pamspinks

Been away

2011-11-12T20:02:00.000-05:00

Boy it seems like forever since I have posted here. I know that it is something I should do but I just get so busy with sewing, quilting, crocheting and the worst offender is the internet. I will try to get here more often in the future.
I went to the doctors this week and found out my diabetes is still out of control. Now more than ever. I am now seeing signs in my fingernails. They look like wood that the termites have gotten into and made tunnels in. I also found out the ridges I have had in my nails for years are from COPD. Boy it seems like if it wasn't for bad luck I would have no luck at all. The COPD I can do nothing about. The diabetes is another matter. Only I can decide what is going into my mouth at any point in time. And I had better make that decision right now or my organs are going to look like my fingernails.
My sugars are all over the place so I had better start with them. If I am eating too much than I am going to have to inject more insulin. And that does not make a lot of sense. So I am going to have to start with my diet.
More on this later. I promise.

Ouchh Time has really flown.

2011-07-21T16:00:00.000-04:00

Since being on here last, dear hubby and I have been on a wonderful vacation. For the first time in 7 years we went back north to western New York. A lot of things have changed, but a lot of things have stayed the same.
Either way it was nice to see old friends and to see all of the kids that we have only heard about since we moved down south. We even got to see some new places, like Grovers where Guy from Diners and Dives ate. The food there is totally awesome. More next time.

It has been a while.

2011-02-12T14:57:00.000-05:00

Sorry but life has a way of telling you what you have to do. And it is not always what you want to do. Go figure.
Dear Hubby has been sick and don't you just know I ended up with it. I hate being sick. And it is a chest and head thing. Yuck!
On a lighter note. I have finally finished the 2000 BOM from JoAnns that I started in 2001. Now, really is 10 years too long to work on a quilt that is completely done by hand. I am so glad it is done.

I also finished purses for 2 grand daughters this week. And they love them and are using them.

I also finished a wall hanging for a veteran at church.
It has been a very busy month.

The weather

2011-01-15T23:55:00.000-05:00

Wow what a start to the new year. It has been really awesome around here. We have made it through the middle of January and I can hardly wait for summer to get here so I can finally get warm. I knew we moved to Florida for a reason and I am sure it was not for so much cold weather. I hope I remember this in June and July when it is so hot. Ah well you just can't beat Mother Nature.... Stay warm and dry till next time.

sewing and embroidering

2011-01-07T22:30:00.000-05:00

It has been a very quiet end and beginning of 2011. My baby sister came to visit with her husband and four sons on my birthday, the day after Christmas. We had a very good visit even though it was not long enough.

I have enjoyed learning how to do embroidery. I finally have my Futura 250 up and running and I love it. I have even done FSL. Now I need to learn how to do embroidery on knit fabrics. I imagine that it is not hard but I still have that fear of doing new things.

Two weeks and counting

2010-12-11T15:33:00.000-05:00

Just think, there is only two weeks left until Christmas Day. Do you have all of your projects done, or are you scrambling to get them all done in time. Here is hoping your holidays are bright and shiny.

HAND QUILTING: December Giveaway

2010-12-02T17:03:00.001-05:00

HAND QUILTING: December Giveaway is having a giveaway for the Christmas season. Please mention my blog pamspinks sent you.
I also have a report on my stash......
I received a call from a friend who knew a moving company that had been left with some material from someone who had moved and did not want it. Needless to say being a quilter I had to check it out. I payed $100.00 for the material and the rest of the things. So...... My stash has grown by at least half..... Not that I am complaining mind you. I do enjoy just looking at it some days. It also included 2 quilt calendars from years gone by, part of a Handi-Quilter, jelly rolls, charm packs, rulers, cutting mats and more.
My problem now is what can I make for the nice friend who called me in the first place?
Any suggestions?

retromummy: sweet broderie giveaway

2010-11-19T21:14:00.001-05:00

retromummy: sweet broderie giveaway: "Home About Press Patterns and Recipes Upcoming Markets FAQ Contact Me Facebook Twitter
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2010

sweet broderie giveaway
It's about time for another giveaway from my store! So this time I'm giving away a fat quarter in each of the Sweet Broderie fabrics that have just arrived here. That's right, 14 fat quarters and even better I'll pick two three winners!!"
So go here and enter today.

