Pincushion swap

I keep seeing swap buttons on blogs, so decided I'd try one. Well, I should know better. Really, I should. Its been along time since I joined a swap, and my love of pincushions pushed me into it. The swap was to send on June 27th, I think. I sent mine on the 29th of June, we were emailed our swap partner and sent directly to her instead of a centralized swap where you would send and receive from the hostess. The swap hostess was posting updates on her blog they all looked so cute! Did I mention I love pincushions? :)

This is the package I sent, pattern is from Blackbird designs. The small beehive is a needle book and the bee on string is a scissor keeper. Made one for the swap, birthday gift for my sister, and then one for myself. My swap partner is in Australia, she should have gotten it by now.
However, as you have probably guessed by now, no word from swap hostess (after several emails) no word from the partner, and no word from whoever was suppose to send to me. bummer.

"Make-do" pincushion

A "make-do" pincushion is one that is made using whatever you have immediately available.

Most commonly made in the 18 & 19th centuries, out of necessity. At that time the most common bases were broken candlesticks, teapots or oil lamps.

My sister had one (made from an old hand crank meat grinder) that she got from the quilt shop she works at. Well I knew I had one of those grinder things around. Don't remember where I got it from ... my Moms, Grandmas, a yard sale in Prescott-Yarnell-Buckeye-JoeCity?, a second hand store ... could have been any one of those places. In the "old house" I use to have it on the corner of my Hoosier cabinet in the kitchen. The handle on it is missing the screw that keeps it attached to the head. So whenever the missionaries came for dinner - at least one of them would reach out and turn that crank, the handle would fall off and they would have a horrified look- thinking they had broken it. The "old" missionaries would bring the new ones, stand back and watch them reach for that unattached handle - then produce a huge, "Man you are in trouble you broke it!" look. So funny watching them set each other up, when in fact I intentionally left it there to watch people do the same thing. :) Got to get amusement in life wherever you can, right?

Anyway- I made one of those adorable pincushions with mine this week. Its filled with dry lavender buds that are stuffed into a nylon knee high and tied to the rotating grinder part inside. Then covered with some brushed woven cotton fabric then embellished with old buttons from my stash. Love it!!

Retail therapy revisited

While I was at my sisters we hit the quilt shop she works at, "The Christmas Goose". One of the girls at the shop designed a wool embellished wallet pattern, Steph had made one- its adorable!! Well while we were at the shop I saw the sample one for a class. It was adorable too!!! Long story short, I got a kit from the teacher, Thank you Sunshine!!

Cut the wool pieces out on the way home and finished it today. I love it!!!

Inside of wallet, Chocolat fabrics by Moda, red/white woven stripe

"Kissed by the Sun" Wool Village Wallet pattern by Sunshine Garcia

Hoover dam bypass bridge

On the way home from Vegas, we went over the Hoover dam. The bypass bridge has been in construction for a couple years. Wow its impressive! The thing is huge!!! The pictures really don't do its massive size justice.
The trip home was uneventful. Nice to sleep in my own bed after being away 10 days. Dorothy is right, "There's no place like home."

Wedding Day

Caution: Serious picture overload

Dads opening doors for the newly wed couple.

Steph, Amber

The wedding party

(great dresses huh? Whole outfit, one day, same mall, 3 days before wedding ... Im still shakin' my head!) :)

Mr. and Mrs. Mike Turner

Brelee

Bobby, Macy, Wesly

Bochats, Winns and Carbonneaus

Ambers friends and family

Jenni, Amber, Kristi

Tom, Kristi, Steph, Meghan, Steven

Waiting for the Newly weds to finish pictures so we can eat lunch :)

Kyle , Macy, Alli

Britt, Derek

Kati, Chris and Wes

Brelee, Wesly, Nathan, Macy, Travis

Can you tell who had chocolate cake ? :)

Bobby, Kathy, Steph, David

Off they go, into the wild blue wander, happily ever after :)

Nathan, Macy

If there had been more couches in the foyer, we would have all been sleeping!

It was a great party, nice turnout, everyone there had a good time! Kati did video, Kyle did the music and kept everyone on their toes. Chris kept Brelee changed and spent alot of time running kids to the potty. Derek did the Napoleon Dynamite dance for Amber- she was very surprised, lol! It was cute. Wes and Trav danced their little feet off, too cute!!!!

Las Vegas wedding week- the rest of the story

Caution- Picture overload :)

Jenni, Amber, Alli, Christi after shopping.

Wednesday night we went to the mall and got bridesmaid dresses, "Mother of the bride" dress for Steph, and shoes for them all! In one night! At the SAME mall! I was shocked!

Alli & Kyle at Sams Club.

Thursday we went shopping for the food, More nails done.

Kathy, Amber, Sunshine, Jenni, Alli

Friday was "set-up" day. David had an enclosed trailer that they had been putting wedding stuff in. After the truck, trailer, and Stephs car were full we headed for the church to decorate for the reception.

Mike & Amber doing the sign in table.

Jenni & friends trying to figure out what to do with the arches.

Steven, David, Steph, Grandpa Bochat, Loren, Grandma Bochat

Britt, Derek, Bobby, Alli

Krista Turner, Steph Winn "The Moms"

Friday night we went to "hang out" on "The Strip". I love to go watch the water shows at the Bellagio! Derek and Britt danced. Robert & I, Kyle, Alli & Macy headed back to the hotel and the other kids walked around and went to dinner. Loren had a great time hanging out with the "older" cousins :) Bobby had come straight from Girls Camp, the theme was "Women of Virtue". They made the priesthood and bishops shirts that said "Real Men love Virtuous Women" and it had the VW sign on it. He still had his shirt on when we were walking on the strip. You should have seen the looks we got, everyone that walked by read his shirt. Some had funny looks, others shook their heads- some good shakes some not so good...lol!

Kyle, Alli, Macy (in the stroller), Kathy, Bobby, Steven, Meghan, Loren, Derek, Britt

Temple wedding in Vegas, its true!

My niece is getting married on Saturday. So Kyle, Alli , Macy and I headed to my sisters in LV on Monday. Monday night we shopped for food, Krista (Mikes Mom) and Alli got their nails done. Tuesday morning we hit the quilt shop (retail therapy), picked up a dress for Steph for the evening@ Kohls, picked up Ambers wedding dress- Steph got another dress :) and we headed to the temple. It was so nice and peaceful! Sometimes I'd like to just live at the temple.
When we got home we worked on the party favors ( Steph made white chocolate LV Temple spires and white choc hearts) and finished about 100 of them.
This morning we got another 100 favors done, nails done, cakes baked (Yes Steph is making her own daughters wedding cake!) and as soon as the last nails are done we are looking for "Mother of the bride" dress, and brides maid dresses.

Kyle, Alli, Amber, Mike

David, Steph (my sister), Amber (niece), Mike, Krista & Greg Turner

Happy Birthday USA!

For the 4th I went to Kyle and Alli's house. We went to Mr. G's pizza in Joe City hit the Badlands for sparklers and fireworks, BBQ at Brain and Janes. Kyles family is always so friendly and welcoming when I visit, just feels like Im part of the family. Carnival and games at the Joe City park. We got the best homemade bread and cupcakes there! YUM! Macy had the cutest outfit with matching hair bow from Breezy and beautiful crystal bracelet from Monika & Paige. Holbrook fireworks were great! Macy never even cried! she watched and went to sleep :) I LOVE hometown fireworks and 4th celebrations, reminds me of when I was a kid in Prescott. We always went to the rodeo, kids parade, big huge parade, hang out at the town square big fireworks. Sometime Ill find some pictures- we used to have so much fun! Small town 4th is the best!