Friday, September 27, 2013

Just a little gratitude.......


Hey yall.
I got something to say.

Late today getting close to dark
Crickets already singing
Frogs croakin
Geese flying overhead
honking , I could almost hear the wind sailing through their wings
as they call “follow me”
Mama hen cluck clucking
Rounding up her biddies
Ready to roost
Then a cow bawls
And a calf answers
 Oh it’s the red cow with the new bull calf,
Then another cow bawls
It’s her twin sister calling her little heifer calf.
Mamas calling their babies close to their sides
So they can give them some nourishment to keep them through the night,
Water splashing in the troughs as I refill them
Brimming and cool, waiting, ready for the morning.
Snip my scissors go
Sharply through the thread
A tug and the gentle slide of needle and thread
Thoughts going around in my head
Grateful to be sitting there, water running, sun setting,
 cows bawling
Dirt on my jeans
A hole in both knees
So tired I can’t keep from yawning
A smile tugging at my lips
As I think about a man that rises each day
Ahead of the rest
Determined to do his best
To tend this land and these animals
Unaware of how tired he really is,
Happy to be able to work
Grateful to live in a nation
That allows him to be free
A nation founded in democracy
I rise to turn off the water
It smells so cool and fresh
A gentle breeze blows my hair
And I catch the sweet smell of hay
That’s been drying in the sun.
As my stomach growls
I head toward the barn
I can hear the clink of the wrenches
And a frustrated sigh
I turn and go to the shop for a light
Its gonna be another long night.
But my heart swells with joy
Thank God we are here in America
The land of the free
And the home of the brave.

Sometimes you just have to share what is in your heart.
xo jan
And this is what my scissors was snip snipping on:

Linking up with Kathy at Slow Stitching Sunday.
Check it out yall!
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Wednesday, September 25, 2013

WIP Wednesday and Lets Twist Baby!

I haven't been anywhere near my machine in the last few days. We've been out fertilizing pastures,
working on the litter spreader and chasing down spreader parts. But I have been squeezing in a little English Paper Piecing. More about this block later and let's just say I WILL be looking for some Bee mates!
But I finally received my Batiks and I 've got to find some time to get to work on these beauties:

It's time to do the Twist in the Let's Twist to the 60's with Batiks blog hop hosted by the grooooooovy Mdm Samm of Sew We Quilt  and our far out Mary What's happening Baby of I Piece 2 Mary. Here is our line up of Groovy Chicks just waiting to Do the Hustle:
September 25


September 26


September 27


September 30


October 1


October 2


October 3

October 4


Todays projects look outta sight! You just gotta go check them out! And I have to get busy gettin my groove on with those Rockin' Batiks!
And Thank Yall so much for all the LOVE on my Gracie Girl quilt!!
                                                                   Peace and love baby!
                                                                             Stay cool.
                                                                                 xo jan
Linking up with the ever fabulous Lee of Freshly Pieced. She's been turning Cartwheels yall!
And lets give a very warm welcome to two of my newest friends and followers;
Susan of The Bored Zombie and  Beth! Welcome to the farm ladies. Feel free to grab a tractor on the sidebar and plow along with us! xo jan
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Thursday, September 19, 2013

A Gracie Girl Finish, 100 Quilts for Kids, Please Vote and A New Calf!

UPDATE: Hey Yall!  The last time I checked "100 Quilts for kids" was at 82 98. The link is open until Sept 30th! So if you have made a quilt be sure to link it up asap!
 Also I decided to enter my Gracie Girl quilt in this week's contest at Quilting Gallery's "Quilts for teens". Voting is open until Monday. If you have a moment I would love your vote for my "Gracie Girl visits the Farm" quilt. You get up to three votes and a chance at winning some of the prizes for each vote! (Gracie Girl visits the Farm quilt is going for "100 Quilts for Kids") Thank yall and I hope you have a great weekend. xo jan
 
Hey yall. A few weeks ago I won a 10" stacker of Gracie Girl from Lori Holt of Bee in my Bonnet!  Gracie Girl is Lori's newest line that she and her daughter Kassidy Grace designed together.

These prints are just so adorable.


I used a double sliced layer cake pattern and 20 of the 21 squares.


I backed it with a gray tone on tone polka dot that I had in my stash. I just love the polka dot backing!


I started making blocks a few days ago and finally got the chance to finish it up.

I free motion quilted a simple stipple using a baby blue thread.

I had planned to take the quilt to the playground for a photo shoot, but I have been watching a new calf and cow all day while that handsome farmer hubby dude was at work.

