Let swap my friends

So I have been trying to enter a swap and it is a lot more difficult than one would imagine! LOL SO! I have decided to be a bee keeper! Thanks to the urging of my friend Mrs. Pickles! (She is also jumping into this boat so hop on over and see her, too!)
I have not decided all of the rules because I would love for the swappers to have a say in it! I know I have said I would rather use our own stash, that way you get some of the other person in there, and it is one less package you have to mail out! But I am more than ready to play!! Let me know!! Jan is almost here and we HAVE to get this big ball rolling!! before the big ball drops!
Josie

Bread

Not sure if I have ever mentioned, but I do not buy store bought bread at my house (unless I get CRAZY lazy and am having an off week! LOL My kids love my bread and I really don't mind making it! And I have to say that when friends are having an event they often ask me to bring my bread! I think there is nothing fancy about it, but I guess there is something about homemade bread that people can't resist! LOL

Prep

 Here is my recipe and a few pics to go with!! hehe I grab out all my stuff! I have ZERO counter space, and when I say that, the only counter in my kitchen is a small area beside my sink that is only big enough to put a strainer, so all of my work in my kitchen is done at my kitchen table!

foamy yeast

I use 1 1/2 C. warm water, it should feel warm but not hot on your wrist. to hot and it will kill yeast not hot enough and the little buggers will not wake up. I use 2T. sugar and 2T. honey (however  only guestimate my honey because it us such a pain to measure in a spoon.) and 2 1/4 tsp yeast (or 1 package but because it is cheaper to buy in a big bag I never buy the pre measured packages). Stir till honey and yeast are disolved and let proof for @ 10 min. It should look like the pic on the side after it has sat.
Add dry ingredience 1 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 C. oil, 1/3 C. dry milk solids, 4 1/2 C. Flour. Now, I know there are people who tell you to only use bread flour, but I have used both bread flour and regular (unbleached) flour and I have not found a difference besides price!! So I use regular old nothing fancy flour!! I do normally use EVOO but occasionally if I am out I do use veg oil or whatever I have on hand!

Mix first!!

The twins...kind of!

 My hands are very week so I cheat and do not kneed by hand! I bought two bread machines at the Salvation Army (for less than $5 each) and I mix them in there! I do find that if I stir the mixture first I get a better texture to my bread! So I mix only till the flour is slightly moistened!!
Most bread machines have a dough setting and that is what I use! Part of the reason I use this is also because my house is cold and drafty and I get a better first rise out of the dough!!

Radiator...

After the machine(s) have done their part it is all up to me! I punch it out on a floured surface and form each one into two loaves. Spray the pans with non stick spray and cover to let rise. I have old radiator heat in my house and have to say the only thing I love it for is rising bread in the winter!! I do

After they rise.

 also put a pan of water under my pans and think it helps to keep them moist! Let rise for 40 min and when my timer goes of I turn on the oven to 350 and let preheat. When the oven beeps that it is ready I bake the bread for 28 min. Now I know that a lot of recips tell you to give them a little egg wash to make them shiny and pretty, but I have to admit that unless I am making them to take them somewhere I do not do this! My kids don't care what it looks like and well we already go through eggs like they are going out of style! LOL so often I have no eggs! But since this batch was to take to houses for Christmas Eve I did do an egg wash! Just one egg white and a Tablespoon or so of water and brush on right before you are ready to bake!!

MMM bread!

Take them out of their pans to cool as they will continue to bake if left in pans! I put mine back on my cooling rack and it is all I can do to keep the kids from cutting into them! LOL The warm heels are the most coveted part of the bread in my house!! I do let them stand for at least 15 min before I cut into them just to let them finish cooling and baking! mmmmm fresh baked bread!!!

