Wednesday, July 17, 2013

HODGEPODGE WEDNESDAY


Here we are to Wednesday already, and time again for Hodgepodge.  So much thanks to Joyce for getting this together every week as I sure enjoy it.  To join the others participating click HERE

1.  Picture postcards were first printed back in the mid-1800's and deltiology is the official name for postcard collecting.  When did you last send a postcard?  Receive one?  Do you save postcards sent to you?  Do you collect and/or send postcards when you travel?  Honestly I am really wracking my brain here and I think I remember receiving maybe a couple of post cards over my entire life but it was before I was even an adult.  Vaguely remember my grandmother sending me one when we were little girls and they came to the house addressed to each on of us kids (think there were 4 of us at that time) individually. I was thrilled to be receiving ANYTHING that came for me personally.  And I did get one in high school from some boy I was "kind of" dating at the time when his family was on vacation.  I have never sent one, and never collected them.  I do kind of like looking at them though.  Kind of like an old fashioned text, haha.  Picture and a quick hello.

2.  What treat do you most like to indulge in while on vacation?  Oh I hate to admit this but it is probably food.  I for some crazy reason feel like I am on somewhat of a free for all so I indulge in desserts and treats I ordinarily wouldn't.  Of course now with my borderline high blood sugar at times, guess that is out.  ; )

3.  Are you good at hiding your feelings?  As a general rule I usually don't.  I am somewhat of a gut spiller.  How I am feeling is usually pretty apparent.  However! IF I need to, I can do it better than you might think.

4.  Does your town/city/country still deliver telephone books to your home?  Do you check the yellow pages when searching for a local business number or has the internet replaced the phone book in your home?  Believe it or they DO still deliver it, (maybe because we live in a senior citizen park?) and the current one sits on our desk in the corner, but I never look at it at all.  The internet has totally replaced it.  If I could I would stop it.  But the new one comes, I replace the old untouched one with it, and put it in the re-cycle bin.  

5.  Would you rather be first or last?  Well it totally depends on for what? First in LONG lines for most things, haha.  First for hugs and kisses from grandkids, and first for understanding and for saying I am sorry.  But definitely last for speaking in front of groups, or for trying almost anything that seems weird or unusual.

6.  July is National Park and Recreation Month (in America, but everyone can still play along)...where and when were you last in a park?  Did you participate in any recreational activities while you there? Well, if you mean just ANY park, then it was last Wed. afternoon when I went to my nephews all-star game.  It was a HUGE park (called Mile Long Park) and the ball fields were surrounded by beautiful trees, luscious grass areas, and play grounds for kids.  If going to the game counts as participating, then I guess I did.  But I have not been to a National Park in years.  

7.  What was one of your worst ideas?  Goodness there has been sooo many over the years, haha.  Let's see though....one of my worst all time ones might have been MANY MANY years ago when I decided I wanted WHITE Berber carpet in our house.  Whatever I was thinking with 4 children, (3 of them teen-aged boys with LOTS of friends) 3 cats and a dog, oh and a very messy bird, I honestly don't know.  I must have been nuts.   I had visions at the time of this CLEAN, fresh, lint free look, and lived instead with a stained, dirty constantly, nightmare mess for several years...sigh.  Not my brightest moment.  

8.  Insert your own random thought here.  I think I might be over-thinking the whole first quilting attempt as I continue to watch videos, look at patterns, and consider my options.  I went today to a local quilting store and oh my what a find!  It was much bigger than I expected it to be, and there were both classes going on, and a GIANT machine that did quilting for you should you be interested.  The fabric selections alone could have kept me in there for hours.  I did talk quite a bit to 3 different women who worked there in various different ways, and it was their general consensus that I probably don't need an actual class to get going as I have done so much sewing over the years and know how to follow pattern instructions etc. pretty well; which seems good as the classes seemed kind of pricey to me.  So for now I am going to go with on-line tutorials, and help from some of you who have offered should I need it.  And after hearing the prices of what it costs to have a quilt professionally quilted I don't think I will ever be doing that either!  WOW!  Seemed pretty stiff to me.  So I am glad I wanted to do that myself anyway.  Soo now that I am aware of just how expensive this new venture of mine might be, haha, I am still pressing on.  However, I did not purchase any fabric from this store either even though I know that the fabric is probably far superior to JoAnnes fabric.  But for my first attempt especially, I don't think I need that.  Sooo all of this to tell you I think I have settled on Christmas table runners for my first project.  They are darling, seem pretty quick and simple, and don't need a lot of fabric, and are fairly small and should be good for my first attempts at machine quilting AND! will make nice gifts for my daughter and dil's as well.  So hopefully today I will purchase a little fabric to get going.  I am still using the old machine until I get my lessons on the new one as truthfully I am kind of intimidated by it, lol.  I don't know, maybe I could work it just for sewing (no embroidery or quilting) so we will see.  Hope you are all enjoying your week.  OH! Melody booked her airline flight for her visit in Aug today!  Soo happy.  Can't wait to see them all!

