Summer Reading Part 2

I know that summer isn't technically over yet, but I tend to think of it as being over when I have to head back to school. (which happened three weeks ago for me.) After my earlier post on summer reading, I read some other books that were really good. One of my favorites was Prayers for Sale by Sandra Dallas. I have read all of her books and this one was really good. The main character Hennie, is in her 80's when the book opens and she gradually tells her story to a new, young neighbor named Nit Spindle. As with most of her books, quilting is involved and plays a part in the story. I have to say I was very surprised by the ending of the book, a good read. After reading this book I found another of her books, New Mercies, at the local library and read it. It was set in Natchez, Mississippi; since I am from Mississippi I could relate to a lot of what Nora, the main character was experiencing. The south can be a bit overwhelming for someone visiting for the first time.

Larry McMurtry is one of those authors that I either really like his books or have trouble finishing them. Loop Group, fortunately fell into the first category, think Thelma and Louise in their fifties. Maggie and Connie are best friends who live in Hollywood and work in the film industry. Maggie misses her womb and Connie wants a man. This book follows their adventures, on a trip to visit Maggie's aunt in Texas. It is very funny.

I also discovered a new mystery series by Laura Childs, The Cackleberry Club. Childs is also the author of The Tea Shop series and The Scrapbook series. The first in the new series is called, Eggs in Purgatory. It is set in a restaurant/gift shop that is operated by three women. It was good, I like the Tea Shop series better, but I would read additional books in this series.
Another really good book that I just finished is The Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet. This is a first novel by Jamie Ford. It is another historical fiction novel set in Settle, when the book opens the year is 1986 and Henry is walking by the Panama Hotel where items belonging to the displaced Japanese from WWII have just been discovered. This discovery takes Henry back in time to his first love.

You can probably tell that I enjoy historical fiction, it probably is one of my favorite genres, but I will read almost anything.

Christmas Lights

I am following along with the Christmas Lights mystery sponsored by Bonnie Hunter in Quiltmaker Magazine. I completed the first two clues last week. I really like the way they are turning out. When I decided to do this project I was only going to do it if I didn't have to buy anything (I am shopping out of my sewing room), well the red I had picked out I decided was just too bright it really didn't go with the other the gold and the green that I was using. I decided that I could buy the red, which luckily I found on sale at one of the shops in Blue Ridge. I am glad I made the switch.

Giveaway Alert!!

There are so many giveaways out there that I can't keep up with them. I just read on my friend Gretchen's blog about some great giveaways. Faithful Quilter has a great Civil War giveaway. I would dearly love to win that one.

Green Fairy Quilts also has a great layer cake giveaway. The layer cake is from Moda so of course it is gorgeous.

The last giveaway is from Trends and Traditions, and boy did I save the best for last. She is giving away a number of prizes, any of which I would be happy to get.

Susie Homemaker

I got up early this morning which really surprised me, hubby is out of town and I went to Thimbles last night and didn't get home until late. I had the best time last night. Kristie, Becky, Teresa, Susan and I took up the back row and boy did we have fun. I laughed so hard my stomach hurt. Becky looked like she was crying she was laughing so hard. It was one of those things that you just had to be there for, it wouldn't be funny to anyone else. It was Kristie's birthday and it was great that she spent it with her quilting buds. I really needed the laughs, because last week at school, if it could go wrong it did, but the week is over with and out of my mind. On to today, where I was channeling either Martha Stewart or a pioneer housewife. After getting up early, I did three loads of laundry, canned 16 quarts and 1 pint of tomatoes, dusted, vacuumed, cleaned the bathrooms, gathered three boxes of "stuff" to take to Goodwill. All of this was before lunch. After lunch, I mowed the grass, picked more tomatoes, some bell peppers and some jalapenos. While cutting the grass I happened to notice in our azalea bed a huge and I do mean huge hornet's nest. It was big enough that I came in got my camera and hornet spray. It isn't a great picture, but I didn't want to get too close. I used an entire can of hornet spray on it. That should kill all of those nasty little devils. After battling the hornets it was time for a break and time to clean myself up. I needed to go over to Forsyth Fabrics to get fabric for my new bedroom drapes. After getting the new bed, we need lots of new bedroom stuff. I decided how I wanted the drapes made, and the fabric I wanted just had to go over and pick it up. After that it was off to JoAnn's to buy thread and see what other bargains I could find. While at JoAnn's I did buy three patterns, their Simplicity patterns where on sale for 1.00 that is a great price. Now I just have to find fabric for them and get them made. Oh, well that will be a project for another day. Time for dinner and a glass of wine.

One Week Down, How many more to go?