Have a great day and try to make some bread!!
Josie

Merry Christmas to all and to all a not-as-busy-as-mine night

Happy Christmas all! Many plans today!! Oh, it is going to be a busy one!! So here's how my day is going to go... I currently have bread rising and plan to take some to both of our Chirstmas plans! I have yet to go buy cheese and crackers for the plate that is ALWAYS my responsibility to take to Aunt Rita's house, better get on that! I have to somehow make it to my MIL's Mom's house and then make it back here where somehow MAGICALLY Santa will have visited while we were gone... OK does this all make sence! Not to me either! Background... Honeyman is working today from 7 this morning till 7:30 tonight. He has to work at the station on Christmas day (that is a 24 hr shift starting at 7 am) so if he is to open gifts with us it has to be at about 8 tonight!! This will be a smash of get there, eat, open, leave! do it all over again!! whoosh!! LOL This also gets a little tricky because my Lillian is not a late night owl and is normally in bed at 8! She tires very easily and begins to drift off. So I think this is going to be the schedule for the day. Bread should be ready by noon, I will go grab teh cheese and get it cut while it is in the oven (the Brat can take it out) Grandma Shirley's 2-4, Aunt Rita's 5-7:43 , she talks a lot so I have to allown myself a little extra time to get out of her house LOL. Honeyman will play Santa at the house and we will arrive here, I only live five minutes from Rita, and open very fast and off to bed kids! WOW! Then Christmas Morning... nothing! I get to sleep in, not that I know how to do that, but I like the idea of saying it! LOL
Was that one great big run on sentence or what! hehe I am not a great writer and have a tenancy of going on and on and that is how I talk, too! So
OK to sign off! A Very Merry Christmas and safe travels if you have to! Bless your family and friends in this wonderful season!
Josie

2008 my little Santa boy

Christmas at Rita's 2008

I couldn't leave without a pic of Christmas's past! My Lillian and Darien Christmas 2008 (Uncle Bob in the background)  These two make me smile!!

mild decorations!

OK so we did get a tree up, but tht is as far as the decorations went at my house! I love my Boy! He is the one who said Mom I really want a tree up! Well, I cannot say no to that kind hearted soul! So up went the tree! Darien kept getting distracted by It's a Wonderful life on the TV! I don't think I have ever made him sit down and watch the move! I love that guy, but WOW the questions about a movie he will come up with!! He is an over thinker for sure! And he doesn't wait til lthe end of a movie to talk about it he just kind of blurts it out when it comes to mind! I love that sweet kid!! Lillian on the other hand is a tasker! Granted all of her ornaments end up on the same branch and the boy moves them... she has a one track mind!! LOL They are oh, so different and yet two peas in a pod!!

Here is their masterpiece! I let them to the whole thing (save for the lights and star!)

When we first moved into our house (Dec 23, 2004) Mom found out we did not have a fireplace, so at the local Christmas fair she picked us up this stocking hanger! However I realized this year when i pulled it out that one of the pegs is missing so I will have to go on the hunt for a new peg! And the flicker flame bulb is out so that will have to be replaced as well! I also thought it needed more so I put a short string of lights down the garland that is on the pole! It just seems to add something to it!

Stockings... this is mine! My Grandmother made socks of all 30 of her grandchildren! (yes, my name is Joelle , sounds like Noel, but Josie is a nickname my aunt Judy gave me YEARS ago) My youngest cousin (Judy's son) has the same one as me! But my Brother and Sister have different ones! Mom decided that my kids needed Socks that were made by her, so her second to last Christmas she let the kids pick out the background material and used Santas that came from my Grandmothers stash! (my Grandmother has been gone since 82)

They are just way to cute! And Mom put a little goody bag at the bottom of each one! I love that they are the same and yet different!
Hope everyone is ready for the big day!! I am not yet done! That is not where I normally am this time of year, but I will pull it out yet!! I always do!!
If I don't see you before then, a Very Merry Christmas from our house to yours! May all your Christmas wishes come true!
Josie

Mrs. Pickles is getting me in beeeeeeeeg trouble!!

