Moonbeams in a Jar

Rest in Peace Joe Pa

2012-01-24T08:41:00.001-08:00

"Believe , deep down inside, that you are destined to do great things." Coach Joe Paterno

Rest in Peace Joe Pa. Happy Valley will never be the same without you ...... :(

Be back soon,
Mary Anne

Some MBIAJ New Year's Resolutions .........Naaa ..... Goals ........ Naaaaa ...... Suggestions

2012-01-19T22:06:00.000-08:00

OK ..... so here we are half way through January and the MBIAJ New Year's Resolutions have gone to pot ..... such as exercising everyday ..... (sigh)

.....trying to remember to take those nasty vitamins everyday ..... think we'll stick with Flintstone's ....(all the grown up ones make me gag!)

..... oh, and here's a good one ..... stick to a schedule ........ HA !

So, since "resolution" is a dirty word here in MBIAJ Land .... we thought we'd call them "goals" ...... but then that made us feel like instant failures ..... so we're going with "suggestions" ! :)

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

New Year ..... time to learn something !

2012-01-08T08:56:00.000-08:00

Well, it's a brand new year (well minus 8 days) ....time to take down the droopy, dried out Christmas tree (and for the MBIAJ Undecorating Dept this is an all time record for putting Christmas away .... we usually wait until the tree disintegrates on it's own)....and time for our Moonbeams Boys to head back to their college classrooms (Penn State classes resume tomorrow). SO, inspired by the new year and the new college semester beginning, the MBIAJ Continuing Education Dept has decided it's time for us dust out those cobwebs in our middle aged burned out brain and to LEARN SOMETHING too !!! So, we hauled our butt over to Craftsy and signed up for their FREE Block of the Month class taught by Amy Gibson of Stitchery Dickory Dock. AND, we didn't stop there ..... nope not us ! We also signed up for Wendy Butler Bern's Craftsy class Machine Quilting: Free Motion and More (this class was not free, but we did manage to snag it while it was offered at 50% off !)

So, we'll see how this goes ..... our Block of the Month may turn into the dragged out Block of every few Months .... but that's OK ... because the Craftsy online courses are available anytime and for as long as you want .... good thing !

Anyhow ..... here's to a new year and learning something new !!!

Be back soon!
Toodles
Mary Anne (aka Mare)

New York City field trip part 2

2012-01-05T21:50:00.001-08:00

Well here we are 5 days into the new year and I'm finally recovered from our whirlwind day in New York City on the eve of New Year's Eve ! As you may recall, the main reason for our trip to New York City was .....

..a surprise Christmas gift for the Moonbeams Matriarch to see the Radio City Christmas Spectacular.

.....and there it is ! Radio City Music Hall .... complete with New York City cop directing traffic (cars and people !)

.....this is what greets you when you first walk into the lobby of Radio City Music Hall ..... this SPECTACULAR chandelier !!!! It was GORGEOUS .... and HUGE !!!! made up of many many many crystal snowflakes !

.... and here's our guest of honor (Mom) standing on one of the balconies in front of that amazing chandelier.

....and here's Mom after the show (which she enjoyed very much) proudly holding her souvenirs....

...... the ever so tacky Leg Martini Glass ! (a cousin to the Leg Lamp from Ralphie's Christmas Story !)

.......after the show we took a stroll to Rockefeller Center where there were a few of these guys keeping watch over ....

....the ice skaters .

....and just look at that HUGE , BEAUTIFUL Christmas tree !!! Cut down from somebody's yard in State College, Pa !

....next stop was St. Patrick's Cathedral to see ....

....the Creche

.....and here's that Nancy (aka Mom) happily trying on hats at Saks 5th Avenue that cost more than my car ! (we also fingered up some scarves that we found out cost $1150 ....ONE THOUSAND ONE HUNDRED FIFTY DOLLARS .... after the salesman politely cleared his throat and asked if he could be of some assistance .... YIKES ..... NO !!!)

....anyhow, look how pretty Saks 5th Ave was decorated in all white lights and white decorations ..... very Winter Wonderland-ish!

.....and, no trip to New York is complete without a stop in at Magnolia Bakery for.....

.... CUPCAKES !!!! .... and look !!! Rockette's Cupcakes and New Year's Eve Cupcakes !!! PERFECT !!!

......more pretty NYC Christmas decorations with Radio City Music Hall off in the distance.....

......and finally, here's Macy's (as in the movie "Miracle on 34th Street") all decorated for the holidays.

......and this is where we pooped out .... after Macy's, we dragged our aching feet back to the Path Train that took us back to where we parked our car.

We had a GREAT time, but now I'm tired all over again !!!

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

HAPPY NEW YEAR'S EVE !!!!

2011-12-31T14:13:00.001-08:00

Happy New Year's Eve everybody!!!!! Yesterday (New Year's Eve eve .... i.e. the day before New Year's Eve) was the day we (Yours Truly, Mom, and my sis Boop) took New York City by storm! Here we are in Times Square where the crowds were already starting to gather for ......

....the big New Year's Eve ball drop (that's it WAY up there on top of that building) ......

......and here we are touching it for good luck in the New Year !!!! (WOW that was quite a hike to get up there to touch that ball !!!! ...... just kidding .... this is the replica they have in a visitors center )

We had a GREAT time and are still POOPED !!! (So I'll post the rest of our NYC pictures next year after I rest up !)

So, have a fun and safe New Year's Eve and all of us here at MBIAJ Headquarters wish all of you a HAPPY NEW YEAR !!!!!

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

Look out New York City .....here we come !!!

2011-12-28T18:14:00.001-08:00

Well look what the MBIAJ Matriarch got for Christmas !!! Something she has been dropping not so subtle hints about for the past few years .... a day trip to NYC to see the Radio City Christmas Spectacular (aka the Rockettes !)

....my sister Boop and I will be taking Mom this Friday .... so look out New York City .... here we come ! Do you think those Rockettes will let us jump up there on the stage and do a kick or two with them ? after all ......

.....just look how GOOD we look in those outfits !!! (we could be 2nd or 3rd string backup Rockettes even !)

That's Rockette Mare, Rockette Mom , and Rockette Boop (left -> right)

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

Merry Merry Christmas !!!!!

2011-12-24T12:02:00.001-08:00

Merry Merry Christmas from all of us here at MoonBeams in a Jar !!!! Have a wonderful safe and cozy holiday with your friends and family !

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

Santa's helpers needed ASAP !!!!

2011-12-19T20:05:00.000-08:00

YIKES !!! Christmas is less than a week away !!!! We here at MBIAJ Headquarters are NOT READY !!!! In addition to the MBIAJ Christmas Shopping Dept NOT being finished our Christmas shopping, the MBIAJ Sewing and Quilting Dept is also only partially finished sewing 4 gifts, and of course the Wrapping Dept can't get started wrapping anything until they have SOMETHING to wrap! Then the MBIAJ Christmas Card Writing Dept seems to have taken a permanent vacation .... AND on top of all that, we have 2 birthdays to celebrate (and clean and prepare for ) this week ...... so, unless some of those Santa's helpers show up on our doorstep, we're gonna need more time to get everything done !!! How about you ?

P.S. this is a picture from the "I Love Lucy" facebook page .... from the Christmas special they had during season 6 ... I think)

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

and the WINNER is ...........

2011-12-18T09:40:00.001-08:00

Good morning everybody! Well, Kitty's helper has gathered up all of our Sew Mama Sew Giveaway Day entries and dumped them in this sleigh .... and now it's time for Kitty Claus to pick our winner ......

.....and ..... there goes Kitty Claus .... diving in ....with Elf keeping a close eye on her (to make sure she doesn't get lost in there .... or cheat)....

......oh .. here she comes ..... fighting her way out of the sleigh .... she has picked our winning entry ....

......and the winner is .....

LINDSAY !!!!! CONGRATULATIONS LINDSAY !!!!! (email me your address so Kitty Claus can mail out your prize !!!)

Thanks again everybody for entering our give away and thanks so very much for all of your nice comments !

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

Sew Mama Sew Giveaway Day !!!!

2011-12-12T21:26:00.000-08:00

Tis the season for PRESENTS !!!! (that is if you're on the "Good List" AND if you win one of the gajillion giveaways listed over at Sew Mama Sew and their Giveaway Day Event. They have organized and coordinated lots of shops and blogs to have a giveaway that will last all of this week ! (Dec. 12 -> Dec. 16th). There are a bunch of different categories such as "Handmade for the Home", "Handmade Bags", "Handmade Baby + Kids Items", "Sewing Supplies", "Other Craft Supplies", and "Handmade Accessories". Something for everyone !!!! So, we here at MBIAJ Headquarters decided to join in on the Giveaway palooza with ......

....this Hot Pack/Cold Pack Cover !! This is made out of a terry cloth wash cloth (so you can throw it in the wash)...and included with the Hot Pack/Cold Pack Cover is ....

... this gel Hot Pack / or Cold Pack !

..... see, here they are together ..... don't they look nice together? Anyhow, the gel hot pack/ cold pack can be put in the freezer for a cold pack, or zapped in the microwave (or put in a pot of boiling water on the stove ) for a moist hot pack (better than dry heat says my physical therapy self).

.......and here is one being put to use as a cold pack by Moonbeams Boy Matt as a result of the knee injury caused by dirtbike race incident a couple of summers ago. (one of the many times a cold pack or hot pack has been needed around here !). AND, as an extra added bonus , in case you have a bunch of dare devils/ and or some creeking joints/aching muscles .... and you want to be stylish while you take care of your boo boos, here is a Hot Pack/ Cold Pack Cover tutorial from the MBIAJ Archives .

SO, leave a comment here on my blog to enter my giveaway to win the Hot Pack/ Cold Pack Cover and the gel hot/cold pack . The giveaway will be open until Dec 16th at 5 PM PST (guess that's 8 PM EST). Winner will will be announced on December 18th. AND, zip on over to Sew Mama Sew's blog to see all of the other fun giveaways! (my giveaway is listed in the Handmade for the Home category.)

P.S. I would be happy to ship internationally !

Saturday morning update: Comments are now closed. Winner will be picked as soon as Kitty can drag herself out of bed to do the picking. THANKS SO MUCH for all of your very nice comments about the Hot Pack/Cold Pack Cover ! So happy to hear you all thought it was a good idea! And for anyone who decides to make one using the tutorial, hope the directions are clear (if not, just email any questions you might have). As for appliqueing on a terry cloth wash cloth ..... I didn't have any trouble with it at all.

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

Mittens for the Mitten Tree

2011-12-11T15:32:00.000-08:00

In our pretty little town of Jim Thorpe, Pa there is an old train station all decorated up for the Olde Time Christmas Celebration......and in that train station is....

....a Mitten Tree where the local Lioness ladies are collecting mittens for kids in need.....and on that Mitten Tree is ......

... a pair of pink polar fleece mittens that the MBIAJ Sewing and Quilting Dept made using .....

......this The Green Pepper pattern.

The MBIAJ Sewing and Quilting Dept really likes this pattern because it's a multi size pattern (kids -> adults) and it makes double thickness mittens or handwarmers/fingerless mittens that are a little longer than standard mittens so they are REALLY warm !!! The pattern is just a basic pattern with no embelishments, but we just couldn't let that alone ..... just had to add polar fleece pink flower appliques. Have to admit, though that the polar fleece wasn't as easy to work with as we would have thought .... probably because of the double thickness . The plan is to make a couple more pair of these cozy warm mittens in big girl sizes ..... so back to the sweat shop ..... er ....MBIAJ Christmas Workshop .

(P.S found the pattern at JoAnn Fabrics)

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

Better than the Leg Lamp !!!!!

2011-12-05T23:44:00.000-08:00

It's here !! It's here!!! and it's better than the Leg Lamp !!!!

....it's the Panasonic Concept 360 Degree Freestyle Iron we won from Monica's give away !!!

It was delivered on Saturday and Kitty has been admiring it's shiny sleek design ever since ! .......and no wonder because ......

....just look at the sad iron the MBIAJ Sewing and Quilting Dept has been using until now !!!! SHEESH !!!!!

THANKS AGAIN to Monica !!!!

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

MBIAJ Christmas Workshop (aka Kitty's Sweatshop !)

2011-12-01T09:29:00.000-08:00

Happy December Blogland Neighborhood! Yes, here we are again.... crunch time for those Handmade Christmas projects. Well, when the going gets tough, the tough get going as they say .... and who better to crack the whip and get things done around here than our own Director of MBIAJ Headquarters ..... Kitty. Take it away Kitty .

"Well people..... this is how I see it .....

......we have lots of ideas and projects for Christmas ..... alot to get done ..... may involve working into the wee hours of many mornings ...... today is already December 1st and......

.....our deadline is quickly approaching .....

......so....after consulting the MBIAJ Accounting Dept AND waiting for Black Friday, I have made a schrewd business purchase of ........

.....a new piece of equipment that will stream line operations around here .....

....that's right people ..... an Accuquilt Go ! This little baby should at least double our productivity ...

AND ..... this just in ..... got a memo late this afternoon from our esteemed colleague Monica of The Happy Zombie fame that we are the lucky winners of her blog give away ......

.....a Panasonic Concept 360 Degree Freestyle Iron !!!! WOW !!!! How GREAT is THAT !!!

.......OK , enough of the sentimental stuff ..... no more excuses .... two, count 'em TWO brand new pieces of equipment ......

