Good Mail and Good Friends

As you are well aware my life has been kind of a hot mess lately. 

 Well never fear, between some serious retail therapy and some amazingly great friends

 I am feeling better.  

Although my dad did take a tumble today and that is never a call you want to receive, he is alright, thank goodness.

I thought I would share with you some of the great mail I have gotten lately. 

 First up a couple of purchases. 

 Some Nest from an ETSY shop, love those birds.

And a FQ bundle of Fort Firefly.  

I totally love this line!

Then I was a winner of this amazing book.  

If you have not looked at it you should.  

There are some very talented people in this book!

The quilts are super adorable too.

There was even a personal note to me inside from Amy!!  

Thanks Amy!!

My friend Pauline has been knitting up a storm and knitted me this fabulous Halloween scarf.

(sorry the photo is a little dark, it is still dark when I leave for work at 5am)

This is just one of MANY that she has made for me.

Thanks Pauline!

Then I received this big package in the mail on Saturday from my friend Dianne.

We have not met IRL yet, but I will make my way to her eventually!

(You have been warned)

She knows how much I love aqua and blues and greens and cats.

But really?  

Who doesn't know this about me right?

She is also a knitter/crocheter and made me this!

How exquisitely beautiful is this???

Those colors just make me want to do the happy dance!!

She even sent the left over yarn 

(I have no idea how to knit or crochet, LOL)

and just look at those sweet kitty scissors!!!!

She also knew it was my month to be the Queen in my bee.  

I chose aqua/bluegreen/greenblue airplanes.  

The pattern is from Quilter's Cache and it's called Lone Eagle.  

So she paper pieced me up a few or eight!  

AND sent me the left over fabrics to make more from !!!

Dianne, you are the BEST!!!

GOSH you guys!!!

I have no reason to feel sorry for myself.  

 I should feel blessed, and I do!

Thank you for reminding me.

Life is Good

Even if it is not always easy!!

~XOP~

Halloween Sewing

My middle daughter called the other day from NC to ask me to sew her a Halloween costume.  

She is 25 and does not, in general, ask for costumes anymore.  

What does she want to be you ask?  

A Sloth.  

Yes that's right, a sloth.  

REALLY??? 

 I can't sew something to make you a fairy, or a princess or something pretty and not hairy.  

NOPE!  

So I went looking for a way to make her a costume.  

The pic she sent to me was hideous.  

A BIG hairy Chubaka looking thing.  

NOT doing that for sure.  

I am actually, dreading working with fake fur too.  

So I went online and found this on Deviant Art by Stephanino.
(many thanks for the photo)

Better possibility, a "slutty sloth".  

My words not hers.  

Maybe I can make a version of this.  

I hate the head piece, 

especially since she lives in the south and will, most likely overheat in that, 

so will modify to not cover the face, she can do makeup for the face.  

Then I went to JAF to look for any help in that department.  I found this pattern.

SCORE!!  

I am going to make the head piece like the girl in the top on the right, 

except to make it close in the front under her chin.  

There are leg warmer and arm warmer type things too. 

 Woo Hoo.  

Then I am going to make a loin cloth, like in the drawing. 

 Just a simple sew it over some ribbon and tie it on either side kind of thing.  

The top has me a little stumped. 

 I don't think I can make a half vest like in the photo but I think I will use a t-shirt template and make it so I only have to sew side seams for it.  

I probably won't even turn under any of the edges. 

 She is going to wear a leotard under it and leggings too so we should be all set for that.  

As for the sloth hands?  

I am going to try to find some brown, knit mittens and sew down part of the hand part and cut apart to make "3" fingers and then hot glue some felt claws into the fingers. 

 I love to make costumes but am dreading this one and the working with fur.  I

t is made more difficult because I can't have her here to fit it to her.  

I mailed her a tape measure and have asked for some measurements.  

We will see how it turns out.  

Stay tuned!!

Please don't forget about my giveaway.  

There is still time to enter for the chance to win the beautiful fabric from Daisy Cottage Quilting.  

Just go here and follow the directions.

Wish me luck!!

~XOP~

We Are One Quarter Of The Way Done

We went to Grand Rapids again on Friday morning. 

 I brought the cat back to my dad and she hid under his bed! 

 Apparently she is still hiding.  

After we left the cat we drove to my dad's house and the dumpster, 

yes I said dumpster, 

was just being delivered. 

 It was a 20 yard dumpster and could hold 5000 pounds.  

It was about noon and we began in the basement. 

 It looked something like this.

I figure the video gives you the full effect. 

 Here are some regular photos too. 

 That multi colored wall is the fireplace. 

 Before we started you could not even see the floor as you can now.

Here is some more of the basement

At this point we had put in 1 sleeper sofa, a few chairs and one rooms worth of rolled up carpet. 

 Along with 4 mattresses.

Then we found this brown chair. 

 Or we thought it was brown, but when we took off the cushion we realized it really was aqua!!!  EWWWWW!!

This is looking down at the other end.  

I wish I could say we got that area all cleaned out. 

