What has been going on in my life since I last blogged.

August 21st , the blacksmith and his friends went on their annual muzzle loader squirrel hunt. It's been a tradition for like the last 42 years.

So while the mouse is away, the cat plays. Here I am with my BFF, shopping in a cool vintage shop. This is a swing she bought. I stripped it and she repainted it. It is a swing for her grandson, Lane. 

 August 27th, these are my 5 foot plus Zinnias. Suppose to be 24-36 inches tall!

August 30th, the ladies I quilt with every Tuesday morning had a quilter's lunch. The decorations were as adorable as these ladies are.

 September 17th, We did the Columbia Heritage Festival. 

 The grands always come by for a group photo too!

 September 29th, goodbye 2005 Jeep, you were good to us. 

 September 30th hello NEW 2016 Jeep Patriot. This is our 3rd jeep we've owned. 

October 7th, we went with friends to the Lathrop Missouri Steam engine grounds. I took this beautiful sun/church shot. It even surprised me!

 My BFF Margie tied brooms most all day Saturday. 

 October 10th, the beginnings of a new quilt.

 Another piece for the patriotic quilt. More to come. . . 

October 17th,  It was one last boat ride on the Osage river with friends Tim and Rita. 

 Sadly the last ride of the year . . . .

 October 21st, we took the grand kids to Mennonite country for apple days. 

This was not our apple wagon! I only bought a bushel and it cost $9.00 The apples, any variety were .27 cents a pound.

 Some apples went home in horse and buggies. 

 October 27th, the daughter in law took some family pictures. 

 The Missouri grand kids!

Connor, the oldest Florida grandson, proudly shows off his Captain America costume.

Logan, the other Florida grandson is praying hard that he will get some good candy. So cute for only 18 months old. 

Our son in law, Rusty, took the boys trick or treating and look who answered this door? Joey Fatone. Yes, he's their neighbor. 

Lizzie and her second cousin are BFF in school, same classroom even. They both happened top be at our house trick or treating at the same time. 

 Clark Kent, I mean Alex shows off his costume. Isn't he adorable?

Alex's dad, our silly son, shows off his costume, I think he trick or treats for beer?!?!

November 5th, we took a little trip with our friends Phil and Margie. 

 The next morning we had a nice breakfast at the "Bank" in Doniphan Missouri. 

The original vaults were still there, and in working condition. 

 The "Bank".

This says it all!

Picked these from the garden November 7th. (We didn't even turn our furnace on until November 20th!)

One day we took a 4 wheeler ride with friends through the forest. Here we are listening to Tim, the tree guy explain what we are seeing, including paw paw trees. 

 Home sweet home!

 November 12, I took 7 year old Lizzie to a Case for smiles pillowcase sew-in.

By the time it was over she was even making her own hot dog to sew (It's a pillow case term) 

 She made 16 cases. 

She did out sew everyone here. However I will say, I helped her, by pinning and ironing, when all the other ladies did their whole thing.

 I found this cute little pattern for a spool holder, on vintage Singer sewing machines. 

Speaking of vintage sewing machines,  . . . yes I broke . . I bought another one. It's a cool Singer chain stitch machine. My friend Phil, spent more hours than he will admit getting it back to working condition. Thank you Phil! 

#20, but who's counting?

 November 19, Brady gets himself a buck!

Here is the patriotic quilt, waiting to go into the frame. Yes it will be hand quilted  at St Margaret Church, Osage Bend, Missouri!

 Odelia and I pin it into the frame. 

November 21st, we pulled turnips and made 2 - 6 gallon crocks. It will take about 10-12 days to ferment. I will then can it.

November 25th, I made Lebkuchens. They really need to age, so they were iced and stored in a tin.

That folks is what I've been up to, plus a so much more. Hope everything is good with you all. Life is good here.

Patti 

Sewing for Cancer

Summer is drawing to a close for the kids. Soon it will be back to school. So I found a project Lizzie (our 7 yr. old grand daughter in case you didn't know) could work on. She loves to sew on my 1931 Singer hand crank machine.  I had gotten an email from Specialty Quilts about a Yo-Ho-Ho treasure hunt sewing project. It was to sew pillow cases for kids with cancer. I had done this before at Christmas time using all holiday fabrics. 

