My New Creative Pursuit

This is a Design Book I am working on.

I have never been into Paper Crafting,
(although I have collected papers and paraphernalia for years)
but decided I needed a  'hobby' when the ole man went to work out of town.
And boy howdy have I been having a ball.

If you have never checked out 
Laura Denison at Following the Paper Trail
please do. What an amazing woman she is.
And the thing that strikes me the most, is all the Ustream shows and videos
she posts at no charge, so people like me can truly learn the ins and outs of paper crafting.

These are all made out of File Folders!!

There are 4 pockets in each section made out of envelopes!
(The pink on the right with the lacy edge)

 A better picture of the envelope pockets.

The pages have added flaps.

I needed an inspiring place to house all of my design ideas, layouts, inspiration pieces,
drawings, clippings etc. And this I know will be the perfect tool for it.

I would like to also add, that even though Laura gives these videos for free,
from one designer to the next, I bought her pattern in support of her.
It's so important to support designers if we want them to continue
to work.

If you would like the direct link for this project here it is:

MEMORIES ON FILE ALBUM

You can watch her step by step make this album from videos.

I still have 3 more pages to construct and then the front and back covers.
I will post about it when I get it all completed.

So tell me..... what do you all think??

Hugs,

Our Remembrance for Our Fallen Soldier

All weekend I have been thinking of 

Christopher John Scott.

And all of the other soldiers who have paid the ultimate sacrifice

for our freedom!

Take the time to watch today:

Angel Flight

May we truly...

Never Forget!!

(In remembrance, I'm taking a break from The Rancher's Daughter today.

A chance for you gals and guys to get caught up!)

Humbly and With Gratitude,

Week 18!!! On The Rancher's Daughter Quilt Along(The Young Secretary Block Tutorial)

Happy Monday to Everyone!!

Can you believe we are on Week 18

of

??

It made me think of something I read last year.

Basically, if you work on something a little every day,

or every week, eventually it gets done.

Sometimes we think we have to have a big block of time, and then we will get whatever it is done. 

Often, it never does.

So every day....little by little ladies!

 Now the story...

I was a secretary at age 10!

10!! 

Child abuse!

That's what I thought then, but of course today I am so thankful that that ole Rancher dad of mine,

knew a few more things than I did.

We had to walk home from school,

put in our 3 hours, before heading back home for supper at the ranch with dad.

We learned to file, work the mail room, send out direct mail, work with Grandma in the parts department,

answer phones, you name it.

By 16 I was doing payroll for dad's 4 companies, making my own money which was a good thing,

because he didn't believe in handing us anything.Even though he could have.

I saved up $850 bucks, and bought my first car all on my own. A 1971 Chevy Caprice.

I could beat my bro's Camero in a 1/4 mile race.

Yeah...got in trouble for that too!

So now down to business.

I love the way this block turned out.

Cutting Instructions:

A Cut(12) 1½" X 1½" Squares (Green/Red Print)

B Cut (16) 1½" X 1½" Squares(Yellow Check)

C Cut (12) 1½" X 1½" Squares (Red)

D Cut (12) 1½" X 1½" Squares (Red and White Polka Dot)

E Cut (1) 2½" X 2½" Squares (Red Print)

Make your Half Square Triangle Units as follows:

(4) A/C Units

(4) A/D Units

(4) A/B Units

(4) C/B Units

(8) B/D Units

To layout the block the best way to keep these units straight is to use a post-it note and mark them:

Sew Rows 1 and 2 together.

Sew Rows 3 and 4 together.

Sew Rows 5 and 6 together.

Sew these rows together:

 Now sew horizontal rows together:

And there you have it!

Another Block done!!

In closing, a pic of baby Kash...

he's growing up...

Happy Little Boy!

Have a wonderful week my friends.

Finally....The Rancher's Daughter New Block!!

 

Oh my word...it's working!!

Hope I don't jinx it!

We're working on ...

(Just in case you for got!)

So here is the inner part of layout for Nancy's block:

Sew your rows together diagonally:

(Make sure when pressing that you press one row to the right and the next row to the left so those seams snuggle in together nicely!)

Continue until all rows are together.

Now stitch rows together:

Line up ruler ¼" past where red blocks attach to white blocks:

Trim.

( I forgot to take pics when I added the borders to the block but I think it is pretty self explanatory!)

Here are the measurements again too along with a pic of the sketch:

 Cutting Instructions:

A Cut (12) 1½" X 1½" Squares (White)
B Cut (8) 1½" X 1½" Squares (Red Print)
C Cut (4) 1½" X 1½" Squares (Yellow Print)
D Cut (1) 1½" X 1½" Squares (Red/White Print)
E Cut (2) 1" X 6" Grn/Wht Stripe (You will trim this to fit length)
   Cut (2) 1" X 6" (")      (You will trim this to fit length)
F Cut (2) 3/4" X 7" Red (You will trim this to fit length)
   Cut (2) 3/4" X 7" Red (You will trim this to fit length)

So hopefully now things will be on track.

It does take 10 times as long to post pics, so I will probably be posting less in a post.

Thanks all for being so understanding!

Have a Really Happy, Happy Week!!

   

The Rancher's Daughter Quilt Along Week 17 (Nancy's Block)

Finally I'm able to post pics!!

I am very computer techie challenged, so when something like this happens,

I freak out!!

No son around to help me out,

no hubby.

Guess I'm going to have to go on the hunt here to find  someone for blog support.

So anyway...

I'm naming this block for my friend Nancy!

She came in from Las Vegas last week, and what a ball we had.

One day it rained cats and dogs.

What did we do?

We stayed in our pj's all day sitting by the fire, gabbing, eating popcorn etc,

until it was time to go to bible study that evening. Then we got dressed!

My oldest daughter and her hubby came in from North Dakota as well.

Showed up in a Mustang Coupe...

which they proceeded to talk us into riding in downtown to Music Row.

Hmm....

all I will say is Fun, Fun, Fun!

Felt like a kid again.

The kids told The Guitar Man that they haven't seen their mom that happy in a long time.

His response?

"Hmmm...I haven't been around my wife since January, and she's the happiest she's been in a long time??"

I had to do some fast talking for sure.

"No honey, what they meant is that since you've gotten out of the business and are being the main bread winner, I am not nearly as stressed out. Yes, I know I used to have to check my blood pressure several times a week, and since you left I've only had to check it once. No really, it doesn't have anything to do with living with you on a daily basis, picking up after you, getting frustrated with your paperwork qualities, nagging you, etc...etc..."

At that point I knew I was just digging myself in deeper and deeper. So I quit!

On Thursday we headed down to Paducah for the Quilt Show.

We did it all in a day!

Here's some pics...

Sitting out front of the convention center where we ate lunch off the food trucks.

And CRASH again!

I've contacted Blogger.
Apparently I'm not the only one with this problem.
It's happening to lots of people.

So I wait with abated breath!

Sorry all.
At least you got to see the block!!

Have a wonderful week...
and get lots of sewing done!!