Yes, I'm alive.

Have not been on the puter much.

Too busy running to plays and concerts

and trying to accomplish all that needs to be done.

Currently feeling like I am supposed to be this...

But will never measure up. LOL

Doing a lot of this...

Running around trying to finish making, buying, and wrapping these...

Because our normal Christmas Eve celebration with the Gramas has been moved up by a whole week. My mom is going out of town. Emily is going to visit her mom in California for the entire Christmas vacation. Sooo we are having an early Christmas on the 18th! 2 days away.

I found out last week.

Shoot me now

Trying to get secret santa gifts organized and packed and ready to ship. (already late because of above issue) And trying to wrap and pack out of state gifts. Hard to do when you can't find any boxes! A wee bit stressed :(

(have i mentioned i love polka dots? lol)


Spending a LOT of my time chasing this little turd

Can you see she is laughing at me?

Because she keeps stealing these and burying them in the snow outside!

Doing a LOT of this as well. Snow. Mud. Paw prints. Pine needles. Chewed up popscicle ornaments. And no presents under the tree because of ms. theif.

This has been running 24/7 because we have been in below zero weather for over a week. It's FINALLY warming up enough to only have 2 layers on, instead of 8.

It's going to be very weird with only 2 of my children here for Christmas this year.

:(

I am trying oh so hard to feel the spirit... of the season, of the Holy Spirit, of joy... but I feel like someone pushed the fast forward button x300 and trying to catch little snatches of precious moments in all this unplanned craziness, is .. well... crazy.

LOL

I was on target to get everything done before I instantaniously lost a week!

Does that count??

Somehow I don't think so! :P

Back to chasing the pup, and getting things wrapped and packed!

You may not see me much until after the new year!

xo

Bren

Bathtub Obsession

Our puppy Lexi has developed a bathtub obsession. If the bathroom door is left open, you can find her in the tub! If i am drying my hair, she is in the tub. The minute she comes into our room, she goes and climbs into the tub! LOL

Thanksgiving morning, she invited herself into the shower. (door wasn't securely closed I guess!) She LOVES to play with the shower drain. This is her all time favorite game (currently)! What a goober!

She does this little horse head shake when she plays. Rears her head back and bounces her two front paws saying "play with me!". She tries to get the cats to play with her - no such luck. Pounce is a tough girl and just beats her up. LOL Neekers runs and hides. But Lexi doesn't give up. She wants to PLAY!! :)

So... I'm up there drying my hair today, and she comes loping in, and jumps into the tub for a little game of chase the drain filter. LOL I finally remembered to grab my camera. The beginning is a little slow... hang in there for a little while and then you'll see her normal game. Throw it up and then "chase" it. Over and over. LOL This would go on for HOURS if I let her! Talk about easily amused! hee hee!!

Quick update

I took the plunge yesterday! With two big towels and 1.5 cups of salt. LOL

And Praise God!!! No bleeding!!!!!!!!!! :D
I just love the popcorn look to the quilting!
Breathing a HUGE sigh of relief!
Soo thankful nothing bled!!
Thank you so much Tammy and Gayle, for your dye grabber reccomendations!!
I will definitely be looking for those the next time I am at the store!!! Cuz this was just nerve wracking! LOL!!

Taking the kids to the library today, and a couple thrift shops, looking for a costume for one of their plays in December. And Kohls. And the girls have asked if they can go to the movies today. We'll see if we actually get the other goals accomplished! Shopping with a 14 year old, and a 13 year old and a 7 year old is CHALLENGING to say the least!
Wish me luck!!
xo
Bren

A Few Finishes for Friday!

Finishes. Finally!

I have been procrastinating on painting those last two walls. :( BUT the positive is that I have been working diligently to get some of these quilts finished! :)

I have no name for this quilt. The only thing that comes to mind is sugar and spice and everything nice! It is just sooo girly! The ricrac was a pain, as i literally had to stitch both sides down, or else it just kept curling up. But the effect was worth it!

I love this tangerine binding! The back is a sheet from target :) And with matching fitted sheet and pillowcase when on the bed - how cute will that be?!

This is what's currently in my machine. Sssh... just a sneak peek!
Finished binding a couple small prim hand stitched quilts.

