Picture program

I have used Photo Suite for 15 years and now find it will not work with windows 8.
Bummer ! I have print master for making cards and things so gave it a try for pictures.
I have found it to be handy for making picture groupings. Like the pictures on this blog.

I have not figured out how to get only one picture copied and pasted into a message it has to be an attachment but I will keep working on it .For now here is a group of dolls I have made.The ice has been building up all day.We shall see what the morning brings. Have a great week.j

mug rugs/ back porch progress

Mug rugs. One for me and one for Mr. T. I tried the free motion quilting again and did better.These little quilts took little time to stitch together.Longer to stitch the binding on.(the part I like,to do, the best)










I finished the binding on the 2nd doll quilt.

It fits so well on the remington typewriter box,coffee table, in the living room I will use it there.












We are making progress turning the back porch in to a laundry room. I got all the trim painted 2 coats so it is ready to be put up. The washer and dryer are moved. Mr. T is working on the base for the sink.
We are using an old table, that came from his parents for the top under the sink. The table was the family table as he was growing up. It is good to put it to use rather than throw it out. It looks rough but will be just right when we get done with it. The sink was original to the house.

The old base was metal and was to far gone with rust to save. You can see it here when we had it in the outdoor kitchen. We have been living in this house for 43 years. The on going remodels and projects keep life interesting. Always something new. Some times a challenge but so worth every bit we have done. I do love our home. The weeks are flying by. Soon it will be spring and rebirth of the gardens. Looking forward to that but, have so much to do before the gardens, I don't wish to hurry the days. Hope your week has been good.j
link to  http://sewmanyways.blogspot.com/2013/01/find-friend-fridaya-linky-party.html

Sewing room

I love to look at others sewing spaces.http://www.everythingetsy.com/2012/11/sewing-spaces/
 I am lucky to have a great space. It is not a pretty as a picture sewing space.
It is like the rest of our home. Full of stuff I love.

I had rooms in the basement.That was great too,but then we had a flood and it was not so good. The city says the sewer lines are fixed not but I am not so sure.I lost to much in that flood and don't want to take a chance of something like that happening again.In the picture the red is dye from creape paper. There was 17 inches of sewer water.                                                                                              It is now great storage with everything up on shelves in totes.

The space I have now I have told you was first my greenhouse then a family room. It is still where we watch tv in the evening. Nice gas fire place keeps us toasty.

I look at pictures of organized everything in its place.Fabric folded so nice and I think "do they really work in there?" I think the same when I see kitchen pictures. Love some of these ideas.http://pinterest.com/caribousmom/sewing-rooms/



Yesterday we hung another part of the old ladder Mr. T had ,but would not use. Nice guy he is I got to have it!! Any way the storage I have,in the sewing space, is all make do .Shelves and cupboards along with a hodge-podge of boxes, suit cases,crates and baskets. The ladder will be great for storing the baskets I use for projects. It is ,hanging just above and just behind my ironing table. North east corner of the room.

We hung one piece in the kitchen a couple of weeks ago. here http://hardincountykeepsakes.blogspot.com/2013/01/old-ladder.html
This picture is my sewing corner. South west corner.  I moved the table from by the ironing table so I would have to get up and walk every time I need something pressed.










 The last 2 pictures are of the doll quilts I did yesterday and today.That pile of stripes is shrinking. I will stitch the binding tonight while watching tv..Time for supper. Meat loaf and baked potato. Have a good week.j


Link to. Visit Brenda she has fun stuff.
http://www.cozylittlehouse.com/2013/01/tweak-it-tuesday-24/

Little quilt

I was done with the big raggedy quilt and wanting a small quilt to bind.  I was going to make a mug rug but it grew..I started with a few squares from the scrap tote. That lead to 1 1/2 inch stripes.I just went with whatever I picked up. Here are the stripes on my tv chair by the sewing table.It all went very quickly.  I have a few more squares so will do a few mug rugs.

Added a piece of flannel and the backing. Because it was such an easy piece I thought I'd try my first free motion.
I took a class that showed how to stitch with feed dogs down and a special foot. That did not work for me. Not enough control. The stitches were not even.

