Wednesday, February 10, 2016

Happy Ash Wednesday everyone,

I have totally fallen out of my routines the last couple days.
Yesterday was supposed to be a Ben day, but Harold called from Lansing to tell me there was a huge storm coming.  Chicken that I am, I switched Ben's day to Thursday.  No storm, no nothing.  Soooooo, since Harold was gone, I spent the day in my quilting room.  I worked on the guest room quilt for a while with no problems. It is coming along nicely and I am getting quite proficient at maneuvering it around the quilting table.

 Then I switched projects, broke a needle, changed the needle, and then the bobbin thread kept breaking on me. Removed the HUGE, HEAVY, quilting machine from the table.  Trust me, this is no small feat, looked around for my cleaning brush and started brushing lint out of the bobbin case holder.  Don't know if that was the problem, but it seems to be running okay again.  Note to self, dedicate a small plastic container for screw driver, oil, and cleaning brushes.  I swear, I waste more time looking for things when having a place for everything makes life so much easier.  (Yes, I am slowly finding homes for things.)

I pulled out a couple of UFO's and started quilting those, cleaned a couple of shelves next to my cutting station, cleared the area next to Lena so I could close the closet door - big difference.

I also started Meghan's Frozen Quilt.   I am so stinkin' proud of my perfect pinwheels.  But take a close look at the picture.  See anything wonky?  I will use those two for the other border.

Monday was my usual soapmaking day.  I have been eager to try a new fragrance.  It's titled Mardi Gras, but the scent reminds me of times spent at my Grandma and Grandpa Caputo's house.  In my memories it is always late winter or early spring - usually Lent.  My grandparents had a set of statues that Grandpa brought from Italy.  There were originally three of them, but one was broken so Grandma told my Aunt Molly to take them home with her.  Last summer she and my Uncle Tom gave them to me because they knew I had always loved them.  Uncle Tom insisted that we take them home with us after our last visit.  A month later my Uncle Tom died.  I am calling the soap Tarantella

I love how the soap turned out.  It is swirled with lilac, green, and gold

On Monday's I also package soap that has been curing for a month.  It is another new one I call Anointing.   To me it smells just like the Sacred Chrism used in baptisms, confirmations, and ordinations.

Yesterday I received an order for a full batch and a half batch of soap.  I was so excited.  Then I realized that I had listed the wrong price on the website.  Basically, it is going out the door for the cost of the materials.  However, it is a cousin who ordered it, so that's some consolation.  You can bet I fixed it on the website.  LOL   Ya lives and ya learns.

I have been teaching Claire, Maddie, and Meghan to quilt.  When I started they were 4, 5, and 8.  We began each session with a discussion about keeping fingers away from the needle.  They have each made a small quilt.  However, my sewing room is not very big (nor very organized) and it gets crowded trying to have them all in there.  I have been looking for a small, lightweight, sewing machine that they can use at the kitchen table.  I found this at JoAnn.  It weighs about 5 pounds, is speed controlled so they can more easily sew a 1/4 inch seam, but I need to mark the bed for a quarter inch.  It  doesn't have a light, though, but I have several small Ott lights that can do the job.  The machines come in some really cute colors. I only ordered one, but if it works out, I will probably get one for each girl.  They are already fighting over who gets what color. 

Saturday, January 30, 2016

I had intended to get a lot of quilting done today, but that didn't happen.  Clay came over this morning and helped me do some decluttering.  We emptied the pantry cupboard and sorted the food.  I still have some work to do in there.  He also helped me move things that belong in the basement down to the basement.  And while we were down there we brought up all the empty shipping boxes from all of the supplies I've ordered this month.

We filled quite a few donate boxes which I took up to Good Will.  Of course, since I was in Mt. Pleasant, I had to get my JoAnn fix. I did pretty well talking myself out of bringing more stuff home.  I did buy some batting that was on sale and a quilting magazine - only one - it promises to help me with my "quilting math."   While I was there, I happened to glance at the clock.  it was 4:45.  A month ago I would have been at church playing 4:30 Mass.  

Yesterday I did some more work on Claire's quilt.  I have a few tiny puckers in the back, but I am leaving them alone.  I managed to include an Amish humility patch in the bottom left corner.  Sheesh.  Never noticed it until I came upon it while quilting.

My quilting rule is that once I have a quilt under my quilting needle, I can start piecing another one.  Madison mentioned her Elsa quilt fabric the other day and she is next in line for a quilt.  I laugh when I look at this panel.  I had ordered 2 of them - one for Maddie and one for Meghan.  Meghan found them when she was poking around my sewing room.  I quickly took them and hid them again hoping she would forget about them.  The next week when she and Maddie were over, I heard her whispher, "Maddie, I saw Elsa and Anna fabric in Grandma's quilt room."  So, with Claire's quilt under the needle, I started Maddie's quilt last night.

