Just a Jammin' and a Sweet Freebie

Good morning, sweetie pies and welcome. It seems like it has been forever and a day since I have visited with you  even though it has only been  just over a week. I hope you are doing well and have been enjoying the warmer weather.  

A few weeks ago I was telling you  a tale about a big ruckus going on in the backyard. I was hoping the noise was wild and wooly raccoon in a brawl with a scrawny  flea bitten coyote. But if you remember, Mr. Pinker was pretty insistent that the noise that I heard was "Miss Reliable" aka our good ole'  Central Air / Heating unit  going on the brink. 

Well, Mr. AC Guy came for a visit. He sauntered up to Miss Reliable and gave her a thorough check up and then said poor Miss Reliable had bit the dust- that she had cooled and heated this homestead for the last time. Boy, had she been a good one having cooled and heated this home for 30+ years with little to no complaints. But it was time  to send the ole'girl to the rusty gates of the recycling center . Boo Hoo! 

 After giving the choice of unit brands  that he  worked with,  we jumped when Mr. AC named off Miss Reliable's brand. The decision was made;  a new unit would be installed! 

 After hearing the OUCHIE  of having to purchase a new unit, the next OUCHIE hit us like a ton of brick ! Yikes ! We were going to have to remove all of that country clutter out of the attic!!! 

Oh, my what to do! My mind started racing !!! And then an evil , may I say diabolical plan was hatched.

 First , call the youngest daughter whine and cry that she needs to come in for a visit. Check! She was on her way. 

Second, call the  oldest daughter who just lives a hop, skip and jump down the road and invite the whole family for a cook out. Check.

 Eeeh !  My plan was working!( Insert evil henchman twirling his long curly mustache here!  Heee! Heee ! Heee! ).  

When all of the kiddos  arrived, we enjoyed the nice cool breeze outside as Mr. Pinker tended to the grill. Soon their bellies were full.  As evening rolled around, I lured them inside with the promise of strawberry pie.( I know , I know you are screaming to the kiddos! No don't go! Hee! Hee! Hee! ) 

 "Boy it is hot in here! " my oldest daughter exclaimed as sweat began to pour down her forehead.

 All pitiful looking , I said" Yeah our AC is out; Mr. Pinker and I have  been sweating like stuffed pigs. " I swear I mustered up a little tear, and then I said "I think I will go up in the attic and start pulling boxes down so Mr. AC Guy  can come soon. "

 And by golly those sweet youngins of mine took the line hook, bait  and sinker!!!

 Soon the attic door was pulled down and boxes were a flying through an assembly line of hands  like nobody's tomorrow, and then POOF the  attic was cleaned out!!!!

 After the house was packed from floor to ceiling with boxes of tinsel and this and that, my youngest daughter came over and wrapped her arms around me and  said. "Now mom, all you had to do was ask. You didn't have to come up with elaborate plan just to get boxes down".  Lol what fabulous family I have!  

So to make a long story short. That is what I have been up to this week - swimming in a sea of boxes . Now that Miss Reliable #2 has been installed do you think I can convince the kiddos to come back to heave all of those boxes back into the attic? I sure hope so. Otherwise I am lighting up the grill! 🔥😂

LOL what a tale - just to say that we got our AC in. But you know me- I like to spin a good yarn . 🧶😀😀

🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓🍓

Strawberry season is wrapping up. Now it is time for the family to pick so the other day. I hustled down to the field and picked a gallon of berries. Strawberry Jam was on my mind.

   Strawberry Jam Jar 

  

Do you know how one project leads to another? Well to make strawberry jam that meant I had to get to my jam maker. And to get to my jam maker that meant I needed to clean the pantry. Lol Sounds like the book "If you Give the Mouse a Cookie". 

Well anywhoo. Soon I was jammin' away.

 Berries were sliced and crushed. 

I made 3 small batches in my Ball Jelly and Jam maker for a total of 7 pints. Mr. Pinker is quite happy .

 

The jars are all sealed and ready to be stored away. 

 

Later in the evening , I lounged on the front porch with my strawberry quilt. 

I worked on appliqueing a few more strawberry blocks.  I believe I will continue working on it this week. 

 

How is this  for a bowl full of berries? Lots of sweetness and no calories. Yum! 

This bowl contains a freebie from Lizzie Kate called Strawberries,  and Caroline Hofstede of Cosmic Handmade's freebie called Sweet Strawberries. 

A couple of weeks ago I stitched a piece dedicated to my sweet baby sister, Amy. It has been 9 months since she received her angel wings. For the last couple of years , Amy had helped pick strawberries on days that she did not work. She loved being outside and always enjoyed her days on the farm.  So I stitched up Amy Lou the Berry Picker.

 By profession, Amy  was a hair dresser so she would often sport different hairstlyes and colors.  This time I gave my sweet Amy blonde hair. She always looked so pretty in whatever color hair or hairstyle she chose.  

Lol now Amo did not wear a dress to pick berries. Berry picking is hard work so it was shorts and a tank top for her, but in my stitching, I dressed her up a bit. I think Amy would be ok with that. 😊😢💓.  Sweet memories of her picking strawberries do make my eyes swell. 

If you are interested in stitching Amy Lou the Berry Picker, please check out the links to the jpgs below. I can not promise that this chart will remain on my blog . It all depends on my ups and downs with the grieving process. I am sure you understand. But I know what my sister would  say.  Amy is one of the most giving people  that I have ever known. 

Many of you know , but I always like to leave this little disclaimer.  

I stitch my little designs for fun and to decorate my home. I feel very blessed by this community and love sharing my little charts, but I am not a professional designer. And I do not have professional software. Thank you for understanding that I  have to put each page on separate links because of the devices I use. I apologize for that.  These are images of the chart  or JPG s and not downloads.   I am always grateful for your kind encouragement , your visits, and for stitching my little designs. 

Click here for the instruction page. 

Click here for the Colored Chart. 

Click here for the Black/ White Chart. 

Goodness! I have talked your ear off. I do apologize for being such a windbag  and for jumping from one subject to another. But a whole week without blogging,  WheW! I got a bit carried away with my goings on.  

Thank you my friends for taking the time to stop by for a sweet visit. That truly means so much to me. I hope that your Memorial Day is a blessed one. As always...

 Happy quilting and stitching ya'll

Melisa

Cherish every moment with the ones you love. 

Hugs and Stitches!!!🤗🧵❤

Dedicated to my dear sister, Amy . I love and miss you so much. Stawberry season is not the same . 

I am with you always. 

 I am joining these lovely ladies' link parties. I hope you check them out; they always have so many wonderful projects going on and provide the opportunity for other needle workers to meet.  

      Kathy at Kathy's Quilts for Slow Stitching Sunday

Kate at Life in Pieces for  Stitching Stuff ( Sunday) 

Cynthia at Quilting is More Fun Than Housework for Oh Scrap - Sunday 

Beth at Love Laugh Quilt  for Monday Making

Judy at Small Quilts Doll Quilts for Design Wall Monday

Lynette at What a Hoot!  for BOMs Away Monday

Linda at Texas Quilt Gal for To Do List Tuesday - Tuesday