Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Trying Something New

Is everyone being challenged with the way Blogger has once again switched things up on us?  Thanks to Polly, I am going to try to do this post in a different manner.  She downloaded a free Windows Live Writer and said that doing her post was an absolute dream.  So….here goes.

I can’t believe that Halloween is this weekend.  Of course we all know that with the coming of Halloween Christmas will be here before we know it.  Are we stressing yet?  Are we thinking that we should have been getting ready all year long?  Are we longing to be those people who have everything finished by the first of October?
The projects on the sewing table have been a little different than my normal creations with the making of Halloween costumes.  One of my requests was for a banana costume.  Okay….that sounds like a fun challenge.  Here is the result….
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I even managed to scan a sticker from a real banana, blow it up and print it off onto fabric to apply to the front.  I can’t wait to see the hole filled with a sweet face.
As well, I have been working on some blocks for the Quilt Along.  I think these blocks will work well with the great pattern that is being done in the quilt along.  It’s not too late to join if anyone is interested.
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Have you seen the microwave potato bags?  I have a few people who exchange small gifts at Christmas and I thought they would be the perfect solution.  These have also been on the sewing table this week.  The embroidery was a free download and I thought it worked out well.
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I was the lucky winner of Betsy’s Fall into Fall Giveaway and I received some beautiful fall machine embroidery pieces.  I am excited about working these into projects.  As well as receiving these, I have found a new site for downloading patterns from her sight.  Thank you Betsy.
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Another great win was from Vickie.  I have followed Vickie for some time now and her work is always just fabulous.  Thanks so much, Vickie.
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We’ve celebrated lots of birthdays in our family this month which means lots of happy faces and lots of yummy cake.
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012Isn’t this neat?  The lettering was done in chocolate when my mom and sister took me to lunch.
We have finally seen the sunshine after several weeks of gloom, cool temperatures, lightening, thunder, hail and rain.  It surely is pretty when the sun shines again and everything is sparkling clean.  At one point the rain was coming down so hard that our weather station was recording it as “raining cats and dogs”.  Gotta love the idea, but I was glad they didn’t land at my house.  I really don’t like the smell of wet animals!!!!
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32 comments:

  1. Looks like the new way to post worked well? Love the banana costume! Be sure to show us a photo with a cutie in it! You've been quite lucky lately! :-) Have a happy day!

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  2. Wow you sure have been busy. The banana costume came out nice. I miss making custom costumes. My kids are way too old for it...I guess I will have to wait until the grandkids.

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  3. I love your blocks & the costume is so cute... you have been busy! (And Happy Birthday!)

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  4. What a cute costume. It is so neat.
    I hope that you take a photo of the cute face in it.
    I really do like your block.
    My sil from OK makes those tater bakers and they work great.
    She is making my mom one for Christmas.
    Have a great day.

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  5. Did this way to post work better? I don't understand...please tell me more!
    Oh...look at you and the quilt a long!!!! I've got it marked....but am working on some stars in my piecing time and a few customer quilts too.

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  6. Darling costume - I hope we get to see the wearer in it. I have joined in the SAL - behind but I hope to catch up soon. Congrats on all of your winnings! Your weather station is more advanced than ours - we just get pictures and numbers - lol!

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  7. Woooowww lots of fun things on your post today and some wonderful wins...

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  8. I love the banana costume! That is just too cute. I hope my grandchildren don't see that because they don't have a creative Nana!

    I've been wanting to download windows live but have been too afraid of messing up my computer. Oh, wait, I have a mac....wonder if it works on that?

    Happy Birthday!

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  9. Yes Mary, I have been using blogger new template and agree that it's much easier and more practicle than the old version of blogger. I can now load multiple photos at the same time and rearrange them later as I want - Hugs Nat

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  10. Glad I found your blog, Im in So Cal too.....where abouts are you? Im in Rancho Cucamonga:)

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  11. Cute banana costume!! Happy Birthday to YOU and all the adorable sweeties!!
    Nice goodies to!!!
    Hugs,
    Lola

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  12. You sure have been busy again. Just love the banana costume.
    Nice to see you won a few giveaways.
    With your beautful big family you must have a birthday nearly every week. Oh Lots of yummy cakes.
    Yes I use windows live too now.Much easier.

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  13. i LOVE That banana Costume! U R SOOOO Amazing! I am jealous!
    I feel lazy for the holidays this year! and Yes coming so darn quickly!

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  14. Windows Live Writer is a fantastic offline blogging tool with a WYSIWYG editor. It interfaces with just about any blog service [Blogger, LiveJournal, TypePad, WordPress, etc.] If you're a blogger you'll find this tool incredibly helpful- and it's refreshingly free from Microsoft.

    I really like all the plug-ins for it.

    Here's a link to the main Windows Live Writer gallery...
    http://gallery.live.com/results.aspx?bt=9&pl=8

    You're doing a great job on costumes too!

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  15. First off Happy Birthday. What could be sweeter than a chocolate happy birthday. Did you lick the plate. I must confess I think I would have had a hard time resisting.
    Love the banana costume. How original.

