Wonderful Doll!

I want to show you the wonderful doll that I received in the mail today.  Lara from
"A Primitive Homestead" hosted a wonderful giveaway to make a Memory Garden,
in honor of her son. He loved gardening with Lara.
 I was the lucky winner of  Hannah. Hannah is a beautiful doll. She is ragged stuffed. I just love prairie and amish things and she reminds me of both of these. She is so beautiful in person!!!!
Lara does beautiful work, and I am so honored to be the owner of one of her dolls.
Thank you for hosting your wonderful giveaway Lara, I will give Hannah a good home and
cherish her forever!!!
Check out Lara's blog!!!!

Scrap Table Runner and Table Square

I still have some leftover squares that I already had cut out from making my scrap quilt that I recently made. I kept thinking what can I make, what can I make.
 I don't know if you are familiar with "You Tube" or not, but you can pretty much learn anything you
want to by watching their videos. I am a hairdresser too, so I am always looking at new haircuts and styles, it is kinda like setting at home watching a hair show.
 If you have never watched any of the "You Tube" videos on tutorials for the "Missouri Star Quilt Co.", you just have too. Jenny has so many tutorials on all of these short cuts to quilting and how to make different quilt blocks. I was watching her tutorial on making a zig zag table runner and decided that I would make one  to use up some of my leftover squares, plus I thought this will match my quilt. Here is a link to that tutorial Missouri Star Quilt Co. zigzag table runner tutorial
I also made a table square and made it using the disappearing four patch technique, you can also find that tutorial on the tutorials by Missouri Star Quilt Co. Disappearing Four Patch tutorial

  I quilted both the runner and square using the stitch in the ditch technique, I want to get a special presser foot so that I can to the stipple pattern.
 I have a hard time with the binding, but watched a tutorial on it also, see I am learning all sorts of things. But I machine binded the table square this time. The next time I will hand stitch the back, I think that is much neater.
 I try my best to be perfect with my quilting but I am not, I guess that comes with practice. No matter how hard I try it always seems like I have some squares that don't come out even, but I know I will improve with practice.
Now for some photo's of my runner and table square.

I made my runner long 59", but you can make it any size

Backing of the ZigZag table runner

Close up of the Disappearing Four Patch pattern

Back of the table Square

Wonderful Book

I am a book reviewer for "Bethany House". The only requirement for my book reviews is that I give
and honest review of the books that I read.
 I love amish books, especially by Beverly Lewis. I was thrilled that I was chosen to review,
David/Beverly Lewis's new book, "Child of Mine".
  The story is about 8 year old adopted Natalie. She is being raised by her  Uncle Jack Livingston.
after her parents were killed in a plane crash.
    She is also being cared  by her Amish nanny, Laura Mast,
who has taken care of Natalie since she was a baby, and loves her as her own child.
 Eight long years ago Kelly Maines little baby girl was kidnapped, Kelly has hired a private investigator, to help her find her daughter. Now, finally she has a lead about a little girl only
a few miles away. Could Natalie be her long lost daughter or is Natalie's mother her amish nanny?
You will have to read the book to find out.
 The book keeps you on the edge of your seat the entire time, not sure of what is going to happen.
I totally loved this book and highly recommend it. This was one of those books that I couldn't put down.

Summer time fun!

Last week my family and I were on vacation in the Outer Banks of NC. We actually stayed on
the beach Corolla where there is wild ponies. Unfortunately I wasn't able to see the ponies this time,
 about 20 years ago I was there and saw them alot, they have been moved to one part of the island for their safety, as many were hit by tourists.
 I forgot the battery to my camera so I didn't get to take as many photo's as I would have liked.
I have a fear of heights, so I was proud of being able to climb to the top of a lighthouse in Curituck.
I made it to the top, took one look and went back inside, I just couldn't make myself walk around the outside of the lighthouse at the top.
 We had a wonderful time except on the second day Stephanie burnt the bottom of her feet, second degree burns. Due to being diabetic she has lost some of the feeling in her feet. She had to go to the hospital and have them bandaged and was given medications. I am pleased to say that they are healing well.
 I enjoyed seeing the grandkids having so much fun, we also had fun playing cards and games in the evenings. And we ate some wonderful beach seafood. Ronnie and I drove to a fish market one day
and got fresh shrimp that we fixed one eve. with fresh corn on the cob and fresh green beans.
We saw a beautiful sunrise at the beach one morning, and just had a wonderful family time.
On vacation we always play mini golf, love doing that with the grandkids. A few photo's.

Jake and Cole riding with pappy and maw

The beautiful sunrise on the beach one morning.

Ronnie and I

Pappy, Jake and Cole building a sand castle

Family beach fun

Playing games with the kiddies

Matt, Cole and Riley

Luke, Rhonda and Jake

Stephanie and Riley

I was able to finish a book that I am reading for Bethany House for a review, such a good book, by
Beverly Lewis, "Child of Mine", I will do a post on the book in a few days.

