Falling leaves

Good morning from Kansas! It is hard to believe here we are 1/2 way through November and enjoying such beautiful weather still. The leaves are mostly gone, as a matter of fact we had a large wind storm last week and it blew most of them away. Here and there a few beauties remain in my neighborhood and I have to sometimes stop and try to capture their magnificent coloring. 

Speaking of color change, my kitchen is finally nearly finished, just in time for the Holidays! We had new counter tops installed, and then Hubby refinished all of the cabinets. No excuses, I guess it is back to cooking for me.

Hubby is glad to be finished, Daisy however is disappointed, she enjoyed helping and found having the cabinet doors off quite fun!

Speaking of Daisy, I released a new cute stitchery pattern called "Naughty Or Nice". With Christmas decorating fast approaching I'm sure you will not need much further information on who inspired this design! Now available on my website and in my Etsy shop.

All my current sewing is on hold for now while I work on a special project with a 

deadline to meet. More down the road on that! Enjoy a wonderful new week!

Be Royal this Halloween!

We are enjoying all the sunny Fall days we can get here in Kansas! This week we are all about the ROYALS! No matter where you go everyone is decked out in their Royals t-shirts and gear, this town is Royals crazy and it's fun to be a part of! Games 1 and 2 won, now we're off to NYC! 
My Halloween candy is purchased for those little tricker treaters. We never know how many to expect, some years we have only a handful, and sometimes a few dozen. A little leftover is okay though right?
I prepared a little Fall slide show for you, from my house to yours, Happy Fall and Happy Halloween!

Slideshow design generated with Smilebox

                                          And Lets Go Royals!

A weekend getaway

Good morning and happy Wednesday or hump day for many people! The rock pictured looks like one large hump, but it is not! This is actually an Oklahoma historical landmark named Rock Mary, a large natural sandstone mound, once a prominent marker on the California road traveled by those brave pioneers in the mid 1800s. This unique landmark is on my son in law and daughters property where we spent last weekend!

Our whole little family was invited for a get together here for the weekend. What fun it was to see all the grandsons together! Climbing the rock is a must of course and it is larger than you might think at 60 feet high.

Some pretty scrubby floral. Not so pretty are all the little pricker balls that attach themselves to your clothing and shoes though.

Our three wonderful children and our soon to be daughter in law!

Last post I told you I was working on a special little sewing project. Many years ago I made a bedspread for our oldest daughter. It was made from pieces of her old clothing. Long before the days of quilt stores, rotary cutters and such, actually long before I knew anything about quilting. I could hardly call it a quilt by todays standards, but it was squares pieced together with tulip shapes appliquéd on top of some. I backed it with a printed sheet! Anyways, it had been hanging out here for a long time, used as a picnic blanket and stowed away in the garage. Last month I came upon it and thought, it should really go to our daughter, so I yanked it out and washed it. Some of the fabric squares were worn thin and torn. I replaced those and added new binding. Here she is sitting on top of her bedspread with all her dollies!

I brought it with me to Oklahoma to give her, and here she is today trying to recreate her childhood picture lol! 

Our Oklahoma kids fed us well and we had a wonderful visit. The night before we left Erin, took this neat family picture, the timing is just right as you can see, the sun receding on top of the hill silhouetting our bodies, isn't it great! 

And so now it's back to normal here! The kitchen is still 1/2 finished, the Christmas clock is counting down, my sewing room beckons, lots to do, lots to do!

Fall Frolics

Boy we are having a beautiful weather this week here in Kansas! Sunday hubby and I took advantage of the pretty day and visited Dunn's Cider Mill. It seems we were not alone with that thought, it was packed with everyone craving the same thing....cider and apple cider doughnuts! Oh those doughnuts, they were making them fast and furious but could hardly keep up with the demand..... they are soooo delicious! 

After getting our doughnut/cider fix, we drove further out to a store we had not yet explored- the AT Home store. My son refers to it as Home Store on steroids, and right he was! Good grief this store is gigantic! Looking for Halloween?

