QUILTING IN DAVIE

LETS TALK QUILTING ... FINALLY!!!!!!!!

2011-03-17T10:53:00.014-04:00

Awwwww, "quilting" instead of cancer ... a nice change of pace, don'tcha think. So here we go starting with the picture above. My dear friend, Janet, in PA did the lovely Hawaiian appliue and sent it to me to for some hand quilting. I washed it afterwards and was afraid it was to puffy, but Janet seemed to like it puffy ... big sigh of relief!!!

Now let's talk about "Henrietta Whiskers!!!!!" It's this year's free BOM (Block of the Month) from Bunny Hill Designs. I soooooooo wanted to make it, but didn't have the energy to start the first block, so my dear friend, Polly, from MD made my little dream come true. That dear sweet lady made the first 3 blocks, cut out all the applique pieces for the first block and mailed the whole wonderful package to my doorstep. I can't tell you how happy I was to have something so adorable to work on. She has since sent me the pieces for the February block and March is in route as we speak. Such an angel in my world :)

I haven't had any umphhhh whatsoever, so my "sewing room" hasn't been occupied for quite some time. Well, after the Gamma Knife in January, which by the way, went very well, I had to take wicked Steroids (Decadron) for 10 days and they had me running every which way including "crazy" (LOL), sooooooooo I spent one glorious day in my "sewing room" and finally finished this "Disappearing 9 patch" top :) I made the borders so big cuz I'm planning on scalloping the edges.

Lastly, but since it's probably gonna take a life time to complete certainly not the least is my "scrappy Grandmother's Flower Garden" top, which is growing slowly but surely :)

I've got the most wonderful group of on-line friends you could ever possibly meet ... I mean they are literally the angels walking amongst us and we've been chatting on-line for quite a few years now. I've also had the pleasure of meeting with quite a few of their lovely selves in person ... in fact, tomorrow, my friend Mary is driving down from Cocoa Beach to go to a Quilt Show in Ft. Lauderdale with me and my DSIL, Betsy. Anyway, one of the lovely gals, Barbara from MA, mentioned she had some scraps if anyone wanted any, so I jumped right in and grabbed 'em up to keep my "scrappy" hexies totally "scrappy." Well, before you knew it, I had scraps coming in from all over the Country and some of them were already cut into hexies thanks to my Dear friend Janet out in CA. Some of the girls sent their scraps to her and she cut them into hexies with her new toy ... that cutting thingie they've got out now. Amazing machine. Amazing women!!!!

I guess I need to talk about cancer just a little since it is essentially reality in our little world. I finished the last chemo 6 weeks ago, which was, of course, cause for celebration; but it's been so hard ever since, celebrating has yet to occur. Dr. T. said the drugs have an accumulative effect, and boy was she ever right ... that last dose just about did me in. Having an awful lot of full body pain with a big emphasis on the feet and hands due to the Neuropathy (numbness, tingling, and sharp pains). I'm also extremely tired still yet nervous at the same time ... it's a situation that drives me a bit bananas.

I did get some good news from the latest Pet Scan, which was a couple of weeks ago ... the lymph nodes and lungs were both clear ... thank you Lord :) The suspicious spots in the breast were still there, but they did shrink in size slightly. Now I'm on tap for a mamo, an ultra sound and an MRI, then it will be decision time. Oh and I did get a post 30 day Gamma Knife MRI and the brain was clear too ... another thank you Lord :)

Well, that pretty much brings us up to date. Hopefully, I won't let 2 months go by inbetween now and my next Blog. Blessings to you all :)

"Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you wth My righteous right hand ." (Isaiah 41:10)

WITH HEARTFELT THANKS TO A DEAR FRIEND!!!

2011-01-13T23:18:00.014-05:00

I have been blessed with sooooooooo many wonderful and dear friends ... I swear their kindness has been mind boggling and continues to touch my heart on a daily basis. If you ever begin to loose faith in our fellow human beings, please get in touch with me cuz I've got a million stories that will renew that lost faith; and that's the Gospel truth :)

As many of you know, our precious Nephew, 11 year old A.J. has Austism; and it is my goal to make a quilt for their anual walk for his Mom, Betsy, to raffle off every year. Well this year it has been weighing on my mind and my heart heavily cuz I just haven't had the strength or the energy to spend time in my sewing room to make that happen. When I mentioned that to my friends, in less than a week's time, this stunning quilt landed on my doorstep!!!!

It was sent by my dear friend, Eileen, who spends the majority of her quilting time making quilts for others ... mainly QOV (Quilts of Valor) for our injured Military, together with other charities; and she just happened to have this one ready waiting for the right cause. Would you look at her beautiful quilting that shows up really well on the backing!!!!!
She also sent this wonderful case to hold the quilt ... the quilting once again is stunning!!!!

And she didn't stop with just one ... she also sent this adorable little Wall Hanging!!!!!

which Dolly Darlene is obviously quite fond of it :)

Sooooooooo, Eileen, my wish for you is .............................................

that comes from this adorable little magnet my Dear Sister's BFF, Viv, so kindly sent to me recently :) I tell ya, I'm one of the most blessed souls on the face of the Earth. I can't tell you how big of a load of worry that Eileen lifted from my shoulders and I thank her from the very bottom of my heart for her generosity :)

On the medical front, I'm a bit down right now cuz after a MRI of the brain last week, a new lesion was found ... it's not as big as the first tumor and it's in a different location, so I'm scheduled for another Gamma Knife procedure on the 18th. I wasn't really too surprised when I received the news cuz I had been having some strange headaches and didn't feel right when I looked upwards. Dr. T, my Oncologists, said that this means that there is still cancer somewhere else in my body ... that the brain tumor didn't just appear out of no where ... that it had to come from somewhere. My very smart friend, Polly, said that there could have been one loose cell from the first brain tumor that caused it and that would sure be better than more cancer elsewhere. Even tho Dr. T is worried that the Ixempra (new trial drug) may not be working, we will finish out the round w/just 2 more treatments to go and do another Pet Scan. I'm anxious for all of this to be behind me; but being Stage IV, I sometimes worry it may never reach that point. God is in control tho, and I try very, very hard to let him handle all these problems that have been lingering for 6 long months now. I'm always a work in progress when it comes to releasing it all to Him, but I shall continue to try :)

I sure hope all of you are off to a good start for this Twenty Ellevn that arrived entirely too fast and I pray that it treats you and yours with an abundance of kindness. God Bless you all :)

"Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours." (Mark 11:24)

SO MANY BLESSINGS!!!!!!!!!

2010-12-28T19:21:00.012-05:00

I'm so sorry that I never got back to wish everyone a Merry Christmas, but I sure hope you all enjoyed many Blessings throughout the entire Season :) The new chemo drug (Ixempra) has prooven to be horrid, yet our Blessings were still quite plentiful in spite of it all.

Our Dear Friend, Mary, delivered 2 wonderful meals ... the first one being baked ziti, her wonderful homemade carrot cake and this fabulous platter of cookies. With Gene and his infamous "sweet tooth," he was quite the happy camper. Then on Christmas Eve she and her Sister, Rita, delivered a wonderful assortment of goodies ... shrimp salad, spinach dip, sausage and peppers and another tray of sweets ... definitely angels from above :)

My Dear Friend, Barbara, from MA had this beautiful little tree delivered to our doorstep :)

And my Dear Friend, Patricia, from GA had this adorable little tree delivered ......

....... along with these beautiful flowers!!!

And last for this post, but certainly not least, my Dear Friend, Janet, from CA sent these gorgeous roses.

I was soooooooo grateful for all these wonderful Christmas decorations cuz with the exception of the little gold tree below, I plain and simply wasn't up to putting up any of ours. Their love and generosity sure did brighten both my heart and our home and I love them all dearly :) I continue to be amazed at how much one person can be so abundantly blessed.

I'm happy to report that I now only have two more chemo treatments to go; and you can truly believe me when I say "I am literally sitting on pins and needles" waiting for this all to be behind me. We did a 2nd Pet Scan after the first cocktail of drugs and there was lots of improvement ... the lymph nodes didn't light up nor did the 2 nodules in my lungs. Needless to say, we were celebrating down here in Davie and sending oodles of Praises up :)

Thank you so much for your continued love, prayers and support and the Happiest of New Years to you all :)

"For I know the plans I have for you," says the LORD. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope." (Jeremiah 20:11)

SUCH A LOVELY SURPRISE!!!

2010-11-21T14:27:00.009-05:00

Oh my, I've been MIA for over a month!!! I continue to be so amazed at how time flies by so quickly and I'm having a hard time comprehending that the year will soon be over. I am literally aging as I speak!!!

It's been a tough month treatment wise; but because of the love of some very dear friends, I was blessed with one beautiful afternoon ... a few hours of blissful normalcy and it was absolutely and unequivacably wonderful!!!! It was also a total and complete "surprise :)"

On Friday a few weeks ago I got a call from my friend's Daughter-in-Law ... the lovely young gal who brought us a wonderful meal a while back; and she said she had something for me and asked if she could stop by the next day. I was thrilled to be getting some company, so I gussied up as much as this 'ole body can gussy up and sat anxiously awaiting her and her little girl's arrival. Imagine my surprise when I saw 3 cars pull in the driveway and saw 4 of my dear friends get out!!!!!!!!! Gail from Eustis, FL ... Mary from Cocoa Beach ... Polly from MD and Sue from NY. Carol and her little girl, Sadie, were with them as well :) I simply could not believe my eyes!!!!!!!!!!!! After a lot of hugs and kisses, they kidnapped me and we headed over to the Beach for some lunch at Aruba's.

Pictured above is all of us except Carol and Sadie ... from left to right, it's Gail, Mary, Polly and Sue with me lazily sitting; and in front of us is the quilt that they presented me with!!!! OMG, it is gorgeous and there was also a little one that matched for Dolly Darlene :) It was made by 38 of the most wonderful women you could ever meet and it brightened my world more than they could ever possibly imagine!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The quilts even came with their own "tote bag," which was beautifully made by my friend, Janet, out in CA.

Ohhhhh and Carol did what she said she was gonna do on Friday ... she brought me something; and it was this adorable pumpkin that she made out of a piece of "dryer hose venting." Isn't that ingenius!!!!!!!!!!

As far as the treatments go, yes it's true ..................................

..................... but all the love that continues to come our way certainly helps tremendously; and for that, I am ever so grateful :) May God Bless all these lovely ladies for brightening my world so immensely :)

On the medical front, I am happy to report that I made it through the first cocktail of drugs; and I was so happy, I considered dancing in the streets. I did have to have a "needle biopsy" a few weeks ago; but by the Grace of God, it came back negative :) I've been having a lot of problems with this shunt that is in my head; and the powers to be have come to the conclusion that it's "over shunting," so on Tuesday, I head back down to Miami to have it tied off. If that doesn't work, they will insert a new one with a programmable valve. I wasn't overly thrilled about having it done the week of Thanksgiving cuz Aunt Margaret is coming down; but Dr. T (Oncologists) felt it was important to get it done before we start the new trial drug (Ixempra) on the 29th.

I hope to one day soon get back into my normal routine of visiting all my favorite Blogs and I so appreciate all the love that y'all have sent my way through out this little battle I've been in. Wishing you all a very Blessed Thanksgiving :)

"Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His love endures forever." (Psalm 107:1)

THE BEAUTIFUL FACES OF "FRIENDSHIP!"

2010-10-03T10:31:00.012-04:00

Awwwwww, "friendship!" One of our greatest gifts in life, and would you look at these beautiful faces!!!!

This picture was taken this week where all these lovely ladies gathered in NC on the beautiful Lake Logan for four days of "queelting, laughing, talking, eating, drinking and all the other good things that happen when a fabulous group of gals come together :)" It was my intention to join them this year, but it just wasn't meant to be. They've already booked for the next three years; and God willing, I'll be joining them then :) It is with great pleasure that I introduce you to:

Bottom Row Left to Right: Mary from FL, Patricia from CO, Annie from MD, Jan from OK, Eileen from MD and Shirley from IN :)

Top Row Left to Right: Meddy from NY, Meg from IA, Mary Lynn from TN, Patricia from GA, Vicki from OK, Debbie from NC, Barbara from MA and Janet from PA :)

In The Back: Ann from TN :)

..... and wearing their wonderful shirts for yours truly :) How can I ever thank them!!!!!!!!! I just love them each and everyone to pieces :)

This next photo is a gathering of some very dear friends from my youth :) They are all still located in TN, and they gathered one evening in my honor ... I had no idea they were doing it at the time cuz they wanted to surprise me with the pictures :)

Once again, with great pleasure, please meet from left to right:

Jenny, Laine, Pam, Meg, Janie, Tissie, Tony, Pat, Allison and Elaine :) OMG, when I saw this picture, I was touched beyond words!!!!!!!! Soooooooo many years have passed since I last saw these beautiful souls, but because of Facebook, we have all come back together again; and would you look at the wonderful T-shirt they signed and sent :)

It was actually "hand delivered" by Elaine, pictured below :) She was down in my neck of the woods for her birth of her new twin grandchildren ... one healthy, adorable little girl; and one healthy, adorable little boy :) It was such a joy seeing her!!!!!

In talking about "friendship," there's no way I could not include this beautiful lady. Please meet Diane. She holds a very special place in our hearts. She worked for us for several years until recently. The economy has taken such a terrible toll on our business, that we had to let her go. It broke my heart ... it broke Gene's heart ... literally!!!!!! She has so many problems in her own world, but that has never stopped her from reaching out to others in such a loving way; and she has been a Godsend to us through out this cancer journey. She has driven me countless times to Doctor appointments ... she's cleaned our house, bathed Dolly Darlene and soooooooooooo much more!!! She is one of the angels walking amongst us and I love her dearly :)

All these beautiful people have helped me more than they could possibly ever know ... their love, support and prayers has been a blessing and a gift that words simply cannot describe. I will be forever grateful to each and everyone of them :) So if any of you are reading, thank you ... from the bottom of my heart, thank you ... may all the goodness tht you've given Gene and I come back to you threefold!!!! God Bless you all :)

"Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends." (John 15:13)

THE MOST WONDERFUL SURPRISE VISIT :)

2010-09-29T10:21:00.003-04:00

And that "most wonderful surprise visit" was from my Sister, Pam!!! She flew in from IN last Wednesday so she could go to Chemo #2 with me; and there's no way ... I mean it's impossible ... to tell y'all how wonderful it was to have her here. I'm telling ya that the Good Lord put her here in Davie at the most absolute perfect time!!! Her presence warmed my heart and kept a smile on my face :) Mr. Gene, of course, enjoyed seeing her as well :)

I gotta tell ya that she is absolutely gorgeous too!!! She's 2 years older than me, but she looks 10 years younger; and that not's an easy thing for a "little sister" to admit too (LOL). Anyway, this is the one and only picture I got of her while she was here ... she's on the left and my wonderful, life saving Sister-in-Law, Betsy is on the right, who I'm sure you will agree is also gorgeous :)

I was so happy that they met cuz they sure spent a lot of time on the phone together during the whole "brain thingie."

Betsy hand delivered some delicious homemade lasagna on that day, some homemade turkey soup and the most absolutely awesome "Scrapbook of Love and Support," which I will share in another post. You'll need to have your tissue ready when I get that one done :)

Round #2 of chemo was last Thursday and it took a whopping 5 hours. They were overloaded with gals fighting this wicked disease ... I've had the pleasure of sitting and visiting with some of the most precious souls you'd ever wanna meet during my last 2 treatments; and they truly try to accomodate the patient's family. In spite of the overload, they allowed Pam to stay with me the entire time. My chemo Nurse, Kathy, who is an angel here on Earth, just works her way around the "visiting folks" with a smile on her face :) Such a blessing!!!!

Pam got to stay till Sunday morning, so we had lots of time for visiting afterwards; and she took such good care of me!!!!!!!!!! She fixed us 2 delicious meals (chicken and rice ... tenderloin, mashed taters, green beans and fried apples), did the grocery shopping, drove me on some errands, took me back to Dr. T's office for that "dreaded N" shot and took me to pick out some scarves for this bald head of mine. Unfortunately, everyone in Davie was out shopping that day, so we were back home quite quickly. The economy is awful down here in FL, but I swear, you would think things were booming based on the crowds that were out.

Now for the bestest news ... she says she'll be back; and I am already looking sooooooooooo forward to it :)

On the medical front, it's probably safe to say that chemo kicked my butt the 2nd time around. It's strange really cuz it seems like it puts you on a roller coaster ride heading only downwards. It starts out really slow and then "wham bam," you're going at the speed of lightening. At least that's the way my body feels. The main issue I think would have to go to fatigue ... OMG, I've never been sooooooo tired in my whole life. That probably wouldn't be so much of an issue if it hadn't been for the steroids for the "brain swelling" trying it's dangest to counteract it all, so rest hasn't come easy. The "plumbing" seems to wanna shut down completely too (so sorry for that visual); and a couple of days ago, I started getting some pretty uncomfortable sores in my mouth ... way deep inside near my throat ... "Rootbeer Floats" help (LOL). The nausea has been much, much better than Round #1. They think that was due to the brain tumor. I did have to pull out my Compazine Script yesterday; but that's OK cuz that stuff really does work :) I'm also having a lot of discomfort in my knees, legs and hips, which I believe is from the "N" shot (can't remember the whole name) that they give you the 2nd day to build back up your white blood cells.

