Possibly selfish?

I did make a bag for myself a couple years ago, but then I was making several "knitting bags." I altered the pattern just a little to make the bags suitable for carrying projects and tools, ie bigger. The bag I made for myself was bigger, but didn't have all the pockets.

I decided it was time to make myself another bag. Regular size for more daily use. Aunt Kathy had given me a button and leather handles to make a bag for myself and they sat on the shelf for a long time. I had chosen material over a year ago...it was sitting with the button and handles.

The finished project, complete with sparkles:

GO UTES!!!

Steve and I go to games U of U football games 1-2 times per year. This year: 2 games!! What an awesome game...FOOTBALL WEATHER!!  Snowing as the game started, by the end of the game...cool, yet doable.

My AWESOME mother knitted me a red hat just for this game! It was beautiful and kept me very warm. In fact, if I could make it through a Chicago Bears game in December, this would not be a problem. Between hand warmers, thermals, my Olympic parka, and layers; I was more than sufficiently toasty. Oh, the hot chocolate from Brent helped to! Thank you Brent!!!

Snow as we arrived.

All bundled up...and my beautiful red hat.

The marching band was the best I've ever seen them. They formed a fighter jet during their halftime show!

Brent in his hat.

Side view...GO UTES!

John White TOUCHDOWN!!! He's the red blur in the lower frame. I so wish this picture would have turned out better!

PAT good!

GO UTES!!!!

PUPPY PARTY--Happy Birthday Oreo!!!

My puppy is "old!" Oreo is 14 years old on November 7th! She still tries to play, but gets tired so easily. Oh, and she can't hear a thing. Even the door bell doesn't get her barking anymore!

In celebration, some of her closest friends came over. Oreo sent an email and Chloe was the first to answer. Chloe was also the first to arrive with gifts in tow. Oreo got a great duck, just her size. Aunt Kathy made sure Oreo got the first bite off the pizza. She got awesome new toys (purple of course!), treats and a birthday pizza from a local doggie bakery (Ma and Paws). Oreo's guests received party favors too: tacos, peanut butter swirls and a ball. I think she'll sleep like a rock tonight!

Getting a good picture was not easy...she wanted her pizza!!!!

Chloe got the second piece.

Jessica and Irish

SO happy, Jessica with her kiddos, Mia and John, and Charee with her little boy, Ryker came with their dogs: Irish, Kiki, and Robby. Steve had to work hard to entertain the kids. The dogs had a great time running all over. Very good afternoon! Oreo had a great time with her friends. I had a GREAT time catching up with Jessica and Charee. Seriously, have GOT to get together with them more often! The kids are adorable...Ryker kept telling Steve to give me a baby. I am so blessed to have such GREAT people in my life. Thanks for coming ladies!

I broke down...

I usually will not complete quilting projects to sell. I have a feeling if I do the quilting for profit it will be more like a job rather than my relaxing outlet. But, when the boss asks, I had to seriously reconsider my philosophy. So I did it, I completed the bag for her mother. It will be her Christmas present, who can say no to that? I've made several of these bags, as you are aware...everyone really likes to use them as their knitting bags. Well, my boss's mother was so admiring of her bag...my boss thought she could get one for her mother for Christmas. So I had my boss pick out some colors and tada! Sparkles and all!

Happy Halloween 2011

Admittedly, I have not been really excited about Halloween this year. I'm not sure if it's because I'm so busy at work, or what...but I'm just not into it. Steve and I are going to a party, but not even dressing up this year.  We're going to be a health care provider and an engineer...so original.  I didn't even get my Halloween decorations out of the basement this year. Guess I'd better get in a better mood for the Holidays...

I did make a "cake" for the party. For my birthday this year, my cousins Beth and Louis, got me a cupcake mold...it's huge. It's cake-size. I made a cake and attempted to turn the huge cupcake into a pumpkin. Not to bad, right?

