A cute meme

I saw this on a blog and I thought it was so true to my childhood:

IF YOU WERE A LITTLE GIRL IN THE 70'S...
You wore a rainbow shirt that was half-sleeves, and the rainbow went up one sleeve, across your chest, and down the other.

You made baby chocolate cakes in your Easy Bake Oven and washed them down with snow cones from your Snoopy Snow Cone Machine.

You had that Fisher Price Doctor's Kit with a stethoscope that actually worked.

You owned a bicycle with a banana seat and a plastic basket with flowers on it.

You learned to skate with actual skates (not roller blades) that had metal wheels.

You thought Gopher from Love Boat was cute (admit it!)

You had nightmares after watching Fantasy Island.

You had rubber boots for rainy days and Moon boots for snowy days.

You had either a "bowl cut" or! "pixie," not to mention the "Dorothy Hamil" because your Mom was sick of braiding your hair. People sometimes thought you were a boy.

Your Holly Hobbie sleeping bag was your most prized possession.

You wore a poncho, gauchos, and knickers.

You begged Santa for the electronic game, Simon.

You had the Donnie and Marie dolls with those pink and purple satiny shredded outfits.

You spent hours in your backyard on your metal swing set with the trapeze. The swing set tipped over at least once.

You had homemade ribbon barrettes in every imaginable color.

You had a pair of Doctor Scholl's sandals (the ones with hard sole & the buckle). You also had a pair of salt-water sandals.

You wanted to be Laura Ingalls Wilder really bad; you wore that Little House on the Prairie-inspired plaid, ruffle shirt with the high neck in at least one school picture; and you despised Nellie Olson!

You wanted your first kiss to be at a roller rink.

Your hairstyle was described as having "wings" or "feathers" and you kept it "pretty" with the comb you kept in your back pocket.

You know who Strawberry Shortcake is, as well as her friends, Blueberry Muffin and Huckleberry Pie.

You carried a Muppets lunch box to school and it was metal, not plastic.

You and your girlfriends would fight over which of the Dukes of Hazzard was your boyfriend.

Every now and then "It's a Hard Knock Life" from the movie, "Annie" will pop into your brain and you can't stop singing it the whole day.

YOU had Star Wars action figures, too!I

t was ! a big event in your household each year when the "Wizard of Oz" would come on TV. Your mom would break out the popcorn and sleeping bags!

You often asked your Magic-8 ball the question: "Who will I marry. Shaun Cassidy, Leif Garrett, or Rick Springfield?"

You completely wore out your Grease, Saturday Night Fever, and Fame soundtrack record album.

You tried to do lots of arts and crafts, like yarn and Popsicle-stick God's eyes, decoupage, or those weird potholders made on a plastic loom. Pot holders - I believe they were called "loom loopers"You made Shrinky-Dinks and put iron-on kittens on your t-shirts!

You used to tape record songs off the radio by holding your portable tape player up to the speaker.

You couldn't wait to get the free animal poster that came when you ordered books from the Weekly Reader book club. Double score if it was a teddy bear dressed in clothing.

You learned everything you needed to know about girl issues from Judy Blume books

You thought Olivia Newton John's song "Physical" was about aerobics

You wore friendship pins on your tennis shoes, or shoelaces with heart or rainbow designs.

You wanted to be a Solid Gold dancer.

You had a Big Wheel with a brake on the side, and a Sit-n-Spin.

You had subscriptions to Dynamite and Tiger Beat.

You spent all your allowance on smurfs and stickers for your sticker album!

Basting

I really need to baste the completed tops and start quilting them.
I really have to be inspired to baste. I don't want to say I dislike doing that part but I do need all variables to be correct-temp, mood, time available and distractors.

I do the old school way to baste-sew with a big needle and thread. None of the other methods for a twin sized or bigger work. I have pinned smaller project but I always get a fold in the back of the quilt.

