SewMurkot

IT'S SECOND PLACE FOR JOSH!

2009-03-22T09:05:00.006-05:00

Josh went to Salt Lake City for the state battle of the bands yesterday. I was so hoping he would take first place, but he did win second. His band is so good, and he is this generation's Jimi Hendricks. Well, that from an impartial grandma...

His mom was supposed to call me last night but no call came, so when I woke up at 2A.M. and realized the call didn't come, I feared the worst. But this morning when I got up and checked my phone, there was a text message to tell me the news.

So dear readers, there you have it. Three wins! Yes!
Kathygirl

Josh Does It Again!!

2009-02-28T16:43:00.007-06:00

Yes, Josh has done it again, not just once but twice. His band is competing in the Battle of the Bands. And he has won school and district levels. Now it's on to the State Level. We are all so proud and excited for him and his band! If you go look, Josh is lead guitar on the left.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Glx25IHBr8w

hugs,
Kathygirl

Where's All That Money??

2009-02-28T16:34:00.003-06:00

Since I'll be retiring in April, I have to wonder about money. I am being deluged with money making schemes into my email inbox. How can I make big bucks from Google? From eBay? Have any of you dear readers found out? If so, please post to me and I will add your post to a blog here on my site. With your permission of course. I want those big paydays.
Wondering here,
Kathygirl

Following My Heart

2009-01-24T15:11:00.005-06:00

It's been a long while since my last post. I have been thinking about the blog but too lazy to post, I suppose. So here I am.

Where have I been? Well, let me tell you. Upper Michigan has been heavy on my heart the last five years, since my genealogy trip. I would consider it and then set it aside, only to revive it and again reject it. This past year, I made up my mind. I will move to Upper Michigan.

In October of '08, my best friend and I went up there to take a look at housing and to see what I could find. I did find a nice little cottage in Kincheloe that just took my fancy. And so yes, I'll be moving. My internal calender is set for April. Between now and then, I have to repair the damage from Hurricane Ike to my house here in Houston, then sell the house. Can I do this? I certainly hope so.

I have a small number of family members nearby in Kincheloe. The town is the size of a Houston subdivision. In fact, the subdivision I live in now is probably larger than the town. But it is so retro up there, so naive and innocent, that I can't turn away. No locking of doors or cars, no theft. People are very trusting of each other, and that is so new to me. It isn't the way of Houston.

And so this is where I will be retiring in April. No empty promises, but I will be posting here more often and hope to see comments from you.

Kathygirl

Let's Pay It Forward

2008-07-27T22:09:00.000-05:00

Last year I read another blogger's post on her blog about paying it forward. I took her up on her offer. Her gift to me is in the mail. I wonder what it is!

My part is to also Pay It Forward. Here's my offer. To the first three emailers I receive, I'll send you a little hand made gift. You know I create my own designs. It might be something with one of my designs on it, or maybe something for your home or a personal item. I don't know. My stipulation is that IF YOU KNOW ME ON A PERSONAL LEVEL, DO NOT EMAIL ME ON THIS. Three complete strangers wanted here!

After you receive your gift, you are to Pay It Forward on your own blog. So come on, let's go! Send me an email!

Waiting here,
Kathygirl

What's good about Kiva?

2008-06-15T15:53:00.004-05:00

People have asked me, What's so good about Kiva? And what is Kiva anyway, a brand of coffee?
Kiva is an organization that arranges for loans to those in other countries who want to better their business. The person asks for a loan through one of the loan organizations in his or her own country. This request is then put up on the Kiva website and people like you and me lend a small amount ($25 and up) toward that person's loan. When the total amount is raised, the person begins repaying their local representative. When the loan is repaid, you receive your investment back.
I have sponsored two different loans, to two different women in different countries. One wants a special sewing machine for her business. The other one wants to increase her inventory of goods. There are many to choose from, where your money can go.
What is the personal part of this whole thing? It's funny how much better I feel by lending out $25. If you have ever sent money to your local radio or public tv station, you already know. It's a feeling that you have done something to help someone along life's path. Whether it's by the tv shows, the radio station, or a small business in another country, it's a great feeling.
The Kiva link is at the bottom of my blog, but let me list it here, http://www.kiva.org
If you decide to join, please make me your source. kmurcot@comcast.net
Thanks, and enjoy your sponsorship. Leave a comment about your journey.
Kathygirl

Josh does it again!

