretty tired of basting, cut me some slack, LOL!
I started basting the roof and it turned out that it was wonky.
Good thing it was just basting, eh?
OK, so that's it for now. I'm going to try and get some more crafting in before the guys get back from the movies...I wanted to go to the movies too, but I was "just not invited" as my Prince likes to point out. "Only Dad and Gene are invited", he says.
I'm not complaining, I'm just sayin'... might have been nice to see JLo's new chick flick, before it came out on DVD! The story of my life....

Settler's Pride BOM, Block 1

2010-04-22T06:14:00.007-04:00

Now in progress~!I did it! I cut out all the pieces for my first block! I'm so excited!!!!
I wanted my quilt to look as close to the original one as possible so I made sure to order all the woolens from the designer's source. I'm so glad I did. They are amazing.
I spent the weekend cutting the kits and with the exception of this month's newbies they have all gone out. Since I am still waiting on the woolens for those, I thought I'd start my sample and now I can't wait to get started stitching it all down.
BTW... I really don't "get" the freezer paper... it peels off the wool when I cut it.
What's up with that? Maybe I'm a little too aggressive with the steam???
I decided to forgo my usual friend Mr. Fusible Web... and now my thought is WHY????
Too late now, LOL! Stay tuned for an update. =)
It's not too late to start your own Settler's Pride wool quilt.
You can join the Settler's pride BOM monthly mailing program HERE!
The woolens are yummy. They come labeled and ready for you to start right away!
Fun, Fun, Fun!

A Springtime Gift

2010-04-20T07:53:00.010-04:00

A Funny thing happened on the way to work today....
I was on my way to turn on the iPod and saw the sun was rising. I get the creepiest feeling when I see the daylight. I feel rushed, like, "OMG! It's dawn already!" and then I try to ignore the fact, and get on with my work before it's time to shut down for homeschool.
Well, this morning I was cutting wool and all of a sudden I realized I was working in silence. I knew I was missing something (Yeah, besides that second Red Bull...which totally explains why it was soooo quiet), it was my "story"... audiobooks, gotta love those! So, I go turn it on and I find myself staring out the window (I really did need that second RB!) and WHAM! All of a sudden it hits me, there's a flower on my tree!
I look closer, OMG! It really is a flower....
I rush to get my camera and the battery is dead; so I wait. Once the green light is on (about an hour later, duh!); I can finally document it, LOOK!

This is a true gift. I can't remember the last time I saw this tree bloom, and if you have never planted a twig and hoped for a tree..well, you just wouldn't understand!

And THEN, I decided to look around and there were more gifts in the flowerbed. Tulips, and Grape Hyacinths, and Lamb's Ears... and then I had to come inside and show you... Oh, I think it's going to be a good day at the Pumpkin Patch... even if we have to work, and study hard for the rest of the day, LOL!

I hope your day is filled with Springtime gifts too!B=)

We Have A WINNER!

2010-04-19T02:13:00.006-04:00

Thank you to all who entered my Spring Giveaway. I decided that I'd give the Random generator a try and see how I liked it. So without further delays I give you....drum roll please,

The Winner!!!! TADA!!! No, I don't know who #9 is but I'll go check.

Be right back...don't go anywhere... OK, I'm back. The winner is

Michelle Harter of Rocking Chair Stitches!

Woo-HOO!

Congratulations Michelle. Email me your mailing address and I'll get these right out! Thanks to all who joined in the fun!B=)

It's a Spring Giveaway!

2010-04-15T06:55:00.013-04:00

I have chickies chirping at the windows in the mornings and daffodils blooming in my garden (those are from my garden, thankyouverymuch),

so I know it must be Spring; finally!
To celebrate this most expected blessing I am having a Giveaway, HOORAY!
I'll be giving away a Chick-a-dee, Chick-a-doo fat quarter bundle by Robert Kauffman. These fabrics are adorable. The bundle has nine fat quarters and they could be yours.
To enter you just need to leave a comment and make sure you have a return email associated with your username. If you have a no-reply as your email setting, just add it to your entry by adding it to your comment, that's ok too. Entries with no email will be removed. Giveaway open to US residents only, sorry .
I will draw a winner on Sunday!

Happy Spring!

Retail Therapy is a Good Thing!

2010-04-13T14:07:00.007-04:00

Ever have one of those weekends where you're totally psyched and then you get blindsided and WHAM! It's all over? Well I had one of those. Saturday was a bust and after a restless night and too few hours of sleep I was about to call Sunday a bust too.

I had made plans with Lynn for a full day of fun; brunch, shopping, chatting. The whole kit and caboodle! And then I woke up and my body groaned. UGHHHHH. LOL! Yep, I was a mess. After some serious "talking to" my brain worked its magic and I was in the game again.

