Fall quilting

It's been an interesting and busy Fall.  I finally completed the Halloween quilt and presented it to daughter and son-in-law when they arrived for Thanksgiving.  This was truly a time for thankfulness, because they got to visit with her Grandma, we were able to spend bonding time chopping, prepping and cooking in the kitchen, and we enjoyed a day at the new firepit, burning up old brush, and roasting marshmallows to make S'mores.  Found out our Milan does not like her marshmallows roasted, only fresh!  Best of all, the quilt was taken safely out to California to warm them up in future Falls.

Milan and Friend

Milan and Violet bird watching together...

Milan--Mom and Dad ordered something called a ramp just for me.  It's in a box, and Dad has to put it together. It has something to do with going in and out of the van.  I hope that doesn't mean I have to go on errands.  Still haven't figured that one out completely but I know some of the stuff that leaves on errands, never comes back.I wish they'd take that snooty cat Violet on an errand.  Mom is going to book club tonight.  She has a lot of books but why do they need a club for them?  She reads them here.  Do they take their books and show them to each other?  Is it a contest to see who has the most?  I think I will eavesdrop to find out more about these odd goings-on.  Humans are such a strange bunch. I really can't complain much. I get two scoops of that ice cream they call sherbet every night.  Except one night I only got one scoop.  They must think I'm stupid and can't count.  I tried glaring to get my point across but that didn't work.  I'm not sure if I was being punished or if Mom is the one who can't count so well.  At least I got my two cookies at bedtime, so I forgave her.  I hope it doesn't happen again.  Violet got her treat and sat there laughing at me.  She can be nice sometimes, but the rest of the time she is just pure evil cat.

Violet--I got an extra good supper treat the other night--tuna!  And not just the tuna juice poured on my kibble.  As if I actually believe it's the real thing. Ha!  The juice is better than nothing but I just live for those tuna tidbits!  And there was Milan, sitting there pouting because she only got one scoop of sherbet, which that dumb dog thinks is ice cream.  I laughed at her.  She is probably getting too fat. Tee hee.  They'll have her on that treadmill one of these days, if she keeps eating sherbet and cookies every night.  Mom is making something for a baby.  Not quite sure what that is but I think it's a very short human that cries a lot.  If I'm right, I hope WE don't get one.  I have heard they do horrible things like pulling on tails and ears.  Mom said Dad had to get a gift bag so I am pretty sure the baby isn't coming here. What a relief!

                                                                                                               TN

And Fall beadings

Got into a creative mood in the beading room, and tried something different. The first necklace/earring set is done with copper wire and antique gold findings. The second one exposes black-colored beading wire. Borrowed a new book on beading from the library, which shows that you can do all kinds of things with colored flexible beading wire, including knitting with it. Well, I declined to do the knitting part, but I had some .029 thickness black coated flexible wiring stashed back, trying to figure out why I ever ordered it. So NOW I can use it creatively.  And the focal on the upper set takes a piece of copper wiring from the basement stash of hubby's house wiring--he stripped the rest off for me to use the copper part.  The top set is malachite.  Had the cab in my jewelry box, saved back from an old bracelet setting, and reused it for the focal.  Aventurine beads make up the inside strand, malachite rondelles the outer strand anchoring the focal.

Fall quilting

Every Fall I volunteer at a quilt auction, narrating the quilts to attract bidding. I drool over them all, thinking, I could bid on this one or that one and hang it in my house, but never successfully entering the final bid on any of the beautiful creations of the quilters.  So when I saw this quilt in a quilting magazine, I fell in love with it, telling myself I CAN DO THIS!!  The fabric arrived, all shimmery blues and sparkly gold enhanced cottons, and I set to work, thinking I CAN DO THIS.  Ummmhum.

