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

QuiltUber Fest Block 15

OK so I was going to wait till later and post more than one at a time! But this little booger deserves a post of its own! Can I just say I am ready to get a shot gun and shoot me some geese!!! (ppssssst I do not like guns LOL)
I was uber psyched about half square triangles and log cabins, but this one was all flying geese... WHAT!!! Well, let me just say that I still haven't gotten the hang of them! I have now tried three different methods and mine always seem to fly sideways!!So then I have to trim them down and the buggers end up being smaller than they should! I made smaller than 1/4 inch seams and am still smaller than the block should be! Well, here's to good sashings! LOL!!!!

Block 15 Hills and Valleys

Just whatever you do... do not look at the back of it! Nothing there to be proud of!! I guess I just pat myself on the back that it is done!
OH< and if you are (or aren't) doing the quilt along there is a bonus 17th block! SO..... I thought I only had one more to go, but I HAVE to do the bonus one, too!! Right!!!
hehe,
J

QuiltUber Fest Block 12 & 14

Got two more done over the weekend! (between some light yard work and a bonfire!) I do feel somewhat accomplished! 14 done and only two more left to go!! Cut one last night but I miss cut and got mad and stopped! Will fix it today!

Block 14 Thoroughly Modern Monkey Wrench

Block 12 Autumn Sun

Had me a tough time with the Monkey Wrench! Did not realize that the straight block was half an inch bigger when cut to the instructions and did not trim it down! After 'unquilting' it I trimmed it down and it went together much nicer! Untill I put one of the corners in upside down and once again found myself 'unquilting'! Darn me!! hehe I do love the result and the flaws in it have to stay! Not going to rip it apart any more ! LOL
As for Autun sun, cut my pieces and realized that my bats were flying sideways! So I turned the block! hehe! Thank goodness the Kitty Cats are non-directional!
Hey! I am off to stitch up some more!
J

Do not read if you are an emotional sap like me!

Fifteen years ago today I sent an angel to heaven. When I was pregnant with my second daughter we went in for a 'routine' ultrasound, Aug 8, 1996, the day before my Mother's birthday. When I arrived I had been informed that they were having trouble with the machine and that I would be unable to get pictures. They said that my Dr. usually has another one done a little later and that they would be sure to get a good picture then. I laughed it off with the tech and said isn't that the way little hospitals are! My Mother was working that day  in the same Hospital in the OR, but in a case and unable to come with me. My huband was working and also unable to make it. You know your first everything with your first child it is all new and fun and they all want to be there for every little thing, well not so much for the second, third, or fourth. That was really OK with me! I mean, it was at least a special moment for me and that is all that really counted.
We began the ultrasound of course with the heart beat, a good strong beat, and wow does this kid move around a lot! I said MUCH more than my first pregnancy, but that, too was nothing to be concerned about. About ten minutes in the tech was looking concerned and said she had to go check something! I figured it was the machine, after all she had already told me machine problems. Twice she left and came back the second she had another gal come in and check out some things. She left a third time and said she would be back in jsut a few minutes.
Now I have to say I have always thought that I was good at reading people, but she had a pretty good game face. I suspected no trouble untill my Mother walked in. They had gone in and gotten her out of surgery because they did not want me to be alone. When she walked in I knew something was wrong, but at this point noone had said anything to me. only a minute or so she was followed in by the head of the department, a surgeon, and my OBGYN, as well as the two ladies who had been administering the ultrasound. They informed me that my baby had a birth defect.
My daughter was diagnosed with anencephaly. This is a form of spina bifida in which the brain stem forms, but the two lobes of the brain and the skull covering it does not form either. As a very neive young lady, my first question was, how do we fix this? And of course my Mother had to explain that there was nothing we could do.
They sent me to Peoria for more testing, which confimed the diagnosis, and I decided to continue the pregnancy in hopes of donating organs. You see although some of her did not form correctly all of the other organs are viable. I was not due till Mid Dec. and there was discusion as to weather or not I could mentally handle this. I told them that this was the only way I could justify this pregnancy.
One of the very common side effects of this anomaly is a condition affecting the mother called polyhydramnios, which is to much amniotic fluid. This is the bodys way of protecting the baby! Isn't it amazing that your body knows something is wrong and tries to help. I had more than three times what a 'normal' pregnancy would have. They estimated about three and a half GALLONS of amniotic fluid. At only 32 weeks my body could no longer take the pressure of what was going on inside and I went into labor. The Dr. tried to stop them and when the only alternative was to go home on a medication or let the labor progress I decided that my body must know what it needs.
On Oct. 21, 1996 My Christine Adrianna came into this world weighing only 3lbs. 4 oz. Unfortunately to donate anything she was quite shy of the 7lbs. She was born still to the world, and delivered into the hands of our Lord.
The day we burried her had been chilly and rainy, and while at the cemetary there was a beautiful rainbow in the sky.
I see her in all three of my other chlidren and love her as much today as the day I found out I was pregnant with her. To all out there who have lost a child, I feel your pain, know your love, and believe that we will join them again and be whole as a family.
Thank you for taking time out to visit me.