LOL So I went from thinking about joining a bee to beeing a bee keeper! (I told honeyman that this morning and he said the dog would eat the bee's hehe! he didn't get it...) Any way! So one of the bee's that she and I tried to join was not only full, it was  VERY OVER FULL!! Melissa has two full swaps and another 18 names! This has gotten me thinking and Mrs. Pickles is eggin me on! hehe!
Well, I am going to sit on it for  a few days and decide, but I tell you I am so leaning to a yes! Wouldn't that be a great way to dive in head first!! I have just always been that type of gal!! The only part I don't know if I like, most of them that I have looked at they send their own fabric and I think I like the idea of more scrappy and personalized to the people making them not the people getting them?? What do you think? I think if the person on the recieveing end lays out colours they like shouldn't that be good?? I think it puts a little more ecxitement in the swap! Please share with me if you all have done bee's and what has worked and what you did or did not like!!
My computer is on the fritz again so I have no photo's to share till it gets cleaned up! We got our tree up this past weekend and I know it is not much, but I guess it is better than no decorations at all!!
Happy and Merry to everyone out there in blogland!!
Josie

This is why I call it my insanity defense...

So someone please tell me why I am doing this! I am NUTZ! It is like a first year musician attempting to play Karl King's Barnum and Bailey's favorite in double time! (trust me I have done that and although it is a blast to hear...it is a killer and a half to accomplish!!!!) I digress...Well I had a picture in mind to use in Honeyman's quilt and well... here you go! LOL And let the insanity begin!! I could not leave well enough alone and just use the 10 minute pieces, oh, don't get me wrong, I am going to use those as well! Honeyman and Kaelynn-e-brat are at a concert (some heavy something-or-another that I do not listen to) so tonight I will be at the sewing machine!! And after I plan on a botttle of wine and a movie just for me!! (oh, forgot to tell you about the wonderful applejack and garlic Wisconsin cheese we bought the other day! and it is calling out to me) so! I hope all of you have a great Friday night sew in and I just might have a few more gems to show you in the morning!! (end of run on sentence LOL)
Happy Friday!
JoCrazyMama

I found it, I found it!!!

OK so remember the material I bougth to make my Honeyman a quilt...

Well I was going to do the Studly & the Mrs.  quilt along. I went out and bought all of this fabric, which I know can end up going mor little boy and not scream Man... but aren't our men just our little boys anyway! hehe  Well the more I looked at the material and the pattern the more I didn't like the two of them together! There ws just no showcasing the material in the scrappy quilt! (plus if we are being honest I dont' know if I would ever be able to geth through those 7 bajillion flying geese!! However maybe I might have mastered them if I had attempted...)
Well yesterday I was surfing around on youtube and

 looking at instructional stuff and I found it I found the perfect pattern to show off materials... and to make it even better, it is an uber simple and way for a beginner quilt! They are 10 minute blocks! OK to everyone else this may not be a new thing and I am sure this is kind of cheating, but remember I am still very new! I did think that this very big and simple block would be a great way to try out some quilting patterns! I am waffeling with the idea of going and getting the other print material that the store had (it had blues in it as well) and then grabbing some blue to go with all of this red, orange, and yellow!! What do you think?? I cannot wait to cut into this wonderful

Robert Kaufman material and I do think that this pattern will showcase it beautifully!!
I think it will be my Monday morning task! But my Honeyman is off this off this week, so I might just spend a little time with him!! hehe
Hope the days till Christmas go by a little slower so I can get a few things done!!
Have a great Sunday everyone!!
Josie!

I got into a PIF!!

 I just LOVE the Pay It Forward concept!!  
I have just typed in to do a PIF and CAN NOT WAIT!! And the best part will be paying it forward! So here goes my part! Pay attention ladies! And you know on my blog your odds are VERY good because I only have 12 followers! So here goes!!

Rules:1. I will make a little something for the first 3 people that comment on this post. It will be a surprise and may arrive at any time in the next 365 days (yes, a year).

