Stuff N Such

A few weeks ago I substituted for Laurie Simpson (of Minick and Simpson) at a workshop she was supposed to teach.  She got double pneumonia instead.  I joined Polly in Iowa at Heidi Kaisand's Hen and Chicks Quilt Shop and we had a great time.  To say "thanks you" Polly sent me a rug canvas for one of her rugs that I fell in love with.  It's awesome.  Now, all I have to do is find time to hook it.  I'd love to have it done by Christmas but I also have a few quilts to get done.  Life is so hard  :)

Then, the other day our UPS guy brought me a box.  Then I opened it there was this gorgeous wood box inside.  It's a portable sewing desk with a sandpaper board on the top.  You can kind of see the handle on the end.

And lots of room for storage inside.  

Laurie's husband Bill made her one years ago and she sent one to me.  

Thank you so much, Laurie and Polly.  You are 2 first class people as well as first class designers.

And speaking of designing, that's what I'm doing right now.  My pattern deadline is August 6th and I still have 1 1/2 quilt designs to go.  Here's a sample of the fabric line that will be showing at Fall Market.  The name of the line is Audra's Iris Garden and I will tell you all about it AFTER the deadline.

Back here, we are we're having a "Christmas in July (and August) Sale"  This week it's Christmas and winter books - Buy One, Get One (of same or lesser value) Free.  

The book sale 

is from July 25th

through August 1st.

Be sure to write the name of your free book (of equal or lesser value) in the "Comments" section. 

And lastly - quickly since I need to get to work doing patterns - (I just hate deadlines) - back to the "we live in a black hole" issue.  

The office is open each week Monday-Friday from 10:00-2:00 CST.  If you call during that time you should either get someone answering or (if Tori ran upstairs and forgot the phone) the answering machine.  IF THE PHONE JUST RINGS AND RINGS, it does not mean we're not here.  It means we're on the phone.  God bless CenturyLink for doing away with the busy signal.  

And once again, apparently we're not getting some emails.  I know we're not because I didn't get my Market contract pdf from Quilts, Inc.  Rose says she sent it and I believe her.  Thank God for Moda Lissa who looks after the designers.  So I will be going to Fall Market.  

Anyway, we do check the email 2 - 3 times daily.  If you aren't getting answers try the gmail attached to the blog.  I hate it because  it's confusing to use - I can't print things out - cloud printers?, etc but I usually do get the emails.  At least I think so.  And then we can check and get back to you.  

Have a great week ladies.  It's only going to be in the high 90's here.  Some relief.  I'm still ready for a hard freeze.  And reindeer and snowmen and kids in snowsuits and ....................

Today she brought a friend :)

I guess that good news travels fast........

And occasionally the wild birds get some of the bird food too!

Instead of blogging

I teach a couple of Girl Gangs and one of them met at my house last Saturday.  Toni remarked that I hadn't blogged much lately.  She's right - I've kind of been a lousy blogger.  

Here's what's been keeping me busy.

First, I've been watering the garden.  We have raised beds and they have to be watered twice a day.

We've had lots of visits from grandchildren.  Cullen and Quinn live in the city and come to the farm every week or two to run around and go crazy, visit their cousins, go to the swimming pool in town and adopt kittens.  This one went home with Cullen.  Someone abandoned it in town by Kelly's apartment. It crawled up over the wheel well and under the pickup bed.  Luckily Zoie heard it meowing before they drove the pickup and crawled in the space to rescue her.  Blueberry and Cullen are best pals now.  (He's really not choking her, he just likes to hold her that way and Blueberry is fine with it.  She clings to him wherever he goes.)  

And I water the garden.

Then there's corralling Spike and Yoda when Yoda comes to visit - which is often.  Yoda lives with Zoie in Cameron in an apartment.  The first couple of hours they're here Spike and Yoda run up and down the drive, around the barn and chicken yard and back to the house.  Then they come inside and tear around in here until we make them go back outside.

And I water the garden.

Somewhere in the middle of the day, I  check the water in the birdbath behind the house.  Our deer has been drinking all the water every afternoon when she comes for her snack at the birdfeeder bench.  I also doublecheck the chicken yard to make sure they all still have water.  

And I water the garden.

I told Pep this morning that if I didn't love my flowers and fresh vegetables so much, I would stop watering the garden.  I am ready for a hard freeze already.  And I may have to stop anyway soon.  They're starting to restrict water in town.  I'm glad I water by hand as it uses much less water that using an overhead sprinkler.

Speaking of a hard freeze, I got Samantha Snowglobe out and decided to put the kit on special for 30% off for a week.  Maybe her snowflakes will bring cooler temperatures and rain.  :)

Deuces had found a good way to cope with the heat - take a nap on the couch in the house.  I may have to go join him.