An awesome way to explain how it feels to live with a disability

2010-11-03T14:23:00.000-04:00

“The Spoon Theory” at www.butyoudontlooksick.com/the_spoon_theory Any one that has a family member or friend or even just someone they know with chronic pain should read this. It is the most enlightening piece I have ever read having to do with dealing with chronic pain day to day.
On a lighter note I did get the 3 sets of hanging kitchen towels done for church. And the Fall Festival was a big hit.
Now, on to Thanksgiving and Christmas and all that they entail. I love Christmas the most of all the holidays. Maybe because my birthday is the day after.
Oh well, have a blessed day.

And another giveaway!!!!!

2010-10-30T21:13:00.000-04:00

Isn.t this the best

"It's Time for the AccuQuilt GO Giveaway" and you can enter at

irish muses.com

An awesome week

2010-10-21T22:30:00.000-04:00

This week I was finally able to get the Futura 250 Embroidery machine to do exactly what I wanted it to do. I made 3 sets of hanging kitchen towels for the church's Fall festival. It took me forever to get them done but they are worth it. I will be posting pictures later this week of the towels. And now I wait for the results of the CT scan of my neck. While moving I lifted more than my 5 pound limit and now I await the results. More later...

Birthdays all around

2010-10-10T14:11:00.001-04:00

Well finally we are past the birthdays. Whew, it seems like they are all in a row. At least now we only have 1 more between now and Christmas. I love this time of year, not the weather, just the birthdays and getting together to celebrate them.

Awesome giveaway!!!!!

2010-09-25T22:50:00.000-04:00

Head over to Millies Blog she is having an Accuquilt Go giveaway. Here is the address http://milliesquilting.blogspot.com/ . What an awesome giveaway. And just think you could win.

Moved in and not quite!!

2010-09-05T16:27:00.000-04:00

Well most of the moving is done and we are in our new rented home, well almost. The craft room is still totally packed, and boy do I mean totally packed. We can hardly open the doors to the room. It is really that full. I can hardly believe we own that much craft supplies. Even being 2 families put into 1, it is still hard to believe how much is in there.
We are almost totally unpacked in the rest of the house except the garage, and it seems to have stretched enough to hold our stuff. How come we never know how much we have until we have to move it.
On a lighter note, my tens machine seems to be working very well. As long as the weather is good and there are no storms in the area, I can keep it at a pretty low setting and still function as a semi happy person. However if there are any storms around the machine gets turned up and I am still not a happy camper. I keep praying that it will get better. I don't go to the Dr.'s until October 1st, so we will find out then how much better I can expect it to get.
Because the craft room and garage are still not unpacked, I have started a new counted cross stitch project. It enables me to do something and still sit and behave.

I won!!!!

2010-08-29T15:27:00.000-04:00

Charming Chatter (http://cottoncharmquilts.typepad.com/charmingchatter/) and Moda had a contest for the best looking Schnibbles. And I voted for the one I liked and WON a signed copy of Schnibbles Times Two book. WOW was I excited. I have never seen a pattern for a Schnibbles, only pictures of the finished quilt, and have wanted to do one because they look so awesome. Then I won the book. Thank you to Charming Chatter and Moda and also to CarrieNelson. Oh and I can not forget Rosie. I can't wait to get the craft room unpacked and start working on a Schnibbles.

Wow it has been awhile.