2. To sign up to receive a gift from me you must play along too. Share the giving love on your blog by promising to send a handmade goodie to the first three people that comment on your blog post.

3. You must have a blog.

4. After commenting on my post, you have to post this (or similar) on your blog to spread the love.  If you haven't posted in 48 hours then the next commentor will be chosen.

I don't know if three people will even get around to commenting on this, but I will say that if you find this post 6 months from now and only 2 people have left a comment, you can still be commenter #3 and get a random goodie from me! When you comment, I'll email you and get your address and then you will get something from me sometime before next December.
Thanks for playing ladies! It is better to give than to recieve, but hey if you can do both...
Josie!!

Christmas tree Horror flashback!

Can we say Cheesy!!

This morning as I was driving Kaelynn to school I was listening to our local Dj's talk about Christmas tree horror stories! (I love these guys! Dwyer and Michaels aka two dorks) Anyhow I was reminded of our Christmas tree horror story and just wanted to share! First let me say for some reason this year the Christmas spirit is just not with me. I have not yet put up any decorations, nor have I yet to buy ANY gifts! I love my Honeyman, but he is a Scrooge and does NOT like Christmas adn this year he is at the station on Christmas and works his part time job on Christmas Eve from 7AM till 7:30PM, so no help to that front. To top it off Kaelynn (16) is not really into it either! So it is just My Lillian, Darien and myself.

Cookie time w/Granny Kim

My Kids and Nieces 2007 Festival of Lights

OK So I will stop with the poor poor pitiful me stuff and regail you... So my Father was being Mr. Scrooge one year and did not want to go get a tree! My Mother LOVED Christmas and said fine we will go without you! So My Mother, sister, brother, a family friend (who was all of 5 ft tall and maybe 100lbs), her daughter and myself set off to choose a tree! Our house was old and had 12 ft tall ceilings and there was a beautiful 12 ft bay window are that we always put the tree into! When we would go tree shopping my Mother (who was 6 ft tall) would reach to the top of the tree and if she could reach the top that was the right sized tree! We got our hot chocolate from the little store there, looked at pretties, and set off into the field to find our tree! Mom, as she usally did, marked a few with pink tissues, not like we ever really went back for those LOL but...It did not take long and we all agreed on a beauty!! My Mother got down on the ground (this was normally Dad's job) and began to hack away with the little saw they give you! It took a great amount of time to finally ground this beast of a tree! We flagged down the guy on the cart to take our tree back to the store and settle up! Well this is when we should have known we were going to have a problem! You know those bailers they put the tree through...well try as they might they could not get this tree through the bailer!! So up onto the top of the old Diplomat the tree went! It took four guys to help Mom and Sandy to get the big guy up there! (now I'm sure it went through my Mother's head that SOMEHOW we were going to have to get this tree into the house without the help of these guys! but we children were blissfully unaware)

Darien loves his Santa hat!

We got home and somehow and between all of us got the tree into the house without breaking anything or anyone! Now to the tree stand... you know they come in small and large, well we had a large and the trunk was still to big!!! So first things first we had to shave down the tree trunk to make it fit!! Problem solved, right?? Nope,  standing the tree up became another problem! Remember Mom was there with four kids (I think I was in second grade) so we would have been about 6, two 7yr olds, and a 12 yr old and this tiny Sandy!! Well Sandy got in the corner to pull while Mom pushed and Mom pushed Sandy's bottom right out one of the window!!! oops! They finally wrastled that tree up and it touched the ceiling!! Not just touched but the top bent! Mom decided that since they had taken so much time to get the darn thing into the stand that it was just best to cut off the top six inches or so! No topper that year! So base trimmed and in the stand, and the top taken off, but the tree was up, till they let go! LOL the tree stand would not support the weight of this GIANT BEAST that had taken over our house!! Well when you have gone this far to get a tree up and in there is no stopping now! Mom tried to put weights on the stand, but it still would not hold! So what is the next logical step... NAILS!! Yup! My Mother nailed that tree stand right down into the hard wood floor!! She was not going to be defeated by this tree!!