This time I put on my walking foot and did a bigger loopy quilting.I liked it very much. It was relaxing to do. I like bigger stitches so they can be seen. I set my machine on 3.5 I used a multi colored thread top and bobbin.. The weather is supposed to get cold.I will be spending my time in the cozy sewing room.Fire in the stove watching NCIS marathon.have a great weekend j
link to
 http://www.funkyjunkinteriors.net/2013/01/sns-171-link-up-your-charming.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:%20blogspot/KCcu%20%28Funky%20Junk%20Interiors%29

Finished quilt top

 I thought I would share the quilt top I finished today. It will get more borders(red star) but that is minor to the rest I have done. It is a pattern from Karren at the painted quilt blog. Thanks Karren.

I look forward to binding it.That is my favorite part of making a quilt.

Enjoy your weekend.j
link to  http://sewmanyways.blogspot.com/2013/01/sew-darn-crafty-partyweek-97.html

 

 

My million dollar idea.

We were at Mernards for some supplies and my great idea was crushed.There in the garden center were water catchers for hanging baskets. They are clear plastic.
 I did buy 2 for the big ferns I have. $1.95 each. I still think my idea is better.

Late last summer I found some nice red plastic bowls. $1.00 each.
At first I bought one for a popcorn dish for Mr.T.
 It is 11 1/2" x 6"deep.
When I got it home I had a great idea.You know the kind.
Why didn't I think of this a long time ago idea!
 I tried the bowl on the plant. A HA! A perfect fit for the 10 inch hanging baskets.
It was time to bring my hanging plants inside.

 I did not want to put them in the greenhouse.I wanted to enjoy them all winter in the house. And I have enjoyed watching them grow.

 I got out my trusty drill. Put 3 holes in the brim of the bowl where the hangers are on my hanging basket plants. Ran a wire up through the hole and wrapped it around the hanger on the pot. Ta Da a great looking( Not just a plain you can see the yucky water  plastic.) pot cover.

No more water on the floor.No more carrying the pot to the sink to get it watered.
So much for my great money making idea. It is always the case. Never will be rich,but am happy.
Have a good rest of the week.j
link to
http://sewmanyways.blogspot.com/2013/01/sew-darn-crafty-partyweek-97.html
http://www.tootsietime.com/2013/01/fertilizer-friday-flaunt-your-flowers_10.html

House plants.

I have always had house plants. I think of them as therapy.Because I have a small greenhouse I have more than most. I can spend hours in my greenhouse even if it is small.  The plants in the greenhouse go outside in the summer.I thought I'd share some I have in the house. One I bought in 2006 or 2007. The poinsettia did not survive but the marble queen pothos did very well. Don't look to close.It really needs to be dusted.Yikes! 

Plants make me smile.Water them grooming them.The smell of the soil. All good for dispelling winter blues.If you have no plants add a small potted plant and just see how it makes things brighter.

 There are 3 varieties of spider(airplane) plant that I know of. My grandma Morton had a very big plain green. I finally have a start of the plain green again.My original from years ago got scale. I thought I'd have no problem finding a replacement but that was not the case. The others have a stripe.one on the outside of the leaves the other with a stripe in the center of the leaves. The 2 big plants I got last year and they are doing very well inside. The swedish ivy was also from last spring. They were all outside for the summer. I am hoping this years poinsettias survive till spring.They grow really well outside if I can keep them healthy till then.

 

 I could not pass up the 2 little plants last week at the groc.store $1 each. They will be good to add to outside combination planters in the spring.

 The Christmas cactus does really well outside.It did not bloom again this year. I re-potted it and am not sure if that set it back .It grew a lot of new green over the past summer.

 I really like arrowhead plants. These were a special at the local grocery store.$2 each. I have bigger plants in the veggie filters in the greenhouse.

 Treating myself to fresh flowers every 2 weeks through the winter is something I splurge on.They are $5 a bunch already packaged with the flower food included. Can't beat a deal like that and it is a great pick me up.

The pony tail palm in the last couple of pictures has lived in the upstairs bathroom for 10 years. I though it would look good on the ladder we hung,(over the counter) last week. I hope everyone has a great week.j   link with

http://www.cozylittlehouse.com/2013/01/tweak-it-tuesday-22/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:%20blogspot/KxqG%20%28COZY%20LITTLE%20HOUSE%29

http://www.tootsietime.com/2013/01/fertilizer-friday-flaunt-your-flowers_10.html

Old Ladder.

I lost my photo suite program and am trying to find a program to edit my pictures.We hung a part of an old ladder in the kitchen over the island.I love it. It cost us nothing.We had all the pieces and parts in the shop and garage.The program I found is not as easy as my old one but I think it will work until I figure it out a bit better.
I ran across a picture of the stairway. Thought I'd share it.j