I went down to Miami for my follow up visit with the "amazing" Dr. Wolf on Monday (thank you Paul for driving me!!!!); and I have to say it was the strangest Doctor's visit I've ever been to. He walked in, asked how I was feeling, took the staples out (ouch) and then sat down to look at my chart. He was not a happy camper cuz his girls had not ordered a CT Scan, so within a matter of just a few moments, I was whisked off to that machine and back in seeing him. He walked in, said the "ventricles" (whatever the heck they are) looked good, that I could stop taking the medicine straight from hell (thank you Jesus), not to get my head wet till the next day and that he'd see me in 3 weeks for a MRI and visit. He proceeded to stand up, took my hand and said "take care sweetie." (LOL) His front desk couldn't get the MRI coordinated with him "being in the building" until November 3rd, which was AOK with me :)

Thanks so much for stopping by to visit. Sure hope all is well with all of you and we continue to thank you for your love, support and prayers :)

"And now these three remain: faith, hoPe and love, but the greatest of these is love." (1 Corinthians 13:13)

HE STILL LOVES ME AFTER ALL THESE YEARS :)

2010-09-22T10:40:00.008-04:00

And that particular "he" would be my honey ... the wonderful man I fell in love with a life time ago :) After we received the good news on the spinal cord fluid last week, he came out dressed and ready to go somewhere. Many of you know that he suffers from "severe multilevel spinal stenosis," so this is not a sight you see often in our home cuz "going somewhere" doesn't come easily for him. Well, that's when he announced he was going to get his hair cut! He hasn't driven in quite some time now, so I said "I can't drive you today." He said "I know, I'm gonna drive myself." Well, I normally would have fussed about that; but since I didn't have a whole heck of alot of energy to fuss, I let him go cuz I thought he was just trying to do something to make his Bride happy cuz as you can see, it had been quite some time since he felt like going out for a hair cut!!! We were getting very close to "pony tail" status with a Santa Claus beard.

Well that dear sweet man not only got his hair cut ... he had it all removed so we would be "twins!!!!" I had absolutely no idea whatsoever those were his intentions and was quite emotional and elated to say the least when I realized that's what they were!!! He looks pretty dern handsome, dontcha think!!!!

Because of a language barrier, he said he had a hard time explaining to the Barber what he wanted; and in doing so, the gentleman in the chair next to him heard the entire conversation. Well, when Gene got up to the Counter to pay, the lady informed him that it had already been taken care of by another customer!!!! The gentlemen sitting next to him paid for the hair cut and asked the lady to tell Gene that he would be praying for him and his wife. Shere, absolute and total proof that there is still very much goodness in this World :) The priceless moments in our lives continue to mount :)

Thank you my love!!!!!!!! My heart is with you every moment of every day and has been for over 35 years :) Love you most!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"For this Reason, a man will leave his Father and Mother and be united to his wife and the two will become one flesh." (Mathew l9:5)

WHAT A DIFFERENCE 24 HOURS CAN MAKE

2010-09-19T07:22:00.014-04:00

Tuesday evening 7:00 p.m.

Wednesday evening 7:00 p.m. Soooooooo thankful this one is blurry!!!! (LOL)

Basically, it's been a "whirlwind" of a week down here in Davie where I'm supposed to be queeeelting but can't seem to get back to it ; and here's how that "whirlwind" has played out.

Friday ... MRI of the Brain.

Saturday ... Report back showing Brain Tumor. Radiologists thinking that it is benign.

Monday ... met with Dr. T (Oncologists). She sends me immediately over to
the Hospital for a CT Scan. She would not give an opinion just yet on whether we were dealing with a Benign tumor or a Metastasis (hate that word ... I'm not even sure if I know how to spell the silly thing) to the Brain.

Tuesday ... by the Grace of God, with the help of Dr. T and with the expertise of my Dear Sister-in-Law Tracey, who works with all the Doctor's at U.T. Hospital in our home town (Knoxville, TN), we managed to get in to see one of the best Neursurgeons in the Country, Dr. Wolf, down at Doctor's Hospital in Coral Gables, FL, which is about an hour, give or take, from our house. He said it was not a benign tumor ... that it was malignant and needed to come out immediately, so I went home, got some things together and we went back and checked in through the Emergency Room that evening.

After getting settled in the Room, I was blessed with a wonderful male Nurse, who happened to be ............................... yes a "quilter!!!!!!!!" Amazing :) There's a lot of paperwork involved in a "check in;" but it took us much, much longer cuz we couldn't quit talking about "queeelting!" (LOL)

Wednesday 5:00 am ... was taken down to the "Gammal Knife Room" and they miraculously and totally uninvasively sent that nasty tumor to timbucktwo with radiation galore and equipment that probably costs more than ... uhmmmmmmm, let me think ... let's say the "Tajmahal!"

Wednesday 5:00 pm ... Because the tumor had damaged my brain's normal ability to move the fluid around, was taken down to surgery for the insertion of a shunt in my brain and a long tube to push that fluid down to my tummy.

The following night was shere misery ... brutal headaches and the worse steroid buzz on the face of the Earth. I didn't think it would ever end; and all I could think about was our Daughter and all the steroids and pain meds she had to take through the years. That sweet child was definitely with her Little Mommy that night ... I felt certain she held my hand and got me to the other side :)

Thursday ... Made it back home ... absolutely no place like it :) We still had one more hurdle to cross, as we were waiting for the pathology report from the spinal cord fluid. There was a possibility that the brain tumor from the devil himself might have let go of some cells into the spianal cord fluid. We were told that if that was the case, there would be nothing anyone could do for me. I'm happy to report that I slept like a baby ... I had a sense of peace surrounding me that was so sureal. I felt like I was wrapped in the comfort of God's arms and that He spent the night listening to all the many prayers that I knew were going up. It's the most amazing feeling in the world to put all your trust in God and the people who are praying for you ... an experience of a life time!!!!!!!!

Friday ... Well, I'm happy to report that the spinal cord fluid was clear; and now that the evil malignant tumor is gone, I go back to fighting the initial culprit, the Breast cancer, next Thursday :) God is good :)

There are no words to describe the appreciation Gene and I have in our hearts for all the prayers that we know have been said on our behalf. May goodness and mercy follow all of you good folks all the days of your lives :)

There are also no words to describe the appreciation Gene and I have in our hearts for the love, support and help beyond comprehension that we received from my Dear Brother-in-Law, Paul, and his lovely Bride, Betsy, this week. They were our God Send's because we literally could not have survived without them. We are so abundantly blessed.

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God, and the peace of God , which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." (Phillippians 4:6-7)

HOUSTON, WE'VE GOT A PROBLEM!!!!!!!!!!!!

2010-09-11T21:37:00.006-04:00

I've always liked that saying ... well, I didn't like the fact that they had a problem and I've often wondered what the problem actually was; but it does go along with so many things in life, dontcha think!!!

Ya see, it appears that I have a "Brain Tumor" of all things. Talk about bad timing; but it is what it is what it is!!!! At least we now know why I've been having all these extra problems ... bad vision for about 6 weeks, getting weaker every day, getting dizzier by the minute and headaches that without a doubt are straight from hell. I just couldn't phathom that this was all from the Breast Cancer ... it just didn't make sense; and now we know ... it's from that nasty tumor in my brain :( I think it's safe to say that I don't like that thing!!!!!

We just found out this morning actually and it was a bit of a shock. They wanted me to check into the hospital to remain under observation over the weekend; but I gotta tell ya, I'd rather eat a green fly and managed to convince Dr. T (Oncologists) that my honey could observe me and I'd be a heck of a lot more comfy here at home :) She called me in some meds that will hopefully reduce the swelling in the brain. She will go by the Hospital Monday morning and pick up the actual films, which is how she likes to see things; and then I will meet her at her Office at 9:00 a.m. She has spoken to two Neuro Surgeons who she highly recommends and it sounds like they might all agree that it will be better to do Radiation to try to shrink the tumor before considering any surgery, which is AOK with me :)

At this point, she does not even think that it's related to the Breast Cancer; and they don't even know if we're dealing with a malignancy or a benign tumor. I'm hanging my hopeful hat on the "benign peg." Eight years ago, both of my ovaries were covered with monsterous masses ... all of which was benign, so I'm thinking we could be blessed once again :) I did ask her if my life was in danger and she said "yes it was." Now that I think about it, it probably wasn't a smart question cuz a brain tumor would have a tendency to put your life in danger, dontcha think!!!!!

Lawdy daisy, just a few short months ago I thought I was healthy as a horse; and now look at me. We truly do not know what tomorrow will bring so I say "enjoy each day and graciously accept it for the wonderful gift it is; and speaking of gifts, would you look at what my friends sent me!!!

Not just one, but 2 of 'em, which I wore to my first chemo ... well I actually only wore of 'em, but you probably knew that (LOL). Now the nicest and most loving part of this story is that all these friends also ordered one for themselves and those beautiful women wore them on the day of my first treatment as well!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I know there were over 60 shirts ordered, so can you imagine!!!!! These wonderful friends are located all across the Country too ... the same group of friends that made those 3 gorgeous quilts for us in Micki's memory. Our group has grown since then and we meet daily on-line. I've had the wonderful pleasure of meeting quite a few of them in person through the years and I cannot tell you how much I love each and everyone of 'em :)

In closing, I humbly ask all of you for your prayers and I thank you for all the ones that you've already sent up on our behalf :) I also thank you for your lovely comments :) God Bless :)

"I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death." (Phillippians3:10)

UPDATE :)

2010-09-07T20:05:00.002-04:00

Please forgive me for staying gone for so long and for another "photoless" post!!! I have soooooooooo many people to thank and so many lovely things to show you all, but I'm afraid I need a few more days to get my act together.

Chemo started last Thursday; and as much as I hate to admit it, it truly kicked my butt ... still kicking it actually and I never dreamed those nasty side effects would be hanging around so long. I do think today was a tad bit better though, so I'm hopeful for even more improvement tomorrow :)

I do believe all of this would be so much easier if I could see properly. I got my new lenses last week, but they unfortunately did not do the trick :( In all fairness, I can see somewhat better; but it's a far cry from my normal vision. I go back to the Eye Doc tomorrow, so I'm praying hard he can fix me!!!!!!!!!!

I also have a Brain MRI on Thursday to make sure this Triple Negative Cancer hasn't gone anywhere it's not welcome. Two days ago, I got the worse possible headache imagineable; and I will have to say that it scared me. I've had headaches off and on my entire life, but I have never ever experienced one so brutal. It finally subsided when Gene wrapped my head and neck in ice. God Bless him cuz I know that wasn't easy for him to do!!!

We got the results of the Pet Scan; and unfortunately, the left tata lit up ... it's either new disease or remnants of the infection I had for so long. The remaining axillary nodes that weren't removed lit up as well, which I truly hated to hear. I think it's probably safe to say that I will end up with a mastectomy before all of this is over; but for the time being, Dr. T. wants to continue forward with the chemo. I also had 2 small nodules in my lung light up. They are too small to biopsy (thank you Lord!!!!). Dr. T says that if they shrink, she will have to presume they are malignant ... if they remain the same size, then everything should be OK :) It's no wonder cancer patients fear scans sooooooooo bad!!!!!!!!

I have to send out a very special thank you to my Dear Sister-in-Law, Betsy. She insisted upon going to Chemo with me and I was soooooooooo grateful that she was there!!!! She made the whole process so much easier ... she even picked me out an adorable wig, which I'll show you soon :) Dr. T has lots of them to choose from and says to "help yourself :)" Isn't that nice!!!! Betsy also did our grocery shopping on Sunday and came over and cleaned our bathrooms and put new sheets on the bed. There was no way I could have done any of those things and I will be forever grateful for all her help all the days of my life :)

I also need to send out a very special thank you to my Dear Friend, Diane. Another God Send in our world :) That beautiful lady has so many problems of her own, but she puts the needs of everyone else before her own on a day to day basis. She's bathed Dolly several times, cleaned our kitchen and living room, fixed my hair and carted me all over town to Doctor Appt after Doctor Appt; and she's gonna do it again tomorrow :) I keep telling her I can drive, but she doesn't trust my eyes (LOL). I'm sure the good folks of Davie would thank her :)

The thank you's will continue as I haven't even begun to talk about all the love and kindness that has come our way. It leaves me totally speechless each and every day :)

Blessings to you all :)

"Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of lifte that God has promised to those who love Him." (James 1:12)

WHAT A DIFFERENCE AN HOUR CAN MAKE!!!

2010-08-23T07:56:00.006-04:00

Saturday 9:00 a.m.

Saturday 10:00 a.m.!!!!!

I know I look a bit like "death warmed over," but I wanted to show you all my new short hair anyway :) My eyes are sooooooooooo bad right now, so I can't stay long. Just a few minutes on the computer, and I get the worse possible headache imagineable!!! I'll be back soon tho and I hope to visit all my favorite Blogs then :) Blessings to you all :)

"For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." (Jeremiah 29:11)

HOW WILL I EVER SAY THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!

2010-08-11T09:35:00.010-04:00

All I can say is "Oh My Gosh!!!!" The love that has been sent our way is mind boggling ... absolutely and unequivicably "mind boggling." It is sooooooooo incredibly awesome and I wish everyone I love and care about could feel what I feel today!!! It has literally warmed me from head to toe; and I swear, I believe that Jesus has reached down from Heaven and wrapped his loving arms around me cuz when I close my eyes, that's exactly how I feel :)

Every single day love comes to us through the phone lines and/or via a very special delivery; and it's very possible that it will take me a month of posts to tell you about each and every kindness. It's like "where in the world do I begin!!!!!!!"

I first wanna thank my Dear Brother-in-Law, Paul, and his lovely Bride, Betsy. They are our only family in Florida and they truly stepped up to the plate to help us out when we needed it the most. With Gene's disability, the last thing I wanted was for him to be in the waiting room while I was having Surgery cuz I knew it would put him in terrible pain for days, so Paul not only got me to surgery on time; but he also stayed and waited till I was ready to go home. I'm happy to report that he didn't have to drag me screaming and kicking either, unlike what Gene had to endure 8 years ago on our way to my Hysterectomy :) Betsy also came to the Surgical Center to wait after she dropped the kids off from camp. I cannot tell you how much easier they made it for me!!! Knowing that Gene was at home resting and waiting for my return was the "big girl panties" I needed for the day :) God Bless them both cuz they endured my "all time high" from the "after surgery meds!!!" (LOL)

They didn't stop there either cuz Betsy took me to my next two Doctor appointments and Paul took me to my third, along with a trip to Publix and two trips to Walgreens :) Betsy also cooked us three Heavenly meals ... "meatballs and sauce, stuffed cabbage and chicken noodle soup;" and they were sooooooo delicious :) I hate I didn't get a picture of them for y'all!!! Perhaps that's a good thing cuz it would only make you want some :)

I can remember only one thing after surgery and that would be Betsy's purse!!! I, of course, was so happy to see her; but I simply could not take my eyes off her purse (LOL) ... it was sooooooo dern cute; and can you believe that when she came back to the house she had me one of my very own!!! Isn't it adorable :)

We were also blessed with food from our dear friend and best guy in our Business, Scottie. He used to be a chef; and he has delighted me for years with his homemade goodies!!! This time it was "Shepherds Pie" and a scrumptious salad; and nope, I didn't get a picture :( He's also delivered to our front door step "Coffee Coolattas" from Dunkin Donuts on an almost daily basis. Have I ever told you all that I've been addicted to them for years now??? I am really, really addicted!!! So much so, my friends at Dunkin Donuts will send out a "Search Party" whenever I don't show up for my daily fix ... I am truly their best customer :)

On the night of our Anniversary (#35), my Dear Friend, Polly, in MD had our dinner delivered to our front door step!!! She simply "Googled" Restaurants in our area and made an exceptional choice ... "Lasagna, Chicken and Brocolli Alfredo, Garlic Rolls, Tiramsu" and what Gene dubbed as the best thing since applie pie ... "Key Lime Cheese Cake!" Wasn't that the sweetest thing ever!!! I could just slap myself silly for not getting pictures of all these scruptious meals!!!

My dear, sweet friend, Gail, up in Eustis, FL, was sitting there trying to figure out how she could get a homecooked meal to Gene and I when it dawned on her that her Son and his family lived right here in Davie, so she called her Daughter-in-Law and asked her to cook us a meal :) I couldn't have been happier cuz not only was the meal absolutely outstanding (Gail's Chicken 'n Rice), but I got to spend some quality time with Carol and her precious Sadie :)

I cannot tell you how good all this food was!!!! So much so, I have to confess to eating lots of it for not only supper, but for breakfast as well :) Thank you all sooooooooo very much!!! Thank you for making this journey we have found ourselves on an awful lot easier :) May God Bless you each and everyone with an abundance of goodness all the days of your life :)

On the health front, I'm afraid I've been "grouchy!!!" Yes, it's true (LOL). Dr. Levy has had to asspirate and asspirate and asspirate this left tata till both it and I are blue; and can you believe that it's the first time he's had this happen!!! Doesn't surprise me one little bit (LOL). The "low grade" fever has been relentless because of that fluid buildup, but I am soooooo happy to say that I think it's gone!!!!!!! Here I sit with no fever whatsoever and it makes me happy enough to consider dancing in the street nekkid :)

He told me on Monday that it was gonna take a good 6 to 8 weeks to get over this surgery; and as much as I like that dear sweet man, I came very close to slapping him silly!!! Dang, why in the world didn't he tell me this up front. Perhaps he knew I'd run away :) The "under arm" situation is about to get on my last nerve, but I will continue to do my best to just deal with it :)

I did go see the new Oncologist last week (Dr. K); and although I liked him an awful lot, I wasn't overly fond of his offices or his staff. I don't know how to describe it other than the fact that "it gave me a bad feeling." We actually spent 1/2 our time debating a "mastectomy." He kept saying he thought I needed one and couldn't understand why I would wanna keep a "diseased breast." I kept asking him to give me a good reason for putting myself through surgery again. Also, could he promise me if I let him remove this thing that I've been toting around for 55 years now, could he assure me the cancer would NOT come back. Well, of course, the answer was a big flat "no!!!" Well, I'm happy to report that he called me the very next morning ... he said he had spent the evening researching; and he could not find any data to support the need for me to have a mastectomy right now. Halleluya and Praise the Lord!!! Not only was that good news, but it was sooooooo refreshing to hear a Doctor admit he was wrong :)

Dr. K did some Labwork and I'm happy to report that there is no "tumor activity" in my body right now :) Gene and I were elated to hear that!!! He also had the Pathologists re-run the HER2 under the "fish method" in hopes of getting it to change to a positive. Getting a "positive" could have changed my treatment options. It wasn't meant to be tho cuz it still came back "negative," so I'm still a "Triple" on that front.