Our pitiful fake tree Chirstmas morning 2010

Christmas morning!

We decorated and cleaned up all before Dad got home! It was the most spectacular tree ever! (I only wish I had the pics here maybe some other day I will make it past the troll again and get some of those) Dad was none to happy about the window or the floor, but can I just say...he never let us go get a tree without him again!!

If you made if this far! Thank you! I know I ramble! But I come from a long line of story tellers and sometimes I just have to add in my two cents!!
I hope the holiday spirit has found you all and that you can spare some for me! Josie

D-8

Warning Drugs and quilting DO NOT MIX!!!!
So, I took my muscle relaxer because I was having spasms in my back and neck. I waited all day long because I had to go get my kids from school...I have to tell ya'll I DO NOT like to take medicine!! If I am offered a pain killer after teeth or whatever I opt to just take Tylenol (I cannot do codine it makes me sick) and sometimes meds have a FUNNY effect on me.

OK OK to the block and the problem... D-8 Dee Dee's Delight
Now at first sight it really does not look that bad (never mind those puckers I know when I press it I can get those out!!
 I have a few strings hanin around here and there...
any of ya'll catch my GINORMOUS OOPS...
well I was half way done and set down my work to go do something else and that is when I cought it.

 let me show you a pic of the back Yup I had sewn those darn little melons onto the wrong side of the fabric!!! at this point I was slurring my swear words and there was no way in this world I was gonna take it apart! (This morning I laugh, but there was no giggles from the peanut gallery last night) well I finished it anyway! Even if it is backwards!!
Charachter I keep telling myself!
Oh and lesson learned!! I had never taken those meds before and now I know how they will get me drunker than any alcohol ever would! I fell asleep at 6:30 last night (and woke up this morning at 3:30)
Squares: 60
Pieces: 1100
Hope you have a blessed day,
Josie

G-11

G-11 Decisions, Decisions Was so close to getting this one done, do not know why i did not finish it before! So I sat down threw on a movie (Lord of the rings) and away I went...

OK now I was not feeling so sweel! This is why I pulled out and stuff and decided to curl up with it...
contined on the next post...
Blocks: 59
(we will just skip triangles and kites as we all know I have none done yet! LOL)
Pieces: 1091
J

I-5

Ready, I knew you would be!

I-5 Maria's Majesty
I think my melons got a little big (keep your minds out of there ladies) they are well I don't know, I think they should be smaller, but who knows!
OK Squares: 58
Triangles: 0
Kites: 0
Pieces: 1078
one of these days I am going to take on a triangle just so that I can stop putting zero! LOL
Stay warm and have a Blessed day,
Josie

L-13

yes folks, I pulled out Jane. truth be told my body is killing me and I took a few drugs (legal drugs) yesterday and sat on the couch most of the day. I had DVRed the Lord of the Rings trillogy (because I have never seen them) and I sat on the couch with some hand work. This was the stuff that I had preped to take to My Baby Brothers house (and worked on very little while I was there). I have two more in bags and I just might curl up on the couch again this afternoon. I am just sore all over grrr shange of weather!
OK anywhoo

L-13 is Harvest Moon (or in my case wonky circles! LOL they were giving me a tough time)I do so wish there was a way to flip these photos here! This is not how I took it one my camera! Why does blogger insist on changing some of them! LOL I guess I just have to be happy that this is not a photo of a person and now they are lying down! hehe I am cracking myself up and getting a little off subject OK so I know it has been MONTHS since a Jane update, so here I am...
Squares: 57
Triangles: 0
Kites: 0
Pieces: 1.072
But wait there is one more on my next post...
See you in a minute,
Josie

The crazy dress

So remember the post about my friend Beffy and her dress... well she posted pics today (yes I know it is far from Halloween, but giver her a break she a busy gal)

 She was a little ummm well unsure about the gals being so, well, out there!!  But she was going to a local bar (from our small town) and over 90% of the people in the bar were friends of hers! I did feel bad that this was all of her breasts I could cover, but if you recall she cut the material prior to me coming in on the project and she did not want to purchase more material as it was 'just for a costume'! Well she and her husband were a REAL hit!! I just love her and her husband they are great people who would do anything for you and I could not say no when she asked for help!!!

