Prince Charming Entertainment Unit

Prince Charming made this !

We have a stack of rough cut kiln dried oak. Prince Charming used SOME of that pile to build this entertainment unit. He custom designed it to fit our television that we have in our downstairs (formal) living room.

Originally, we were going to move this TV & the *new* entertainment unit upstairs into the bonus room. But guess what? The unit was too big, when completed, to get up the stairs. Well actually, it is too big to make the turn from either the living room OR the front door to get up the stairs. Even if we COULD get it up there!

It took 4 of us to bring it up the BACK stairs & through the deck & back door, then through the kitchen & THEN into the living room. FOUR of us. And a dolly.....

Isn't this just beautiful? It is taller than I am & probably taller than Prince Charming. That is a 55" flat screen TV (not plasma)

I love it.

Sam

Quilting Today - Edited to Add Photos!

So ?

Today I spent quilting. I quilted one for Kyra - cute, cute, cute. Used a dark blue thread. I didn't get any pictures because i mailed it off today so she cold have it quickly.

I used a YLI thread. I prefer Permacore. But i did not have navy blue in the Permacore. I do not especially LIKE the YLI thread. I could never get it to work right when I had a Gammill & I don't like it on the Nolting.

It's probably a mind thing. I don't know. I can get the tension just right and the thread still breaks, the speed just right, and the second I'm not sewing on fabric the thread breaks, then I sew & sew & sew & have zero problems... but I just can't seem to LIKE the YLI. Oh well.

Since I was going to use the same pantograph on the Trip Around the World donation quilt, that I used on Kyra's Auburn Quilt, I went ahead & loaded it. But I loaded it sideways. So that the top & bottom were on the sides. I like to do that when it does not matter which direction the quilting pattern is going...I do this ALL THE TIME !!! Anyway, instead of using the varigated thread like I had intended...I used an aqua blue or turquise (sp?) thread instead. Matched the border fabric PERFECT.

I used muslin for the backing, but OH BOY!! I made a huge mistake! #1 Mistake: I did not measure the backing before I loaded it. I just took it for granted it was wide enough. I knew it was long enough because it was 90 inches & the quilt was only like 82 inches so loading it sideways was no problem - the selveages weret eh sides since I loaded it sideways...#2 mistake; Assuming I made the correct calculation for how many yards I needed for the width. Since I made mistake #1 & #2..#3 was certainly inevitible....I came up short. Good thing this was MY quilt & not a customer quilt. All mistakes aside, since I loaded it sideways, I was able to use it to my advantage.

I only lacked about ONE inch. Yep ONE INCH of having enough width, so when I got to the edge bottom (which is really the side of the quilt) I locked the machine & sewed a long seam. And that's where I ended the quilt, once I finished, I rolled the whole quilt up onthe bottom roller & sewed a seam at the top of the quilt (which is really the other side of the quilt) the same amount oas the other one. So basically the side borders of the quilt are one inch narrower than the top & the bottom borders. Problem solved. Took me longer to frog-stitch the quilting off the bottom leader then it did to load the whold quilt! Oh well, it was agood save.

I'll see if I can get photos of it tomorrow.

Right now? I hear my pillows calling...

11/25/2009 - edited to add the photos. Ass you can see in photo #1 - it's a wee bit smaller. #2 Shows the bottom (or top) border up against the side border. Barely noticible whenit lies flat, but you can see that the side borders are narrower! #3 Shows the thread color & the pantograph pattern.

Pantograph was purchased from Miki & Diane Designs.

sam

Trip Around The World (Short Trip!)

I bought this fabric months & months ago. Froma shop in Camden, TN. It's all Moda and super bright! When I bought the fabric, I bought it with the intention of making a donation quilt. The fabric has sat & sat.

Around the time that my Chelsea got sick, I started making this "Trip Around The World". Pattern courtesy of Bonnie Hunter/Quiltville.com It's an easy pattern. I finsihed the weekend after I had her put to sleep. I miss that dog, y'all. Terribly. . . .

I made a matching pillow case. I will use just plain old muslin for the backing and I am going to quilt it with a variegated thread with a nice/easy pantograph called "Basket Case". One I have it bound, I'll take it to the guild & let it get put in the pool for the charity quilts.

