Hitting the Road

The next time you hear from me, I'll be here.
Come on dogs. It's time for a vacation.

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On 08/21/2013, Barbara Anne said ...

How marvelous! I hope your destination site has lots of lovely shops, tea rooms, and other places full of delicious morsels or eye candy. What shall you find or purchase to bring home?!

Happy trails to you!!

Hugs!

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On 08/21/2013, Joanne said ...

Leave it all behind and have a great time!

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On 08/21/2013, Thelma said ...

Woo Hoo, enjoy every minute!!

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On 08/21/2013, Pesky Patti said ...

Have a wonderful time. And be safe...

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On 08/21/2013, Jan said ...

Have a terrific, rejuvenating time away! Bon voyage!

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On 08/21/2013, Sandy said ...

You go girl. Have a ball!!!
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Addendum to Paint Chips

After some more ardent searching, I found a few photos of paint chip projects I have done in the past. Here they are.

A pink bookmarker

A blue bookmarker

A yellow bookmarker

Froggie tags for a tag swap

Chips for holding inchies from an inchy swap

Insert for altered book round robin

Here's the book. The altered paint chips are inside the
heart pocket on the right.

And there you are.

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This post was migrated from the old blog. To see the comments on the original post, CLICK HERE. To add a new comment, click "Post a Comment", below.

On 08/20/2013, Barbara Anne said ...

I am in paint-chip love. Thanks for these stellar ideas (where did you get the charming little old-fashined girls?) and the links for the paint chip projects. Not that I can make any as lovely as yours because you are the queen of that skill.

Be still (or slow down) my racing heart!

Hugs!
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A Chip of a Different Color

There is a place in every Lowe's, in every Walmart, Target, Home Depot, hardware store, or any place that sells stuff to gussy up a house that is a magic land of treasure for any artist or lover of color. I can rarely ever pass by these eye-catching displays without copping a few samples. In fact, I have a plastic bin full of them that I have collected over the years.

I have used them to make bookmarkers, artist trading cards (ATCs), and other paper arts and crafts and altered art projects. And since I don't seem to be able to lay hands on any of them right now, below is a photo of some paint chip bookmarkers I found on Pinterest.

Mine are prettier, but I must have given them all away.

The other day, I was in Walmart and I happened to pass by the paint chip display without a thought in the world of taking any.
Then these caught my eye. 

Now I've seen paint chips with photos before. But none quite this charming.

Especially this one.

And of course I had to have the red one...

...and this blue one featuring a beautiful hydrangea.

Do any of you collect paint chips? Have you used them in any art or craft projects? If you'd like to get in on the fun, here's a site with crafts projects made from paint chips. Or just google "paint chip projects" or "paint chip crafts" for more ideas.

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This post was migrated from the old blog. To see the comments on the original post, CLICK HERE. To add a new comment, click "Post a Comment", below.

On 08/20/2013, Barbara Anne said ...

Yes, I have a similar stash of gloriously colorful paint chips just 'cuz and have used the happier never-paint-walls-this-color ones as bookmarks.

I am seriously headed for Walmart as I have never seen such wonderful paint chips as these you've shown.

Hugs!

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On 08/20/2013, Pati E. Beck said ...

Reading your blog reminded me of the challenge a few years back that our quilt guild did....we each had to find three paint chips that the color name started with the same letter as our initial in our name such as PEB..then we had to make our challenge quilt using the same color of fabric as our paint chips.
We had a great response and very fun quilts.

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On 08/20/2013, Jackie said ...

I collect paint chips too! But I haven't made anything with them yet. I love your bookmarks - so pretty. How about those commercials with the paint chips? How clever those folks are. I've never seen the ones with photos but I'll be looking for them now. Thanks for the inspiration.
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Mystery Solved

The Nancy Drew lap quilt, "The Mystery of the Double Disappearing Nine Patch," is finished. I got the last of the binding sewn down yesterday. Many thanks to my friend Lena Colley at New Traditions for the great job of long-arm quilting. I'm ready for some nippy weather now. I can snuggle up with a good book or a movie and several furry creatures under this new quilt and stay toasty warm.

With all the clouds and rain, we've already been having some pretty cool temperatures. I think highs were in the 70s all last week, but we'll be seeing some 80s, even high 80s, this week if the weatherman's forecasts prove true. I, for one, have loved the cool weather; but I know there are some sun worshippers among us who have been missing the rays. Maybe they'll get some this week.

"The Mystery of the Double Disappearing Nine Patch"

For the backing, I used the leftover 10" squares from the
Nancy Drew layer cake.