The 'Liesure Suit Larry' beside her is her husband Jason and to say that he was wowed by her costume is to put it lightly! I went to high school with all but one of these folks. Oh and not Jason either. He is normally a quiet guy so the fact that he would be this crazy... well Beffy has influenced her Jason like I influence my Honeyman!!
OK maybe today I can get something done...but the housework unfortunately has to come first!! gggrrrrr! hehe
Lots of luck getting projects done today,
Josie

My package came YAY!!

Well OK one of the three I was waiting for! I think I said I am doing two swaps. One of them our fabrics had to be in Oct15th, but she had a heck of a time getting everyones stuff there and black listed one person and well I have not yet gotten my fall colour exchange blocks... The other had to be in by Nov 1st (mine got there a day late darn me!!) That one was Christmas material. I am very patiently awaiting these two packages! I do so LOVE to do swaps!
OK But here is my THRIIIILLLL!!! I ordered material from Connecting Threads on the 8th. It arrived yesterday!! That is some great turn around!! OK they had some clearance that was can you guess oh yes 30's stuff!! And if you order $50 or more the shipping is free! Well ummm yes I will order enough so I get free shipping. I ordered 1/4 yard of all but one of the materials (that last one I ordered 1/2 yard). I ended up getting 32 materials for just a little over $50!! That was a LOT of fabric for the price! And it is BEAUTIFUL!!!
OK Let me start by saying so sorry about the lovely quality of the pics, my camera and the light (or lack there of) were really not cooperating with me this morning! So LOOK at that  HUGE BOX! I have never ordered material from the internet before. First of all you never quite know what you are getting if you cannot feel it and see it in person! But I have to say these are very nice materials! 

 Now most of what I got was 30's stuff, bit I will start with the few that are not (as that is how they happened to load up on this contraption and I have the hardest time moving the pics around on this blogger) I digress... I got two christmas loved the little trees... and the other four here are a woodland creature thing with a flowery material to coordinate! Not sure what I am going to use them for, but the little mushrooms and racoons were just to cute to pass up!!

When I do find a material I like, especially if it is such a great deal I can't pass it up... Yes I am that gal who gets it in evey colour!! LOL it is just like if you find a great fitting pair of jeans or shirt right!! Four of the little flowers, three of the 'lifesavers', I do think I already have this one in red from my trip to Door County, just checked and YUP, so yay another coordinating, and you can NEVER pass up a good solid right! The solids are the coordinating for a collection called 'Canning Day' and oh yes, if they had it I bought it!!

 Really bad picture alert... Well there are two of the tiny polkadot, not so sure if they are really my favorite, but I know they will coordinate well and make a great addition to any of these fabrics!  I do so wish I would have been able to find a few more purples! I will have to keep looking! The reds ALWAYS speak to me and there is a whole lot of flowers going on here!! I was just talking to someone the other day and said I find it crazy that I am so drawn to the 30's stuff when I am 1. not a pastel gal and 2. really not a flowery gal!! Go figure right!! But when you love something...

Loved the cherries and apples! The apricot coloured cherries material is the one I got half a yard of. I think the crazy teal apples just jump off of the material!! and there are the cute little leaves! I have a few ideas what I am going to use this for!!
Sad Christmas is coming, no more material till the new year! I have to start shopping for my kids!! I get kind of grumbly with christmas shopping, but I guess that is for another post! LOL


Hope you have found as great of a deal as I have on something that you LOVE!!
JoCrazyMama

He hijacked her page!!