This will be my 3rd "charity" quilt (when this one is done) that I have donated in a little less than 2 months. About time I got around to it....even if I say so myself. I didn't get pictures of the other 2 that I donated. One was a Trip too made of blue plaid homespuns & the other one was just 6" squares on point bordered in green & black.

The photos show it on our queen size bed. So once it's quilted and has been washed, it will be a very large couch-potato quilt, or a sort of large twin size...or fit the top of a full size....which ever & how ever it will be used will not be my decision, I just hope it makes someone happy or brings someone comfort.

Pretty sad, dont' you think? When the only time my bed has been made ALL week is when I want to take pictures of a quilt???

Ha Ha - now you know more secrets about me!!

Sam

Crib Set

I do not see myself as a "cheap" person - meaning I don't like to skimp on a lot of things...however......I just could not bring myself to spend bucks deluxe on a crib set when the baby will only be here once every other month.

The crib & mattress & matching changing table - I bought at a yard sale (earlier this summer) for $80. I also got a stroller & matching car seat int hat $80 too! Cool deal, I thought!

Well, it's 4 weeks before the baby is here. I needed a crib set for MY house & something gender neutral. I have been looking at Target & other big box stores. But shopping at Toys R Us & Babies R Us for an inexpensive cribset seemed cost prohibitive.

So, back to my old faithful. Got this set off ebay for $58. Crib sheet, dust ruffle, bumpers, comforter and the mobile. Included shipping. The pictures seem to wash out the colors, but it's sage green. The set is called "Sienna Sage". It IS a used set, but I thought it was nice & it's even nicer in person. And it's gender neutral enough to please me.

One day, if I get off my butt & run out of things to do , I'll make a crib set. but not before the baby is actually here.....And since this one looks "quilty" enough it was a good fit.

Sam

Baby Shower Pictures

I didn't get enough pictures.

The shower was held at DD#2's mother-in-laws home. MIL was a very gracious host to allow all the people/mess/food/etc to invade her home. and patient too! thanks MIL!!

Pictures are off DD#2 - she's the pregnant one. 6 more weeks to go!

The diaper cake, and the cupcakes. DD#2 is going with a jungle/safari theme for the baby's room. DD#1 & i just sort of ran with it...and made these cupcakes.

I wish I'd have gotten a pic of the baby's room. Prince Charming & I bought the crib, matress, (toddler & full size conversion kit for the crib)the crib set, mobile & lamp, changing table pad, changing table baskets, high chair...I cna't remember what else...The "crib set" included: bumper pad, dust ruffle, sheet, comforter, valance & diaper stacker. i need to purchase an additional valance because the window is a double and only one is not wide enough. We set up the crib at night & it was just not good lighting to take pictures. Another time!

Sam

Baby Shower Pictures

I didn't get enough pictures.

Baby Shower Pictures - Getting Ready

This is ME making the diaper cake (that is much easier than you think!) & DD#1 getting ready for the shower.........it was Saturday. DD#1 made some really nice signs for the roads...It was held in southern Alabama. North of where the LSU & Alabama game was being held. We got many comments on the choice of DAYS that we picked for the shower....Liek there won't be another ball game? Gimme a break!

DD#1 made the ears & trunks for the elephant cupcakes. We made too much melted BLUE chocolate. Let me tell you - locating all the extras for the cupcakes was like an old fashioned treasure hunt. No kidding.

Sam

My Favorite Fat Dog - Rest In Peace

As much as it pains me to post this, my baby Chelsea had cancer in her spleen & her lungs. Even though she was diagnosed with Lyme Disease, her conditon worsened & when I took her back to the vet to be re-examined. She was x-rayed & we found all the cancer.

Chelsea had a really rough week & I just couldn't allow her quality of life to continue in such an awful painful manner.

I made the choice to have her euthanized. It was the most difficult thing that I have done in a long, long time. I called my DSD#1 & just cried, and boo-hooed. I'm doing it as I type......My daughters both called Chelsea thier sister. Chelsea's death is extrememly difficult for me. Just really hard. I can't even explain it.

I very much miss my baby dog & last night is the first night in over 10 years that I have been without her. I can't even think about her without just breaking down in tears.

Yes, folks, I know she was just a dog. But she was just MY DOG. My companion, my friend, my personal love muffin, my buddy, my sanity sometimes....And I love her.

Sam