So off we went to the store. Lizzie picked out a package with 2 pre-cut borders. (Of course that in itself was a hard decision). After signing her name to the "Pirates List", she had to match "body" fabric to coordinate with the borders. 

I explained to her that these would be given to children in the hospital suffering from cancer. Lord we know what that is, we have buried two from our family this summer with cancer. Our great nephew Bradley was only 15 when diagnosed with stage 4 Ewing Sarcoma, summer of 2014. He passed away this May just shy of his 17th birthday. Then in July we lost our brother in law at the early age of 57 to pancreatic cancer. And we have a sister in law who is in hospice now from lung cancer. 

Lizzie was more than willing to sew for these kids. She even commented when picking out the fabric if a baby or a big kid would like it. 

Don't you just love how she can cross her legs while she sews. Bet you and I can't do that!

 Such concentration!

Here she proudly shows off her two pillowcases. We will return these next week where she will be given a reward for sewing them. Chances are she will ask to sew more.

Just listen how peaceful it is to sew on this machine. (The tongue out might help too.)

If you'd like to know more about sewing pillowcases for cancer go to Ryan's Cases for smiles.

After we finished the cases it was time to make some blackberry jelly. Lizzie's other grandfather who is 87 picked all the berries. 

I can't believe their summer break is about over. 

A gathering

To read the first part of the story, go to Osage Bluff Blacksmith blog.  While there become a follower too!

Here's just a few more pictures from a my view of the time spent at Hank and Bonita's.  

This vintage Airstream is to die for. If only the walls could talk. I knew both of the previous owners who were wonderful blacksmiths. RIP Francis Whitaker and Tom Clark. Oh to have this and to restore it would be so cool.

 Meet Hammer, he's a little shy on this side, all 100+ pounds of him.

 This side shows a face begging for some attention. He's a Rhodesian Ridgeback.

My friend Bev is trying to tell me to push the button when we are trying to take a selfie to send our friend Margie!

  We had a great place to camp, friend's fully equipped driveway!

 On our way home we stopped at Klein's Restaurant in Rosebud Missouri.

 CAKES!

 PIES!

 CREAM PUFFS!

 COOKIES!

An ANVIL!  Sorry didn't mean to yell that, but the blacksmith was pretty impressed with it being at the front door.

What a great time we had. Wish you were there!

Things I've been working on.

What a challenge I was given!

 It called for some hand piecing. (I normally don't do hand piecing.)

It had some real challenges, including the maker had cut it off crooked. I can say this with confidence that it was not straight across!

I however persevered, added a green border, then a big white border, after all it had to be at least queen size. 

It was then hand quilted. (By friends and myself) Something old, something new. I think it turned out perfect.

A chicken felt table runner made for my friend Margie! (she will love seeing her name on my blog)

This one is still a work in progress. I want to add more onto the sewing machine end. I'm keeping this one for me.

This friend wanted a baby quilt with a beachy theme. The fabric on the back is adorable. The back matches her embroidery work perfectly.

Turquoise and pink was requested for this one. If you blow the picture up you will see the fabric had chickens to match the embroidery work. Both of these were machine quilted. (I used a 1919 Singer 66 red eye and a 1952 Singer 15-91 to quilt these).

These quilts I made 5 years ago for sisters. (You can read about it here.) Times have changed, beds have gotten bigger, mattress thicker and they no longer fit. So they asked me to add a ruffle. I was skeptical at first. But in the end, I loved the way they turned out!

See you later!

Florida April 2016, someone turns ONE

Florida times means grandsons time!

It was some beautiful weather this time, maybe because our son in law is a meteorologist and he only orders us good weather?!?

Everyday grandpa would pick oranges in the backyard and make fresh squeezed juice. Connor thought that was a real treat. It seems his parents get their juice in a bottle at Publix! LOL

Here the boys are playing with a toy from their second cousin who is now a Navy seal. Old toys were made to last!

Every time this little guy hears music he started to dance. You should see him rock to Big Bang Theory theme. He knows to raise his arm at the end of the song. 

 I think the dog might have been a little jealous.

 This might be our last good bye photo at this house, as they are house hunting for a new home. 

 A beautiful afternoon to play outside. 

 Birthday party!!!  Grandpa asked for a bite and got it.

 Logan was not afraid to dig in. 

It's not a horse, but he knows how to ride 'em!

Until next time . . .see you on facetime boys. Love you to the moon and back.