A gift from my Best Friend for Christmas 2007. My Angels here Kaelynn, Lillian, and Darien.

Josie

QuiltUber Fest Block 11

OK, so 12 out of 16! so close... and yet the one that I am working on now I have to tear apart! Where in the world did I go wrong with it...
Anyway!!

Block 11 Cabin in the Woods

this is the second block they named cabin in the woods, I think I will call mine Spider in the Cabin in the woods! ha! I'm such a freak! 
OH< but uber psyched!! I found a local quilt group! They meet once a month on the first Tuesday! It does conflict with Darien's boyscouts, but Honeyman said that I can join! I love that man! So the first of the month i am going to pop down there and check it out! (I'm sure I will scare a few of the ladies! but once they get to know me...nope I will still scare them, just maybe a little less! LOL)
Oh, well! Probably no squares today! Have been having health issues and I have yet another Dr. apt and a few more tests.
Oh, happy day,
Josie

great fabric wrong pattern??

So I was going to follow another quilt along! I got the fabric requirements, went and bought all the fabric, and, well... The quilt along is Studly and the Mrs. I was so nutz about grabing another project and well the thought of doing two at the same time is alwasy a challenge and kind of cool concept. I told my Hoenyman what I was getting the material for and he was Pshyched about getting a quilt of his own that was all about him! I went out to JoAnn's, Hancock and my local quilt shop! I found this material...

Well ya'll know my Honeyman is also my hot fireman!! I love the colours and just loved this material! And when I went to my locfal quilt shop I also found out that it was Robert Kaufman and there were several prints that looked like flames!!

I got lots of other red/ orangs/ and yellows and SEVERAL black prints ot go with it! I decided that grey will tie them all together nicely, kind of a light grey, but I did not find one that I liked so I haven't gotten that piece yet. Anyway! LOVE THE MATERIAL! and it so screams Honeyman!! But the more I look at this pattern I just don't think it is right for this material! So... I will be off on a hunt for the right pattern and then have to decide if I am still going to do the quilt along and wait for it... go buy MORE material!! LOL

I leave you with a pic of my husbands tat (it is like 6 years old now, but this was the first week he had it) I cannot tell you how very proud I am of that man! Everyone should be as lucky as I am!
Have a great week!
JoCrazyMama

QuiltUber Fest Block 10

I am having such fun with this quilt along! I have 11 out of the 16 blocks done! YAY! maybe I can get one done today, but I have a busy day!

Block 10 'Spinning on That Dizzy Edge'

I really liked this one! Heck what am I saying I like them all!!
J

QuiltUber Fest Block 13

Grrr Ahhhrg! I love doing this quilt along and I was crazy about this next block till I started it! The PDF was not avainlable right away and that was OK, so I decided to 'figure it out' on my own! Only to realize that in order to make it all 'EVEN' I would have to cut to the eigth of an inch (or something like that) So I decided  that the cross in the middle was OK if it was a little bigger ( and because it is the ghostie material it looks much better in person) after I finished I liked the block, which has no name, and when I went back to the web sight the PDF had been added and I am glad I did it on my own. I don't mean to complain, but I am still VERY new and do so rely on instructions, but the math major in me cannot add up five finished sections of 2.5 inches each and get 12!!!  I get 12.5!! I already have a tough time making my squares even without...ooops!! Love the concept not the execution! in order to make this even steven each section would have had to have been 2.4 inches finished!
So I cut mine...
Colour A- cut one 3 1/2 x 3 1/2
Colour B- cut four 3 1/2 x 5
Colour C- cut four 2 3/4 x 2 3/4 ; cut four 2 3/4 x 5
Colour D- cut four 2 3/4 x 2 3/4

'crossroads'

I do like it! And hey, is that 10 blocks now... I do think so!!
J

QuiltUberFest Blocks 6, 7, 8, & 9

Found batteries in my daughters room! YAY

Block 8 Chevron Dreams (but flip it)

Block 9 Bear Cabin

Block7 'In the Corner Pocket'

 

OK so for some reason when I upload these they are fliping out! LOL So all of the blocks (accept 9) turn your head to your right! LOL!! I like to call Block 6 'Bats in the Belfry' and Block 9 Pumpkin Patch! I am having a great time with these although I can say that ummmm go away for a while half square triangles!!  My FAVIRITE so far though is Block 6! I just love how those little guys turned out!!