.....I better see some fabric flying and some sewing machines spitting fire .... let's go people .......

SPEED IT UP !!!!!"

Well, there you have it .... Kitty is taking the bull by the horns! Thank you Kitty for your "take charge" attitude (I think....) AND a HUGE THANK YOU to Monica and Panasonic for the iron ..... I mean REALLY !!! DID YOU SEE THE IRON I WON ?!?!?!?!!! It's GREAT !!!!

OK, gotta go .... Kitty is blowing her stinkin' whistle .... break time is over .

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

Happy Thanksgiving !!!!

2011-11-24T07:51:00.001-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving everybody !!! Have a safe and happy holiday !!! (and don't forget to wear your expandable pants ! )

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

Thanksgiving - the overlooked holiday !

2011-11-23T11:03:00.000-08:00

Happy Day before Thanksgiving everybody ! We here at MBIAJ Headquarters feel that Thanksgiving gets pretty much overlooked in general. Halloween stuff is out in the stores on the 4th of July, and Christmas stuff is out in time for Halloween !... But just try and find a Pilgrim or turkey decoration ! Yes, maybe you'll find a few little doo dads here or there on the back of some shelf in some store next to the miles and piles of Christmas stuff ! So, we here at MBIAJ Headquarters have been on a little online hunt for Thanksgiving stuff .... specifically something to round out our Thanksgiving outfit to wear over the river and through the woods to Grandma's house .....

.....like a turkey !!!

PERFECT !!!

(I just googled "turkey hats" and these are some of the gems that popped up)

I think any one of these would make a striking addition to any outfit !

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

Project Linus Quilts in time for Christmas

2011-11-17T21:28:00.000-08:00

I KNOW , I KNOW ...... start another quilt? ..... NOW? BUT, just like those Quilts of Valor quilts, I have also always wanted to make a Project Linus Quilt. AND, I just happened to come across a call for Project Linus quilts/blankets by December 15th (of THIS year that is .....) on Craftsy Blog. YIKES ..... December 15th OF THIS YEAR !!!!! Well..... MAYBE ..... IF the "MBIAJ Sewing and Quilting Dept" can pull a few tricks out of their sleeves and use a few short cuts like ......

......this stack of charm packs. Really, what could be easier ? These are already cut! ... and add a charm pack of solid white to any one of these charm packs = instant simple patchwork quilt !!! (and as you can see, the "MBIAJ Sewing and Quilting Dept" has quite the love affair with charm packs ..... AND jelly rolls , so I'm sure we can spare a few !)

Now, I'm guessing most of the quilts that are made for Project Linus are probably for babies and toddlers. Unfortunately, big kids also get sick. The teenager population (especially teenage boys) are probably kind of overlooked. SO, the "MBIAJ Sewing and Quilting Dept" has decided their Project Linus Quilt or Quilts (hoping to make more than one in the future) will be made for teenage boys. But, darn if precut charm packs and jelly rolls don't really seem to be made with teenage dudes in mind ..... although I did buy some solid jelly rolls in red, blue, gray, green, black , and white ...... which can be matched up with .....

...maybe some of this fabric

...or this cool stuff or ....

.....or this .... DUDE !!!!

Well, better get moving .... that fabric isn't gonna cut itself ! Think I'll start a campaign for precut fabrics (charm packs and jelly rolls)to be designed with teenage DUDES in mind !!!!

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

Valor Quilt Bee in honor of Veteran's Day

2011-11-11T00:08:00.001-08:00

Happy Veteran's Day to all service men and women ! The MBIAJ Sewing and Quilting Dept has always wanted to honor veteran's by making a Quilt of Valor ...... however, knowing our track record of UFO's we knew not to start yet ANOTHER project that would most likely wind up in the "best of intentions" and "bright ideas" pile. Well, recently I stumbled across the Valor Quilt Bee blog . This is an online quilting bee that is " a low-maintainance, NO PRESSURE group!
Each person participates WHEN and TO WHAT EXTENT they feel like.
Each person sews whatever style they like best!" You can contribute a few blocks a year or a few blocks a month or just once and done. Blocks should measure 6", 9", or 12" in "Americana" colors. How PERFECT is THAT ?!?!?!!!!!! NO PRESSURE !!! NO complete quilt .... just a quilt block here and there ... or just here ..... I'm telling you, this is the PERFECT set up ! So, I rustled up some of my red , whites, and blues and .....

..stitched up Valor Quilt Bee block #1 (with hopefully many more to follow .... but no pressure .... isn't that GREAT!!)

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

Late Night Sewing Therapy (Zentangle Circles)

2011-11-06T16:05:00.001-08:00

AHHHhhhhhhhh.......late night sewing therapy !!!! It's the only way to fly ...or sew ...at least here at MBIAJ Headquarters. It seems if I can get my second wind (and zillionth cup of caffeine) after 10 PM I can get my best, uninterrupted zen sewing rhythm / therapy going . Speaking of "zen", how about ....

Moonbeams Boy Evan's notebook, book cover and binder doodling (which he has been doing for the past few years)

.....his way of "zoning out" during a boring (to him ) class....

... anyway turns out this style of doodling that comes naturally to Evan has a name : Zentangle. I read somewhere that it means "yoga for the mind". I've even found a quilter / zentangler (is that a word?) who has combined the two and blogs about it . This quiltangler (that is definately NOT a word) is Suzanne McNeill. SHEESH !!! Who knew that Evan's "not paying attention in political science class" doodling is actually an art form that other people are paying money for books to learn the technique !! (all Evan needs is a class that has him bored out of his mind .... instant doodling!)

Anyway, I slipped a few white fabric circles under his doodling pen (and switched his pen to a fabric marker) to get some Zentangle Fabric Circles (unique and one of a kind) to ....

.....stitch

.....stitch

.....and stitch onto his ...

....wild and crazy graduation quilt ! Ta da !! So, now this quilt TOP is finished, has been taken down from our cheapo design wall and rolled up to join .....

....three of it's cousin quilt tops ....

......also waiting (and waiting) to be quilted ....

.....hopefully before the turn of the next century and/or when I win the lottery and can quit my day job - you know, whichever comes first ! :)

Oh and P.S. I'm linking up with this month's

(you can too - to meet more bloggers just zip on over there)

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

Bloggers' Quilt Festival ~ Fall 2011

2011-10-28T09:34:00.000-07:00

Well Happy Friday and Happy Halloween Weekend !!!! (although, it might look more like Christmas here in Pa this weekend since the weather people are telling us we may get 6 to 10 inches of SNOW here tomorrow ....... WHAT ?!?!?!?!!!) Anyhow, lets talk about something not wet and cold and requiring shoveling .... lets see, I know .... how about the Bloggers' Quilt Festival organized and hosted twice a year by Amy of Amy's Creative Side. Amy invites quilters of all skill levels and styles to link up and share one of their quilts and the story that goes with it . Well, being that it's Halloween weekend and all, the MBIAJ Sewing and Quilting Dept decided to share .....

.....our "Practical Magic" wall hanging that was in the ...

Sept/ Oct 2010 issue of Quiltmaker Magazine last year as a design contest winner!

To think that , thanks to the boredom caused by my endless pile of mind numbing paperwork that I do in the evenings and on weekends for my job, and my procrastination tactics that I've perfected over the years in coping with those endless piles of paperwork (which often includes doodling, drawing and coloring) my little drawing "Practical Magic" went from my notebook to ....

.....Quiltmaker Magazine !!

I was so THRILLED when I found the magazine at Barnes and Noble that I took a picture of it !!! (with a few people wondering what the heck I was doing)

Anyway , this is the back of it. I decided to applique all of the shapes with a straight stitch and black thread through all layers so that it would be quilted at the same time. (this is a little different than the instructions for the project in the magazine. That was appliqued first, then quilted)

.... to hang it, I added loops that I sewed into the binding , a long fabric hanger with stars on the ends, and painted a stick to hang it from. You can see all of the instructions for the loops and painting the stick on this post.

Well, thanks so much for stopping by and don't forget to visit all of the other Quilt Bloggers / Blogger Quilters over there at Amy's blog.

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

Evan's Birthday ! and a "Small Blog Meet"

2011-10-24T22:09:00.000-07:00

He's 19 !!! My BABY BOY is 19 !!!!

Today is Evan's 19th birthday and it has me wondering where in the world those 19 years went !!! .... really, WHERE DID THEY GO ?!?!?!?!!! Last I checked I was still 29 !

......and, NO , Evan's graduation quilt was NOT finished by today (making it his graduation/ birthday quilt) as was planned with high hopes by the MBIAJ Sewing and Quilting Dept. (Here it is hanging in sections, kind of crooked, on our cheapo design wall). At least his dirtbike racing # "595" is appliqued on. Next on the agenda is to applique some of Evan's original doodles which he did with fabric markers on white fabric instead of his political science notebook. And, even though Evan has been covering his school notebooks and book covers with his doodles for the past few years, I recently found out somebody has put a name to this type of doodling (and has made a business out of it!) .... it's called Zentangle !!! "Yoga for the Mind" .... who knew ?!?!?!?!!! We just thought Evan was completely and totally BORED with high school (well he was) .... who would have thought his doodle style actually has a specific name ?!? So, anyhow, next post I'll show you his "Zentangle" fabric circles that I plan to applique onto this already Wild and Crazy Quilt ! (right now I have to go clean up birthday dinner dishes and cake crumbs off of the floor .... oh wait .... nope .... cake crumbs have already been taken care of by one of the kitties).

Oh, before I go, just want to tell you all I'm linking up with

over at Lily's Quilts . You can link up too if you're a blog with less than 50 followers.

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

LIVE from MBIAJ Headquarters ... it's Saturday Night !!! (FNSI Report!)

2011-10-22T19:39:00.000-07:00

Well it's Saturday night ....24 hours after the "Friday Night Sew In" ... and you know what that means .... it means it's report time (uh oh .....well, our new motto around here is "getting a little bit of something done is better than not doing a darn thing " ). So, anyhow, here's the "little bit of something" .....

.....a few stitches on this long suffering Halloween stitchery I started a couple of YEARS ago and ....

.....finished stitching down #595 on Moonbeams Boy Evan's graduation quilt.

Well, a few stitches here and a few stitches there, and EVENTUALLY (by the turn of the NEXT century) some of these projects will be FINISHED !!!! (that's the plan anyway.....)

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

Friday Night Sew In !!!!!

2011-10-21T17:58:00.000-07:00

Happy Happy Friday !!!! We here at MBIAJ Headquarters have ....

.....put on our PJ's and slippers,

......gathered up some snacks and a nice cup of tea,

.....our sewing stuff and ....

....a few cats to keep us company for tonight's ...

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

W.I.P = Work in Progress Wednesday .....

2011-10-19T21:17:00.001-07:00

Well, OK .... why not ..... maybe, just MAYBE if those slackers in the MBIAJ Sewing and Quilting Dept feel a little pressure to show a smidge of progress every Wednesday they'd get something , ANYTHING done once in awhile !!!! So, as of today, we are joining ....

...."Work In Progress Wednesdays" created by Lee on her blog Freshly Pieced .....and HOPEFULLY we won't be showing THE SAME "W.I.P" every Wednesday for the next 25 Wednesdays !!!! (because it COULD happen .... really .... I'm thinking there should be an expiration date on some of my W.I.P's ! I'm also thinking our W.I.P. Wednesday posts might be / will probably be W.I.P every OTHER Wednesday ... or, W.I.P every THIRD Wednesday every other month ....sigh)

OK, anyhow, since there are quite a few W.I.P's here at MBIAJ Headquarters, I'm sure you're wondering just how on earth we narrowed it down to pick just one .... well, it came down to this train of thought ..... the MBIAJ Sewing and Quilting Dept has been working a little bit here and there on Moonbeams Boy Evan's graduation quilt .... AND since his 19th birthday is coming up THIS MONDAY (sob ... my baby boy will be 19 !) we thought it appropriate to choose it as this week's W.I.P ..... and here it is .....

...the top is almost all pieced and now it's machine applique time ....

......stitching down "595" (Evan's dirtbike racing #).

Hmmm..... making about as much progress as a turtle ..... thinking the MBIAJ Sewing and Quilting Dept should also sign up for this Friday's Friday Night Sew In over at Handmade by Heidi's blog. Yep, that's what we should do .... OK! See you Friday !

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

Fall Foliage Festival in Jim Thorpe, Pa

2011-10-15T16:44:00.000-07:00

Well it was another lovely fall day and time for another MBIAJ Field Trip! This one is very close to home - well, it IS home ! Sometimes some of the best stuff is right in your own backyard ... such as the annual Jim Thorpe Fall Foliage Festival. It has gotten so popular that it has caught the attention of Yahoo Travel 10 Fantastic Towns for Fall !

There is much to do and see here in ....

.....old Mauch Chunk (the town's original name).....

.....we'll start here at the Mercantile (est. 1882) which is right across from the ...

...train station where there are train rides to view the fall foliage ....

....the train station is right at the park where there are alot of craft and food vendors ....

.....and also the gazebo where a great local band played all afternoon. After you are done shopping and eating your way through the vendors in the park, you could either stroll up Broadway or .....

......take a horse and buggy ride to see all of the great shops, cafe's, and restaurants which are all decorated for ....

....fall with ...

