P/A Blossom Progress

Well, here are 12 blocks done...36 to go! This quilt is going to require sunglasses to look at it! LOL...but I'm lovin' how it is turning out. I haven't sewn these together yet...just have them on my design wall.

I'm going to press some fabric now and then call it a day in my sewing room! ;o) It'll be time for New Year's Eve games soon!

Have a safe one!
Hugs,
Laurie

Have a Safe New Year's Eve

I hope everyone has a safe and Happy New Year's Eve. I am still sick, but maybe a smidge better than yesterday. Hopefully as the day progresses I'll feel better.

Today I'd like to press some fabric and possibly work on my P/A Blossom some more. I'll have to see how I'm feeling. I also would like to go to jazzercise at 9:00 this morning. I'm sure that would help.

Our New Year's Eve tradition of 23 years or so:

We play games in the afternoon and drink really good beer!!! Then we fondue. We do a cheese fondue with bread cubes and apples. Then we do a peanut oil fondue with pork, steak, tator tots, carrots, brocolli, and cauliflower. We have a horseradish/sour cream dip, garlic butter dip, and a tomato sauce/brown sugar/steak sauce dip for our main course items. THEN...for dessert we do a chocolate fondue with strawberries, pineapple, and bananas. We have a really good bottle or 2 of wine during this long meal! Then we lay sit on the couch and watch TV or a movie and drink more of that good beer! WE HATE TO BE ON THE ROAD...it is a very enjoyable way to bring in the New Year!

What are your plans?????

I'm sick...and my HOT date

Why is it when a person has great plans for the day that person wakes up feeling like CRUD??? I woke up at 4AM with a HORRIBLE sore throat...it felt like I had a marble in my throat the size of a half dollar. Woke up at 9 and cold hardly talk it hurt so badly. So I showered and went to urgent care. The Dr. said it's not infected yet but she suspects a sinus infection is brewing cuz I have a lot of fluid below my eardrums. So, off to the pharmacy.

Then Kev had an appt at the hospital at 11:15 for his back. He saw a pain guy. We are going to do some physical therapy for the remaining 2 weeks that he is home. He also was told to try Yoga, stretching, abdominal work, and weights to strengthen the back. But as long as he's physically active to expect to have pain. Then I had to stop at Moe's to get Kev's work schedule from Joe so I could get the therapy sessions scheduled.

Now I am waiting for DH to finish lunch and we have to go to the grocery store for our fondue food for tomorrow. It'll just be Dan and us. We're almost back to just DH and myself for New Year's Eve! Things tend to go full circle!I'm not sure what I'll do the rest of the day cuz I'm really wiped out. I didn't even go to jazzercise this morning. I suspect I'll be in bed early though.

My HOT Date was FUN!!! I felt like a million BUCKS and DH dressed nicely too! ;o) The food at PF Chang's was great! I had Kung Pao Chicken! YUMMY!!! Then we went to Old Chicago and met up with our boys and let Sarah wait on us!

And YEPPERS...we still have 2 SHOPPING days left before stash BUSTING begins!!!! HAVE AT IT LADIES!!!

Still Stash Enhancing! LOL...it's only 2005!

I had a gift certificate to my LQS so I HAD to go shopping! Besides...I have a quilt to make for a book! And these are the fabrics I picked out! It was so fun to shop but I don't think I've ever made a 3 fabric quilt before! I sure hope this turns out great!

Laurie Ann asked if I got my brown/pink jog suit...and the answer to that is NOPE! I got a blue one instead! It fits nicely and blue is a good color for me. I did have DD look at that brown/pink one yesterday while we were shopping but she still vetoed it! TOO MUCH PINK on the sleeves! (sigh) I give up! UNLESS it goes on clearance!!! Then it's MINE!

Yesterday DD and I went shopping! It was fun and we did some damage! Sarah spent most of her Christmas wad. She bought a sweater/2 tops/jewelry and something else. I bought a wool, double-breasted jacket (not really a blazer but i guess it is), a brown sweater turtle neck tank to wear under it, a pretty pink cable knit sweater that has the old cowl neck (I wasn't sure about it but sarah and dh said it was gorgeous on me), and a pair of brown boots! SO...I told DH he has to take me out tonight! We are going to go to PF Changs on the Plaza and see the lights tonight. I also said to him that your jeans and OLD sweatshirt won't cut it when it comes to attire! ;o)

Well, I gotta get going! I have a hot date with the DH tonight! WOOHOO!!! Have a great rest of the day!
Hugs
Laurie

An intimate look at our Christmas!

I have enjoyed reading everyone's stories about Christmas and wanted to share more with you! Here are some pics from our holiday! If you click on them they will be larger and you can see more!

