Day after Christmas and all is Calm!

I woke up early this morning, around 5, and it is so nice! No video games going, no noise, no rushing to get last minute things done. The house is a mess - but it was before Christmas!
Time to think about how I am going to make next year less hectic!

My son, Aaron, got to come home the weekend before Christmas - he had to work on Christmas but is happy with his job. As long as there is something to do with cooking under the tree, I think he is happy. The knowledge that he is in a career that makes him so happy is a great year round present.

My daughter, Angie, - now she loves Christmas - wrap up a bottle of fingernail polish or lip balm and she is happy as long as she gets to peek at it and have something to unwrap! Mrs. Clause continues to visit her each year on Christmas morning and has since the Christmas she asked if there was a Santa. "As long as you believe and Mrs. Clause can - there will be a present under the tree on Christmas morning" - sometimes it has been hard for Mrs Claus to sneak it under the tree - but it has been there. I think her husband, Rico, has a time hiding things from her and keeping her from accidentally tearing paper. Of course, he gave in and she opened about 4 presents before Christmas.

My Christmas was special - presents to help me not to cook (gift cards to restaurants), roving to spin, beautiful crochets dollies and what is supposed to be dish cloths but too pretty for that and will become dollies, candy that I should not eat, video to watch and relax, thimbles from so many countries that I could never remember off the top of my head. Only two things have to be exchanged at Wal-Mart!
The hope that this year will be a better health year as I get ready for more tests next month.

Plus the future present that did not make it here on time - my Kromski spinning wheel. But most of all - knowing that my kids and grand kids are healthy and happy (and at times you have to wonder about the happy with teenagers) is the best gift of all.

But it is sad too - the grand kids are too old for the surprise of toys. They tell you what they want and you try to figure out what you can afford. Gone are the days when a ball or a doll made them happy or heck the box that the dryer came in!

I think next year will be the perfect year to spend the week somewhere - in a condo in the mountains of Tennessee! (If I can find someone to gather the eggs!)

I hope everyone had a Blessed Christmas and have the peace of Jesus in their hearts in the New Year and all the coming years.

Merry Christmas - Happy New Year!!!

Early Christmas Presents was a hit!!!

Living in Tennessee and not being a Vols fan is almost a crime but of course I have a girl that is a Gator fan!!! Finding Gator stuff is hard here!!

My brother, Gene, who lives in Tampa, sent Britney an early present and it was a great hit!! It was a total surprise to her.

She loved it and has worn it so proudly. She has had fun doing so too where ever we go - she loves the thumbs up from other gator fans and the ribbing she gets or gives to the other teams out there.

We could have never found a sweatshirt like this in Volunteer Country!!!

She has also received a orange gator t-shirt from her uncle Chris and a blue gator t-shirt from me!

As for myself - I could care less about sports - give me a good sewing, quilting, knitting or weaving shirt!!!!!

Christmas Parades should be in the fall - when it is warm!!!

We braved the cold 30 degree windy weather for the Niota Christmas parade. Now I know that is warm to some places in the U.S., but it is cold to me!!! Especially when it was @ 60 a couple days before!

This was Brit's first parade and she loved it. It lasted, from the time we arrived to get ready until we went home @ 3 hours. But they did win 2nd place! It was so cold & windy - burrrr!

She rode the Springbrook Riding Academy float. The girls had a great time and of course the pony was precious. Marge, her riding teacher and owner of Springbrook Academy really worked hard to get the float and all the girls ready.

But I did love the goat pulling the wagon and in the wagon is a English bulldog. 1st place went to the Freedom isn't Free float - dedicated to our Vets - congratulations!!!! So happy they won!

Too Busy - Too Play!

So busy lately I have not had time to work on anything!!!

Horse show today and it is raining!!!!!

Fun in the Quilting Room!!!!

Finally got to do some quilting!!! Had a beautiful quilt made by a great quilter, Ann, who lives in Maryville, TN. She always does such a good job piecing her tops. This was a big quilt, 95x112 but was alot of fun to work on after I decided what to do.


