Not one, but two....

Sewing machines that are down at my house now.  My main machine is out of timing so that every time the needle goes down, it smashes into the bobbin assembly and breaks the needle.  This is not conducive to good quilting.  Sigh.

So, on I go to return to my old reliable standby sewing machine.  It worked along just lovely for about 10 minutes and then began making the most horrendous bird's nests on the back.  I have rethreaded and changed bobbins and changed adjustments, etc. and nothing corrects the problem.  

My main frustration is that I am in the middle of a baby quilt that is just starting to come together beautifully and I am so excited to get it finished and now I am stuck.  I can use my Mom's sewing machine later in the week, but I won't be able to do it at home when I can catch a few spare minutes here and there.  Sigh.

I could take them in and drop them off for a little check up with the tech at my LQS, but one session will cost half of the original price of the machine (both of them).  I know, I know, cheap, crappy machines, but they served their purpose for the time.  They allowed me to sew when I would normally not have been able to afford a machine to sew on.

So, again I find myself in a situation with very little spare cash in the budget and needing a good machine.  Maybe I will look for a used one with a little better quality level. 

Something to think about!

Raffle Tickets

I teach at, and my kids attend, a local Christian school. We work for very low wages because we truly believe in the mission that this school has set out to accomplish for Christ.

My kids are thriving there, especially DS13, my aspie. It takes a special blend of compassion and acceptance to work with a kid like him and this school does so very well at making him feel like he is part of something bigger and that he is accepted by all staff and students alike. And he truly is accepted. That is a rare thing for an aspie. With bullying on the rise, many kids could use some acceptance at school. We don't tolerate bullying at all. We're proactive about that and it helps keep our kids and students safe.

We have no debt as a school. But, we got into a lease agreement to use a school building with a strong possibility that we could purchase the building in time. Unfortunately, due to changes in the economy, the building will come off of the market and won't be sold to anyone. Next year is our final year in "our" building.

We have located property that is wonderful and have put money down on it. We are desperately trying to raise money to pay off the land and build the building without inurring debt. Debt would make tuitions rise sharply and we are trying to keep tuition low for families that really need our school.

So, we are having an amazing raffle! Tickets are $10 each and there are numerous prizes (with more being added daily) including a week in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, a week at a Lake House; free tuition for a year, jewelry, and more! We are waiting confirmation on some airline tickets and possibly a car to add to the list. For a complete list (updated daily) check out our school's website here.

All that to say that if you would like to support our efforts to bring Christian education to lots of families or if you would just like to win cool prizes, let me know in a comment and I can get with you to get your ticket to you. Thanks!

Either way, we would love to have you praying for our success! Thanks!

News Release on Youth Birding Competition

This is the official press release from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources:

http://www.gofishgeorgia.com/node/2136

I can't stand myself; I am so proud of my kiddo and his friends!!!

Chaotic Kestrels Win!!!

Tonight, we are celebrating! DS12s birding team won 1st place in the Georgia State Youth Birding Competition, locating and identifying 100 species in 24 hours. I am one very proud mama!

From left to right: Gif Beaton (author and event judge), Ethan Hatchett, Daven Hayes, Tim Keyes (Event Coordinator), and C.J. Armour. Not pictured is my hubby, the exhausted, but very proud couch who is currently snoring on the couch!

Time to stop?

Have you ever sewn or quilted late into the night and didn't stop until you heard that small, nagging something that convinced you that you might be better off with a little sleep.

Tonight, it was the machine needle breaking and leaping into my left index finger. For some reason that made me think to call it quits for tonight.

One small part of a seam came apart. I tacked it back together by hand, but I am worried about it. The flannel fabric will tend to ravel and baby quilts are laundered alot.

I am going to have to ponder this one. Funny how I thought I was done with this one, but like it so much better now with the extra stitching.

Afternoon at Dee's

Okay, I will take credit that I kind of got my Aunt into quilting. No, it's not that she was unaware of quilts or even had thought of making one, but she doesn't want to take on a huge hand quilting project, so she never had really pursued much of it.

After she admired my Crazy Shortcut Quilt, I bought her a copy of the book and answered a few questions and shared some websites that I like. Well, she has taken off and run with it, that is for sure.

Ahem. Today she rocked my socks off. Not only has she been amazingly prolific with her quilting, she was teaching me more than one thing that I didn't know and recommending some new websites!

Yikes! I have created a monster (a good one, a quilt monster)!

So, now that Dr. Who is over, I am adding extra quilting on the baby boy quilt I did recently, using the technique that she showed me. I am adding circles of quilting to add interest to an otherwise okay but not terribly inspired looking baby quilt. Glad I hadn't bound it yet!

Can't wait to finish it and see how it works out. Photos soon, I promise!

A good find!

Since this is the weekend of the Georgia Youth Birding Competition, DS13 and I have had some quality time together as hubby and DS12 participate.



So, in and among my other errands, we stopped in to check out a small thrift shop that I had never really noticed before. It wasn't associated with a charity like most in this area. When I was a kid, we called these places "junk shops." I like junk shops!



Anyway, I scored some remarkable sheets. See?


The center one is a blue, teal, green, and white fitted sheet that the elastic is shot. The one on the left is a queen flat with blue, yellow, and purple flowers on it. The one on the right is a queen flat that is perfect! I am keeping a large section of it for a baby quilt backing. How perfect is that?

The baby quilt I am planning will be my first foray into using this gorgeous fabric. I can't wait!


I washed them up last night and hope to get them cut today for my swap (and some will be kept of course). I just love that they are soft and pretty. I love that hubby loves these types of colors for our bedding and that in patchwork he kind of digs that "grandmother's bedroom" shabby chic look. But, the best part is that I get to keep on quilting and don't have to spend oodles of money to get a look that I really, really adore!


Such fun!