I am sooo excited!

We finally got the lower stairs completed.  It was a long road with a lot of decisions about how we were going to take the 1921 stairway and make it be what we wanted.

We will have to do baseboard and paint the back wall, but still, big sigh of relief.

Dari's family - fn

Darin's family is here for a couple days.  We've had a wonderful time of talking.

Visit to Mary - fn

After the conference was over, I flew to Mary's in Texas.
Her roses were beautiful!!!  On the right is the front door.

A beautiful and comfortable house.

A good-sized side yard.

And then still more - a big yard behind the fenced yard.

George was repairing the fence.

Mary cleaning the pool,

I spent a lot of time in Mary's sewing room.  I finished a purse and got a good start on a wall-hanging.

I had a wonderful time.

And then back to the airport and home to Wheaton.

Catching Up - Las Vegas - fn

I haven't posted for quite some time, and have done a lot.

I had my trip to Las Vegas the middle of April for a software conference.
I stayed at the Wynn Hotel.  It was very luxurious and a great conference.

I was on the 51st floor.  The view was amazing.  The Wynn hotel has it's own golf course and then the mountains in the background.

The bathroom had a beautiful shower and tub ...

double sinks, and a separate room for the toilet.

There were beautiful flowers and trees in the lobby so you couldn't see the casino from the front desk area.

Again, I was on the 51st floor.

And the casino.

We have been busy. - fn

We have made some good progress the last couple weeks.
We got the first batch of 7 steps and risers put in place.
We still have 3 steps to do in the upper run and then the lower run of 3 steps not started yet.

 

I also got curtains made for the bathroom off the family room.

I was ready for spring and already had this fabric with violets.  This was my first attempt at Prairie Points and it worked very well.

We had a lightning storm last night and the grass really greened.  Maybe spring is actually coming.  I'm ready for it.  I'll be down at Mary's for the end of next week and maybe when I get home, it will actually be warm.

Bye for now.

Weekend at the farm - fn

We were down at the farm for the first time since Christmas.  We had a great time as always.  Plus we got a lot done.  I took pictures of some of the projects we worked on.

We got the crown molding in their bedroom half done.  Surely makes a big difference in how finished it looks.

We got the threshhold almost finished around the hearth. 

Got the upper hand rail on - which only matters to me, really, but I appreciate it. 

Got about half of the family room upstairs drywalled.

Seems like everything is almost or halfway finished.   Sigh.....

Also adjusted the brakes on the tractor and put shingles on a small chicken coop.

New Quilt - fn

Another quilt finished.  I had started it a couple years ago and then couldn't remember what my plan was.  So, I came up with a new plan and this is it.  Twin size.

Stair walls done!!!

At last!  The walls in the stairwell are finished!

We had torn down the plaster and lathe walls some time ago.

In January of 2010, we tore out the landing.

We closed off the wall to the dining room.

I can't figure out how to rotate this picture.  Lay over on your right ear and you will see the stairs going up.
By this time, we had torn out the stairs so we could get rid of the plaster and lathe behind the skirt of the stairway.

We had to build scaffolding to hand drywall in the upper area.

I did the mudding and Bob did the sanding.

Amy did the painting of the primer paint.

The opening at the bottom.

Amy painted the finish paint.

Again, I can't rotate (can someone tell me what I am doing wrong?)
Paint done and lights installed.

Big sigh of relief!!!!!

Tatting

This is my second attempt at tatting lace for a pillowcase edging.  I'm much happier with this one.  Mom did the embroidery work and I think it is really pretty.  Laura, can you say the same with the butterflies?

Handquilting

I had purchased this for Mom to work on several years ago.  It was on clearance somewhere and I liked it.  My goal is to have a Christmas quilt for every bed in the house. 

A said you will know you are a real hand quilter when you can quilt a complete circle.  I'm assuming since I don't actually close the circle that means I'm not really a handquilter.  Oh well.  I do enjoy how relaxing it is.  My finger isn't toughened up yet.

Blizzard 2-2-2011

18 inches of snow

Bob & Amy shoveled it all by hand !

Christmas

We went to Josh & Rachelle's house for the weekend.  We had a wonderful time, of course with good food.

J & Jackie

K & Rachelle



Both kids



We walked over to the IWU student center

Quilt for Josh

And quilt for K