Freehand triple leaves in the borders and treated all the borders as one; swirls in the colored circles which were quarter circles appliqued on a small square and 4 pieced together to make a circle (4 drunkard paths); a fan with swirls at the bottom of the fan in the plain white circles which were reversed appliqued; an finally a back & forth motion in the background of the circles to create the feel of water. I kept thinking lily pads and water. Putting the swirls in each part of the quilt help tie the quilting together. The backing was a cotton sateen and all the quilting really shows up. Use 100% cotton for the batting - when it is washed - should really look good. I did not realize how much I did to it.

I sure hopes she likes it!!!

Birthday Cake

Rhea's b-day was this last week - they come even when you are sick, which he was. But Britney created him a very special birthday cake today. The clowns were so cute. She had them laying down and some were holding their heads - "Oh, not another birthday!!!"

Woven Rugs are finally done!!!

I finally finished the two rugs that I was doing on my floor loom!!!

Hurray - now I can try something else!!!

While working on them, I was not happy with them at all but after I took them off, they looked better.

You can even see that I had planned stripes in one - I could not tell it when they were on the loom.

They have a home in my bathroom - and I am planning my next project!!

Aaron's new uniform!

My son, Aaron, came home this weekend wearing his new uniform - a chef's jacket!!! After years of loving to cook and create new dishes - he has finally landed on the first step of his new career.

He walked in, proudly, Monday night in his chef's jacket, having just got off from work.

Looks to good in it too!!!

Singer 99 - A Great Find and My New Treasure!!!!

Yesterday, Rhea & I decided to go to Crossville, TN just to go somewhere. Nice day to get out.
After spending a couple hours at the big flea market and not buying anything but wanting to bring home a minature donkey (he is now afraid for me to go back by myself for fear the donkey will be in the back yard), we headed out for a quick lunch and the outlet mall.

I am not a fan of any kind of malls - never have been. But in the middle of this mall, they had a store set up with used items that were donated to be sold to raise money for Domestic Violence. Now I love Goodwill, junk stores, yard sales, etc., so I made a bee line into this store. I was on one side making my way over to the other when Rhea, who had started on the other side, came to me and told me to come look at a machine he had found. He thought he had found a featherweight, it was priced $40.


Very cute machine but I was not sure it was a featherweight, so I call my machine expert friend, Marilyn. Told her what it looked like and it had a 99 on the front - her words were "BUY IT".
The needle would not go up & down but after a couple minutes, Rhea had it working. It needs oiling. Anyway, it now has a new home.

Last night Marilyn & I got on the internet and found out alittle about it. It was made Feb., 10, 1956 in Elizabeth NJ. There were @ 25,000 made during that time. Mine has the serial number on the front base , AM316682. On the front of the neck is a label with the engraving 99-. Has a cute tan & brown case with it but no manual or attachments, but I did find the manual online and have a copy of it. (Have found a manual on e-bay for $4.99)

I cleaned it up this morning and it shines - all the gold trim is perfect. Has bobbin, light works and it now the needle goes up & down just fine. We still have to oil it and possibly grease the motor.

After I told Rhea what I have found out about it, he reminded me "He found it for me". I am so glad my husband loves to search for treasures too!!!! Plus talks me into getting them!!! Plus paid!!!!! What else could you ask for!!

So a day that started out with "I should be working at home", turned out great and makes me want to hunt for more junk sales - whose knows maybe next time it will be a Featherweight!!!!

Doing alittle folkart painting

After the last time I had to ply the yarn I spun together, I decided to come up with a easiler way to do it. So I took some clay pots and painted a cute folkart sheep on the front. Painted the saucer to go with it. So cute!!! I have one set done and the other ready to finish. I am changing the colors alittle so it will be different but will make a match set.

After I have washed my spun yarn and made it into a ball of yarn with the umbrella swift. I can put a ball of yarn in under each pot and pull the thread thru the hole in the top. Then using the spindle, I can ply it together to make a two ply yarn to knit or weave with.

These pots look so good just sitting on a table when not using.

So much fun, even though I had not painted anything in years and it took me alot of coats of paint to get the finish I like. I plan to make a couple more sets of these.

First Western Competition

Britney's first western horse competition was held in Sept., near Kingston, TN. A great learning experiment and alot of fun but a very long day. She did come away with one third place, 2 fourth & 2 fifth places. She learnt about about what is expected of her and how a show is judged. Next show will be Oct. 31st., which includes a Halloween costume contest, (hint - her horse will be a cow).

