real quick post.....

My cousin Max sent me these pictures today. They are mittens made from old sweaters by her cousin Brenda. She sent this link...

(youtube video for making mittens)

Now all I can think about is cutting up tractor joes old sweaters.

But, I have two quilts that need binding.

And the Bonnie Hunter mystery is starting.

So many things to do, where do I begin.

split stars....

I won split star blocks from Block Lotto! Four packages have arrived. I opened them and mixed them with mine. I am not sure how this quilt will end up. It could be like this, or not.

I haven't worked on this mini for a week now. It finishes at 8 1/2 by 11. 

I am hand quilting it to the backing. I thought I could handle it with something so small, and I was right. It does go rather quickly.

(when I take the time to sew on it)

sewing and weather extremes

I did 6 blocks for block lotto's mugs this month and it was so nice to use some of the small blocks that were sitting around. They were perfect for this. And it was so nice to be sewing today.

The trip to Duluth was great. My cousin had us stopping at thrift shops along the way.

There were a few things I couldn't pass up. I never left a shop empty handed. 

A clock that chimes in bird songs.

Christmas fabric scraps and cute snowman fabric.

The blue is 7 yards, great for backing.

Christmas sheet music for Christmas postcards, letter stickers and

a pattern book.

I bought the sweater to cut up and make mittens. I was told it was to nice to cut up, so I will wear it for awhile, then maybe cut it up.

On Saturday, we drove up the north shore, on Lake Superior. It was above freezing, barely. There was a wonderful Nor'easter blowing across the lake along with rain. The waves were massive. We sat and watched them like fireworks. Ahhing and ooohing as they crashed ashore.

For as miserable as it was, we enjoyed out little adventure. 

It was also the anniversary of Edmund Fitzgerald sinking.

I look like I should be doing weather for the Weather Channel.

What surprised us the most was seeing surfers out there.

Holy cow.

While we were here enjoying the weather...

Down in Iowa, tractor joe and my brother-in-law Jon were having their own fun. They went pheasant hunting. It was sunny and warm. No coat needed warm. 

I never did ask if they got any birds.

Did everyone have a great day?...

sewing.....

I started sewing small cherrywood scraps. This measures about 5 1/2 by 10. I think I will make it  a mug-rug. I don't do angles very easily. Things work better in my brain if they are squared up and perpendicular. 

I should have put the next thing up sooner.

Here at vesuviusmama.blogspot

Erin is making donation quilts for people who have been devastated by Hurricane Sandy.

She has a nice tutorial for making these blocks. I wasn't that crazy about the colors here...or maybe it is just the lack of contrast in the two of them.

Oh well, they are on their way to her!

 I am hoping that with all the other blocks she receives, they will fit right in. The quilts will be wonderful and full of scrappiness.

Depending on the weather, I am headed to Duluth this weekend. Some reports have freezing rain on Friday and snow on Saturday. Some reports say only cloudy skies.

halloween things.....

I made some postcards. I had enough pumpkins cut for 6 of them.

When I was addressing them I found one wasn't even glued yet.

Then I ran out of stamps. So only 4 went out. I am not even sure they made it before Halloween.

On the bright side, I have 2 cards for next year.

My brother-in-law. He makes the BEST costumes. He has done so many super hero costumes over the years. He is so talented!

My niece, Madison is crazy over legos. So he made her a Lego costume. They both got first place for costumes at work and school. He looks so real!

I would feel so safe walking down the street with him. 

Unless we ran into a bug or spider. He doesn't like bugs. He would be off running until the bug was gone.

I carved one pumpkin, just in case some trick-or-treaters came by. We are too far off the beaten path. Besides, I had given kids candy at school, and that left some for me!

local quilt show.....

On Friday evening, I helped set up for the quilt show. It took a couple hours.

Then Saturday afternoon, we took it all down.

They say there were 97 quilts.

None of mine were there.

I just took pictures of quilts I liked.

It sounds like it will happen again next year.

It goes along with the Fall Festival that the Community Club puts on.

Karen and I have a new goal.

We want to do Bonnie Hunter's Mystery

I think it starts right around the US Thanksgiving

...and have them hanging up next year.

It seems like such an easy thing right now, after all, next years show

is a WHOLE year away.

No sweat.

Bonnie's fabric choices are here.

the charmander cake.....

Charmander is a baby fire lizard. He belongs with all the other Pokemon characters.

His tail has flames. I printed out a coloring page, then made it a little bigger.

I cut him out and drew around him to get him on the cake

I piled a bunch of candles at the end of his tail.

Then lit all the candles.

I thought the flames were plenty big 

the frosting was melting

and we needed to blow them out!

But, Crsipy says

"No wait, take my picture!"

Oh yah, birthday boy with his cake!

He was able to get them out and we all had a piece of cake!