Gotta go check on my chicken now.
I'm making chicken and dumplings for dinner.

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On 08/20/2013, Linda said ...

Very pretty! I bought some Nancy Drew precuts and fabric a few months ago, thanks to your inspiration. Even though we are moving, and all my quilting stuff is packed away, I am bookmarking your finish so I will be reinspired in my new space!

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On 08/20/2013, Barbara Anne said ...

Love your ND quilt and the quilting and binding are added delights! Applause, applause!!!

I've finally finished all 3 tardy table runners, binding and all. Next is wrapping them and readying two to mail and 1 to deliver - all in the same year. Did you hear me whooping and hollering in jubilation?

Hugs!
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Candy Cane Dip Recipe

Candy Cane Dip Recipe 

Ingredients
8 oz Cream Cheese
13 oz Marshmallow Creme
5 to 7 Candy Canes
Instructions
Mix well the soft cream cheese and marshmallow creme together.
Crush the candy canes in small pieces and add it to the mixture. Mix all together and serve.
Notes
Perfect for neighbor gifts and Christmas parties!

Go, Grannies, Go!

Here are Granny Numbers 71-80. That means forty more to go until I have enough for the quilt I want to make. Two-thirds of my blocks are complete. It's all downhill from here.

But painwise, things are looking up. Since Friday, I have been staying off my feet for most of the time, alternating ice packs with heating pad on my back, and taking my Meloxicam the way Dr. N. ordered it. The pain, although not completely and utterly gone, is much better than it has been in weeks. 

I just have to keep reminding myself of limits. For instance, today I cut out and sewed together two granny blocks. That's enough. My back is still not hurting, but it's beginning to feel a little tight. So I'm going now to lie down and do another cold/heat rotation.

I hope everyone is having a great weekend.

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On 08/18/2013, Barbara Anne said ...

Applause, applause on the newly completed Grannie blocks!! This is going to be one delightfully colorful and happy quilt thanks to your fabric choices. It will perk up many a gloomy day to come.

Cheers for your wisdom in stopping before the pain starts, too.

We've had rain since yesterday evening and today is still overcast and dripping.

Hugs!

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On 08/18/2013, Dolores Tanner said ...

Slow and easy wins the race, right?? And acknowledge it may be frustrating at times :) Take Care

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On 08/18/2013, Teresa said ...

Do you have a "trick" for getting your points to line up so perfectly? I loathe working with patterns that have so many points, and I'm a perfectionist, so it becomes very time consuming! LOVE this quilt you are working on, but just thinking of all the points you will have to line up when you sew it all together gives me a major headache - LOL!!

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On 08/19/2013, Susan Ramey Cleveland said ...

I do have a bit of a trick! Teresa. I didn't invent it, but I use it all the time. It's call nested seams. Follow the link below.
http://quiltcetera.wordpress.com/2010/02/23/tutorial-tuesday-nesting-seams-in-a-four-patch/

I tried to email this to you, but the message came back.

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On 08/20/2013, Teresa said ...

Thank you SO MUCH, Susan! I've always done the nested seams like that, but I think the "trick" could be in the use of the fork pins. Seems like they might hold the seams in place better than using two separate pins. I will definitely try that :)
I'm not sure why my email message came back to you - sometimes people mistake the 3rd letter for an "I" rather than an "L"?? Guess I should permanently change that to make it more clear - lol
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On a Dreary Saturday

I put baby back ribs in the crock pot last night. Today I slathered them in BBQ sauce and put them under the broiler for a few minutes. I also made blackeyed peas and coleslaw. Andy came for lunch, and we had a feast.

I'm trying to spend as much time in bed as possible to see if some of the inflammation in my back will heal. Also taking Meloxicam twice a day and doing the ice/heat rotation. The pain is some better, but I'm still not ready to run a marathon. And I'm getting quite bored. I would much rather be quilting.

It's a very gloomy Saturday here. In fact, most of August has been wet a dreary. But the rain and clouds have kept the temps down--a good thing. August can be truly brutal in Alabama.

Sophie Belle Patterpaw says she hopes all of you are having a great Saturday afternoon.

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This post was migrated from the old blog. To see the comments on the original post, CLICK HERE. To add a new comment, click "Post a Comment", below.

On 08/18/2013, Barbara Anne said ...

The feast you and Andy enjoyed with ribs and the works sounds just wonderful!! Yum!!

I hope the pain in your back will leave you be once and for all and how the same for all others who need relief.

Sophie looks as comfortable as I hope you are!

Hugs!
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