Little Bo was so happy for us to be home, now he can relax.
I also finished a fall pinkeep. Pattern by "Pilgrims and Pioneers"          

Little Bo, my mommy and daddy are home at last.

New fall pinkeep

Love the pattern by Pilgrim and Pioneers

Scarecrows in a Bucket

I have really been busy this summer. I am still working in my hair salon, but am off from school.
So I am trying to get alot accomplished. I have been cleaning and cleaning my house and decluttering. I have been doing deep cleaning that I have put off for years.
Yesterday my hubby and I took a whole pick up load of things to my friends Shelia's house,
we are going to have a yard sale the end of this week. I am hoping to use what money I make, (shouldn't count my chickens before they hatch), to help get new flooring for my living room.
 I think I have cleaned every closet, and every cabinet in my house.I have cleaned
from top to bottom of everything, today I even washed and waxed my car. I am tired but
it sure feels good getting so much accomplished.
  When school starts I know I will be busy I have already been asked to fill in for a nurse that
will be on maternity leave. I also want to do a little crafting before school begins. This weekend
 I decided to make something for fall.
I used a pattern by "Samantha's Accessories",  It is a Scarecrow in a can.
The cans are approx. 19" tall and filled with fall goodies, pumpkins, a sunflower and a rusty star.
I am asking $36.99 plus shipping if interested. You can contact me by the telephone link on my sidebar.
  I also have been told by several people that I should put a label on my quilt. I ordered a tag from
etsy and stitched it on my quilt, I want to show you that.
  I have several day lillies, they are blooming now and I wanted to share some pictures of them also.
Hope everyone is having a beautiful Summer. I sure am enjoying the beautiful Summer!
So hard to believe that tomorrow will be the first day of July.

Summer Swap!

It has been awhile since I have participated in any swaps. I decided to joint Amy's Swap "Bumble Bee Lane"
  Amy always hosts such nice swaps. Well it just so happened that Amy was my swap partner.
We decided to mail our swap packages on the same day so that hopefully we would receive our swaps the same day. My package arrived today and was it ever loaded with primitive goodies.
I can tell that Amy put alot of thought into this swap to make it special for me. She sure spoiled me,
I love, love everything that Amy sent me.!!! Thank you Amy and thank you for hosting your wonderful swaps.
I sure am going to have fun decorating!!!!

Everything is wrapped so lovely.

Summer penny rug and sheep notepad

Star table runner, Americana pillow, star night light and vintage abacus

Love prairie things, Little prairie doll on board, so adorable.

I just love this doll, I love her prairie look and her woolie sheep!!!  And beautiful card.

New kitchen faucet and bedroom closet doors.

  Since I am off for the summer from my school job I am tackling some major cleaning that I haven't done for a long time. I am still working in my hair salon, but have been doing some major cleaning on my days off. I have alot accomplished, but alot still to do. I have washed windows, cleaned kitchen cabinets Defrosted my old freezer. I am cleaning out drawers and closets. I want to get these jobs completed so I can enjoy the summer. I want to do some fun things with my grandchildren. I have been trying to get things together to have a yard sale with my friend in July. And I hate yard sales .But I am hoping to get rid of a few things to help buy some new flooring for my LR.
  I don't know if you are like me or not, but I get really excited when I am able to do things to my house,even little things. Like painting my kitchen cabinets. I love my big old kitchen sink but wanted a new farmhouse style faucet. My husband installed one today for me and I love it.
   I have never shown any pictures of my bedroom on my blog because it always looked like
I was ready to have a rummage sale and I was embarrassed. I decided this year to do some major decluttering in my bedroom. Last year I thought about doing it, but the more I would think about
doing that major cleaning I would grab my purse and get in my car and take off down the road. he he
 I  put a new quilt on my bed, that I had in the packages for at least 3 years, and put up my new curtains.What a difference that made.
   I had old sliding bifold closet doors which were ancient. My husband recently installed new
closet doors and I painted them wicker white to make the room more open and lighter. Added a peg
rack which I hung a dress and bonnet and ditty doll that I made.
 I have also been buying a few fall patterns that I want to make before school starts. I love making
fall prims. I have alot of big plans for the summer.
Hope everyone is having a wonderful summer.
 

Old Sink Faucet

New Sink Faucet

Love the new faucet with my green kitchen cabinets.

I set a collection of my mixing bowls on my pie safe.

Love setting on my restaurant bench looking out the window.

New bedroom prairie swags

Quilt rack, old quilt made years ago by my husbands aunt,

all hand quilted.

New wooden closet doors.

Add caption

Peg rack with dress, bonnet and ditty bag.

New quilt, shames and bedskirt.

display in my bathroom

Another wall in my bedroom bathroom.