I've got another appoinment with a 2nd Oncologist here in Davie tomorrow. She's a "lady," but I'm afraid I can't pronounce her name to save my life!!! She's been specializing in "Ovarian and Breast Cancers" for over 20 years and I am anxious to meet her :) "Convenience" is certainly a factor; and I swear, you can't get any more "convenient" than she is :) Besides, "treatment" for the "Triple Negative" is "across the board" all over the Country, so I imagine I'll do OK with whoever I choose :)

After I meet with her, I go back to see Dr. Levy. I imagine he'll have to aspirate again, but I'm OK with that, especially since the fever is now history :)

Well, I think that about catch's me up. I'll be back very soon to share oodles of more kindnesses that we've received :) Ohhhh, but before I go, I must say "thank you" for all the kind comments you gals have been leaving. I soooooooooo appreciate your love, your support and your prayers :) I am truly blessed!!!!!!!!!!

"Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind let each of you regard one another as more important than himself; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interest of others. Have this attitude in yourself, which was also in Christ Jesus, who although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped but emptied Himself taking the form of a bond-servant and being made in the likeness of man." (Philippians 2:3-7)

PATHOLOGY

2010-08-01T15:43:00.006-04:00

Talk about a confusing bunch of papers!!! These Pathology Reports are like hyrogliphics!!! Is that a real word??? Anyway, I got my "Final" Report on Thursday; and I spent hours and hours trying to decipher it all. All I can say is "thank you Lord" for "Google" and for "BreastCancer.Org" It all makes my heart hurt for the gals who didn't have these things at the tip of their fingers not so long ago. So, the "Internet" gets a "check" for being one of the "good things" in this situation I've found myself in :)

You're probably wondering why that sweet, kind and wonderful Dr. Levy didn't decipher it all for me. I was actually wondering the same thing and I think it's due to the fact that he knows it's time for the Oncologist to take over. He's also been focusing all of his intention on this "infection" that won't go away. It's still a mystery too, but it did make him make the decision to remove the "drain tubes" and I'm so very happy to report that I didn't feel a thing!!! He also removed the staples, which went just as smoothly. Boy did I ever thank our Heavenly Father for all of that :)

He decided to change my Antibiotics, which I thought was doing the trick Saturday during the day ... but I'll be a son of a gun if the fever didn't start back up again last night. It's starting to piss me off now (LOL).

Anyway, it appears that I have "Triple Negative" Invasive "Ductal" Carcinoma with "Lobular Features;" and Dr. Levy feels we are dealing with a Stage III (that's the one thing he said on Thursday). Quite a change from that first Pathology Report from the Biopsy!!! Dr. Levy's office, unfortunately, confirmed the accuracy of this on Friday. The "Triple Negative" means that there are no "hormone" receptors; and it, therefore, will not respond to the "Hormonal Therapies" available to most Breast Cancer Patients today. It also means that it is more "aggressive" and the "prognosis" is not as good. It apparently represents only 15% of the Breast Cancers today; and I'm guessing it means I'm in for some chemotherapy ... the good news though is that they have found that it "responds" very well to the chemo :)

I meet my new Oncologists tomorrow at 3:00, and I don't think I've ever looked forward to seeing a Doctor so much in my entire life. I am sooooooooo anxious to find out where I go from here ... to find out what's in store ... to find out when I might get my "normal little life" back.

Thank you all sooooooooo very much for your prayers!!!! I can't tell you how much we appreciate them :) Oh and I'm happy to report that I sewed "one" hexie!!!I didn't think you'd wanna see a picture of that one lone soldier (LOL), but it sure means there's hope yet :)

"But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in Him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit." (Jeremiah 17:7-8)

A Quick Little Update :)

2010-07-27T19:14:00.002-04:00

I am learning rather quickly that this is gonna be one heck of a journey; but I am also learning rather quickly that there is so much good along with it ... the "good" being the "love" that so many wonderful people have surrounded us with. I am actually sitting here shaking my head in total disbelief as so much love continues to come our way each and every day. I feel certain that I will remain in awe all the days of my life; and without a doubt, I will be forever grateful for everyone's love and prayers :) You are truly the "sunshine" admist the "dark clouds !" You are truly the "strength" that God has given us!!! You are truly "wonderful!!!" You are the kind of people that God intended for us all to be!!! You are loved by me and Gene more than you'll ever know :)

I look so forward to the day when we get back to the real subject of this Blog ... that being "Quilting in Davie :)" It's been quite a while since I lifted a needle, but I hope to rectify that in the very near future :) I must remember that it is what keeps me sane, so I am vowing to return to doing what I love so much in the very near future.

In the meantime, I'm still talking "Cancer," cuz it has a tendency to consume your life. I think the thing that is effecting me the most is the number of people who face this evil Disease each and every day!!! My heart aches for each and everyone of them and for all of those they love. I pray that cancer patients everywhere are surrounded with the love we are surrounded with cuz it truly warms your heart and makes such a tremendous difference :)

I went to see my sweet, wonderful Dr. Levy on Monday; and I was sooooooooo excited cuz Natalie (his wonderful Office Gal) told me he was gonna remove these nasty drains!!! I'll admit, the thought of pulling 'em out had me shaking in my boots; but I was soooooooo willing to endure that misery just to be free from them. Unfortunately, those mean little creatures are still in cuz they're entirely too active still!!!!!!!!!! I'm hoping they slow down soon cuz they are very close to getting on my last nerve (LOL).

He also wanted to remove every other staple, which also was making me a bit nervous; but that didn't happen either cuz I went and got some sort of infection ... fever, achy all over kind of stuff, so basically I arrived home in the same shape I left in (LOL) with the addition of antibiotics, which don't seem to be working just yet.

The biggest news is the initial Pathology Report, which states: "Metastatic Carcinoma Involving Three of Six Lymph Nodes." Not the bestest news and not what we wanted to hear, but it is what it is, so now we just deal with it accordingly ... it definitely could have been much worse :) He'll be referring me to an Oncologists in the very near future (after the remainder of Patholgy is back); and I just pray, pray, pray that the Oncologists is as wonderful as Dr. Levy is :)

Well, that about catches us up :) Until next time, wishing each and everyone many blessings :)

"May the Grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy
Spirit be with you all." (2 Corinthians 13:14)

WITH SINCERE GRATITUDE ......

2010-07-24T15:40:00.003-04:00

Please forgive me for taking so long to say "thank you" for all the love, prayers and kindness that you have sent our way. I am so far behind in visiting everyone's Blogs ... behind in answering e-mails ... behind in just about everything actually; but my heart has felt so much love from so many and I will be forever grateful for that :)

Things have been moving at the "speed of lightening" and my mind can't seem to keep up!!! My body is lagging behind somewhat as well and I haven't a clue where all the days have gone. A monsterous "whirlwind" to say the least ... medical test after medical test; and I am sooooooooo not a "medical person!" Heck, I don't even like to drive by a Doctor's office ... they all give me the "heebie jeebies!!!" I don't have much choice in the matter right now though, so I'm trying really hard to do what I have to do.

The "Nuclear Breast Scan" showed "multiple tumors" ... 5 to 6 of 'em; but fortunately, they were all clustered fairly close together, so Dr. Levy, who continues to be absolutely wonderful, still wanted to try the "lumpectomy," which was done on Wednesday. Other scans showed "enhancement of the axillary nodes," so I knew going into the surgery that an "axillary dissection" was a possibility. He did a procedure before surgery to locate the "sentinel node" so he could remove it in the OR; and OMG I wouldn't wish that procedure on my worse enemy!!! I shall spare you the gory details (LOL). He then removed the "sentinel node" and it was tested by an on site Pathologist. It unfortunately came back positive, so the "axillary dissection" did take place. I had already read enough to know that it wouldn't be pleasant; and boy oh boy, "not pleasant" is an understatement!!!

We are currently sitting on pins and needles waiting on the Pathology Report of those axillary nodes cuz it will be a biggie in determining what's next. We're also quite anxious to know if he was able to get "clear margins." The good news on that front is he really thinks he did :)

Once they got the pain under control, the day of surgery was definitely the best so far cuz I was flying high in the sky from all the meds; and I was actually enjoying myself ... so much so, my Dear Sister told me to quit laughing ... she was afraid I was gonna bust open my stitches (LOL). I don't think she needs to worry about that now though cuz the last couple of days have proven to be a bit on the difficult side. I know that's to be expected, but I am soooooooooo ready to get to the other side :) I want to get back to taking care of my honey, playing with our sweetie pie Dolly and "queeelting!!!!" The chores ... well not so much (LOL).

Hopefully I'll be back soon with some good news from the Pathology Report ... until then, please know that all of you have filled my heart with an abundance of sunshine!!!!!! Wishing many blessings for you all :)

"Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you." (1 Peter 5:7)

LAWDY DAISY, IT'S ALWAYS SOMETHING!!!!!!!

2010-07-09T12:32:00.006-04:00

And ain't it the truth on that "it's always something!!!" I imagine it's a statement that's been spoken millions of times through the years and it's also the title to "Gilda Radner's" book. Have y'all read it??? I highly recommend it but then again I'm a real sucker for "true" stories and true movies. Knowing that "it's real life" makes it very appealing to me.

It's been a couple of weeks since I've Blogged ... been experiencing some of those "it's always something" days, which has been occupying my mind entirely too much; and it unfortunately, will probably continue to do so unless I can manage to bring the thought process under control. I don't normally spend too much time discussing personal matters here in Blogville. I'm kind of an "introvert" where those issues are concerned ... the way things have been going over the past few years though, I think it's quite possible I could write a book now!!!!!!!

The most recent "Oh Lawdy Daisy, it's always something" is a diagnosis ... a diagnosis of Breast Cancer for yours truly ... "Invasive Lobular Carcinoma" to be exact on the left side. I never dreamed I would be inducted into the "Pink Ribbon Hall of Fame;" but it appears that I've joined the thousands and thousands of wonderful, brave, courageous women across the world who have or who are currently enduring the stress, anxiety, worry and discomfort from this disease. A mind boggling issue for sure!!!!

It all started with an "OMG, what in the heck is that!!!!" It's not a lump persay ... more like a solid, thick, heavy mass that was causing some discomfort ... sharp pains and burning, not to mention the fact that it felt like all of my weight had landed in that exact spot. The silly thing felt like it weighed a ton!!! Fortunately, I had the presciption for my mammogram in my purse, so I went ahead and scheduled the appointment. When I received the call from my Doctor saying that there was a "new asymetrical nodular density," I wasn't one bit surprised. What did surpise me was the fact that he wanted me to get an MRI. My first thought was "what about an ultrasound???" "Why are we jumping to the MRI so quickly???;" but being the good girl that I sometimes am, I went forward with the MRI without asking too many questions. When those results came back, my heart began to sink a bit. Without going into all the specifics, it indicated the possibility of cancer and that a biopsy should be done.

Well, my GYN referred me to a Breast Specialists ... Dr. Mitchell Levy, who is an absolute total sweetheart!!!!!!! I don't think I've met a nicer Doctor; and believe you me, between our Daughter's illness and now my Husband's, I've met a lot of them through the years!!!!! Micki had one in Miami and one in TN that come awful close, but currently this kind man is at the top of the list :) He did an Ultrasound on my first visit and scheduled a stereoactic biopsy. OMG, just the thoughts of that came close to putting me 6 feet under!!!! I am the world's biggest whimp where medical issues are concerned ... Micki and Gene are the one's in our family with all the courage in that area, and a lot more areas as far as that goes.

The Biopsy was Wednesday; and once I found out that they had yet to have any "Biopsy Fatalities," I put my big girl panties on and said "OK, let's do it!!!!" Even though they wern't what we wanted to hear, the results came back in just a little over 24 hours, which was a blessing cuz the "waiting" was starting to lean towards the "brutal" side!

I have done an awful lot of research on the subject over the last few weeks cuz my gut feeling was "something is wrong," so when I heard Dr. Levy say "I'm sorry, the news is not good," I was ready to fire away with a million questions; but then he went and threw me for a loop by saying it was a totally different cancer than what I had been researching!!! The MRI had mentioned the possibility of "DCIS," which is "Ductal Carcinoma In Suta," so that's what I had been reading about. I was somewhat dismayed to find out that it wasn't that afterall, so back to square one on the research.

He said that I was more than welcome to come to his office yesterday afternoon so we could sit and talk for awhile, which is exactly what I decided to do. The game plan is for a "Metastatic Scan" on Tuesday. He also wants a full body PetScan and hopes to get it scheduled for the same day. God willing our Insurance will approve that. Then I go to my Cardiologists next week to get my release for surgery, which reminds me I still need to call him!!!!!! Lastly, we'll do a lumpectomy the following Wednesday. He will try to get it all at that time, but his main goal will be to get more samples for the Pathlogists, along with the sentinel node for biopsy. They cannot determine what Stage the Disease is until all of this has been done. After all of that, they will determine whether more surgery, chemo and or radiation is needed. God willing, nothing else will be required after the initial surgery :) Now wouldn't that be nice!!!!!!!

Well, there you have it ... a glimpse into our current "It's always something!!!" Gene and I are extremely grateful for all the prayers that we know will be going up :) May God Bless us all!!!!

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go." (Joshua l:9)

16,335 PIECES!!!!!!!!

2010-06-14T13:44:00.004-04:00

Nope, it's not a "quilt" with Sixteen Thousand Three Hundred Thirty-Five pieces (sounds like more when you spell it out :)!!! I've been known to be a bit crazy, but I swear I'm not that crazy!!!!! Of course, for me to have actually come up with the number constitutes a bit of craziness in itself (LOL). Anyway, it's this that has that many pieces in it; and the "pieces" are "yarn" :)

It's been a few years since I made this, but I love it just as much today as I did when I first finished it. It's a piece that always makes me smile :) You get to see it now cuz I have nothing else to show except for more hexies!!! I thought for sure I'd be "running" wild in my sewing room this last weekend cuz I wouldn't have that silly cast to deal with any more. Well, I was right on one count, as the silly cast did come off ... buuuuuuuut the boot from hell came back on!!! Oh I was not a happy camper to hear the words "3 weeks in the boot; and if you can't promise to be faithful to it, I'll have to put the cast back on!" Well, I may be from the South; but I wasn't raised in a barn!!! I made the promise :)

And you won't believe what happened to my honey! As I've mentioned before, he suffers from severe multi-level spinal stenosis, which makes him very unsteady on his feet ... well, he went and fell in the kitchen on Thursday while I was at work and broke his wrist ... it was 2 hours before he even let me know! I'm not quite sure how he stood the pain cuz it was a major break ... completely in two leaving his wrist heading one direction and his hand heading the other! OMG, just looking at it made me hurt.

Anyway, we went to a local Urgent Care Thursday evening (pictured below) and on to the Orthopaedic Guy the following day to have it set, which still gives me goosebumps!

Now he's the one in our little family sporting the "blue cast!" The guy asked him if he wanted "pink." Gene's words: "if that's all you've got!" (LOL) I said that'd be like "a man named Sue!"

"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock." (Mathew 7:24-25)

A BIT OF PROGRESS :)

2010-06-03T11:52:00.003-04:00

Making a tad bit of progress w/the "Scrappy Grandmother's Flower Garden" with 7 new blocks added :)

Not the bestest picture in the world, but I'm quite obviously, not the bestest photographer in the world!!

I've also got oodles of hexies ready for more blocks :)

It appears that "hexies" are the only "sewable" something that's compatible with this injured foot of mine, so "hexies" it is!!! I tried to spend some time in the Sewing Room over the Holiday weekend, but standing on my feet "cutting" and "ironing" just didn't work out, especially after doing laundry and grocery shopping, so it was back to the couch for me! God willing, the cast comes off in 121 hours, but whose counting (LOL).

"Every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything." (Hebrews3:4)

MOVING SLOW!

2010-05-26T13:12:00.007-04:00

And the culprit for all my slowness is still that silly 'ole Achilles Tendon! Unfortunately, I failed the "cam walker" a/k/a "the big black boot from hell," terribly and am now saddled with this!

