Sunday, September 29th, 2013

[mellomayking]

Good morning all.

Boy, we were looking for the Ark yesterday! I don't think I remember it raining that hard since we have lived here in WA. I don't even know how much rain we got, but it was a LOT! I think more of the same is on the menu for today.

Not much going on in these parts. Just hanging out with DGS and DH this weekend. DGS informed me that he and Papaw were going to have "Brunch" today and then go to the movies. I asked him "what about me?". He said that I could just have Breakfast! LOL Guess this will just be a guy's day today.

Have not done a lick of sewing. Don't know why not...just still in a funk, I guess. Hope it passes soon. My quilting retreat is coming up in a couple of weeks. Need to get prepared for that.

I have been watching YouTube again....now I want to try canning! I know, I missed canning season. LOL I will do some research and maybe try it next summer. I don't know why I have never canned before. My mom canned every year for as far back as I can remember. Don't know why I waited 'til I was old to even want to try it. Those pressure canners look a little scary. I watched one video and she was using an "All American" canner. Boy, it was very intimidating-looking. I googled it and almost fainted when I saw how much it cost! Wowzer...guess I will stick to a good old Presto brand (and those still ain't cheap). Who knows, the urge to can just might disappear before next canning season...we'll see.

I saw where Izzy was talking about making her laundry soap. I made a batch last night, too. It was my first, although I had bought the supplies to make it a couple of months ago. (YouTube, again!) Anyway, I brought my son's and DGS's laundry home with me when I picked him up yesterday and as luck would have it, I used up the very last of my store bought soap. I whipped up a batch of the homemade kind and I must say that I am loving it. If anyone is interested, the supplies needed (for the recipe I used) are: Fels Naptha bar soap (or Zote), Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda, 20 Mule Team Borax, and a small tub of Oxyclean (or the generic Sun brand). You grate up the bar of Fels Naptha (use a food processor, etc) and grind it up to a powder, add one cup each of the washing soda, borax, and oxyclean. Process together for a minute or so and there you have it. You only use one tablespoon per load--two TBSP for heavily soiled items. That is the hard part...overcoming the urge to use more. Use 1/2 to 1 cup of white vinegar in the rinse cycle if desired. No, your clothes won't smell like vinegar when they are finished! You can find all of these ingredients in the laundry detergent aisle of WalMart.

This can also be made into a liquid, but I prefer the powder....takes less space for storage, etc. I have a front loader, HE machine and it works great. Some folks with a front loader only want to use a liquid. There are a ton of videos on YouTube on how to make the detergent. Most use the ingredients listed above, but you will also see some variations...

Here it is, after 2 a.m. and here I still sit. Guess I shouldn't have drank so much iced tea tonight! Well, I probably should head off to bed and see if I can fall asleep.

I hope everyone has a wonderful day today. Prayers for those in need and for everyone else, too. I sure do miss my QIAD family during the week. Hope we see a baby soon...poor Tia.

Hugs,
Mel

[suzette58]

Good morning Mel and those that follow.
Well, the dogs are happy with me. I got their quilt cut out. I am making a tumbler quilt. I bought a fat quarter assortment that had dark color doggie prints. I added some rust color and black from my stash. The dark colors will be better then their first one which is white. BIG MISTAKE! So today I will start sewing it. I have to get a loaf of bread going in the bread machine first then out to my studio. Next weekend is a quilt show at the Marine Corp Museum at Quantico Marine corp base. This quilt show is for Quilts of Honor. The quilts that will be on display will be given to service members both active and retired. My hubby is going with me. The show will have something for both of us. Well I am off to find something to eat and get the bread started. Have a great morning.

Suzette

[momof6quilts]

I'm making my own laundry soap too. I use a bar of Dr. Bonners orange scented soap and orange essential oils.

I called Tia last night...seems her baby just is waiting to come. So we wait.

I didn't do any sewing yesterday, but I bought an on line pattern this morning and that changed my mind completely on my Secret Santa gift

I have to get around for church this morning so I'll check back later.

1 John 4:7a Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God,

Vicky

[fabricgirl]

Good morning Ladies,

Nothing much happening here im looking over some of my magazines and have been makeing hexes folding laundry will help make a pot of sauce for dinnerbut thats about it.

Mel thats to funny no invite to the movies just breakfast.

Suzette what kind of bread are you makeing?

Well everyone have a great day.
Prayers go out to all in need.
Lois bbl.

[Tess]

Good Morning from West Virginia

Mel--I have wanted to make laundry soap awhile and just never got started. Thanks for the recipe. Walmart? They have everything. I was wondering where I'd find Naptha bar soap. I'll see if I can find it this evening.

Suzette--Yum I thought I could smell bread baking. Don't you just love those machines. My bread machine fizzled and we don't have bread as often. I can make it from scratch, but the machine works away while I'm busy doing something else.

I hope everyone has a wonderful day. Take Care

[KATHYSQUILTS]

Good Sunny Morning....

There's mist/fog dancing on the lake....beautiful. Well the table topper done, washed & on the table. I'll take photos of it and try to post it. Something I've never been able to do. I can't even get book on my Kindle...lol
Today I'll look for fabric for a topper for my SS & finally take apart my DD quilt so it can be machine quilted. Maybe some muffins.

Mell....I hope all that rain doesn't cause any problems for anyone. Hope the rain brings you the need to snuggle in & sew. Children do say the cutest things. Guys will be guys! I've always been attracted to canning. I've made Corn relish, bread/butter pickles, dill pickles & tons of jam. I sure do admire the canning ladies.

