It's finished.



The design in the blocks.

Customer didn't want any quilting on the applique except for on the flower pots. I did a stitch in the ditch around everything then the lines on the pots.

Line dancing on the border and on the color squares of the blocks.

This is how it looks from the back.

Another view from the back.

My daughter never stops baffling me!

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One day she is moaning and groaning because she doesn't seem to "get it" about managing her money. She's worried that there won't be enough in her paycheck to pay all the bills. A couple of bills are about to go to collections. Would I pay them for her?

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I know that I've taught my daughter how to manage her finances. For heavens sake, she grew up in a very frugal household. At the same time she's asking for financial help; I know she is not "doing without" anything. Hmm.... how to explain better? Many young people will depend on the parents to help pay bills while at the same time they are enjoying eating out regularly or buying expensive clothes or simply not trying to cut down expenses. Know what I mean?

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This time I put my foot down and tell my daughter NO! You created the bills, you pay them. It's time to sink or swim financially. My savings account is NOT your extra income and I absolutely mean it this time. I am determined to let her make her own way financially. No matter what the outcome. If you want to stretch your budget then find ways to cut down expenses! If you want more advice about how to cut expenses I will be happy to explain.

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The very next day she is calling me (much earlier than she normally wakes) to excitedly tell me..... "Mom, I got it!!" Got what babygirl? Mom, I understand what you've been explaining to me about cutting expenses! Ok babygirl, tell me what you understand. Here is some of what she told me....

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Ellisa woke up early and was hungry. I gave her a bottle but there wasn't any baby food to give her. (She's been buying baby food in those tiny little containers.) So, I opened a can of peas and put some in the personal food processor you gave me. Mom! Do you know I can make my own baby food! I don't have to buy it. Ellisa can eat what we eat if I process it for her. Mom, do you know how much money I can save by not buying baby food anymore? Yes Babygirl, I know how much you can save like this. I made your food when you were a baby. Why do you think I gave you a food processor at a baby shower?

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I think maybe she's finally "got it". Only time will tell. Hmmm.... I wonder how long it will be before she wakes up one morning and say to herself..... Oh my gosh, I've become my mother!

Finally..... another finished quilt. No, I didn't finish piecing the three quilts. I felt I needed to get back onto the quilting machine for a couple of days to make myself feel better. It gives me a feeling of accomplishment when piecing quilts isn't going according to plan.




Picture quilts have their own difficulty in quilting them. This one has a papery type picture so no quilting can be done on it. I did simple stitch in the ditch around the picture then a lacy design to make it stand out among the background.

Then I did a meander in the background like the customer requested. I also sewed the binding onto the front so she can sew it to the back by hand.

Here is a view from the back to show better details of the quilting.

I hear more and more from my customers and friends how the down turn of the economy has hit them hard. Their investments have dwindled down and down. No one knows how long this is going to be getting worse. I hear them say they don't know what to do.

I must admit, I've never had an investment account. I never learned how to invest. When I was growing up I was shipped from one relative to another and into foster homes or orphanages. I never spent long at these places before being shipped off to somewhere else. I wasn't a bad child, my mother had a mental illness that had me going from home to outside care then back home again when my mother was well.

No one; in all the places I lived; ever took the time to teach me anything more than to have a simple savings for rainy days. Living on credit was the one thing I learned that should be avoided like a plague! I was taught to live on cash only except for a mortgage. As long as I can remember I've been a paycheck to paycheck person. I learned to stretch a budget when things were tight and to buy wisely when we had a little extra cash.

In my family women were taught how to handle a household budget... but nothing more. Right this minute, I'm not sure that was a curse or a blessing. While my friends and customers are looking more and more stressed over the economy taking away their investments; I see it as nothing more than making do with a much tighter household budget. Over the years I've watched some of my customers go on summer long vacations in other countries or buy 500,000 dollar winter homes in other cities. I did envy their wealth and being able to buy just for the sake of buying; but, right now I'm glad I never had those things. It would be much too painful to loose it.

The economy is hurting me too; but, in a different way than my friends or customers with investment accounts. I'm not seeing my savings dwindle or loosing a vacation home; I'm seeing my household budget get stretched tighter than ever before. While other people are watching stock prices going down; I'm busy watching grocery prices, gas prices, utility prices, and quilting supply prices going up and up and up. The higher things get, the less I can afford to buy. The recent wind storm and the loss of everything in my freezer hurt me just as much as someone loosing investment money. My food was my investment.

