Lun Opus Lion Fish

Saw this on Kate's blog so i thought i would give it a try. I tried to share my Lun-Opus-Lion Fish the other day, but our phone and internet were down for two days...doh! I can survive without my phone...but no computer...arghhh! Im lost without my internet...up here its my connection to the outside world! :)
Anyways, i am trying to find just the right block for the November Bday Block Swap (the one i was planning to do was already done by someone else), so now i am back to the drawing board....literally! I couldnt find what i was looking for, so ive drawn up my own paper-pieced pattern for Miss November :) Of course, i have never paper-pieced before, nor have i ever drawn up my own pattern, so we'll see what happens! Im rather excited about it though, and if all goes well, i may start designing more patterns. Ive kept the design rather simple, so hopefully it will go well. Wish me luck and ill post when its finished :) Have a wonderful weekend!
lisajo

p.s. Here's some fun......

10 things about me...

Once you have been tagged, you have to write a blog with 10 weird/random things, facts, or habits about yourself. At the end, you chose 10 people to be tagged, list their names, and why you chose them. Dont forget to leave a comment that says "you are tagged" on their profile and tell them to read your latest blog.

1. I thought the movie "Princess Bride" sucked, though everyone i know loves it!

2. Ive ridden in the Good Year Blimp

3. I can touch my nose with my tongue :P

4. Ive ridden in a helicopter...weeee

5. I lived in Idaho for 3 years

6. I used to go motorcycle riding in the desert when i was a kid

7. Ive never been on a horse

8. I used to be a tapdancer

9. Ive never been off this continent :(

10. My dream job would be to work for Disney/Pixar as a background artist :) though the job i have right now is pretty wonderful too! :)

im not gonna single anyone out....either play or dont.....but id love to read and learn more about you! :)
cheers~
lisajo

Projects at the Blackbear

So, I've decided to post a few photos of the projects I'm working on...normally i like to wait till they are finished, but since i have soooo many going on (with none of them near completion) i thought i would share my progress so far...to show there actually is some progress :) I'm also hoping it will inspire me to finish some of them, so that i may tackle the other ideas i have brewing inside me :) Unfortunately, i was hoping to have these in the mail to my sisters before Halloween, but i guess i can throw them in with their Christmas gifts! I wanted to try the carefree nine patch pattern, so i dragged out my Halloween fabric and made these...and decided to sew them into table runners. Originally i was going to make a small lap quilt, but then thought they might not look good together, so i made these instead. Now that i see them all laid out, they probably would look cute together, but i now have three gifts instead of one! I started machine quilting the witches runner, but I'm not sure if i like it or not...so ill have to come back to it later :)


Yesterday i completed 3 sets of Batik Jacobs Ladder Squares for a swap on about.com. This is the second round...the first round i rcvd 12 squares, and decided i liked them so much that i wanted to participate in another swap to make a larger quilt, so this is one of three color choices i did. I mailed them out today, from home, using a scale and the internet to determine the postage. If all goes well, i might do all of my mailing this way...i hate driving an hour to town just to mail off one envelope! Of course, if it goes well, i may be participating in a lot more swaps too, so look out! :) Well, now that those are out the door, i better get started on the birthday block swap square for November...she requested anything nautical with teal as the main fabric....anyone have any quilt square ideas? Would love to hear your suggestions!
Cheers~
lisajo

Trick or Treating

Another Halloween has come and gone...no Great Pumpkin, but lots of goodies just the same! There are only two children in this canyon...Jordyn and a neighbor boy named Blaine. The rest of the community are retired folks enjoying their golden years, so we thought we would pay them a visit, bring them pumpkin cake, and trick or treat. Justin worked from home this year so he could go out early to trick or treat with the kids. I was dressing up as a witch, so Justin decided to copy me... he came out of the bedroom in one of my dresses (which im sorry to say looked better on him than me) and we decided he would look better in the hat...so presto...two witches were ready to take their daughter out trick or treating!