This picture above is of my family at my dad's house. That is my dh Steve, myself, and my oldest Joe in the back row. In the front is Kevin, Sarah and Dan!


This is a picture of my sister Linda, dad Joe, sister Jane in the back row. Brother Tim, myself, and brother Jeff in the front row. This picture was taken at my dad's house. Mom died in '92. OH how I miss her at this time of year.



This is my family and our traditional game of hearts on Christmas Eve! It is a TOTAL BLAST!!!!! And let me tell you...NO ONE...I repeat...NO ONE wants to lose! LOL



This is my dad and all of his grandkids and their significant others! What a crew!!! What is truly amazing is that we all still LOVE to get everyone together! That happened this year! WOOHOO!!



This is a picture of my niece on dh's side entertaining the little kids (oh wait, that's my 16yo Dan there too) until gifts can be opened! LOL...they are playing Simon Says!



And last but not least...my DFIL and his cowboy quilt! That is my DMIL in the pic with him! I think he liked it! NO...I KNOW HE LOVED IT!!! It was truly a hit! Another quilty gift delivered and appreciated!

So there you have it! Christmas with Laurie and her family!!!

A fun day is planned!

Good morning! I am in my sewing room with a renewed spirit! :o) I went to Target after jazzercise this morning and bought a drying rack from the laundry section. Someone, can't remember who, said they used one of these to put their strips on for projects. I thought WOW...great idea! Now to fill it up with strips! My goal is to cut strips out of fabrics that I don't have much left after doing a project! SO...it's strip cutting for the Pineapple Blossom for me!

Then at noon I have to wake my dd up. She put in 2 straight days of double shifts at the restaurant she works at (she's a server). So today she wants to do lunch and SHOPPING!!! She has a few returns and a gift card to spend! Sounds like fun to me!

Then, all of my kids who still live at home will be here for dinner! NO ONE WORKS!!!! So I am making Chicken En Cocette. Simple recipe but tasty!

Have a super day!
Laurie

No sign of Christmas...

Well, all the trimmings are put away and the house is back to normal! WOOHOO...Well, almost back to normal! I just noticed something left over that was forgotten! Why does that always happen???!!!

I'm suffering from the post holiday blues I guess. I ate too much, drank too much, and now have to try to get these pounds back off! UGH!! Then for New Year's we fondu so there's more calories...why do the good things in life have to put pounds on this body of mine? ;) LOL

I'm not as motivated as everyone else seems to be. DARN...maybe I'll just read.

Have a great day everyone!
Hugs
Laurie

We made it safely home!!!

I am thankful that the drive to and from MN was perfect. The weather cooperated quite nicely! Christmas Eve morning dh and I went to the cemetary to wish my mom a Merry Christmas. Since there was snow and it was warm enough I made a miniature snowman for mom and put it on her headstone! MERRY CHRISTMAS MOM!!!

Then off to my dad's and boy was the weather inside the house "chilly". I believe my sisters were po'd that I asked to open gifts before eating so my family could try to get to 6PM mass an over to the inlaws lots earlier so the little kids (1.5yo-8yo) could get their gifts done while they were still HAPPY! One sister bit my head off when I was teasin' her bout something stupid! My other sister barely l said 5 words to me the whole time. (sigh) Thankfully, my inlaws house was a LOT of fun!!!Then off to my dsil's place to spend the night. It was too weird cuz we slept in hers and my bro's bed (he left her a while back and has his own place). I didn't sleep well at all. I'm not sure I can do that anymore. The boys asked for hotel rooms again so they could have a bed...as Kev said, can we forego the hospitality for comfort next year?

We ended up not getting to mass on Christmas Eve night so we went to 10:00 Christmas morning. Then we hit the road for home. First we stopped to gas up and get food...gotta love food at the gas station! Once we got to KS we stopped and ate at the Fortune Wok. WONDERFUL FOOD! Then home for our own gifts! Everyone enjoyed their gifts and we share some wine, games, laughter afterwords! It was an AWESOME end! Today dh and I are going to have lunch at OC with Sarah. I have to return a top Sarah gave me for a size XL...(it's spandexy type and I need it a size bigger for these boobs of mine!) After lunch we are going to Borders. I need a wall calendar for my sewing room (didn't get that). Then probably home to veg out.

I'll have to get caught up later! I hope all of your holiday festivities were awesome!

Trish: I sew fabric around my labels to avoid having to stitch thru the Printed Treasures. That stuff is so tightly woven that it is hard to stitch thru! I hope you see this! I couldn't find a way to get to your blog! (waaaah!)