Yeap, that silly Doctor decided on a hard cast, which has proven to be shere misery. At least with the boot, I could cheat and take it off ... which was probably the problem (LOL). My color choices were "black, pink or blue;" and I obviously went with the later. Did you know that casts are extremely slippery??? That's what the tech told me, so I just had to see if he was correct; and I'm here to tell ya he was! I could very easily skate on any hard surface, so to avoid having to wear the little shoe that comes with it all the time, I decided to put on a hospital sock :) Cut the toes out and it works like a charm :) The good news is I'm one third of the way done ... one week down and only two to go :)

Now for Dolly Darlene in her cute purple bow :)

Oh I know I'm terribly prejudice, but isn't she just the cutest!!!!!!!! Wishing everyone a blessed Holiday weekend :) With a little luck, I'll actually have something "quilty" to show when it's done.

"Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me, for in you my soul takes refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed. " (Psalms 57:1)

ABSOLUTELY NOTHING "QUILTY!"

2010-05-20T11:46:00.004-04:00

If I only posted when something exciting happened down here in what is quickly becoming "wickedly hot Davie," I'd never post, that's for sure! I usually have something "quilty" to show though ... but today I have absolutely nothing in that arena either, soooooo you get this ..............

Our poor pitiful mailbox! Exciting, don'tcha think (LOL). It's a sorry looking thing, I know; but that's cuz it's been hit and knocked down more times than I can count. I'm not quite sure why either cuz I've never hit it ... not even once! Gene was the first offender bringing it to the ground before we even bought the house 19 years ago and again shortly after we moved in. Since then, I can't tell you how many times I've opened up the front door to this exact same view. It's the sorriest looking mailbox in the neighborhood too, but we learned a long time ago it simply wasn't worth replacing, so we just continued to stand it up time and time again. This time, however, the poor dilapidated thing finally bit the dust ... and for the biggest news yet, this time the lady who knocked it down actually knocked on our door to tell us she knocked it down; and she even put a new pole on our front porch the next morning, renewing my faith in my fellow man :)

Oh and I've got this too ... Dolly in her purple bow! Well shoot, Blogger isn't cooperating and won't allow me to upload any more pictures, so you'll just have to wait and see her cute self another day :)

"So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets. " (Mathew 7:12)

IN THE MOOD FOR A QUICKIE!

2010-05-10T11:38:00.004-04:00

Now, now ... get your mind out of the gutter on that little "quickie!" OMG, did I just say that??? Did I just think that??? (LOL) Oh well ... such is life :) Anyway, the subject is "queeelting" and the "quickie" is a "Disappearing Nine Patch" that I've been wanting to make ... several of my friends have made one recently, and this weekend I was in the mood to do the same.

Having had two whole days to work on it, I really should be showing you a "finished top," cuz it does really go together quickly; but I didn't give it as much attention as I had planned on giving it. Summer has landed big time in Davie and I'm having a bit of trouble adjusting to the heat again ... I'm also still dealing with that silly little achilles problem and my friend the last few weeks has been a "headache," sooooooooo it ended up being a "lazy kinda two days." Now that I'm back at work, I wanna be sewing on it again (LOL).

On another matter ... that being 7 to 8 inches ... OMG, your mind just fell back down into the gutter didn't it!!!!! (LOL) You all either need to pray for my soul or I need to get back in bed, roll back out and start this day off again!!!! Anyway, I was referring to the length of my hair ... it being a major "mop;" but I'm happy to say that I took the plunge and had about 7 to 8 inches cut off last week. I decided it was time to stop rebelling against old age and it feels sooooooo much better. Not the best picture in the world, but I put a new one of "yours truly" up in the left hand corner :) My honey took it as I was leaving this morning :) I feel so liberated without all that mess!

"For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace." (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8)

Hope this week treats you all with kindness :)

"SCRAPPY HEARTS" PROGRESS REPORT :)

2010-05-03T10:59:00.006-04:00

Even though it's soooooo close, but still not finished just yet ... I had to go ahead and show it to you anyway :)

It's all done except for one final border. It was my goal to finish it before time to head back to my office this morning; but by the time last night rolled around, I was just about out of steam. I knew if I continued onward I wouldn't have the energy left to bathe Dolly, feed my honey and wash my own mop, so I decided to call it a day in the sewing room. Anyway, here 'ya go ... the "One Border Shy Scrappy Hearts :)"

If you "double click" on the photo, you'll be able to see it a bit better.

I've really enjoyed the process and am soooo happy with the results so far :) It's gonna be a hard one to let go of, but I'll be saying goodbye to it soon.

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding." (Proverbs 3:5)

Blessings to you and yours! Jan

YOUR LAUGH FOR THE DAY :)

2010-04-23T12:35:00.008-04:00

I hate to make our little punkin the brunt of a good belly laugh, but I'm afraid her ears make it impossible to avoid, especially when she's fresh out of a bath ......................

OMG, those ears are just down right hysterical! Every Sunday night, which is the official bath time in our house, they always make her Daddy laugh out loud! But honestly, in her defense, they do tame down just a tad bit once she's dried.

She's sooooo dern cute; and she knows it too, as she loves to look at herself in the mirror, the little nut!

On another subject, I spotted this little gal on my first visit outside this morning. Can you spot her too???

On my second trip outside, she was no where to be found ... I guess she was off doing whatever ducks do and now I know why she was all cuddled up under those bushes! See the eggs!

I wish there was a picture to show you how happy I am now that the weekend is once again upon us! Hope it's a good one for everyone.

"Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. ¹²No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us." (1 John 4:11-12)

Blessings to you and yours! Jan

GORGEOUS!

2010-04-19T11:22:00.006-04:00

My Mom ... not the candy :)

Well, I will admit that the candy does look pretty dern good too; but I was referring to my Mom as the "gorgeous" one :) She looks fabulous at 91, don'tcha think :) She adored her Easter present from my Brother :) So much so, she's got that big box of candy hidden in her bedroom (LOL). Oh my gosh, Mr. Gene would be in Heaven w/that Whitman's Sampler! I think I know a few other people who would be too, so I guess she's pretty smart for hiding it.

"Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you." (Exodus 20:12)

OUR LITTLE PUNKIN IN HER FLAPPER DRESS!

2010-04-12T12:24:00.007-04:00

All that's missing is a "feather" and a "foot long cigarette holder." If we had those, our little punkin would be sporting a for real "1920's Flapper Dress!"

Isn't that the cutest little "puppy dress" you ever did see! It was gifted to Dolly Darlene by our Secretary's (Diane) Dad ... obviously a very kind and generous soul :) And can you believe he's never even met Dolly! He's merely heard stories about her and seen pictures of her.

Too cute for words!!!!!!! God Bless Diane's Dad! Diane too cuz she's one of the angels walking amongst us :)

"Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and His understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." (Isaiah 40:28-31)

QUILTS FOR KIDS :)

2010-04-07T10:51:00.012-04:00

I'm so happy to report that I finally finished the "Quilts for Kids" and both quilts are en route back to PA as I speak :) Remember the first one??? I showed you all a picture of the completed top sometime last month I believe ... it was made from the "Kit of Race Car Fabric" that they provided thanks to their Corporate Sponser, "Downey :)"

The "Kit" also included the backing fabric ... the only thing I had to provide was the batting and the binding :)

When they send you a "Kit," they ask that you make a 2nd one from your stash, so I happily put together "Teddy Bear Hugs :)"

Their current goal is 10,000 quilts for 10,000 sick kids. It's hard to believe that there are actually 10,000 sick kids at any given moment; but the unfortunate reality of it is there are actually a lot more. If you're a quilter, I hope that you can find a little extra time this year and request a Kit to make yourself; and if you're not a quilter, you can still participate by purchasing a Box of Downey or any of their other specially marked products :)

The old saying of "together we can make a difference" is definitely true; and "together" we can bring some smiles to the faces of precious children who are suffering more than most of us will ever know. Now wouldn't that be nice :)

"Sons are a heritage from the LORD, children a reward from Him." (Psalms 127:3)

SCRAPPY HOMESPUN HEARTS :)

2010-04-01T10:49:00.003-04:00

OMG, have I ever been obsessed! The obsession began the moment I saw the gorgeous "scrappy homespun hearts quilt" hanging at our local quilt show a couple of weeks ago. All those colors, all those checks, all those plaids and all those stripes really spoke to me; and I literally could not rest until I started to create one of my own ... and here you have it, the beginnings of my Scrappy Homespun Hearts :)

"Obsessions" are not always a good thing; but in the "quilting arena," IMHO, they help to keep the worries of the world at bay :)

Many blessings to you and yours during this Holy Season :)

"I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me." (Phillippians 3:10-12)

BIG ORANGE TOTE .....

2010-03-30T10:53:00.008-04:00

....... made by "special request :)" Not too overly exciting unless you're from the great State of Tennessee, a/k/a God's Country; but if you do happen to be from there, your blood most likely runneth orange!

I've had this "TN fabric" for at least a decade and a half and I've got yards and yards of it, so I imagine there's apt to be some more "TN Totes" in my future :) I already used oodles and oodles of it in my very first quilt, which happens to be a "cathedral quilt" and one that Mr. Gene adores. I'll have to share that one with y'all someday.

What I don't have a lot of is the "orange stars," which is a shame cuz I do really like it! I doubt I could ever replenish it though cuz it's old as the hills too!

I had a bit of trouble with the outside pocket, so I'm not overly thrilled w/the fabric placement ... it should have been turned the other way for a better contrast. I wanted it the other way so bad, I made a second one; and I'll be a son of a gun if I didn't do the same thing the 2nd time, so I threw in the towel and went with it.

I'm happy that I've finally granted that "special request," and it's off to TN to it's new owner :) Hope she likes it!

"He said: "Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the LORD says to you: 'Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God's. ... You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you." (2 Chronicles 20:15-17)

A LITTLE EYE CANDY :)

2010-03-22T12:01:00.023-04:00

I played hookie from work on Friday and went to our annual Quilt Show (Quilting by the Sea) and had a glorious day despite my sore foot! Sooooooo much inspiration and lots of "traditional" quilts, which are my favorite :) My Sister-in-Law, Betsy, joined me and was in Heaven surrounded by all the gorgeous creations ... she's not a quilter "yet," the key word being "yet!" I do believe it's quite possible that she becomes one soon :) Anyway, without any further adue, here ya go ... some "eye candy :)"

This first one happened to be one of Betsy's favorites :) Little houses on stilts and lots of palm trees ... real South Florida style!

This lady found a creative way to use up all her left over strips!

This one in person got a great big "oh my gosh," as it was gorgeous! Reminded me of a "story book quilt."

Would you look at that detail! Incredible!

This one really caught my eye in person ... the colors were just lovely!

Ohhhh and I adore "wool applique quilts." I must make one someday.

This one had the cutest little "dragon flies" on it.

And I adored this one! All those waves just made me feel good all over!

Absolutely gorgeous! And sideways (LOL) ... sorry 'bout that!

And soooooo colorful!

A machine embroidered beauty that appeared to weigh a ton!

Not only did this lady hand piece and hand quilt this entire thing, but she also cut out all the pieces with scissors! Can you imagine!!!

The colors in this one drew me in :)

The Best of Show and deservedly so! It was exquisite!

Just loved this red, white and blue pineapple!

And my absolute favorite ... this "homespun hearts!" I'm not overly crazy about the border, but I adore the rest of the quilt. I've been collecting "homespuns" for several years, and I must make this quilt! Ohhhh will I live long enough for all of my "musts!"

This was a cutie patootie!

And the border and sashing fabric on this beautiful red work was the absolute perfect choice. It was stunning.

The picture of this one does not do it justice ... it was soooooo pretty in person; and the lady who made it said it was the only way she survived having her Mother-in-Law living with them for 5 years (LOL).

Another applique beauty :) So much love, patience and talent!

There were lots more ... 150 of 'em to be exact, but I didn't get pictures of all of them. Perhaps next year :) Hope you enjoyed!

"When God gives any man wealth and possessions, and enables him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy in his work -- this is a gift of God," (Ecclesiastes 5:19)

A LOVELY THANK YOU :)

2010-03-17T10:51:00.007-04:00

I got the nicest "thank you" in the mail from my Sister-in-Law's Sister, Kristy! She sent it for the "Rainbow Tote" I made for her back in the Fall ... she actually mailed her "thank you" in the Fall too. One of our guys must have carried in the mail one day and put it on my Honey's desk cuz it got lost in all of his paperwork until just a few days ago when it re-surfaced ... 6 months after Kristy sent it! Believe me when I say it's quite "dangerous" to get lost in Gene's office!!!!!!!

She included a "Gift Card" from Joanne's ... wasn't that nice ... and I spent it on this :)

A new sewing basket for the living room :)

I needed it desperately. Up until now, I had been trying everything but the kitchen sink ... tupperware, bread baskets, wood boxes ... you name it; and none of them felt right. Needless to say, I'm thrilled to pieces that this does "feel right;" and little Dolly Darlene agrees :)

She's growing up don'tcha think! She was actually 7 months old on Saturday and she weighed in at 2 pounds 9 ounces at the Vet last week. I'm happy to report that on command, she "sits, lays, speaks, kisses, and bounces in the air when you say popcorn," the latter of which is hilarious! She's also an awesome "fetcher" and let's go of her toy when you say "drop it!" Now if I can just figure out how to get her to shake hands and roll over! They are both prooving to be a tad bit more difficult.

If you're reading Kristy ... thank you so much my dear and God Bless you :)

"Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! Let your forbearing spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things." (Phillippians 4:4-8)

IS THERE GONNA BE A PHOTO???

2010-03-12T11:34:00.006-05:00

OK, let's see if Blogger is gonna let me "upload" today!

Awwwww, there it is! A picture and proof that I have been making a bit of progress with the hexies :) Actually, I think I owe Blogger an apology cuz I think the culprit was my CD! It must have been corrupt or something ... being the stubborn type of gal that I am, I kept trying the silly thing the other day. Convinced it was Blogger or possibly my machine, I put that CD in another computer here at the shop and had the same issue, so the CD it was!

Anyway, the hexies are definitely a very, very, VERY slow process; but I'm really loving the "scrappy" look to this "Grandmother's Flower Garden." I keep wondering how big it'll be ... it really depends upon how far my stash and scraps will take me I guess. Time will tell ... lot's of time I'm sure (LOL); but I can say that so far, I've barely scratched the surface of my stash and my scraps, so I'm hoping it'll grow by leaps and bounds in the days, possibly years, that follow :)

I had to go to the Doctor this week cuz my ankle has been giving me fits for several months now ... after the eposide with the floor base lamp on Sunday, I threw in the towel and made an appointment cuz I wasn't able to function very well with two problem feet! I kinda wish I didn't go tho cuz would you look at what that silly man put on my foot!!!!!!!!

And all because of the achilles tendon! Who would have thought that such a small body part could be the nature for this monstrosity! The daggone thing must weigh 10 pounds; and I feel certain it was created by a man cuz if a woman had been involved, I surely would have had some more colors to choose from! I'm not the most graceful woman on the face of the Earth either, so trying to maintain my balance in this thing is prooving to be quite difficult; but I shall overcome it ... I will not allow it to win :)

Wishing everyone a lovely weekend!

"I can do everything through Him who gives me strength." (Phillippians 4:13)

PHOTOLESS POST!

2010-03-08T11:41:00.004-05:00

Can you say "frustrating!" An understatement really cuz I'm about ready to throw this computer as far as I can throw it! I was all prepared to show you all the progress I've made with the "hexies." Then I was gonna show you the "queeelted" "Quilts for Kids" quilt and the scrumptious cake I made over the weekend ... then last, but certainly not least, I was gonna show you my swollen, black and blue big toe! The culprit of the latter??? Well that would be a 10 pound floor lamp base. Can you say "dammmmnnn!" That's exactly what I said when that silly thing landed on my foot Sunday afternoon bringing me to tears; but since I can't get one single picture to upload, you will just have to envision all of the above ... at least till I can get Blogger to cooperate once again!

In hopes of maintaining at least one ounce of sanity, I must walk away from Blogland now ... wishing you all a lovely kind of day as I head back to work; and if you're a Blogger, may all your pictures upload like they're supposed to :)

"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." (Isaiah 41:10)

SUCH LOVELY SURPRISES!

2010-03-03T12:42:00.008-05:00

And I think you'll agree :)

These goodies came in the mail from my friend Debbie and absolutely made my day! Would you look at that adorable fabric and OMG on those red leather "button handles!" I've never ever seen anything like them. If you double click on the photo to enlarge it, you'll see a black button in the center of those adorable flowers, along with two little holes directly above the flowers on the strap; and you simply sew the straps on like you would a button! Isn't that ingenious!!!!! I can't wait to make a new tote or a purse out of this "lovely surprise :)" Thank you so much Debbie ... much love and many hugs to you my dear :)

Now on to another "lovely surprise!" This one came a while back from my friend Janet ... she actually started making this adorable little "patchwork puppy" the very day she heard that we were loosing our precious Miss Molly back in November; and this little cutie arrived in our mailbox just a few short days later! Isn't it adorable :) God Bless you Janet ... you my dear warmed my heart with your thoughtfulness :)

I took both of these pictures on Sunday, which was an absolutely gorgeous day in our neighborhood ... not a cloud in the sky ... just pure blue in every direction! One of those days in SFL that if it could be bottled up and sold, we could solve world hunger!

One of God's greatest blessings is the "gift of friendship" and I am so grateful for the friends in my life :) One very dear old friend who left this world many years ago used to say "A Friend is like a melon, shall I tell you why? To find a good one, a dozen you must try!"

