§ It's Beginning to Look Like Christmas...

Once again this year, we decided to not put up the large 7 foot Christmas tree and decorate it since our kitty is still too curious and can be destructive. We brought out the artificial fiber optic tree. It's only 4 feet tall, small, and easy-peasy to put up...just set it in its base and plug it in!! It morphs into shades of green, red, blue, yellow, white, and purple. Pretty, but just not traditional [which I'd prefer]. On the plus side, no danger of CATastrophes, and then again, hours spent with decorating a 'real', life-sized tree or tearing down the very same after the holiday is over. (See note below)*

For now, I share these....

Top left to bottom

The small Santa Quilt I made last year and the Santa afghan that is several years old that was crocheted by me...now, it has become a bit 'sacred' to us.  This was our late Tahoe [cat]'s FAVORITE snoozing blanket.  No one could use it, 'cause she was on it the minute I unpacked it for Christmas, and left only to eat and use litter box...then, back on it  - day and night!!  I also purchased another quilt panel and quilt batting.  It's of the nativity.  I just never got around to buying other patch work quilt blocks [because of the covid 19 scare and shopping restrictions] to frame it...besides, I couldn't make up my mind even browsing the internet.  So, the panel sits, waiting for me to work on it.  Maybe soon.  Of course it will not be finished until 2021.  That's okay.

The last two are 'new' and 'old'.  The new [on the left] is a small Santa Fairy.  It just had to come home to sit at my table.  So far he's perched on the couch in the living room.  I'm sure he'll be moved eventually.  And last, on the right, is a piece we've had in our home for the holidays since Tucson, AZ.  It's large [about 3 feet in length] with a metal sleigh and Santa - his bag is filled with toys of mini-size.  [oh, and on the snowy ledge behind the sleigh...a gnome.  More of those comin' up too.]

*I'm working on convincing myself to put up the big tree! I miss it.

§ Witch Dolls I've Made...and other Halloween Crafts

I have made these:

Top left: Yellow Rose of Texas and a mini-witch
Bottom left: Halloween Puzzle with Dollar Store plaque :Beware the wicked witch and her monsters live here: and A Grim Reaper made from a tomato garden stake [garden stake then strips of ragged Halloween materials with bone hands and skull.] The Reaper's hat is cardboard covered in same materials as ragged clothes

My Halloween Witch Quilt


....and, Jan, if you're visiting...your woodcutter's blog has no comment link. I love it!

§ My 2nd Quilt...This time...Christmas Themed.

A few weeks ago, I asked if you could guess what I was going to do with these material pieces.  Long ago, I made my first ever machine stitched quilt for Halloween.  And, at that time, I swore I'd never do another.  This quilting is truly an art I'm not 'cut out to do' and it is something I would  call work!!  I have found out over the years, I can no longer stitch a straight line [and I used to make my own clothes often!].  Well, I weakened a bit, and decided to give it another go...:

...a couple of visitors guessed correctly. I had plans of taking the Santa Panel and make a small quilted throw for the living room couch.  It's been cold and rainy with no outdoor activities possible, so I sewed - - -

As I worked on cutting and sewing squares to the panel, I was trying to figure out what I wanted to be on the back side. I chose to make a panel of evergreen and pine cones print, and draw a Santa Boot Pattern on a piece of paper and cut out pieces in black [for the boot shape] white [for the fur trim], and use some scrap pieces for holly [green] and berries [red]...

After 'quilting' around Santa, the cardinal, and the holly, to finish, I then framed the blocks of Christmas print with red, green and white, and quilted those. The finished size is 70"x96". About the dimensions of a crocheted/knitted afghan...

...thoughts of an Easter Panel crossed my mind!  NAH!!!  I think I'll end this madness before I need Prozac.

§ Rainy Days and Thursday....

I had to get some thread for the sewing machine for an upcoming holiday project. While there at the store, near the check-out stand, I saw these and couldn't resist buying one!

An upcoming holiday project? you ask...

Here are the pieces parts. Can you guess?




And, speaking of pieces parts. During the cold, wet, rainy days of Coastal winter,  the two of us can be found working on a yearly thing...

According to the local weather, South Texas is once again in the La Nina frame of weather patterns. Which means, we're gonna have another warm winter. In other words, not many cold days before the summer temps are upon us again. I sure hope they're mistaken!!!!! Anyway, I was out walking along the Sunset Lakes Trail, and on this particular day, El Nino came into play!! Wet, heavy rains. Altho, as I watched the cloud cover boiling above me, and decided to head back to the car before I got drenched, I made it just in time. A micro-burst saturated the area in a heavy downpour. In fact, all the way home as i drove on the freeway...rain!

