Unite Or Die

I am doing some research for an historical project and came across this Revolutionary War Flag.  During the war each regiment of Minutemen would make their own flag representing their region and carry them proudly.  This was one such flag.  Similar to the "Don't Tread On Me" snake but divided in numbered segments.  It got me wondering what exactly the flag stood for... what were the 9 Principles and the 12 Values.

I did a little research today on the flag and found out this... the Minutemen believed in a core set of values and principles which differed from those of the King of England.  This base of core values helped shape our country and our Constitution.  The following were the Principles and Values that the founders of our country practiced and believed in... and risked and gave their lives in the pursuit of...

9 Principles

1. America is good.

2. I believe in God and He is the Center of My Life.

3. I must always try to be a more honest person than I was yesterday.

4. The family is sacred.  My spouse and I are the ultimate authority, not the government.

5. If you break the law you pay the penalty.  Justice is blind and no one is above it.

6. I have the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, but there is no guarantee of equal results.

7. I work hard for what I have and I will share it with who I want to.  Government cannot force me to be charitable.

8. It is not un-American for me to disagree with authority or to share my personal opinion.

9. The government works for me.  I do not answer to them, they answer to me.

12 Values

1. Honesty

2. Reverence

3. Hope

4. Thrift

5. Humility

6. Charity

7. Sincerity

8. Moderation

9. Hard Work 

10. Courage

11. Personal Responsibility

12. Gratitude

I do not speak for anyone but myself and my family... but I still abide by these core principles and values.  I didn't know it... I didn't know that I was carrying on the tradition of my fore-fathers in my daily life... in the raising of my children... in the way I embrace the world... in the way I participate in my community... in the way I treat the people around me... my fellow Americans. Now that I know what they believed when they formed this country I feel honored to bless their memory by continuing this tradition.  I will hang a copy of this flag in my home, my office and anywhere else I can as a daily reminder to honor not only their memory but the efforts of our current military in continuing to fight for our freedom and the freedom of others to follow the same core values and principle... even if they believe in another God... even if they honor another flag.

I cannot tell you how much this history project means to me.  Since I have begun my research I have learned so much about our history and about myself. I take joy and pleasure every day in my work and cannot wait until the project is finished and I can share it.  

New Patterns April 2009

I realized when I was looking over some photos today that I never posted any pics of the new designs. So I will send some new pics of the quilts I debuted at the Quilter's Heritage Festival in Lancaster, PA this year.

Pattern: Grandma's in the Kitchen


Pattern: Fender Bender
Sized for an extra long twin bed


Pattern: Trellis Rose
This pattern is a reprint from 2006 made with different fabrics.

Hope you like the new designs. Soon I will post a pic of the new BOM patterns I have released this year.
Happy Quilting!

Guild Night

So Monday was a bit of a busy day and nothing really exciting to blog about unless you want to look at pics of my computer screen while I worked on the Guild Newsletter or the printing of Block 4 of the Civil War BOM I am doing for Millstone Quilts. I also made the election ballots for the quilt guild elections for the 2009-2010 board.
I didn't think you would find that very interesting. But, on the way out of my driveway I saw this little baby of the power lines. I say baby because I am quite convinced that all the redtail hawks in the area are all my babies. We do have a pair that lay in the same next next to our garage every year and raise their babies every spring. So... I am pretty that they are either one the pair or one of the babies. I see one almost every day but today I had my camera at the ready.

And then I went off to the Guild election meeting *yawn* because it was my duty to the Guild to go... but I did make a stop on the way.
This is the only way that I could make it through the meeting. Thank God for Iced Coffee.
Cheers!

McCafe

No matter what kind of day you are having I think just knowing there is stuff like this just waiting in the McDonald's drivethru makes everything soooo much better. I don't even care about the calories. It's like McDonald's is reading my mind. I love the beads of sweat on the cup. tehe


Enjoy!

Millstone Quilts Outdoor Show 2009

On May 2nd and 3rd I had the wonderful opportunity to host a Cabin In The Woods Trunk Show at Millstone Quilts in Old Church, VA during their annual outdoor quilt show, sale and BBQ. Each year Millstone hosts a customer quilt show on their grounds where customers can show off their quilting talents. They have a 25% off sale for anything in the store and they serve a free southern style BBQ lunch. It's a really wonderful event and I was asked to bring down the quilts and greet the customers.