I love men! They make me giggle! When the cats away the mouse will play and that is just what is happening over at Green Fairy Quilts! Julie is away and Clint has asked us all to play! LOL Check out a chance to win some upcoming product! I love to see what is up and coming! And they have 40% off clearance right now, too!! Love it!!
J

Pics!

So I have downloaded and they are BLURRYYYY! But I guess that blury is better than nothing for now!

"Spiders, Bats, and Kitty Cats"

 So, I tried to upload a pic of just the green border and my computer and blogger are not cooperating! So I guess I just get the finished top! I loved the bright green and it keeps it not so dark! I did also do a bold black border to ground it all, and I am thinking purple for the binding. I did move some of the blocks around! I remember reading Robin's blog about her taking a pic in black and white to try to organize her thoughts when there is so much going on! Thank you Robin! I did just that and boy was it lopsided!! I rearanged a few times and was much more pleased with this layout!!  I do listen and REALLY appreciate all of the things that my bloggy friends share! I realized I did not take a pic of my backing and will have to follow up with that! My Honeyman is asking so many questions now about quilting it and how long and on and on and to tell you the truth I do not have the answers! hehe! I guess I will figure those out as I go along as well! I do learn best hands on anyway!! I am (hopefully) going to a sit and sew on Friday and will have a few of my questions answered there!!Not all that long ago there was also a post on a few of the blogs that I follow about our 'work area' well, this is my little nook off of the end of my living room! The 'seat' is actually a cube that holds afghans that I have made! I do need to make some kind of pillow to top it as it is kind of hard! LOL but the nice part about where it is...I can see the TV (have to have background noise) and the fire place (fake, but still gives off heat) is right behind me for those chilly winter days! My tabke is kind of a mess here and I was watching Netfilx on my laptop. Law and order is my best friend when I am working at the machine! LOL

Hope this finds everyone warm! and finishing up a project!!
Josie

No pics... but maybe tonight!!

So I am so very thrilled and proud of my self right now! I have finished up the quilt top for my QuiltUberfest Blocks!! But sadly my daughters friend took my USB cord so I cannot download the pics of it. I have it hanging up in the other room and I stop and look every time I walk past! I now have the pleaure of trying to figure out how to quilt it! This will be a whole new adventure! But I am ready for the task! Oh, I also got the material for the backing and am going to put that together either today or tomorrow.
I also have ordered some more 30's fabrics and cannot wait to use those! I have a pattern picked out from my Jelly roll book. Then there is to figure out the best pattern to use for my Honeyman's material! I just have not found a pattern I like for it! And I know that I will be mad at myself if I use something and am not altogether happy with what I have chosen! So off to look I will go!!
It is cold and blustery and rain/sleet/talking about snowing outside! Grrrrr well what better place to be than inside working on a project!!
i have also joined a local quilt group. I went to my first meeting last Tuesday and there is a sit and sew this Friday evening that I am hopeing to attend! SOOO much going on! Oh and next week have to ship my Dad off to my Baby Brother's (From IL to TX) Busy, busy, busy! But I would not have it any other way!!
Hope this finds you all well and just as busy and content as I!!
J

Go check out her 'Twist' And giveaway!!

Check out this super cute Quilt at Quilting By the River ! She has some GREAT material up for grabs and some great ideas!! I love the projects she shares!!

Squirrels Rock Halloween

What a LONG weekend! And it really isn't even Halloween yet!!! My band (The Secret Squirrels) had a Firday/Saturday night gig! Oh how these wear me out! But in true Squirrel fashion the costumes came out! Well, all but me! I went as...well me!!! I had on my big old MONSTER sized eyelashes, sprayed my hair with pinkn and well they all said it was very me!! And yes for gigs!! That is how I roll!!

Well be preparred to be tacken aback!!!