And this.... oh boy. I just finished binding it last night. I am PETRIFIED about washing this! It will only take ONE of the 6 reds to bleed to ruin this quilt. GULP. But look at how awesome and sharp they are against the white!!! How could I resist?? But yah... very VERY nervous. And yes, I always add a cup of salt to the first wash of a quilt... to keep the bleeding factor down. And I always throw a towel in with it - hoping that IF it bleeds... the towel will just suck it up! LOL

I'm thinkin I might put more than a cup of salt in with this one!! Say a prayer for me. LOL This is a Christmas present... and i will NOT be making it over if it bleeds. :( I will just have to try something else for that person!

The back looks like this... it looks so flat right now.. cant wait to see it out of the dryer! But thought it wise to take pics BEFORE the wash... just in case! LOL (hyperventilating)

Finished a couple other things last week. But unfortunately can't show you those, until the people receive them!

So yes, I AM being productive - just not on the blog!

And yes... i keep staring at those two walls. They aren't getting painted by themselves. Bummer, huh? :P

But my frame of mind has not been in the tackle the humongous project mode - go figure!

And my brain keeps saying TICK TOCK.. almost Thanksgiving! Better hurry up!!

Wish I could sush that voice up!!

But I think that voice may be the ONLY reason I actually get it done!

And oh yes, you can guarantee IF and WHEN I get it done, I WILL be posting boring pictures of my walls! LOLOL Just for the accomplished/checked off my list mentality of show and tell!

hahahaha!

Hope you have a wonderful day, and are getting finishes of your own done!

:D
xo

Bren

Fabric Love

Ok, so i did a little fabric shopping...

But in my defense... before you see all the pics....

I am making all my Christmas presents this year...

And I was shopping for 5 different quilts here.

Only a few pieces were for stash building!

All the rest are for specific people, for specific quilts!

Honest!! :)

And yes... I fully admit I am addicted to dots. Circles. Swirls, & Words!

Always have been. Fear I always will be! LOL

Crazy how that's what I am always pulled to!
Really hoping to get all my painting done, so I can go turn all this fabric into quilts!!! :D Hope you are getting to be more creative than I am right now!

I'll catch up soon, I promise! LOL!!

xo Bren

Painting puppies and snowmen

2 snowmen in our backyard after the blizzard. Hee hee... they just make me smile! Too bad they can't stick around longer than a day here in colorado!! :)

Painting... painting ... painting.... we are slowly replacing all the 70's hollow wood doors through out our house, with 6 panel white doors. Yay!!! This nook will be the last to be replaced... as there are 3 doors in this nook. Can't wait! (why not all at once you ask? Just a bit cost prohibitive when we are doing so many other updates to the house! And having 12 doors needing replaced at $60 a pop... yah... do the math. LOL)

Got one wall in the family room done, and all the trim. Now for the other wall with the bookshelves and entertainment center on it!

Got one wall in the living room done. :) Easy peasy wall. LOL Now for the vaulted ceiling wrap around wall, with more book shelves and a big desk on it! The nook with the window, has been painted bright white. Not sure i'm loving it yet. That green wall you see will soon be red. So the entire living area of the house will be all the golden tan with white trim (looks soo sharp!!) and then only that one wall of red. Above, you see the little wooden panels by the wood burning stove? I think those will be red also... for continuity as it is a tri level house and you see everything all at once. I "think" this will all help it flow alot better. I am LOVING the neutral color with the white trim! The kitchen is chock full of color, and is the central part of the house seen from the living room and family room and entry way and dining room.

We have 2 of these 70's wood banisters. :( One right here in the entryway/living room. And one that keeps you from falling out of the kitchen. We are thinking of tearing this one out, and putting in a short wall with a flat top ledge. The one in the kitchen is a little tougher. We really LIKE that you can see thru it down into the family room. (keeping eyes on kids lol) Replacing it with a newer thicker banister would cost hundreds. :( So... prolly gonna be a sanding fool after the new year and try to paint it white. Iffin that doesn't go well... then we may replace it. But for now I have to try and keep the costs down, so i can replace the kitchen cabinets and all those doors! Slooowwwwllyyy upgrading things to pull it into this century! Hard to do when in your head you see it as it should be! And not being able to attain it right away all at once is the frustrating part! LOL

My poor hubby is a little disgruntled coming home to his living room being all squished up - no place to sit and relax! I keep reminding him this is a GOOD THING! And don't the walls look GOOD!? But yep... takes wayyy too long doing it this way!!