14 comments:

  1. Table runners will be a nice first project ... I don't think I mentioned it, but I should have cautioned you to go with something small. Although my first quilting project was a twin-sized log cabin quilt for DD. But then I've always been one to jump in with both feet. ;-) Good luck on your project ... hope you share your progress - with pictures, of course!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I'm chuckling at your carpet answer. We had light carpet when our children were younger. When we built the house we currently live in, we went with faux wood floors...a much better option!!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I still love getting personal mail which is pretty rare these days. My girls do too, so I try to send them a postcard now and then to avoid the disappointment of an empty mailbox.

    Good luck with your quilting project!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hi Debbie. Table runners are a perfect project for you while you are learning. They are usually quick, and you can choose from a variety of patterns. Plus, as you say, they make wonderful gifts too.
    What quilt store are most near to?
    Have fun with that new machine!!!
    xo Kris

    ReplyDelete
  5. Debbie, I enjoyed reading your post today. This Hodgepodge gives us an opportunity to get more acquainted with each other and I like that. I chuckled at the white Berber carpet tale and wondered why we have to make such expensive foolish decisions. But, we sure learn from them, don't we.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I hope you show us the table runners because I will want to see them. Some of us have to sew and quilt vicariously through you, you know.

    As for the rest of the questions, as usual I found out we are kindred souls. Let's eat our way through a vacation together sometime. We can do our best to avoid the sweets together, too. (Or we can just generally be a bad influence on each other. Probably that one.)

    ReplyDelete
  7. Oh I'll be watching here closely. I think pillowcases and table runners, pot holders, too, are the best first quitting projects.

    ReplyDelete
  8. We have light beige carpet in our house...not a good idea with 2 kids, 2 dogs, and a hubby who loves to work outdoors! Lesson learned! Please stop by my blog and enter my Easy Canvas Giveaway...they're giving away a FREE 8x10 canvas to one of my lucky readers!

    ReplyDelete
  9. I love getting mail, you know the kind you hold in your hands, but I think letter writing has become a lost art. I cannot even remember the last time I got or sent a postcard had to be 15 years or more. Keep the photos coming with you quilting

    ReplyDelete
  10. Table runners sound like a wonderful first quilting project. I've been wanting to begin myself, but going into those stores and listening in on all those things is a bit intimidating. I think I'll stick with my knotty knitting for now. It will be neat to see your first finished product! :)

    ReplyDelete
  11. Well, we'll look forward to seeing your first project and I'm sure you will go just fine.

    So glad that daughter is getting to come home for a visit. Just nothing like mother/daughter time.

    Do take of that blood sugar. Our son was diagnosed with Juvenile Diabetes at the age of 7, that was 30 years ago. He's doing well, is on an insulin pump and takes really good care of himself. But, it can sure be scary.

    Happy rest of the week!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Oh I am laughing over the white berber carpet...our dream home had white berber..I didn't pick it. It also had white marble floors..that is with five children, home all day and four of them boys! Needless to say...it didn't stay white.

    Oh your machine and quilting cost..oh I know my mother spends a fortune and I still haven't gotten a quilt from her...but she sews a lot of them..don't tell her I told!

    Have a great weekend..fun post!

    ReplyDelete
  13. I had to stop and think about postcards. My mother had a huge collection of them many years ago, and through a freak accident, they were thrown out. I don't hear of many friends sending or receiving postcards anymore.

    As for the vacation splurges, food would definitely be one of mine too. And maybe shopping, depends where I was visiting.

    I enjoyed this post. Have a wonderful time with your daughter and family.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Hi Debbie, Just got back from a bike ride in the mountains. I read this post this morning. I know you'll get the hang of quilting so quickly. I finished the baby quilt last night so now I can finish my quilt that I was working on during the fall.
    Hope you have a great evening.
    Hugs, Noreen

    ReplyDelete

I am so glad that you would take the time to comment on my thoughts and feelings, it is such a blessing to me!