So instead I settled for taking pictures around the house. And I had plenty of help!

I think she approves!

However I DID NOT approve of her walking on my quilt. I had to carry her to her coop and shut the door! Glad I haven't washed it yet.

Heck, I think it looked better with her on it!

Gracie Girl measures 36x54. I love the polka dot binding which I machince stitched to the front and stitched in the ditch on the front catching the back. This quilt is for "100 Quilts for Kids". Paying it forward yall!

This little quilt was so easy to make and I love the fun prints. The colors are gorgeous.
Thank you Lori and Kassidy!
And here is a picture of what kept me busy all day until it was almost too late to take pictures of my quilt!

He is a very large and healthy little bull.
(I tried to correct the red eye but it didn't work)

She is such a good mama! This was taken right at dark when I went to close up their coop.
Yall, I hope you enjoyed a little closer look at Gracie Girl. Oh and the 21st square that I didn't use in the quilt is this one:

I thought I could use it in a pouch or pincushion.
Yall thank you so much for stopping by. And please join me in giving a warm welcome to two of my newest friends and followers:
Brenda of Ladybug Dreams
and
Corina!
Welcome to the farm ladies!
Feel free to grab a tractor from the sidebar and plow along with us!
Folks, I hope these last few days of summer bring yall lots of peace and joy.
You'll find me trying to keep the hens off my quilts and chasing newborn calves.
xo jan
Linking up with the following fabulous linky parties:
Thursday threads at 627 Handworks
Needle and Thread Thursday at My Quilt Infatuation
Really Random Thursday at Live A Colorful Life
Can I get A Whoop Whoop? at Confessions of a fabric addict
Finish it up Friday at Crazy Mom Quilts

Check them out yall!

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Wednesday, September 18, 2013

Work in Progress and the Pin It Winners!

Hey Yall!
 I hope everyone had a chance to visit all the A-M-A-Z-I-N-G Blog Hoppers participating in the Pin--It Blog hop! This was the most fun blog hop ever! I loved all the creative pin cushions that was shared with us. And  I really got alot of new and fun ideas. Plus there were some great prizes being offered! So without further ado I have our two winners for the Scoot and Sugar and Spice Charm squares:
 True Random Number Generator 39
#39 wins the "Scoot" Charms
Your pincushions are wonderful! I really like your little sewing supply kit in the prescription bottle--I need to dig the one I threw away out of the trash(recycle bag)! Thanks for sharing 

 True Random Number Generator 119
#119 wins the Sugar and Spice Charms
I am loving your cactus! It looks so real, so creative! I like the sugar and spice fabric.
Congratulations Carol and Sue! I will email you for your mailing addresses!

Yall I also want to say a huge Thank you for visiting my blog during this hop! And for all the sweet and fun comments. I just love our online community.  And I have already started making plans for my project for the next hop "Twist to the 60's with batiks!" I haven't ever sewn with Batiks before so this should be a real challenge for me! I can't wait to see everyones projects! 
And I would like to share a little work in progress that I started the other week before we went to the hayfield.


 This is "Gracie Girl" by Lori Holt! It is such a fun line of fabric. And Lori's daughter Kassidy Grace helped design this line. It is very girly girly! ADORABLE! I hope to get back to working on this little quilt very soon!

 And I got these hexie flowers finished for a swap while we were out here:

I could sit out here and sew all day every day!

Yall I kept singing that old song "99 bottles of beer on the wall" only I replaced the words with
"99 Bales of hay in the field,
99 Bales of Hay,
load one up
take it to the barn
98 Bales of hay in the field!" etc.....
Sheesh... there was actually 120 but the barns are full and overflowing so we should have enough hay for the winter! One less thing to worry about!  We will probaly get another cutting and have enough to share some with our neighbors.They've got goats and horses. It has been a very sweet summer indeed. Even Mississippi was happy!

  Probaly because I stopped singing!
Yall I hope you have a great week planned with lots of singing and sewing! And congratulations to our winners!
And a very warm welcome to two of my newest friends and followers:
Deonn @ http://www.quiltscapesqs.com/ and
Vicki @ http://aquiltersmission.blogspot.com/
Welcome to the farm ladies! Feel free to grab a tractor on the sidebar and plow along with us!
Linking up with Lee at Freshly Pieced for WIP Wednesday! You should pop over there and see what everyone else is working on and share with us what you are up to!
xo jan 
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Monday, September 16, 2013

Peeps,Pin Cushions,Reading and Redwork!