Green Roses!

Britney's last cake for the decorating class was to make the Wilton roses - turned out very cute.

Green roses with purple stems & leaves, chocolate inside.

Now she has to make one for her papaw's birthday!

Can't sleep!!!

Woke up at 3 a.m. - can't sleep - I hate it when I do that!!! My body is tired but my mind can't shut down!!!!

Got a quilt in the frame that is worrying me toooooo much! Gonna get it going today and finished this weekend if at all possible!!!!

Geneology search!!!

Thru some geneology searches I found pictures of my great-great grandfather & grandmother. I had never saw a picture of them and did not know too much about them. My grandfather talked some but I guess I just don't remember too much. Problem when you are young - you think they will always be here to talk to.

My ggreat grandparents were William Jefferson Tallent and Lucinda (Lucy) Veal Tallent. My grandfather, William Leo (dark t-shirt) and his younger brother Woodrow Wilson Tallent are in other picture.

William Jefferson's family came from England & Ireland. Lucinda's gggrandparents were William Wedgbar Underwood (England) & Anna the Cherokee (North Carolina). I am at a stand-still now, can't find anyting else out. Maybe someday.


Also, found some pictures of my grandmother's grandfather. That was an interesting family!!! Just have not got them downloaded yet.

Weaving Buddy!

Soprano is my weaving buddy! He just lays and watches or chews his toy or bone as I try to finish these rugs.

I am so disappointed in how they are turning out that I just want to get them done!! All I see is the warp threads but I won't waste the warp, took toooooooo long getting it threaded up. I know I can use the rugs somewhere.

I have been working very slowly lately. Riding the roads just too much! This is making me very depressed - by the time I slow down at night - I am just too tired to work or play at anything. Got so many created things in my mind that I can't transfer to actual working projects!!

Cake Decorating Classes

Britney has started cake decorating classes at JoAnns in Knoxville. Tonight will be the last of the Course 1. She is doing great - making some beautiful cakes and really liking it alot.

First cake was a rainbow cake and the second was a two layer clown cake. She even did a chocolate layer and a yellow layer in the clown cake.

Everyone at her Great Mamaw's loved the clown cake on Sunday. We are trying to find ways to get rid of cakes!!!!

She will be making a chocolate cake tonight with roses.

Our hens are laying great eggs for these cakes!!! We are getting alot of double yolks!!! And one of the hens (Britney thinks it is Betty) often is laying a jumbo egg! I love our chickens!!!

Weaving on the Brain Again!

Been trying to get my loom warped up but has been a real ordeal. So much going on that I can't find time for me! But finally after days of battling with the new way I was threading up the warp, I got it done. Hurray!!!

I am working on recycle rag rugs. I got one started and hopefully, if I figured right, I will be able to do 3 on this warp. I am using some old knit shirts and a skirt in colors of burgandy, brown & mauve.

Please Santa - bring me another reed for Christmas. Working with one reed and a 6 dpi one at that can be hard for a beginner. I had to double the warp in the reed and I did do a messed up job which caused me to work twice as hard straightening it out. But it is working now.


 I had been working with everything in the house trying to find the perfect seat to sit in at the loom with no luck. Last week I came across a padded bench with a back. I needed a back to help support my back. I can lift the seat for storage, which is great for my shuttles!!!


A great find!!! It works so great. It is wide enough that the treadles fit perfectly under the bench so I can sit right up to the loom.

More later!!!!

New projects in the works!

Trying to get some new things done. I started spindle spinning some Hand Dyed Blue Faced Leicester Top roving that I bought at the Yarn Haven in Knoxville. It is so pretty. The color is Stained Glass. I am starting the second half then will ply it together for a double ply yarn. I am loving spindle spinning!!! It is so relaxing - now if I would just get something made with it when it is spun!!!

The next thing I am starting is a new rag rug! Using the floral fabric, I am hoping to turn out a really pretty rug. Paid a whole dollar for it at a yard sale!