If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! (Ecclesiases 4:10)

THE PUZZLE IS FINALLY DONE :)

2010-02-22T12:11:00.010-05:00

This one started out "fast and furious" like so many quilts, but then it started taking a back seat to this and that and one thing or another. Then about two weeks ago I started to panic cuz I realized that it was now February, which meant the "Autism Walk" was just around the corner! There was no more "no need to worry cuz I've got months to finish it" floating around in my head cuz those "months" had ever so quickly changed to "weeks!" Sooooooo, I put the "metal to the peddle" ... or is that the "peddle to the metal????" Either way, it's now a done deal :)

My friend Diannia had suggested that I use "green" for the inside border ... I really loved the thoughts of that; but I have sooooo much "yellow" in my stash, so I decided to stick with the original plan. Well, Diannia was right, cuz it looked soooooooo bland, which is why I ended up using the "rick rack." I think it did the trick.

I did a bunch of small stippling in the puzzle pieces, some sort of "I don't know what you'd call it" on the inside border and then a bunch of free motion doodling in the outer border. Somehow or another during that whole process, my board that the machine sits on jumped the daggone track!!! That was a first for me and was quite worrisome for about 5 minutes, but it all ended well :)

I also had a bit of an issue with some "gathering" on the back, which was also a first for me! Shhhhhhhh though, cuz I've decided to keep quiet on that one :) My friend Eileen said "washing" would take care of it pretty well ... and she was right! A lot less noticeable when it came out of the dryer :)

My Sister-in-Law, Betsy, is now gonna take it and "raffle it off." I soooooo hope she does well with it :) I had lots of sweet thoughts of our Nephew, A.J., while I was making it ... sent up lots of prayers for him and all the other folks living with Autism during the whole process too.

"But I will restore you to health and heal your wounds," declares the LORD." (Jeremiah 30:17)

WELCOME TO MY SEWING ROOM :)

2010-02-17T13:14:00.008-05:00

Or would that be my studio??? Either way, it's truly my "little piece of Heaven here on Earth" and I am soooooooo thankful to have it! It used to be our "Florida Room" a/k/a "screened in porch;" and one day about 7 years ago my honey woke up and said "I'm gonna build you a Sewing Room!" I don't think I have to tell you how excited I was to hear that, especially considering the fact that up until that point I had been sewing in the closet!!!!!!! I remember clearly the night I moved in ... I cranked up the stereo and danced for hours as I was putting suff here and there :) I don't know how Gene and Micki stood it; but as I recall, they came in and danced with me several times :)

It's a fairly large room ... more so in length than in width. I should probably know the exact measurements, but I haven't a clue. One side houses my regular machines, cutting table and the majority of my stash (above); and the other side is home to my beloved HQ16 (below).

Just a few weeks after the room was ready to roll, I ordered the Koala Quiltmate table and I have really enjoyed it! The second machine you see is a small "embroidery" machine that I've had a lot of fun with. I must have been using it the day I took these pictures ... otherwise, it wouldn't have been sitting right there smack dab in the middle of the table.

Next to my sewing table, I've got this shorter table for some "little ironing" tasks.

And here's my terribly messy cutting table that's filled to the brim underneath! Heck, it looks like it's filled to the brim on the top too!

We knew we wanted a decent size closet in the room, which happens to be in the middle cuz w/all the windows, it's the only place it would fit.

Well, there you have it ... my favorite room in our little house :) Thanks so much for stopping by!

"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.: (James 1:17)

AND LET THERE BE LIGHT!

2010-02-12T11:04:00.007-05:00

Have y'all seen those cute little lights that attach to your sewing machine??? They've been out for a while now ... at first, I was convinced I didn't need it cuz of the light on my sewing machine; but then I started realizing that the built in light wasn't that great after all, so after hearing so many great reviews, I decided to take the plunge and bought myself one at the Quilt Show in Port Saint Lucie last weekend, a day that is still rendering those "warm fuzzie feelings :)"

So here you have it ... BL (Before Light) ... well the light is actually there, but it's not turned on .....

And AF (After Light) .........

My review??? Awesome product and every sewing machine w/a driver whose well past 40 needs one :) Oh and do you see that red rick rack??? Well there was a sweet little 2-1/2 pound puppy behind me pulling with all her might on the other end (LOL). Don't let her "innocent looks" fool you!

And yes, we too are currently wondering whether she's gonna grow into those ears or not (LOL).

"And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light."

CRAZY QUILTERS!

2010-02-08T11:13:00.008-05:00

Awwwwww, there's not too many things that bring such warm feelings as a "Girl's Day Out" does; and that's exactly what I was blessed with on Saturday :) It gives me great pleasure to introduce you to Barbara (left) and Mary (right):

If you're reading Polly, this is the quilt that we all thought had your name written all over it!

Mary drove down from Cocoa, Barbara drove over from Clearwater and I drove up from Davie; and we all met in Port Saint Lucie for some lunch, barbecue style; and then we headed over to a wonderful little quilt show put on by the "Crazy Quilter's" at the Civic Center.

Unfortunately, when I'm having soooooooo much fun, I kinda forget I even own a camera, so I didn't use it very much ... I did take a picture of the "Best of Show Quilt" though ...........

..... and one of my favorite Quilts in the Show:

..... and we found a nice young gal to take our picture on our way out the door, who snapped it rght when I closed my eyes ... perfect of Barbara and Mary though :)

An absolutely fabulous kinda day ... thanks so much girls! It was a real joy and I can't wait till next time :)

"Greater Love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends." (John 15:13)

"QUILTS FOR KIDS :)"

2010-02-02T12:20:00.007-05:00

"Quilts for Kids" is an Organization you may have heard of ... they provide quilts for kids in need both here and abroad. They now have a Corporate Sponsor ... Downey; and if you go on to their Website, you can request a "kit," which comes to you like this:

Everything except the "batting" and the "binding" is included ... even the label; and it comes all "cut" and ready to sew. It truly doesn't get any easier and that baggie filled with goodies turns into this in just a few short hours :)

It still needs to be quilted and bound but it is definitely a "piece of cake" as long as you don't sew one of the rows upside down like I did! Yeap, that swearing you heard last night was coming from Davie!

Anyway, when you order a kit, they challenge you to also make one from your own stash, which I will definitely do :)

I have several friends who donate sooooooooooo much of their time to wonderful causes such as "Quilts for Kids," like Janet, who has devoted countless hours to this particular cause. They are all to be commended and I'm sure they will each and everyone continue to inspire me to try to do more, so thanks girls!

"But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked." (Luke 12:48)

THE BUTTERLIES ARE READY TO "FLY!"

2010-01-25T14:43:00.008-05:00

And it's about daggone time too! The "Butterflies" meaning the "quilt" that my friend Sue and I made together for a "special someone" who is living life with Crohn's Disease. It was made in memory of our Daughter, Michelle (Micki) and in honor of Sue's Dad and Dear Sis, who are both dealing with Crohn's every day. It was supposed to be our project for 2009! I appliqued the "butterfiles" and Sue did all the piecing ... all within schedule! Then when it landed back on my doorstep, I was to do the "quilting" and the "binding;" and I am sooooooo ashamed that it took me so long! My only excuse is that "life" gets in the way sometimes; but all is OK now cuz it's a done deal :)

As hard as I try, I can't "drive" my machine around shapes! Well, I can, but the lines won't be straight, so I opted to do some small "stippling" around the butterflies w/some "doodling" in the pieced blocks. Once a "doodler," always a "doodler!"

Thanks so much Sue! You did a lovely job my dear :)

"'Nevertheless, I will bring health and healing to it; I will heal my people and will let them enjoy abundant peace and security." (Jeremiah 33:6)

ANOTHER "UFO" BITES THE DUST :)

2010-01-18T21:53:00.007-05:00

Love marking UFO's off my list! Now that the Holidays are behind us, I'm in major "UFO mode!" I've got about a zillion and one new projects floating around in my head; but I knew I needed to complete a few things before venturing into yet another "something new," so here's my first finish for "Twenty Ten" ... the "Noah's Ark Quilt :)"

..... with some close ups of some of my "doodling" a/k/a "queeelting!"

Now onto the next "finish!"

"Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you to myself, that where I am you may be also." (John 14:1-3)

I'M A PROUD AUNT!

2010-01-12T12:34:00.006-05:00

And who has made me soooooooo proud today??? Well, we've got a total of 17 Nieces and Nephews and they are each and everyone precious to us ... but today's honors go to Mandy! Our Niece who has always been "so grown up" and who is now exactly that ... "all grown up!" She has just gone and thrilled me to no end by taking up sewing. Her future In-Law's gave her the "gift that keeps on giving" for Christmas ... her very first sewing machine; and would you look at what she's already created!!!

Isn't it adorable! Don'tcha just love the fabrics she choose!

And would you look at her "quilting stitches!" Aren't they absolutely wonderful and so original!

Yep, I'm just so daggoned proud of you Mandy, and to think that someone I love might just love doing what I love doing thrills me to no end, so keep sewing sweetie :) We love you!

"But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. " (1 Timothy 6:11)

IT'S COLD DOWN SOUTH!!!!

2010-01-05T12:07:00.005-05:00

And I mean "cold!" Very, very cold ... at least by South Florida standards, that is! So cold, we're supposed to dip down into the 30's tonight and I even heard someone mention the possibility of "snow flurries!" We've been in FL for 30 years, and "snow flurries" isn't something we've seen down here before! That would definitely be a first! I do love the snow tho ... the thoughts of it and a roaring fire always sounds soooooooo delicious to me; and it's always such a pleasure when I get to pull out some scrumptious winter clothes, so needless to say, I'm enjoying this little cold snap quite immensely :)

I've also always loved "Snowmen and woman :)" About 15 years ago, I made about 10 sets of these little guys ..............

........... and they always make me smile :) The pattern came from my Dear Mother-in-Law, Virginia, who made all us kids a set. Unfortunately, our big monstrous, totally uncontrollable, yet lovable mut, Marshall, ate ours many years ago, so these are the replacements I made. He's quite lucky he surived that day cuz I was sooooooooo upset! Anyway, you start out with an empty can and just build the snowman around it with a thick batting type fabric. A fun little something to work on :)

Hope everyone's New Year is off to a good start; and if it's "cold" where you are, bundle up in a quilt and stay warm :)

"Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, "The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him." (Lamentations 3:22-24)

THE ENDING OF ANOTHER YEAR ......

2009-12-30T13:40:00.007-05:00

Whow, that doesn't seem possible to me! Time sure is flying, isn't it!

Every year at Christmas, we receive a beautifully written letter from our Pastor's wife; and this year, she talked about the things that happen to us in life. She pointed out that on some days we can see the positive, happy side of those things; but then other day's we feel sad and dejected about the same event. All that got me to thinking ... thinking about this past year and all that has transpired; and how I do exactly as she described!!!

In our little piece of the world, Gene's health has definitely deteriorated over the last 365 days ... even the simplest tasks in day to day living are painful for him, yet he manages to maintain good spirits inspite of it all. We had to live another year without Micki, yet she enjoyed another year in Heaven! Our business, like so many others, has suffered terribly from this weakened economy, yet our doors are still opened. My Mom's memory seems to be getting worse by the day, yet we celebrated her 91st Birthday this month. We lost Miss Molly Mae, yet we found Dolly Darlene. A good friend dissapointed us terribly, yet it made me realize how often I must dissapoint God! It's a wonder He has continued to put up with me for so long, and I now vow to do better where He is concerned :) We lost 3 dear friends this year ... two to cancer and one to diabetes and heart failure, yet their memory is so precious. I'm a year older, my hair is a lot grayer, and I'm a bit wider, yet I'm still here :)

Some of my best pals and I have been reflecting on not just the last year, but the last "decade," which, of course, is coming to a close as well; and I have found oodles of stuff that have transpired over the last 10 years to ponder in the same manner. We'd be here till dooms day if I listed them all, so I'll spare you from that :) I did wanna share some pictures of how we began this last decade tho ............... we rang in the new Millenium watching the BeeGee's in Concert :) These are the only pictures we have because I left my camera at the restaurant before heading to the Arena. I'm so thankful to have them :)

Me and my honey :)

Me and Micki :)

From our house to yours ... Happy New Year! May it treat all of you with an abundance of kindness :)

"No, dear brothers and sisters, I am still not all I should be, but I am focusing all my energies on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I strain to reach the end of the race and receive the prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us up to heaven." (Philippians 3:13-14)

A LAZY DAY DOWN SOUTH :)

2009-12-26T15:59:00.006-05:00

I sure hope everyone enjoyed a Blessed Christmas! Now that the celebrations are over, it's a lazy kinda day at our house; and the best thing happened! Some cooler weather blew in during the night ... the kind that allows us the luxury of turning off the A/C and opening up the windows :) I can't tell you how glorious it feels, especially after our mid 80 temps yesterday!

I've been enjoying some quiet time in my sewing room while Gene and Dolly have been snuggling together; and in preparation of the New Year that is almost upon us and using the "journal cover pattern" over at Moda Bakeshop, I made a cover for my new calendar.

A fast, fun and easy little project that was good for my tired self; and now that my calender is ready to "rock 'n roll," let the countdown for the New Year begin :)

"For I know the plans I have for you," says the Lord. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope." (Jeremiah 29:11)

TOTED OUT!

2009-12-22T12:23:00.009-05:00

The grand finale of the "homemade gifts for 2009;" and I do believe it's official ... "I am toted out! The problem is I still have more people that I wanna make totes for, so hopefully after a small break, I'll be ready to make a few more :)

Now, this proud Mama simply couldn't resist sharing this one!

OMG, talk about cute!!!!!!! Hard to believe too, especially since we've given her two new names ... "Trouble" and "Mischief!"

Hope these last few days before the big celebration are enjoyed by all :)

"But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. ³¹You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus. ³²He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of His father David, ³³and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever; His kingdom will never end." (Luke:30-33)

THE "MERRY" IS MISSING FOR MANY ....

2009-12-18T11:23:00.009-05:00

I know that Christmas will be a wonderful celebration with family and friends for many people across this great land; but as unfortunate as it is, it won't be quite so "merry" for others. Today I have some of those folks on my mind and in my heart. Ya see, I visited a Blog this morning that I've been following for awhile now about a family with a wonderful 12 year old Son, Andrew; and I was deeply saddened to hear that he lost his battle to cancer this week. It is so obvious that the family he left behind loves the Lord with all their heart and soul, but I know that the journey that lies ahead for all of them is not going to be an easy one. If you get a chance, please stop by his Mom's Blog and give your love to this grieving family.

Then there's a wonderful young woman, Ashley, who is in TX battling Ovarian Cancer. She is currently enduring the unimaginable with her loving parents by her side. I've been following her Blog for several month's now and it is quite obvious that she is a Child of God and a blessing to many. I know that they would all appreciate some encouraging words as well :)

Also, I've had the pleasure of getting acquainted with a lovely lady in AL, Susan, who lost her beloved Husband several month's ago to cancer; and then there's Donna who is facing her first Christmas without her precious Daughter, Amber. Both of these Christian ladies have inspired me greatly through their daily posts. All those "firsts" after a loved one passes are terribly difficult, so I'm sure some love sent their way would be much appreciated :)

In many ways perhaps "modern technology" has taken away from the manner in which we used to keep up with family and friends; but in so many ways, it has brought us into the lives of many that we would have not have otherwise had the opportunity to know. In my book, that's a good thing :)

Life is truly difficult for many folks right now ... there's my wonderful Sister-in-law, Cindy, who I adore and who is still having difficulties from her 2nd battle against breast cancer ... and there's my friend Debbie, who is preparing to celebrate her first Christmas without her Dear Mother ... and my friend Janet, whose heart is broken from the recent loss of her beloved Aussie, Dixie ... and my friend Shirley, whose 10 year old Grand Niece, Mikayla, is battling cancer ... and my friend Mary, whose Son's are in the midst of saying their final goodbyes to their beloved Grandfather ... and my friend Marti, who has been searching for a job all year ... and my friend Carla who has worries in her heart for her Dear Husband's health and her Dear Daughter's business ... and my friend Marka, whose Mother has been ill for several years ... all the people who have been suffering for so long from this terribly weakened economy ... the many who have lost their jobs, their homes and are having trouble keeping food on the table for their family ... all the soldiers who have lost their lives for our continued freedom and the sorrow in the hearts of their loved ones left behind ... the list truly goes on and on and on; and I hope as we all prepare to celebrate the Birth of Jesus with the people we love and care about that we save a piece of our heart for all those who are suffering.

Before I get back to the tasks at hand, I wanted to share a picture of our beautiful Daughter, Micki, from a "Christmas past" :) The cutie playing Santa is my honey :) We miss her every day, but we continue to be grateful that she no longer suffers from the struggles of this life and Crohn's Disease and that she gets to celebrate this joyous Season in the most wonderful place of all :)

"Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. " (Isaiah 40:28-31)

HO-HO-HO!

2009-12-14T23:15:00.007-05:00

It's off to the "Pest" Office we go!

Twas the 10th day before Christmas

and we're all scurrying around.

Not a sane one amongst us ...

not a single one to be found.

There's shopping and there's baking

and all those presents we're still making.

There's decorating and there's wrapping

and the feet of little one's tapping.

The sewing machines are roaring

and the postal rates are soaring.

Oh my gosh, I'm out of thread!

What in the world is going on in my head!

Nope, not a sane one amongst us ...

not a single one to be found

cuz there's cards to write and there's trees to adorn,

but we mustn't forget the Baby Boy that was born.

"We love because He first loved us." (1 John 4:19)

PRICELESS!!!!!!!!!!!

2009-12-07T12:11:00.003-05:00

"But I tell you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who mistreat you and persecute you," (Mathew 5:44)

QUALITY TIME IN THE SEWING ROOM ..............

