Next on the agenda .....

SHEESH !!! Another week has gone by and not much progress around here at MBIAJ. The Sewing and Quilting Dept has OVER DUE projects coming out of their ears ..... partly finished and half started "brilliant" ideas ALL OVER THE PLACE !!! So, this weekend we are TRYING to FOCUS and ZERO IN on the next thing that we really need to get moving on !!! .... and that would be starting the BELATED (of course!) graduation quilt for .....




.....Moonbeams Boy Evan













.....here's the rough design / sketch / and colors (all approved of by Evan). The number 595 at the bottom of the quilt is his dirtbike racing number; the bright green is the color of his dirtbike; and the "M" in the top right corner is the logo for Monster Energy Drink which is apparantly what cool dirtbike riders drink (or at least the ones I know)


....hoping this nifty circle ruler / gadget will be helpful for all of those circles !


....spent some time last night with tracing paper, graph paper and a BIG eraser trying to figure out dimensions, etc ....




.....then went through the EXTENSIVE (really - you have NO idea how extensive ) stash to find what will hopefully be viewed as "cool" fabrics


for the front of the quilt ....


....and then some fun stuff for the back of the quilt because Moonbeams Boy Evan is an UNBELIEVABLE drummer !!!! (seriously ROCKS !!!) and ....



....an organic vegetable gardener extraordinaire who takes those veggies ...


....and cooks delicious stuff !!! (He can also whip up all kinds of yummy pasta dishes, homemade granola from his own recipe, and COOKIES - yummy cookies !)

OK ..... better get back to the drawing board and FOCUS - this quilt isn't gonna make itself ya know ! (and P.S. I know the "M" is a registered trade mark for Monster Energy drink and would never reproduce it on a quilt for sale .... this is a quilt just for Evan).

Be back soon!
Toodles,
Mary Anne (aka Mare)

Friday Night Sew In (the LATE report !)

Well here it is SUNDAY when we were supposed to report in on SATURDAY for the Friday Night Sew In ...... we're a bit late .... so what else is new ? (sigh) Well to tell you the truth, our Friday Night Sew In spilled over into Sunday afternoon (with a break on Saturday to clean bathrooms and do laundry ....)

ANYWAY, to make a long story short (too late already, I know !) the MBIAJ Sewing Dept has finally finished .....




....this apron !! Ta Daaaaa!!!!



.




....and this is how it looks while one is trying to figure out the best angle to take a picture of oneself and not look like the side of a barn ....












......and yes, that is "I LOVE LUCY" fabric on those heart shaped pockets because this apron is a very belated bridal shower gift for ......





.....my sweet niece, who , like her favorite aunt, is a big "I Love Lucy" fan ! So now that she and her new hubby have been home from their honeymoon for about 3 weeks, I thought it high time to finish up that apron !!! (I did have a back up plan - and that was Pottery Barn online bridal registry .... you just browse, click, and ship ! so believe it or not, there actually was a gift there from yours truly ON TIME !!! Pottery Barn must have had people like me in mind when they came up with that online registry !!! PHEW !!!)

OK, well, since Pottery Barn isn't involved in this apron-gift, I better get moving since I have to do the wrapping and shipping myself !

(P.S. that beautiful picture of my niece and her hubby was not taken by me .... as if you can't tell by comparing my photos with that one !!! That was taken by their photographer (and I apologize because I don't have his name or info.)

Be back soon!
Toodles,
Mary Anne (aka Mare)

Friday Night Sew In !!!

TGIF Blogland Neighborhood !!! ......and it's a scorcher out there !!!! Perfect summer night to STAY IN with the air conditioner cranked up, the sewing machine fired up, and a good movie or an "I Love Lucy" marathon on the boob tube. That's the plan here at MBIAJ Headquarters because it's the Friday Night Sew In AND we really, really , REALLY need to get caught up on lots and lots and LOTS of projects .... starting with (but not limited to) .....







...this almost finished apron for a belated bridal shower gift (the bride has been back from her honeymoon for almost 3 weeks already ..... oh well......)



Anyway, you can join in too .... just zip on over to Heidi's blog and sign up!