The turtles didn't seem to care about the weather, one way or another...




...my camera was getting wet! Time to lock up and get home where it's dry. [Not so...it was raining heavily at home too!]  Our area of town rec'd about 1 1/2 inches of rain, where the one news station is reported to have rec'd about THREE inches of rain from this front, while the downtown, airport, and islands didn't get ANY rain.

§ Before Prozac, there was quilting...

...and this'll end up being a long recitation, I'm sure--

Last week, I posted that I finished my afghan sized Halloween Quilt. And I titled that post "...the wicked quilt is done"! To be honest I was never more happy to call it quits!! You see, I truthfully haven't sewn anything since our kids were young and still at home. And our youngest has been gone from home since 1994. If my math is correct that is just shy of the 20 year mark since I've really attempted any large project with the sewing machine. One thing, I did remember how to thread the machine. LOL -- that part was just like learning how to ride a bike; once you master it you never forget.

Okay, so it was considered by me a colossal challenge. I knew when I bought the first cute panel of a cute witch, I was in for the long haul. It just took me about 10 years to finally build up the courage and get it back out of storage and begin. For years I had it in my mind to just make a simple patchwork quilt that surrounds the large panel in the middle. Of course, Halloween colors of yellows, oranges, black, purples, and greens. I had enough material saved up to make a 74" x 42" quilt. I started cutting the pieces. I really wasn't going to make each a perfect square. I would just fit all the cut pieces until the dimension reached a close 70-75 inches long and 40-45 inches wide. Something to just use as a throw on a chilly night....which there aren't very many of those in South Texas in October. Once the pieces were cut, I sewed them together making rows. Fitted them together and sewed them onto the original panel. So far so good. Then, I considered what to do for a back of the quilt. I had in mind to have something a bit flower-y. And made use of the witch's hat and one of the jack-o-lanterns that were extras on the panel I bought long ago. I cut those out...pinned them onto the back side and used the machine's zig zag stitch. After that came the batting. I've never EVER made a quilt before, so choosing the right batting was something new to me. I went to Hobby Lobby, Joann Crafts, and Michael's and read online the differences in quilt batting. And decided on the light fiber batting in a 'heavy' texture. In other words a product that would have a soft quilting effect and still be light weight when all put together. Cutting that was no challenge. I laid it on the floor, put the top quilt section on top of the batting and cut. Then, pinned both the back and the front of the quilt to the batting. And began sewing. Once online, I learned the technique of "Stitch in the Ditch" stitching. The tutorial also advised me to use transparent thread for the top piece and close-to-matching thread for the bottom piece [what was on the bobbin spool]. That was when I ran into some problems....the bobbin tension on the machine...I was never able to get it set perfectly for the use of the transparent thread I used on the top!! My transparent thread kept breaking; VERY OFTEN!! Frustration was setting in. And I don't know how many times I sat there, rethreading the needle, and/or replacing the BROKEN needle. A few times I mindlessly, silently threatened to just throw it all out. As Butch Cassidy said in the popular western movie about the posse that was after him and the Sundance Kid...it was "beginning to get on my nerves". Whatever did I get myself into? Why did I even think I could do this without any knowledge whatsoever before I began? You're a fool to think you could accomplish this Anni! So many negative remarks ran through my head.

After about a month of constant battle and frustrations, the quilting was done. If I never hear the term "Stitch in the Ditch" again, it'll be all too soon. After this, I even have MORE admiration of those who quilt and call it a hobby or do it for a living!! More power to them.

Then, the binding. Once again I went out online to do research and watch videos. That all seemed simple enough. Math came into the picture. Measure the quilt; multiply it by 2 and you have the sum of the inches needed for the length of the quilt's binding!! Got it!! If you recall, I chose a contrasting orange for binding [photo shown in this post with Tahoe's help]. I decided that the narrow biding would look best......WRONG!!! I cut my binding 2 inches in width. Had all six strips of 45" in length sewn together to make one long strip. Pinned it on...sewed it and mitered the corners. After two corners done, I had some more bobbin tension problems. I forgot to readjust the tension on the machine, and the matching orange thread bunched up at one point while sewing it on that there was no turning back, I had to rip that completely off and begin anew!! I wasn't about to go and buy more orange, I had a lot of black material in my storage bin of scraps, so decided to use the black for binding instead. And the first go-'round I cut the six strips 2" wide. This time, with the black, I measured a wider strip...this time it was 2 1/2 inches wide. I ADJUSTED THE TENSION, and off I went. Sewing miraculously around the entire quilt.

