I AM SO EXCITED!

As you can see from the picture posted on the previous post, we have been extremely busy with our house renovation.  No time for quilting, cooking, laundry or even making a bed in the morning.  We have been busy taking things apart and now we are putting things together.  This means that we are on the down side of the hill and should be done in time for the big event being held at our house on October 8th.

We are hosting the California-Hawaii Elks Association State President's V.I.P. cocktail party.  I've been told we will have close to two hundred people coming for the party.  This event is the pre-party to the dinner at the Hanford Elks Lodge that evening.  The State President is Wayne Howard and he hails from Honolulu, Hawaii.  Our local District State Vice President Earl Conro is making all of the arrangements for Waynes visit to our East Central District.  Earl has described our home as the "Morrison Estate".  So I hope all of the invitees will enjoy our little piece of paradise.  Can you tell I'm starting to get a little excited about all of this.

The worst for me is that my two gardeners have not been able to work my property for over a month and will not be able to come back until the last week in September.  They are an older spanish couple that come to my house every Friday to keep us tidy.  The Mrs. had cateract surgery that did not go as planned, so she has been restricted from working.  But they are planning to be back as needed the last week of September.

This Thursday Morrison's Silkscreen will have a booth space at the Thursday Night Market in downtown Hanford.  We will be featuring our Letterman Jacket Line and giving a discount coupon.  Then on Friday morning as early as I can possibly get myself going, I will be going to Pismo to join the Material Girls for a Quilting Retreat.  I will come home on Sunday.  Then the big push to be ready for the cocktail party.

Oh yes, tonight we will attend the Blues and Brews Festival in downtown Hanford.  Then I want to slow down to a crawl.

French Doors!

It's Been A Long Time!

I've been so very busy. Steve and I decided to change all of the windows and doors on the south side of our house. We also did some rewiring to accommodate 8 new can lights and two new ceiling fans. This side of our house has been a sunroom from the beginning. When we built our house in 1990 we ended up installing a set of sliding glass doors with three 3' x 7' single pane windows on each side of the sliding glass doors. Also the roof has 4 skylights. This room is 12' x 35' and was designed as a passive solar application. So now we are installing French doors, all new skylights, and 4 double pane windows, two for each side of the French doors. We decided to eliminate one window panel at the end of each corner to create more wall space in each corner. The French doors were set in place today and they are gorgeous. They have a special locking mechanism. I am so pleased to have these doors. The skylights were delivered too and we hope to set on the roof by Sunday. And can hardly wait for the new window panels to arrive. Currently, we are painting and Steve just finished the crown molding. We might be finished with the scaffolding this weekend. The next thing to do is reframe the four window openings, drywall the wall spaces between the windows, texture, paint, and trim. When we are done we will have a weather tight room that will be cool in the summer and warm in the winter. I will get a picture on my blog by tomorrow of the French doors.

Saturday At Home!

I am sitting on the patio this morning about 9:00 a.m., watching the humming birds drink from the two feeders we keep up with. Ther may have been as many as 15 hummers here competing for a spot to drink the nectar. They are fighters and cannot wait their turn. It is just beautiful outside this morning, slightly cool and a bit overcast. Almost muggy feeling. I am thinking of getting a large pan to collect the bounty in the garden before the heat arrives.

Steve and I had a fun time last night. We have had several gift cards from various restaurants here in Hanford, so we decided to use one them at Applebees. When we walked in the place was packed, but we managed to get a spot at the bar at the end where they make the drinks. This was very entertaining as we had beer, long island tea, and a mojito. We also had their burger sliders with fries. Steve wanted to pick up the fixings for mojitos on the way home. We bought mint, limes, and soda at the grocery store, but had go the liquor store for the Myers rum. He seems to be a rum conisour These days. I had purchased a muddler a couple of years back, when my son and I were on a mojito kick. The price sticker was still on it. I couldn't believe I paid $18.00 for this thing that smashes mint leaves. The muddler does a good job though. We found that making some simple surup is the best sweetener to use. The granulated sugar doesn't dissolve very well.