I really want to take a quilt class. Our shop isn't having any that I am interested in this month. Many classes are during the day and I work. I want to attend a good show too. I need inspiration I think.

a interesting quote

I was reminded of an old quote at church yesterday,

"When all is said and done,more i

s said than done." Aesop

I decided that I didn't want to have that as the standard for me. I decided I would rather the last line be changed slightly-

"When all is said and done,

IS More said than done?"

I want the answer to be NO!! I want to do more things than just talk about them without any accomplishment.

What do you think?

Sunday stash Report and the week wrap up

I am going to savor today, my last day of vacation. I have to start the re-entry into the real world slowly with grocery shopping and finishing up my house cleaning.

I went to Big Spring, a very clear spring in upper Michigan, and Mackinaw City. I bought a jar of "beach glass" for my candle arrangements. Ok, I know it isn't real beach glass but I don't have time to find that much!! We saw an outdoor wedding under the
lighthouse, and it was pouring rain on the ceremony. I felt so bad for the bride.

Yesterday we drove to the airport about 3.5 hours away and my daughter went back to college after a 10 day visit. It was a great visit. Then we went to the mall and found clothes for my son on a tremendous sale. I was disappointed that all the young men's clothes from Penney's were so feminine and he was not liking it, neither was I. So we found things at another store.

On the sewing front, I have made another 6 blocks for the exchange in the fall with my circle of friends. I have made edging yo-yo's and crocheted a few blocks. I received my needle cases from Hand-Dids exchange and they are so cute.

I am feeling catapulted to the regular old boring routine. Sigh, I will try to not be sad about it. I will find a lot more time to sew to compensate.

Vacation time is great

If it weren't for the fact that I like to pay my mortgage, I could get used to being on a vacation all the time. Ha, but the truth is no working means no money, which all boils down to no eating. When I think of it that way, I guess working full time is ok.

After the Sleeping bear dunes, we went to Hartwick Pines this week. It is a stand of old growth forest. I enjoy an annual trip there and walk the trails, pray in the chapel and then go to the old fashioned malt shop.

I have visited friends, had my hair cut, sewn three more exchange blocks-see tutorial on the right column- and visited with family.
I have had a great time and there is more time off yet so hopefully the weather will be semi-nice.

The big Sand dump

That it the description of my DS's term of the glacial activity that carved out the Sleeping Bear Dunes. It was a beautiful day and the pictures say enough. Sigh, one of the most picturesque spots in Michigan.

No sewing today, just a great time with family.

More veggies

A little warmth, rain and sun is just what the garden needed. We had lots of new harvests this week-zucchini, bean, carrots, lots of peas and onions. The zucchini made great bread that DD made. See the phone in the background, we had to call our biggest competition in our gardening club to report our zucchini, we didn't know it was there. Really, DH texted him from the garden. We did a last minute check and Surprise!!

Yesterday was the first day of another fantastic stay cation. We went to a few garage sales. Spent $1.50. Then we went to Kohl's for wallets-Dh's fell apart. I saw a beautiful shower curtain but it was $60!! I may make the flannel one work yet.

I was tired with all the shopping, so we ate pizza and watched my favorite, "What not to Wear." Love those clothes!!

I need to make some yo-yo's in one fabric for the border, I think. I need to get going on them. It is finally warm, so it is too hot to quilt. I may piece some blocks though. It is hard to choose when you have so much time on your hands. I think get more done when I am working, time slips away from me otherwise.

yo yo's

I thought I had enough yo yo's made for a table runner. Nope, in that gallon bag is enough for a larger square. I have 8 square units made and will join them once I have one more unit made for a 3x3. Then I am putting a border on it of white and pink coordinating fabrics. More yo yo's needed for that, of course. I like the yo yo project, I think this will be a table runner or "candle" mat sized.

I have 2 more days of work then a vacation. My DD is visiting so I am going to enjoy time off. I want to do some fun activities. A little sewing and very little cleaning.

Vintage Sewing Machine

It works! I bought a Singer 1036 Creative Touch machine at a garage sale yesterday. Here is a photo of the manual. Pure T 1979. I plan on using it for back up and travelling to classes, if I take any. I had to goof around with the bobbin and tried a few before I found one in the stuff that works.

