Second round of Pictures from the Quilting project

applique

New technique on this quilt. I will pretend like it was easier the second time…

The falling gravel — eventually it will make sense

**crosses fingers**

Quick block, this one – there are a few of these blocks that just have the quilting and a number, so those go really fast.

This one did NOT go very fast at all, as there was a steep learning curve on this block — both times

and a minor miracle, too!

Both of the finished cement bag blocks, side-by-side.

Stitch Delight Construction Quilt

This is my personal journey into the Stitch Delight Construction Quilt.

I cannot call it a tutorial, because I have no idea what I am doing – yet.

This is a journey, and it will be fun.

Come along for the ride, and we will figure this out as we go!

Flannel for the quilt backing.

The first block for each quilt has their initials.

The embroidery machine has a screen for you to select which block you want to stitch out.

This block has a new technique — applique.

Trimming it close was harder than it sounds. Possibly because this is a technique that gets easier with practice. (I sure **hope** it gets easier, anyway!)

Stitching over the edges of the applique.

Second block number one is done!

Technically this isn’t magic, but it sure comes close!

Blast from the past — January 10, 2006

(not much has changed in thirteen years — and I **still** have a fistfull of raffle tickets to unload!
On the other hand, “job openings” are really not located in the newspaper classified ad section any longer. While the newspaper does still publish classified ads, far more of the job openings are found online than in print now)

There was an ad in the paper on Sunday, so I went over and threw my resume into the hopper for it. It was the strangest experience to hear them say that they are going to accept resumes until the 17th, and then they will go through the resumes and narrow down the job description. Huh???
Silly me–I thought the objective was to figure out what duties you needed to hire a person to do, then go look for a person to fill that slot. Odd thinking indeed. The way I read it, I guess they meant they want to find somebody they choose to add in to their happy little group, and then they will tailor the job to fit that person.
Whatever. There was no definite info on job duties, hours, or pay that has been set as of yet. So I do not know if I would fit into this job or not. If it pays the big bucks, I might want it. Or not.
The unsold raffle tickets in my possession keep multiplying. I have a bunch to unload for the 2nd Story fundraiser, and now the school has a carnival coming up so they have also “gifted” me with some for that. Gahhhhhhhh. I am not a salesperson. That “salesman” role is the one thing that I know will NOT be included in that job I applied for, however. I would need a new wardrobe for it, which is a plus. Or a minus? No, new clothes are definitely a plus. And my wardrobe is sorely lacking at this point in time.

The house is slowly coming down over there. The garage is gone, and much of the north wall of the house is missing. The city put up that yellow keep out tape–after watching cop shows for all these years, I always expect the stuff to read “crime scene–do not cross” but it just says keep out — danger — keep out.
I have no idea what will happen to the lot after the house is removed. I do not think it is a very large lot, so I do not really expect to have somebody come in and build a new house there. And this is a neighborhood of very old houses, anyway. Of course, if you did come in and build in an established neighborhood, the next developer could not come up and build a big apartment building behind your house. Several times over the years, I have seen places where people built these fancy custom homes, then another builder comes in and puts up a bunch of condos in the same general area. That would anger me to no end, but it does not make it on to my list of stuff to worry about this week. My “dream house building project” sits many years down the road, indeed. Not even a road I have stepped upon yet…

Christmas Decorations

I want to live in the house you see pictured on the Christmas cards. The one you see pictured in a two-page centerfold in every glossy magazine. The house with the perfect decorations in every single room.

So every year, while I am thinking about Christmas, I have these visions of putting up a Christmas tree in every room of my house. Family lore told me that I had an aunt that did have a tree in every room, so I think it is possible to do. When I was a child, I heard the stories of my Aunt Beece and her amazing decorations every year. We lived a thousand miles apart, and so I never did get to see her decorations in person. I never even saw very many pictures of them! Kids today, growing up with email and digital cameras and internet connections, will never understand why photographic sharing was limited “back in the day.”

Without having actual pictures to see exactly what my Aunt Beece was putting up, my mind came up with spectacular decorations, stuff with amazing special effects that would make Walt Disney and Steven Spielberg jealous. In my mind’s eye, I can see all of these lovely Christmas trees. I picture each of them with a different decorating theme, something special and incredible for each room.