2008-06-14T18:39:00.006-05:00

My grandson Josh has done it again. You will remember that last year he performed at his high school's talent show? Well, he has done it again. This time it's an improv appearance. It is showing on You Tube, thanks to my daughter. Enjoy! Josh is on the right.

Seems that the girls all luv him. What do you think?
Kathygirl

The Remarkable Pfaff (again)

2008-06-12T20:27:00.002-05:00

Well, I did it. I sort of did it. I nearly did it. No wait, I did something.

You know, I forgot the most important thing when I decided I wanted that big Pfaff. I forgot to pray. In my life, prayer is a big thing. It's the way I know what to do and what not to do. And I didn't pray about this Pfaff.

So confused, I didn't even think about praying. I didn't know I didn't pray. I just kept waiting for the money to come, so I could go get that big Pfaff. The yummy one. And one day it hit me... I didn't pray about it!

And so I did. I felt that the big Pfaff was not for me. Well, not right now anyway. I took a look at the previous top of the line machine, the 2170. This top machine also embroiders, but a much smaller field of course. Re-hooping is a must. Those of you who embroider know exactly what I mean. For those who don't, it means that part of the design embroiders, and then you take the fabric out of the hoop and "re-hoop" and start the machine again. This is scary because maybe you didn't quite line it up right, and everyone will see that it doesn't go together right. But if you did it correctly, no one will know!

Once I prayed about the whole thing and decided to get the 2170--the money was there within a few days. I found a good deal on eBay and got it with a $2000 savings over my top notch sewing store.

I can hear you now... ah yes, but NOT a new one... Wrong! It's new! And my friend bought my Janome (goodby old friend) so we are two happy people. My new Pfaff is just great, does good embroidery, has the same spiffy stitches as the current new model.

Yep, in a couple of years I'll be looking (and praying) about the new Creative Vision, or its replacement, I already know that. But for now.... yep, I'm a Pfaffie, and proud of it!

ever,
Kathygirl

Woot!

2007-12-22T21:23:00.001-06:00

Call me a proud grandmaw, but that's what I am. My grandson Josh appeared in public for the first time as a guitarist. I have to say he gave a Woot performance!

But here, see for yourself, as appearing on You Tube: (he's the one in the center, white guitar, cool Peace shirt...)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICAfAas3zuw

I wanted to put the video here, but I just couldn't figure out how. sigh.

Merry Christmas to all,
Kathygirl

Another quilt festival put to bed

2007-11-07T13:25:00.000-06:00

Oh boy, that old song is coming true. You know, the one that goes:

The old gray mare, she ain't what she used to be,
Ain't what she used to be,
Ain't what she used to be!

The old gray mare, she ain't what she used to be,
Many long years ago!

Yep. I'm that old gray mare. I can't seem to get my oomph back after my trek across the George R. Brown Convention Center a bazillion times in two days. New shoes please, since the soles on my iron shoes are onionskin thin.

Oh but yes, it was worth it! The colors, the quilts, the fabrics and the people! What sensory overload we had. The hit of the festival seems to have been this new felting craze, plus lots of glitz and embellishments! A close second was the emphasis of getting your quilt done fast. This makes sense, since so many women work full time, where is that precious time to make a nice quilt anyway? Today you can make a quilt that looks like it took just forever, in a very short time.

Long arm quilting machines had quite a focus this year too. They are always present at festival, but it seemed that this year the booths were bigger and there was more attention paid to them.

Lyn and Christine from Kenny's Kreation had a booth this year, coming all the way from Queensland Australia.

Here you see me on the left and Lyn Kenny on the right. Behind us is her Antique Rose quilt. If you would like information about her machine embroidery designs, go to http://www.KennyKreations.com You won't regret it.