I wasn't about to use that nasty transparent thread again, so I chose to finish the quilt binding off, by stitching the backside of the binding to the back of the quilt by hand!! The stitch is a blind stitch and nearly invisible to the eye. It worked out very smoothly, and I had the hand sewing done in a short two days!!

Guaranteed it's NOT a perfect piece of work. But it will suffice. Project completed in one month's time. Lots of hours put into it. The labor, the time, the expense of the material and the batting...it wouldn't make much of a profit if I sold it for $100. roflmao!!

...but it's done. And to be totally honest, I'll never make a quilt again. I'll leave it to the experts and those that enjoy doing this. I'll stick to birding in October and decorating with already made Halloween decorations.

So, here is the finished quilt in photos [they will enlarge if you wish, just click on 'em for a slideshow]:

...and if you're still here with me, and read the post in its entirety, step up to the bar....DRINKS ARE ON ME!! I'll make the first toast: "May your sorrows be patched and your joys quilted. Just not by me!"

§ Ding Dong the Quilt is done...the wicked Quilt is DONE!!

I read local news: "Because the snake was dangerous/poisonous, it was killed. Altho, animal control in this area does release non-poisonous snakes back into the wild." Read More/Watch News Video... While the animal control officers were attempting the snake's capture, it sprayed venom on one of their uniform shirts!! Thing is, the rattlesnake was spotted on local property UNDER the property owner's BIRD FEEDER!! Yikes...and I go out every morning and fill the feeders in OUR yard. I think I will relegate the task to Bud...ya, pass that chore onto him from this day forward!!! [kidding]

When your pet bird sees you reading the newspaper, does he wonder why you're just sitting there, staring at carpeting?

YOU KNOW YOU'RE HAVING A BAD DAY WHEN...The bird singing outside your window is a vulture.

Brant Dunlin [BIRDS in BOLD] - Private Investigator: I was in the Condor Club and right next to me there were two chicks, a raven-haired beauty and a redhead. On a lark I decided that I wanted to chat, but I had to crane my neck to see 'em. I don't want to snipe or grouse, but when I turned around one of them was puffin away on a cigarette - I wanted to thrasher or at least rail about what a cuckoo she was for taking up this fowl habit. Instead of making a move I decided to listen in on the gulls. I was in the catbird seat, and got quite an ear full - I really couldn't believe what I was heron. The woman with the black hair was named Barbet and her friend was Robin. Barbet said, "Can you sparrow match?" Robin obliged. "Thanks. You know, that bustard Martin is a real loon. He asked if he could touch my tit - I said, 'What?' and he said he liked my booby - I told him to go fly a kite." "Yep, he's a creeper all right, and not too swift," Robin replied. "He wanted to goose me, that turkey. Look, Barbet, there he is, after Rhea!" "Owl tell ya', he'll egret it." [Barbet was British.] "She's a harpy and she won't quail at his advances - she'll wrap a nutcracker around his peewee - that'll be his swan song." "Yeah", said Robin, "But willet do any good?" Jut then I saw Martin swallow hard, move over to Rhea, and try to dipper. Rhea flew off and took a swing, and Martin had to duck and he dove to the floor under the table bunting. There was a flicker in Rhea's eye. She came over to sing to Barbet and Robin. "Martin said that Jay told him I was easy...if I wouldn't give it away I'd at least wrentit!" "Oh, Rhea," said Robin, "that old coot Jay isn't worth your time, and if Martin doesn't straighten up soon they'll throw him down the nuthatch." "Either that or get a shoveler to bury the old buzzard - he's so yucky, harrier than a gorilla." "Yeah, those toucan go to Hell." By this time I knew to say nothing and to not even try to be an avocet to their cause. My cardinal rule is to let the canary sing before you take your tern. I'm no rook or sapsucker and I didn't need an albatross around my neck, so I just stayed mute and walked away. Besides, the Falcon needed petrel - so I went to fill it up. At least I'd remembered to get cash out of the nightjar. Teal we meet again, Brant Dunlin, signing off.