After we made the mojitos we went to his garage to watch a movie and smoke a cigar. I took a couple of puffs of his cigar, which tasted kinda spicy, but this morning my mouth tasted terrible. I couldn't wait to brush my teeth and use some mouth wash. I won't do that again. We had a nice evening.

Yard Sale!

I decided to send some of the accumulation away. Yard sales are a good way to do that. I like to have the sale at my son's house cause he lives in Hanford on are fairly busy corner two blocks east of 11th avenue and two blocks south of Grangeville Avenue. So far I've taken In $45.
My husband Steve and my son Rod are installing a new sink and working to finish up the counter tops in the kitchen. We bought this little house 3 pr 4 years ago and have been slowly remodeling. We pretty much gutted the interior and started over. New exterior doors, new floors, new drywall, new bathroom (down to the studs), new kitchen (again down to the studs), all new appliances and a on-demand-water heater. I guess you could call this a pay-as-you-work project.

Steve just returned from buying more parts at Orchard for the sink installation and now we have to order the parts. Now the guys want we to take them to lunch with my yard sale money. So I guess I need to pack up the left overs and move on to lunch and then home for some sewing time.

Vintage Ruffled Sheet Quilt with sleeping Georgia

Here is Georgia asleep under her 5th Birthday quilt.  She says it feels so very comfy.  It is a little big for her youth bed, but when she takes it home it will fit perfectly on her new twin bed with a pink head board.

Right now this quilt and four others: Gramercy Park, Posh, Flip Flop, and Halloween, are at the Kings County Fair Grounds getting judged for the fair competition.  Georgia helped me deliver these quilts to the Home Arts Building and even pinned the name cards to each quilt.  So come on out to the Kings County Fair to see these quilts up close and in person.

The Posh Chez Moi quilt was returned to me from my long arm quilter, Bobbie Jones of Nipomo,  earlier this month and I rushed to finish the binding and label. I finished sewing on the label the same morning I was to take to the Fair Grounds and ran out of time to take a picture,  but will post one as soon as I can.

Another picture of my Georgia.  I made this little dress with my serger and even embroidered a little heart motif on the front.  She picked the fabric and  was very specific about the green being the skirt and purple in the yoke and trim.

Georgia!

Here is my sweet Georgia wearing her birthday dress I made for her, the scooter that Judy and Nat gave her, and her new Skechers tennis shoes that her Great Aunt Judith gave her.  She loves these three gifts the most she said.

Busy Life!

Life has been very busy here at the Morrison's home and business. My hubby Steve is now the a district leader in the Elks world, that is The Benevolent Order of Elks. He accepted a District Chairmanship and we have been traveling with the District Vice President visiting all of the lodges in the East Central District. The State convention was the last week in May and the National convention is the second week in July. The Bylaws dictate that the VP and his Chairman visit each lodge between those two conventions. We have been to 9 of the lodges so far and have 6 more to visit in the next two weeks. Each lodge visited we have hordorves, cocktails and dinner. Some weeks we visit three or two lodges. I can't remember he last time I prepared a dinner meal, cause we always come home with leftovers.

So far it has been more fun than I anticipated, but I sure have lost a lot of home time going on these visits.

I have several quilt pictures to post, as well as garden pictures. Maybe there will time this next week.

Today was my Birthday and I received many good wishes. My Granddaughter, Georgia just called to sing Happy Birthday to me. She is visiting her other Grandmother, so I won't see her until late next week.

Thank you for visiting my blog!

Three Days at Home

I've been cooking, gardening, and sewing. Too bad we have had so much wind this weekend, I could have been outside more. I have almost finished the binding and sleeve for the Posh quilt. Picture to come soon. I'm planning to enter several quilts in the Kings County Fair.