Here is the trunk show set up on Saturday morning on the porch of my favorite shop down by the creek.

All the new designs were on display as were most of the old designs in the line. Isn't this the cutest little shop. Little is actually very deceiving. This "little" shop has three floors of fabric and is definately worth the trip.
The quilts were on display in the trees all day until about 2:30pm when the rains came.

Here is the trunk show rearranged on Sunday to accomodate the rain that lasted all day. I was nestled on the porch on Sunday (at one point wrapped up in one of my samples due to the draft) and greeted customers with Smoke the cat. Who, I should mention, is not friendly. He is a certified attack cat so if you ever get to Millstone... I would advise saying hi to the cat from a distance. However, Smoke and I became fast friends. Well he liked me anyone. We played a great game of cat and mouse (he was the cat) and he enjoyed torturing me by laying on top of all my business cards on the table and swatting at anyone who tried to take one.

The show turned out to be a wonderful success for me and the sale was a great success for the shop. We were even able to talk a couple of gals into signing up for the Civil War BOM that I designed for the shop this year. All the quilts looked great and I received many compliments. The crowd favorite at this show... Grammy's Thread Box which is the spool quilt in the middle of the above photo.
Happy Quilting!

Friday's Field Trip

Yesterday I kinda caught everyone up on all the work stuff but promised to catch up more with some backwards posts with pics. So I here is a little snippet of Friday that I will share with you over coffee. Little Brat took a Second Grade Field Trip to The Gari Melchers house in Belmont (Fredericksburg, VA). For those of you not familiar with Gari Melchers (and who would be unless you are REALLY into art) he was a very famous painter/artist. He was known primarily for his portraits. He studied in Germany as a boy and had studios all over the world, most noteably in New York and Paris. Won many awards... blah, blah, blah... and settled here in our home town. He bought a beautiful estate and filled it with his wife's enormous china collection (so big in fact that they cannot display all of it). Sounds like many of us with our fabric. I took a few shots with my point and shoot camera on the estate. I am always looking for interesting B&W pics to decorate our cabin. The grounds ar positively beautiful so if you ever get this way you should stop in and visit and then go down the hill and have lunch at Annie's Cafe.

This is a pic I took of Little Brat and me on the grounds. The kids had a great time learning about life cycles on the farm and art from the wonderful volunteers. They even had a little scavenger hunt and ran all over the grounds.

I was glad I had the opportunity to be picked as a chaperone and hang out with Little Brat for the day.

Happy Mother's Day

So a friend pointed out the other day that I have spent way too much time working and connecting on Facebook and haven't posted anything on my blog in 2 months. That's terrible. So today is the day that I rectify this travesty. I don't want anyone to miss out on the going's on around here. So here was the actual important happening from 4am this morning.

In a nutshell... the last two months have really been all about work. Yes... there has been some socializing and Facebooking and visiting family. But mostly I have been attached to the sewing maching and computer and working like a dog. I managed to put out two new applique patterns and one re-release of a quilt design this year. I will be sure to post the pics for you in the next Blog. They premiered at The Quilter's Heritage Celebration (an International Qult Show in Lancaster, PA). The designs were quite popular.

I picked up three new clients at the show and of course many, many new customers. I was able to stay at the booth throught out the four day show and meet lots of friendly quilters and sign many patterns. Immediately after getting back it was time to get to work on the Civil War BOM that I designed exclusively for Millstone Quilts. They began the project back in March and I am working on making sure they have everything they need each month. I also had a few more new clients not from the show. I had two trunk shows running through April and my first outdoor quilt show/trunk show with Millstone the first weekend in May.

All were very successful... I have had to reprint both new patterns twice already in the last two months. The company is crazy busy. I am crazy busy. Yesterday I found a new home for a dog and drove 4 hours to deliver it and visit with my Mom for Mother's Day. Today was my Mother's Day. I got home last night at Midnight and awoke at 4am so it was inevitable that I would nap today... and I did.