WARNING!! [risque ahead Rated "R"] There was this guy that had a hen and he wanted to raise chicks but had no rooster... So he set out looking for one... Came upon a farmer and asked him if he had any. Farmer said... "Why, yes, I have three of them... One is "normal"... one is "dyslexic"... and the last one is "gay". So the guy says... "Let me hear them crow!" The farmer brings out the "normal" one... and he crows...... Cocka-Doodle-Dooooooo!!! Guy says, "Well, he sounds pretty good!" Farmer brings out the "dyslexic" one... and he crows...... Doodle-Doodle-Cock!!! Guy says, "Hmmm..." The farmer brings out the "gay" one... He crows...... Any-Cock'll Doooooooooo!!!

Yesterday, I FINISHED IT!!! My Halloween quilt is complete. I am so very happy it is done. I have pictures of the entire process and finished images on the camera, and I'll share it all [and my honest opinion of the experience] next week, I hope. I posted this close-up picture from the beginning, I will re-share it 'til I get the other photos cropped and readied for another future post...

[this is the reverse/back side of the quilt]

The weather report: We've been getting a few rain showers here and there, recently. I'm enjoying the heck out of this! I even dared to go walking in the rain. I had my biggo Texas-sized umbrella and felt like "Singing in the Rain". While I was walking, I chanced to trek along the feeder ditch that empties into Oso Bay behind the Texas A&M South Campus. I caught a couple photos of ducks scurrying to the bay in the rain...



...zooming in -this photo is a bit blurry 'cause I was trying to utilize the zoom and hang on the umbrella and focus all at the same time. But, it also tells a story: They were REALLY on 'cruise control fast!' ....



...and one of our front yard hibiscus after the rainfall...


...and the patterns of weather we've been having this past week makes for some beautiful sky-scapes with a lot of drama mixed in!!

Tuesday, Bud and I stopped at Best Buy 'cause they had the special day release sale price of season ten of NCIS. Have watched a couple episodes already during our dinner hour. Can't wait to get up to my favorite program of last season. That one is Devil's Trifecta...where FBI agent Fornell and Gibbs' ex-wife work on a special case together. It just hits me as hilarious!! It's quite funny. Sometimes I wish the producers and writers would do more like this.

Last thing for this post before I go get busy for the day: A couple of weeks ago, I started a new bird sketch, and this week, I finally built up the courage to finish it. The reason I stopped in mid-sketch is because this image I chose to draw has the bird's feet. And they are truly a difficult challenge for me to get it 'right'. Most times when I attempt bird feet they look like just a big mess of lines...as with human hands. I never feel they look like the real thing. I draw, erase, draw, erase...over and over again. I should just eliminate this part of the drawing and add tree leaves or something. But, this sketch, too, is now done. By the way, it's a bird that is quite prominent in the Texas area and rarely goes much farther north than Okalhoma...the GREEN JAY. Tho this pencil sketch is done in regular #5 drawing pencil, I added a bit of color as I did in my American Redstart. The colors in real life are extraordinarily bright, vivid, bold greens and blues with a hint of yellow and black. Anyway, here is my completed Green Jay---

rattlesnake clipart courtesy of Google Images

§ ....Raking in the Chips

A long, long, long, LONG time ago, as Bud and I made a habit of staying up to watch Johnny Carson's Late Night Show, we so often bring up the subject of our favorite segments. Mine are usually dealing with Mr. Carson and all the animals [wild and tame] that were brought on stage with him. Many-a-times when we are eating lunch or a light dinner of sandwiches and chips, we discuss the 'potato chip lady'. Do any of you remember that one particular program? A woman collected potato chips of all things. In all different shapes. And she had them named too. I think my most favorite one she had shown was the one shaped like Bob Hope, and it really LOOKED like Bob Hope! [you can see the chip and others in her collection from this video link]. I had a most difficult time finding this since so many were not available on You Tube any more. Because of copyright issues, and I can't understand why this one actually showed up, but to not infringe on a copyright I only share the link.

Anyway, the other night I had made a sliced ham and provolone cheese sandwich on hard bolillo bread [a crusty french individual sized [small ] loaf of bread....mighty delicious. Along with the sandwich I served our favorite chips. Now these chips are a store brand product. I swear, sometimes the store brands are much better and tastier than national brands. And these chips are one such item!! We're obviously not the only ones who really like 'em either...throughout Corpus Christi and surrounding areas there are literally hundreds of H*E*B stores, from small neighborhood grocers to the giant super center stores. Seems no matter which corner store we frequent, those "Loaded Baked Potato" Chips areas on the shelves are always empty. Several times I've had to ask a shelf-stocker to go back in the warehouse area and bring out MORE so I can buy them. They're baked potato, sour cream and cheese chips...sprinkled lightly with dried chopped chives. Yum!!

