Mrs. O'Quilts Makes Baby Things

My XDIL is providing a new sister for my three grands

Baby due March 27....or tonight...who knows...My XDIL is huge!

My sister and I joined in the baby shower fun

I made:

Facecloths

Baby wash cloths

I did not use this tute.  I just put it  here so you get the idea.

I bought a package of facecloths at Marshalls.

I cut the edges off, then right sides together with pretty fabric, leaving space to turn.

Once turned...I top-stitched...voila

Pacifier lanyards (note baskets from Nancy's basket bazaar.)

I cannot find the tute for this...but there are a million of them.  I used my coupons at JoAnns for the clip, again..there are other choices online.  Mainly cutting 4 inch wide by 18 inches..ironing in half, pressing edges toward the middle to make an inch strip, top stitching both sides... I put velcro to loop thru the pacifier and sewed the clip thru the loop...It all took about 10 min each.

Missouri Star Self Binding baby receiving blanket tute

After making the self-binding receiving blanket above, I found that the simple
right sides together flannel..suggested by our Terri...is one I like much better.

Money has become very very tight here...Never having worried about money before,  I am shocked to find that raising three grandchildren on  a fixed income is quite the challenge.

We are going to have to stop all outside activities and watch our pennies...the older they get, the more expensive they are...so wishing their parents would kick in some dough..not happening..

Anyway....I was delighted to have fun making these presents with things I had on hand.

Also, teaching values to my darlings.. Money is important, but made with love is better.

I am alone in my journey.

I vow that we will  be OK

Today was a day...after my nap...or two...I was able to jacket up

and read outside in our wonderful Carolina Blue...skies

Life is good...even Stitch got outside time with Zoe and me.

 I am realizing that I worked all my life..for the joy of napping and doing what I wanted..
Which seems to be...sitting on the porch in the sun and reading.

Why now am I guilty when I do this?

Time is running out around here...

I certainly do not want to clean.

And...FYI, again fromMissouri
dog bed

Nice to report...a restful weekend.

xo

The Seventh Grade Dance and other memorable things...

Evan's first dance.

Ready to go...all clean and tidy, posing for pictures.

Grandma is so excited for him.

His mommy came just in time to blow dry his hair.

His Grandma had to rush to the store for new trousers...2 sizes up.

He promised he would get a hair trim next week.

Grandma here, trying to choose her battles..

Evan is 12, 13 in June.

PS  He does NOT plan to dance...that would be too "weird"

He wanted to be so perfect, he would not let the dog or cats near him.

His buddy's mom picked him up..now a sleep over at their house.

Growing up, my boy and his grades are improving..whew...

 

Today, I finished this insulated casserole holder for my 8 inch Pyrex.

My friend Sherry sells them at
Sherry Lynn Fabrics
They are so great to pass hot dishes at dinner.

Dear Muggs has only had her embroidery machine a few weeks.
Here is my gift.. A flour sack tea towel. Amazing work.

I am so happy my grands are flourishing.

It does take a village.

Still so have the worst tooth ache.

No one can figure it out.

It shows on no x-ray.

I have been sent twice to have it extracted.

Actually no one knows which tooth it is.

I wanted all of them extracted on that side...pain..

The oral surgeon refused, saying my teeth are healthy.

UGH

They say I am grinding my teeth.

I so do not believe it.

Of course I do not believe I snore either.

I have no dental insurance.  When my husband died, he took that with him too.

Because I do not work, I cannot  hitch on to a group plan.

Crazy American insurance, especially for the senior set..

I am posting this again, in case anyone has a suggestion.

Enough on the whine...

My relatives are all snowed in in Ireland.

We had Carolina blue skies with crisp air today.

Not that we have not had our snow days...and always inopportune !!!

My bro is in New Jersey and my cousin is in Massachusetts.

All awaiting the next big storm.

Tomorrow the baby shower for my XDIL

Her children are quite excited for baby Ava, due in a few weeks.

I have survived tonight..

Started a new book and sewed.

Life can be good.

Turning Eight

Twenty one days later, another February birthday.

 This time it is 8 years old.

Dylan ordered vanilla cake with 7 minute frosting, colored green..

He decorated  it with fruit and a smile!

 I said, Dylan...let's go to Walmart to pick out your present.

Dylan said, I hate stores, so I pulled  up on Amazon Prime what I want.

A friend on the bus gave him the info.