We did make a dent though.

Some of the amazing finds included this kitty on a pillow. 

 It was a pajama keeper. 

 It is now so dirty I think it is beyond claiming, sad.

 Upstairs I found this amazing chicken boy. 

 Awesome! 

 Anyone remember painting these?

We found this bunny boy too.   

Just a couple of amazing ceramic finds.

Now I need to find that old ceramic Christmas tree.

We spent the night at a hotel and we were beat!

When we finished on Saturday we had completely filled this dumpster.

One sleeper sofa

7 arm/recliner chairs

5 TV stands

4 mattresses

2 full rooms of rolled up nasty carpet

and too many garbage bags of stuff to count.

We piled some things we thought might sell in an estate sale in one of the bedrooms

We filled 3 or 4 boxes of things to bring home and sort through.

We brought some boxes home of stuff we thought the kids might like.

We managed to get about 1/4 of the basement cleared out.

Still have the shed and garage to do.

We cleaned out 2 of the 3 bedrooms, both bathrooms and half of the family room.

Still need to do the kitchen and the living room and one bedroom and part of the family room.

I called the dumpster people to tell them to come and get this one and bring another one.

We will go back on Saturday.

My dad wanted to know if we were all finished?

Yeah dad, we are all finished.

In my dreams!!

~XOP~

Daisy Cottage Quilting Sponsored Giveaway

I want to take a minute to introduce you to one of my newest sponsors,
  Daisy Cottage Quilting. 

 Sharon Yeager is the owner of this quaint online quilt shop.  

She has a great selection of fabrics, notions and patterns.  

One of my favorite things about her shop is

 the large number of Australian designer patterns that she has.  

I just love those Aussie designers, don't you? 

 In addition to that Sharon also has a very nice selection of Block of the Months available. 

 If you are a BOM fan this is the place you should check out!  

Sharon has graciously chosen a beautiful fat eighth bundle called 30's Playtime by Chloe's Closet 

along with 2 of the most adorable snail tape measures for my giveaway!! 

 If you are a fan of 30's fabrics this is the giveaway for you!!

I am considering picking up a few of those snails for gifts.  

You can find them right here, if you want to do that too!

Please welcome Sharon and Daisy Cottage Quilting to my blog as my latest sponsor! 

**Now for the Giveaway details**

Tell me about a quilting mishap you had and how you fixed it. 

 Maybe we will all learn a few things.

Please leave just one comment and you will be entered into the drawing.  

Be certain you are not a "no-reply" blogger or I won't be able to contact you. 

 If I happen to choose someone that is no-reply I will draw again.  

The drawing will be on October 21st, a Monday.

Now go and visit Daisy Cottage and tell her Mama Spark sent you!

You may leave her comments right here.

~XOP~

Ding Dong Kitty's In The Well

This weekend was move in weekend. 

 I went to GR and worked like a dog on Friday in preparation for the BIG day. 

 Oh boy, was it a BIG day too.  

We left dad's around 10pm and arrived back on Sat morning around 7am to start again. 

 The mover's arrived at 8am and the fun began.  

We got all the stuff my dad needed to live moved into his apartment. 

 It was a LOT of work. 

 Even with the paid professionals, but he is in and he is happy.  

I had to bring his cat home with me to get her shots and to get her declawed.  

We ended up home around 11:30 at night. 

 In the pouring rain. 

 I stopped to buy a brand new litter pan and brought her food. 

 I carried the cat in her carrier upstairs and shut the bedroom door, filled her food and water dishes, prepared the litter pan and headed off to bed without further thought about her. 

I heard some scratching around midnight but just ignored it.  

My mistake.

Stupid cat found a smallish hole we had cut in the drywall and crawled into the ac duct work.  

How do I know where she is?

Because I dropped my camera in and snapped this photo.  GAH!!!

I need her to come out and all she is doing is staring at the hole into the bedroom.

I have smelly cat food and tuna fish in the room trying to lure her out.  

I have no way to get her but to let her come out on her own.  

The bedroom is on the second floor and I can't get to the duct to take it apart without cutting a hole in my ceiling or in my floor and still not guarantee I could bust though the duct work without her going down that hole you see the wires going into 

(although that goes straight down).

Any suggestions? 

 I am considering calling animal control. 

 Maybe they can take a pole with a loop on it or something and lasso her? 

 I have no idea, just feel sick, and stupid and terrified that she will not come out and die in there

 and then what will I tell my dad???  

Well, I can't do this much longer. 

 My emotional health is stretched pretty thin at the moment.  

Add another straw please and hope the camel can deal.

UPDATE:
The cat has come out of the duct.
The duct is now blocked by several layers of "stuff"
including a very heavy box.
So unless she develops super cat powers 
I think it is safe to say she is not going back into the duct.
Thanks for your concern!!

~XOP~

Some Recent Purchases and Stuff

I may not be getting in as much sewing as I would like but I have done a little shopping!  

Pink Castle was having a sale recently and I picked up these half yard cuts of 

Sun Prints Party Streamers by Allison Glass.  

