another weekend

Saturday morning at 4:35, Matt and Kelsey left to head south to an equine endurance ride. Matt was the veterinarian for this ride and Kelsey went with him. They had a great day together and although 4:00 am was hard for Kelsey, she was glad she went.
Kendal, Emmitt, and I went to Kendal's soccer game and then to the county-wide health and safety fair. She did a great job at her soccer game. Kendal got her face painted at the fair. She told the lady she wanted to be a puppy and it is amazing how great of a job she did! Emmitt was a little hesitant about the face painting, so he got his hands painted and was happy as a little lark.

I have been wanting to get some blood work done just to check out a few things and at the health fair they had a few free screenings. I took advantage of it - great blood pressure 69/112, I always have had nice blood pressure and then a blood glucose level of 80. I had my first ever lipid panel screening done. My total cholesterol is 129 and anything under 199 is good. All my other levels; HDL, LDL, and triglycerides were all much under the optimal levels. There is a magical number, a final ratio number and mine was 2.4 (under 4.5 is wonderful). The technician said I was the healthiest person he had tested all day and that my levels were much better than his. The fact that I had such great results made me jump for joy and feel so good. Then the technician ended with "but even obese people can have nice cholesterol levels." Yeah, pretty much killed my joy. I know I am not obese, but I am chunky, and that guy was probably thinking "Dang, that chunky lady has better levels than I do and I run 7 miles a day and haven't had a cookie in 4 years." Oh well, I guess good genetics gave me something besides bad teeth and freckled skin!!




Kelsey had her first violin recital on Sunday evening. She has been taking lessons since October and has done so very well. She played Bach's Minuet #1 for her song and did fabulous. She is a natural at a lot of things, and music seems to be one of them. We are so very proud of her, but I must say that I was EXTREMELY proud of Kendal during the recital. She sat in her chair and didn't move a muscle until it was over!



I took this picture yesterday of my little cowboy showoff daredevil. Emmitt is such a boy - not a lot of fear and all about a thrill.
By the way, the yardwork I had in mind did not get finished on Saturday. Oh well, it was a great day anyway.

I put the kids to work on Saturday and we got alot accomplished. I hope they are looking forward to another Saturday of playing in the dirt, because we have a lot more to get finished!

I love the SUNSHINE!!

I have been at the girls' school all morning and I have to go back in an hour for Kendal's IEP, but this afternoon I MUST get to quilting this table topper. I made if for my mom for Mother's Day, yeah, I know it is late! It was pieced by Mother's Day, but not completed. So here is to an afternoon of quilting. Oh wait, I have a meeting at 2:00. Hmmm. Tonight while my sweet ones are sleeping I guess. My mom loves bright fun colors, so when I wanted to make her something, I just went through my stash of fabric and found fun bright prints. She is an amazing, fun, bright mom and I sure have learned alot about life from her. Thanks so much mom!

WARNING - lots of quilt pictures

Last week was the Home Machine Quilting Show in Salt Lake City. I LOVE this show - it is absolutely amazing! My friends Debbie, Deonn, and Tricia entered a quilt challenge where all the fabric is provided and there are also a few rules to follow. The quilts are auctioned off for a different charity every year, but before they are, someone gets to win the challenge. They won this year with this gorgeous quilt. The workmanship is amazing. Good job ladies!




I took a bunch of pictures of just some of the quilts I liked. So quilters enjoy, sorry to everyone else!

This one is called Scrappy Nine Patch and was made by Linda Walters. I just love love love this kind of scrappy quilt - it makes me happy.


Forgot to get the name and maker of this one. I just love how simple squares, half square triangles, and color can make such an amazing pattern.


This one is called Feathered Stars and is made by Brenda Bell. The applique is wonderful!! It is made from a Kim Diehl pattern. I love Kim's patterns.


I was automatically drawn to this one and is horribly named Butt Ugly. It was made by Lurdes Larrinaga. Apparently I like an ugly quilt because the maker thinks this one is 'butt ugly'. She said it was made from ugly block of the month blocks of hers and her sisters, so she added an ugly sashing and a 'butt ugly' label to top it off. I am heartbroken that I like ugly quilts. What do you think?


I was also drawn to this one because I recognized the pattern, a civil war era reproduction pattern. This one was made by Kathy Young and is called I Wish I Had This Quilt. She made a similar one for a friend and loved it.


There were a wonderful handful of Underground Railroad quilts and this is one of them. It was made by a lady from Kaysville, Kaye Nye. The next photo shows a close up of the background fabric. Super fun!!





Melissa Thomson is also from Kaysville and made one of my favorite Underground Railroad quilts there. She made it for the 150th Anniversary of the Civil War this year.


Sandra Starley is an expert antique quilter. She is an AQS certified quilt appraiser and I booked her to come to the Heber Valley Civil War Weekend Quilt Show this year to judge the show and also give a historical quilting presentation. I was so excited to meet her and see a few of her antique quilts in a special display.


Here are a few of the antique quilts she had displayed. I am so excited to have her come to Heber!






This quilt is just wonderful to me for some reason. I love the colors, the simplicity, the applique, and just the feel of it. It was made by Judith Davis and is called Martha Washington.


