Once again I am way past due to update.

We had the best Thanksgiving EVER!  My kids got to see all of their aunts and uncles and first cousins and grandparents on both sides of the family.  We live in Ohio with one Grandma and aunt.  The rest of our family lives in Indiana, Michigan, Massachusetts, Florida, DC.  On thanksgiving day we had hubby's side of the family, plus our "adopted" friends that are like family at our house.  16 people for dinner and I loved every minute.  My kids were troopers and cleaned like fiends to help me get ready.  (Wish it still was clean but you can't have everything!).

Here's a pic of the family at my house.

The day after thanksgiving we packed all 6 of us in the car and drove to South Bend, Indiana to see my parents and brothers and their families.  It was WONDERFUL.  If, by any chance, anyone is reading this we love you all!!  Here's a pic of some of the cousins in a group hug

And one of me and one of my brothers.  I love it because it makes me look more "petite" if possible.  I'm 5'11" so I rarely look like anything but a giantess unless I'm with my family!

I really have been sewing.  This is something I made my SIL a few years ago that she had displayed at her house.  I found the pattern and enough fabric to make myself one when I cleaned my sewing room.  I need to get on that!

Chunky houses for craftster swap.  First up is the gnome one I made for knickertwist.

The back:

The front:

Here is the one I made for amaryllisroze.

This is actually the back:

The front:

The back of alteredmommy's house:

Bad scan of the front with a "five" for her "new" age:

The back of the little Christmas house I made of IllusionsOfNormal

ho ho ho!:

The front:

Sew, I have been sewing some but now it's time to get the holiday cards out, do laundry and get the decorating finished.  Oh yes, and wrap presents before the kids start peeking in the bags.  Maybe I should finally finish the stocking I started when I was pregnant with my youngest.  He's 12!

My wonderful hubby has already spoiled me by getting me an early present, a blackberry curve!  Probably got tired of all my "Craaaaackberry" comments when he is on his.  At least now I can check my email when the kids are home.  They have a knack for hogging both computers.

Peace and joy to all!  Jenni

Chunky page and Thanksgiving

Seamstress chunky page , originally uploaded by gingerquilts.

I thought I would show a pic of the chunky page I made for crafty_dame in the IYP (invite your partner) swap. I wasn't happy with the arms, wishing I had done something clever for hands but I ran out of time. I love those little boot beads I got at Hobby Lobby.

I cleaned my crafty room! I cleaned my crafty room! We can actually go up on the third floor and not leave with floss, thread and fabric bits clinging to the seat of our pants (or worse). I'm not ashamed now for the kids to take their friends up, either.

Until I start the next project, anyway.

I can't wait until my partners receive their chunky houses I did for craftster. I'm very pleased with the ones I made and can't wait to see what I receive. If you add me as a "friend" on flickr you'll be able to see them early.

Feeding my family of 6 PLUS 10 more for thanksgiving. I'm off to pick up all the goodies. The turkey is defrosting in the fridge and I'm anxious to get the pies made. Hope everyone has a fabulous holiday!

Sacred Heart Quilts

Here is a picture of the sacred heart quilt that I sent to crafty_dame for our Invite Your Partner Swap on craftster.org.  I hope she loves it as much as I love the bag she made me in my last post.  I've made several sacred hearts.  My first was a postcard I sent as a thank you several years ago.

I also sent another sacred heart quilt to stifflersmom.  

I really should make one to keep around here sometime!

Still fighting my cold but feeling better after the antiobiotics have started to kick in. I'm going to go spend some quality time in my craft room to try to tame the beast. I am far too embarrassed to show before pics. I think I'm going to have to clean up better as I go and quit collecting oddball stuff for things I want to make "someday"! I have a lot there to keep me busy for the entire year of 2009. I feel a New Year's resolution coming on!

Piece and Peace to all,
Jenni

Vinyl Bird bag looove!

Vinyl Bird bag from crafty_dame, originally uploaded by gingerquilts.

Look what I got from crafty_dame! It's gorgeous and I love it. She also sent me a checkbook cover and some yummy canadian candy. The candy didn't last long with me and my two boys!!

I haven't been too crafty. I am cleaning and organizing my craft goodies and all my ufo's (oops, I didn't realize there were sooo many!). In between dragging it all out and spreading it all over to organize it my cold kicked in. Probably aggravated it with all the dust. Anyway, I've been sick enough to not want to budge or do anything. DH finally succeeded in getting me to go to our local First Care (doc in a box) and I got antibiotics. I had really hoped they would have worked in one day (imatient, I know) but I really couldn't do much but sit on the couch and drink mass quantities of tea and water. I'm sure I'll be perfect tomorrow and ready to conquer the crafties AND thanksgiving. I did make it to the turkey farm yesterday to pick up a 22 pounder. That ought to feed the 16 folks we have coming.

I am in a chunky houses swap on craftster.  I have two sides done, a front and a back but have four total houses to make.  Hopefully I can make a little progress tomorrow after cleaning MY MESS.