This morning I was presented with three red roses from my Mom (in honor of the three Grandsons I have given her). My boys gave me a new book, some iTunes gift cards and a wonderful iPod docking station to make a stereo for me in the house and studio. It was great. I also bought a couple of used digital point shoot cameras for my business. So I put on shoes and went out in my pajamas this morning to take a couple of pics.


I found this small Bleeding Heart blossom with this daddylonglegs on it. I was testing out the macro capabilities of the new camera. He looks like he found the perfect spot huh?

I love the way the buttercups poke up through the stones in my sidewalk. Some people would mind that but I don't. These are about the only flowers I have in my yard today.

I have been growing Clamatis on my porch for the last four years. I got three blossoms last year on this side of the railing and my old lab walked out one day and wagged her tail and knocked all the blossoms off. Today I was very excited to see all the new buds on the plants. I have high hopes for big beautiful blooms this year.
Well... it has been wonderful checking back in with everyone. I will post more this week.
I hope all of you had a wonderful Mother's Day today and can't wait to get caught up on all the blogs posts I have been missing.

Congratulations Big Boy!

The past few weeks have been so incredibly busy. Work has been crazy and hubby and I have spent many hours working on Scouts for all the boys. Last night all the hard work was worth it. Our oldest son has been a scout for the five years. He began as a Tiger Cub in the first grade and has worked very hard over the last 5 years to earn all the ranks and last night at the Blue and Gold ceremony he graduated from Cub Scouts as a Super Achiever. He has earned every rank possible as a Webelo Scout and received his epaulets and kerchief for his new Troop. He is now my first Boy Scout. I am very proud of him. I wish him the best of luck in his journey to Eagle Scout.

Oh... and as a side note. Hubby made the wooden holder for the keepsake banner and Mom made all the banners for the boys. Now I can relax a little and blog about some of the wonderful things getting made around this house.

Dieters Challenge

OK ladies... I know everyone is wondering about me and how I am doing in the challenge. I have been home with boys in the house cause of snow and school closing so I have not made it to the gym for two days... UGH! I haven't been able to weigh myself at all.

I did manage to attend the gym 4 out of 5 days last week and I am pretty proud about that. Also the recovery from the trainer was much easier this week cause we did more circuit training and broke up the muscle groups... which for those of you who are interested is not only easier to recover but it BURNS MORE CALORIES!!!!!

I also wanted to update you on the fact that that I mentioned I have not been hungry... so I am the opposite of most people when trying to lose weight. I am not tempted by the cookies and such... I have a hard time putting fuel in my body. That is just as bad if not worse than eating the wrong things. Besides the obvious suggestions from the trainer to set a timer and eat every two to three hours in small bursts (which I have a terrible time doing cause I am so business with my pattern business) another suggestion was made to try meal replacement shakes. These are not diet shakes like Slimfast and such but protein shakes. I have been using Boost premade shakes. They are great for breakfast cause I can grab one on the way to the gym and I know that I am getting the nutrition that I need to workout.

The nutritionist made this suggestion to help until I figure out a regular eating schedule and I think it is helping a great deal. So I am hoping that the weight will begin coming off. The interesting thing is that although my actual weight hovers around 216-217 I have actually dropped about a size and a half in jeans. I can't explain it but it feels good so I'm not gonna knock it. Maybe things are just shifting around a bit.

I sure hope that all of you are having your own successes as well. Let me know if any of you have any questions that I can pose to my pros. Take care and good luck to everyone. I will try to post pic updates soon.

Dieters Challenge Update

Hello ladies... I know, I know.... I didn't post on Monday. I was at the YMCA working out though so that counts right. So here's the verdict. I am not dieting I am just exercising and I need to learn to eat more (if that makes sense to anyone cause my problem is that I never eat). But... I weighed myself on Monday on the scale at the gym... and I lost... dah dah dah... 1 pound. Which actually made the trainer and my friend the skinny little nutritionist very happy. And what made me happy... that the skinny little nutritionist gained a pound. hehe

Hope all of you are doing well and I will try to do better at posting on Monday cause it's not fair otherwise.

Dieters Challenge - Warning!