Well, did you get to go to festival? If you did, you got to see the new Pfaff, the one with the gigantic hoop, the one with all the breathtaking projects, the one we all want! Yes, there are other wonderful brands and machines, and we all love our machines, it's true. But it just seems that my heart is set on the Pfaff.

Keep sewing,

Kathygirl

Houston International Quilt Festival

2007-10-31T11:26:00.000-05:00

Wow! Quilt festival is here. I'm so thankful I live in Houston. I get to go every year. Over 50,000 visitors will pass through the doors of the George R. Brown Convention Center. First time visitors stop instantly when they enter and simply gape. It is sensory overload to the max.

There are well over 1,000 quilts on display, all with perfect stitches and color combinations to stun even the choosiest of quilters.

Oh but the vendors! Everything you have ever seen for sale or advertised in a quilt magazine... yup, it's there! Imagine a football field cram packed full of goodies for sale and quilts to see.

And so YES, I am going again this year. I can't wait. On Nov 2, I get to take my friend who is attending her first festival. This is always fun. That facial expression... priceless. I usually open my guest room for a friend from out of town, but this year there were no takers. I asked everyone I knew, but for one reason or another all were unable to come. So now I look to next year, where I have promises of visits.

On Nov 3 is annual pow wow in Austin TX. Thankfully my daughter lives in San Marcos and that is where I will stay for the night. Pow wow is held the first Saturday of November every year. Sadly, this is usually when quilt festival is also held. So I have to hotfoot it over to Austin either Friday night or in the wee hours of Saturday to get a decent seat. Again, a friend will be attending with me. Not her first pow wow, but her first Austin pow wow. Being Native is finally "in" and I am proud to say I am "in".... a member of the Sault Ste Marie Band of Chippewa Indians. My people are not usually represented at this pow wow, though all tribes are invited.

If you have never been to a pow wow you should attend one sometime. You might be surprised at what you see there. Not to mention the vendors of course.

And needless to say, everyone in the world should attend quilt festival at least once in a lifetime, just to see the wonderful workmanship of quilters around the world.

Maybe I'll see you there?
Kathygirl

OOOH THAT NEW PFAFF!

2007-10-14T12:05:00.000-05:00

I will be dining on my own words, I know. I made a big mistake. I went and looked at the new Pfaff sewing/embroidery machine. To say it is very nice would be an understatement!

I made this reckless statement a few years ago: I said I wouldn't buy another home embroidery machine. That if I was going to get another machine, it would be an industrial 15 needle job.

So here I sit, salivating every time I think of that new Pfaff. Man, this thing is just everything! I love my Janome 10,001... yes it's a real workhorse with never ever a missed stitch. I love Janome! They introduced the first home embroidery machine to the world.. the 8000. The other companies scrambled to get theirs out too. So I always knew I'd stick with the Janome.

WRONG! The new Janome, the 11,000... has an 8"x8" hoop. I love the embroidery arm and the way you don't have a big heavy embroidery module to move around. But this feature sadly limits the hoop size. And we know that size is everything these days.

The Pfaff.. now there's a world in its own. First of all, it has a 9 mm spread instead of the standard 7 mm the other machines have. This extra 2 mm makes an incredible difference when you are stitching a decorative stitch or a satin stitch combination... because anyone who sews can instantly see it's bigger, richer than others.

But the hoops! Oh my, the hoops! Now I am not a paid spokesman for Pfaff, alright? But I think the hoop is something like 7.5"x14"... and right there it eliminates rehooping galore! There is a mega hoop you can buy for it too... wouldn't you think this huge hoop would already be the mega hoop? But no! There's a bigger one! Wow!

Okay. What's the cost. Sit down, please! This baby is retailing for about $9,000 US. Yuh. A new car. Two Yugos. And just think, you have to buy thread and stabilizer for life.

But fortunately for me, my sewing machine source is one of the best in the country, so his price is considerably less. And I mean considerably! So when my friend saves enough to buy my Janome, I will be trotting down there to that very shop and getting my Pfaff! How? With a loan from the credit union, of course!

