Detox

We went really crazy eating in Branson. I have been wishy washy with my weight watchers. Well I went to the store today and bought a ton of good for you food. This is my dinner. I may not even eat it all but i thought it was beautiful. I've been making a veggie tray every week and it's been great to just get some fresh veggies. I made some tabbouleh when i came home from shopping. It was ready by dinnertime.

We had two wonderful dinners in Branson. The first one is Dana's . We had the best burger here. After spending $40 at Denny's we were very happy here. We actually saw some BBQ nachos and had to come back and try them. They were awesome.

The second great place to eat in Branson was Florentina's. We walked in thinking oh they might be owned by Zio's. They were better. The kid's pizza was huge! The next time we go we will order that for the boys to share. My husband loved his food and seriously the lasagna was the best I ever had. I usually don't order Lasagna though. There was so much food we had it again a day later, so it's a great place to share an entree or if you are like us go the first day and you can have leftovers. Service was fast enough it could be better but it wasn't the waitress's fault. She had at least 8-10 tables this night. They offer whole wheat and gluten free pasta in any of their pasta dishes too.

As good as that food was though I felt blugh afterwards.  I just ate this meal and finished with some grapes.  I'm full, satisfied and feel so much better.

I'm also starting my Apple Cider Vinegar drinking today.  They say it helps sinus infections.  I have one every two to three weeks.  I do not want to take antibiotics every month though.  I have to work in my garden soon and I'm dreading the flare up. Showering immediately and changing clothes might help though.

when handmade should be avoided like the plague

I just came back from Branson.  Yes there were some cute things...I really admire the handmade items especially the woodwork.  But I walked into the "handmade Quilts" shops several times only to hear the owner brag about how their quilts are handmade and that other store gets theirs from overseas and are mass produced etc.  All the store owners are saying it.  These quilts were all the cheapest batting, the cheapest material (maybe cotton).  A few washings and they would bunch and look eh.  the quilting looked like yarn and it was done in straight lines with a machine, not sure if it was a sewing machine or hand stiched honestly.  So here I am with my small etsy store churning out high quality quilts and nobody is buying.  I saw some empty booth space...might have to move.

However they HAVE to skimp on materials and labor if they are selling quilts like I think they are.  Quilting is not a moneymaking venture.  If it was I would a millionaire and not from my quilts but i would have inherited it!

I did make a really cute hat over my vacation.  A free pattern when i went into Michael's to get a crochet hook (i accidentally forgot to pack it).  --the horror.

I made this hat for my beautiful niece.  It was so fun and super easy but I got confused by the pattern.  You start with the bottom so i stopped in doubt and tried a different way, finally I decided just to follow the pattern blindly.  I only had one size hook and it might have been too small.  I will definitely be making this hat again it was so easy and I think it was adorable.

My Quilt Entry for the Bloggers Quilt Festival

I am so excited to share a quilt for Amy's Bloggers Quilt Festival.

You can visit her blog and look at all the awesome quilts that she has this spring!  

I have blogged about my Little Girl Quilt Before.   

I'm not sure that I really told everyone about how I made it. 

I'm the most proud of this quilt because it's an original.  After making my Indian Girl Quilt I thought of the Sunbonnet Sue Quilt but I wanted to change it.  Not many girls wear bonnets.  I had some scraps left from my Moda Bliss Fat Quarters so I decided to make it.  I first Drew the Little Girl.

After Drawing her I drew the individual pieces. 

I cut out the pattern pieces and traced onto some "Heat and Bond" lite.  I pressed them onto the wrong side of fabric and then pressed them onto my squares of Onasburg fabric.

After these were all finished I sewed trim onto their dresses and shoes and hats.  I finished the applique by sewing a small blanket stitch around each piece.  I embroidered flowers and butterflies on each block. 

This was a "Make Do" Quilt.  I made it for my niece.  My grandma made all of her grandkids a Sunbonnet Sue or a Fisherboy.  She is in her mid 80's now but I felt like my niece needed a quilt like this.  I can see her touching the trim and embroidery and looking at the little girls.

I used my favorite Bliss Print for the backing.

I hope you enjoyed my post and would love any comments and be sure to follow my blog!  I will be having a tutorial soon.

Botony and Biology

I have been a busy girl over here.  I got sick earlier in the week.  I am always getting sinus infections.  I will be drinking apple cider vinegar again.  This time instead of getting a migraine with my monthly gift I got nausea and dizziness.  When i get to heaven i may give Eve the ole "stink eye" for a few hundred years.