We were eating in the living room, watching the movie with Daniel Day Lewis's "The Last of the Mohicans", and I was separating the big chips on my plate from the tiny broken ones and eating the broken ones first; saving the bigger, better, ones for last. LOL When through the pile of chips, I pull out one that truly stopped me with my inane ritual!! And of course I thought of the Potato Chip Lady right away.

By the way, a little preamble to my conclusion of this ditty... I've been known to pick up rocks or a piece of broken glass on the beach, or seeds...you name it, that closely resemble the heart shape!! [My favorite heart shaped seed is the Sea Heart] - Right in the dead center of this chip, there was an open heart shape. Nearly perfect. Needless to say, I've saved it. And I told Bud that we should somehow put it in a shadow box with a glass cover for protection. Really? How often does this happening come along? Like the potato chip lady, I too have named mine...it's lovingly dubbed Myrtle Young's Heart. Or maybe I could list it on Ebay?!! rofl

Are you ready to see my find? Wanna see it, do'ya? Say purdy please!!...........

Okay, you talked me into it.

As y'all know, a quilt project is under way at Hootin' Anni's abode!! I now have all the blocks sewn together [it's an eclectic mixture of sizes and shapes -square AND rectangle]...the batting is in place, the back panel is sewn on and it's quilted up to the rough edges around the entire quilt. Now this week, I started sewing the binding together after watching an online video on the 'how to'. After I pressed the seams open, I had a helper. One who has been watchin' my every move for this particular segment in quilting. Guess you could now call her "Bounty" 'Cause she was my 'quilter picker-upper'. I'm a little off the rocker today folks...don't mind me. This quilting is for more skilled ones; more so than I am. Other than bearing two kids, this is the most tiring and tedious thing I've done in a long time. :::snort::: The picture of my helper is quite blurred and dark, I was walking back to the sewing machine and Tahoe was helping me carry the strip of binding!! And this new cellphone doesn't take very clear pictures. Of course I have yet to work on the phone's preferences, maybe someday I can make adjustments. Ironic that this is a Halloween quilt and I have a black cat helping. Don't you think? ;o)

Been watching a couple of storms brewing and could possibly be heading toward the Gulf of Mexico. At least the one that originated just off the coast of Venzuela this week. The other one is still out in the Atlantic just off the coast of West Africa, well today it seems that it will change a more northerly direction instead of hitting the USA. But, for us in Texas and the Hurricane Alley-ways, they both deemed watchable!! It's been all too quiet out there since the 2013 season began. August, September, October are historically the most active of the 6 month season. Here they come!

I like redecorating here on my blog. I try to use something that pertains to my likes mostly. Or the area where I live. This template set I used once before and found it in my graphics stash folder, and revamped it a bit and added the Egret header. It seems no matter how many colors I use, I always go back to the white background. I think white is best for all. It's easier on the eyes when you read a lot of blogs. Soft colors are best in my opinion. And white overall is even better.

Tired of all the corrupt government and the raising of taxes. I have a cute clip that Erik sent me through email...

no infringement intended

I began sketching a new pencil work...another bird. Haven't finished it yet to share it with anyone. I'm having a difficult time getting its feet to look right. Bird feet have always been a challenge for me. This time, if I ever get it finished, it's of a jay found in Texas.

And lastly for this week's fragmented thoughts, with the 'tax' comic strip above, I was reminded of this...I was pinning some of my quilt, preparing to sew, at the dining room table. In the afternoon, this room has the best light coming in the window. Anyway, I spotted from my chair, looking out the window, a critter that shows up daily for its lunch!! Of course, there is just absolutely no way to keep squirrels from feeders. You either let them feed along with the original intended birds of the 'hood, or don't put out seed!! But, this reminded me of an article I read about an elderly couple that was ordered to court because of one of their bird feeders in their yard!! I couldn't believe my eyes and just how cruel people [and next door neighbors] are getting these days. They face a fine, and what boggles my mind is the waste of time and taxpayers money to have this instance appear before a judge....'cause of a bird feeder?!!!...READ MORE
...and speaking of birds...LOOK, up in the sky [it's not Superman------]