Whatca Workin on Wed

I am always late getting this posted. I guess I'll have to rough draft it on Tues and just up load it on Wed. I finished some projects that I was working on before my retreat.

This is a special candle mat. It was for a friend of mine for Christmas. Yep and she just got it last week. Most of my friends realize my short comings with deadlines and are forgiving. They always say the my gifts are worth the wait. My friend Cheryl got this gift because she will treasure it for a couple of reasons. First because it's handmade but also because I used my feedsacks to make it. The running stitch is done with the string that I pull out of the feedsacks. This is the before picture.


After I coffee stained it.


This is a flannel quilt I made for my niece. She's at college so I thought this would be a great to throw around quilt and still be comfy and warm.





Rondel was talking about a country store that had a room of 50% of merchandise. Well she live around me so I had to find it and visit. These are several of the things I bought. The stacking boxes are going to be for all the small electronics that lay around my house that don't boast prim. I'm not sure what I'll put in the long basket. Probably the hanging wheat on the end of the rack would be tall enough. And last but not least the homespun. It was only $3.00 a yard. I have a feeling I'll be going back for more.





It's been rain and freezing then snowing her today.They cancelled school and my girls have been home all day so I got little done. Maybe tomorrow before I go to work. I'd like to get some hearts made to go in my potpourri.

Be sure and visit Leslie at My Country Home to see what everyone else is working on and join in the fun and inspiration.


Until next time,
Rhonda

Quilting Retreat

This post will be short but I wanted to get something posted. I finished quite a few projects at my retreat this weekend. Most were in various stages of completion already. I don't want anyone to think I started and completed everything in 3 days.

Here are a few pictures of the gorgeous snow scenes we experienced.

We drove through these trees entering and leaving the camp. It was beautiful. This picture doesn't do it justice.
Thia was looking out our windows in the room where we sewed.

The next two pictures are of the "store" we set up. We bring in things we no longer want and someone else buys them at a reduced rate. Good for the buyer and the retreat.

We bring in almost anything. It doesn't have to be quilting related but most is. We have a ton of books brought in each year. This year my best purchases were.....drum roll please...



This book has 3 penny rugs in it. Can't wait to start them. I saw this book on an old post on Linda's blog. I was so excited to find it and pay only $1.00 for it.

The second was a cross stitch pattern of little samplers. It was neat. For a quarter I couldn't resist



So much for a short post. I will post my actual projects later.
Rhonda

Over the river and through the woods......

I didn't get anything posted for Whtcha working on Wed because it is taking time for my hand to heal. However I am going away for a 3 day quilting retreat tomorrow so I am posting a couple of the projects I'll be taking along to finish. I've been going to this retreat with my bee for about 13 years. My bee has kind of dwindled for the last couple of years since our kids were all small but we talk about getting together again. At least we all get together for this weekend and catch up. But we have someone else to cook for us. No phone to answer and even the cell reception is bad. We have to stand outside to talk and with it being 10 degrees I'm not doing that. My hubby is great with the girls so I have no worries there. 50 ladies attend this retreat all together. Some have been since the beginning some new ones come and go. It's a wonderful weekend. I hope to get a lot done. The retreat is in the woods at a Y camp so that's the reason for the title.

The first pictures are of a reversible tabble runner I'm making for a gift.



We have an auction of our handmade things on Sat at the retreat. I was working on a prim basket but that came to a screeching halt with the surgery. But this is the candle mat I may get done that was supposed to go in the basket. Of course it needs grubbied up and i'm probably not going to get to that tonight.


I was given these log cabin blocks by a friend who know I love old things. They are made of old clothing and the note that came with them says they were made in 1913-1914. They are right up my alley. I can't wait to get them sewn together. I wasn't sure that I wanted to change them by putting them together but I want to be able to enjoy them myself instead of hiding them in a box. They are all hand stitched together.

Close up of a block.

The seams are all chain stitched down so once I get them all seamed into a top I will either quilt them with the chain or just finish the seams then put it together and quilt it some other way. We'll see. No hurry.


I have 2 other projects I may take but my ambitions are always greater than what I actually accomplish on this weekend. Too much talking and too little sewing me thinks. Oh well it is my time away. Since I'm not driving this year it could be a motive to pare down what I'm taking.