Now that I have my own house, I imagine replicating these amazing decorations from my imagination. I could put up one tree with all doll decorations – Barbie and Raggedy Ann and Madame Alexander will all play nicely with each other, and maybe I could also hang some of those adorable tiny china teapots for them to have a treat at teatime.

I could put up a tree with fun Star Trek ornaments, so we can Live Long and Prosper. My grandsons would be thrilled to see a tree filled with all different trains and trucks and tractors – but I am not sure how long those would actually stay on the tree. It is fun to imagine all the different “themes” I could have on multiple trees.

Reality, however, always speaks up.

Silly old reality, anyway!

Reality points out how much work would be involved in trying to set up and organize multiple Christmas trees.

I scoff at Reality.

Starting with good intentions, I carve out a spot in my living room for the first tree. I start looking in other rooms for the perfect location to set up tree number two and tree number three.

Then I remember the part where I am lazy, and it takes me far longer to finish decorating the first tree than originally planned. For example, this year’s tree is not-quite-halfway decorated at the moment. When I unwrap an ornament, I often need to stop to tell the story. I have a wardrobe of stocking hats on my tree, each hanging there because my little one made it in school. Nestled against the hubby’s fancy Terry Redlin collector ornament hangs the stocking hat made of yarn and a piece of cardboard tissue roll, up against the beautiful “You Paid HOW much?” ornament snuggles the snowman painted and created from a wooden paint stir stick.

I think about setting up fancy themed Christmas trees. There is nothing fancy about the tree I set up, but it does have a theme – the theme of my tree is love.

Travellin’ Shoes

by VM Burns 2018

published by Camel Press

I loved this book.

I felt like I knew these people – RJ the partly disabled, partly disillusioned cop; Mama B and Harley; Tonya and her mother. I can see inside the service at the First Baptist Church. I have showered in Mama B’s house, where “if someone flushes a toilet, you get scalded.”

Sadly, I liked the fictional mayor of RJ’s world much better than the flesh-and-blood mayor in mine, but we can’t have everything…

Happy Thanksgiving!

The turkeys were hung by the chimney with care, in hopes the Great Pumpkin soon would be there….

No?

Wrong Poem?

Hmmmmm….

Turkey in the straw…

No?

Not straw?

I had a little scarecrow that goes in and out with me…

No?

Wrong poem?

Again?

The raggedy man, he works for Pa, he’s the goodest man you ever saw…

Over the river and through the wood…

(yes, Jingle Bells really **WAS** written as a Thanksgiving song)

May your Thanksgiving be filled with blessings.

May you find things to be thankful for in your everyday life.

North Dakota Callers and

Cuers Association

Annual Callers

Convention Dance

St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church

710 10^th Street South, Fargo, ND

Tom Allen, Caller

Saturday, October 27, 2018

10:30 a.m. — ND Callers and Cuers Association Annual Meeting

1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. — Dance — Tom and Association members

7:00 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.  Dance — Tom

Mainstream Dances with announced rounds, lines and plus tips

$6.00 afternoon dance only — $7.00 evening dance only – per person

$10.00 both dance sessions – per person

Info:  Bernadette McNeil, President 701-293-6620 bernadette@rogermcneil.com

 or

Charley Huhtala, Executive Secretary/Treasurer 218-779-7018 cehuhtala@yahoo.com

www.squaredancenorthdakota.com

Good Morning!!

Just a quick reminder of the North Dakota Callers Convention dance to be held this weekend in Fargo.

Tom Allen, Caller

St. Anthony’s of Padua Catholic Church (lower level), 710 10 St S, Fargo

Two sessions:  1:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.  Attend one or both!!

Casual, square dance or Halloween attire

Hope to see you all there.

Bernadette McNeil

President, NDCCA

PS – please help spread the word and send info to your square dance friends.  Thanks.

The lights are on!

The lights turned on for the season on Monday, October 1st.

Lighting schedule is more-or-less 5:00 PM to 10:00 PM every day, but high winds and other weather-related issues can cause a shutdown of some parts of the display.

The radio station is “on” 24/7, with some new music selections for this year, as well as some old favorites.

The pirates seem to be taking over…

Pooh, Piglet, and Roo are busy on their Pirate Adventure!

Their Pirate Ship is ready to sail the seven seas!

The scarecrows like swinging, so they will sit there patiently as they wait for Halloween to arrive. They are holding their trick-or-treat buckets, and they are both happily anticipating treats and treasures to fill their buckets this Halloween!