Peonies and Oakleaf Hydrangeas

These beautiful flowers sit beneath a pecan tree at the east end of my front flower border.  I have a collection of David Austin roses and another collection of Martha Stewart roses in full bloom.  The Bachelor Buttons are shoulder high to me and wave in the breeze.  I am so looking forward to the back yard shade garden to bloom with pink and blue Hydrangeas.  I planted my vegetable garden last weekend and will show pictures of the progress soon.

There hasn't been too much quilting happening, since my father-in-law is visiting from Texas.  My sewing room has a Murphy Bed, and when we have a visitor my sewing room becomes a guest room.   My husbands father is 90 years old and gets around very well.  Right now he is playing a round of golf.

Best of the Valley Purchases

Yes, this will be another sewing project for Miss Georgia.  I seem to make her a new skirt or pants or dress about this time of the year.  I will try to have ready for her Birthday party on May 1st.  I am going on a sewing retreat and should be able to finish along with her Vintage Sheet Ruffle Quilt.  My plan is to make the dress and ruffled pants first and the ruffled skirt next.

Georgia's Flip Flop Quilt!

Here I am with Miss Georgia at the "Best of the Valley"quilt show last weekend.  The Flip Flop quilt I made for her 4th birthday won a Third Place ribbon in the small quilt appliqued category.  She was so very proud of her quilt and the ribbon, she told everyone where to look at it.  She will be five years old on May 5th - how time flies by.  Seems like she was just a baby girl yesterday.

Gramercy Park Quilt

The Gramercy Park quilt is completed and on my bed.  Elaine Berry and I started this project at least two years ago.  Elaine finished hers last year and entered it into the Best of the Valley quilt show.  I finished mine just after the close for the call for entries for this years quilt show.  So I will have to enter into next years show.  I love the flowers and the colors of this quilt.  I used a bamboo bat this time and the quilt has a very light weight feel to it.  Bobbie Jones of Nipomo, CA long arm quilted for me and I just love it.  Bobbi noted to me that the bamboo bat caused a lot of lint build-up in her bobbin case, so she had to clean the bobbin case often.  Now I need to add a label.

DEXTER BOY!

My Jack Russell Dexter had a rear end problem this last week.  One of his glands was infected.  I took him to the vet on Thursday morning and they kept him for the day.  He had some surgery to drain the gland and his teeth cleaned.  They even trimmed his nails.  He came home with this cone on his head.  He is doing very well.  The stitches, drain tube and cone will go away on Monday AM.  It is amazing how animals adapt to changes.

Dexter Boy wants to chase the ball with Jacquee (his Mom) and Maggio (our other dog who is a big red dog).

Vintage Ruffled Sheet Quilt

Well I have a good start on the quilt I was so jazzed to make for my Granddaughters 5th birthday.  I have been trying to collect vintage sheets since last November.  I couldn't find any locally, so decided to look for them when I travelled to Texas over Christmas vacation.  And didn't have too much luck.  But when I mentioned my project to my sister-n-laws in Texas, they just walked into the next room at their homes and came back with a set that belong to Bobbie's Mom and Lynn had a set that belonged to my husband's mother.  And my friend Barbara brought me a sheet that she found at a thrift store in Fresno.  I also bought a new set of pink with little girls dancing on it with flowers that I decided to use for ruffles and the back of the quilt.  And now I wish I had keep some of my mom's old sheets.  Who would have know at the time I would ever have a need for them.

I got started on this Vintage Sheet Quilt quest after visiting Jodie Bissig's blog www.sew-handmade.blogspot.com.  Jodie uses vintage sheets to make quilts and I followed one of her references to the blog to make this quilt.  I ordered the pattern for $7.00 and began the search for sheets.

So far this I've made a mountain of ruffles and sewed them to about 1/3 of the quilt base, which is a flannel sheet cut to the size I am making.

Another Day In Paradise!