I sewed one quilt block with this machine. I going to hand sew yo-yo and watch the pre-season football game. Yeah, football!!

Stashbusting Report

I used about 8 yards of flannel in my rag quilt pictured yesterday.
I have not purchased any this week, however, there is a great $4 a yard sale at the quilt store. Temptation is close at hand...

I have yarn to bust a stash too and I made progress on my granny sampler. Needs a bit of work yet. Pic yesterday, too .

I have lots of half baked projects, this is the month to get them finished. I want to start making things for Christmas and I would feel better if my slate were clean, so to speak.

I have finished sewing the raggy quilt. I am not sure where it will land. We will see once it is Ragged how long it is. I like making rag quilts out of flannel, no batting.







I also finished joining the Better Homes and Gardens 1977 Granny Square sampler. It is not finished. You can tell it needs some evening out, the final outer borders and some blocking. I think it is very interesting but I am not sure I would make another one as the joining is hard for me. I love making grannies though and more square will be made.



I purchased a 1970 something Singer sewing machine. It is the kind that the bobbin is wound in the bobbin case. I can use it for my traveling machine as well as possibly have the Husquavarna set up for machine quilting. I haven't given it a full sew yet as I don't have any machine oil. I had it on at the yard sale, and for $25 , I thought it was a good investment.

Now I need to concentrate on the exchanges I have signed up for. I need to make 24 spool blocks. A fall table runner and about 7 -x blocks.

Ok, I will admit it...

I never in a million years thought I would like the ice and filtered water mechanism on the new fridge. Yep, I have learned that it is a nice feature and not a total waste of space ( and money),considering that we don't need bottled water for the house. I will admit when my whining it wrong. On this topic of discussion, I wasn't correct. ;) and we all know I am all about saving money, really, I am quite cheap.

The raggy thingy is coming along. I am not sure yet if it will be destined for bathroom greatness or guest room living. The final weight will be the determining factor if it can be a shower curtain. Bathroom greatness, ha ha, that sounds just wrong doesn't it. But it is the PERFECT colors for the bathroom.

I have committed to three swaps this fall. I need to stop. I am a swap/exchange addict. I love getting the mailed ones. I love block exchanges in person. In short, I haven't met an exchange I don't like as long as a) everyone follows through and b) the rules are clear.

I don't know why but there is something fun about making things for others and seeing what they did for you -- that is so craftily satisfying. Maybe it is because no one else but a fellow crafter understands the work, the fun and the art of it all.

How many of you like swaps? There are millions out there. Join a group and jump in...word from experience, don't over do it on the joining because there are deadlines. Not guidelines but real deadlines with real people who you made a promise to.

My idea isn't going to work....

My raggy shower curtain is too heavy, I believe. I think it will pull the rod off the wall. And I miscounted the squares. I have enough for a large afghan so that is what I am doing. I will just buy a new shower curtain and rod set.

OK so I went for a wildlife search with my DH last night. We were in the forest and driving to the main road when we encountered a detour. We knew a bridge by the ranger station was out but the signs said detour and pointed to the main road towards the bridge.

We drove on just like the signs said. Sure enough, the road ended by the bridge that was out and the sign said to turn around and follow the detour back the way we came. GRRRRR, it was 15 miles back to the entrance of the State forest area and then back home. Well, it was a pretty drive but what were they thinking with a detour to a bridge that is out!!!

Wildlife was slow but we saw 18 deer, 1 coyote, a raccoon, herons and zero elk.

I did it, I yearbook'd myself. I always wanted to know what I would look like an a old school bouffant. Yowza!

Sunday Report

No finishes this week. I continue to work on my raggy shower curtain. I am nearly ready to join the squares. I am also sewing up blocks for 2 exchanges I signed up for. I am about 3/4 of a tote full of quilting fabrics.

I am joining squares on my Granny square sampler. My elbow is tired so I am giving crochet a rest this afternoon.