2010-08-29T15:08:00.000-04:00

Am I ever sorry that it has been so long since I have posted. So much has happened. We have moved. Imagine packing everything you own in 2 weeks and moving it when you are not supposed to lift any more than 5 pounds! Oh yea, I forgot I also have a DH, who while I would not trade him for anything, he will not pack. He explains he does not know what to do so he will not do it. So we have moved into a 6 bedroom, 4 1/2 bath home with a living room on the first floor and a family room on the second floor. And, all the kids have their own bedrooms, and DH and I have the master on the first floor and DD and DSIL have a master bedroom on the second floor.
I really hope we do not have to move again anytime soon. I can sit and recharge my battery and not have to watch what the husband wants to watch. Now if we could only get the craft room unpacked and in some kind of order. I know, all in good time. At least that is what my daughter says.
Well the kids are back in school. One in HS and the other 3 in Middle school. We also have 6 grands in WNY that I miss dearly. The oldest graduated from HS this last June. Where does the time go.

Any slackers out there?

2010-08-07T21:59:00.000-04:00

Hi everyone, is it hot where you are? It seems like everyday is hotter than the day before, or is it just my imagination. I have been working on my Farmers Wife Sampler Quilt. I joined the quilters on the Quilting Forum and we started this week with block 1 and 2. So far, I am right on track and have them done. I have even picked out all the colors for the rest of my 109 blocks, have my templates all cut out and have traced some of them onto fabric. I guess I am not part of the slackers club on this quilt.
My Tens Machine is working better than when they put it in. This allows me to control my pain a little better.

My Son-in-law Is Home

2010-07-01T14:00:00.000-04:00

My SIL came home on Monday from Iraq. He only has a short time at home so he and the family are trying to do as much as possible together while he is home. I hate to think of him leaving again.
On a much more pleasant note, I finally had my Tens Machine implanted in my back on the 14th of June. It is a machine that sends an electronic impulse into my spine and stops the pain from travelling along the nerves because they are busy sending the electronic impulse. I am still getting used to it and how to tune it in for the different weather conditions but, it is something I have been waiting to have done for two years.
I have gotten my quilt almost done. I have only to quilt the outer border and I will be done. This quilt has been a teaching quilt for me.
I also started a paper-pieced table topper called The Star Table Topper. I decided to do it in red, white, and blue for the 4th of July. I got it from QuiltCampus at http://www.quiltcampus.net/ . Cindy there does all kinds of paper-piecing and boy is she ever good at it. I found her site when I first got a computer and I sign up for her free projects all the time.

Memorial Day

2010-05-31T15:11:00.000-04:00

Did you know that not just the men and women that gave their lives for our freedom should be remembered today! The men and women that give their time, energy, and talents to keep our country free should also be remembered today! They don,t have to be dead to be remembered and thanked for their service. Thank a service person today.
On a lighter note, I have finally started to put a binding on my quilt. It is giving me fits. If anyone has any tips out there I for one would be happy to hear them. I have never done this before and I am not having a good time at this.
Well thats all for now. I will have pictures when I finish this darned quilt, and I will have a new project that I am working on. It involves not just quilting but also painting (another one of the projects I love to do). More later.

Scrapbooking

2010-05-12T22:28:00.000-04:00

I wonder if the whole world has tried it, or if only those who are hooked on it are just able to put themselves out there more than others. For those of you who have never tried it, you really should as it is very freeing. You can put all those pictures that are just gathering dust in a shoe box to work and write about what was actually going on at the time the picture was taken, or what you were thinking then. My DD and I scrap with her kids. And I think it has brought us closer together as a family and also as people. We respect each others artwork and have learned a lot about each other by what we have wrote in them.

You can start with very little as far as supplies go, just scrap book paper and colored pencils would work for beginning. After that you can budget for other supplies. One word tho, you should decide wither you want an 8x10 book or a 12x12 book. An 8x10 is probably easier to start with as there is not as much room to fill up. However as time goes by, you will probably want the extra room of a 12x12 book. It is a very rewarding hobby and it can be very expensive. But , it is also worth every penny. How else can your great-great-grandkids read exactly what you were thinking or doing on that day and even have a picture to look at with it.