I did learn something about quilting with satins. They shrink a bit when you steam a stabilizer on the back of the fabric.  Didn't know that, but learned it when I set the center satin square.  So I had to recut more satin squares to make sure I wasn't messing up the whole thing.  Relearned a bunch of geometry from sophomore year in high school too. This pattern was a bit tricky, it was supposed to be for "beginners".  Well, as a baby quilter I did a lot of growing up during the construction.  I learned how to do cross-hatching quilting, flower petal quilting (sort of free-handed using a plastic lid as a template), and really used my walking foot.  Stitch in the ditch was nothing , compared to the rest of the work.

So here it is, done and up on the wall. And when the quilt auction comes I will be thrilled once more to introduce those fantastic quilts, and talk up the bids, but I will also be happy to have mine already decorating our home.

And if you want to come to the quilt auction, it is part of the Apple Festival at the Raytown First Baptist Church, Saturday, September 8, 9-2 pm.  All proceeds go to benefit the Missouri Baptist Children's Home.

More from Milan

     Well, I've been at this house for awhile now, and I've decided since I like it here so much I'm going to call the female "Mom" and the male "Dad".  My real parents let the other humans give me away so how good were they?  Today Mom said she was putting my thoughts on something she called a blog.  Well, it's about time they recognized who the brains of this organization are.  I'd do it myself but I can't operate the box they poke at all the time.  I can turn it on and off, which they don't know, but my paws are too big to push the letters.   Mom said her friend is on a vacation.  Is that like an errand?  It seems like it lasts longer than an errand.  Humans are strange creatures.

                                                                                                                   ---TN

More from Milan

      Good grief!  The female human is on some sort of a machine that she walks on!  Does she not know she can do that outisde?  I do it all the time, even run, which I have never seen HER do.  The male human isn't quite as sharp as the female on some things.   He is apparently real good with some boxes they call computers, but he left Mama Cat's food bowl outside and he is nowhere to be found.  Bet he is back with his boxes.

      Hee, hee, we'll see how that cat likes it when this dog outsmarts her.  A little scratch, scratch at the door and the man lets me out.  A few quick slurps and down goes Mama Cat's kitty chow.  My way of getting back at her for that evil swipe she took at me the other day.  This place is great!

     Oh, oh, the woman is giving me the stink eye.  She knows I ate the kitty chow, but guess what, she is mad at the man for leaving it out for me to eat.  I do not get the blame! They think I'm just a dumb dog who thinks any food laying around is mine.  I'll just plaly along and see what else I can scam them into feeding me.

     I should nap now. The cats are out of sight and the humans are leaving for errands.  I wish I could figure out what that is.  Every time they leave for errands they are gone for different amounts of time and come back with different things or take things they don't bring back.  If they ever want to take me on an errand, I think I'm going to hide.  Oh well, it's time to hit the sofa for my nap while they are gone.  They think I don't get up on there anymore!  Tee hee.

                                                                                                                               ---TN

Today's Milan moments

      I think the humans have hidden my favorite squeaky toy.  I just had it yesterday when I was chasing that uppity cat, Violet.  Violet thinks she is smarter than me, but she's not.  Hey, maybe SHE hid it. Oh good, I have the humans well trained. They obviously didn't hide my toy because they are now looking under all the furniture.  I may as well stretch out until they find it.  That will give me time to plot my revenge on that sneaky Violet....
      Well, it's about time! They have found my toy! I'll have to reward them by letting them pet me now. Oh great, now we have to go outside. Do they know I have a fur coat on?  It's too hot to go out there, but someone has to watch these two to make sure they make it back inside without harming themselves. Guess that means me!
      Oh oh, the garden hose! Oh, that's ok, the female says she is watering the flowers.  What a waste of time!  But at least they aren't washing ME again.  I hate that.  Now they are discussing something called "Puddle Jumper Days".  What's the big deal about jumping puddles?  And why would you want to?  It's so much more refreshing to jump right in them.  These humans get stranger and stranger.  Oh well, the food here is good, and they give me lots of tummy rubs.  So I think I'll keep them. Just have to lose that cat...

TN