Sew on,

Kathygirl

College Anyone?

2007-09-20T10:51:00.000-05:00

When I was a kid, back in the "olden days," if you wanted to go to school, you had to PAY. Imagine that. We PAID. Needless to say, I didn't get to go.

Oh, there were scholarships, of course. From the Lions Club, Knights of Columbus, things like that. In my graduating class, two people got full scholarships. They had straight A average of course, which today translates to 4.0... and they took things like Latin, Trig, and no fun stuff like Art or Homemaking.

Today all of this has changed. ANYONE CAN GO TO COLLEGE AND FOR FREE (or nearly free)! Yet the majority of Americans still think they have to PAY.

I see I have your attention now, after reminiscing about the olden days, getting to the heart of the matter.

I wish I'd known this when I was a single mother of seven, who had no hopes of college for any of us.

I've found a truly wonderful resource made available by a couple who have their four children attending college at no cost, plus the fifth preparing to go, free of course. Because so many people wanted to know how in the world this has happened, they've put it on a CD for the public.

Now, this isn't free. (Only the college education is..well practically, anyway) No, for this you have to PAY. But you will SMILE when you see the cost of this remarkable tool.

So scurry on over to their website and take a look http://www.hewittsbooks.com/

Here's to our best friend, Education

Kathygirl

Goodbye Humberto, we never knew you

2007-09-13T15:54:00.000-05:00

There was a big hoopla yesterday that the tropical storm Humberto would arrive in my little Houston town. He was strolling around at 6 mph, 70 miles from Galveston. This was not especially good news to me. I was not in the mood for a TS, having experienced TS Allison back in 2001.

Allison came ashore, went back out to gather strength and came in again. We were saturated that week, and when she did go out that second time and threatened to come back a third time, all Christians said "Please God, NO!"

My little apartment took 22" that night. But what happened in the Texas Medical Center was much worse. The heart of Hermann Hospital is in one of the basements, and of course they flooded along with every other TMC hospital, the museum district, the art district, it was all hit and hit hard. Freeways washed out and cars were under water. It was awful.

At that time, I was working at a small, laid back community hospital, and we took as many patients as we could. All the hospitals did, and Houston has more than its share of hospitals. So all of the patients in the TMC had a bed to go to. My patient that I remember was a wonderful gentleman in his 70's who had just undergone open heart surgery the day before. He was moved by backboard down SEVEN FLIGHTS OF STAIRS IN THE DARK. Can you imagine this? He was trached, so someone moved along beside him, bagging him as they went. This still brings tears to my eyes, six years later. It always will.

I learned a lot of things from Allison. I learned that all my possessions are just STUFF. I lost a lot of STUFF. But no one in my family lost their lives. Praise the Lord. I learned that if your apartment take 22" of water and you clean it out within 24 hours, blisters will form on your fingers from the broom. That a half inch of water throughout your apartment will reappear while you are sweeping. I learned that if you don't spray every wall with bleach/water, mold will appear. I learned that even if it is less than 24 hours of flood, doors and cabinets will buckle and warp. I learned that vcr tapes can be saved, thanks to a Mexican National who took my box of tapes from outside my door, only to return them a few days later, all cleaned and ready to view.

Yes, I learned a lot from Allison. But the biggest thing I learned is that I don't want to have to go through it again. I'm in a house now, and this house has never been flooded. The water was nigh to the doorstep during Allison, but the house was spared. Nevertheless, I would not look forward to a test of that.

So Humberto, I'm glad you just skedaddled along and left me and mine alone, this time.

Lord, thank you for the sunshine today, the gentle breeze, and the dry pavement.

Kathygirl

Are you out of your gourd?

2007-09-04T20:34:00.000-05:00

When I moved, I lost track of my friend Joanie.

I found her this week, she is a patient in our hospital.

I'm very excited for her, because she has started a new business.

Joanie is so creative and has so many ideas spinning around in her head. She has started working with gourds. Take a look at this beauty.

If you'd like to see more of her work, you'll find her at http://www.vaaardvark.com/ down at the bottom of the index. It's a website she shares with a friend.

