Good Friday Morning!

I got an email today letting me know about a give away over at Prairie Flower Farm. She is giving away the sweetest window, pictured above. If you haven't already visited her, go on over. Or you can click on her button here on my blog.

And while you are there, skip on over to her other site, Peace Creek Collections, where she has the most adorable Clothespin Bag available for sale, featuring her own fabric line, Farmer's Market. I am in love with this fabric and bag!

Be sure to check out her other sweet gift ideas you can also purchase from this site.

Have a great weekend!

Dad's emails...

 Today I am going through and deleting old forwards in my email program. I do this periodically, especially after I've sent them, to keep things neat and tidy. I have separate folders for emails from family members and special friends to keep their emails for rereading later. I like to have them for a reference, and also, for sentimental value. This is especially true of my father's folder. (Mom doesn't email, we talk on the phone.) I have about a couple of years' worth of emails, many of them just a few lines. But almost all of them contain the words " We love you" in some shape or form. I don't know about you, but each time I read these, it brings tears to my eyes. My dad is 78. He is in good health. But at his age, I don't know how long I will have him with me. I couldn't bear to just delete these small emails that contain so much in just a few words. So today, while going through his folder, I decided I would open a blank word document, and copy and paste each of these small emails, along with their date, to save and print out as a keepsake. Some day, I'm going to need these words. I am thinking I would also like to scrapbook them. Just cut out the two or three lines of each email, and work them into a collage of sorts, along with photos of him. A father's page. Doesn't that sound like a good idea? I wish I'd thought of this years ago, but, I am thankful I thought of it before deleting all these emails. Is there someone special in your email box whose words mean a lot to you? That you want to keep forever? Some day, I may be old and alone, and feeling lost, and I can read these words of love again: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  

Fri 4/27/2007 6:52 hi susan, mom and i just looked at your web-site with all the pictures. you were right, it did take some time to down-load the pictures but it was worth it. you did an excellent job of organizing and captioning all. you have a special talent and we are proud of you. of course, we love you and Rick very much too. mom and dad 

 Mon 7/2/2007 7:39 pm ...I also wanted to thank you for the nice father's day card. Hope to see you soon. We love you guys. Dad 

 Mon 7/9/2007 8:11 pm Hi Honey, .... We love you very much. Hope to see you soon. Dad  

Wed 10/24/2007 6:35 pm ...The pictures you sent were good Honey. We like the one where you were smiling the best. We love you very very much. Dad ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Ok, I need a kleenex now. Be Blessed.

Poinsettia wallhanging...

I found a pattern for a beautiful poinsettia wallhanging today while shopping at my local Stop and Shop. I bought the magazine, because there was no way I was going to remember all the directions to making one. I had a pattern I thought I could modify, but you know, when a magazine is 6.99, and has several patterns in it, and one pattern is more than that in a quilt shop, it made sense today to buy this. I usually stick with APQ and Fons and Porter, but in this issue of 'Quilting For Christmas' by 'The Quilter' magazine was this really nice pattern by Lennie Honcoop, called 'Crystal Poinsettias'. It's a wall quilt, with two poinsettias, one white, one red, with leaves in the center, with 2 borders. But what stood out to me was the fact they use 'hot ribbon' (which I've never heard of) and Swarovski crystals in it. The crystals add texture and light to the centers of the flowers. I love it!! Copic markers are also used to give it depth and highlights. It's a beautiful and creative twist on a classic.
You can view the other projects in this issue at their website here. You can order this issue here.
I hope to make this sometime this winter for my mother. She would love this. However, right now all my quilting stuff is packed away in the furnace store room in the basement, waiting for the carpet people to come and install new carpet in the basement. They were supposed to come yesterday. Then I got a call from them about the time they were supposed to be here saying the carpet layer was taken ill. He's out of commission for a few days, and they don't know at this point when they will get my carpet laid.
I really have no say in this, because we rent, and the landlady already paid for this carpet awhile ago. There goes the bargaining power. I've been waiting 3 weeks as it is, and have stuff sitting in my kitchen because there is no room elsewhere in the meantime.
Not that I don't sympathize with the carpet dude. I do. I hope he feels better soon. 'Cause I can't wait to get my sewing back out again!! :0)) Have a great fall weekend!

Wool Pincushions

Wool Pincushions

Found this sweet little pincushion on the Better Homes and Gardens website today. It's adorable! There are several other patterns available for free download. You can find them here.
I can't wait to make these!


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Autumn Days...

Chickadee at my bird feeder
I was just remarking the other day that I hadn't seen any Juncos or White Throated Sparrows yet. We always get them at the bird feeders in the fall, working their way from further north. I always enjoy the Juncos, with their bellies dipped in white paint, and the white throated sparrow, with his 'Here Tom Peep-i-tee Peep-i-tee Peep-i-tee' call. At least that is what my family has always called them. I love to see and hear them rustling their way through fallen leaves and under brush, with their hop-jumping backwards to unearth tasty finds.
So when I walked out on my deck this morning as the sun was coming up, guess what I heard? You got it - the clear notes of the White Throated Sparrow singing his Tom song. I'm sure it won't be long now before the Juncos arrive too. Some of the many sounds of fall, along with the call of the Canadian Geese as they fly overhead, looking for local ponds to stop over at.

I love the smell of fallen leaves, the cool crispness of the air this time of year. We worked on gathering up fallen leaves on Saturday, loading the back of the truck freely with leaves, forgoing the bags this year. We pack them in under the tonneau cover, then deliver
them to our local landfill. We noticed a bumper crop of acorns this year. It could be because of the noticeable growth in our oak tree out front. In the last 3 years, there has been quite an expansion of the trunk and height of the tree. Either we've had good growing years, or it's really benefited from the runoff of fertilizer from my flowers nearby. We are bombed daily by the acorns as we come and go up the driveway to get the mail - I briefly thought of getting my hubby's hard hat to wear! Lol
Even worse is the boink I hear as the acorns bounce off the neighbors cars parked in their yard. They too have an oak tree that must have a bumper crop, as I don't think I noticed it nearly as much last year. Hmmmm... do you think that spells another long and snowy winter?