Hugs
Laurie

Merry Christmas to All

Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah to all! We are off to Minnesota tomorrow morning! We'll be back on Christmas night. Enjoy your holiday and cherish the memories that you make!
Hugs
Laurie

4 P/A Blossom blocks done

I tell ya...you guys are GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD!!! I LOVE the focus in the center and for the pineapple corners...this is going to be a PURDY quilt! I cut some strips but have a lot to go. All the focus is cut but I had to make a few blocks to see if this was going to work! It does! ;)
This quilt was a round robin with my 2 sisters who live in MN. The center was a photo on Webshots and I scanned it and then printed us each a copy using Printed Treasures photo paper. The pink rose was our mom's favorite flower so it was appropriate that we make a quilt using this as our centers. I did the work to the dark green border, right before the black with pink roses fabric squares starts. Then my sister did thru the pink border. My other sister did the green on the outside. I am going to quilt it as it is and use it as a wallhanging somewhere.

Hugs
Laurie

WELL??? Opinions please!

Here are 2 sample blocks I made for the Pineapple Blossom. One uses the focus as the center/triangles and the other uses a pale mint green (it shows more white on here) in those places. If I use the focusx I would probably not use the minty green because it is TOO light. If I use the minty green I might not use the focus (although it does work) in the block and instead us it as the border. I do know that I don't want to sash this one. I like the look without sashing better.

Opinions please...Top block or Bottom one???

Hugs,
Laurie
(I'm off to listen to some jazz music with DH!)

Pineapple Blossom Block...

Well, I wanted to do a dry run on the P/A Blossom block before attempting it with my fabrics for Lancaster. (IF I still decide that is the right quilt for the fabrics!) LOL

As you can see, this PINEAPPLE must've been damaged in shipment to me! ROFL...seriously, the contrast is not high enough. That was lesson #1 learned. Lesson #2 will be in organization! YIKES! That will be the killer part. I just am NOT a scrap quilt person. Love the looks of them, but want someone else to make them for me! (sigh)

The fabrics pictured here are in the dryer and hopefully good to go soon! Now to truly settle on a pattern! I did add some fabrics to the original pile! Time will tell!!!

Hugs,
Laurie

Thanks for the snowmen quilt compliments!

Hi Everyone!
Thanks for the fun comments about my snowman quilt! They are all so fun to read! Laurie Ann
asked how big it is (approx 62x85) and it is from Colorado Quilts. Just scroll down the page that the following link takes you to!!! Of course, mine looks NOTHING like theirs! ;)
Snowman Quilt

Again, THANKS!!!

I've been thinking about the gratitude lists that Jeanne started. Now, I hope no one is offended by my first ever posted gratitude today...LOL...but I have a warped sense of humor! (deep breath) HERE GOES!!!!!!!!!!!

Gratitudes:
1. for justifiable homicide not being an option for dealing with my 20yo daughter late last night!!!
2. shopping and lunch with my youngest son
3. the sound of my 18yo son laughing
4. watching my oldest son mess up my youngest's hair while we were eating lunch
5. my daughter and I waking up with new attitudes today
6. the hard work that my dh does to keep this crazy household afloat
7. the site of 6 robins today (does that mean spring is around the corner???!!!)

Have a great day! I think I'm going to go upstairs and was the fabrics for my pineapple blossom quilt...first thing on the agenda come 2006!!!

Hugs,
Laurie

Snowmen go Tropical!!!-

I finished this UFO today!!! WOOHOO!!! I just LOVE snowmen and when this pattern was discovered I said YEP...GOTTA MAKE THAT ONE!!! But the pattern had it made in tans/reds/blues/greens...BLAH...I said these snowmen have to have some ATTITUDE! So...here they are!

This is a closeup of the sashing/border fabric. I just think this quilt makes a person smile! YES?

DH and I went to the KC Symphony's "Magic of Christmas" concert and it was SO FUN! I thought we were just going to hear the orchestra play Christmas music but there was an adult choir, children's choir, dancers, soloists, one being a 10 yo girl who had an amazing voice...and sing-a-longs! IT WAS TOTALLY FUN!!! We really enjoyed it! Now to top the day off with a family dinner! WOOHOO!!!

Hugs
Laurie

WOOHOO...another one bites the dust!

Here is the label. I use Printed Treasures for my labels. I just LOVE that stuff! printedtreasures The label says: This quilt was made as a Christmas gift for Ronnie Gathje of Rochester, MN. It was made to keep him warm while he watches his western movies that he loves so dearly! Wrap yourself in this and stay warm! Pieced and Quilted by his DIL Laurie Gathje of Overland Park, KS. Fabric graciously paid for by his first born Steve Gathje! Given to him with love by his grandchildren, Joe, Sarah, Kevin, and Dan. Finished December 2005 Love the heck out of this quilt and enjoy!