Her gourds are one of a kind. Joanie has perfected her skills in gourd decorating, and believe me.. if you think this looks good, you should see it in person.

It's drop dead gorgeous.

It's like this. You think of a price and then when you see it, you don't care what the price is! But her prices are quite reasonable, especially when you think of the hours she has spent creating each one.

I hope you will at least go take a look, and thanks!

Later guys,
Kathygirl

Michigan Speaks

2007-08-29T19:04:00.000-05:00

My long time friend from Michigan wrote to me today. She is probably the only person in the state without a computer and no desire to have one. She actually likes to sit there and write in longhand.

Know anyone like that?

I didn't think so.

Patti lives on the outskirts of town in a house taken from the pages of Victoria magazine. She has done everything herself, and her husband Ern has done the woodwork. Ern is so talented in wood. The lifesize horses he has carved! Oh stop me please. He is just outstanding.

Patti is no slouch either. She knows more about Victoriana than anyone I know. She can take something and turn it into antebellum. Here's her new project. She bought an old beat up motor home and has turned it into "Aunt PittyPats Pretty Camper Rose Cottage"... complete with three chandeliers, lace curtains, and roses galore! She has a little porch on it and has painted it inside and out. Putting her Patti touch on it.

It doesn't run. It isn't supposed to. Its mission in life is to sit there in the yard and be a gracious little getaway, so to speak. To sit in the evening cool, listening to the grasshoppers and the swaying trees, to watch the sunset and feel the breeze on your face, to let the day's worries waft away.

Good work Patti, my hat's off to you.

Kathygirl

The importance of family

2007-08-28T22:29:00.000-05:00

This week I had something unexpected happen. Hmmm... maybe it was one of those posts I got. You know, the ones that say if you forward it to ten people in ten minutes you'll have good luck?

Anyway, I enjoy genealogy and have posted my tree on the internet. I use my yahoo email just because. Last week I went there to clean out the spam, and I had one email out of 1,192 that was a personal one to me. The subject was "family tree maker info" and I almost deleted it along with the others!

This wonderful email was from my cousin Di. Now what's the big deal there, you say?

I lost contact with this cousin in 1969, when my mother passed away. The last time I saw Di was at the funeral. Di is a lot younger than I am, because I'm the oldest of the oldest. So I'm more like an aunt to her in age talk.

I knew she was somewhere, but not spelling her married name right hindered me from ever finding her. She found me! But here's the really cute part. She didn't know who I was! Now isn't that nifty?

I am thrilled beyond words. This cousin has always been very dear to me, and we grew up having the same grandma raise us, and at the same time. Di was a toddler and I was a teenager then.

I know that the Lord had to orchestrate this. He is so generous. Thank you Lord for Di, and for putting us together again.

Kathygirl

ONE OF MY TALENTED SONS

2007-08-23T22:27:00.000-05:00

My Army son sent this foto to me tonight.

He took it at the arboretum here in Houston last month. I don't know where he gets this talent, but he's an excellent photographer, don't you agree? No website yet but there's one in the works.

Take it easy. I have three grueling days of work ahead of me, starting in the morning. Twelve hour shifts each day. But still, I thank God for my job. Things could be worse.

Have a wonderful weekend! I'll check back Sunday.

Kathygirl

Buy My Son a Tree

2007-08-23T17:14:00.000-05:00

My son Ken has his own blog. Hey, it's a pretty good one. You will enjoy it if you go on over there and take a look.

He came up with an idea. Instead of the "If you like this post, buy me a beer" he prefers a tree.

So I added a link down on the left of my blogspot so you can give this guy a tree. Go take a look and if you need any advice, you can Ask Ken.

May we hav tree pleez?

Kathygirl

Finally getting to the quilt

2007-08-22T23:57:00.000-05:00

My daughter is putting the thumb screws to me.

She wants her quilt.

Now mind you, the Other Daughter.. well HER quilt is stuck in the Netherworld (lovingly called The Closet) because I hit a snag with it. And SHE never mentions it.