Speaking of craftster.org, I am honored that my Big Mac costume was mentioned in the craftster.org blog as a notable costume.  I know my little "big mac" loved it!

Off to get more tissues and tea.  I hate being sick.  I've decided not to do it anymore.  If only it were that easy!

Piecefully, Jenni

Want Fries with that?

Cheeseburger Costume, originally uploaded by gingerquilts.

I made my son a cheeseburger costume to wear to school for Halloween. His name is Mac. He's a "Big Mac". Get it?!! I also made a couple little quilts for craftster swaps. Batgirl has received but crafty_dame hasn't. I will post some pictures of them when they have both received. You can check out my flickr site for more cheesburger pictures and a mini tutorial. I also posted it on Craftster in the DIY costume challenge. Such fun!

Here's a bad pic of the quilt I made for batgirl 

Alive and Kickin'!

Here's a picture of the tree that fell across my stree a few weeks ago during the windstorms we had after the big hurricanes.  It took out a power pole and left us without power and cable for a few days. We lost some food in the fridge and freezer but were lucky that was all.  Another huge tree fell by the schools my boys attend.

I'm still here, and still living the "football mom" life.  I also have a senior daughter and one in college so there is college prep and college "pep talk" time, too.  Three more weeks of football  games then maybe some "all star" games for youngest DS.

I'm thinking lately that "gingerquilts" wants to be "gingerknits".  I received some "knitpicks" yarn from a swap partner last December with some koolaid packets and some dying instructions.  I really want to learn to knit socks that fit my lovely long (big honkin') feet.  I'm thinking a "dye job" might be in my future!

In crafty notes, I have started two swap projects for my Craftster partners, batgirl and crafty_dame.  I can't show them yet, to avoid spoiling the surprise, but it is good to be inspired and spending time in my crafty space.  I have been loaning my big table to the football quarterback club so I only have a small table to work on right now.  Our last home game is Friday.  Hopefully we will remember to pull it from the shed so I can have a larger space for sewing!

I was bad and bought some yarn from ebay this week.  I want to make some felted purses.  I hope it will even felt!  It's 100% wool so I'm thinking it should.  I've only knit some straight boring scarves before.  The last thing I need is new project materials and tools.   I have enough fabric and ideas for hundreds of sewing projects.  I have several rooms that need to be painted.  My kids need to eat EVERY DAY! lol.

I wanna knit.

I must be nuts!

Shame, shame, shame

Yikes. Over a month since my last post! I've been doing the very busy mom thing and no quilting or sewing other than mending this and that for people. I have three back to school, two in high school and one in his first year of middle school. The college student is busy packing up. She goes back to school on Saturday. Next Monday is reserved on the calendar for SEWING all day! I need to get everything set up again so I can go sew whenever I have a few minutes. My DD takes over the third floor (my sewing area) when she is home.

Let's see, what has been going on since I last posted?

• Football - DS1, a sophomore has played two JV games. He gets to dress for varsity. He just told me he will play on a special team for Varsity on Friday! (Kick return). I'm so proud. I keep telling the other kids I need a cowbell to take to the games but they won't let me have one. He dresses on Friday nights and plays on Saturday mornings.




• More Football - DS2 is in 6th grade and his last year of biddy league (thank goodness!). He has had two games, which they won, and is looking forward to the rest. He gets to play offense and defense this year, which apparently is the best thing EVER (next to the new cell phone). Life is good when you're 12! He plays every Sunday. That's right folks, football every Friday, Saturday and Sunday!!! Two weeks down, eight to go. DS2 will probably play all-stars again which will prolong the season.




• Decorating-DH went on a bike trip to Canada last week and I decided to redecorate my bedroom. Four kids, a dog, a cat, school starting and football, football, football and I decide this was a good idea! Reserve my room at the "funny farm" please. I was up EVERY night until 1 am but it is done, and beautiful. It used to have magnolia wallpaper everywhere. Now, after painting the ceiling, woodwork and repapering it is white on white. I put up some pretty slate blue curtains I found at Pier 1 to complete the look. Now I just need a quilt. Or two or maybe even three.

Ugh. I tried posting a picture but my photobucket picture won't behave correctly and I'm clueless as to what to do. I'll try to post a picture of the "before" and "after" as soon as all 400 of the football pictures I took last weekend load onto the other computer.

That reminds me! I bought a new camera!! It is a digital Canon Rebel XT. I had an old Canon Rebel 2000, a 35 mm film version and loved it. My good friend is a photography nut and was upgrading her camera to the newest model so she sold me hers. I can use my old lenses but am researching new ones. I don't really want to spend too much money since I just bought my fancy shmancy sewing machine and have been adding new feet every month. I used the money from selling my old viking sewing machine to buy the camera.

I'm off to do laundry for DD1 to help her get ready for college. Otherwise we'll either never be ready or will be packing at 2 am on Saturday. I'm going to miss DS1's JV game but will hear all about if from DH I'm sure. Maybe I'll let him use my fancy camera for the game!!

Wish I was piecing. Hope you are!

Jenni