Next year, I hope I'm more excited about Halloween. We go to this party every year and I have some really great ideas for costumes. :)

Happy Halloween to all!

Wedding Weekend

Another VERY late post, but at least it's posted.

My best friend from junior high got married!! She had asked me to be a part of her wedding...a very important part: Matron of Honor. What an honor! Since she lives in Arizone (currently), I live in Utah, and the wedding was in Colorado; I was not so much a part of the planning. Really, her mother did a lot of the running around and planning after she told mom everything she wanted. Amazing what all those pic messages and text messages can do! Melissa told us the day was everything she wanted, I sure hope so!

She did not have a bridal shower so I made her an emergency bag as part of her present. Yes, it was one of the bags I make, but it was in her colors and FILLED with all the emergency supplies: super glue, chapstick, double sided tape, deodorant, bobby pins, safety pins, sewing kit, and even tequila.  The bag was a hit and very handy. Just after she walked into the reception, her toasting glass was bumped and the stem broke in two. She told everyone, "Don't worry, Trina has super glue!" True...it was in the bag. Thanks to my mother, she held the glass until the glue dried and the toasts went well. Even my toast went okay...yes, she made me give a little toast.

Mani's and Pedi's for all!

Bride-to-be

Getting ready...

Dad...

Respectable cake cutting...yes that is a frog climbing to the bride.

My hair was curled....very curly....

Not sure what the bride is doing here...she's going the opposite direction of everyone else?

I am so very happy for Melissa and George I am so very glad the weekend was all that she wanted. Congratulations to the new couple!

Finally!!!! The purpose of this blog.

Obviously, I have been doing many other things besides quilting! Summer is spent camping, traveling, and enjoying the outdoors so I do not get as much creativity completed. I finally finished these two quilts. The tops have been finished for months. I then finally went to Aunt Kathy's and got them quilted. Just this week, I finished the bindings.

"Mystery Star" was a mystery quilt class. We attended class three separate times. The mystery is the finished product. Each class the instructor gave us instructions and we got to work. We had no idea what we were doing. We were told to bring so much light, medium and dark fabrics. Finally at the last class, we were able to see the finished product. The variety of quilts was awesome...all the same pattern, but so different with the unique colors. Mine was more patriotic:

"Jitterbug" was made from a jelly roll. Jelly rolls are rolls of fabric consisting of 40 (plus or minus a few) 2 inch strips of fabric. They are usually all in the same design line of fabric.  Really, a fun quilt to make.

Finally, I finished another bag. My mother uses hers for a knitting bag. A few of her friends have asked where they can get one. Yes, this one happens to have some left over material. Now mother keeps telling me I need to learn to knit. Maybe someday... :)

Wow...I missed an entire month?

Not that there is much going on in my life, but I missed an entire month!! I do have ramblings to post and pictures too.


After the Vegas trip in August, Steve and I went to the McConnell Family Reunion. Three days of staying in "rustic cabins" and spending time with the family. There was hiking, napping, 4-wheeling, swimming, fishing, cooking, sitting by the fire, stories to be told, kids to watch...so much activity. The dogs were in on all the excitement too. The family had rented cabins at Louie Lake Lodge in Wyoming. The area is not only 10-15 miles off the highway on a dirt road, it has NO cellular service for emergencies. That's okay, we were there for peace, quiet, and to be surrounded by family. We had a great time with the family. The area was BEAUTIFUL and there was still snow on the ground in some areas. Yes, snow, in August.

There was a lot of excitement the first day of the trip. Oreo was exposed to rat poison. Unfortunately, the owners of the cabins did not take the opportunity to warn us or anyone there was rat poison under the beds. Oreo found it. She didn't chew long...thank GOD for my sister-in-law, Mandy, for getting it away from her, fast! That started the doggy adventures. While Steve and I were trying to call emergency vets in Lander, WY (none of which would answer their emergency lines), Reggie (my aunt's dog) was "bumped" by the rear wheel of a truck and wedged under for a moment. The next day BOTH dogs were taken back to Rock Springs for treatment.