A late start at 10:30, and a precarious drive (I'm sooo bad with directions I get lost in an elevator going Up!), I landed at her doorstep a little after noon. Woo-HOO!A little tour, and we were off to RI for some lunch and shopping. What fun time we had. I wont bore you with the details but here's Lynn with some of the loot, in front of her house. Excuse me, we were stimulating the local economy, hee-hee. I have to add in closing that we got kicked out of the last shoppe we went to... yep, again! We are so bad. We get together and close things down. Last time we closed down the mall, this time we closed down the shoppes in the village. Just goes to show that time flies when you're having fun!

Thanks Lynn for such a fun day, I really needed that! B=)

Your Child on GPS, Priceless!

2010-04-08T02:06:00.008-04:00

When GP was four years old, he walked out the door and disappeared. Literally! He was found by the police; he was identified by my description of what he was wearing, about a quarter of a mile from our home. He was nonverbal, he is autistic, he was easy prey and it was one of the worse days of my life. He had crossed two busy streets and was walking to Wendy's. He was hungry.

Hey, the child is autistic, not stupid! LOL!
After this dreadful day we lived in a dead bolted house, at all times. If there was a fire we would have had to break a window to flee our own home. It was a time of fear. Fear inside the home and fear outside of the home. I slept on the couch and Gino slept with GP; if he wandered at night I would "catch" him at the bottom of the stairs before he got into anything. We had the house covered but the "outside world" was still impossible. I looked into child tracking devises but they were impossibly expensive and just did not seem like the right fit for our needs. Anyway, time has brought us many advances and one of them is the cellphone.
Oh yes, GP has a cellphone. He actually has two, don't ask. I don't know why he has two. It's just one of those things that is... I guess he wants to be "really" sure he doesn't miss any calls. (Oh wait, the Puppy Spa is on his speed dial but grandma isn't. Please don't tell my Mom.)
Anyway, what I wanted to share was that today I found out that Blackberry has a GPS APP, and it's FREE!

OMG! I'm doing the happy dance, HOORAY! If his ringer is off I can still find him. This is probably not what this app was designed for, but I tell you...my Prince on GPS, Priceless!

Or $89/month before taxes,

depending on how you look at it. LOL!

Footnote:

It just occurred to me that you wouldn't get the Wendy's reference so here's a footnote. When GP was about three and a half he stopped eating "regular" food. It was a sensory thing. It was a long time ago so I choose to forget the worst of it but suffice it to say that for a few years all he ate was chicken nuggets from Wendy's. But this too did pass. Thank God! So when he was hungry he signed (ASL) eat and we would get in the car and drive to Wendy's... he knew the way, and he knew that's where they had the food he ate. He was hungry, I was busy, he decided to go without me. Smart Kid! It would have been nice if he had told me before he took off without me. Huh? When I was reunited with him I was sobbing and asking him "Gene Paul, where were you going? Why did you leave Mom?" and he smiled at me and signed "Eat!" That's the only time I have ever been in a cruiser. I could not walk and had to be driven home.

I would have killed for a GPS that day!

I Heart Taylor Swift's Love Story!

2010-04-07T02:14:00.011-04:00

OK, so I found this track on Playlist and I am hooked.

Taylor Swift's Love Story Remix
(right click to open in new tab so you can sing along, LOL!)Warning!
If you are not a Pet Shop Boys fan you might not get this beat...
but if you're a Closet Disco Dancing Queen...you'll be rocking!
Woo-HOO! Have fun!
Oh, it's on my playlist and here are the lyrics so you can sing along...oh, stop it!
You know you want to! (or you will if you're a CDDQ!)

Love Story lyrics
Songwriters: Swift, Taylor Alison;

We were both young when I first saw you
I close my eyes
And the flashback starts
I'm standing there
On a balcony in summer air

See the lights
See the party, the ball gowns
I see you make your way through the crowd
And say hello, little did I know

That you were Romeo, you were throwing pebbles
And my daddy said stay away from Juliet
And I was crying on the staircase
Begging you please don't go, and I said

Romeo take me somewhere we can be alone
I'll be waiting all there's left to do is run
You'll be the prince and I'll be the princess
It's a love story baby just say yes

So I sneak out to the garden to see you
We keep quiet 'cause we're dead if they knew
So close your eyes
Escape this town for a little while

'Cause you were Romeo, I was a scarlet letter
And my daddy said stay away from Juliet
But you were everything to me
I was begging you please don't go and I said

Romeo take me somewhere we can be alone
I'll be waiting all there's left to do is run
You'll be the prince and I'll be the princess
It's a love story baby just say yes

But I got tired of waiting
Wondering if you were ever coming around
My faith in you is fading
When I met you on the outskirts of town, and I said

Romeo save me I've been feeling so alone
I keep waiting for you but you never come
Is this in my head? I don't know what to think
He knelt to the ground and pulled out a ring, and said,

Romeo take me somewhere we can be alone
I'll be waiting all there's left to do is run
You'll be the prince and I'll be the princess
It's a love story baby just say yes

Romeo save me
don't try to tell me how to feel
this love is difficult but it is real
don't be afraid, we'll make it out of this mess
It's a love story baby just say yes