Dylan had it all ready for me to click..".buy",.And in his favorite color green.

There is a tendency for the youngest to be overlooked...not this one, any more.

He is amazing.

Dylan and his siblings came to live with me when Dylan was 3 1/2 years old.

Look at him now!!!!!

 A funky jacket  on sale at Target!!

The Charlotte Modern Quilt Guild

Was just awesome tonight...so great to be with like-kind peeps.

Creative ones, with good  hearts.

It made my aches go away for awhile.`

I came home totally motivated.

And so tonight....a happy end of a mountainous daytime ride.

All....

Culminating in my paternal grandmother's 80 year old family fudge recipe.

Which of course ends up in my tummy..

Lordy...Help me..

PS 

from London town, England comes a batch of purple squares for our exchange,

It took them 2 weeks to get here...right on time

Boy, that cousin Ann surely knows how to make me laugh and make us all happy.

 Even a card in shades of purple.

The color purple exchange saga goes on.

TBTG we love each other.

We have 9 members our group who are rule followers.

They like things just sew.

We have 2 members of our group who are not rule-followers.

They like things all over the place..

Some are called flexible and creative.

Some are called the loose goose.

Some are called rigid and "right"

Some are called, well...rule followers.

No right and no wrong...stay tuned/

In question is the color purple...shades of..or not.

Also...a blind draw with all the blocks in one pillowcase which would 

give us all  random but equal...or...11 pillowcases...with exact amounts from each case.

Hmmmmmmmm

I mean..oooooommmmmm

It is called compromise, and love and fun, and flexibility and seeing both sides.

Like I said, it is not even politics...it is purple.

xoxoxoxo

A Rainbow Through the Dark Stormy Clouds

 Lynsey was invited to go with her friend and her friend's father.

to the Daddy, Daughter dance at her school.

She had the best time ever.

He came to the door with his daughter and his daughter's cousin, bringing a wrist corsage for Lynsey  They went to dinner and then to the dance.

An added bonus is the sleepover tonight.

 I cannot tell you the excitement.

 Wearing the dress that her "nana" bought her for her birthday.

 Evan loaned his sister his hairdryer...

He told her she looked pretty.

He greeted the father at the door, introducing himself as her brother.

I had to buy a curling iron...

 There was much drama as she bossed me around telling me just how she wanted her hair.

The father called after the dance to tell me that she was safe and sound at his house with his daughters and his wife.

I cannot tell you how kind this was.

This family has no idea the gift they gave.

I am grateful.

I am so grateful that I wanted to post it right away.

I wanted to share today's rainbow.

xo

A Weekend of Birthdays and Scrap-Busting.

Someone turned 9
Wahoo...

MP bought the birthday cake...I was so relieved.
I am exhausted..
Thank you so much MP
Did you see the fun surprise...a rainbow inside!
It was a great success!!!

Daddy did not come, he came the next day promising rehab...sigh.
Lynsey wrote this note to him.  They love him and do not understand.

Lynsey's cousin, Olivia has a birthday a few days from hers.
This poor picture shows the pillowcase and dolly pillow we made to match.

My favorite scrap buster....Stitch..xoxox

 Easing my grief with potholders.
My man always said....Just go sew!!!

I have a nasty tooth ache..a wisdom tooth that needs to be pulled.
Of course this only reminds me of Mr. O'Quilts who would be driving me to the dentist and holding my hand and giving me tooth fairy money..

Instead, I am making potholders, taking 4 Ibuprofens every 7 hours
...... and drinking red wine.
Missing him so.

If you have never been in this widow spot...I hope you never are.
The hole in my heart hurts so so so much.
The children continue to do well....
However, they tend to blame me for everything..
They are safe with me.
When their daddy does not come, they blame me.
When their mommy makes a mistake...she is perfect, I am not.
When they go away for the weekend, but want to stay home on the computer all weekend
..It is Grandma's fault..
When homework has to be done...guess who is the witch?
It is all normal....
Sigh...that is my life.

Thank God for my blogging friends and my quilting friends and my peeps.
Thank God for my daughter who brings me joy.
Now, she says they may make their Portland yard a bird sanctuary.
I love her so.
xoxoxo

PS  I forgot to tell you about a challenge...a group I know...all good friends of 10 to 18 years are doing a purple quilt challenge....Well...hmmm I think the quilt police are hovering...
Did you know how many shades of purple there are????
Everyone has a different opinion..
Just think of it as white.
.Have you ever gone to the paint store to check out different shades of white?
OMG...OMG..
.There are hundreds...and so it goes...
Fun.It will be Fun.
.I cannot wait to see the final reveal....