More on Monday with lots of eye candy from the weekend.
Rhonda

Good things and bad things

I'll start with the good things. We had our BIL and SIL and their daughter Linda over for the Steelers game last evening. We didn't get to see Linda over Christmas because she was spending all of her time with her hubby who was to be deployed to Iraq Jan 2. Yep they've only been married 7 mo. (keep him in your prayers please). She is a sweet heart and look what she gave me for Christmas. It is so perfect for me.




I couldn't love it or her more. It's going to be a tough year for her and yet she thinks of me.

As parents we get the pleasure of watching our children grow up. Well I welled with pride and tears yesterday as our oldest daughter made a committment to Christ through baptism. It was one of the most overwhelming things I could ever have witnessed. To know that my 14 wanted of her own will to confess in public to a room full of people that Christ was her Lord and Savior. What more could we ask for as her parents?
This is Tori on the left and Emily on the right. Aren't they beautiful?? (No partiality here)



This is her 87 year old grandfather. He said it was the highlight of the service. My eyes were leaking again. It was great he could be there. He spends most of his time at the home with my MIL but he took time out to be with us. Bless him.


And here is my lovely daughter waiting to be baptisized as her youth pastor talked of her heart for God and people.



Now for the bad stuff. Well not bad just painfull.Here's the picture of the carpal tunnel surgery I had today. I'm just in so much pain but I'm forcing myself to move it like they said.

But you have to hear the typical Rhonda story. I had to be there at 6 AM and was finished by 7:30 am. By 9AM I felt fine so I drove an hour away to look for a prim store and an antique mall. Of course both were closed on Mon. By noon the pain had started. I was on the turnpike wishing to be home. But the pain was well worth it. Look at the magazines and the butter paddles I found. 20 issues of Early American Life. The butter paddles are well worn. I love them. I may stain them a little darker though.





Enough typing for me.

Rhonda

What to do on a dreary day in PA

It was a cold and rainy Saturday here in SW PA. We got a liitle snow last night but no where near what they hyped it up to be. Although other areas of Pittsburgh did get more. It was still a good day to stay in and work. I finished up some candles I bought right after Christmas.
I'm taking a chance and showing my workspace. It is alongside my laundry.It also houses the water heater and furnace too. I do everything here. Sew, quilt, candle making, dying fabric, etc. It is the catch all room.


I melt my wax in an electric frypan. It is just large enough and fits on my worktable. I like it too because the wax stays hot while I work.


You can see the whip I use to whip the wax on the right. The white votives in the front are the befores.

And after.....
These aren't done with the whipped wax. They are painted with spices.



I also did some bigger candles but I forgot to take the befores.These ones were done with the whipped wax.


My favorite painted ones. They are great as a single candle in a holder or grouped in 3s and wrapped in paper or with a homespun strip of fabric.


This was a good way to spend a dreary day. It still smells really good down here in the basement....cloves,cinnamon,pumpkin pie spice, nutmeg...................

I need a donation for our auction at our quilting retreat this coming weekend and I thought why not a prim basket. So it's off to work on a candle mat. I'll show the basket and it's goodies before I donate it.

Rhonda

Happy Birthday

I am reading quite a few blogs with New Years Resolutions on them. I'm not real big on resolutions. I make them in the morning and I've forgotten them by lunch. Its not that I want to forget its just that I get so caught up in things and old habits kick in. My only goal for this year is to grow closer in relationships. First with my God and Savior and then with my family and friends. I am a work in progress and I keep reminding myself of that.

This is the alligator cake Tori made for her birthday party. It is made of cupcakes. Emily got a cupcake book from my parents and we've been through it several times. We can't wait to try some others.




These are the pictures of her friends from church that came for her "party". Really to "hang out" and watch a movie with pizza and cake.



They are are great group and I feel blessed she has this group. It's hard to believe she is 14. I remember being 14. It's a tough age and I just pray for both my girls that we all get through it well.I am so proud of her and the young lady she is growing up to be. There are so many days she surprises me with just how thoughtful and intelligent she is. Happy birthday honey. We love you. Now stop growing and stay my "little girl"

It's great to be back blogging after all the computer problems. I did keep up reading and could do a little commenting from work...SHHHH don't tell.I am hoping to get back to completing some projects and get photos of them posted.

Have a blessed day.
Rhonda