A look back...

While out visiting with my folks last week, Mom brought out a bag of quilt squares and pieces. They had belonged to and I'm assuming, started by a fellow church member who passed away several  years ago.  As you can see, Mom never got around to doing anything with them so she passed them on to me.  Maybe one day I'll get them finished into a wall hanging. Sixteen smaller blocks make up the larger block and there are already seven of them put together. There just happens to be sixteen smaller blocks ready to sew together into the larger block and while there are still pieces that can be sewn into blocks, I think I will finish large block #8 and make them into a simple wall hanging.  Each block is hand sewn. Totally!  Will I have the patience to finish this quilt with hand sewing only? Can I do this quilt justice with my own handsewing?

Also in the bag were these applique' floral blocks. There are four completed and a few that are partially stitched and the rest are just basted.  These were started back in the day before stitch witchery, jiffy fuse or the decorative zig zag stitch on the sewing machine.  A very narrow blanket stitch is used for the applique'.  Sixteen blocks in all.  The applique' may get finished by hand, but the blocks will most likely get put together on the sewing machine.

I just thought I'd share these with you...I hope you've found them as interesting as I have.

Are you a Collector?

 I've got a few collections going on......I think I've shared some of my cookbook collection with you before...I continue to add to it.....some I refer to quite often, others, not so much.  Sometimes I like to just thumb through them for the extra reading there is in some of them.

This is my tobacco stick ladder (made it myself) that hangs on my kitchen wall filled with all sorts of gadgets, old and new, and a few other little treasures mixed in here and there.  I've often thought about taking it all down so it isn't so cluttered there but I just can't bring myself to do it just yet.

And a couple parts of my bobbin and spool collection (yes, there's more).

And I've got a little bit of a stoneware collection.....crocks, jugs, bowls.  Old and new.  Scattered thoughout the house, a lamp, a magazine keeper,  sewing or kitchen utensils, but most sitting on the mantles. And you can see above there, I like baskets, too.

I think my collections say a little bit about me. It tells a little bit about who I am and what I do.

What do you collect and what do your collections say about you?

Well, time to get busy.....Enjoy your day!

Spring-Cleaning...the pantry...

I just love it when a job that's been needing done for some time finally gets done!

It was a cool, breezy & damp day yesterday so I wasn't inclined to work in the flower boxes.

This pantry has needed to be cleaned out for some time and every day off I'd tell myself "I really need to clean the pantry" and yesterday was the day that I finally got the job done! It took only ALL afternoon but it's done! Spice jars and other containers filled, old product thown out, shelves wiped down and reorganized.  More things got added to the "sort later" boxes.

There's a whole other side to the pantry....it keeps small appliances and containers that aren't used very often.  I really like my pantry....it's actually one of my favorite things about this house.

I try to keep it well-stocked and noticed yesterday that while my baking supplies were VERY well-stocked, my canned and boxed food items were NOT.

I also discovered that no matter the size of spice jar set I have, there are never enough jars.

Once that task was complete,  I thought about grocery shopping but it was so nasty out I decided to stay home where it was warm and dry!  

Even though I was the only one home for supper, I decided to finally try a recipe that I found on The Pioneer Woman's blog....

Mini-Meatball Sandwiches

I'm looking forward to the leftovers! Thanks Pioneer Woman!

I finally got to settle down in my chair and put in a few stitches.   I'm working on a few 'pay it forward' goodies.

Time to get ready for church, then over to my sisters....going do a little cleaning for her since she's got a foot in a cast....then I'm going to find something fun to do!

Enjoy your day!

Spring .....

 Only in Missouri will you have the kind of weather we've had over this past week.....

We started out with snow on Monday and ended with rain & hail yesterday with some mid 70 degree temps inbetween!  Spring begins tomorrow and I am SO ready!

Of course it's not this far along yet, but it has been showing itself for awhile now....as well as the yarrow and tulips...that's what I've noticed out front.  I'm hoping for another nice warm day to get out there and start cleaning out the beds. 

And as much as I'd like to, I don't think I will be putting out a garden as I did last year.  For all the time, money and energy I put into it, the results weren't very rewarding.  So maybe a few tomato plants planted in a spot right outside the back door and a few potted herbs, and a few more trips to the Amish community and the Farmer's Market.

Spring....besides the plans of gardening also comes spring cleaning.....and I've sure been in the spring cleaning mode of late. As you see on all those reorganization programs on television, I've got boxes full of things that will later be sorted into the donate / sell / toss boxes.  Everything from clothing to coffee mugs.

The toss box is self explanatory....The donated boxes will go to The Salvation Army and the selling boxes will go to a garage sale or on Facebook.  Just this past week, a friend introduced me to two selling groups on facebook..... Primitive Crafting Buy & Sell it Here and  Homestead Thrift Store.
Well, I'm not sure what the day has in store for me yet....as there are so many things that I want to do.....from baking to cleaning to stitching. I guess if I would just get busy, I could get a bit of everything done, right?

Enjoy your day!

Pay it Forward.....

 I first learned of this "pay it forward" on Facebook.....and then it started showing up on some of my favorite blogs.  When I read about it at Betty's , I decided that I want to pay it forward even further and hope that you will too! 

So here's how it goes.....

THE FIRST FIVE PEOPLE WHO COMMENT
ON THIS BLOG POST WILL RECEIVE

A HANDMADE GIFT FROM ME.

IN RETURN, YOU MUST FIRST WRITE A BLOG

POST ON YOUR BLOG EXPLAINING

PAY IT FORWARD 2011.

THEN, SEND OUT A HANDMADE GIFT TO THE FIRST

FIVE VISITORS WHO LEAVE A COMMENT

ON YOUR POST. TAKE YOUR TIME....

THIS SHOULD BE A FUN, JOYFUL EXPERIENCE.

NO PRESSURE...JUST ENJOY THE

PROCESS OF MAKING AND GIVING AS I

INTEND TO DO.

************************

I think the explanation says it all....no pressure!

Enjoy the time of creating and giving!

Please include an email addy in your comment so that I can contact you for shipping info.

Enjoy your day!

A productive day...

After a busy week last week, on top of this crazy winter weather, we are finally back to "normal"....or at least as normal as normal can be around here. 

A successful open house at the mercantile last weekend....I always love helping out during those times!

A short work week this week and I actually got to stay home all day yesterday and work in this room.  We don't have overnight guests very often but when we do, it would be nice to have a bed for them to sleep in rather than the sofa.  So I've been sorting, organizing, pitching, rearranging, to make room for a queen size bed.  I also need to make room for a crib for when our granddaughter arrives!  I've been clearing out fabrics, supplies, trinkets, magazines.  Finding things that belong to others.  I've really got to do some downsizing as this will be the sewing/computer/guest/baby room.  Unless the computer gets moved back to the kitchen? Hmm...

I've really been missing my creative time and I've been trying to sneak in a little bit of that over the past couple weeks.  Here are a couple of aprons that will be going to the mercantile this afternoon.....

More are in the works and will be available very soon!

It looks to be a nice sun-shiny day here today! I'll work a bit longer here at home then run my errands this afternoon.....give it time to warm up a little bit!

Enjoy your day!