OK... I have done it. I have posted pictures of my body before I reached my diet goal. This is me how I usually am in the morning. Heading to the loft to work or getting the boys off to school in the morning. Always pretty casual but ready for anything. So Sharon at Red Geranium Cottage has set aside a fitness challenge or at least that's what I am calling it because I don't diet. And she has been calling for all of us to come clean and post photos of ourselves online. I finally got hubby to help. He took forever to take the photo which is why I am not my usual smiling self. I have been working out at the gym for the last month and am feeling much better but when 2009 started I have really been moving by increasing my cardio and moving to 5 days a week.

So here you go Sharon... just so you know that I didn't forget about you, I have come clean and posted my photos too. Hopefully this will motivate someone to get their photos up too. I will try to keep you posted about my progress and share some more photos soon.

Motivationally Challenged

OK here is the deal. I can't seem to get into the loft and get any work done. This Christmas was wicked stressful and I seemed to be completely overwhelmed. I couldn't fugure out what seemed to have been bothering me. So I sat back and took stock of the messy house, the messy boys that were now home with me everyday for two weeks, the new dog (giant horse Gracie), the new puppy and a completely obsession relationship with facebook (which I completely blame my friend Amy for). Now it seems that I have so much to keep me busy that I can't do what I really need to do which is get motivated to actually work in the studio on my designs for Lancaster this year.

So I was wondering if any of you have any ideas about how to go about getting my groove back. Today I managed to get more done in the house by leaving the headphones on and just ignoring everyone else. But I would prefer to get lost in the sewing right now and not the cleaning. Any help you guys can offer would be greatly appreciated.

Happy FESTIVUS!

I just wanted to take this oppotunity... in support of my boys at Fox and Friends, to wish everyone a Very Happy Festivus this holiday season. I have been watching faithfully every morning as they report about all the scrooges in the world trying to ruin Christmas by being polically correct. So today is Festivus.... and I want to wish everyone a very happy Festivus and encourage all of you to get into the holiday spirit by airing all your grievances on my comments page. I posted this on my facebook page as well this morning and I am hoping to help everyone make it through this holiday season with this smile.


I have been so stressed this holiday season and barely got up the tree so I wanted to let you know that if I can stay this happy with three children and a husband and four needy dogs at home with me every day for 2 1/2 weeks, you can too!
For those that don't understand my sick sense of humor, don't worry... I will be posting on Chrismas as well....
For those that don't know what FESTIVUS is (where were you when Seinfeld was on TV... living under a rock) it's a fictional holiday made up on a tv show that is making an appearance this holiday season as a slap in the face to all the Humanists who want everyone to know that they think their is no God. You can google it and laugh for yourself.
Hope all of you and yours are enjoying this joyous holiday season.... no matter what your religion and come back and see me.

'Tis the season

This week I had a cookie baking day with some friends. I think we baked around 12-15 dozen cookies. We had to keep trying the recipes over and over again. I am having the same problem my friend Kim is having with her Christmas baking. When all was said and done I sent most of the cookies home with my friend for her family. The story is that my mother baked a bunch of cookies for Thanksgiving and I gave some to my friend but her teenage kids kept eating them. I kept giving her cookies and they kept eating them. So we decided to have a cookie day and bake my mother's cookies... and other things as well.
The first batch were too crumbly and so on... and we finally got the recipe just right.
We also make these delectable peanut butter cup cookies that are straight from heaven. Of course I gave half of them to my personal trainer when she was here :0 (for her husband)


Then we made these chocolate chip beauties.

These were the first batch of peanut better cookies. At first I wanted to save them... they were a little over-baked. But the others tasted soooo good that I stored them here.

But since I have given away all the cookies... I will be baking again today. At least tonight. Right now I am heading out Christmas Shopping AAAAAgain with a girlfriend (cookie mama). After all that baking... here's me.

Actually, it should be called my shopping grin and the end of baking. It did make me feel really good to make the cookies for the kids and we sure did have a lot of fun making them... right girls.
Merry Christmas!

In Love with this face!

I have other things to write about today.... but I saw this sitting on my bed this morning. Hubby thinks that he has become entirely too attached to me already. He has bonded!... what can I say. I had to put this photo up and brag about this face. It's the cutest puppy face ever. Judging by the size of his legs and paws... I want to enjoy it now because he is going to be the size of a small country.

Enjoy!

There's Still Hope...?