......mums and pumpkins

.....and don't forget to meet at ....

......The Inn at Jim Thorpe for the ....

......ghost tours (many of the lovely old buildings in town, including The Inn at Jim Thorpe are supposedly haunted ..... BOO!)

While you are visiting Jim Thorpe, you should also make sure and take a stroll down....

....Race Street where there are even more great shops and .....

restaurants !

.....well, the sun is setting over the roof tops and mountains here in Jim Thorpe, so it's time to say ....

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

Sewing in honor of a soldier .....

2011-10-08T20:36:00.001-07:00

Today, with the help of "Betty" (my 1941 Singer Featherweight) I had the honor of sewing 2 red, white and blue star blocks for a fallen hero. I wanted to have "Betty" do the sewing today since she may have, unfortunately done some similar sewing during WW II.

Here are the finished blocks along with some Quilts of Valor labels I found at a local quilt shop, ready to be packed up and mailed out to John'aLee (mother of the fallen soldier's fiance' ). She has received quite a few star blocks pictured here and here , but I think she is collecting blocks until the end of this month if you'd like to make one (she needs quite a few since she is making a quilt for her daughter the fiance' of the soldier, the soldier's mother and 2 younger brothers, and also his best friend.)

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

Airing of the Quilts 2011 - FIELD TRIP !!!!!

2011-10-03T18:29:00.000-07:00

Happy October Blogland Neighborhood !!! We here at MBIAJ Headquarters LOVE the month of October and the whole autumn season !!!! To celebrate , we thought it was high time we had a little field trip, so this past Saturday we hopped in the car and headed north , then west?(I think) to Tunkhannock, Pa to the annual Airing of the Quilts . This was the second time we went to this event. The first time was back in 2008 and I wrote about it here. Back in 2008, the quilters had a beautiful sunny 65 degree day for their annual show..... not so lucky this year. It was a rainy, cold day (47 degrees !!!)and we wondered if the outdoor part of the show would go on .... not only because of the weather on the day of the show, but because of .....

....the recent floods that hit this town and really did a number on it. But, these quilters are a hearty breed and they rallied and got their annual show together. The show is not only an outdoor show, but an indoor show (with vendors) in three different locations! In addition to all the quilt show locations (as if that wasn't enough to keep us busy!) Tunkhannock is also the home of Endless Mountains Quiltworks ..... a really, really , REALLY packed to the ceiling with great stuff quilt shop that I could have gotten lost in for a few days !!!! Anyhow, of course I took pictures (of the outdoor show ... my battery pooped out by the time I got to the inside quilts .... dang it). So, if you love to look at quilts ... AND if you love to look at really cool old houses with unbelievable architectural stuff (porches and doo dads and iron fences, etc) you are in for a treat ! OK .... I will shut up now and let you all enjoy the show ..... (oh, and you can click on any of the pictures to enlarge them so you can see them better ) .... now I'll shut up.....

......I must break my silence here and just say : isn't this one AMAZING house ?!?!?!!!!!! (I wouldn't want to clean it, but I guess back in the day if you could afford this house, you could afford to have somebody else clean it!) .... OK, I'll be quiet again ...

Didn't you just LOVE all the quilts and those HOUSES !!! .... difficult to pick a favorite, but I must say ....

...this one would definately be in the top 5 !!!! and ....

......wouldn't you just love to go trick or treating there !!!!! SPOOKY !!!

Well, we hope you enjoyed this MBIAJ Field Trip as much as we did !

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

Happy second day of fall ...... and a call for quilt blocks for a fallen hero

2011-09-24T09:01:00.000-07:00

Well happy second day of fall Blogland Neighborhood ! (I meant to do a post yesterday with the title "Happy First Day of Fall" but as noted in my previous post, we here at MBIAJ Headquarters seem to have a "time management problem". (sigh) One of the contributing factors to the time management problem around here is getting lost in Blogland. Having a cup of tea and setting a time limit to reading blogs, facebook, and emails ONLY until that cup of tea is finished just isn't working. There are SO many fun blogs and talented people out there that it's easy to get sucked into that gaping black hole of cyberspace and information overload - so much that hyperventilating and the need to breathe into a paper bag is imminent ... and, unfortunately, sometimes we come across some not so fun things .... some very sad things .... where a Blogland Neighbor John'aLee is asking for help.....

...to gather up some red, white and blue fabrics and make a star block or two for a quilt for her daughter Tory who was supposed to get married this past weekend, but went to her fiance Chris' funeral instead because he was killed in Afghanistan 2 weeks before their wedding. How terribly, awfully heartbreaking and sad. John' aLee is trying to get enough quilt blocks together to make a quilt for her daughter, Chris' mother, Chris' two brothers, and Chris' best friend who was with Chris in Afghanistan when he was killed. You can click on this link for more information on the star blocks.

Another Blogland Neighbor we came across who could also use our support is the very funny Megan of The Bitchy Stitcher. She has come up with this HYSTERICAL calendar: the "2012 Quilter's Shirtless Man and Spicy Burrito Calendar". Oooh La La !!!

...the calendars are for sale and the proceeds will benefit Megan's older brother and his family. He has been fighting brain cancer since January 2010. Here is the link to buy a calendar. Megan says she plans to do another calendar for 2013, so all you gals out there can volunteer your studs to bare all and wrap up in a quilt for a good cause !

Well, given our history of time management difficulties, guess we'd better step away from this computer, and maybe start planning and making a star block or two since the end of October will come around sooner rather than later.

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

Time Management ......sheesh .....

2011-09-15T22:12:00.000-07:00

Well hey there Blogland Neighborhood .... where the heck did the past week or two go? Beats me .... time management doesn't seem to be one of my strong points ....(I've had this cartoon hanging in my home office/ sewing room FOREVER ... LOVE IT ! and I wish I could tell you who the artist is, but I don't know .... sorry! ) Anyhow, to further illustrate this affliction, earlier this evening as I was rushing around the grocery store, I was side tracked (happens ALL the time !) and found myself taking pictures of .....

...really cute Halloween paper plates and ...

.....napkins .... instead of concentrating on all the food I need to stock up on for this weekend when .....

....College Boy Matt comes home with ....

....EIGHT of his Penn State Cycle Teamates for the weekend (they are competing in mountain bike races hosted by Lehigh University on Saturday and Sunday, so our house will be home base for food, sleeping , and showers).

.....(sigh) see ..... I'm doing it again! Here I sit writing a blog post instead of putting all those groceries away and figuring out where everybody is going to sleep (well, they'll probably all just end up on the living room floor ....) Anybody want to come over to MBIAJ Headquarters early Saturday and Sunday morning to help me make breakfast for the team ? :)

GO PENN STATE !!!!!

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

My hydrangeas are drooping .....

2011-09-04T14:25:00.000-07:00

Happy September and Happy Labor Day weekend Blogland Neighborhood! Well, even though it is still pretty darn HUMID and feeling like summer here in Pa (hopefully to change soon according to those Weather Channel people), the MBIAJ yard and garden are showing signs of fall/autumn (YAY!!! we LOVE fall/autumn here at MBIAJ !!! Just as a little side note here - do you refer to the season as "fall" or "autumn"? I usually say "fall" but I like the sound of "autumn" better . "Autumn" sounds romantic and New Englandy while "Fall" sounds like something you want to prevent so you don't break a hip ! - I think I've been in the physical therapy homecare/ safety at home and falls prevention game too long !)

ANYWAY ..... as I was saying before that last ramble, the yard and garden are showing signs of changing seasons ...

....a few fallen leaves (I gathered them all up and put them in one place just for this picture .... not enough to rake yet!)

....a droopy sunflower ...

....an empty nest ....

.......some fall colored mums, black eyed susan's and sedum (all drooping I might add)

...... and the star of today's show .... my drooping hydgranea tree. Now I'm pretty sure all of these things are not drooping due to lack of precipitation after all, Hurricane Irene was just here. No, I think by this time of year, the blooms are big and heavy and just DROOP !!! So, not knowing what else to do with the droopy blooms, the MBIAJ Gardening Dept decided to get some pruning implements and......

....lop off a few of those droopy hydgrangeas and sedums and ....

.......put them in a big mason jar (one of these days the MBIAJ Photography Dept will actually read the directions on proper lighting and exposure .....)

......uh oh.....look who found the flowers already. OK, so even though the flowers look pretty sitting on that table, Sam is probably waiting for just the right time to A)try and eat them . B)try and play with them. or C) knock them over. So, the MBIAJ Decorating Dept has moved them ....

...up there on top of the fireplace mantel .

So, anyhow , hope you all are enjoying this last official weekend of summer (even though fall/autumn doesn't officially start for another couple of weeks according to my calendar)

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

Irene is a HAS BEEN !

2011-08-30T09:48:00.000-07:00

Good morning Blogland Neighborhood. It's a BEAUTIFUL morning here in Jim Thorpe, Pa - blue blue skies, low humidity and about 70 degrees ! Hurricane Irene came and went mostly Saturday night with alot of rain, and on and off rain and some wind gusts on Sunday. So, MBIAJ Headquarters really wasn't affected much other than ...

.....some leaves and small branches thrown around the yard, porch and driveway and ...

....loss of power for a day and a half caused by this tree that fell on wires down the street from us. So only minor inconveniences - the worst being the fact that when we don't have power here at headquarters, we also don't have running water or FLUSHING TOILETS (because we are on well and septic here). The MBIAJ Emergency Management Dept always fills the bathtub with water for flushing the toilets when there's a chance the power might go out, but it seems it only works for about 4 or 5 good flushes, then it kind of backs up ..... therefore, during a power outage, the MBIAJ Emergency Management Dept puts a ban on Mr. Moonbeams High Fiber Diet (he's a vegetarian who eats more vegetables, fiber and roughage in one sitting than most people eat in a year .... need we say more?)

Anyhow, we came through Irene unscathed .... so for us Ireney was a Weany ! (but we know for many people she was not and they are dealing with alot of flooding , still no power, and damages. Hopefully all will be fixed and in good shape very soon!)

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

Goodnight Irene !!!!

2011-08-27T15:18:00.000-07:00

Well, Goodnight Irene Blogland Neighborhood! Unless you've been living under a rock, you know there's a storm - a BIG STORM happening RIGHT NOW along the east coast of the USA ..... and the outer fringes of it are due ....

...to make an appearance here at MBIAJ Headquarters sometime tonight and tomorrow (we are near Allentown, Pa).

So, the MBIAJ Emergency Management Dept has been busily collecting all the supplies we may need over the next few days .... batteries, flashlights, a radio, matches, candles, sterno, water and ... lets take a closer look at one of the most important supplies ....

..... some chocolate in the form of Pillsbury brownie bites :) WAIT ! Will one package be enough?!?!!!! I better get to the store before Irene comes to get more !!!!

Be back soon! (Please stay safe everybody !!!!)
Toodles,
Mary Anne (aka Mare)

My empty nest

2011-08-22T07:38:00.000-07:00

Good Monday morning Blogland Neighborhood ! Well, today is a big day here at MBIAJ Headquarters. My baby boy just left for his first day of college classes. Yes, Moonbeams Boy Evan is now a Penn State University freshman ....(sigh). And even though he will still be living here at home this year and commuting to the local PSU branch campus, the fact remains that .....

......my two baby boys

.....are now in college ! (and Matt is a PSU SENIOR - ALREADY !?!?!?!!!)

Makes their Moonbeams Mom both proud and sad !

So, in the words of their grandfather ... "Go forth and conquer the world !!!" (I'm pretty sure he quoted that from somebody else) . Best of luck to both of my college boys for a great year !!!!

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

Emergency No Sew Last Minute Pillow Covers !!!

2011-08-21T10:53:00.001-07:00

Happy weekend Blogland Neighborhood! Well, as you know from my last post, last Sunday was Kid #2's (Evan's ) high school graduation party (held at MBIAJ Headquarters at pretty much the last possible time before he starts college classes TOMORROW !) Anyhow, not wanting to have to do a major clean up at Headquarters in order to have the party here, I tried to rent a pavilion at our local lake, but all pavilions were booked for last weekend. SO, the only possible location for the party was MBIAJ Headquarters (i.e. our house - YIKES !) Actually, this turned out to be a good thing since now the pressure was on to actually clean up the clutter and do some serious dusting and vacuuming ! (and I must say everybody here at Headquarters rolled up their sleeves and pitched in to get the place looking spic and span for Evan's big day!) So, everything looked sparkly and perfect except for .......

.....those throw pillows on the love seat and sofa - UGH !!!! Those pillows have been on my "list" for quite some time now - talk about NASTY !!!! There must be at least 6 years worth of Moonbeams Boys' and their friends' slobber , drool and stinky feet all over those pillows! AND, horror of horrors, they don't really go with anything else in the room - these are the pillows that came with the sofa.

So, with party guests due to arrive and food still needing to be picked up (yes, we cheated and went with party trays and a cake made by the local grocery store - but we did put forth a little effort and made pierogies in the crock pot and hamburger bbq in another crock pot) - I looked at those pillows and desperately googled "No Sew Pillow Covers". There were actually pretty many versions, but I went with "The Easiest Pillow Cover Ever" found on this site, orangize and decorate everything

I followed her directions for the covers except I didn't have quite enough fabric to tie a knot , so I had to ...

....... cut strips of contrasting fabric to tie around the ends of the fabric.

.....and Ta Daaaa !!!