2009-12-04T11:26:00.009-05:00

......... with Aunt Margaret! She flew back to TN yesterday, and we're already missing her. Having her with us this last week was very good for my soul, so thanks so much for coming down for a visit Aunt Margaret!!!!

She saw one of the "charm party totes" I had recently finished hanging in the sewing room and she asked if I could make a "smaller version," so a "smaller version" we made!

I just love all the fabrics she chose from my stash and the pockets she wanted!

And look how cute she looks carrying it!!!!!!!!!

Instead of the 5 inch squares, we cut 'em 4", which made it the exact size she was hoping for! I'll definitely make more and one will have my name on it :)

We also made this adorable "pocket scarf" and hat out of fleece! MaryAnne over at "Moonbeams in a Jar" posted a tutorial for the scarf about a year ago! Tks so much Mar! This set is going to Aunt Margaret's Granddaughter, who adores pink!

The hat was a purchased pattern from JoAnne's and was sooooooooo easy!

I'll be looking forward to her next trip South!

"Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." (Thessalonians 5:18)

THANKSGIVING HAS COME AND GONE!

2009-11-30T12:27:00.004-05:00

Can you believe that!!! It sure got here awfully fast and left just as quickly as it arrived. I had really good intentions of wishing everyone out in Blogville a Blessed Thanksgiving, but that never happened. I'm sure I'll get a chance to do that soon tho, especially since time seems to be flying by at the speed of lightening these days; and before we know it, it'll be rolling around again :)

Unfortunately, my honey came down with Shingles of all things last week; and it, coupled with his Spinal Stenosis, has made him somewhat miserable, so his Thanksgiving wasn't the greatest, that's for sure. I never realized what nasty stuff Shingles were; but OMG, they are dreadful. His are on his face around his eyes, forehead and scalp, which is extremely dangerous cuz they can cause permanet damage to both the eye and the ear. God willing the medicine will keep that from happening.

About the only new pictures I have to share are of Dolly D, who continues to delight :) The little rascal plays, plays and plays, then she naps on the first spot available (LOL).

Our Aunt Margaret came down from TN to spend Thangsgiving with us, and we enjoyed some quality time together in the sewing room this weekend. I'll be back in a few days to show you all what we made :)

"In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps." (Proverbs 16:9)

WILL I EVER GET TO SEW AGAIN????????

2009-11-16T13:46:00.007-05:00

I've tried to tell this little nut ball that her Mommy is a "Quilter;" but basically, she doesn't give a happy hoot cuz in her humble opinion, this entire world was placed here for her own personal pleasure!!!!! So far she's winning that little battle cuz she's just so darn cute!!!

And talk about full of mischief!!!!! OMG, "mischief" should have been her middle name; but to her credit, she also loves to snuggle and kiss, which is exactly what me and her Daddy need right now :)

Our Halloween decorations are still up here at the office, so Diane got her to do some posing :)

I'm sure I'll get back to quilting here in a bit; but for now, I'm just gonna take some time to enjoy this little blessing while my heart continues to heal from loosing our precious little Miss Molly.

"And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love." (1 Corinthians 13:13)

AN ANGEL ON EARTH AND NOW AN ANGEL IN HEAVEN!

2009-11-12T14:40:00.007-05:00

Miss Molly Mae Mynatt
July 3, 1997 to November 10, 2009

The cutest, sweetest, kindest and most loving Puppy God ever created!

Our little angel went to Heaven to be with her Sissy (Micki) Tuesday morning and she took a big chunk of my heart with her when she left. Gene and I are heartbroken beyond words, but we will be forever grateful that God chose us for her! She was truly one of our greatest gifts in life. We will also be forever grateful for the 12 additional days we were given after receiving the devastating news that she was in kidney failure. That extra time was absolutely precious to Gene and I. I think it was to Miss Molly too :)

I soooooooo wish everyone in the World could have known her!!!! She came into our lives at 8-1/2 months old and brought us an abundance of joy and laughter from that point forward. It's hard to imagine life without her ... it truly is; and I will miss her always.

In hopes of healing my broken heart, my honey, that wonderful man I fell in love with 37 years ago, along with Diane, the wonderful friend who works for us, spent many days searching for Miss Molly's little Sister; and although I didn't think I was ready to give my love to another furbaby, "Dolly" arrived on our doorstep Tuesday afternoon ... Gene says she is my gift from Miss Molly!

She's a little Yorkie just like Miss Molly and her name is "Dolly Darlene." She's 14 weeks old and checked out perfectly at the Vet this morning, with the exception of ear mites, which they say is common and very easy to get rid of.

When we first brought Molly home, Micki chose 3 names for her ... "Daisy, Dolly and Molly." We immediately said "Good Golly Miss Molly," and the rest was history, sooooooooo, we chose to name this little punkin one of the 3 names that Micki originally chose; and our friend, Tori, called last night and thought we needed to add the Darlene, which was Micki's middle name, so that's what we did!

I didn't think my broken heart was ready to love this little one; but Gene was right, as she's already made me laugh and brought oodles of sunshine our way, so I'm sending a great big thank you to Miss Molly for this wonderful little gift :)

"I also thought, "As for men, God tests them so that they may see that they are like the animals. Man's fate is like that of the animals; the same fate awaits them both: As one dies, so dies the other. All have the same breath; man has no advantage over the animal. Everything is meaningless. All go to the same place; all come from dust, and to dust all return." (Ecclesiastes 3:18-20)

JUST HAD TO SHARE!

2009-11-04T12:29:00.006-05:00

We received a picture from Halloween from our Niece, Tina, and our Great Niece, Gracie, that was just too daggone cute not to share! I think you will agree :)

OMG, Is that not the cutest "Mary Poppins and Burt" that you ever did see!!!!!! Absolutely adorable and Miss Gracie won first prize at their Church's "Trunk or Treat," which didn't surprise me in the least :)

Now on our little punkin, Miss Molly ... I have been spending an awful lot of time down on my knees during the last week sending up oodles of thanks for the fact that she is responding so well to the fluids! It's a down right miracle that she is doing so well! Just six short days ago her Vet didn't think she would make it; but by the Grace of God, the improvement is nothing short of "answered prayers!"

This picture is from the other night when I had her on the kitchen counter trying my best to find something that interested her food wise, which happened to be cheese! Talk about spoiled rotten (LOL) ... literally to the core; but she is sooooooooooooo worth it!

They say the fluids make her very cold, which is why she's sporting her T-shirt. Today we tried to give the fluids to her ourselves so we wouldn't have to go to the Vet every day; but it just plain and simply did not work! The needle is for horses and the syringe is for elepants, so I loaded her up and took her back in. It has been such a roller coaster ride of emotions and I am ever so thankful that it all seems to be leveling off :)

"Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," hesaid, "why did you doubt?" (Mathew 8:31)

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

2009-10-30T14:06:00.004-04:00

Stopping by one day early to wish everyone a Happy Halloween. We've got a big basket of candy ready for all the little "ghosts and goblins" that will be stopping by our house tomorrow night :) We've had as many as 150 in the past, but each year we seem to have a little less.

Miss Molly came to work with her "witches hat" on this morning :) This is her with one of her favorite people in the world ... Diane :) She's our number one lady here at the office ... she takes such good care of both me and Molly and we love her to pieces :) She was standing outside waiting on us when we pulled in.

I sooooooooooo wish you all could know Miss Molly. She is literally the sweetest puppy that God ever created and she's been bringing us joy for more than 11-1/2 years now. Unfortunately, we received the devastating news yesterday morning that she is in "kidney failure." The heart ache over this is very close to unbearable, but because of a wonderful Vet and the use of fluids through her skin, she has made a turn around and is sooooooooo much better today than she has been for the last 5 days. Words cannot describe how elated we are that she has responded to this treatment. We have been gently warned that this is not a cure ... that it is just a temporary fix that she may not respond to for very long; but at this moment, both Gene and I consider any extra time we get with this "little 3 pound bundle of joy" a direct gift from Heaven :) Your prayers for our little punkin will be greatly appreciated :)

"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God." (Colossians 3:16)

SOOOOOOOO MUCH FUN TO MAKE!

2009-10-28T11:46:00.005-04:00

Isn't this little guy cute as cute can be!

It's the coloring book and crayon bag pattern from Clothesline Quilts. Once you get it made, you just fill it up with crayons and a coloring book, and whaaaa laaaaa, you've got a great gift for a sweet little one :) I'll definitely be making more in the near future. The "first" of anything always takes me awhile, but the next one oughta go together pretty quickly, so hopefully I'll be back with a few more to show soon :)

"When I am afraid, I will trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me?" (Psalm 56:3-4)

A HECTIC OCTOBER!

2009-10-21T12:46:00.004-04:00

My goodness, I just realized that I've only Blogged 3 times this month and it's already the 21st! It's just been one thing after the other. Our internet here at the office was down for several days, which really put a damper on the 'ol spirit! Fortunately, we finally got a tech w/the "magic touch." Then my honey hasn't been feeling very well ... and then there's always work and all those dreaded chores and so on and so on! Yep, just one thing after another in Davie!

Anyway, I'm just running through Blogville USA to show you all how the "Scrappy Grandmother's Flower Garden" is growing!

I guess it's obvious that I've managed to make some time for some "hexies!" They are soooooooo soothing to the soul and Mr. Gene loves seeing the daily progress :) Now it's time for work, so until we meet again, be safe and be happy :)

"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path." (Psalm 119:105)

PROGRESS REPORT :)

2009-10-13T12:49:00.002-04:00

By the time this one's finished, y'all will be sick of these "Progress Reports," that's for sure!

I am totally obsessed with the "hexies;" and I can't believe that it has taken me this long to give them a try! I think "life stops" where "me and hexies" are concerned ... cuz it's kinda like "we're out of clean clothes???," or "you want me to fix supper???," or "that's surely not dirt on the kitchen floor," or "you can't seriously expect me to go to the office today!!!" In other words, all I wanna do right now is sit and sew on this quilt :)

I found the pretty yellow fabric with itsy bitsy white polka dots in my stash and I just love the way it's framing all the scrappies.

Two blocks down and goodness only knows how many more to go! It'll be four down soon cuz I got two more of the "scrappies" ready to rock 'n roll :)

Soooooooooo, if you're looking for me, there's a good chance you'll find me sewing more hexies! The laundry will probably be piled up to the ceiling, we may starve to death and the stacks of bills at my office may never get paid, but I'll have a smile on my face :)

"When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise." (Proverbs 10:19)

ANOTHER "DONE DEAL!"

2009-10-07T11:41:00.005-04:00

I sooooooo wanna keep this one cuz I adore "red, white and black" together! I made it for a gift though, so I shall do my best to do just that ... "gift it!"

My favorite piece of fabric is in the middle section on the far right (above) ... I just love those little Daisies! I wish I had lots more of it, but I only started out with one lonesome fat quarter.

The next tote has to be Tennessee "orange and white," or so says Mr. Gene! I was actually gonna change the design just a bit, but he's informed me that he doesn't like that idea (LOL). I guess I'll do the "same 'ol same 'ol" to make him happy and just be thankful that I have a hubby who takes interest in what I love to do :)

"I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." (John 16:33)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE BOY!

2009-10-05T12:00:00.010-04:00

And whose the boy??? Well, he'd be Daniel ... our nephew, who turns 27 today :) We've been calling him "Boy" since he was just that ... "a boy!" He's been asking for months when I was gonna put his picture on my Blog; and I'm happy to say that "today is the day!"

So here ya go Boy! Your favorite picture of you and your Uncle Gene ... the day that he let you drive the boat! That only seems fitting since he was the only one out of all of us that had the courage to teach you how to drive a car.

And, even though you probably won't be overly thrilled with this one, here's one of you and your "Most Favorite Aunt" in the whole wide world squeezing the stuffing right out of ya (LOL).

I'm sure this is the look you're probably giving me right about now!!!!!!!!!

Happy Birthday sweetie! We love you more than you'll ever know and we thank you for always loving us back :)

"Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God." (1 John 4:7)

MEET "FLAT JAN!"

2009-09-30T11:04:00.006-04:00

No, I didn't say "FAT Jan!" I said "FLAT Jan!" "F - L - A - T," as in "Flat Stanley". If you haven't ever heard of "Flat Stanley," he's this little "flat" guy that school children make and send off to travel all around the World! He visits family and friends and comes back to them filled w/all sorts of experiences to tell about :) Soooooo, without any further ado, here's "Flat Jan!"

Isn't she hysterical! She makes me LOL!!!!! Sooooooo, why in Heaven's name did I make her??? Well, here's her story :) A group of my quilting buddies are heading to Lake Logan located in the beautiful mountains of NC in 2 weeks ... 16 of 'em to be exact w/2 hubbies and one other local gal, bringing the number up to 19. They'll spend 3 glorious nights and 4 glorious days stitching and laughing together.

My friend Debbie, is leader of the "Lake Logan Pack;" and she came up with the great idea that all of us other quilting buddies who can't attend should send themselves in "flat form," so they can enjoy some of the fun in a "flat sorta way!" Sooooooo, that's why I created this silly little thing :)

She's leaving Davie today and heading up to Cocoa Beach, FL, so she can travel with my friend, Mary! I figured us FL gals needed to stick together :) The "Flat Gals" will come in all shapes and sizes and I can't wait to see them all together! My friend, Fran, from PA sent hers to my friend, Carolany, in AL; and her "flat self" traveled with a wardrobe! Such creativity :)

This next picture will give you a better idea of the size of my "flat self :)" Oooops, a bit blurry! Sorry!

Such a fun little something to lighten the burdens of the day; so as her sign says ... "Lake Logan Here I Come!"

"Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends." (John 15:13)

I'VE GONE AND DONE IT AGAIN!

2009-09-28T12:32:00.003-04:00

And that "gone and done it again" I'm referring to is "another new project!" I'm afraid it's a sickness and I might need to seek professional help!!!!! I simply can't help myself tho, and all the blame goes to my friend Mary! She started a "Grandmother's Flower Garden" quilt; and her blocks were soooo pretty, that I just had to start one myself!

Not your normal "Grandmother's Flower Garden," that's for sure cuz I was in "scrap happy" mode, sooooo I pulled out my 4 drawers of itsy bitsy pieces of fabric left over from this and that and started snipping. If the leftover is at least 2 inches, it gets put into the drawer! I don't even have a clue where I will go to from here, but I am so excited about all the possibilities :) And talk about a good "couch potato project!" Absolutely the best!

Did you know that the "Grandmother's Flower Garden" was the most popular pattern after 1925, and that many women who never made another quilt in their life finished one of these! I find that very interesting, and I certainly understand it cuz I am having fun! On to "Block #2" after work :)

"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." (Isaiah 41:10)

HOPE SHE LIKES IT!

2009-09-24T10:37:00.006-04:00

"She" being my friend, Eileen; and "it" being this "red, white and blue block!"

Eileen is a wonderful, talented lady with a kind, loving and generous soul. The majority of her time in her sewing room is spent making quilts for our soldiers ... for both "Quilts of Valor" and a new venture of gifting quilts to the families of those men and women who have died defending this great Nation we live in. She also devotes time to creating quilts for a local Hospice Facility ... her generosity is what I believe we could use a bit more of in this world we live in today ... it's living a life the way God intended it to be lived!

God Bless you Eileen ... and God Bless all the families you create beautiful quilts for. This block will be on it's way to you :)

"The LORD bless you and keep you." (Numbers 6:24)

MEET OUR NEW LITTLE PUNKIN :)

2009-09-21T11:00:00.008-04:00

He doesn't have a name yet, but I am sooooooooo in love with this little guy :) The moment I saw him in the Fons and Porter Magazine, I knew he had to be mine! I opted not to put the words "Boo" on him like the pattern called for cuz I don't like being scared ... also opted for "no spiders" cuz I don't like them either, so our little punkin is just plain Jane! Ohhhhhhhh, perhaps that'll be his name, which would change "him to a her!" I don't think that'll work cuz that could possibly make him all sorts of things, so back to the drawing board on the name :)

He's made from lots of little pieces of this and that from my stash :) He's also made with fusible appliqué, which I don't do that often ... actually, this is only my second time ever! I enjoyed the change and remembered very quickly how much I enjoy doing the blanket stitch :) I also enjoyed using my "appliqué pressing sheet" for the first time after buying it several years ago ... that is one great product! No, Jan, it's not yours sweetie! I promise :) Hers vanished off the face of the Earth a while back ... it just fell down into that black hole where all the missing socks go!

Doesn't he make you smile :) He kinda makes all the problems of the world go away for a few minutes ... he's a good thing!

"Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God." (Ephesians 5:1-2)

NEVER CEASES TO AMAZE ME!

2009-09-18T10:46:00.011-04:00

When the sun goes down in the evening, come rain or come shine, 365 days a year, this is what you'll see here in Davie .............

Hundreds of 'em ... Egrets to be exact, the majority of which are white w/a few black ones thrown in.

I don't normally see them during the summer months cuz it stays light for so much longer; but I was at work late last night cuz it's been one of those "helluva weeks at Sea," so they were all sitting there on their spot when I drove by last night.

These guys lined up on the bank are waiting for a free spot on the tree! For some reason, they don't like the top part of the tree ... just all those lower branches.

All this "roosting," together with lots of other "nature type stuff" takes place here .........

I don't think they need to worry about me "swimming" cuz I don't "swim where Gators swim!" I also don't have any desire to feed or entice the Gators ... unless they are those slimy Florida Gators, you know the football team, who TN happens to be playing tomorrow in the Swamp, so basically, they certainly didn't need to put this sign up for yours truly!