I'm not using a pattern - just making it up as I go along.  I made a second saw tooth border and put it on upside down.  Genius.  Fortunately I noticed it before I went any further. I have a neat trick for sandwiching quilts.  I ordered some cardboard pallet covers and I lay one on the bed and layer my quilts that way.  I can move the cardboard anywhere I want without disturbing the quilt.  

A few days ago a friend from my former church asked if Moeggenborg Sugar Bush would donate a basket to the Mardi Gras fundraiser.  We have been doing it for years.  I decided to come up with some Mardi Gras themed products.

Room Spray

And a grungy jar candle

I also plan to do some breakaway wax melts. 

Never did get to my quilting room today, but that's okay.  Given yesterday's mishaps, I probably needed a break. 

Saturday, February 18, 2012 - It's Here! The night of the St. Mary School Mardi Gras!

Tonight is the annual Mardi Gras - an important fundraiser for St. Mary's school. It's a great get-together for a great cause! Be sure to check out the basket from Moeggenborg Sugar Bush and Primitives in the Silent Auction!

You can find out more information here: Mardi Gras


Word of the day:
Saturday of the Sixth week in Ordinary Time
Saint(s) of the day : St Flavian, Bishop and Martyr (+ 449)
See commentary below or click here
Peter the Venerable : "It is good that we are here"

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Mark 9:2-13.

Jesus took Peter, James, and John and led them up a high mountain apart by themselves. And he was transfigured before them,
and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no fuller on earth could bleach them.
Then Elijah appeared to them along with Moses, and they were conversing with Jesus.
Then Peter said to Jesus in reply, "Rabbi, it is good that we are here! Let us make three tents: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah."
He hardly knew what to say, they were so terrified.
Then a cloud came, casting a shadow over them; then from the cloud came a voice, "This is my beloved Son. Listen to him."
Suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone but Jesus alone with them.
As they were coming down from the mountain, he charged them not to relate what they had seen to anyone, except when the Son of Man had risen from the dead.
So they kept the matter to themselves, questioning what rising from the dead meant.
Then they asked him, "Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?"
He told them, "Elijah will indeed come first and restore all things, yet how is it written regarding the Son of Man that he must suffer greatly and be treated with contempt?
But I tell you that Elijah has come and they did to him whatever they pleased, as it is written of him."

Friday, January 13, 2012

Finally made soap again. I'm kind of out of my routine because soapmaking is a Monday night activity, however, due to some unexpected, but very welcome stocking orders from Etsy and Ebay, plus a few from our website, I've been too busy to make any soap.  Tonight I made Maple Syrup Festival.  It's been a little frustrating because my suppliers keep changing out the maple scents.  Grrrrrr.  I don't know if this one will darken.  I hope not, because I swirled it with a light cocoa and I would really like that to show.  But we'll see.  I have it in the oven so that if it gels, it will do a full gel and not a partial gel.  A partial gel does not affect the quality of the soap, but soapmakers do not like to see it.

 I've also been assembling various donations.  We did a Valentine Basket for a fundraiser for a cancer patient.  I wish I had thought to take a picture of it.  It turned out very nice.  I also assembled items for a fundraiser for my nephew.  And then there is the St. Mary Mardi Gras.  I love how this basket turned out!

I had intended to do a Mardi Gras theme, but couldn't find a way to tie that in with our Primitive Sugar Bush style, so I decided to just be what we are - a Country Primitive kind of business.

Today we had our first significant snowfall of the winter.  The roads were slippery going into Alma for Mass today.   I came home from church and had a nice lazy afternoon and spent some quality time with our youngest grandbaby. He is such a tiny little thing.  He's 2 months old but only weighs 7 pounds 12 oz.  He looks like a tired little old man.  Grandpa and I were able to coax a couple of smiles out of him today, though. 

Word of the day:
Friday of the First week in Ordinary Time
Saint(s) of the day : St Hilary of Poitiers, Bishop and Doctor of the Church (c. 315- c. 367), St. Veronica of Binasco, Religious (144-1497)
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Mark 2:1-12.

When Jesus returned to Capernaum after some days, it became known that he was at home.
Many gathered together so that there was no longer room for them, not even around the door, and he preached the word to them.
They came bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men.
Unable to get near Jesus because of the crowd, they opened up the roof above him. After they had broken through, they let down the mat on which the paralytic was lying.
When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Child, your sins are forgiven."
Now some of the scribes were sitting there asking themselves,
Why does this man speak that way? He is blaspheming. Who but God alone can forgive sins?
Jesus immediately knew in his mind what they were thinking to themselves, so he said, "Why are you thinking such things in your hearts?
Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Rise, pick up your mat and walk'?
But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority to forgive sins on earth"--
he said to the paralytic, "I say to you, rise, pick up your mat, and go home."
He rose, picked up his mat at once, and went away in the sight of everyone. They were all astounded and glorified God, saying, "We have never seen anything like this."