.....NO MORE UGLY PILLOWS !!!!!

FYI: these pillows look good and would continue to look good if we lived in a museum; however they did not stand up to the punishment that high school and college boys dish out - my pretty bows fell off and the fabric unraveled (which one would expect if said pretty pillow were to be winged across the living room at one's friend or brother's head). I think they would have held up better if I had enough fabric to follow the instructions to tie the fabric in a knot instead of having to use extra fabric to tie a bow.

So, it looks like I'm gonna have to actually sew some industrial strength slip covers for these pillows at some point. (OK, I'll go put that on my "to do list" - again !)

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

Evan's graduation party = FUN DAY !!!!

2011-08-15T22:05:00.000-07:00

Well, the cards and gifts have been opened, the decorations have been taken down, the food is almost gone, the guests have gone home, and the kitchen and house are sort of cleaned up .... that was last night after Evan's graduation party and I'm still POOPED !!! (I've come to the conclusion that I'm way too lazy to be a party planner!) Anyhow, here we have Evan cutting his graduation cake to share with ....

all of his family and friends who came to his party to celebrate this milestone with him. (milestone = graduation , not cutting the cake:)

Grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins,

childhood friends,

friends through good times and bad, and a loyal brother

.....who wanted to make sure everybody at the party realized the "quilt" they were supposed to sign was "this thing" as he wrote on the sign with an arrow pointing to what he says ....

looks like a table cloth .... well, so it isn't the actual quilt, but it is GOING to be the BACK of Evan's quilt - someday - because as of zero hour when the party started ....

....this was as far as the MBIAJ Quilting Dept got on the actual quilt top ...... (oh well!)

And now that this milestone is behind us, we're zooming full speed ahead onto the next thing on the agenda .... and that is to get Matt packed up and moved into his new apartment out at Penn State THIS Saturday to start his senior year (gasp !!!). Yep, I now have 2 college boys !!! Matt out at Penn State main campus and Evan commuting from home to the local branch campus of Penn State . Classes start for both boys a week from today .....YIKES !!!!!

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

CRAZY BUSY !!!!!!

2011-08-12T10:02:00.000-07:00

Happy Friday Blogland Neighborhood ! Well the CRAZY summer of 2011 at MBIAJ Headquarters continues (and it's all good!) First of all ...

.....Kid #1 College Boy Matt arrived home last night from his summer internship in Florida (note instant pig pen in his room .... but after his horrendous first month on his internship where he ended up in the emergency room and then was admitted to the hospital for surgery we are happier than happy to have him and his messiness HOME!!! .... for a whole week and 2 days before he packs up again and heads back out to Penn State for the fall semester.)

....AND the MBIAJ Quilting Dept is SCRAMBLING to get Kid #2 Evan's graduation quilt somewhat put together by THIS SUNDAY because we are having .....

....his high school graduation party !!!! (So I guess I will now have to refer to both kids as my College Boys ! (sigh) Both Penn Staters !!! .... and classes start already a week after the graduation party on August 22nd! .....YIKES !!!! At least Evan will be living at home this year anyway since he is going to commute to a local branch campus of Penn State like Matt did for his first 2 years)

Well, gotta go !!!!! We've got LOTS and LOTS to do !!!!!

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

Happy 100th Birthday Lucy !!!

2011-08-06T09:35:00.000-07:00

Good morning and happy Saturday Blogland Neighborhood ! .... AND HAPPY 100th BIRTHDAY to my idol ........

LUCY !!!! YES ..... we here at MBIAJ are SERIOUS "I LOVE LUCY" fans !!!! We are such SERIOUS fans that about 5 years ago we made the pilgrimage to ....

.....Jamestown, New York (Lucy's hometown) for the Lucy's Birthday celebration they have there every year ! (this is a picture of yours truly, "Ethel", my sister Boop, and "Lucy" ). We had a GREAT time !!! Wish we could have gone out there this weekend for Lucy's 100th !!! Bet that's gonna be a humdinger of a celebration ! I read where Guinness Book of World Records is there right now holding an event to try and get the most people dressed up as Lucy in the same place at the same time !!!! What a HOOT !!!! Would LOVE to have been part of that !!!! Well, at least we can enjoy lots of "I Love Lucy" today on the Hallmark Channel marathon ! (little screech of happpiness here! .... that and lots of sewing on the agenda today!)

Happy Birthday Lucy !!!! (you can click off my music playlist over there on the right sidebar by clicking on the double parallel lines - then you can enjoy this classic video of Lucy's surprise party )

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

Summer YUM !!!!

2011-08-03T09:26:00.001-07:00

Good morning Blogland Neighborhood ! The MBIAJ Photography Dept thought these cherries looked SO pretty they just had to attempt to take an "artsy" picture before they get devoured ! .....oh well, they really DID look good in person !!!!

Speaking of pretty and "artsy" ..... I changed my blog background (again .... for about the 3rd time this summer .... it's like I can't decide what to wear ....) ANYHOW .... I stumbled upon this one and thought it was PERFECT because it has MOONS on it and PINK ! (my current criteria for my blog background ... MOONS for "Moonbeams in Jar" ; and PINK because my blog header is pink and I can't figure out how to change it .... will have to consult the teenager tech support kid on that when he can squeeze me into his schedule ) Anyhow, for more info on this blog background, you can click on that website way up there in the upper left corner of my blog where it says "Free Backgrounds".

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

Next on the agenda .....

2011-07-30T14:37:00.000-07:00

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 !)

2011-07-24T14:48:00.000-07:00

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 !!!

2011-07-22T10:06:00.000-07:00

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 ?

2011-07-21T17:08:00.000-07:00

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 !!!!

2011-07-16T13:05:00.000-07:00

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 .....

2011-07-08T22:14:00.001-07:00

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 !!!!!

2011-07-04T07:48:00.001-07:00

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 !!!!

2011-07-03T09:53:00.000-07:00

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)

Blog break...

2011-06-07T09:46:00.000-07:00

Taking a Blog break due to family health issues.

Be back (hopefully) soon,
Mary Anne (aka Mare)

Treasures from my Grandmas

2011-05-28T13:04:00.000-07:00

Happy Memorial Day weekend Blogland Neighborhood !!! I've been meaning to blog about some beautiful things that I've inherited from both of my grandmothers recently, but it kept getting put on the back burner for one reason or another . But, since this weekend is Memorial Day weekend (at least here in the good ol' USA) I thought it was the perfect time to write this blog post in memory of both of my grandmas.

These are my dad's parents , Anna and George on their wedding day in 1928 (LOVE her wedding gown !!!!) and...

this is a beautiful pie plate that I remember seeing on my grandmother's dining room table for years and years ....

....and now I am honored that it has a place in my dining room!

This is my other grandmother holding my mother in 1930....and just a year or so before this picture was taken my grandmother , Mary, left her home and family in Italy , packing up all of her belongings in ....

...this very suitcase to join her husband, Harry, here in the USA. They got married before WW I, then my grandfather came to this country to find a job and make enough money so that my grandmother could come over also. But, before that happened WW I broke out and my grandfather , who was still an Italian citizen , had to return to Italy to fight in the Italian army. So, surviving the war and having his legs frozen in the Italian Alps , he returned to the USA AGAIN and started AGAIN to work and save up enough money to bring Mary over - which he finally did. And if you think THAT's amazing, what I think is even MORE amazing is the fact that she fit all of her stuff in that one suitcase !!! HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE??? Moving from Italy to the USA for good and all you need is one suitcase ?!?!?

Love the worn leather of the handle. My mother told me that she can remember going away for vacations to visit their aunt for a couple of weeks and grandma would pack her things PLUS my mother's stuff and her younger sister and brother's stuff in that ONE SUITCASE !!! For TWO WEEKS !!!! ONE SUITCASE !!!!

....and here's grandma with her sister Carmella (in the polka dot dress). I wanted to show you this picture because .....

...when I opened grandma's suitcase, I found these sheets .....

...that were hand embroidered by Aunt Carmella !! (GASP..... HAND EMBROIDERED !!!)

(GASPING FOR AIR !!) H-A-N-D
E-M-B-R-O-I-D-E-R-E-D !!!!! GORGEOUS !!!! Let me tell you .... IF I ever accomplished anything like this (and that's a BIG "if" since we all know my track record for finishing things isn't a stellar one) I most certainly would NOT let somebody sleep on them (because we have alot of slobberers and droolers in this family). I would frame them with a big neon arrow pointing to them so everybody could see how amazing they are !!!! Sadly, these gorgeous sheets are stained in a few spots and torn and patched here and there so I would like to maybe take the embroidered parts and make them into pillows......one of these days !!!

Well, I still have lots of big events coming up and my "delusions of grandeur sewing project gift list" that goes with all of these events, so I should go attempt to get organized and get started (or just spend time making another list of everything I hope to get done then hyperventilate .....)

Have a fun and safe weekend !
Be back soon!
Toodles,
Mary Anne (aka Mare)

Off they go ....

2011-05-22T10:11:00.000-07:00

Good morning Blogland Neighborhood! Well the past two weeks have flown by .... lots of stuff going on here at MBIAJ Headquarters with my Moonbeams Boys Evan and Matt. They've grown up while I wasn't looking (or pretended not to see) and, well, here we are, and off they go ......

......to the prom. (Evan's prom was this past Friday night. Here he is in his VERY bright tux with his VERY understanding date and good friend Emily)

...and here are Evan and Emily with their good friend Tyler. Evan and Tyler have had these goofy tuxes planned since their freshman year .... their version of the tuxes from the movie "Dumb and Dumber" with a little Sponge Bob and Patrick thrown in! (and I must say Tyler's date was also a very understanding gal!)

And that's not all that went on this past Friday. Moonbeams college Boy Matt (who finished up his 3rd year at Penn State 2 weeks ago).......

...packed up his car with his dirtbike and mountain bike (and some clean underwear and socks he assured me) and ....
waived bye bye to his old mom to head south to Florida for the summer for his first grown up internship/job ....

Off he goes ..... (sob)

So..... now that a couple of days have gone by and I've medicated myself with enough chocolate to sink a ship, it's time to get myself together for the next couple of months ..... more stuff .... Evan's All Night Pary (for the senior class given by the parents) is this Friday. Then we have a belated 50th birthday celebration for my sis, Evan's high school graduation, niece's graduation from college/nursing school, Matt's 21st birthday in June and my other niece's wedding at the end of June ! (and you just KNOW I have delusions of grandeur about all the sewing/quilting projects my unrealistic other self has planned for all of these milestone special occasions! Including the apron that did NOT get finished for the bridal shower that was YESTERDAY for the niece who is getting married in June .... oh well ...)
Guess I better get busy!

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

Happy Mother's Day !!!!

2011-05-08T11:00:00.001-07:00

Happy Mother's Day Blogland Neighborhood !!! I LOVE this picture of my grandmother holding my mother ....so sweet! Hope you all have a lovely and sweet day (that includes only a the bare minimum of stinky laundry ....

(ad included in Mother's Day card from Moonbeams Boy Matt .... Isn't he thoughtful !!!!???? a real comedian !!! ) In his defense he also got his Mama a gift card from JoAnn's cause he KNOWS his Mama LOVES to shop for fabric !!! And Moonbeams Boy Evan is in the process of making me a deck chair in his woodshop class !!! (picture to follow after it's finished) ... AND both boys are planning a cookout later today for me and their two grandmothers !!!! I LOVE MY BOYS !!!!!!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY !!!!!!

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

Spring is springing .... (an ode to dandelions ....)

2011-05-03T16:05:00.001-07:00

Well happy spring (FINALY) Blogland Neighborhood ! A slight and unexpected lull in the day job schedule today allowed me some time to go outside and "smell the roses" .... well, not exactly (our roses are far from blooming and in need of some TLC and probably a bit of CPR) .... BUT, violets we've got !!! and, since they're not growing in their designated area (i.e. the flowerbed) but have decided to grow all over the yard, I thought it best to pick them before the lawn mowing dept steps all over them and mows them down in their pretty little tracks !

.....and THESE !!!! We've also got LOADS of these !!! In fact, if it weren't for dandelions (aka known as pista beds around here ) we wouldn't have much of a lawn at all !!!

...and really, I think dandelions get a bad rap ... how can you deny the cheeriness of that happy, sunny yellow flower???

......aaaahhhhhhh lovely spring violets in my favorite little vase my mother gave me !

....and here are those pista beds elevated to a new level of elegance in a wine glass vase ...maybe they'll turn that water into dandelion wine !!!

Hope spring is springing where you are and you're able to sneak outside for a few minutes to "smell the roses" or pick a few weeds !
Be back soon!
Toodles,
Mary Anne (aka Mare)

Tuscaloosa tornado disaster, The after math - how you can help

2011-05-01T10:34:00.000-07:00

Good morning Blogland Neighborhood. Usually this blog is my happy little escape from reality, but the destruction and loss of life from all the recent tornados in this country have been devastating. I've been trying to find out how I can help from here in Pa. The son of a friend of mine from high school is a student at the University of Alabama and was there on the day the tornado hit. She spent a few panicked hours trying to get in touch with him. She finally did and thankfully he is OK. She has a facebook page with links to some of the organizations that are helping in Alabama.
UA Tornado Relief and
Toomers for Tuscaloosa

If any of you know of other oganizations , Comfort Quilt projects, or Blogland Craft Benefits to help the tornado victims not only in Alabama, but Georgia, etc. please feel free to leave a comment with the info or a link.