Happy late Mothers Day

2010-05-10T19:38:00.000-04:00

I hope you all had a Happy Mothers Day. I sure did! My SIL sent his wife and I both flowers. My husband and I went to church, where my GD worked the Wee Kids check-in for me. Then we came home with three of the Grandkids so the oldest could take mom out for coffee to Starbucks. The grandkids also got me a cross trinket box. It was so nice not to have to do anything or be anywhere. I worked on the craft room for a while in the afternoon (my DD and I have put everything in together, so it is taking some time to arrange everything), and then read a little Stephen King. He is one of my favorite writers. Then believe it or not I was in bed at 9 pm. I never and I mean never go to bed that early, but I guess I really needed to sleep as I did not get up until almost 10:30 this morning. I am now reading "The Dome" by Stephen King. It is scary but really interesting.
I will take pictures of the craft room and post them later.

Giveaway!!!

2010-04-18T13:11:00.000-04:00

Goosegirlsews.blogspot.com is having a giveaway, and if you love aprons the way I do this is one giveaway you want to be a part of. She is not only giving away a pattern of her new apron, but she will make one just for you!

Pictures

2010-04-17T13:23:00.003-04:00

The top picture is a baby quilt I was working on, and the bottom picture is the quilt I have been working on since 2001. I am finally to the point of hand quilting it. Sorry that this is 2 posts, but I promise I will get better as I go on.

pictures

2010-04-17T13:21:00.000-04:00

an awesome site

2010-04-13T23:37:00.002-04:00

http://www.ihaveanotion.blogspot.com/ You can read about and enter the giveaways until April 15th at 10:00PM CMT. But they started march 15th so remember to start there. Go here for the most awesome giveaway I have ever seen or heard about. They are giving away not only an AccuQuilt Fabric Cutter, but they are having 31!!!!!!!! days of giveaways of the kind of products and notions that many quilters and crafters only dream about owning. http://ihavea-notion.com/store/ I have ordered from her site and not only did I receive my order quickly but, there was also a note in with my order thanking me for ordering from her. I went by her recommendations and bought a seam ripper with a surgical steel blade and it is the best thing I have ever done I no longer fight with seams to remove them. It is almost worth having to rip them out.

Alexis is quilting!

2010-04-06T01:04:00.000-04:00

I know I don't get to other peoples sites the way I should, so I would just like to say I do really appreciate the followers I have. Thank you very much for sticking in there with me. On a lighter note, my 15 year old granddaughter has decided to learn how to quilt! (Can I throw a party over this news.) She has been watching her mom put together her quilt and has caught the bug. She has drawn her own design and figured out the fabric,and the sizes she needs, and has started cutting the fabric for her first quilt. I am so proud of them both. Well better get going, I will have more on the quilts later.

Happy Easter

2010-04-04T00:08:00.002-04:00

Happy Easter to everyone.

DD's quilt

2010-04-01T17:25:00.002-04:00

My DD is quilting.

2010-04-01T16:14:00.001-04:00

My DD is making a quilt. I am so glad she is finally quilting. It is something I tried to teach her to do when she lived at home with her oldest daughter Alexis, but she moved to Florida before she got to really get into quilting. Now she is really doing a good job. The pattern is her own and she is on row 3. If you go to the next post you will see a picture of the quilt she is making.

Busch Gardens

2010-03-28T20:49:00.000-04:00

Believe it or not, I went to Busch Gardens yesterday. I got a call from 2 of my sisters that they were going and my DD had planned to take the grandkids, sooooo. To make a long story short, we all went on the same day. I have not been anywhere that I had to walk around like that since before my car accident and surgery. Needless to say, I am in agony today and can hardly move. And I never even went on a ride. I waited for them to ride and talked to my sisters catching up on their kids and grandkids. It was nice to see them again. I can hardly wait until the middle of April when another sister comes down. She will be bringing her 2 youngest with her. I have not seen them for 4 years and can not wait to see how much they have grown.