Hey yall! I hope yall have all had a nice weekend. We spent the weekend finishing up the hay! Yippee! But , spending so much time in the hay fields does have its advantages!

yep - Lots of time to work on my hexagons for my swaps and other fun hand sewing stuff. You can take a girl away from her Sewing Machine, but ya can't take her away from her sewing! I got 6 hexies done this week. Much better than my usual two per week. And we spent this afternoon setting up my baby peeps in a new lot to use until they get big enough to free range with their mama!

Yall, they are getting so big so fast. They are starting to get their feathers.This one is so sweet and curious. I think its a hen.

Pretty sure this one is a rooster. He is so pretty.

The mama has been molting some but she is looking so much better. And she is SOOOO happy. She just sings all the time. We put their small coop inside of the large pen until they get used to it and get big enough to roost up off the ground. She had a hard time getting all 11 rounded up under her at dark!


yall I had a nice relaxing time late this afternoon sitting beside my baby peeps and doing some stitching on my Redwork. Of course these girls had to come see what I was doing.

Then these two characters had to come see what was going on! The one in front has been molting too.  Both of these girls I picked up off the highway where they had fallen off the truck heading to the processing plant. They were about 3-4 lbs then. Now they are huge. I try to keep them on a diet, but it doesn't work.

This one had to have a little extra attention. She is the one that usually follows me to the pasture and I usually have to carry her back. She loves to be held. I think she missed me when we were in the hay fields.

And I finally got time to read my new book that came the other day. I want to make EVERY quilt in this book, starting with the one on the cover. Sarah Fielkes' and Kathy Doughtys' quilts are amazing. They put a fresh new look on traditional style quilts. I mean look at the polka dots on top of polka dots! yummy!
I also did some maintenance work on my blog late Saturday. More about that later in the week. but THANK YOU to the ladies that came to my rescue when I was having technical issues. And I would like to remind yall that the Pin It Blog Hop  continues this week. here is todays schedule:
Yall I have never seen so many cute and creative pin cushions in all my life. Check it out! And if you haven't entered my giveaway, you may do so here. And Thank yall so much for ALL the sweet comments on my pincushions. 
I would love to also give a very warm welcome, as I hope you will,  to two of my newest friends and followers:
April King and Debra Kay Neiman! Welcome to the farm ladies! I am glad to have yall plowing along with us!
Now I am off to visit some awesome Pincushion Creations. I hope yall will do the same.
Linking up with :Slow Sunday stitching at kathy's Quilts.
        And I hope yall will take some time this week to do some stitching and hug a chicken!
                                                                             xo jan
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Thursday, September 12, 2013

Time to "Pin It" Pincushion Blog Hop yall and a giveaway!


Good Morning yall! Welcome to Day 3 of the "Pin It" blog hop. I was so excited when Mdm Samm
announced plans for this blog hop. I LOVE pincushions. And like most of us, I had a hard time deciding on what type of pincushion I wanted to make. We have been back to the hay fields and  I knew I needed something portable. So I cut out a few strawberries to take with me while we were in the fields. Strawberry pin cushions are as addictive to make as fresh strawberries are to eat!  Thus the empty pint container. And the giant Strawberry in the background is one that came with my vintage New Home sewing machine. I just couldn't resist showing it with my little strawberries.

 I really like the pindot fabric but I especially love the red tone on tone fabric. That fabric is a very pretty shade of red.

And the pink and cream reminds me of Strawberry ice cream.



I have always wanted to make a Cathedral Window. I love how this pin cushion turned out, but it is not perfect. I had a very hard time seeing where my needle was at while sewing the white trim back.


I love Pam Kitty Love fabrics.
And I wanted to make a little travel kit to take to the hay fields with me:

I used a prescription bottle.

It is just the right size to throw in my purse and it holds everything I need for hand sewing.
I covered the bottle with Pam kitty Love blackpolka dot and made a pin cushion onto the top of the lid. I keep one of the strawberries in the bottle to put the pins in from the lid when I am done using it. I love love this little kit. I can't wait to make some more.

And I love to use a "Needle Park" when I am hand sewing.

I am so bad about laying down my needle that I got in the habit of using a needle park or ring pincushion when handsewing. I loved making this one to match and I used tiny pom pom trim and a cute little red button. They are very light weight and easy to make.

I also made a larger pincushion from two of my Gingham hexagons:

I love the Nanny Bee.