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  16. Hi Needled Mom, I love your quilt blocks--so pretty. Makes me miss quilting more than I can say..and bee too! Wish I had more time!

    Sweet birthday photos! I have used Live Writer too and love the effect, but I'm so used to Blogger and now that i can do group uploading of photos it's so fast that I can't bring myself to go back. My photos always seem to end up in funky positions with Live Writer. Also, you have to type alot of spaces to keep the words separate from the photos once they upload to blogger. Still...the results are nice for sure. :o) I do love the feature that allows you to edit the photos while working on the post which you can't do with blogger..only with Live Writer. Also, I LOVE that you can write your post without being online.

    xo
    Donna @ Comin' Home

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  17. Banana costume? That is such a cute idea!

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  18. What is different? I haven't noticed anything! Fill me in.

    Love the banana costume - you're so clever. I don't do costumes, though I managed to make a tail for Care Bear's costume (and then she managed to lose the really neat cat mask she bought weeks ago in preparation). I don't know what she's going to do tomorrow for her school party. That's the problem with living at two places - things are always disappearing at the other place!

    Christmas - yikes! Singing in the choir last year really put me behind. I'm trying to not let that happen this year. And I'm also working on the church cantata. Lots of singing!

    Glad you finally got some sunshine.

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  19. That banana costume is awesome, Mary. Very clever!!! Lucky win from Betsy. I learned today that I won Michele's Quilting Gallery Fall giveaway. She forgot to post the winner until last night and it was so cool when she did and I saw my name! Happy Halloween to you and all your family!!!

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  20. I guess I don't know what the new Blogger issue is. I can download my pictures but only one at a time now not like it used to be. :o( I get so tired of trying to learn all these new things, if it ain't broke, don't fix it!

    That banana costume is adorable! You are so creative my friend! I didn't have to make any costumes this year other then the bags, all bought at the store. Don't think I will be able to post any pictures of them as I have been told not to put my grands pictures in my blogs anymore. Oh well,,,,,sigh...... Sure takes the fun out of it for me.

    You have won some lovely goodies! Isn't that fun?! Your blocks are beautiful as always, I admire your work so much!

    Well it's COLD here this morning, there certainly was frost on the pumpkin. Maybe a few snowflakes tonight too. Yay! I love it!

    Will e-mail you later today. Love to you and E! xoxox

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  21. Everything looks wonderful, your work is perfect! Loved the look of your post, it is great. Yes, I am one of those people who wish I had started to get ready for Xmas early! I have 2 small presents for my mid-aged son. That is not much of a start-ha! hugs, Kerrie

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  22. Love the banana costume!!
    The QA blocks are looking fabulous - have you thought of posting them on Flickr?
    Congratulations on all your wins too!

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  23. The blocks are fabulous...you have been very busy indeed.
    So glad that you are having fun!
    Micki

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  24. I love the banana costume. You are so smart! Your blocks and gifts are great too. You are just a busy bee! I WANT to make a tator baker! Do you have instructions or a link? Happy Birthday to a very special lady!!!

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  25. Halloween

    The night is dark
    and the goblins are out,
    and the witches and black cats
    are prowling about.

    And costumed creatures
    the strangest I've seen,
    are knocking on doors
    'cause tonight's Halloween!

    Happy Halloween dear Mary:-) That banana costume is just adorable and the Chiquita sticker is perfect!! Love it! Lily was going to be a princess faerie but I don't know if I'll get to see pictures.

    I've never seen the microwave potato bag, how neat that is!!

    Congratulations on winning those two giveaways. I'll need to go rub your arm so that your luck will rub off on me! lol

    All of those birthday cakes are making me drool. I've got such a sweet tooth, it's terrible! lol

    Glad to hear that you finally got some sunshine. We've been having snow flurries almost every day but nothing that has accumulated on the ground. Tonight the trick or treaters were lucky that it was a clear night although it was very cold. I sat outside all bundled up to pass out the candy:-) xoxo

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  26. Happy belated birthday! WOW! You keep so busy! I don't know how you do!

    Your banana costume turned out lovely! I had to sew a costume for dd. I kept telling her that I do not sew, I quilt! It didn't work! lol I don't know what it is about sewing, I just get a bad attitude! lol

    Looks like lots of wonderful goodies! I did hear about the potato bag that you must use 100% cotton batting and that would mean not warm & Natural (it's 85 something cotton). If you need some 100% cotton I have some remnants from quilts that I can send you. Thanks for sharing! Cheers!

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  27. Your post worked well. What a cute costume. Happy Birthday!

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  28. Great banana costume and I love your blocks for the quilt a long. You've selected a nice colour palette.

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  29. Hi Needled Mom, I so wish you had won. Maybe next month! BTW, I do love your pieced blocks! You are one of my few blogging friends who actually KNOWs how to piece. You do such lovely work!

    xo
    Donna @ Comin' Home

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  30. That banana costume is the best!!!! I saw one here on Halloween that was purchased and it wasn't nearly as good as that one!!! I love a good challenge, don't you?
    Happy Birthday to all your birthday folks!

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  31. Like the banana and the pictures of the grand children Mary.

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