Be back tomorrow with a picture of a completed apron .....(well, that's the plan anyhow !)
Toodles,
Mary Anne (aka Mare)

Shabby Chic? or just plain shabby junk ?

Happy HOT Thursday Blogland Neighborhood! Well, so much for that nice weather we were having (i.e. low humidity and good sleeping weather). The heat wave has caught up with us here in Pennsylvania .... BIG TIME !!! ....making it necessary to be out in it to water the yard and garden, etc. .... prompting Mr. Moonbeams (who was taking his turn watering) to ask why I have certain items in said yard and why on earth I am not getting rid of this "junk". JUNK ?!?!?!?!?!?!!!!!!






......does this rotting birdhouse look like JUNK ????? (this was made my Mr. Moonbeams' great uncle who has since passed away)



......and this falling apart garden bench ????? JUNK ????? (this was put together and dragged out into the yard by my Moonbeams Boys for me for Mother's Day at least 10 years ago )


......and this well worn bicycle basket ????? JUNK ????? (this was my bicycle basket that was on my trusty Schwinn Hollywood bike through out my entire childhood ; it held many a bag of candy from the local drug store on a Saturday morning paid for with my allowance ; it also held many apples picked sneakily from Old Man Fredrickson's apple trees )


So ...... JUNK ?????? Au Contraire !!!! This stuff is SHABBY CHIC GARDEN ART with lots of sentimental value !!!!! JUNK MY FOOT !!!!

Be back soon !
Toodles,
Mary Anne (aka Mare)

MBIAJ's talented gardener !!!!

Happy weekend Blogland Neighborhood ! The weather is GORGEOUS here in northeast Pennsylvania .... warm and sunny with LOW HUMIDITY !!! (YEA !!!! because humidity makes me C R A N K Y !!!!!). This weather is also making MBIAJ's Resident Master Vegetable Gardener and his organic garden also quite happy !!!!





Here's Moonbeams Boy Evan, our Master Vegetable Gardener hard at work watering ....





......tomatoes ....



...LOTS of tomatoes !!!!






...and green peppers, broccoli, cabbage, zuchinni, and kale !!! Nothing like fresh from the garden right to the table vegetables !!!
Evan (with some help from his dad) built the raised bed and planted the garden for his graduation project this past spring.


Our talented Moonbeams Boy Evan also finished ...




...this very cool chair he started in wood shop and gave me for Mother's Day.

PERFECT !!! Now I can lounge in my new chair and enjoy (as soon as they're ready for picking) fresh vegetables !!! All compliments of Moonbeams Boy Evan !!!

Be back soon!
Toodles,
Mary Anne (aka Mare)

So the month of June wasn't all bad .....

TGIF Blogland Neighborhood ! Well, even though we had a rough first 3 weeks in June with Moonbeams Boy Matt's unexpected ER-> hospital stay x 2 weeks -> recuperation x 1 week at home (well, at my brother's house) , there were also some very bright moments! First we had niece Stephanie's college graduation with a BS RN ! Here she is with her dad (my brother John), her mom (my sis in law Lori) and her sister Katie (our bride to be in this picture). (P.S. Steph ... that graduation quilt I started for your high school graduation is almost finished ... so now it's a high school AND college graduation quilt ! :)









....and speaking of graduations, there was Moonbeams Boy Evan's high school graduation (which , as mentioned in the previous post, Matt and I didn't get to attend since Matt was in the hospital in Florida at the time ...(sob). (P.S honey, I.O.U a graduation quilt !!!!)









...then there was Moonbeams Boy Matt's 21st birthday 4 days after he was discharged from the hospital. (SO happy he was out of the hospital in time for this momentous birthday ! ..... still can't figure out how on earth he can be 21 when I haven't aged a day over 29 !)


.....and just a week after Matt's big birthday was the wedding of this special couple in Florida!!!! Meet the new Mr and Mrs !!! (my niece Katie and her husband Kris) ....By the way Katie, I'm ALMOST finished sewing that "I Love Lucy " apron for your bridal shower ... now that you're home from your honeymoon.....