Thankyou!

Be back soon!
Mary Anne (aka Mare)

Countdown to the Royal Wedding ....

2011-04-28T22:49:00.000-07:00

Hello out there in Blogland ! Kitty has put on her best dress and hat and is counting down the hours until the Royal Wedding .... (let's not tell her that she's not on the guest list and she's standing in front of the wrong church ....)
Anyway, all the best to the Royal couple ....

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

Coloring Easter Eggs ....

2011-04-22T14:30:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter weekend Blogland Neighborhood! The MBIAJ Drawing Dept has been "coloring" Easter eggs (well, that middle one looks kind of like a polka dotted baked potato ... oh well) .... anyhow, now they're thinking of handing this little drawing over to the MBIAJ Sewing and Stitching Dept for a quick take along applique and / or stitchery project since we'll be away all weekend at ....

Penn State University to cheer on Moonbeams Boy Matt and his fellow Penn State Cycling Team mates at the ECCC Easterns Bike Races ....

... GO MATT !!! GO PENN STATE !!!! (and we're hoping it doesn't pour the entire weekend .... oh well, we just will have to pack our polka dot rain boots and school bus yellow rain slicker !)

.....So, from Kitty and her hopping friends , and from all of the MBIAJ Depts we wish you all a very Happy Easter !!!!

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

Does mending count? (for the Friday Night Sew In)

2011-04-16T15:51:00.000-07:00

Happy VERY rainy and blustery Saturday (I guess if you're a duck you're happy). Anyhow, the MIBAJ Sewing Dept was too pooped and disorganized to get any sewing done last night during the actual Friday Night Sew In (aka FNSI) but today they were ON FIRE ....well, if you count mending a hole in Mr. Moonbeam's stretchy biking britches and ....

....piddling around with colored pencils trying to figure out what to do with that jelly roll and ...

...trying to make earth shattering decisions like what to do with this appliqued block AND if the rick rack should go on the dish or not ....then we are DEFINATELY ON FIRE !!! .....well, OK .... so it wasn't the most productive FNSI but at least it involved the sewing machine (mending .... HATE IT!) .... drawing and pretty fabric (LOVE IT!) ... and playing with rick rack (LOVE IT !) Now run along and visit the blogs of the other much more productive FNSI participants while we get back to that big decision about the red rick rack ....

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

Be back soon!
Toodles,

Friday Night Sew In ....

2011-04-16T00:32:00.000-07:00

Dang ! Missed it(Friday) by 32 minutes ! Well, so much for the MBIAJ Sewing Dept participating in this month's Friday Night Sew In on Friday night! Got in from work after 7pm, made dinner (well, actually stopped at the market and bought dinner), cleaned up dinner , sat down at the computer to check emails and do some paperwork and got sidetracked on facebook , as usual...... but it was there that I got the message from pal Amanda that tonight (well, yesterday now) is/was the Friday Night Sew In for April.) So, by that time it was 11 pm and the news was on (had to check the weather) .... BIG mistake ! Fell asleep on the sofa .... woke up to go tinkle ... and well, there you have it .... you're all caught up and up to date ..... so, the MBIAJ Sewing Dept will have to try and reschedule their participation in the Friday Night Sew In until sometime on Saturday ....hopefully!

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

Trying on a new blog background .....

2011-04-09T15:00:00.000-07:00

Happy Saturday Blogland Neighborhood! Well today we here at MBIAJ Headquarters have piddled away a good part of the day trying to figure out how to change our blog background ..... and now that we know it's not rocket science (although you' think it was since, as we said, it took us the better part of the afternoon to figure it out ... ) we are going back and forth between 3 different backgrounds ..... trying one on after the other .... (like trying to decide what to wear) .... we're looking for something fresh looking and not too fussy .... found a pretty grey with white flowers, but when we tried it on it looked kind of blah and bleak (like the gray sky outside .... AGAIN!). So, for the time being, we've kind of settled on the one you see right now .... it's definately BRIGHT !!! Kind of refreshing .... like a strawberry and tangerine fruit salad ! Who knows, maybe we'll be changing it again soon (now that we know how to do it) .... but first we want to figure out how the heck to change our header ! (anybody have any simple tips for the computer challenged?)

Anyhow, can't have a blog post without a fun picture (I think it's in the imaginary rules .... ) so here's a picture of some of the fun fabric deliciousness we recently ordered from
The Fat Quarter Shop

YUM !!!

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

Muffintops....

2011-04-07T06:18:00.000-07:00

Good morning Blogland Neighborhood! At the end of a long day of work, it's nice to sit and relax (or procrastinate) in front of the computer and catch up on some blog reading.

Look what Daisy and I found on Clothworks Textiles Blog....

.....some fun fabric called "Muffintops" by Barb Tourtillotte . Oh Barb, Barb, Barb !!!! ..... we here at MBIAJ Headquarters can SO relate to this fabric !!!! Anyhow, they are having a giveaway over there at the Clothworks blog for a shower curtain and towel set featuring this fun fabric .... so all you gals (and guys) of a "certain age" should zip on over there and sign up . We here at MBIAJ headquarters are thinking of making a beach bag out of this stuff .... and how about a matching beach quilt and a cover up to , well you know .... COVER UP the real muffintop? What the heck and why not .... after you hit that "certain age" you might as well just go with the flow !!!!

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

The Balancing Act .....

2011-04-02T13:51:00.001-07:00

Well Happy April Blogland Neighorhood !! Can't believe another month has flown by (but happy it's trying to be spring time !) The next few months will be crazier than usual here at MBIAJ Headquarters (if that's possible!) ....with proms, graduations, milestone birthdays and anniversaries, a wedding quite a few states away, etc, etc, etc ....and trying to balance preparations for all of those very happy events with the heavy day job schedule, the laundry, the house etc, etc, etc ..... so here's our big 20 cent question of the week ....any bright ideas or tips for perfecting "The Balancing Act"? (cause we've been trying to perfect "it" for way too many years than we care to count and it isn't improving that's for sure !!!) Oh well !!!

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

WHAT to do with BIG print fabrics ??? (and some cool doodling!)

2011-03-26T21:28:00.000-07:00

Happy weekend Blogland Neighborhood! Hope spring is springing where you are. Unfortunately it's not here at MBIAJ Headquarters. We've had a couple of teaser days, but it seems winter is being a great big bully and keeps pushing spring around.

Anyway, the MBIAJ Design and Doodling Dept has Spring Fever in a big way and have been playing around with some new (and not so new) fabrics with some HUGE flowers on them. So, they are trying to figure out just what to do with HUGE print fabrics. They're really pretty and you just can't cut them up into little pieces , so what do you use them for ..... well you could make curtains ..... nah...... or an apron or tote bag .... maybe ..... or a dress .....(yikes !! DEFINATELY NOT (I'm pretty sure with those big prints and our big caboose, it would look more like a circus tent or a muu muu ... or more accurately a mooooo moooooo....)

.....and here's another pretty print (not as huge as that first one, but still something we'd hate to cut up into little pieces). The Design Dept had fun picking out those companion fabrics and the Doodling Dept is busy doodling up some ideas .... maybe they should consult Moonbeams Boy Evan .....

......he is a "Master Doodler" !!!!! Just LOOK at these doodles !!!! .....

......and these !!!

These doodles cover every square inch of his political science notebook. Obviously he is totally and completely BORED by political science and should NOT pursue it as his college major ..... but how about graphic design!?!?!?!!!

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

National Quilting Day

2011-03-19T17:07:00.000-07:00

Well hello there Blogland Neighborhood .... has it been 2 weeks since our last blabfest? YIKES! Well....

we've been feeling a little glum and not much in the mood for blogging over the past week or so (kind of puts all things in perspective when you watch the news about Japan etc.) And, as usual this weekend the MBIAJ Paperwork Dept has ....

...their usual BORING, TEDIOUS pile of paperwork to get caught up on before Monday rolls around again (oh yes, and that's our latest coping strategy ..Pillsbury chocolate fudge Sweet Moments) .... and today being National Quilting Day the MBIAJ Sewing and Quilting Dept was moping around because they (again) don't have time to play with fabric this weekend .... that is until the mailman brought .....

..... a little fabric and thread gifty gift from blogger pal Linda Lum DeBono (we were the randomly picked winner from her Yo Yo Challenge she hosted a couple of weeks ago). THANKS LINDA !!! This was the perfect pick me up for the MBIAJ Sewing and Quilting Dept (especially since it's National Quilting Day !)

....and speaking of cuter than cute things .... look at this fun pattern we sent for from The Quilted Fish !!! Party crowns and party hats !!! PERFECT for many happy milestone birthdays, graduations, anniversaries, and a wedding we have coming up in the next few months !!! (and all of these upcoming events deserve some snazzy headgear to properly commemorate the occasion !)

... and one more important thing .... in the spirit of National Quilting Day here is a way for all of you generous and caring quilters to help the people of Japan in the best way you know how .... and that is to make a comfort quilt. This is being organized by Quilters Newsletter (just click on this link for all of the info). OK gang, lets fire up those sewing machines !!!

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

Yo (yo) Adrian ......

2011-03-05T09:29:00.000-08:00

.......can you put some yo yo's on this here championship belt thing ???

Sorry .... couldn't resist .... anyhow, good morning Blogland Neighborhood and welcome to today's topic of: "What can you put a yo yo on?". Well, what can't you put a yo yo on? Well, guess there are some things you wouldn't want to put a yo yo on .... but here are some examples of what you CAN put a yo yo on .....

.....how about a lampshade? (this is a work in progress ... more yo yo's are planned to gussy this plain lampshade up a bit)

...how about Kitty? (her St Patrick's Day tam is an upside down yo yo)

.....then there's our Flower Pot Cozy made with a giant yo yo pulled up around a plastic flower pot and decorated with more yo yo's ....

.......and you can make lots and lots of yo yo's with covered button centers and combine them with some glass beads to make a garland to .......

......hang across a window to brighten up that drab winter scene outside.

For more fun and creative ideas for yo yo embelishing, you should check out Linda Lum Debono's Yo Yo Challenge Flickr page .

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

FNSI .....and your opinions please !!!!

2011-02-19T17:11:00.000-08:00

Well hang onto your hats Blogland Neighborhood because here we are back again ..... 2 blog posts in 2 days !!!! Kitty and the MBIAJ Sewing Dept enjoyed a couple of hours of sewing/crafting last night during this month's Friday Night Sew In and they almost finished a better late than never Valentine project. Now we just need to figure out where to put the flowers ....

...should they go here? ....or

....here?

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

Girls Night IN -- Friday Night Sew In that is !!!

2011-02-18T20:31:00.000-08:00

TGIF Blogland Neighborhood! Kitty has had a rough work week and ....

......could really use a Girls' Night Out !!!.....but ....

....she didn't save enough pennies in her "Girl's Night Out" jar ..... so she decided to treat herself and the MBIAJ Sewing/Crafting Dept to something just as fun (with fewer consequences ) .....

....the "Friday Night Sew In" !!!

OK .... so there goes Kitty and the gang to spend some quality time with some fabric, scissors, the sewing machine, an "I Love Lucy" rerun or two, and enough chocolate to sink a ship ....

Be back tomorrow with a report on how this all went ...

Toodles,
Mary Anne (aka Mare)

Happy Valentine's Day !!

2011-02-14T16:44:00.000-08:00

Happy Valentine's Day Blogland Neighborhood!!! .... and how are we spending this day of hearts and flowers here at MBIAJ Headquarters ?

Well, studying for our CPR recertification test tomorrow .... not very romantic, but it does have to do with hearts !!!

Meanwhile, since we've been busy with studying and haven't had a chance to whip up a new Valentine project YET, the Queen of Hearts herself (aka Kitty) has decided to recycle this one from last year.

OK ... well, it's back to studying for us ... and hopefully we'll be back BEFORE the end of February with THIS year's Valentine project !!!

Happy Valentine's Day and Healthy Hearts to you all !

Toodles,
Mary Anne (aka Mare)

Felt, paper, scissors ..... glue

2011-02-02T21:06:00.000-08:00

Happy February Blogland Neighborhood! Well, these holidays keep rolling along don't they? We still have the Christmas tree stand and a stray wreath or two sitting at the bottom of the steps waiting for somebody (anybody) to take them back up to the attic and here it is Valentine's Day / season already! ZOOM ! SWOOSH ! ... and I wonder why my hair looks like I've just come out of a wind tunnel all the time! I can't keep up with the decorating and undecorating and redecorating for the next holiday! Well, anyhow, like the rest of the country (or at least 90% of it) we had yet another winter storm last night . By this afternoon .....

the sun was peeking through the fog and .....

... this mourning dove was sitting in the tree by the kitchen waiting for her significant dover (ha ha .... get it? significant other /dover ) ....OK, never mind. Anyway, speaking of significant others and this month's holiday of Valentine's Day, the MBIAJ Holiday Decorating Dept, who so deftly managed to piddle away the majority of this snow day, finally got themselves organized and dragged out some ....

.....red wool felt and white paper doilies....

...and paper tags, glue, scissors, a couple of teeny tiny pieces of white wool felt, some red Valentine ribbon and a red sharpie marker to ....

....gussy up the glass hurricane candle holders that sit on ....