They were still flying in from who knows where when Molly and I were pulling out. Yeap, never ceases to amaze me, even after all these years!

"If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me," even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you. " (Psalm 139:11-12)

LOVE "TAAAAAA DAAAAAA" DAYS!

2009-09-14T11:53:00.010-04:00

Due to working full time and caring for my sick honey, I will admit that those "ta da" days are few and far between; but they are ever so grand no matter how long they take to get here :) I have always had mixed feelings about finishing a project tho ... I'm obviously very excited! You know, the "jump up and down" kind of excited; but then again, I get a bit melancholy at the same time, especially when the finished something will be leaving Davie. My friend, Jan, and I were talking about this just the other day; and she feels the same, so I'm thinking there might be other Quilter's out there who experience similar feelings.

Anyway, without any further debut, here it is ... the Chenille Daisy.

I'm now wishing that I had set that daisy just a bit higher. I wasn't taking the borders in to consideration when it got placed; but all in all, I'm satisfied. I also wish the picture was a bit brighter, but I'm afraid it's been raining buckets down here in Davie for what seems to be weeks now, so not much sunshine flowing into the sewing room these days.

Here's a close up of the "queeelting." It's been washed, cuz I love that "worn" look, so it doesn't show up too well. I did plain stippling in the borders and swirly q's in the strips.

It hasn't left Davie just yet cuz it still needs a label, so I get to remain in the "excitement mode" for a bit longer :)

"Be very careful to keep the commandment and the law that Moses the servant of the LORD gave you: to love the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to obey his commands, to hold fast to him and to serve him with all your heart and all your soul." (Joshua 22:5)

THE GRAND FINALE ........

2009-09-10T10:59:00.006-04:00

....... of "Signed, Sealed and Delivered with Love!"

And the last wonderful quilt we received from those amazing women in memory of our Daughter, Micki, was for our little punkin ... Miss Molly! Can you believe that those gals made one for her too!!!!!! OMG, I will continue to be amazed at their generosity and thoughtfulness all the days of my life!!!!

Feast your eyes on this little cutie!

Micki adored Molly and visa versa. She was actually the one who named her ... "Miss Molly Mae;" and she did so from her Hospital bed. She was beyond excited when we first brought that little angel home :) We used to say "where's Sissy???" and Molly would go flying into Micki's room :)

The fabric they chose was absolutely adorable ... look at all those cute little "animal words :)

And speaking of "cute," check out all these critters on the back! Excellent choices on all counts :)

Yes, the memory of our loved ones live on in so many ways; and when I look at all three of the beautiful creations that were gifted to us with love and with sympathy, I can close my eyes and see Micki enjoying one of her good days :) Thank you all ... thank you forever and always :)

"Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him." (John 7:38)

PART TWO .........

2009-09-08T12:46:00.005-04:00

......... of "Signed, Sealed and Delivered with Love!" Remember the 31 wonderful ladies who made the gorgeous sampler for me in memory of our Daughter, Micki??? Well, those same ladies made this beauty in memory of Micki for Mr. Gene; and they named it "Tennessee Hugs."

He simply could not believe that they had made him his very own quilt; and he sat there for quite some time studying every square inch of it. Actually, I didn't think he was ever gonna stop looking at it ... ya see, I was ready for him to put it down and start looking at mine (LOL).

They chose the "Tennessee Block" cuz the great State of Tennessee, a/k/a "God's Country" is where we are originally from and is where Micki was buried just below her Papaw Bud in a beautiful Cemetery in Powell, TN.

I just adore the way that dark blue thread looks on that gorgeous yellow fabric and I am in love with the way they did the binding. It's all pulled towards the back, which gives it a really nice, clean, crisp edge :) All the girls really wanted Gene to use the quilt, but he would much rather sit back and admire it! He's a big guy and he's always been hard on vehicles, shoes, recliners and quilts; and there's no way 'jose that he would do anything to mess up this work of art that was made and delivered with so much love :) I like to think that Micki was able to peak down from Heaven and has seen this beautiful creation that was made for her Daddy in her memory :)

We will remain eternally grateful for all the love and sympathy that went into these quilts :) Oh and there's one more to show you, so I'll be back soon :)

"He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty." (Psalm 91:1)

SIGNED, SEALED AND DELIVERED ... WITH LOVE!

2009-09-02T10:52:00.016-04:00

"Quilters" commemorate all the joyful occasions in life with quilts ... it's just what we do! You've got the birth of a new bundle of joy, the joining of two people in holy matrimony, the successes of a graduate and the blessings of a landmark Anniversary or Birthday ... the list goes on and on and on; and we all hope that the quilt becomes a treasured possession to our loved ones.

There's also the solemn occasions in life ... the death of a loved one ... their memory living on in bits and pieces of fabric sewn together with love and with sympathy, which is exactly what Gene and I received 3 months after our Daughter, Michelle (Micki) passed away suddenly and unexpectedly on April 28th, 2007, at precisely 4:45 p.m.

Micki bravely battled Crohn's Disease for 23 long years, the last 10 being the worse; and she handled it all with an amazing amount of grace, dignity and an abundance of faith. When she died that Saturday afternoon just a little over 28 months ago, we were devastated, shocked and heart broken. She was terribly ill at the time, but we had no idea that she would be leaving us so soon; and were in total disbelief when a blood clot went to her lungs.

The three months following her death are still somewhat of a total blur, during which time 31 of the most amazing women you'd ever want to meet ... 31 woman who reside all throughout this glorious Country we live in were busy putting together 3 absolutely gorgeous quilts in loving memory of our Daughter. These quilts touched our hearts more than they could possibly ever know ... as strange as it sounds, it represented a turning point in our grief ... we still grieve today and always will; however, when we received the beautiful work of these special ladies, our hearts softened and we were able to see more clearly ... to see that God's timing for Micki was perfect. He knew she had had enough and that it was time to bring her Home. We finally knew in our hearts that she was where she was supposed to be ... in Heaven, where sickness and suffering is not allowed ... where only happy times and happy thoughts exist. We finally realized the abundance of the blessing that God chose to give her; and although the pain is still significant today, our hearts are at peace; and her memory will live on always ... in the very depth of our souls, in the members of our family and yes ... in all the bits and pieces of fabric in this beautiful quilt.

Today I share with you the first of the 3 quilts that these wonderful ladies presented us with, which is the one they made for me ... an absolutely gorgeous "Sampler."

If you enlarge the photo above, you'll see that this adorable block is embroidered with "Sweet Memories of Micki." The rest of the photos are close up shots of all the gorgeous blocks ... aren't they awesome!!!!!!!!

Gene and I will be forever grateful to the love that was given us in this quilt and it will warm our hearts all the days of our lives. God Bless all 31 of the wonderful women who played such a loving part in the creation of this masterpiece :)

"I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living." (Psalm 27:13)

DAY DREAMING AGAIN!

2009-08-27T10:38:00.008-04:00

Sooooooooo many quilts and soooooooooo little time!!! The patterns and possibilities in today's world are truly endless and so many of them continue to speak to me daily. The most recent culprits???

Well, the first would be this little "Happy Jack" from the Fons and Porter magazine. This little guy makes me smile; and OMG on that little stand! Isn't it adorable :) I'm envisioning an itsy bitsy quilt for every month of the year :)

Then there's this gorgeous quilt!!!!! OMG, my eyes haven't been able to leave the page of this "American Patchwork and Quilting" issue. When I close my eyes, I can see it all done up in appliqué ... wouldn't that be gorgeous!

Last night, after appliqueing for a bit, I decided I wanted to go browse through some of my books, when I ran across this one. I am soooooooo in love with the little quilt on the cover. It spoke to me instantly when I saw it on the stand a few years ago. What a wonderful creative way to use those cute little hexagons!

And last, but certainly not least, there's this cute, cute, cute as a button jumper and these adorable corduroy cherries. I haven't made any apparel in years, but what can I say ... this just hollers "make me;" and I've got a sweet, sweet little girl in mind :)

I'm off to push some paper now, but I'm sure I'll spend a lot of that time "day dreaming :)" It's what keeps me sane through these hard economic times that our business and so many other businesses are facing.

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." (Phillipians4:6)

THE RAINBOW TOTE :)

2009-08-25T10:21:00.005-04:00

That's what this one reminds me of ... a "rainbow!"

My DSIL, Betsy, asked if I'd make her Dear Sis, Kristina, a "quilty something" for her Birthday; and Kristina ended up choosing all the fabric for the tote in MO and sending it down to FL :)

It's the first time I ever used one of those little "magnetic thingies," and I love it! I'll definitely be using them more in the future :)

Sure hope she likes it!

"And God said, "This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: ¹³ I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. ¹⁴ Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, ¹⁵ I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life. ¹⁶ Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth." (Genesis 0:12-16)

OVER EASY OR SUNNY SIDE UP???

2009-08-24T10:24:00.003-04:00

Or how 'bout just plain 'ole raw!!!!!!!!!

Ya see, I went and got a brilliant idea yesterday ... OK, perhaps it wasn't quite so brilliant; but because it 's been so daggone hot down here in SFL, I was just about 100% convinced I could fry an egg on the pavement!!!!!! When I say "hot," I mean the kind of heat that makes a body that doesn't normally curse, curse!!!

I was quite disappointed when after 30 minutes my egg was still raw as raw can be; and that's when I decided I really need to get a life (LOL). Right about that time, a neighbor came by and informed me that cooler weather was on it's way! Fortunately, he did not see my raw egg :)

When I told Mr. Gene about my little experiment, he of course called me a "Big Nut;" but then he added, I bet it would work on the hood of the car!!!!!! I quickly responded ... "not on the hood of my car!!!!!!!" He graciously gave me permission to try it out on his, which I might just do here in the near future :)

Leaving you with a bit of the sky that's been delivering us such treacherous heat. May this week be abundantly kind to you all :)

"For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer. " (Psalm 32:4)

AN OLDIE BUT A GOODIE :)

2009-08-21T10:42:00.009-04:00

I am sooooooo happy we are the "guardians" of this old quilt top!

It's one of those "true treasures" in life :)

Gene's "Granny" gave it to us many years ago. She told us that she was the maker; but her Son, Uncle Jack, laughed when he heard that cuz he said he doesn't remember his Mother ever making it!!! He said it was Granny's Mother, Muddy, who made it. Now if you had known Granny, that would have made you LOL big time cuz that gal was something else ... another of life's "true treasures :)"

If you look closely, you'll see oodles of "feed sack" fabrics .......

........ and it was pieced by hand.

IMHO, it beckons to be hand quilted, which I hope to do someday; and when I do, I know memories of Granny will be me with :)

Wasn't she gorgeous!!!!!!!! She was 84 when this picture was taken and she floated peacefully up in to Heaven 6 years later at the wonderful age of 90 :)

"Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever." (Psalm 23:6)

SLOWLY BUT SURELY ...........

2009-08-19T11:07:00.005-04:00

......... on the "Puzzle Quilt."

I actually finished the appliqué several weeks ago and have been auditioning border fabrics ever since. I think I've finally settled on the yellow for a small inside border and the red for the larger outside border. Of course, I am a woman, so it's quite possible that I will change my mind once again!!! Suggestions will be welcomed.

I'm hoping that when it's finished the Autism folks will want to take it and raffle it off ... but first, the key word is "finished!" Hopefully soon :)

"The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them." (Psalm 145:18-19)

A LOVELY UNEXPECTED SURPRISE!!!!!

2009-08-18T11:22:00.008-04:00

When you're least expecting something, it makes for the nicest kinda surprise, don'tcha think; and that's exactly what happened on Saturday :) My honey bought me a necklace a YEAR AND A HALF ago, hid it so I wouldn't find it and then went and forgot totally about it!!!!! The big nut! (LOL) He then spotted a red bag in his closet ... the same red bag that I've moved several times but never looked in; and he got to wondering what was in it, so he opened it up and waaaaaa laaaaaaa, this is what he found .....

..... the "missing necklace!" Isn't it pretty! Needless to say, his Bride was a happy camper :)

Didn't get much sewing done this weekend ... had chores galore and then our air conditioner decided to die. Not a good thing in this SFL heat, that's for sure, soooooooo DBIL, whose in the AC business, got a repair guy for us on Monday. Talk about happy to see someone!!!!!!!

Would you look at that gorgeous SFL sky above that wonderful repair man's truck! Even after 30 years, it never ceases to take my breath away :)

With no AC in the bathroom, I couldn't bare to "flat iron" my unruly curls, so this is what I looked like all day Sunday and Monday ......... today too cuz I was too tired last night to deal with it!!!!!!!!!

OMG! I can't believe I'm sharing this "mop" with you all; but I decided everyone needed a good laugh on a Monday morning, including yours truly :) Hope it's a good day for everyone :)

"When God gives any man wealth and possessions, and enables him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy in his work -- this is a gift of God." (Ecclesiastes 5:19)

TIP TOE THROUGH THE TULIPS :)

2009-08-14T10:55:00.007-04:00

I would have put that song on my Juke Box this morning, but I'm afraid it's one of those songs that really gets on my nerves! It being Friday, the nerves are fairly close to being shot as it is cuz it's been a long, hectic, stressful week; and the best way I know how to deal with it all is to "day dream quilts!" Working on them is, of course, absolutely wonderful; but sometimes, just thinking about them is wonderful therapy in itself :)

As with life in general, I've got myself running in every direction possible in the quilting arena as well ... projects in every phase imaginable ... from "just started" to "almost finished," and here's one that's been sitting in the "just started" position for a while now ...

... "my tulips :)" I've been "day dreaming" about these tulips for several years ... finally started them at the first of this year; and although it might actually take quite a while longer to finish them, I do love "thinking" about that fact that they are there waiting on me when life allows me to delve back into them :)

But until tomorrow, I must try to make my mind focus on the tasks at hand. I'm sure some "quilty thoughts" will find there way in at some point; and here's hoping that you get to enjoy some nice "quilty thoughts" yourself :)

"The entire law is summed up in a single command: "Love your neighbor as yourself." (Galatians 5:14)

HAND QUILTING :)

2009-08-12T11:49:00.008-04:00

Ohhhhhhhh I do enjoy it so ... "hand quilting," that is. It's a slow process, that's for sure; but it is so good for the soul :) I inevitably loose track of how long I work on one, so I haven't a clue how long this one took, but I know I adored the process :)

It was a wedding gift for our Niece, Kelly and her Hubby, Jordan. I hate to admit that it was about 3 years late in getting to them, but I can blame that on the "hand quilting ," which always takes waaaaayyyy longer than I think it's gonna take.

I can easily picture myself back in the olden days sitting around the fire and hand quilting by candlelight. Of course, I would greatly miss Blogging, and E-mailing, and surfing the web, and the dishwasher, and air conditioning, and vacuum cleaners, and refrigerators, and freezers, and automatic ice makers, and washing machines, and dryers, and drive through windows, and sewing machines, and my coffee coolattas from Dunkin Donuts, and, and, and sooooooooo much more!!!!!!!!!! Perhaps this time period isn't so bad after all :)

Now I just need to finish up something that begs to be "hand quilted," so I can enjoy that lovely past time once again :)

Before I head back to work, I want to send out great big Happy Birthday wishes to my DBIL, Paul, who will always, always, always be 2 months and 10 days older than me :) Hope the day treats you with kindness Paul! We love you :)

"He said: "Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the LORD says to you: 'Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God's. ... You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you.'" (2 Chronicles 20:15,17)

DAISIES :)

2009-08-10T11:35:00.004-04:00

My current love for "daisies" could quite possibly be construed as an obsession! I can't help myself ... I'm just in love with them and can't get enough of 'em! They were Micki's all time favorite and they plain and simply make this Little Mommy smile :) I just wish I had a "green thumb," so I could grow the real thing; but I'm afraid my gardening capabilities lack an awful lot to be desired!!! I can stitch one up tho, and here's the start of, yes, "another new project!!!"

It kinda reminds me of "He loves me, he loves me not;" and I am just loving these colors together. Such a wonderful "couch potato" project; and goodness only knows that me and our couch have quite a relationship!!!

I also finally settled on the center for the chenille daisy :) I don't know why it took me so long to choose the "yo-yo," cuz I love to use 'em when ever I can :)

I should have fired up the HQ16 over the weekend and quilted one of the 3 tops sitting there patiently; but by the time I finished all the "must haves," I just wanted to appliqué :) But now I must work, so happy day wishes to you all :)

"Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord." (Romans 12:11)

CRITTERS!

2009-08-06T13:57:00.012-04:00

We've got lot's of 'em in Davie, and I see 'em all along my ride to work. My first site is of these little guys in our front yard ...........

My honey will be soooooooo thrilled to see these "critters" on my Blog! Have I mentioned that he adores the ducks??? OMG, does he ever adore them!!! When I find them drinking water out of one of my good Tupperware bowls, I've wondered if they could be considered grounds for divorce (LOL). I will have to admit that the little ones are pretty darn cute. I just couldn't believe my eyes when one of our latest batches included 4 "yellow ones!" That's a first and we're now wondering just "who or what" this Mama got hooked up with!!!

This next little "critter" is one of Mr. Gene's favorites. He's one of our medium sized ducks and has a look and personality all of his own. As much as I curse the ducks, I will have to say that he's a funny little guy :)

Time to move on out of the neighborhood now and away from the ducks, which takes us from "itsy bitsy and ohhhhhhhhh so cute" to this beast!!! Whenever I see him, I just think "OMG, he's huge!!!" He's kinda skinny tho, don'tcha think??? Either way, I wouldn't wanna jump that fence wearing red!