Yesterday I wrote about my youngest son, Little Brat. One of the scout moms laughed and then sent a couple of photos that she took at the same Christmas pageant. Her son was in the angel choir but not in the play. She took this photo of my little wiseman (his character played a wiseman in the play within the play). He actually looks like he belongs in Bethlehem with the palm tree behind him.

The second photo is actually the one that matters. Right at the end of the play the assistant pastor of the church stood up and led the group in prayer. Here's Little Brat right in the middle of all the participants. I couldn't believe it. While all of the other children and adults were waiting for the prayer to begin, my son was in his own meditation. He looks absolutely angelic.

Maybe there is still hope for us all. Of course, I am kidding. I think he's the cutest and the sweetest little angel ever. I know exactly why everyone loves him. He's the best. He's also a little brat but cute all the same. I just want to scoop him up and eat him. It's the only thing that has kept me from killing him for the last eight years.
Just thought I would share this with you in the spirit of Christmas.
Come to think of it.... he was probably praying for toys... and that Santa has a sense of humor.

A difference of opinion

Here is what Big Boy thinks about Charley. He justs wants to snuggle him and love him and sleep with him. He's so tiny... awhhh.
Right up until the time that he poops on the floor because everyone was so busy playing with him that they forgot to let him out.

Little Brat thinks he's the greatest ever. Same thing... you don't really expect me to clean that up do you. Not really... I just expect them to take him outside. All they have to do is open the door and let him out into the yard. He loves to go out there and almost always wants to stay out there. So why is there mess in the house.

I'm exhausted. We haven't slept well in at least three days. The only ones in the house getting any sleep are the kids and the puppy. Hubby wrapped him in one of my quilts so he be warm while napping on my bed.

I just want to poke him. WAKE UP!!! If Momma doesn't sleep then nobody sleeps... Get It! It doesn't work. BABIES.... can't live with 'em and can't ditch 'em 'cause their too darn cute. I might have to visit some friends to take a nap. I hope all of you out there in blogland are getting some rest and gearing up for the holidays. After reading my blog the last few days you should have no excuses. I'm trying to wear you out so you'll get some rest... or at least appreciate it when you do.
Good Luck!

How Big IS the Dog?

Despite the fact that I am airing my laundry (my real laundry) for everyone to see... I really needed to give everyone perspective on the size of this dog. I sat on the floor to take this photo of Brandy, the Chesapeake Bay Retriever. When she's excited she knocks the laundry off the table with her tail. Hubby thinks it's hysterical. Thankfully she won't get any bigger. I can't say the same for Chocolate Chip Charley who will probably eventually be the same size.

LOL... what were we thinking?

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever

Here is a photo of Little Brat in his theatrical debute playing Claude Herdman in the Best Christmas Pageant Ever. He's the one on the far end in the "prison stripes" and backwards baseball cap. If you don't know the story of the Best Christmas Pageant Ever you should. It's a really great little book. Basically he plays one of the 6 hoodlum kids in the neighborhood who come to be in the church Christmas pageant because the lady who normally runs it has broken her leg and the minister gives out free snacks.

My son plays one of the Herdmans, the poor kids in the neighborhood who beat up on everyone and set fire to the church. I found it to be a completely typecasted role for Little Brat and I don't see how he will ever get another part in his life. Actually I am kidding. Little Brat is actually a great friend he just a little stinker. Since we are so well known in the community (I was the PTA Treasurer for two years and we run the local cub scout pack, etc.) I get friendly calls from parents all the time. They are always laughing to tell me the latest thing that he did or said. Last week a mother called to tell me that my son bet her son that he should call 1-800-FART-POLICE on the phone when he got off the bus. You get an idea of who he is as a person. So playing a Herdman wasn't a stretch. Hubby says he takes after me.

He has been memorizing lines and attending rehearsals for about 6 weeks and Sunday morning was the final performance. He did great as expected. See... he is also smart as a whip which is what makes him so sly. Everyone loves him. My mother lovingly told me she thought he would be the one to make me a Grandma first (I shudder to think of that). I think he will be an evil genius. He will either be very wealthy or paroled early.

Of course me camera battery died about 1/2 way through the show but he looked really cute performing and did an excellent job (as expected by Mom) so I thought you would enjoy knowing what else we have been up to around here.
Enjoy!