I'm laying in bed thinking about what today will be. I have been awake a little bit, but just can't get going. Maybe today will be a lazy day for me, but I think not. I have too many to dues on my plate right now like: taxes, the ruffle quilt, bulb planting, new tile floor for my kitchen, work, work, work.

Georgia will spend tonight, looking forward to her company. She is so in charge when she is here. I call it Georgia Time, you know like "Georgia On My Mind". She can be so sweet and so energic. She fills my home with joy.

Well I am ready to make this day happen. Thanks for reading my blog.

Vintage Ruffled Sheet Quilt

As some of you may already know my plan to make Georgia a quilt for every birthday until she turns 21.  I've been collecting vintage flower patterned sheets to make a ruffled quilt for my Georgia's 5th birthday on May 5th, Cinco de Mayo.  We always have so much fun at her birthday party, and yes we seem to favor the theme of the day, margaritas, chips and salsa, BBQ chicken, rice and beans, and a Pinata.  Last year I hosted the party at my house with a bounce house.  Georgia is already making plans for this years party.  She asked me to be thinking about a bounce house and a big cake with flowers and birds on it.  I guess I better get with the ruffled quilt pronto or I'll be late again.

When I was in Texas my sister-n-laws both gave me sheets that had belonged to their Mother and Mother-n-law.  So these are really vintage.  I have some sheets from my Mom too.  So I better get busy starting this weekend.

My Life!

Since my Christmas vacation to Texas I have been to Road2CA, Long Beach, and work, work, work. Work is good, my business - Morrison's Silkscreen and Embroidery has been very busy. I can see an increase in the customer traffic. So much so, we are now open on Saturdays to accommodate out-of-towne customers.

Road was so fun. I shared accommodations with three dear friends, and we all took the same 2-day David Taylor: Pictorial Applique. I made some progress with my project during the class, but have not touched it since. My hubby picked me up in Ontario and we finished the weekend in Long Beach at the annual ISS Show for screen printers and embroiderers. We stayed the night on the Queen Mary and had a lovely time. That Saturday night we had dinner at the San Pedro Elks Lodge. It was their fine dinning evening. We had the prime rib dinner with a full view of the harbor as evening set in. We watched a cruise ship take out to sea and it's fire works. Very special evening for us. On Sunday morniwe had had a very delious breakfast in the Promenade Cafe looking out over the Long Beach harbor. The weather in southern California was in the 80's and so enjoyable. We headed home to Hanford and coming down off the grapevine we hit a wall of fog. Ugh! I've been cold ever since.
Two weeks ago I lost quarter-round diamond out of my 6 ct diamond ring and my husband won $2000 at the Hanford Elks Lodge. Can't find the diamond, so we hare replacing the lost diamond and we are going to update the tile floor in the kitchen. I am not looking forward to the mess of taking up the old tile, but the new floor will be so nice.
Yesterday I traveled to Paseo Robles for my sister's grandson's, Dillon, 1st birthday. I traveled with my brother Ernie. We all have a great time. Dillon is so cute and starting to walk. I also delivered my Gramersy Park quilt top to Bobbi Jones, Dillon's other grandmother, who is a long arm quilter. I gave Bobbi full license to quilt my quilt as she felt appropriate.

Today, Steve and I purchased a gas grill and had a very yummy dinner tonight. I have been sitting in my sewing room doing this blog instead of sewing. Maybe the sewing will happen tomorrow.

Fredericksburg, Texas

We are on our way Fredericksburg and I am excited about taking the day to shop and see what we can see. I have not checked for quilt stores yet, but I will after this post. Steve wants to go to the Museum of the Pacific, which is going to be a lot of planes and military stuff. My sister in law Bobbi said we must find this candle place and climb the Enchanted Rock. I'm not sure about he rock climbing, but we will look into the possibility.

We are currently just outside of Austin looking for breakfast and gas. The sun is shinning and it is 61 degrees. A beautiful day for a drive in the countryside.