But this here daughter, she's the baby.

You know how they are.

So I started tonight.

First I decided not to use my Janome, but will serge the whole thing. So I managed... don't ask how... to get it out from behind and around and through.. and dusted it off, did a trial run. Not up to specs. It runs fine but the stitch was a bit of a pucker. Unplug. Move.

Out comes the Brother PQ1500. This is a real workhorse. I also had it behind and over... had nick nacks on it for goodness sakes. Dusted it too and polished it up, had to get the book out because it had been tooooooo long!

And so I started. Just a simple thing. This quilt is for the guest room. My daughter has applied to be a foster parent. So the quilt must be equally suitable for boy or girl.

Last time she was in town, we went to Joann's and fabric shopped. Got the fabric. There it sat. Too much text messaging here. So I decided to use simple 8" blocks with no sashing. And my friend will do an all over stipple for me, it will look nice. And I can get backing with a faint design, then it can be reversible. That sounds good.

Got a few blocks together and it didn't take much to see that I will be hunting for additional fabric, cause I didn't get enough! sigh.

Our dog-person Nikki gives it her stamp of approval.

So guess where I'll be tomorrow? Yuh. Joann's. They'll be glad to see me. I do a lot of selling for them while I'm there, just making suggestions to this stranger or that... oh, you know how it is!!

Later, y'all

Kathygirl

Our quilt wings its way to Saskatchewan

2007-08-21T22:44:00.000-05:00

My yahoo group sent in blocks and I put them all together for Jodie of JDSClipart. Her little cutie, Izzy, is seen here enjoying her quilts and diaper bag. Isn't she something? A real live doll.
Why can't everyone do something like this? Are you in a group in the neighborhood or on the internet? Round up some people and have them send in blocks. People LOVE to do this stuff.
Put them together like I did and then finish off the quilt. It brings a lot of joy into someone's life. I have a luv quilt myself that I received from an internet group. To say it's special is a total understatement.
Life is short. Make a difference in someone's life.
Think about it.
Kathygirl

Welcome to my little cyber space in the digiworld

2007-08-21T18:49:00.000-05:00

Welcome to my little place in the universe. I'm just an average Jane, got my own little website where I offer digitized embroidery designs... and my group site with a nice number of members.
So why a blog?
You tell me! What's the big deal about blogs? Who cares what a stranger thinks? Who cares what I think?
Well, maybe someone does. Or maybe you just need a smile every now and then.
What's my focus?

SEWING!
MACHINE EMBROIDERY!
TRICKS OF THE TRADE!
and other musings.
What about the Dreaded Netherworld... CLUTTER!
Excuse me while I go gag.

Speaking of clutter. Where does all the space go? When I got this house, I loved how BIG my room was!! Now it's MINISCULE! Okay. I have unfinished projects, lovingly called UFOs... several block of the month sets that I just had to have and I knew that I would certainly finish them. NOT.
You know that darling fabric that shouted out BUY ME!!! Yuh, I bought it and it's sitting there and goodness knows what I'll make with it.
I got this brilliant idea. Go to Goodwill and get jeans to make a rag edge quilt. The day I went, jeans were fifty cents each. I got the 12 largest sizes I could find that were in good shape. I haven't even cut them yet. BUT THEY'RE THERE IF I EVER DECIDE TO.
Now I am to the point where my books are taking over. My friend Cora, who tells it like it is, even ruthlessly.. says "But do you need it?" So I went to half.com and found out that some of the books I was going to get rid of were selling for over $100 each. So nix on that idea, Cora. Then she came up with a really good idea. Make bookshelves under the window. She said her father used those glass cubes for the spacers and boards for the shelves. This is workable. So this is my project. As I look at the area lovingly called "the floor" but in truth is "the books" I can see them all orderly in fancy boxes on my new shelves. First I have to price the glass spacers. I suspect they are not cheap. And so maybe they will be something other than that, but they will be SOMETHING... and I'll actually see my floor again. The good side of this is that the carpet looks like new under those books. Yes!
I'll keep you posted on this project.
Kathygirl