Oreo needed vitamin K and Reggie had some pretty severe bruising. Fortunately, Reggie had NO broken bones. Unfortunately, Steve and I had to contact 4 different pharmacies in RS to find one that had the pills she needed. When we finally found a pharmacy, the pills were $10.17 EACH. She needed 63!!!!! I knew she needed to be treated, but over $600 for some pills? I don't think so. I bought 6 pills and called my vet on the way out the pharmacy door. I must say Dr. Kanda is the best!!! She saw Oreo 2 days later, had a much cheaper option for treatment, AND did not charge me for a vet visit bill. With gas, vet bills, medication charges, and blood work; Oreo's treatment was still over $300. I contacted the lodge owners, NO response, and NO apology. A simple warning would have been extremely helpful...What if it had been one of my nieces or nephews that found the poison? Do you think they would be sorry then?

Well those dogs were cared for, then Tuppy had an allergic reaction while Steve and I were gone and had to be treated. Maybe the vet in Rock Springs was right (she treated both Reggie and Oreo); that place may not be meant for dogs.

The next day, Shannon's van got a flat tire. My silly cousins...they say "Go park it by Uncle Dee's cabin." Matt, her husband, was out riding four wheelers and she was watching sleeping children. She moved the van and within in minutes, my father (greatest man ever), had the tire off and sent Randy and Shane to town to get it fixed. They had an adventure with that...another story, another time. Matt returned to see a tire missing; he wanted to know why the spare wasn't just put on. My dad's response, "What if you need the spare for the drive home?" Always prepared, that Dad of mine. :) When Shane and Randy returned, the guys had the tire back on the van in minutes. Good as new.

Finally, the last evening of the reunion... Steve asks my mother, "Can I take your 4-wheeler for a ride? I'd like to see what it can do." Mom says, "Sure." Over an hour later, Steve returns to camp WITHOUT the four wheeler. He had had an accident. Turns out, he lost his balance: maybe going to fast, maybe the loose gravel, maybe smaller machine and bigger guy. Regardless, he had rolled the machine and fell off. All the guys in camp went and retrieved the machine...thumb throttle broken off, lots of scratches and dents, but NOT totaled in any way. My husband felt sooooo bad. He wanted to go home right then. Physically, turns out he was okay, no need for x-rays; emotionally, another story. Fortunately, my mother was a champ!! She walked up to him and said, "I'm not upset you wrecked my machine. I'm mad that you took off by yourself, didn't tell anyone where you where going, and you weren't wearing a helmet! You could be dead, lying under that machine and we wouldn't find you until we smelt you!" I think he got off fairly easy. No one took pictures of the wrecked machine...probably best.

Wow, after reading that, sounds like the trip was not so great...it really was. Steve does think the place is cursed. Maybe it was just some bad luck for that week. I do think I'll pull our trailer up before we stay at the lodge again.

The last night, the family all sat around the camp fire. We heard every one's favorite memories of Grandma and Grandpa McConnell...I sure miss those two!

SNOW!!

The greeter...picture could be better. I had to take it through the screen of our room window.

Mama Moose

Baby moose

A day at the beach.

Shane started by making his own lounge chair.

Then everyone was doing it.

Relaxation, finally!

The dogs love the 4-wheeler!! This was pre-wreck.

Aspen...ain't she cute?

What Happens in Vegas...

A few weeks ago, I had to attend a conference in Las Vegas. Vegas in August = HOT!!! Fortunately, since I was at the conference all day, every day, I was in the air conditioned comfort of an conference center. I did get to go out for some fun in the evenings...but of course I turned in early so I could attend meetings again the next morning! 

Steve, Sharolyn, and George (my hubby, his sister and her husband) went out and enjoyed the city. The pictures show they had a good time.  I learned quite a bit during the conference...that didn't stay in Vegas!

Coyote Ugly Bar...free shots for women.