......the kitchen table. Ta Da .... OK... now the MBIAJ Decorating Dept is exhausted from that monumental effort and they'll have to rest because the next holiday will be "sweeping down the plain" (as they say in "Oklahoma" ... the play, not the state ) faster than you can blink!!!

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

Saturday report on the "Friday Night Sew In"

2011-01-22T21:34:00.000-08:00

We did some sewing .....

Some pressing (at which time we decided we prefer pressing seams open instead of to either side ..... it seemed to help those pesky seams to match up better ... at least it does here at MBIAJ!)

Which all led to this pieced background (to which the MBIAJ Sewing/Quilting Dept plans to slap on some appliques hopefully in the not too distant future ....)

In addition to the previously mentioned pieced background, the MBIAJ Sewing Dept , being the ball of fire that they are, also spent a few minutes of the "Friday Night Sew In" taking a few more stitches on this long lingering project. We're hoping to increase our productivity over the next month now that the MBIAJ Time Management Dept has implemented our new "15 Minutes a Day Campaign". Thank you ladies and gentlemen.

....And thank you Miss Kitty for your report. We will be back soon!

Toodles,
Mary Anne (aka Mare)

Friday Night Sew In and the "15 Minute a Day Campaign"

2011-01-21T15:40:00.000-08:00

Happy snowy Friday Blogland neighborhood! (Don't those snow topped porch posts look like cupcakes with icing on them!)
ANYHOW .... it's COLD COLD COLD outside, so we here at MBIAJ Headquarters decided to...

....put a big pot of chicken soup on , fire up the sewing machine and join in on this month's ....

Friday Night Sew In which actually goes well with our MBIAJ Time Management Dept's 15 Minutes a Day (or most/some days) Campaign
The Time Management Dept is hoping the MBIAJ Sewing Dept can rack up an accumulation of 15 minute time slots full of sewing tonight ! Here's their report on what has been accomplished so far this past week in 15 minutes/day :

Day #1: traced applique shapes onto fusible web and fused them onto fabric

Day #2: cut out half of the applique pieces (OK, so we're slow cutters)

Day #3: cut out the rest of the applique pieces (more slow cutting.....)

Day #4: Figured out measurements and cut out background pieces

OK .... so the MBIAJ Time Management Dept was fairly pleased with the accumulation of progress made over 4 days of just 15 minutes a day working on this project (OK, we're slower than molasses in January, but it IS January and the MBIAJ Sewing Dept is farther along on this project than if they hadn't at least squeezed in those 15 minutes a day!) Now to just keep it up!!!:) (oh, and if you're thinking that the above project looks like a Christmas project, it is ..... we like to think of it as early for next year instead of what it really is..... late for this year!)

OK ..... the soup is done and the sewing machine is fired up !!! On to the Friday Night Sew In ....... Hang onto your hats ... here we GO !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Be back tomorrow with a report !

Toodles,
Mary Anne (aka Mare)

15 MINUTES !!!!

2011-01-16T11:26:00.000-08:00

Good Sunday morning Blogland Neighborhood! Well, the MBIAJ Time Management Dept has been working on a new plan this past week to try and help put some kind of structure into what typically ends up being a day like this poor lady in this You Tube video is having....(turn off my music on the sidebar over there ---> by clicking on the middle button with the 2 parallel lines so you can hear the video).....

Look familiar ? (humor us and say it does so we don't feel even more disorganized, unproductive, and inadequate than we already do after we watch Martha Stewart or read some of the blogs written by the I don't know how the heck they do it young mothers of 2 - 8 kids who have cute, cute blogs and tons of finished GORGEOUS quilts and other BEAUTIFUL projects posted every couple of days it seems!!! When the Moonbeams Boys were little, I was just thrilled to get in the shower by 6pm and that the laundry was kind of done and there was a sort of hot meal on the table somewhere before midnight every day (and that was on my day off ...it was worse on the days I worked!) .... oh, I tried to sew ... but it just didn't fit into my day or night. And now that the boys are big boys (college and a senior in high school) you'd think the situation would be better .... but, it's not .... the day job has increasingly gotten more time consuming (or I've just gotten more burned out and SLOWERRRRrrrrrr......)

ANYHOW, in an attempt to increase productivity around here the MBIAJ Time Management Dept has come up with their....

"15 Minutes a Day" ....

..."Just 15 Minutes a Day Campaign" !!!! Yes .... they feel that (like exercise) we should be able to scrape together just 15 meesly litte minutes per day (or most days?) to make a teensy tiny bit of progress on a sewing/quilting project! (hopefully this won't involve doing some hand stitching while sitting on the throne ). AND, over time (possibly a long time) projects WILL get DONE !!!! So, that's our plan ..... anybody else find themselves in the same predicament and want to join in? We can come up with a catchy group name like "15 Minute Marvels" and a button and all that stuff that the MBIAJ Blogging Dept hasn't had time to figure out yet (maybe in one of the "15 Minutes a Day" time slots they can work on it) .... and we can post about it on the weekends to show how 15 minutes a day (or most days) can add up to actually finishing something in this milleneum !!!

Be back soon with our 15 + 15 + 15 + 15 + 15 + 15 = 90 minutes (or less) by the end of the week update ....

(P.S. thanks to Pat Sloan who found that funny You Tube video first and posted it on Facebook)

Toodles,
Mary Anne (aka Mare)

Color oh Color ..... where fore art thou Color ?????

2011-01-12T10:20:00.000-08:00

Good winter morning Blogland Neighborhood. Sitting at the window seat having some nice hot oatmeal this morning looking out at a chilly backyard (looks like it was a rough morning at the birdfeeder .... the wind must have blown the birdfeeder sideways and dumped the birdseed on the ground ... now the birdies are digging around for it .... we'll have to have the MBIAJ Grounds Keeper fix that today ...). Anyway, blustery January mornings like this have us craving some COLOR !!!!

We found lots in the new Feb issue of American Patchwork and Quilting magazine and also ....

.....these SNEAKERS !!!! Aren't they spiffy !!!!!!! Those would be just the thing to dance around the kitchen in to chase away the January blahs !!!!!! And speaking of "I LOVE IT " color .... LOOK at ....

....THIS !!!! This is a box that was filled to the brim with all kinds of goodies from "Harry and David" ... the goodies were delish, but even better is THE BOX !!!!

.....OMG !!! The MBIAJ Drawing and Sewing Depts are in LOVE with the colors and cute drawings !!! They are wishing it was fabric instead of a box !!! They would totally buy many yards to play with !!!!!

Well, enough day dreaming about spring time colors ... time to put our snowsuits on and trudge out to the car to work ....

Be back soon! (P.S the MBIAJ Time Management Dept is working on a new strategy to try out this year .... they'll be back to tell you about it .... as soon as they iron out the kinks .... and as soon as they have time !)

Toodles,
Mary Anne (aka Mare)

Winter Sunset

2011-01-08T14:40:00.001-08:00

Happy winter weekend Blogland Neighborhood! Can't believe we're already a week into the new year! Well, we here at MBIAJ Headquarters are TRYING to feel hopefull for the New Year .... a clean slate .... new possibilities.... etc, etc, etc .... and we plan to get around to all that as soon as we get Christmas put away (target date: Feb 15th, 2011) AND get our heads above water with that ever present , suffocating pile of paperwork that goes with the day job ....UGH!!!! (New Year's Goal #1: come up with a different day job !!!!!). Yes, we know, that's been the goal every year for about the past 28 years AT LEAST (stuck in a rut ?!?!??? DEFINATELY!!) BUT, this year we're determined .... DETERMINED (we're shouting that ... like Scarlet O'Hara shaking her fist at the sky declaring that she will never go hungry again) to do things differently this year so we have more time to get some of our drawings/designs OFF those little pieces of paper and made into fun stuff and submit those designs/patterns to some magazines and or pattern publishers.... we even have a friend/stunt quilter waiting in the wings to help get this show on the road! (I know right now she's sitting at her house drumming her fingers on the table and tapping, tapping her foot waiting and waiting for me to finish my part of Project #1 so I can hand it off to her to finish up .... )

OK, back to the paperwork pile so we can get to sewing Project #1 before the weekend is completely down the drain!! We'll keep you posted !!

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

Happy New Year's Eve !!!!

2010-12-31T19:03:00.000-08:00

Kitty (who needs a new party hat ) and the entire MBIAJ staff wish all of you a very HAPPY and HEALTHY NEW YEAR !!!

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

MERRY CHRISTMAS !!!!!

2010-12-24T13:11:00.000-08:00

.... and the stockings were hung by the chimney with care ...

MERRY CHRISTMAS Blogland Neighborhood !!

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

Pretty paper stars

2010-12-19T12:27:00.001-08:00

Happy count down (CRUNCH TIME) til Christmas Blogland Neighborhood! The MBIAJ Decorating Dept FINALLY finished getting the Christmas tree decorated ..... they like to make it a month long event of tripping over boxes in the living room .....

Anyhow, the Decorating Dept thought they'd share some pictures of a box of paper stars that were made about 45 years ago as a gift to George (my dad) the MBIAJ patriarch from one of his patients (he is a retired physician .... from back when family doctors made lots of housecalls any time of the day or night , in all kinds of weather AND delivered babies too !)

Aren't they BEAUTIFUL !!!!! Can't imagine the time and patience it took to make all of these! The Decorating Dept thought for a brief (VERY brief) moment that they would try to make some ..... they even found directions at Craftideas ......but then they looked at the "to do " list and the calendar and came to their senses!!! However, not daunted by complicated looking instructions, sweet MBIAJ niece Maura made .....

....this pretty new green one to add to our collection! She's such a sweet kid !! (just like her aunt !:)

OK .... that "to do " list isn't getting any shorter and the darn elves didn't show up again this year so we've gotta ZOOM !!!!

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

Saturday report on last night's Friday Night Sew In

2010-12-11T18:32:00.000-08:00

Howdy do Blogland Neighborhood! We're zipping in for a quick report on last night's
Friday Night Sew In. Actually this isn't quite a report .... it's more of a confession ..... in fact, this post should be titled "Confessions of a Procrastinating Holiday Slacker" !!!!

So.... determined to get going on at least one thing .... just ONE Christmas sewing/quilting project, we started to go upstairs to the MBIAJ Sewing/Quilting room when we were distracted by the fact that the outside Christmas decorating wasn't quite finished .... as in close, but not quite .... which REALLY has been bugging the MBIAJ Decorating Dept, so first a quick detour OUTSIDE (just 5 minutes should do it) to finish putting up the wreath and adjusting the lights ...

....ok, that's done (oops, took a little longer than 5 minutes though). NOW, we can proceed upstairs with a clear conscience. But, along the way another distraction ....

...this bunch of beautiful new books just sitting there begging to be looked at.....well, they ARE sewing/quilting/crafting books ..... and the MBIAJ Sewing/Quilting Dept needed some inspiration so we feel this 2nd detour was well justified (and rationalized!) as part of the Friday Night Sew In .....

OK, so FINALLY we stopped piddling around and got down to the business of ....

....picking out some fabrics....

....tracing some applique shapes onto fusible web and .....

.....doing some fusing and cutting out ...... and then we were pooped and went to bed .....(sigh)

....th, th, th, that's all folks !

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

Instant Christmas !!!

2010-12-10T08:50:00.001-08:00

Good morning Blogland Neighborhood!

The MBIAJ Decorating Dept plunked some candy canes in mason jars for some instant Christmas because ....

.......this is pretty much what the rest of MBIAJ Headquarters looks like! (sigh) YIKES !!! Gotta zoom! Late for work .... again ......

P.S. Just realized tonight is the Friday Night Sew In over at Handmade by Heidi's blog ..... should we ignore the major mess in the living room and in every other inch of Headquarters and join in thr Friday Night Sew In? Hmmmmmmmm...... that is tempting .... and we do have a sewing "to do list" that would put Santa's list to shame .....so, maybe .....

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

Stick a fork in it cause it's FINALLY done !!! :)

2010-12-06T15:14:00.000-08:00

WHAT?!?!? Halloween stuff ?!?!? STILL ?!?!? (sigh) .... yes (head hung in shame).
Happy Christmas Season Blogland Neighborhood! Yes .... that IS Christmas music you hear in the background .... and YES that is a picture of a Halloween project.... and YES, the MBIAJ Sewing and Quilting Dept JUST finished it ..... "Better Late than Never" is how we roll around here!

ANYHOW, we wanted to share our quilt hanging method we used here (which could be used for any small wall hanging for example a CHRISTMAS wall hanging ).

First thing we did was go outside and rustle up a stick.....

.....and paint it (just acrylic craft paint)

......just simple stripes and dots ....(please ignore cruddy laundry tub)

Next, finish sewing/quilting wall hanging (this is where we usually allow for about a 1 -> 3 year window of time......) BUT don't finish the binding .... yet! Well, you can bind the sides and the bottom but don't finish the binding across the top of the quilt yet. (I do 4 separate bindings ... one for each side instead of a continuous binding. I think this method would also work OK for a continuous binding ).

OK .... so you have the binding on both sides and the bottom. Now you need to make your hanging loops. Here's the recipe:

Cut 2 loops 3" x 8"

Press under 1/4" hems on each long side of each loop

Fold in 1/2 lengthwise with wrong sides together and press.

Top stitch 1/8" from edge.