Squirrels 2011

 This is my crazy band!! Top row, pink hair, oh yah that's me! our drummer Jim, Lead singer Chris, lead guitar Darin: Bottom row Bass guitar Mike, Trombone Kurt, Piano Tim. These guys are just the best to work with!! This was Saturday night and we were missing a few of our horn players when this was taken! They had other gigs and kind of rolled in as they were available! But the place we played has us back about once a month for a two night gig and they love us and are more than willing to work with us!







The next pic we have spouses (however my Honeyman was playing fireman that night and unable to make the show) so that is...yes my Sister next to me. I really did like her costume. She knitted her cape and sewed her skirt and apron.
Boy we all make quite the crazy group!!

Yes, the band was playing 'Foxy Lady'!!!

Party on Garth... Party on Wayne!!

OK So my Beffro was only able to make it on Friday! (She is another singer and plays trumpet!) So she dressed up! She ALWAYS has the best costumes! (last year she showed up as mystique from x-men WOW) she had the garth faces DOWN!! I thought I was going to loose it when 'Garth' was singing Moondance! Do you know how hard it is to play flute and laugh at the same time!!  Oh, below here, shat would Garth be without Wayne! Beth's wonderful boyfriend Andy! Who I am told went and bought ALL of the stuff for their costumes!!

These two friutcakes...I have nothing more to say!!

Hope You all have a safe and festive halloween!! Josie

Oh the metalic woes!!

So this week after finishing up my squares a friend called me in need! Well of course i was there for her (her husband asked if she only called me when she needed something! LOL) She was makeing a dress for a halloween costume... Let me just say I am not a seamstress, but she did not even know how to read a pattern! Sure between the two blondes we could figure this thing out! HAHAHAHAHA ROTFLMAO!!! Well let me begin my saying that she is not a perfect size anything and very close to my size. Bigg in the chest area and we are doing a 'ho' dress!! It is this gold metalic and my machine does NOT like it!! Oh, the best if we started it on her machine and It really made me appreciate mine!! All I have left is to get the skirt attatched to the top...and then try somehow to conceal her bust! (you see she cut it a weee bit to small) well there might end up being some creative draping happening in that area!! LOL I have sworn i will never work with this material again! That goodness I love my Beffy!! We go WAYYYY back!!
Wish me luck on this! I am hopeing to get it done this afternoon!! And get that material O U T of my house! LOL We have both had some great giggles over this and she says it is just a halloween costume! As long as it makes it through one night and does not fall apart (and let me tell you I have reinforced MANY seams to ensure it will not) anything that I get done will be ten times better than what she would have done! I love that girl and thanked her for the ego boost!!
Wish me luck!!
Crazier than ever,
Jo Crazy Mama!!

QuiltUber Fest Bonus block(s)

Bonus Blocks!

Layed out on the floor!

So the bonus black was so nice I had to make it twice, and then twice more!! LOL I just had to have the right amount to make the top work, and well... Now to start stitchin them together!!
May have to take a moment, have to work on a project for a benefit!
Later friends!!
Jo

QuiltUber Fest Block 16

YAY MEEE!!! all 16 are done! Now the dilema.... there was a bonus 17th block! How in the world can they do that to me! You know I cannot leave it unfinished! I am not really a pillow gal, so not sure, do I duplicate certain blocks to have enough for a 20 block quilt! Oh, the possibilities! The rich part is, I think that block 17 is the most 'flippable' to do in the four corners! I am still here looking at the pattern and deciding what I want to do with it! Maybe I wil lay all of them out on my floor and see what jumps out at me! But I really do think that I am going to end up making four of this last one! If I was a little more sure of myself maybe I would come up with a few patterns of my own, but ummmm let me think about that, no! Anywhoooo without further adoooo I give you 'Nesting'

Block 16 'Nesting'

Darn Blogger and its photo flip!! oh well! You get the jist! Well, I am off to figure out if I am in for another four blocks or what!! This has been a hoot!! (even those darn flying geese)
Happy stitches!!
JoCrazy(er everyday) Mama