After a hectic day at my dad's last Friday I stopped by Field's Fabrics 

where you never know what you will find and lo and behold I found these three 

Red Letter Day prints by Lizzy House.

So of course some of each one came home with me!

I have been at IKEA a LOT lately.  

It is about 2 blocks from my house!  

I saw the cutest rug there.  

I wish I had a bigger sewing room to put it in but I thought it would be great 

in someone's sewing room!

IKEA also had this great canvas of a woman doing the breast stroke, 

which was my DD2's stroke of choice when she swam competitively.   

I am still considering going back for it.

Now this is not a purchase but a "find" if you will from my dad's house.  

An old teeny tiny Singer!

Still MIB! 

 Can't wait to try it out and see if it really works.  

No time at the moment though.

But soon.

Last but certainly NOT least, my old Little Kiddles.  

I had despaired of ever finding these.  

I LOVED these little dolls as a kid.  

LOVED THEM!!!  

I found my Klub house and all of the dolls.

In fact I loved them so much I wanted my mom to change my name to Lola.  

There was a kiddle named Lola Little and she was my absolute favorite Kiddle.  

She was a sailor with long blonde hair, just like me!

I was not happy to see, when I pulled her out of the melee that part of her face had turned green!!!  Now she looks like Zombie Kiddle!!

  LOL  As far as I could tell all of the rest of the Kiddles were in great shape. 

 *sigh*  

Isn't it funny that this house full of Kiddles could make me so happy?  

What old toy do you remember fondly or was your favorite?

~XOP~

How Do You Prepare?

How do you help your dad prepare for such a life changing event as moving from his home of 49 years, a home he built with his wife, into a retirement community?  

This has been my monumental undertaking over the last year and a half.  

Cleaning, organizing, purging and helping.  

The big move happens on Saturday October 5th. 

 I will be driving to Grand Rapids on Friday to help with a few of the last minute details before the movers show up at 8:30 Saturday morning.  

We bought our oldest daughter with us last weekend for a much needed distraction.  

You can get a LOT more done when he is not all up in your business, LOL.  

She brought her newest baby peacock, Gizmo.  

Who is super adorable!

This picture is my favorite.  

Grandpa and Gizmo checking each other out!

He was eating a doughnut and everything is that crazy bird's business!

As long as he had a bird on his shoulder he stayed put and out of the cleaning frenzy.

Eventually though, we had to have him go into his room and help decide what he is taking 

and what he is getting rid of.  

This is the room all cleaned out of stuff.  

All the papers and photos from the tall dresser are in the top of the closet and in the boxes.  

They can be gone though later.  

All we are doing is packing what is moving with him for right now, for him to function.

 I don't think he realized how many pairs of sox he actually had!  

The funniest thing we heard from the other room was our daughter shouting at him

 (he is pretty deaf and won't wear his hearing aids)  

"How many heads do you have grandpa?"  

LOL  

There were some funny moments.

This is the house I grew up in.  

My mom and dad planned it and built it.  

We moved there when I was 5 years old.  

It is sad, but it is time for the next phase of life.  

He is no longer able to take care of that big house by himself and we are too far away to do it.

 He is not safe there.  

The cons have marked him and he is a target. 

 No one lives there but him and his cat and she can't call 911 if he falls, and he does fall.

I was cleaning in the bathroom and got the linen closet completely emptied.  

There was so much stuff in there!

My mom's favorite color was purple and you can see the purple foil wall paper and the lavender tub (and sink) and used to be toilet, which is now white since I replaced it.

We had cleaned out my old room, which was my younger sister's room more recently 

and used that as a staging/storage area as we worked.  

My daughter had begun painting dragons on the walls for her.  

We moved my sister out the beginning of August.  

I knew this day was coming for dad and had to get her settled too.  

She has Cerebral Palsy.  

She needed to be in a place of her own before I could move him.  

He needed to see her settled.

Now there is just the rest of the house to clear away and clean and pack what is moving.  

There is a LOT of work ahead of us. 

A dumpster is being delivered Oct 11th.

It's just me and my hubby to do the work.

The once cleaned table is now a packing hot spot.  

Dad and Chris talk about what to take from his desk and pack up. 

 He has a huge amount of old 8mm movies to bring with him.

This is the face of one really good sport!  

I could not get through this part of my life without the love and support of my amazing husband. 

 He has put up with more than one person should have to!

Thanks for your love and for listening to all dad's stories, again.  

Do you still love that car?  

I love my dad and I am very glad I have had him to myself for the last year and a half.   

Even though it has been extremely challenging to run three households, manage 2 handicapped sisters and my dad all while working full time, and taking care of my own family, 

I would not trade the time I have had with my dad for anything. 

 Please keep us in your prayers during the upcoming weekend as we 

move him into his new home at Villa Maria.  

It is a beautiful place and I think he is going to love it there.

A new adventure awaits him, beginning on Saturday.  

With God's help it will be a wonderful time for him!

~XOP~