Matching raw edges, pin loops equal distance from outer edges of quilt (for this wall hanging I pinned them 1 1/2" from outer edges)

Place and pin top binding along top edge of quilt OVER loops matching raw edges. Stitch 1/4" from raw edge. Finger press seam and loops flat.

Bring loops over top of quilt top to back edge and pin in place matching raw edges (makes a loop)

Bring binding over top edge of quilt to back , covering quilt and loop raw edges.

Stitch binding down, first folding ends in.

OK , so you've got your loops and you've got your painted stick . Now you need to put the stick through the loops (I know.... we're stating the obvious here). NOW, you have to have a way to hang the stick/quilt unit. So ........

Cut another piece of fabric 1" x about 52". Fold in 1/2 lengthwise with wrong sides together. Press. Topstitch long edge close to edge (edges are raw and unfinished).

Trace 4 shapes (we did stars) onto fusible web. Iron web onto wrong side of fabric and cut out.

Sandwich ends of long (52") folded fabric strip between 2 stars.

Fuse together.

Top stitch.

Tie onto either end of the painted stick.

Well, hope you can use some of this info!

OK ..... now that we finally have Halloween out of the way, it's time for the MBIAJ Decorating, Shopping, Baking, Wrapping, Card Writing, Stocking Hanging Depts to get a wiggle on since Christmas is coming faster than a freight train! YIKES !!!!!

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

Happy (snowy) Thanksgiving !!!

2010-11-25T10:35:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving everybody! We have some of the white stuff here at MBIAJ Headquaraters (northeast Pa) ..... so "Over the river and through the woods to grandmother's house we go...... the horse knows the way to carry the sleigh in the white and drifted (1 - 2 inches ) snow .....over the river and through the woods hmmmm hmmmm hmmmm hmmm hmmm hmmmm (don't know the words here) Thanksgiving Day !!"

Have a wonderful day everyone!

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

Thanksgiving Holiday Head Gear ........

2010-11-23T21:37:00.000-08:00

Hello everybody out there in Blogland! Well we're closing in on Thanksgiving here in the USA and if you don't yet have your Thanksgiving Holiday Head Gear selected, well you've come to the right place. We here at MBIAJ Headquarters are your Thanksgiving Holiday Head Gear resource guide!

First up is what we like to refer to as the "turkey tiara" .... available at Pottery Barn Kids ....OR you probably could make one fairly easily out of felt or even just construction paper .

Looks like Kitty might want one of those ..... after all, who wouldn't look good in a turkey tiara ?

And of course you just cannot show up at Thanksgiving dinner without your Pilgrim hats !!! The instructions for these are in ......

...the November issue of Martha Stewart Living magazine and online.

So, hurry along and whip up a bunch of those turkey tiaras and pilgrim hats because wouldn't it be fun to see grandma, grandpa, Uncle Herb, Aunt Martha, Cousin Earl and all of the rest of the relatives all sitting at the Thanksgiving table wearing their Thanksgiving hats!?!?!!! .... it would look like they all just stepped off the Mayflower and are celebrating the first Thanksgiving at Plymouth don't you think ?!?!?!

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

Pissed off Pilgrim ....

2010-11-19T08:48:00.000-08:00

Good morning Blogland Neighborhood! The MBIAJ Paperwork Dept is coming up for air briefly to say hello and see what's going on around here. UH OH ....... Kitty is looking like one pissed off pilgrim (or does she look more like a furious flying nun?) Anyhow, I think she's irked because the MBIAJ Sewing Dept is SOOOOOOOOOO far behind on projects (from what I hear they're still trying to get a couple of minutes together to finish up this Halloween wall hanging !) ..... and now that Thanksgiving is slightly less than a week away, you just KNOW that Christmas will be here in the blink of an eye ..... and, as is our usual state of affairs, MBIAJ Headquarters will be hastily clearing away our rotting pumpkins to throw Christmas together at the very last minute (and writing out I.O.U. notes for all those unfinished presents ) .....sigh ......

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

Drowning in paperwork ........(and laundry)

2010-11-06T22:06:00.001-07:00

Hello Blogland Neighborhood! Is it November already ?!?!???? The days/weeks/ months are passing us by here at MBIAJ Headquarters because the day job has us DROWNING in endless piles of paperwork !!!! (to go along with the endless piles of laundry!)
(sigh) Anyhow, at least the computer seems to be working now ..... so as soon as we can get our heads above water (i.e. paperwork) we'll be back to play here in Blogland!

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

Happy Halloween !!!!

2010-10-30T20:02:00.000-07:00

Happy Halloween Blogland Neighborhood! We're having major computer problems here at MBIAJ Headquarters (and have not been able to get to important things like blogging .... and finishing up the alternate directions to the "Practical Magic" wallhanging as previously promised .....SO SORRY !!! Right now, this blog post is being done on a borrowed laptop and we can't upload any of the pictures needed to go with the instructions ....AAARRRRRGH !!!!!!) SO....since our computer seems to be under an evil spell, we sent for this expert (the one in the picture with the pointy hat riding the broom) to conjure up a counter spell to FIX THE DARN THING !!!!

Time for Trick or Treating !!!

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

Catching up ...... (trying!)

2010-10-19T22:22:00.000-07:00

Hello out there in Blogland !! Have you all been by to visit .....

"Get Your Craft On" at Today's Creative Blog? Well, you should zip on over there because every Tuesday (I think) Kim (Today's Creative Blog Blogger) hosts "Get Your Craft On" where you can join in and post your latest creation! ....AND you can see lots of other crafters', bakers', decorators' fun stuff! So...the MBIAJ Sewing /Quilting Dept thought that SINCE they scrambled to finish the Breast Cancer Awareness Quilt Block Challenge for our local quilt shop AND actually finished and delivered it to the shop with exactly 1 minute to spare (and that was with the extention on the deadline from Wednesday evening to Saturday at noon) .... we thought we'd post a picture of it here AND on the Tueday "Get Your Craft On" ... So.....

....HERE it is!!! "Fight On Sister"!!! Ta Daaaa !

OK .... back to the sweat shop ....ummmm sewing room .... LOTS more stuff to catch up on !!! (including posting the alternate instructions for the quilt class I taught a couple of WEEKS ago ... yikes!!!! They're coming .... I PROMISE !)

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

"Double, double toil and trouble; Fire burn, and caldron bubble" ....it's time to pick a WINNER !!!

2010-10-15T17:16:00.000-07:00

TGIF Blogland Neighborhood and welcome to our Giveaway drawing! Now, as usual, Kitty has to be in charge of the actual drawing of the winner's name and she left instructions for us to meet her outside .....hmmmmm......

......oh no ....she's stirring up something in that caldron ....and she's chanting something about double, double toil and trouble; fire burn and caldron bubble .... witch's brew?!?!??? eye of newt, and toe of frog ?

.....oh (phew) it's just all the names for the giveaway drawing......OK Kitty, do your magic spell and conjure up a winner !

...."Scale of dragon; tooth of wolf; hocus pocus and a big fat POOF !!! ... and the winner is ......"

......Jan !!!! Yahoo for Jan !!!! Congratulations !! (Jan email me your address so I can send you your loot!)

Well, what a relief ... we have a winner AND Kitty didn't turn anybody into a frog! THANKS everybody for entering our giveaway and for all of your very nice comments !!!:)

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

Fight on Sister !!!!!

2010-10-13T09:11:00.000-07:00

Good morning Blogland Neighborhood! YIKES !! Has it really been a week and a half since our last chit chat session?!?!?!!!! SO SORRY !!! That darn day job (and the piles of never ending paperwork that need to be done YESTERDAY ) keep getting in the way of anything and everything that's fun .... oh well, can't do anything about that unless , of course, we all of a sudden win the lottery !!!! ANYHOW, in the teensy tinsy little bit of spare time there is around here, the MBIAJ Design Dept and MBIAJ Sewing/Quilting Depts have (at the last minute as usual) decided to join in on ....

....the "Breast Cancer Awareness Month Quilt Block Challenge" being held by The Quilted Crow quilt shop in Lehighton, Pa.
So, over the weekend we scribbled out a quick design for the block using the white with pink polka dot challenge fabric and then .....

......slapped it together into the wee hours of last night/this morning....
AND.... NOW I'm scrambling to finish it (before going to work today) because ..... the DEADLINE is TODAY ...... YIKES !!!!

ANYHOW, in the meantime, I apologize to those sweet gals who were in my quilt class a couple of weeks ago because I STILL have not gotten the rest of the instructions posted on here for the alternate construction method (please don't hate me! ... I hope to have them on here REAL SOON!) ALSO, if you haven't signed up yet for our Give Away you still have time (drawing isn't until Friday evening Oct. 15th ).

OK, so while I'm scrambling (and calling the quilt shop for please,please, please an extension on that deadline ).... run along and sign up for our give away AND also, here's something fun to watch ....(you can click the "pause" button on my music playlist over there on the upper right sidebar to shut off Frank Sinatra for a minute)

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

Fall into Fall Quilt Blogger's Giveaway

2010-10-01T18:11:00.000-07:00

Happy first Friday of October Blogland Neighborhood! Where the heck did the rest of September go? The MBIAJ Sewing and Quilting Dept was so busy getting ready for and then teaching their first EVER quilting class that the past week and a half just FLEW by!! Anyhow, the quilt class was held at The Quilted Crow in Lehighton, Pa and it was a GREAT experience. A small , but mighty class ! (Hi Vicky, Iris, and Nancy !!! I promise I'll get the rest of the instructions posted on here SOON!)

ANYHOW, in honor of our "FIRSTS" ... (design in a magazine, and then teaching a quilt class) we here at MBIAJ Headquarters thought it was high time for a GIVE AWAY !!!!!! .... AND see that cute scarecrow ? Well, it seems we're not the only ones having a give away! Starting today, there is a HUGE Blogland Fall into Fall Quilt Blogger's Giveaway ..... you should zip on over there and visit all of those blogs listed .... there is the potential to win LOTS of LOOT!!!!!

BUT ... WAIT .....

...Kitty and her scarecrow friend want to remind you to leave a comment on this blog to be entered to win our give away ! but what is it you ask?????

Well, it's the Sept/Oct issue of Quiltmaker magazine AND a fabric kit (made up by those lovely ladies at "The Quilted Crow") to make .....

..... our little Halloween wall hanging "Practical Magic" which is in the magazine ! (just click on the picture to make it bigger so you can see those pretty fabrics better)

SO, leave a comment(the drawing will be October 15th evening after Kitty cleans up the kitchen ).

Have fun blog hopping!
Be back soon!
Toodles,
Mary Anne (aka Mare)

The late Saturday Night Report (on the Friday Night Sew In)

2010-09-18T21:48:00.000-07:00

Hello out there Blogland Neighborhood! It's still Saturday right? (Well, we figure it's still Saturday SOMEWHERE, so therefore we aren't late with our Saturday report of our Friday Night Sew In project ! (see how you can rationalize ANYTHING ?!?!?!!!!! and we here at MBIAJ Headquarters should know because we are EXPERTS at rationalization !!!!!:)

OK, anyhow here's how we spent our Friday Night Sew In......

....a little piecing .....

...and a little fusing to make .....

.....a little quilt!! ... well, it's a little wall hanging and it's a little not quite finished!

......but it HAS to be finished by Sept 29th! Why? Well because this is a sample for a class I'm teaching (YIKES!) of my wall hanging Practical Magic that is in the current Sept/Oct issue of Quiltmaker magazine . I am scheduled to teach it at The Quilted Crow in Lehighton, Pa. The Quilted Crow is a fairly new quilt shop and the owners, Jane and Cindy , are two of the NICEST gals you'd ever want to meet! So, if you're in the area, you should pop on in for a visit!

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

Blogland Happenings ......

2010-09-17T07:39:00.000-07:00

Good morning and TGIF Blogland Neighborhood! Well, there's always lots of activity and creativity going on in the Blogland Neighborhood ....and this month is no exception. We here at MBIAJ pride ourselves in having our finger on the pulse of the Neighborhood .... having a nose for the latest news .... (OK, so sometimes we miss stuff and don't have a clue what's going on .... OR we're the last ones to know what everybody else is talking about .... but our motto has always been " Better Late than Never" !!!!) BUT.... this time we're right on top of things !!!!! Look what Kitty discovered on Gudrun's blog while blog hopping last night .....

....she's having a fall themed designer blog hop !! (zip on over to her blog and leave a comment because if you do, you'll be entered into a give away for some FABRIC ..... a big pile of very pretty FABRIC !!!) Kitty is so excited about it (and about fall weather and Halloween) that she even dug out her witch's hat to wear to tell you about it! (before she even gets her glasses fixed!)

....the blog hop starts Sept 27th and runs through Oct 6th.

......and in other news, tonight is the Friday Night Sew In for Sept hosted by Heidi

...the MBIAJ Sewing/Quilting Dept feels strongly that they should participate in this tonight because they are (as usual) WAY behind on a project that has a deadline coming up WAY TOO SOON !!! YIKES !!!

OK .... we're off to try and get Kitty's glasses fixed , along with about a zillion other things .... and hopefully the Sewing/Quilting Dept will get to do some sewing tonight!

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

"The Lost Quilter" ....

2010-09-13T10:17:00.000-07:00

Good morning Blogland Neighborhood! One of the things we love to do here at MBIAJ Headquarters (besides stitching, drawing , and eating chocolate) is .....