And another giveaway!!!!!

2010-03-26T14:24:00.000-04:00

http://ihaveanotion.blogspot.com/ is having a whole month of giveaways on her blog because it is her birthday. Go there for a chance to win.

Another blog giveaway!!!!

2010-03-26T14:21:00.000-04:00

Check out the giveaway on http://splittingstitches.blogspot.com for a chance to win.

Give away on hooked on needles

2010-03-26T13:07:00.000-04:00

http://www.hookedonneedles.com/ has a give away for spring. It is awesome, go there now for a chance to win.

I am still learning

2010-03-26T11:52:00.000-04:00

I am still learning how this new computer works and I am not sure I will ever really like it but, seeing as I have no choice in the matter I WILL learn all of its quirks. Boy does that sound determined or what. I started hand quilting my quilt last night. This is going to take many a night watching tv with my DH. At least we will be watching the same thing.
Speaking of which Syracuse lost last night in march madness. I am a fan, mostly because they are from NY. Well maybe next year....
I also started a new baby quilt yesterday, or I should say my embroidery machine started 8 squares for the new baby quilt yesterday. And, I also did the label. It is going to be very pretty and as the baby is a girl that is alright.
Well I better get going and start the afternoon.

It is finally here

2010-03-23T19:48:00.000-04:00

I am having fun on my new computer today. It arrived yesterday and my DD helped me set it up so I could start using it. It has Windows 7 and is different from my old computer. And much faster too I might add. I really am glad that it finally arrived. My DD and SIL had their 12th wedding anniversary on Sunday, boy does time ever fly. It doesn't seem like she should be that old. I am very proud of the both of them, as it hasn't been easy. But, with the grace of God they will have many more years ahead of them.

new blog to me and a great giveaway

2010-03-19T07:11:00.001-04:00

Believe it or not I have found the most awesome blog. It is about tools and wheere they fit in your sewing room. It is called sewmanyways.blogspot.com and they are having a giveaway this weekend with the neatest prizes. You just have to see it to believe it. Go there now as the drawing is on sunday the 21st of march.

New computer and swap

2010-03-19T06:55:00.000-04:00

WOW!!! It sure doessn't seem like that long since I have posted, but I see the calander does not lie. Oh well, at least I am still here, still waiting for a new computer, but still here. And at least the computer is on the way in the mail even as I type. I can hardly wait! My DH has been very nice during my computer problems but, we all know it is hard to share a computer after having your own for any length of time. So I am sure he will be thrilled to get his back.
After quilting for some years I have finally done it! I have joined a swap. This is my first one so I really have no idea what to expect but, I figured that I would have to join one someday even if it was only to see if I enjoyed it or not. The swap is for snowpeople and I just could not resist. More later....

Hand quilting and blogging

2010-03-07T21:42:00.000-05:00

Hey. Did you know if your computer gets dropped it has a fit and can stop completely. Unfortunately mine did not like it at all. At least I can do some things on it again such as writting in this blog. I often wonder who made up the idea of blogging to begin with. It seems like such an out there diary. And whoever would want their private thoughts made public to begin with. Tomorrow I am going to the local council of the aging to meet a woman who may possibly teach me to hand quilt. Yes I do mean on the same quilt top that I started way back then in 2001. I can hardly wait to met her. More later.

Computer problems

2010-02-28T19:43:00.000-05:00

Sorry about not having posted for so long but, I have been having computer problems. It seems like it has been so long since I have been able to do anything online. Thank God for his blessings and my loving husband. If not for them I wonder where I would be at this point in my life.
Believe it or not I finally finished my Joann BOM project from 2000. It is so very pretty, even my husband cou;d not believe how it looked when I finished the quilt top. It has been a very long process as I have done the entire quilt top by hand. More later. Here is hoping my computer will be soon back from the brink as I am going through internet withdrawal......