 

Block 6 'Watch over Me'

Grrr Camera woes!!

So I am so bumbed! I went to post my blocks and my camera was out of batteries! (and if ya'll don't know throughout the week I am kind of a shut in) I looked through all of the kids toys and do you kow I do not have a single toy that takes AA batteries! I have about two dozen AAA batteries! That does me no good! So I am hoping that on Saturday when Honeyman has a day off he can run to Walgreens and pick me up some Camera batteries! I have FOUR blocks done and am just itching to get them on here!!!
My Dad came to visit Thursday, he normally does as he plays/teaches bridge and goes to grief group so he is in town that day, anyway, he kind of teared up. I showed him all of my blocks from the Quilt-Uber-Fest and showed him what materials were Mom's. He said your Mother would be so proud of you! That kind of got me a little, too! I just love the fact that this is the first piece that I am using stuff from her 'stash'! Well, ya'll... I hope to get at least one more block done so maybe i will hit you with five blocks! But I do have to make bread yet today and as it is Friday laundry needs done before the weekend! hhhmmmm sewing or laundry!! LOL

I added a picture that was in now way related to this post, why... because I am nuts that way!!

No really this will be my weekend! I have a b-day party/luncheon on Sunday and I have been intructed that if I do not show up with some of my bread I will be hung up as the pinata!! So!! Have to make bread for us and then will be up early Sunday to make bread for @ 150 people!! BAKE, BAKE, KNEAD, BAKE!! LOL
And I'm off!!
J

QuiltUberFest Blocks 3 & 4

I am just so nutz over Halloween material! I know this will be an UBER CRAZY quilt when it is all said and done, but I do plan on simple either orange or black sashings! I think that will ground it nicely!!

Block 3 "South for the Winter"

I did not use as many fabrics on this one as it called for. I thought the material is wild enough without...well you know! hehe

Block 4 Cabin in the Woods

Hey I kind of got a littel of the ghosties that are in the black there! That material really looks much better in person! The black and white match, but on the white is is more a metalic silver and on the black it is kind of rainbowwy metalic if that makes any sence! (plus I have one that is black with spider webs on it!)
Yay me five blocks down! That is almost a third of them!!
But enough for tonight! Honeyman is coming home from work early and we are going to have a night out on the town... OK OK so we are going to meet some of the other firemen and wives for a few drinks at the local fire/water hole!!
I do so hope to get another two done Wed! Please for more of the log cabining and a little less of the matching of the corners, grumble, grumble and a giggle or two!!
 Speaking of he just walked in the door! Half hour and I am off!!
Thanks for stoping by!!
JoCrazy Mama

QuiltUber Fest (block2 & 5)

Went NUTZ shopping today and decided that I went so crazy i should probably get SOMETHING done! LOL

Block 2  "Flying North"

Block 5 "Homes"

How fun are these! And they go together very quickly! I just love them! Now I just have to catch up!! ooops!! 3 out of 10 blocks (so far) there are 16 total! Maybe I can catch up! Keep your fingers crossed!!
Happy Quilting!
J

What's in a name!

So some posts make me laugh! I think that is why I am so into reading everyones blogs (even if I am not always on top of writing my own!) So when I read As Sweet as Cinnamon's post on why did you name your blog I had to respond!
Well we all have an 'insanity defense' right! I have MANY friends who wonder how in the world I do what I do and keep sane! Between my day care, my kids, my Honeyman, my dogs, my sister (a.k.a. the troll guarding the bridge), my baby brother... where do I find time for myself! And then I decide to go and pick up something like quilting! To top it off I decide on a project like a Dear Jane! What in the world was I thinking! Well short and sweet I am just plain nutz!! All of these things add up to my insanity defense! When I finally go crazy and run down the street in nothing but my slippers there will be no question as to why I did it! LOL it is just a matter of when it will happen! Some days I think that there are betting pools as to when the mighty Mama Jo will hit the nut house!
All in all I am really probably one of the most well balanced people around! I love to party, but I love to sit home and have quite time with my family and friends! I think that I balance these things quite nicely! But in case you read about me on the front page of your newspaper you will all know why!
All the zen in the world,
Josie McRazie

QuiltUber Fest (block1)

So if any of you follow Scott Hansen of Blue Nickel, he is hosting an October Quilt along. it is madness and there are new patterns like the first 16 days of October! Well I decided that since it is October... and I have scored all of these Halloween Materials! What is one more WIP!
Quiltdad had the first block. They are all 12 inch (finished) and incorporate half square triangles and log cabin. Well here is my halloween block 1 anyway!

Some of the material is from Mom's sewing room and the rest I have purchased! I have two others cut and hope to get them stitched up yet tonight while Honeyman is at the station! Here's to a quite evening of stitching!
J