Stay tuned...
xo

Monday Sewing

Hosted my Queen Bee this morning

A great sewing, friend-ing time was had by all.

That purple quilt...for the group exchange....my 63 patches done.

Valentine tulips...for me.

Second favorite after sunflowers.

 This is the last time you will see this top..as it is done.

I listened to Elaine, a no border quilt.

It was easy as I found two more rows I had forgotten.

Now it is big enough without a border.

 Funky fabric big enough for the backing and self-binding.

Bats....so fun...must have been a Halloween cheapo many moons ago.

Thank you Elaine.

 

The scrap dolly vintage use up blocks.

Done into a small quilt,,about 14 x 18.

Tomorrow's work..and then it is potholders.

Never in my life have I been without potholders to give away.

I need about 100...OMG

I was just told, that at my age, it takes about a month to recover from a fall.

I was not interested in that information.

I am more interested in rollerskating...

My favorite vacation place being the land of denial!!!!

My son, on the street, going from one rehab place to another...no room at the inn.

A sad state of affairs in America, I say!!

Of course money could do it...a damn shame.

Good bye to Oliver....my husband's cousin.

Life as we know it...gone in a second...this crazy life of ours 

xoxo to the family...We are Muldoons!!!

Friday Night Foraging...

I Found a Quilted Heart
A great idea that was done at the our Charlotte Modern Quilt Guild
These were made by Heather...I love them.
 The grands are giving them to someone at school.
Dylan chose his school counselor and gave it to her today.

Thank you Carol for the picture of flat Salvatore, Evan and Grandma O'Quilts.
So glad you retired!!
We had a great time at our quilting group Wednesday night...
Also known as understanding our smart phone...free lessons!!!!

from Amanda Jean at Crazy Mom Quilts
Comes our new group project.
We are going to make a purple quilt.
With all stages of quilters...we are making the easy blocks,
putting them all into a pillowcase for the shake up.
And sharing them, sight unseen for the purple quilts.
Stay tuned.

This little project is a diversion...in straightening up my mess, in order to iron,
I found these left over hand pieced squares from an estate sale a few years back.
Squeezing the best out of them, I am making a tray liner, or a doll quilt..
This is how my WIP/UFOs never get finished...diversion...
But, I have made my weekend list...so far, I have only done things NOT on the list,
like eat chocolate ice cream and pat the cat.

Planning my weekend tonight, I made a mistake of listening to the Irish Tenors.
Grief grabbed me by the throat and squeezed me so.
I had better switch to country western!!!
Music sung by the Irish Tenors that pounds so at  my heart..
You Raise Me Up
Caledodia
The Town I Love so well
Beautiful Dreamer

This was played at our wedding
Give Me Your Hand
I can see my husband in my eyes and in my heart.
It took two years before I could see him out of the Hoyer lift...
I guess there is progress.

Love and the Fabric Fix

For my 70th birthday, Cousin Ann, in London...gifted me with the best present of all.

A gift certificate of a very generous amount to Hancock of Paducah..my favorite online fabric store.

I decided to save it for a very stormy day.

Sure enough, the gales came last week, and I became stuck in the mud.

My fabric came today.  Euphoria!!!!

Thank you Ann...Thank you so much 

xoxoxo

 First up...a great selection of whites/supporting fabrics...

 Next...whimsy...my middle name..

 Stormy skies, holidays and houses

And, cute as a button children's animal fabric..

Yesterday, Poor Pitiful Pearl came again for a visit.

I could not get rid of her...so I told her, that in spite of my fall,

I was going to Foust fabric outlet and to lunch with my friends.'

She had to stay home!!

I stuck to my guns and had a great time...me and my pain meds and my peeps.

 It would have been hard to pass on the above fabric for $2.50 a yard.

Nor, the bottom Christmas felt cutouts for the children at 39 cents a yard.

I also bought Insul-Brite and some scissors..

From i Love Fabric came these 2  half yard pieces...with $3 shipping..not bad.

I am all better now...bruises from my fall , under control.

Gratitude that I broke nothing..

All better thanks to a little...no..A LOT.of help from my friends.

xxxooo