Over the years, while other people were studying stock market reports, I was studying cookbooks and alternative living books learning how to stretch a tight budget. While they were learning how to make their money grow, I was learning how to make a city backyard garden grow. While others were investing to become wealthy, I was investing in next year's food storage. I'm no longer able to have a backyard garden. There are way too many big tree roots to dig the ground up.

I'm so glad I listened to the angels whispering in my ears to get my house energy upgraded. The increased cost of utilities combined with decreased usage means I may come out just about even on the money used from my budget. Now that's what I call a really wise investment of my money. When it comes to investing, I've been reading websites just to understand what the news people are talking about. When it comes to stretching a household budget.... I'm an expert!

I worked all day yesterday trying to get this finished. I got just over half way. It's taking longer than I thought. I'll finish it today though.


I stopped quilting early enough to give me time to catch up with my email friends. I'm behind on reading list mail. I tried opening my email last night..... guess what? ATT wouldn't let me put in my security code to open the email. That's weird.

I called ATT and was on the phone for over half an hour. In the end the guy tells me I need a new computer. Duh..... what has that got to do with putting a security code onto an ATT website? He tells me I can go to the library or a neighbor's house and try reading email there. Duh again.... why would I be paying for an internet connection if I can't use it?

Well anyway, I've got a list of things to try today that may help. This computer and I sometimes don't get along very well together. If I don't post again for a couple of days it means my computer is down..... again...... and I will post as soon as I can.... If I can.

If this computer starts costing more than its worth..... I just won't fix it anymore. I love being able to share through my blogs and through email but fixing constant computer problems are not an absolute necessity. My money has more urgent uses right now...... like fixing leaky pipes or repairing damaged siding or paying for electricity.

I'm off now to start down the list of things to try before starting my quilting day.

Sometimes the answer is no. You know how a kid will want something and ask the parents for it... they beg and plead... they act like it will be the end of the world if we don't give it to them.... they try to wear us down by begging over and over again so we will give in.... but because we are the parents.... we must say no sometimes and be firm about it. That's how it is for me wishing and wanting to get a new computer so I can create portrait quilts. I make my desires known to the wish fairy.... sometimes she says no. I beg and plead with more wishes..... but she stays firm and says no.

After thinking about it and repeating my mantra all day yesterday..... I realize it's probably best that I don't get a new computer right now. If I had a new one I would want to be creating instead of working. Creating is maybe money..... but the tops I have in my studio ready to be quilted are sure money.

You ever hear the saying..... your eyes were bigger than your stomach? That's the way it is for me and the portrait quilts. My desire is much bigger than my wallet. Besides, if I got started creating those quilts I'm sure I would be spending money on printer ink and printer paper and fabrics and other such things instead of saving for the needed repairs for my house. Yup, fate and the wish fairy sometimes have better wisdom than I do.

So on to a more pleasant post.... NaNa bought baby Jewell a new swing. Something to keep her occupied when she is bored. Oh, and check out the big hair on such a small baby.

This is her right after I put it together and tried her in it. Looks like she is thinking.... hmmm, what is this thing? Oooo..... a new toy on it too.....


I'm not really sure... but I'll give it a try. Let me give NaNa a half grin....


It kinda feels like NaNa's lap.... Ok, I'll give NaNa a big bubbly kiss..... (she is making kissing noises these days)



YUP, feels just like NaNa when she rocks me..... If I just turn a little this way.... and get really comfortable.... and hug my bear... I can take a nap. Swinging doesn't take long for her to go to sleep.



It gave me a little time to check on my tomato plants before going back to work. When I bought these plants they were only a couple of inches tall. Now they are about a foot tall. I hope one of these will provide shade for my porch as well as food as it matures. It's supposed to be a climbing cherry and should grow to about 6 foot tall. I'll post pictures of it now and then as it grows so you understand about the shade. The other is a yellow pear tomato. An old time variety. I didn't see a need for buying a special pot for these.... the bag works just fine. A few holes in the bottom for drainage is all that is needed.



Time to go to work now....