.....READING !!!

We just started reading this Jennifer Chiaverini book "The Lost Quilter" and are thoroughly enjoying it (which we knew we would since we read and enjoyed alot of her other books).

......and speaking of "lost quilters" ..... has anybody seen Kitty? She went into the MBIAJ fabric stash awhile ago looking for some fall fabrics for a new project she's determined to start (ignoring all the half finished summer projects ...) and we haven't seen her for a day or two .....(sigh) guess we better go look for her.....

....OH LOOK !!!! There she is ..... LOST in a sea of fabric !!!.....

......PHEW!!! She made it out OK ..... but I think she broke her glasses .....

......yes ... Kitty , the original "Lost Quilter" !!!

How about you? Does it take survival skills to enter and leave your sewing room/fabric stash without getting LOST ?!?!????
The "MBIAJ Decluttering Dept" better get busy that's all there is to it !!!!! We should have a yard sale .... but that would require even more time and energy.... ugh!!!

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

Happy Changing Seasons !

2010-09-04T13:00:00.000-07:00

Happy Labor Day Weekend Blogland Neighborhood! This marks the unofficial end of summer .... (officially, it's still summer for 3 or 4 more weeks ... or at least that's what the calendar says). So, the leaves are beginning to change and fall ....

....on the flowers who aren't ready to give up summer yet .

... and the kiddos are back in school (or will be soon!) .....and, the MBIAJ Decorating Dept gets ants in their pants to start making a few little changes here and there to ......

...usher out the season we're getting kind of tired of .....

.....and say "come on in!" to the season we're looking forward to !!!

.... new (so easy to make it's embarrasing) wool felt "sunflower" candle mats up close....

Have a safe and happy last (un)official weekend of summer ! Here comes autumn !!!!

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

Penn State move in day ...

2010-08-23T08:01:00.000-07:00

Good Monday morning Blogland Neighborhood! Well, our first birdie has left the nest (sob ). This past Saturday was move in day at Penn State U and we survived it ! Things went very smoothly (thank goodness) in spite of the chaos of THOUSANDS of students trying to move in all on the same day !!!! We even finished the lugging and carrying of stuff up to Matt's 5th floor apt early enough to spend part of the afternoon walking the campus with my nephew Dan, who is a freshman there this year.

What a beautiful campus ! Lots of big old trees and then this building "Old Main" (also big and old !)

....and here are my boys standing on the steps of "Old Main" .....Evan, Matt, and their cousin Dan . (Evan says he may join Matt and Dan here at PSU next year after he finishes high school this year ..... how can my baby be a senior in high school this year ?!?!?!? More sobbing !!!)

So, two big things accomplished ..... Matt is all moved in at college AND......

....the MBIAJ Sewing /Quilting Dept finished ..... yes FINISHED Matt's graduation quilt in the nick of time (into the wee hours of the morning as per usual) for him to take it with him on move in day !!!! (SEE !!! There it is ... folded up at the foot of his bed ..... bottom bunk with red comforter .... TA DAAAAAAA!!!!!)

Have a good Monday everybody!
Be back soon!
Toodles,
Mary Anne (aka Mare)

OK ..... BACK TO WORK !!!!!

2010-08-19T08:32:00.000-07:00

Good morning Blogland Neighborhood ! Well, Kitty has partied herself out , gotten over her hangover and now is back to her old bossy self. But, she's right .... we need to get back to work here at MBIAJ Headquarters because ....

..... Moonbeams Boy Matt is heading out to college in 2 days !!!! (SOB!)

....look! he already has his thinking cap on ! (FYI those are clean underwear on his head .....)

Matt has commuted to a local branch campus of Penn State for the past 2 years while living at home... So, now he will be moving out to the main campus and living in an apartment with 5 other guys ...... can't even imagine the filth that will accumulate in that apartment! Anyway, since Matt is going to be living in an apartment (instead of a dorm) he'll need .....

..... EVERYTHING !!!! (note the bathroom cleaning products I bought with the optomistic thought that those boys will actually USE THEM TO CLEAN THE BATHROOM !!!! .... Matt informs me though that I am sadly mistaken .... they don't plan to clean ANYTHING .... EVER !!!) I'm sure that the aroma surrounding their apartment will be "enjoyed" for at least a 10 mile radius from the epicenter ..... we'll call it "o de boys' apartment stench" ....it may even cause nostrils to flare at a 20 mile radius !!!!

......OK ... gotta go ... Kitty is tapping her foot because not only do we have to finish the shopping and packing up of the college boy, we have to get the binding on ....

...this graduation quilt that was started by the MBIAJ Sewing/Quilting Dept 2 years ago when Matt graduated from high school !

Speaking of long over due projects (aren't we always!!) .... here's a quick peak at a another one ....

.....FINALLY finished this smock apron (which is only a year and a month late) ... we were aiming for this to be finished LAST summer for my mother's birthday .... SHEESH !!!

OK ... now we REALLY have to get going !!!! (the sewing/quilting dept is DETERMINED to get that quilt finished for Matt to take with him to school on Saturday!)

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

WE'RE STILL CELEBRATING !!!!!

2010-08-07T21:49:00.001-07:00

Happy weekend Blogland Neighborhood ! Well, we're STILL celebrating here at MBIAJ Headquarters and still wonderiing if we'll wake up tomorrow and come to the conclusion that we just dreamt it (i.e our "Practical Magic" quilt design in the Sept/Oct Quiltmaker Magazine )

But , happily it's not a dream ! Tonight while at the mall, I went into ....

Barnes and Noble and strolled (well, practically RAN) to....

....the craft/sewing/quilting magazine section ..... and ..... THERE IT WAS !!!! (I have it circled and starred ) ..... can't see it? .... wait ....

LOOK !!!!! (right there towards the top in the middle of the picture )

......so I just HAD to open the magazine to take a picture of it there on the magazine stand !!!! and here is my design !!! "Practical Magic" !!!! FOR REAL !!!!

OK !!! Back to the celebration !!!! Kitty is about to lead the conga line, but first she has a few words to say .....
"THANK YOU to Quiltmaker Magazine for choosing this design !!!!! and THANK YOU everybody for your very nice comments !!!!"

......OK EVERYBODY CONGA .....

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

LOOK !! LOOK !!! IT'S HERE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2010-07-26T11:01:00.000-07:00

Good Monday morning Blogland Neighborhood ! We have some REALLY EXCITING NEWS to share !!! Just a little while ago we heard Peggy Sue (our local friendly UPS girl) driving her UPS truck up the driveway to deliver ....

...this little package that we have been anxiously waiting on for about two YEARS !!!

Why? and what's inside? WELL .......

....our 2 copies of the Sept/Oct 2010 Quiltmaker magazine BECAUSE (drum roll ......)

.....I am a DESIGN CONTEST WINNER !!!!!! (gosh, I think I just wet my pants again!)

...and see that little pumpkin and witch shoes up there in the right top corner of the MAGAZINE COVER ?!?!?!?!? THAT's IT !!!! THAT IS MY DESIGN (or part of it anyway)!!!!!

....and here is a sneak peek ! (I'm not sure how much I'm allowed to show, but the magazine should be out soon anyhow)

...and here's yours truly ..... you can find me and my design on pages 30 -> 33.

AND you can also find a design by fellow blogger Vickie Eapen on pages 56->59.

Now don't forget to snatch up your copy as soon as it comes out!!!!

...and please excuse me while I go join Kitty in the backyard doing cartwheels !!!!!!(after I change my gotchies ..... translation = underwear)

A very VERY EXCITED TOODLES,
Be back soon !!!
Mary Anne (aka Mare)

Friday Night Sew In Report

2010-07-24T14:24:00.001-07:00

Good afternoon Blogland Neighborhood. This is Kitty, Head of the MBIAJ Sewing/Quilting Dept coming to you live with a report on this month's Friday Night Sew In .

As you can see, this "See and Sew" apron pattern, view A has been chosen as our project.

We've decided on a pretty turquoise hummingbird print as our main fabric with....

this turquoise/mini yellow flower print fabric as our apron lining, belt tie, and pockets.

......also, plans are in the works to gussie up the pockets with a contrasting orange band embelished with a yellow yo yo.

Now, as you can see, we are currently in producion mode and .....

....fully expect completion of this project well within our extended deadline of another year from today .....

Thank you ladies and gentlemen. That's all the time we have today for this report. Back to production.

Thank you Kitty for your very informative report.
Be back soon!
Toodles,
Mary Anne (aka Mare)

Disgruntled Sewing/Quilting Dept .......

2010-07-22T07:52:00.000-07:00

Good morning Blogland Neighborhood. As you can see we have some disgruntled people in the MBIAJ Sewing/Quilting Dept ..... and the most disgruntled one is none other than ...

.....the head of the department. (uh oh .... she looks pretty irked...)

Well, Kitty, how about this .....

....lets join in the Friday Night Sew In for July hosted by
Heidi and Bobbi OK ?!?!?!

OK .....so that's the plan .....on Friday night (as in tomorrow night) the MBIAJ Sewing /Quilting Dept will be IGNORING EVERYTHING (except of course if there's blood or smoke) and joining in on this month's Friday Night Sew In and do their darndest to GET SOME SEWING DONE !!!!!!! You should join in too !!!

Be back soon! (with a full report by the Sewing/Quilting Dept Head)
Toodles,
Mary Anne (aka Mare)

Snazzy, jazzy BP cuff case

2010-07-16T07:22:00.000-07:00

Good morning Blogland Neighborhood and TGIF !! Hope all is well in your little corners of the neighborhood ! We here at MBIAJ are slogging along as usual .... unfortunately our MBIAJ Sewing/Quilting Dept has had all of their gazillions of half started, almost started and not quite done projects along with their "next brilliant idea" put on the back burner for what seems like forever due to many factors (one of which is an increased schedule with the day job). So, in an effort to try and indulge our need to see, touch and be near pretty fabric on a daily basis, Headquarters has decided to ......

...pull this pretty little handmade zippered pouch off of the shelf where it was put the last time we went away over night (that was so long ago I can't even remember where we went or what was put in the pretty pouch .... maybe toothpaste, deodorant, emergency chocolate and a comb .....). Anyhow, since traveling happens so rarely around here, but working happens almost daily, it has been decided to give this zippered pouch a new job where it can be seen and appreciated DAILY .....

....it is now the new home for our blood pressure cuff and stethoscope because , really .....

....how can you possibly jam that stuff back in this crappy little black case that comes with it ?!?!?!!!

....see! Everything fits right in there just perfectly AND the zipper even closes EASILY !!!!! Isn't it fun and bright and cheerful ?!?!?! This was actually a handmade gift that was sent to MBIAJ Headquarters by none other than Lisa Boyer a couple of years ago. We here at MBIAJ Headquarters are big fans of Lisa Boyer .... we can SO relate to .....

.....this book she wrote !!!! It has allowed us to let our P.I.S. SHINE !!!!!! Hallelujah !!!! What is P.I.S. you ask ..... well it stands for our Piecing Imperfection Syndrome ! ...and this has led us to adopt some other mottos too..... for example "Lower Your Expectations" and "Mediocre is Fine" and last but not least "Let it Go and Just Sew" !!!!! ..... and it seems this trend is growing ..... the other day while going through some magazines that are headed for the recycling bin, we came across .....

...this hysterical article in the Oct/Nov 2009 Quilter's Home magazine by Megan Dougherty ...and if you like that, you should read her blog .... also FUNNY !!!

Now speaking of visiting blogs .... you should zip on over to our new blogland friend Wendy's blog because she's having a give away to celebrate her 1 year blog-iversary. You better zip on over there quick because I think the give away ends this Sunday .

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

MBIAJ Queen Mother's BIG Italian/American 4th of July birthday party !!!!

2010-07-10T08:49:00.000-07:00

Good morning Blogland Neighborhood ! Well we've been busy here at MBIAJ Headquarters over the past couple of weeks getting ready for (and then cleaning up from) .....

.......our MBIAJ Queen Mother's BIG 80th BIRTHDAY SURPRISE Pary !!!

....Mom was born July 4th, 1930 to.....

.....Italian immigrants Harry and Maria Mondell (Mandarello)

.......and here are those Mondell kids !
Nancy (Annunciata) the birthday girl, Irma her younger sister, and Anthony (Tony) her little brother...

......and a BIG BIRTHDAY SMOOCH from her hubby George (aka Dad) !

The MBIAJ Decorating Dept went with Italian flag colors green, white and red (they bought 6 yards of each color fabric at Walmart for $1.97/yd) and draped it by pinning it to the umbrella and the blue canapy (pinned on with big safety pins ) ...... then they cut out red and white striped fabric triangles and used clothespins to attach to clothesline for the pennant style banner (they had every intention to sew something more permanent however, as usual the decorating came down to zero hour (as in guests were arriving) so safety pins and clothespins to the rescue!)

.....and since the theme was Italian (as in Under the Tuscan Sun )...

.....there were lots of fresh flowers (especially sunflowers) and candles on the tables (eat your heart out Martha Stewart !)

..... so, a wonderful day was had by all .... and as the sun began to go down and the guests began to leave, Aunt Irma bid us all a fond farewell and a Fourth of July salute to the USA and her sister Nancy on their birthdays!!!! (oh, and Aunt Irma has a purse to match those shoes !!! )

Hope you all had a good holiday !

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