I'm amazed how parenting presents you with different problems every so often.  I doubt I will ever "finish" being a parent but wow it's really hard right now.  It's physically challenging with my 3 year old "very creative" builder. He makes trains and arranges things in patterns all the time.  He eats food by lining them up in a square and laughing about it.  He dresses himself, makes his own lunch while I am in the shower.  He is potty trained for the most part.  He has started crying and whining over the toys not doing what he wants (or me not doing it right) or squealing like a girl when he's outside because he knows he can.

My oldest son is lying and sneaking and well stealing.  He's not doing these things at school or anywhere else, just home.  He has been going through the lunch line when I pack his lunch.  ??????  I pack his lunch because I cannot afford don't want to spend $2/day.  I can't afford  I don't want to spend $2/day and pack his lunch.  It all clicks into place though.  He has not been eating his lunch that I pack but he comes home starving.  He lied to me over and over again, "No mom, I didn't eat lunch!"  Tearing up when he tells me this and I'm back to believing him.  Finally I asked him after praying last night "is the Cafeteria Lady right or wrong?  Do you think she's a liar? Should I believe her or you?"  He looked down and said "you should believe her."  It was like pulling teeth!  He also has some more scary things that we are trying to talk to him about.  Lets just say he has perfect spelling for a 6 year old and is very curious about women. This has resulted in a NO INTERNET rule and something I am calling "Operation Restore Innocence.  We will be playing a lot outside.

Moving On...

I have been crocheting a ton of flowers.  They are so fun.  I just finished a sunflower for my gardening hat. I am blocking them now.  I just figured out that I am supposed to soak all flowers in water/starch and drying on a towel.  It takes me awhile but I always come around to the right way of doing things.  I think I will put a big brown button in the center and sew it to a band and tie it to my big straw hat that I wear when I am gardening.

My garden is coming along nicely.  I thinned out my green beans and replanted some squash plants that were eaten.  Cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, okra, squash, green beans, and herbs are doing really well.  I'm very excited.  I may be fashioning some form of scarecrow soon.  Right now Weeds are killing me.  I weeded all day Sunday and I have a new crop.  I may be tilling up my front yard soon, it seems to be the trick to growing beautiful thick grass.

I am working on a Modern Stair step Tutorial.  You will all have to stay tuned, and by "You all"  I mean you -mom and Valerie and Trisha (haha).  Seriously I'm just going to keep blogging over here.  Eventually someone might start visiting me frequently, following me - and commenting.  I always get comments on my facebook page or comments in person or on the phone but I would love some comments.  Some feedback is really nice! Also Follow me in Google Connect or Network Blogs.

Punctuation!!

I fell in love with this fabric line when it first came out.  I bought the charm packs and the panels online and a yard of the red alphabet fabric.  I've had the quilt and binding made for ages just waiting on backing and batting. I finally got around to quilting it.  It was nice and simple...no frills quilting.

ahhh....it's nice to finish things

 I finished my Modern Meadow Star Burstt quilt.  I think I may cry when i send it away.  I'm so proud of it.  Seriously ...

Anyone tired of looking at all my pictures?  I free motion quilted all of it even the lines.  I've found with sashing that if you use even the walking foot you will get creases.  It's rare for you not to. I also embrace the crooked lines.  I hope the lady that bought it does too.  If not I know a loving home for it.  The Pattern for this quilt can be found in Elizabeth Hartman's book A The Practical Guide to Patchwork.

"Voile"-a

When I ordered some Little Folks Voile I didn't really understand that IT ISN'T COTTON.  I had to adjust the tension for my machine.  I really loved the colors of this line and loved the dark purple and grey colors.  I also like the yellow variation but after sewing I held off buying it.

 I have kept something on my wall since I sewed it.  I am a little too busty for this tunic I sewed around my birthday.    I may need to find a really good minimizer and wear a black tank and just wear it.  I have another one already cut out.  I think I will sew a 3/8" seam.  This is a very cute and easy tunic though.  I want to make it in stretch not quilting cotton.  You can find the pattern here.  This is view E.

I know it's so funky and bright,   Not sure if I feel confident enough to wear it.  Flashbacks of being the first person to wear palazzo pants in Jr. high flash in my mind.  I was made fun of SO bad.  The next year all the girls were wearing them. I learned a valuable lesson that day.  Oklahoma is 1-2 years behind on everything.  (Pearl Jam obsession was a big case in point).  I imagine they have sped up these days.

The other day my son pointed to a field in my home town and said "when I grow up I'm gonna buy this land and live here"  I told him "son, I lived here and well it was kinda boring."  He said "well mom, now they have --you know electronics."