The last Christmas gift to be made this year is DONE! YEEHAW!!!!!!!! (that was cuz it's a cowboy quilt!) My DFIL is going to LOVE this quilt! I can hardly wait to give it to him!

Hugs
Laurie

My "Lifestyle Change" AKA D-I-E-T UGH!

Bonnie asked how I lost the weight. I have been going to a place called "Metabolic Research Center" since June 1. The people there are AMAZING and know me by name...they truly care!

Basically here is my day of food:
Breakfast:
2 medium eggs OR 2 oz of hard cheese
1 slice lo-cal bread
a protein drink

Lunch:
4 oz protein
8 oz raw veggies OR 4 oz cooked
fruit
protein drink

Dinner:
4 oz protein
8 oz raw veggies OR 4 oz cooked
1 slice lo-cal bread
protein drink

I can add up to 2 more protein drinks/day. The drinks contain 11-12 grams of protein. Amazingly enough I am not hungry on this UNLESS I increase my exercise. Then I add a string cheese stick as a snack if need be.

IT WORKS...and I feel TERRIFIC!!!

A new type of STASH REDUCTION!!!

Now that I'm down 36 POUNDS...GONE FOREVER...I decided to get RID of all the BIG STUFF in our closet!!!

YES SIREE!!! I even made DH come up and PURGE!!!! One box of shoes, and <6> 30 gallon trash bags filled with clothes that were TOO BIG for ME and too SMALL for DH! I SERIOUSLY have to go shopping again! LOL I got rid of clothes that I haven't worn in years , tshirts from old soccer tournaments, tshirts from school sports that the kids don't do anymore, out of date clothes, and lots of STUFF...our closet is SO CLEAN NOW!!! I should go up there and vacuum it but EH, not today!

SO THAT my dear friends...is a new type of STASH REDUCTION!!! LOL

OH, I also had a person from jazzercise tell me about a store for women called "Chicos". I have a hard time finding jeans that fit me nicely. You see, my waist is very small for my behind! ;o) SO, I went to Chicos and WOW...these jeans fit AMAZINGLY well! There is no gapping in the waist band at all! WOOHOO!!! Also, I had to go buy new undies cuz the "granny undies" that I wore stuck out of the top of the jeans! And GUESS WHAT???? They were a whole size smaller than the ones that I purged! YESSSSSSSS!!!
Hugs,
Laurie

Darilyn...this one's for you!

This is as many hexagons thingies that I will EVER do! Sorry Darilyn...just don't have the same enthusiasm for these as you do! LOL...but isn't it great that this wonderful craft of ours gives us so many options?? ;o)

I tried to find those darn state flower blocks too but do you think I can find them?? I went thru all of my containers of UFO's (goodness...there are a LOT) and they were nowhere to be had!

What should I do with these hexagons that I have assembled???
Laurie

SCREEEEAAAAMM!!!

OK...now that I feel better...sort of anyway...I have spent the whole afternoon working a quilt up in EQ5. I bought a magazine just because I thought it had the right pattern for the tropical prints pictured here. After spending a couple of hours doing that I decided it was way more work than I wanted to do! GRRRRRRRRRRRRRR...

So, I'm back to square one. I thought about Bonnie's Chunky Churn Dash using the focus fabric and the minty green for the QST's that come together to make square in a square looking background and my bright yellow for the center squares and the purple/pink with the oranges for the rails. I also considered the P/A Blossom of Bonnie's but am not sure about that one either because it would be too much pink/orange!!! I also considered Bonnie's Random Ohio Stars using the focus as the background for the large stars, the mint green for the plain blocks, and the other fabrics to make random small stars . I want this to be a quick and fun quilt.

NOW...I KNOW you quilters out there have OPINIONS! LOL...so let's hear them please! I'm open to other ideas as well!

Gosh, I wish this wasn't that hard!
Hugs
Laurie

Christmas quilty decorations

This was a santa wallhanging that was in a Quiltmaker magazine about 4 yrs ago. When I saw this pattern I immediately sat down to make it! It was simple but cute!
This was a wallhanging that I made using a took called "thirty something". This hangs in the hearth room and is visible from the family room.
My FIRST ever quilt! It ain't perfect! LOL...but it's my first. I don't think it has a label on it though...YIKES...I"ll have to get on that! I use this to dress a small end table as a tablecloth.

This was a simple throw that I am using to decorate my dining room table this year. It was made from a Christmas fabric swap from a now defunct online message board. I wanted something quick and easy! HST's fit the bill!

SO...there are some of my Christmas quilts...just wanted to share!
Laurie