The one and only I believe.

2010-02-17T21:46:00.000-05:00

Here it is the 17th of February and it seems like the year just started. I am still working on the same quilt but even I can see the progress on it now. I am still working on the pictures part of the quilt though. And believe it or not my DH can see the progress also. I know he is my number one fan, but he still can not understand why I even want to sew a quilt top by hand. It has been an interesting journey and I am not sure that I would ever do one again. But saying that I am enjoying finishing the one that I started.

Happy Valentines Day To All

2010-02-13T16:45:00.000-05:00

What lousy weather the sunshine state has been having the past couple of days. Now I do know having lived in western NY (near Buffalo) for 48 years that winter weather is not something to make fun about, but where has all the sun in the sunshine state gone? This morning the sun has finally decided to grace us with its presence, and about time too. It has been damp and cold and anyone with health problems knows how that feels when that gets into your bones. I am still working on my 2000 quilt BOM from Joann's and it is looking a little better each day and I am studying my class from church that was written by Beth Moore. It is called Breaking Free and is having a very large impact upon my life. I just wish that every woman in my family would have to do this study as it is an eyeopener. Maybe it is something that you would like to look up. Just give it a try, it really cannot hurt. My dear husband of 35 years and I have just finished cleaning up our Valentines Day dinner to each other, that is marriage doing things together and actually enjoying not always the task but at least the time together.

What a day!

2010-02-08T16:50:00.000-05:00

What a beautiful day it seems to be today. Now if my husband was not such a butt it would be even better, oh and my DD too. Oh well...... On another note I did get another piece of my quilt hand appliquied last night as well as a needlecase that will hold a small project as well as scissors. I made it in an allover pansy pattern. It is really bright, but I doubt you could miss it if you were looking for it. I am hoping to get my camera unloaded so I can take pictures. Maybe that should be my project this afternoon. Later.

late night

2010-02-08T00:58:00.002-05:00

sorry this is so late tonight but ya gotta love those Super Bowl commercials. lol. More tomorrow.

sleeping who has to do that!

2010-02-06T20:44:00.000-05:00

Well here goes another day in blog land. I had such a hard time sleeping last night I just gave up and stayed up. Now after sleeping the day away, I wonder how am I going to get up for church tomorrow morning. It is a question without an answer. And my DD will be upset if I don't make it to church. It is the most awe inspiring church my husband and I have ever attended. Not only do the teach the Bible, but they also have Praise and Worship as an incredible part of the service. Their web site is DestinyPeopleWorshipCenter on facebook. Cilck on the top site and then click on Notes on the information bar and it will download the most current service. I don't mean to push religion on to anyone but, WOW it is awesome. My DH has decided to get up in the morning to try and see the space shuttle lift off, we will see if he has company. Not much crafting done today as I slept so long but, it will get better tomorrow.

Another day....

2010-02-05T22:38:00.000-05:00

Today I made bias binding for 2 aprons I am making for my DD and granddaughter. Why does it seem that that part of the job seems like it takes forever. My SIL was supposed to be home this morning but he got caught in the weather even in Dubai they have to deal with it. Hopefully he will be home tomorrow and life will be a little easier. Everyone misses him so much. Well it is a new day tomorrow and things are looking up.....

Here I come!!!

2010-02-04T05:24:00.000-05:00

I have wanted to start a blog for some time to try and keep track of my life and what is going on in it. So.... here I come. Living with nerve pain constantly is no fun, but that is what I have. By keeping this blog I hope to be able to share what I do in spite of the pain. I have always wanted to be able to do a quilt completely by hand, so I am working on an old (and I mean old) Joann's BOM. In fact it is from 2000. I hope to have pictures posted in the coming weeks.