I was pulling the tape off yesterday... and my little helper decided to get in on the action and wanted to HELP ! Looked like fun! I can pull it off too Mom!!

She's such a love! But hard to paint with a pup who loves to be right next to you all the time! And yes.... she DID get her tail in some paint! :( Baby gates only work, if you put them up!!!

Hope you have a very blessed day!!! Say a little prayer that I stay motivated on this humongous project, and dont procrastinate the opposing walls for much more than a day!! :P

xo

Bren

Giveaway shout out

Jennie over at Sunflower Quilts is having a great giveaway! Quilters go check it out! :)
http://sunflowerquilts.blogspot.com/2009/11/my-first-blogiversary-and-giveaway.html

We are getting our new roof put on today. It has been put off and put off... apparently the contractors couldn't get building permits in our area, without jumping thru a bazillion hoops? Anyway... the pounding and hammering should start today, so i HAVE to be out of the house all day, or it will drive me up the wall! Me thinks i will do a little quilt shop hopping :D Have been suuuch a good girl... and i am prepared for that to end today! hahaha

Painting has come to a screeching halt. Sadly. I have just lost all physical motivation to tearing my house apart each day. :( Mentally... i still want to finish. Am excited to have it done! But i am not a fan of moving all furniture to one side of the room... painting ONE wall.. waiting for it to dry, painting second coat and waiting for it to dry, and then moving furniture back. Next day start on opposite wall. yah. no fun. LOL I am the kinda girl that likes to paint like a maniac all day and then be DONE. You know... EMPTY rooms. Where you can knock out like 3 rooms in a day - including trim!? This one wall thing is killin my painting mojo!! :( Maybe i will be motivated this weekend after a little fabric shopping, and sams club shopping?? hmm... could beee :)

Ok, so much for that resolution to not be a bad blogger! :(
Please bare with me... it has been on "crisis" after another here the last few weeks. NOT enjoyable. But being a mom certainly throws you some serious curve balls when you least expect it!
It seems they have been coming fast and furious. We have put on our armor, and are fighting the battle, and God has our backside. I'm pooped. And in the middle of all this... one of the things that will not make sense to you, unless i explain it all (which i'm not lol) we are painting. Completely painting my son's room, dressers, bookshelf, all of it. I am painting the entire house, minus the kitchen. So far I have gotten my nemesis of a hallway finished (5 doors with trim, and 10 stairs and a banister - oh yes.. have avoided this one for a lonnng time!) the entry way with the front door and closet door and trim, done. Sadly that dumb hallway and entryway took me 3 DAYS of constant work! OY! Moving onto the more "normal rooms" now. Family room and living room. Paint stuff everywhere - oh - and a PUPPY who wants to be where we are with all that wet paint!!
Oh my gosh i was sooo sore after the first full day of painting, i could barely move! (pathetic i know) and that next day I caught the flu. My daughter has it full force, and so do i. And then we got 18" of snow. Add in wet frozen hyper puppy. LOL All of us in our jammies... painting... coughing..... covered in paint... kids on fall break.. and we're all shut-ins! What a joy. LOL
But... through all that is going on it has been very cathartic. And it feels soo good to have clean crisp walls, something accomplished through hard work. A clean slate so to speak. Just as our Father gives us a clean slate for our souls we are pushing the same mentality through the house with fall cleaning and painting. (We've lived here almost 6 years so it's past time!!) I love the freeing mentality of getting rid of stuff, and cleansing... less cluttered (i have 2 girls that are packrats - need i say more??) I am proud of the big black trash bags that are going out the door. I am proud that my kids have taken on this cleansing mentality with such a great attitude. I look forward to being done. I look forward to all of the initial reasons for it being done. I look forward to relaxing on the couch and looking around and being thrilled with the results! But mostly right now... i look forward to a good night's sleep not covered in paint! LOL!
I may not blog for a while... we'll see how long it takes to finish the living room and family room, and this flu crud!
xo
Bren