"OOPS" ~ A New Idea Is Born (aka The Great Creative "Cover-Up" )

A few nights ago while finishing the binding on a very special quilt...I saw "it"...an "OOPS!" There amongst all the beautiful machine quilting....a BLOB of thread! Eegadds! How did we miss that? Do I dare cut it? If I trim it will I have to give the quilt back to the 'spouse' for fixin'?  Can I squish the quilt in my teeny machine and re-quilt it myself?

With the deadline to the post office just hours away....I decided the quilting on the front was very secure...thank goodness the BLOB was on the 'back'. And thank goodness the 'back' of the quilt was already pieced 'creatively' ~ code for a 'mish-mash' of fabrics...a very FUN mish-mash of course. 

So what do we quilters DO when we want to COVER an OOPS? Time for an "Applique!" I thought maybe a heart...or a flower...so I moved to the sewing room to search thru my stash. After much looking and poking thru bits and pieces I found nothing to suit me. Then I spied it...a bag full of fabric 'circles'...all pressed and turned pretty...waiting for a project I just HAD to do once upon a time (tho I have no idea what it was anymore). 

There must have been 200 little circles...the size of a large spool of thread (ahh...I'm remembering now...tracing circle after circle onto freezer paper...cutting...pressing...gluing...wish I could remember the pattern...or where the pattern was now because I really must have loved it to prepare all those circles). 

I found the PERFECT little circle...and a new idea was born! How could I never have thought of this before? I've gone by "The Thimblmouse" for as long as I've been stitching/quilting/designing patterns.

Now this sweet little mouse hides the BLOB...but you'd never guess (remember..it's a secret..so don't tell on me). And from this day forward...I will sneak a little 'mouse' in/on my finished projects...it will be my 'Signature' ~ I've always wanted one of those..haha 

The hunt for more mouse fabric is ON!

For the Love of My Chocoholic Mamma

Hi Friends

Since returning from spring quilt market in KC I've been working 'round the clock on two wonderful quilts and will have lots of fun stuff to share with you soon. Tonight is the very first night that I do NOT have to sit and stitch for a deadline (tho more are looming)....and thought it would be fun just to take a little "chocolate break"

Last week the 'spouse' & I enjoyed an extra day off and decided to kidnap my Mom and treat her to lunch out.  Mom is 92 and lives near us in the memory care unit of a wonderful senior home and she's always ready for a little trip 'out' - especially if it means 'food'...which is actually "code" for CHOCOLATE.

So we snatched her up and loaded her in our PT....she likes to wear my snazzy shades when she goes for a ride (this pic was from Mother's Day - she looked so cute)....on to Cracker Barrel we drove.

You may or may not be familiar with Cracker Barrel....for those of you that are not...it's a wonderful chain -  a combination shop & restaurant. When you first enter - of course, you see the gift shop where you'll find some clothing, some trinkets and  what nots and whimsies....but most of all CANDY! Leave it to Mom...even as I pushed her around in her wheelchair trying to bypass the confectionery treats ~ she heard them call, like sweet sugar Sirens...

she spotted....

the fudge. 

She cradled the chocolate tub like a new born babe. I had a time getting it away from her....NO... I'm not a mean daughter...but we had LUNCH to eat first! 

Into the restaurant we wheeled and found a nice table for three. Bob had breakfast... Mom and I chose meatloaf. It's taken awhile but I finally learned a few years ago to 'enjoy' the eating out experience with Ma Mere....she'll eat...IF we 'share'. She's never been a huge eater (unless of course it's chocolate) and if there is too much food on the plate she'll hardly eat at all. So the routine is this....we order one meal and one extra plate.... I let her 'fix' her dish with whatever she wants. And then I watch what she's eating 'more of' and during the meal...I'll distract her and spoon a little 'more' of whatever 'it' is onto her plate....this day...mac & cheese won out. Of course...there are no pictures here of the healthy stuff...what fun would that be? 

When the 'spouse' and I dine out alone...we rarely order dessert. Mainly because we're too full when the meal is over...but lately because we've both been following Weight Watchers. This day however was the exception...maybe Freud would say I brought Mom on purpose...knowing dessert was "a Must"!

Can you say ~ Double Chocolate Fudge Coca-Cola Cake with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream? It's not the best picture...Mom had already taken a bite before I could document this moment. What a TREAT! Mom's eyes lit up like a kids on Christmas morning. The cake was HUGE and oh sooooo chocolatey and the fudge frosting seemed at least a half inch thick!  Bob had two small bites....too rich for him he said. I had three bites and admit...I wanted more ... yes it was rich and thick and gooey and lip smackin' yummy.....but reluctantly I put my spoon down and just watched Mom. Bite after bite...."oh this is so good" she exclaimed....bite after bite...."we must tell them how good their food is here" she proclaimed .... bite after bite and then..Poof!..It Was Gone! Bob and I just stared at each other - how Did she do that? Where DID she put it?  She's a teenincy thing - lordy how I wish I'd inherited her metabolism. And then we heard a little scraping sound...and looked...there were 5 crumbs left on the plate and Mom was NOT going to let them be wasted.  hahaha

I was certain Mom had her fill of all things chocolate - and hoped the fudge out front was a forgotten memory as we started to exit the building. Of course you know....they set it up...you have to pass RIGHT by the candy again....but I thought if I pushed Mom fast she might still be in a coca-cola cake stupor....and if you believe that, then I have some waterfront (aka swamp land) for sale......

Barely two inches out of the restaurant and Mom's eyes are scanning the candy counter....she says..."Do we have any money left?" I take a big breath and say..."of course we do Mom...what would you like? (as if I didn't know....even YOU know I'm sure). She spied a giant "Chunky" bar - I said it was too hard...(Mom's dentures don't fit any more ...we need "soft" sweets I think)...she says "that's ok, I can just break off a piece and suck on it"....Ok...there is 'that' I think. "But Mom...I don't really like those, I don't think you will either (code for it's TOO BIG and you've already HAD 5 lbs of sugar)....she didn't much care for my answer and before I knew it - I'd lost control of the wheelchair as she 'walked her feet' and her chair to the candy. I didn't KNOW she could move like that!  

But I was firm...afterall...I had Bob had the money. No Chunky Mom!

.

So she settled for a Sky Bar instead. Afterall...it was a long ride home....almost 2 miles! LOL 

I love my Mom!

Thanks for stopping by - see you soon...next time no chocolate! 

Lynn  ~ "The Thimblemouse" >'<