Suzette....you'll have the dogs quilts done in no time. How big do you make them? That sounds like a very interesting show.

Love & Prayers for all...............Kathy

[Chrissy1]

Suzette the marine quilt show sounds amazing. with Mo a fairly new Marine that would sure be something I would love to see, Quilters are such giving and caring people.
Kathyquilts no fog here today, but we do have a skunk dead in the road at the end of the block, ewwwwww.
I found this darling yard of Halloween fabric in my stash while looking for some pinks. It is really cute, I just have no reason why I bought it, didn't even remember I had it.
Cousin Heather is doing so well. She was even in her friends wedding yesterday, I am so proud of her strength and determination.
Myleshas joined little kids basketball . It is really tough on him but he loves it
Torrie is set and ready to get the surgery done on the third.
I got a call from my aunt Elaine last nite. My uncle cookie is in the hospital in the comfort care section. his darn old cancer is getting the best of him.
Have a great day one and all
I will you sunshine and flowers
PINK WARRIORS you rock. You all know who you are!!!!!!
Chrissy1

[grammiequilts]

Good Morning,,,I smell bread baking...I don't have a bread machine mine died too. never replaced it.

I have a basement pantry with about 10 bottles of laundry detergent...i bought on sale. never paid more than 3 bucks a bottle but when it is gone I will make my own too. It doesn't go bad. Might try scented soap but skip the essential oil..

Sorry there is no baby yet,,,,perhaps a slight miscalculation in days.

I finished the quilt I was working on just need to finish the label and binding today. Hope to get it to its owner tomorrow. I got the charms in the mail yesterday,,,3 days after ordering them. That company sure is good...that quilt will go together fast now too...then 2 tops to LA. I really do need the practice I am so rusty. I might make a kitty quilt to practice...just a sandwich with junk fabric to practice.. .
It is cool here looks like rain....when you gals in the west get rain it usually heads east to us. we shall see. I didn't watch the weather last night....just headed to bed a 11....got up at 8'15/ I am such a sleepy head lately...but i love sleeping..Ken was up at 6 I rolled over and me and the cat crashed for a couple more hours/

well off to get coffee and miss kitty some food. Ken is cooking something?????

Hope you all have a great day and please see the breast cancer quilt thread in PFTH....thank you. XXXOOO

[purrfect-lady]

Good Morning!

MEL - It sure was wet yesterday. We lost a huge maple limb in our front yard. It snapped our power-meter pole clean off and took down the power lines running to our house. We had to have a power crew come in. They tacked it back up in the tree and will be back Monday to fix it right because they were racing off to another call. An hour later we lost power due to a transformer that blew. I think in October of 2003 we had 7" of rain in 1 day. I remember we were in Europe and we heard it on the news over there. I've canned off and on my whole life - as my mom did. Neither of us ever used a pressure cooker, but just an old fashioned enamelware canner.

SUZ - what a good dog-mother you are! how big are you making the blankets? I thought the Quilts of Honor were for injured service men and women.

VICKY - How long will they let Tia go before inducing? She's like 9 days over now, isn't she?

LOIS - Well, at least you're keeping busy .. but sounds like not busy enough. Do you crochet, knit, cross-stitch, or bead? Do you like jigsaw puzzles? I have several I would like to do, but never take time from sewing. If I did, I'd work on my Ancestry.com site.

TESS - I've never had a bread machine. and whenever I make bread from scratch we end up eating a whole loaf in two days. So I pretty much quit baking.

KATHY - good luck posting photos. Photobucket keeps changing and finally yesterday we figured out you have to double click on "Create album" in photobucket - or it won't create the album. That site is an exercise in frustration.

CHRISSY - good for Heather! I'll probably be going through my pinks today, too.

We're in for another stormy day here. But the uglies and the laundry are all done so I'm free to spend it in my sewing room! I'll finish up my cabin set swap and then make some 12" pink blocks for the BC PFRH. If I get them finished, I'll move on to my Christmas swap blocks. My calendar blocks came yesterday. Every one of them is beautiful! And already finished, mailed, and arrived with the deadline still 2 days away! I think this must be some kind of record!

I hope we get a baby today!

mary z

[QuiltGram8]

Good Sunday Morning to all!!

Just watching the morning news, drinking coffee, and reading all these posts. Wow, the Northwest (Washington and Oregon) are getting pounded with rain. Hope it doesn't become a problem.

Making your own laundry soap. That brings back some memories of when my grandmother used to make homemade soap. I found a some brick of it when we were cleaning out the house to turn it all over to the kids.
I just don't use that much soap any more with just the two of us. We have two to three loads a week. A very small bottle of detergent lasts me for months.

I am going to do some house cleaning and maybe I will get the sewing machine out this afternoon. ???? maybe.

It is feeling more like fall. Leaves have not changed a lot yet. My little hummers are getting few and far between. I always hate to see them leave.

I found the thread yesterday about the pink and white blocks. Also, Teresa mentioned them in the October lotto blocks. I am going to look for some pinks and whites, while I go through my fabrics. It would really be neat to make a couple of blocks to donate. Surely we all have someone who has been touched by breast cancer. It is a neat way to pay tribute to them.

Well, ladies, have a great day. Hug your sweetie and say "I Love You!" often.

Velda