....anyway, the day after the wedding, we had another big family dinner for a belated 50th birthday celebration for my sister Boop (aka Karen) ..... don't you LOVE her "50" glasses, "Fabulous Fifty" sash, and fluffy tiara and wine glass !?!? Here she is surrounded by sis in law Lori (in black and white dress), yours truly (in the purple top), and oldest childhood pal Patty Ann (who flew in as a surprise for Boop, from England where she and her husband are stationed in the military).
(P.S. Boop, you know that 50th birthday quilt I told you I was starting last year on your 49th birthday so it would be done by the time you turned 50? .... I plan to start that any day now ......)



....also on the day after the wedding big family dinner was a 55th anniversary celebration for Moonbeams Mom and Dad (aka Nancy and George/ Gimma and Pap). Don't they look happy in their Mickey and Minnie Bride and Groom ears? (well, maybe George isn't too thrilled .... but that Nancy is enjoying those Minnie Mouse ears !




Well, anyhow,I also had some time to work on some stitchery while staying with Matt in the hospital (actually, besides texting back and forth to my sister, sis in law, parents, and best pal Beth for moral support, working on this stitchery kept me calm and sane !) .... and I actually , finally, finished this !!!! (now I have to figure out what to do with it !..... should it be made into a pillow ? or put into a quilt? or how about a tote bag? ....well, I'll just fold it back up and stick it back in the bag til you decide .....)



.... and LOOK !!! Low and Behold a quilt shop!!! Conveniently located not too far from an outpatient lab where Matt had to go for bloodwork after his first MD follow up appt after getting out of the hospital. He was so happy to finally be out of the hospital he didn't mind me running in and spending a half hour in this quilt shop (Rainbow's End )while he took a walk on the beach which happened to be across the street . It's a good thing I only had a half hour (I could have really done some damage to my credit card if I had more time!) .... this was a GREAT quilt shop !!!! HUGE HUGE selection of bolt after bolt after bolt of gorgeous fabric !!!!! Looky what I bought in only a half hour (and that includes deciding, deciding and deciding what to buy from all the gazillions of choices, choices, choices !!!)





....got this book!















.....and this one!














....and all of these yummy, mouthwatering bright and happy fat quarters !!!!





.....ooooooooh!!!! let's look at them from this angle ! (I have absolutely no idea what I'll do with these, but that's Ok because right now I'm just enjoying being in their presence!)


....and here's more info on this TERRIFIC quilt shop!

PHEW ! that was quite the long winded post !!! But now I feel all caught up ... well, sort of .... there's that matter of 1 unfinished quilt, 2 not yet started quilts , and 1 half finished apron as mentioned above .... and I'm sure there's more (at least 3 or more unfinished quilts come to mind....yikes !!!) Pardon me while I clone myself and get busy !!!!


Be back soon!
Toodles,
Mary Anne (aka Mare)

Happy 4th of July !!!!!

Happy 4th of July Blogland Neighborhood !!! Kitty, "Miss Firecracker 2009" has dusted off her crown and sash to wish you all a happy and safe holiday !!!! (and we also want to thank everybody for their well wishes for Moonbeams Boy Matt's recovery and Moonbeams Boy Evan's graduation . THANK YOU ALL !!!!!)

Be back soon!
Toodles,
Mary Anne (aka Mare)

I'm back !!!!

Well here I am back from my leave of absence from MBIAJ Headquarters after a month away . I am very happy to say that....




.....this college boy (Matt) is healthy and back on his feet and back at work on his summer internship job down in Florida. He was only on the job for one week when he wound up in the ER (and no, not due to a dirtbike injury like last summer) - this time it was medical and required surgery. After 2 weeks in the hospital and another week recuperating at home (well at my brother and sis in law's house where he is staying for the summer) he was permitted to go back to work.


Unfortunately, due to being in Florida with Matt during his surgery and hospital stay, I missed ....




....Moonbeams Boy Evan's high school graduation (and addition of dredlocks!) back in Pennsylvania. But, his dad and grandparents all were there and we talked on the phone and he emailed pictures to me and Matt at the hospital later that night ... not as good as being there though (sob).

Well, hopefully the rest of the summer will go smoothly!

Be back soon!
Toodles,
Mary Anne (aka Mare)