Juanita Hofstrom, who lives in WI and has a weaving studio, has been giving me pointers. She has been so much help. She is a fabulous weaver and has taught weaving for many years, in great places like Arrowmont and John C Campbells. I wish I could go and take a class from her!!!
Her website is http://www.vauningstudio.com/ . She has also gave me some great hint on quick freezing veggies so I can get back to weaving. I met her on Rugtalk - which is a great group to join if you are interested in rug weaving.
Will post more on these projects later!


I gotta get a quilt finished for a friend, Kathy, before I play anymore! She does beautiful work. I love the colors in this one, she is great at designing a quilt!!!

New family member, Layla

We have added a new family member, her name is Layla. Britney works at a animal shelter and this little girl came in and chose Britney. She is a husky mix with the prettiest blue eyes. About a third of the size of Soprano.

He is dealing with her - she is very bossy and I have to take up for him when she takes his toys. She is constantly nipping at him and biting his legs. She fits perfect under him when he is running. She weighs about 25 pounds and he is about 80 pounds. I think he was happier before she arrived (and I was sometimes!)

She is Britney's baby and sleeps with her. She is always hungry and very hyper at times.

One beautiful Quilt!!! Wish I had done it!!

Isn't this quilt beautiful!!! I did not make it - wish I had. A friend I quilt for from Cleveland, Zandra, made it! She does such good work, it is always a treat to quilt for her. She makes fun quilts and lets me just do what I want!!!!

I used my Circle Lord on my quilting machine. I love using this attachment!!! Makes perfect circles. Takes alittle time to line up but really worth it especially when I want to play!!

Thank you, Zandra for letting me work on your quilts.

I have to admit I feel I have the cream of the crop when it comes to quilt makers that allow me to work on their quilts! I have to also admit that I worry over every one of them afraid they won't like what I do!

Loom at work!

Got a sock loop rug finished!!! I love my loom! I knew I would - I have wanted to weave for 30 years!! Wish I had really pursued this then but did not know anyone with a loom. Now I find out there have been weavers in the area for years.

This rug was made from mixed blue & cream loops. I dyed some an indigo blue and added them through out the rug. One Christmas present done!!!!

Spindle spinning!!!!!

I have finally got the hang of spindle spinning!!!! I know I still have to improve but I feel I am on my way.

Thanks to a Sit 'N' Spin at the Yarn Haven in Knoxville TN, after a couple of years of spinning what I call novelty yarn (because it is rather bumpy and weird), a very nice lady at the group showed me what to do!! I am sorry name slips me but I will get it at the next meeting!!!

Anyone that is interested in spinning should go to this meeting!!!! It is on the 2nd Saturday of each month and it is free. Time is 2 p.m., to 4 p.m.

Several are using spinning wheels (this is on my list of wants!) and I have noticed they are very happy to help the newbies!

The shop is nice and has lots of ideas, yarns and classes. It is off the Cedar Bluff exit. I bought some beautiful roving at the shop to spin and it is doing great.

My goal is to get be able to give my spun yarn as a present to a wonderful daughter, so she create a crochet heirloom!

My novelty yarn is going to get woven on a loom then felted so no one can see how bad it is!

Grandmother's Fan Quilt Top!

I started this quilt top several years ago for a class I was teaching at a quilt shop! I had planned a throw but after I started I decided that I had enough throws and wanted a king size quilt!!! Now about 7 years later - the top is done!

The fabric is from Eleanor Burns 1st. fabric line. I carried it in my quilt shop and save the fabric just for this pattern. The pattern is from her book Fan's & Flutterbys.

I put lace at the top of each fan to give it a very feminine look. Now let's hope it does not take 7 years to get it quilted!!!!

New use for Cat Food Bags!

I know I posted pictures of this bag once but I had a couple other pictures that showed more - it is such a great way to recycle.

A friend gave me a Friskies cat food bag and my brain went to work. It was woven plastic so I knew it would cut and sew good.

I opened it up and cut the bag so I could get a good picture and the name. The handle came out of the side of the bag.

I lined it with a pretty peach fabric. It serged and sewed beautifully.

I then gave it to my friend - she has 17 cats!

I now have two purple cat food bags and a bird seed bag - I have to get creative again.
I am looking for a woven dog food bag!!!!