Folks were sooo happy to have trick or treaters...its been over a decade since most of them had any kids come by, so this was a treat for them as well! Our costumes, as well as the kids costumes, were a big hit so we all rcvd goodies! Thats not to say that justin and i were out soliciting candy...i think his hilarious appearance warranted free candy is all! :) So we politely accepted! :)

Most houses were decorated with all kinds of Halloween fun, and because this is a small neighborhood, we were welcomed into each home for warmth and a nice visit!

Our last stop on the route...Jordyns Great Grandma and Great Aunts house, where more trick or treat goodies and some yummie dinner was awaiting us! Mac and cheese, broccoli and carrots, a glass of scotch for dad and a cold beer for mom...a perfect ending to a perfect holiday!! I love Halloween! Hope yours was wonderful too!
cheers~
lisajo

Happy Halloween!!!

Here are a few shots of Jordyn in her Halloween costume :) I took these a few weeks before Halloween so that i could get the nice Fall colors before they blew away! Ill post more from her actual trick or treating soon!

Hope everyone has a safe and fun Halloween! Happy Birthday Dad...i miss you!
cheers~lisajo

Corn Maze

It was an absolutely gorgeous day on Thursday...almost 75 degrees, so Grandma Kristie, Jordyn and I decided to go to town and check out some seasonal fun. Corn Mazes are big around here, but none of us had ever been to one, so we decided today would be a great day for a corn adventure :)
The entrance was a large tent filled with pumpkins, scarecrows, and hay bales...and Jordyn would have been perfectly happy just running around in there...or so we thought!


We had a hard time getting Jordyn to put down the pumpkins and leave the tent, but when we walked thru the entrance onto the pumpkin patch she got very excited! Wow...theres more!!! We had three mazes to choose from, naturally we opted for the Little Miss Mazie Maze...didnt want to get lost with the little one :) Jordyn didnt quite get it at first and kept trying to leave the maze, but then Grandma would sneak up ahead to hide and Jordyn would run to find her. I followed along with the camera, trying to get the perfect shot!


We came around one turn and a huge flock of crows took flight...it reminded me of that painting by Van Gogh, and i wished i had been quicker with the camera because i missed it :(
After our adventure in the maze, we wandered over to some gigantic hay bales that some kids were climbing on. They were older kids...12ish...but Jordyn tried to keep up anyways. She jumped, stomped, ran, rolled and even dove in the hay. She had fun running her fingers thru it like it was a sandbox, and soon she was covered with hay! Good thing she wasnt allergic! :) After that we checked out the pumpkins in the pumpkin patch! She kept trying to pick them up to take with her, but they were pretty big and she finally gave up! But her favorite part of the whole trip...the tractor/hay ride! We piled into a wagon filled with hay bales and enjoyed a lap around the farm!

The look on her face was priceless...she was thrilled, and serious all at once. She held on to the side of the wagon and stared in awe of the giant rumbling beast that was pulling us, and wouldnt take her eyes off it for a second! When the ride was over, she had to examine the giant wheels on the super cool tractor. Then it was getting late, so we packed up the car and headed home. She was asleep before we left the parking lot! What a grand adventure!

Go Rockies!!!

Flashback Friday - Halloween 1986

Well, its 1986 and my friends and i have decided to dress up as the cast of the wizard of oz!(im dorothy) We attended a fabulous party at our friend, Kelly's house...she's seen here as Glenda, the good witch...and naturally, it being the 80's, there was a lot of cheesy(but fabulous) music...a keg and other cocktails of sorts...and lots of food! I grew up in California, so the weather was always fabulous for Halloween...cant say the same for Colorado...in fact, it almost always snows on Halloween in Colorado :) I wanted to dig up some really old photos of me in costume when i was a kid, but i cant seem to get my mom to part with any of them...not even for a little bit! Guess ill have to steal a few, scan them into the computer, then return them without her knowing :) heheheh Anyways, hope you enjoy the Flashback...i know i had a few laughs!
Cheers~
lisajo