Then we've got our "horses galore" in Davie ... known to many as "South Florida's Horse Country."
After the horses comes the great big "ewwwwwwwwwwwwww!" I do love animals, but I'm afraid guys like this give me the heebie jeebies!!! And I pass thousands of 'em every morning! Well, that's a big of an exaggeration; but I did try to count them one morning and got to 75 before giving up. I finally got brave and got out and took a picture :) I wasn't out there long tho (LOL).

We've got quite a few of these spots in Davie and they are surrounded w/oodles of critters like that monstrous lizard above! Folks still sit and eat and read and fish tho, so they obviously aren't near as squeamish about 'em as I am!!!

Well, that brings me to my office and all this paperwork isn't gonna push itself, so I'll see ya next time :) Until then, good wishes for you and yours :)

"Also, to every beast of the earth, to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, in which there is life, I have given every green herb for food”; and it was so." (Genesis1:30)

TUESDAY ..........

2009-08-04T12:50:00.006-04:00

Pretty sorry subject line I know, but it's all I could come up with today (LOL). I wanted to Blog though, cuz it's good for my soul :) Wonder who came up with the word "Blog???" I need to google that, as I'm sure it stands for something! I'll sneak out from under my rock and look it up. It's hard to remember "life before computers," don'tcha think! "Cell phones" too!!!

Anyway, I decided to "chenille" the strips of the "Chenille Daisy Quilt," and I'm glad I did.

I highly recommend trying the "chenille by the inch!" It's fun stuff.

I also finally got around to labeling these Christmas Tree Skirts. I'm sending 'em off today in honor of two recent weddings :) I think that "First Christmas together as Husband and Wife" is pretty special, so I thought it'd be nice to mark that celebration with a little something under their first tree :)

The first one is going to Gene's Cousin's Daughter, Jessica and her new hubby, Wes. This is the 7th one I've made thru the years like this, and can you believe that Gene and I still use a tablecloth under our tree!!!!! Kinda like the "shoe repair man," who has "holes in his shoes." I must remedy that one of these days.

This second one is heading off to the children of two of Gene's oldest friends from his School Days ... yes, the Daughter of one fell in love with the son of the other. Isn't that cool!!!!!! This one was a lot of fun to make ... especially where "picking out all the fabric from my stash" was concerned. I made the pattern quite a bit bigger than it called for, so I'm hoping it doesn't swallow their living room whole!

I'm not sure what I'll be back with next ... but I'm sure I'll find something :) Until then, blessings to us one and all :)

"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." (John 13:34-35)

JUST A LITTLE SNEAK PEAK :)

2009-07-31T11:15:00.003-04:00

Wanna see a "sneak peak" of my "chenille daisy???" Here ya go ................

It's a BIG one!!!! I've got 4 of the petals appliquéd on in the pic ... the other 2, along w/the center, which hasn't been 100% accepted yet, are sitting there patiently waiting for my return. I'm thinking about adding some "chenille by the inch" before I add the final borders ... separating all the strips of fabric. What do y'all think???

Here's wishing us all a wonderful weekend :) I'm sooooooo glad it's Friday, so come on down 5 pm!!!

"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above." (James 1:17)

YOU HOOOO ...

2009-07-29T11:33:00.007-04:00

Wanted to let y'all know about a great little "Gift Bag" that Kim is giving away ....................

Isn't it adorable!!! Hurry up and sign up cuz the "giveaway" ends Friday at midnight. You can also find her tutorial on the wonderful Moda Bakeshop Site ... one of my favorite on-line stops :) I just can't decide whose "gift" I'm gonna put in this adorable little bag when I win ... perhaps one for me!!!!!

"Look to the LORD and his strength; seek his face always. Remember the wonders he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced." (1 Chronicles 16:11-12)

THROUGH THE YEARS :)

2009-07-28T10:09:00.010-04:00

Mr. Gene and I celebrated our 34th Wedding Anniversary a few days ago and I sure wish someone could tell me where those 34 years have gone!!!!!!! I can remember all the older folks always talking about "how time flies!!!" Well, now that I'm one of those "older folks," I finally understand why they were always talking about it cuz it does fly by .... at the speed of lightening!!! Anyhoo, I thought I'd share a few pics of me and my honey "through the years :)"

"Together," we can conquer anything life throws our way, as it's a proven fact!!! I love you honey ... with all my heart, with all my soul and with every ounce of my being! I always have and I always will :)

"Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins." (1 Peter 4:8)

IT'S HERE, IT'S HERE!!!!!!!!!!!

2009-07-27T10:34:00.005-04:00

The "completed quilt top" from my friend Sue in NY is here in Davie :) You know, the "Butterfly" one that we're making for Allison in PA who is living life with Crohn's Disease. Sue did the piecing and I did the appliqué and here it is :)

Isn't it gorgeous!!!!!!!!! Thank you so much Sue ... it looks awesome my dear :) "You" done good!!!

Now I gotta get busy picking out the backing and the binding and getting to the "queeelting!" I'll be smiling when it's ready to leave Davie :)

"Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else." (1Thessaolonians 5:15)

MOLLY'S STOPPING BY TO SAY ......................

2009-07-24T10:41:00.006-04:00

.......... as of tomorrow, there's just 5 months left till Christmas!

She figured that y'all would be much less likely to smack her silly than you would me!!!!!

I know, I know ... 5 months seems like forever and a day; but I promise, since time flies by at the speed of lightening, it'll be here before you know it!!!! Annnnnnnd, if any of you are like me, you'll wake up December 1st with a list a mile long of presents you wanna make ... but seeing how it's the 1st of December when that realization falls upon you, there plain and simply isn't enough time left unless your burn the midnight oil for the next 24 days, making you miss the true wonder of that glorious Season all together!!!!!

Sooooooooooo, here's your "gentle reminder" from our little cutie pie :)

"This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." (Psalm 118:24)

GOT A BAG OF BEANS????

2009-07-23T11:09:00.005-04:00

Crazy question, I know; but if you've got a bag or two laying around, you can do this ....................

............. "this" meaning filling up a pot of your choosing with the dry beans and then filling that pot with your pens and pencils :) Now isn't that a cool idea!!!!! I only wish I had been the one to think of it, but those honors go to one of my LQS's (Local Quilt Shop).

I don't know about y'all, but I was getting tired of always looking for a pen or a pencil or a pair of regular scissors!!! This definitely is an easy solution to that little stress maker. Now if you've got a honey like my friend Jan out in OK has, you're apt to have a 25 pound bag of beans sitting around ... if that's the case, you can make 'em for everyone you know and all the folks you cross along the way :)

Ohhhhhh and the fabric underneath is "another" little something that I started the other day. Uhmmmmmmm, how many projects underway does that make now??? I'm pleading the 5th on that one!

Happy day wishes to you all :)

"My son, if you accept My words and store up My commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding, and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God." (Proverbs 2:1-5)

HERE'S #4!

2009-07-22T12:05:00.004-04:00

#4 meaning the "last quilt on the ladder" and here it is :)

Gene picked this one up while we were doing a job over on the West Coast a few years back. There's this great little antique type flea market shop that he loves to browse through over in Ft. Myers and he was soooooooo excited when he happened across this ... quite proud of himself when he got home :) It reminds me of oodles of "wagon wheels."

I love the way she (he) did the outer edges too and she (he) quilted it with embroidery floss, which is something I've never seen done before. It made for some pretty big stitches ... you know the "toe snagging" kind!!!

I'd love to know more about the maker and when it was completed; but once again, there's no label. It's got a couple of areas that need patching, which I should really do; but I am sooooooo not fond of "mending." Just ask my DBIL! He brought me a pair of shorts to hem, which I kept for 3 years!!!! He finally got them back and took them up to the local dry cleaner. I really did plan on doing them for him (LOL).

Well, this brings our "first" ladder to a close :) Hope you enjoyed!!!

"When God gives any man wealth and possessions, and enables him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy in his work -- this is a gift of God." (Ecclesiastes 5:19)

CHANGE OF PLANS!!!!!

2009-07-21T11:17:00.004-04:00

I had planned on showing you all the 4th quilt on the "ladder" today, but something came up that made me change those plans ....... and that "something" is another "ta da!!!!!"

.............. the completed "Noah's Ark Top :)" It's not behaving it self "hanging wise" at the bottom, which I think is due to the fact that I've got little "do what's" hanging from the closet's door knobs underneath pushing it out in the middle. Anyway, I was a happy camper when I took the last stitch. Now onward with the "quuueeeelting!" I can't wait to fire up Loretta (the HQ) this weekend :)

"But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you." (Luke 6:27-28)

.... AND ANOTHER ONE :)

2009-07-17T10:31:00.007-04:00

Another one being the 3rd quilt on the ladder :) Ahhhhhh, I adore this one ... it is truly "special." Ya see, Gene's Great Grandmother made it. I, of course, never knew her; but have heard many stories through the years about "Muddy!"

The kids in the family ... my 58 year old hubby and his siblings ... weren't overly fond of her name ; but their thoughts on that subject softened when Mr. Gene's little sister, Tracey, decided to have her children call our Micki "Muddy ." Her first child, Gracie, was actually born on Micki's Birthday; and from that day forward, all the "little one's " in the family (her Cousins) always called her Muddy :)

You wouldn't believe how incredibly soft it is!!!!!!!! It is sooooooo obvious that it was snuggled by many folks along the way ... Mr. Gene wanting to be one of 'em ... the key word being "wanting!" (LOL).

I like thinking about both of our "Muddy's" enjoying time together in Heaven :)

"Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity." (Colossians 3:12-14)

HERE'S ANOTHER ONE :)

2009-07-16T11:27:00.004-04:00

In between work, a run to the grocery store, putting it all away, supper, laundry and giving Miss Molly a much needed bath, I managed to sneak in a moment to take a picture of another quilt :)

We got this one on one of our trips to Vermont ... a place that we absolutely adore!!! Mr. Gene happened upon it while we were browsing through the antique/used area upstairs in Kennedy Brothers, a wonderful Country Store with homemade fudge that is to die for; and if I recall correctly, we paid a mere $60 for it. I can't help but wonder how someone's quilt ends up in places like this lost in a pile of everything under the sun ... why would a family let it go this way??? I'm sure there's a reason, but to me, it's kinda like "selling one's soul." Anyhooooo, there's no information on the maker, which is a good reminder to us all "NOT to forget that final touch of labeling!!!"

If you double click on the picture below, you can see that she (or he) finished off the quilt by folding over the backing and securing it with a "zig zag stitch," which is something I hadn't seen before. It worked tho, cuz it's still together :)

As my Dear Friend Amina would say ... "blessings on your day :)"

"Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; He is the faithful God, keeping His covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love Him and keep His commands." (Deuteronomy 7:9)

IS THERE SUCH A THING AS TOO MANY QUILTS????

2009-07-15T12:53:00.006-04:00

Personally, I don't think so :) Well, perhaps if they are lining every square inch of your dwelling and you're bouncing off the wall cuz of 'em all!!!! But all in all, I think a nice collection of 'em makes a body feel good; and I thought I'd share a few of ours with y'all today :)

Love, love, love them on ladders ... so much so, we've got 4 ladders adorned with quilts in our house; and here's one of 'em :) Is this picture blurry or are my eyes blurry today??????

I always meant to "stain" this particular ladder, but after about a decade and a half, that still hasn't happened!!! If truth were to be told, I always meant to stain 2 of the other 3 as well!!! Trust me, you wouldn't wanna see my "to do list!!!" It's a mile long and I'm always a day short. Anyway, the one on the bottom is a "Grandmother's Flower Garden" that I purchased off of e-bay about 7 years ago and I just love it!!!

A lady right up the street from us in Boca Raton happened to be both the maker and the seller; and I still feel bad today about getting it for less than $150!!! It's all made by hand ... both the piecing and the quilting and she deserved soooooooooo much more than I paid cuz it is lovely :)

I'll try to unfold another of these beauties this evening and get a close up picture for you all tomorrow ... double checking for "blurriness" this time!!!!!!!!!

Before getting back to work, I wanted to send out my love to my Dear Friend Debbie, whose Mom passed away suddenly and unexpectantly last night ... also to my Dear Friend Stretch, whose honey suffered a heart attack yesterday during a stress test. Hugs and prayers to you both!!!

"I will never leave you nor forsake you." (Hebrews 13:5)

GOOD STUFF!!!!!!

2009-07-13T13:18:00.010-04:00

A/K/A "Steak and Gravy," and I was quite thrilled that Mr. Gene requested it for his Birthday Supper cuz it's one of my all time favorites, so I thought I'd share the recipe here in Blogville.

You need:

Cubed Steak
About a cup and a half of diced celery
2 to 3 cans (depending upon how much gravy you want) of "cream of mushroom soup" ... I normally use the low fat version
Some beef bouillon, preferably "granules" or some "beef consummate." You could use some
regular cubes too, but you'd need to dissolve 'em first.
Some water
Some flour

You then wanna dredge the steak in some flour and brown it in a skillet. You can pepper it, but I wouldn't salt it cuz the gravy gets a lot of salt from the bullion.

After that, mix the soup w/some water. You don't want it real thin, but you also don't want it real thick, so use your best judgment :) Then add the bullion . You want to turn the soup into a light brown color or a dark tan color, so start off with a couple of teaspoons and then gradually add from there. Dump in the celery and mix it all together. .

Then, in a large Crockpot (sprayed with Pam), start off with a bit of the gravy and then top with a layer of the steak ... more gravy and then more steak, etc., etc.

Once the steak is all in, pour the rest of the gravy over top, cover and cook on high for about 4 hours or low for about 8 hours . Try not to peak!!! I always fail in that department. Anyway, this is great with some rice and the veggie of your choice :) I hope you'll try it cuz it is really, really good!

Now I'm off to move "Rocky Top" down to the bottom of the list. Ta Ta!

"Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?" (Hebrews 13:5-6

CONFESSION OF ANOTHER UFO!

2009-07-10T11:16:00.009-04:00

Hanging my head in shame and fessing up to yet another UFO, even though I'd still prefer to call it a WIP ; but since it's been sitting in the drawer for well over a year now, there's no disputing the fact that it is what is is ...... a UFO!

I've still gotta put 3 more blocks on, which are already embroidered, thank goodness; and then there's the whole border thing. Right now, I'm envisioning a border filled w/embroidery mixed with a bit of appliqué. I will finish it!!!! I will I tell ya ... someday, I'll do just that ... "finish it;" and when I do, I think I'll call it "Color Me Red :)"

Happy Weekend to one and all :) If you're looking for me, you'll probably find me in the sewing room tomorrow; and on Sunday, I'll be spoiling my honey on his 57th Birthday :) I asked him what he'd like for his "special day;" and he said he'd like to have some "steak and gravy" on Sunday and for me to take the day off on Monday, so I shall be granting his request on both counts :) Some of you know that he suffers from severe multi-level spinal stenosis, so my Birthday Wish for him is that he feels well enough to go out and feed those silly ducks :) Happy Birthday honey! Love you most :)

P.S. In honor of his Birthday, you all have to listen to "Rocky Top!" Sorry!!! (LOL)

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." (Jeremiah 29:11)

A BIT OF DOWNTOWN DAVIE :)

2009-07-09T10:36:00.008-04:00

Davie has been home to Gene and I for 18 years, and it was the first place that felt like "home" to us here in South Florida. It is just about 10 miles West of the Skyscrapers that run up and down the Gold Coast and home to the Miami Dolphins. It's approximately 35 square miles with about 90,000 residents ... much more than when we first moved here. The influx really began after Hurricane Andrew hit South Miami. Lots of folks lost their home to that Storm, and many of them moved North to Broward County. Even with all the folks that live here, it still has managed to maintain it's rural atmosphere in many places with a touch of an equestrian/western lifestyle. The McDonald's in Downtown Davie even has a hitching post :)

Here's our Town Hall, which I pass every day on my way to work. At Christmas time, it is lit up from head to toe; and the front yard is filled with live Christmas Trees that the local schools decorate.

This is a pretty spot; but after all these years, I've yet to actually see a canoe (LOL)!

This place is filled with everything "Western" imaginable!!!!!!! If you're looking for a good pair of cowboy boots or a 10 gallon hat, here's your place :)

And I can't tell you how much feed we've purchased here for the silly ducks that Gene adores ... have also purchased hay through the years to dress up the front porch in October and November :)

Well, that brings our tour for the day to a close. Hope you enjoyed seeing some bits and pieces of our Town :)

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? ... I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:35, 38-39)

SLOW AND STEADY WINS THE RACE, RIGHT???

2009-07-08T10:15:00.004-04:00

I sure hope so cuz "slow and steady" definitely describes me to a tee in many areas of life, quilting being one of 'em. There always seems to be so many other things screaming for my attention, which is one of my excuses ... you know, those dreaded chores that are never ending, a job, etc., etc., etc.; but "mistakes" also take a front seat, unfortunately. See what I did here???

Ding Bat City USA is where I was residing at that very moment. I even took the picture upside down for goodness sakes!!! Fortunately, and I don't mean that lightly, I noticed the problem after staring at it for a few minutes. I was soooooo thankful that I hadn't gotten any further along before seeing it correctly like I've done umpteen times in the past! After spending a bit of time frog sewing (rippit, rippit, rippit), I finally got it right; and here's the beginning of the Noah's Ark Quilt :)

Hopefully, I'll be back w/evidence of a "finished top" soon :)

"Do everything in love." (1 Corinthians 16:14)