This quilt is wonderful because of the colors, but also because of the simplicity of it again - just half square triangles! I also love it because it is my friend Deonn's pattern called Carpenter's Star. So this quilt was made by Virginia Holyoak and is called Carpenter's Star.


This quilt brought me in this year, but in the past I would not have cared for it. I like it now because of the Trees of Life or Tree Everlasting blocks. I learned this was one of the first ever documented quilt blocks made in America. It had quite a significance to the Puritans that came over the ocean for religious purposes. It was made by Karen Herburger and is called Tree of Life.


I loved this house quilt because each of the houses have traditional pieced blocks in them using reproduction fabrics. I just thought it was wonderful. It was made by Jean Stewart and is called Schoolhouse Surround. This was a Patchwork Friends block exchange sashed in Burgoyne Surrounded pattern.

AHH, everyone ohh and ahh with me. This my dears is a Dear Jane quilt. The first one was made in 1865 by Jane Stickle and is currently in The Bennington Museum in Vermont. Her quilt has inspired many quilters to reproduce her amazing work. This one here was made by Joylyn Cluny and is called Dear Jane. I think each of those blocks are 5 inch blocks - wow!


There were amazing quilts at the show, this one being called Crown of Thorns by Blanche Young.

I forgot to get the name on this one, I was too busy looking at the colors and all those little pieces I guess!


This one was made by Irena Bluhm and is called Butterfly Parade. It is actually colored, not pieced. The machine quilting on it is amazing!


I adore this one. I just love it - the colors, the watercolor effect, and then the gorgeous tree. It was made by Diana Mauldin and called Winter's a Comin'.


This is another one that I love - just squares and half square triangles. I think I am drawn to two tone quilts lately too. I need to make one. This was made for a granddaughter by Mary Jo Hansen and is called Stars for Julie. I love the red and white!


This one was just cool. It took Carole-Anne Hopkins 2 years to collect all the fabrics for Floral Colorwash.


Once again, drawn to the simplicity and the colors - I think I will make a blue and white quilt. There, I said it and I have proof - now I have to do it! This was made by Holly Elder and is called Round and Round.


Another one I love - YEAH! This was made by Barbara Cook from a pattern called Welcome Home by McCalls Quilting Magazine. She calls hers Americana.


Oh, I adore this one. I would love to make something like this, but I know I never will. So I took a picture to capture it. Judy Fitzgerald made this one and calls is Memories of New York where she used to live in a wonderful neighborhood like this one!


This one was just fun. It reminds me of my mom, the colors anyway. She loves bright fun primary colors. Susan Davis designed and made this one and named it Happy Days. She got the idea from a tractor parts magazine at her home with a photo of a red barn, blue skies, and pretty yellow sunflowers on it.


Well, thanks for sharing my HMQS favorites with me! Next year you should just go yourself and see the hundreds of quilts in person - it is much better that way. I am definatley drawn to the more traditional patterns, earthy and dark toned fabric, and patriotic quilts. There were so many wonderful quilts there that do not fit those qualifications that others would truly enjoy. So many gorgeous bright and artsy quilts. Just not my style.

first paid gig

My friend Amanda and I did a Victorian Era fashion presentation this past winter in Park City for my neighbor Debbie who was in charge of a sewing conference for 4H teachers and home economics teachers throughout the state (I guess it is called Family and Consumer Sciences or something now). Anyway, they loved us. We had a few interested people want us to come and do the same for them. So this past week we had an appointment to do a presentation for the national conference of FCCLA advisers that happened to be in Salt Lake City this year. Amanda had a last minute trip to Arizona to visit her parents, so I talked my sister in law Emiko to go with me and be my dress-up gal.

She had some major reservations, but honestly we had a blast. She came up to my house the night before and I tried my clothing on her, we pranced around in petticoats and corsets, and had a wonderful time. We did each other's hair which was an experience because Amanda has always done mine, but we made it work nicely I must say! We giggled in the parking garage, and while the bellman carried our things upstairs, and while we got dressed, and we just giggled the entire day.


After all kinds of business meetings, the state advisers were more than happy to take a break and enjoy our presentation. It was really fun, and we had a great group of fun ladies to chat with while I dressed Emiko up and explain the fashion, the layers, and what sewing techniques I have learned while making my own Victorian clothing. Here we are in the bathroom, after our presentation, getting ready to giggle while we take off the layers! We had a great day and I even have a few more presentations lined up, mostly for church and ladies groups, so they will not be charged money like this one was - what a treat to be paid a few dollars for a hobby you enjoy! Thanks Emiko for a memorable day and for helping me out!

Easter celebration in a nutshell

First of all, coloring the eggs. My girls always love to color eggs, and Emmitt enjoyed it this year too.




Then the legendary egg hunt began! The kids look forward to the parents filling and hiding a few hundred eggs. Since the weather was so crazy this year, we stayed at the house instead of heading to the ranch.

Here are all the Crane kids, plus 2 sweet girls that were visiting friends.


The kids were so excited to go through their eggs and see what surprises were inside.



The ladies all ran off and went to a boutique Saturday afternoon and came home with hats. I sure enjoy my sister in laws. We are all so different, but we fit together well.

We had a fun Easter Celebration, although it was not the weekend of camping at the ranch that we had planned. We stayed at the house and ate good food, stayed warm and dry, and ended up playing a killer card game of POUNCE. It was a good day.