new venture

I've joined the facebook crowd...not too sure I like it, but, if it helps me keep up with the kid... I've decided to just make it a photo journal for now, as I'm not too sure what I want to share...
I have yet to sew a single stitch again this week, more peppers to pick and pickle, and today there are apples thrown in for good measure... not sure what I'm going to make with them... time to pull out the canning books and do a little googling, I suppose... I can't wait to try out my handy dandy peeler, corer(sp), slicer thingy, though... My husband's Uncle sent it to me this Christmas after tasting one of my jams, called Mom's apple pie in a jar... pretty good hint that he'd like me to make more...

goodies

okay, okay, I know...no time for sewing at the moment... here's some of what I've been doing (besides working)

lots of football stuff.... #63 is my baby... they won their opening jamboree game on Friday. Wish them luck this Friday is the first official game.

...A little canning..ok, a lot of canning... this is just a sampling: pickled squash, canned tomatoes, pears in syrup, pickled jalapeno peppers, pickled banana peppers, bread n butter pickles, dill pickles, salsa,pear preserves, pear salsa, blueberry jam, figs in syrup, fig preserves, jalapeno pepper jelly.... not pictured is blueberry butter, blueberry syrup, green tomato relish, green tomato chutney, oh....and other stuff that I can't recall at the moment...

...then there's all the frozen stuff from the garden.... green beans, squash, zucchini, blueberries, corn, okra... still more stuff growing....

I do still dream of sewing something pretty...

getting old!

here are the new additions to the family: I am a great aunt twice... a g-niece and a g-nephew, and also a regular old aunt again with a nephew... aren't they just as cute as they can be??

hurray....finally

finally.. a computer in the house!!

I've been busy....some sewing, freezing, canning....I'll tell you, the garden has just about taken over! I did take a few days last week to chill out at the beach before school starts back.. look at my handsome baby! It was a great trip...but way too short! The fig trees missed me...they now smell like a winery....I tried to keep them picked before I left to keep from having rotten fruit falling on me.... and the peppers multiplied in my absence as well...I need another week off to catch up on them...

I'll try to post pics of some of the lovely jams & canned items..... football meeting time for now...can you believe another season starts this month... only one more year after this one :)

soon to return...

Where oh where have I been? Well....having no computer kinda throws a kink in my blog time, ya know? I am on the hunt for a laptop, so that I can resume life as normal.....the kid would really love his on-line time back, too... (any suggestions on laptops??)
I have been busy.... gardening... canning....freezing.... sewing.... working..... becoming a great aunt, twice this summer...
hopefully more posts (and pictures) coming soon...

purse#1

I made my first purse..I used the pattern for "Satchel it" screen play IV....I did not use the pet screen or vinyl coated polyester mesh, I used all upholstery fabric except a little trim that I did not realize was needed and one outside pocket lining that I used blue cotton fabric... I haven't decided if I'm going to make a flap / button closure or use Velcro..

news....

not so good news....my husband lost his job this week. He really liked that job, too...
keep your fingers crossed that he'll find something else soon....

purse fabric?

I've never made a purse.. I have a fabric sling or hobo style purse that I love....but the lining is so thin that it has holes worn in it... I've decided to try to fix it, and to attempt to make one myself...I purchased upholstery fabric to make the new one, thinking that it might be more durable... what do you think....will the heavier fabric work, or not?? These are the remnants that were on sale:

new gadget

During the Christmas holiday, my nephew's wife (niece in-law??) was making the cutest baby toboggans with a knitting hoop....I'd never seen one used, and I've tried to learn knitting with disappointing results. Never could get the hang of using two needles.. I have done a little crochet with good results, but knitting, I could just never grasp.... I came across a set of knitting hoops or looms, I guess you'd call them, on sale, so I am going to give it a try... I also had a Hobby Lobby40% off coupon, so I put it to good use and bought a book that teaches different stitches on those looms..

flannel quilt

ok...don't be too harsh.... I finished quilting the flannel quilt. I think I need a better place to lay it out and pin the layers together because there is some distortion and a few folds in the fabric here and there, but, I think it will still be well used and warm in the winter...


It was a learning experience, and I will probably try it again, but next time I think I'll draw the design on the quilt first, instead of winging it...