And I recovered an older pincushion using yellow gingham that belonged to my great Aunt Louise and this is my Needle Park that I have been using when making hexagons.
She is just so sweet with her rosie cheeks and yellow umbrella.

Yall, I have had so much fun making these pincushions. And I hope you will check out the other fabulous ladies that are sharing today with me; 

  I would like to say a special Thank you to Kristen at Meadowbrook. She has been a wonderful cheerleader and I believe she is sharing a new pin cushion everday. And as always, a huge Thank you to Mdm Samm of Sew We Quilt. She works so hard to keep bringing us these fantastic blog hops to participate in. Always standing behind us......
And I would like to apologize. I have fallen way behind over the last couple of weeks visiting everyones blogs.
We have around 110 rolls of hay ready to haul home, but I hope to get caught up over the weekend.
So please do not be offended if I haven't visited or responded to your emails.
:)
Now, I hope you have enjoyed my little creations. And for being so patient with me I have a couple of prizes: A charm pack of  Riley Blakes "Scoot" and a  Pack (22)  of Riley Blakes "Sugar and Spice".  

Sorry for the terrible indoor photos.

To be eligible for the drawing, please leave a comment below stating which fabric you prefer if you have a preference. Followers, new or old, get a second entry just let me know that you are a follower.  International entries are welcome. And please make sure I have your email address if you are a no-reply blogger.

And now I would like to give a very warm welcome to two of my newest friend and followers:
Heather
and Dianne.
Welcome to the farm ladies. I am so happy to have yall plowing along with us!
Now , I would like to leave yall with one last pin cushion. this is probaly my favorite and is a gift for my daughter. She loves houseplants and I figure this is one that I won't kill when she is off travelling and I am taking care of her plants:
A Saguaro cactus. Made with Architectures fabric.
Boy these things are "prickly".
I hope yall have a quilty non prickly kind of day!
xo jan

"Pin It" yall!

Entries are now close for the giveaway! Thank yall for participating and good luck!
xo jan


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Friday, September 6, 2013

Fall-ing for this Flimsy.....I think...

Happy Friday Yall. I hope you have been having a good week. If you happened to have stopped by my blog in the last day or so, you would have heard me whining about a jelly roll I was working with. It is Sandy Gervais " Pumpkins Gone Wild".  Trust me, wild is the key word here.

Yeah. I don't know what to think either. Don't get me wrong, I love this line of fabric. But I am not sure the design works so well with this jelly roll.

I just did framed four patch blocks.There are alot of very busy prints in here.

No matter how I arranged or rearranged the blocks, ...busy, busy, busy.( You know, before this year I have only basically made four or ninepatch block quilts using only two or three colors. I am still struggling with color placement and contrast. I have SO much to learn!)

But, I am getting more used to this flimsy as I photograph it.

I LOVE that black polka dot fabric.


I really like this block too. I think this line is so cute. Definitely a fall quilt without being just Halloween. But this flimsy has more going on than "Carter has Liver Pills!"

It measures 48x56. I can't decide if I want to add borders or not. I had planned on a small brown grunge inside border with a wider outside border of the orange tone on tone fabric that is hanging next to it.  Then a black binding. But, there is so much orange already. The plain borders might give the eye somewhere to rest. (The green in the right side of picture below is too light.)
I am trying real hard to only use fabrics that I have in my stash. But, I also found online some of the main floral print that I would love to use for the backing.
It is the center block with the large floral on cream background in the picture below. Or I could just go with a grunge.

So, what do you think? Border or no border? Straight line quilting or allover leaves and loopy loos?
I don't know, but I think I am falling for this flimsy. I would like to say Thank you to Serena at Sew Giving. On wednesday I was ready to just set the whole thing aside, but she encouraged me to "keep ploughing, that I might be surprised at the outcome". I think she was right. So Thank You Serena!
And remember,



Pin It Blog Hop starts on Tuesday! My day will be on Thursday. I 've got to get busy and finish up my pincushions. Plus I may just have a wild giveaway to boot.
Also I would love to give a warm welcome to two of my newest friends and followers;
Karrie of I Know This Much Is True
and Charlotte.
Welcome to the farm ladies. I am thrilled to have yall plowing along with me.
Feel free to grab a tractor on the sidebar for your blogs.
Folks, I hope yall have a great weekend and that you find a flimsy to fall for.
xo jan
Linking to the following lovely places:
Needle and Thread Thursday
Thursday Threads
Really Random Thursday
Can I get a Whoop, Whoop?
Finish it Up Friday
TGIFF at QuokkaQuilts 
Check em out!
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