I have just completed our first week of school. Boy, was it busy!! My husband can't understand why I am so tired when I come home the first week of school, I definitely stay busy during the summer but working with kids and other adults is a different kind of busy. I am exhausted. Every day when I have come home this week I have done the bare minimum. It has been all I could do to cook dinner every night. Hubby is out of town this weekend, so I have the house to myself, have already started getting caught up on the cleaning and laundry. I am really looking forward to sleeping in tomorrow. The only sewing I have done this week is to finish my Charming Girls challenge. I actually got one bag made over the weekend and started the other one. I made one change to the pattern, instead of using Velcro to fasten the bags I used the magnetic fasteners from Joann's, then sewed a large button over the fastener on the outside. I am giving one to my aunt for her birthday later this month, and will probably add the other one to my present closet. They are extremely easy to make, I think there might be a couple more in my future.ener on the outside.

Busy weekend

This weekend just flew by. Probably because I am back in school now and my sewing time has been seriously interrupted. It hasn't helped that I have had a migraine all today. I was just recently diagnosed with having migraines. They are no fun. Hubby and I did work out in the yard yesterday, got some weeding done, worked in the garden and did some trimming and edging. Then hubby wanted to go to Bass Pro Shop, of course he came home with a new gun, that is one reason he never complains about my fabric purchases. He hunts, I sew. We also delivered his goddaughters graduation present, yes we were very late, but the lady who quilted it for me had family problems over the summer and wasn't able to get it done any earlier. At least we got it to her before she goes off to UGA. I was very pleased with the way it turned out. I was very proud of my label something I don't always do. I scanned a picture of her in kindergarten and her senior portrait to go on the label. I think she liked it. I can't believe that she is going off to college this week. I remember the day she was born. Time flies.

Charming Girls Quilt Club

I am trying my best to use the Charming Girls Quilt Club to make myself either make projects that I have had around for a long time, or finish up some UFO's. After digging through all of my stash I found a Moda Honey Bun kit that I had purchased probably about a year ago. The box has two mini buns in it along with a really cute bag pattern, each bun will make one bag. I hope to get these made and add to the present closet. I think they would make great little gifts with the addition of soap, or lotion. It is really had to tell anything from this photo, but the instructions look really easy. The only thing I will have to buy is some fusible Pellon. I think I will be able to complete this month's project. Wish me luck.

Do you Remember???

Do you remember when you were a kid and your mom always took you shopping the week before school started to get your back to school clothes. When I was little my mom made most of my clothes so we had to get an early start, usually a month before. I can remember going to the local fabric store and looking at pattern books and fabric. I had the hardest time visualizing what things would look like made up. I still make a lot of my clothes and have to start early. I did take advantage of our two additional days off and finish some items I had started earlier in the summer. I finished a skirt that I started several weeks ago. I saw this fabric and just had to have it, not having anything in mind to do with it. It is a white cotton, with a black almost eyelet design. I think the skirt turned out ok. I have a black sweater to wear with it. I also made an off-white linen top with a pair of lime green capris. The picture isn't the best but you can get the idea. As I was going through my closet I realized I didn't even have a pair of black capris, that lead me to my clothing fabric stash where I found some black linen and a second pair of capris. They are really easy to make, a front, back and pockets, no zipper elastic in the waist, the pattern I use is a Vogue Very Easy. Most of the tops I wear are longer and cover the top of my pants so why should I go to all of the trouble of putting in a zipper. I did cut out another skirt today, hopefully I can get it together soon.

Check out the giveaway!

Follow the link to Mama Spark's World and check out the great giveaway from Bunny Hill Designs.

Earthquake!!!

I have lived through my first earthquake! Who would have thought that North Georgia would have an earthquake. Friday night Joe and I went up to the cabin for the weekend, since it was the last weekend before school started we wanted to take it easy, plus our neighborhood had a board meeting on Saturday. Well Saturday morning we were getting ready to leave, I was upstairs and Joe was downstairs when we both felt the house shake and the windows were rattling. Not clearly thinking, I thought Joe was just doing something weird, (what I don't know) and he thought I was doing something. When the house stopped shaking and we realized that the other had not been doing anything out of the ordinary, we thought it might have been an earthquake. We went on the the board meeting where some of the people said it was definitely an earthquake, 3.2 with the center being in Murphy, NC, which is about 20 miles from our cabin. I am so glad I don't live in California.
After the board meeting we stopped at the local blueberry patch to get some berries. They are sooooo good, and only $5.00 a gallon. My tongue was blue from eating as many as went in my bucket. I definitely had a job when we got back to the cabin, washing them and getting them in the freezer. I did leave out enough to eat and make a fresh blueberry cobbler. Aside from the earthquake we had a very relaxing weekend. It is so nice and quiet up at our cabin, we have a young buck that is hanging out eating the corn that we leave out. I have started calling him Skid. He hears us putting out corn, and as soon as we are back inside he runs up to where the corn is and skids to a stop. You can almost see the wheels in his head turning, whooo the corn fairy came again. Joe and I both really enjoy watching the deer from our back deck. Here is Skid enjoying his dinner.

Just a couple of more days before school starts, and I have lots that I want to get done before I go back to work.