How about some Christmas inflatables for the yard... 

Perhaps a new tree? Every year hubby says he is going to get one with the lights already on it!

Awwww, who doesn't love this guy and the Frosty The Snowman movie.

Back on the homefront, I have not spent much time in my sewing room lately. The new kitchen counters are in and fabulous. Now we are painting the walls and hubby is refinishing the cabinets. Lots of work!! 

At night I am sewing the binding on a special gift for a special little girl. 

And then there is Daisy trying on her new Halloween hat lol! 

Next I'm getting ready for a fun adventure this weekend, I'll tell you more about it next time!

Happy October!

Happy October! Temperatures are up and down here in Kansas, the heat went on this week and I put an extra blanket on the bed. I have a new design for you, "Fall Blooms Basket" was stitched in wool and looks perfect on my sideboard this time of year. You may find it on my website:http://www.cleoandme.com and also as a instant download in my Etsy shop under pdf patterns at:http://www.etsy.com/shop/cleoandmepatterns?ref=hdr_shop_menu

I will be spending the better part of this week in my sewing room. We are having some remodeling done on our kitchen and it's pretty crazy in there. Poor Daisy is confined to the laundry room and not so happy about that. Well maybe she can do a few loads of laundry for me lol! 

Enjoy your week!

Barbie Jo and Daisy

Celebrate!

I don't know if you feel like me but isn't it hard to believe today is the 1st day of Fall! This year has flown by me and next we we'll be this thinking about you know what! Christmas! It's time to put your pedal to the metal... sewing machine pedal that is! I have a new design to get you started, "Christmas Candles" is my latest table runner pattern. Easy to piece, a touch of appliqué, this project is fast and fun to make. You can find it on my website: http://www.cleoandme.com and also in my Etsy store:

Http://www.etsy.com/shop/cleoandmepatterns.

This past month I have been busy adding pdf patterns to my Etsy shop. For those of you who want it right away, you can download and print the pattern at home.

This month has been so exciting! Our son asked his beautiful Emily to marry him! 

We are beyond thrilled and excited as you can imagine. We are looking forward to all the fun and upcoming preparations to celebrate this happy time. 

And last but not least I have a birthday this weekend. I get to celebrate with these two love birds, 

yay, what a happy year!! 

Gone Fishing!

Gone fishing the sign on the door says. It seems we have been out to sea for a long time, this summer has been full speed ahead and here it is September 1st already! 

August was a very busy month. We had the pleasure of having our Oklahoma Grandsons for 9 days! 

Each day with them was full, from swimming to a Royals baseball game and countless other activities in-between, we enjoyed our Nana and Papa time with them, it went so fast!

Later in August Hubby and I drove to Western New York to visit my Sister in the pretty little Village of Warsaw. While there we spent an afternoon at Letchworth State Park. This park won USA Todays Readers Choice award for best State park 2015. Also referred to as the Grand Canyon of the East, the views are spectacular and we enjoyed them on a beautiful sunny NY day! Sissy stuffed us full of home cooking before we continued on our journey.....

into Buffalo where we stayed with long time friends. The 1st thing we did was go to Andersons for a Beef On Weck. Food of my dreams lol, it was so delicious!!
The next day my friend Patty picked me up and we had lunch, Buffalo style pizza (the best!) and then off we went antiquing. After working up our appetites once more, we drove 
to the village of Lewiston NY. The drive along the Niagara River is dotted with lovely vintage homes and lush gardens, an enjoyable afternoon trip. We bought goodies at a wonderful bakery followed by a fabulous Italian dinner before heading back to Kathys.
The next morning we were up and at em, and off to Niagara On The Lake Canada for the day! While the boys attempted to get some golf time in, Kathy and I enjoyed high tea at the Prince Of Wales Hotel.

I'll tell you, this is one special spot for high tea, elegant, so pretty and delicious. Here are a few items from our tea.

And don't you just love scones with clotted cream and jam, I had to show you!

Heading back towards Niagara Falls we stopped at the whirlpool gorge, we were going to take the cable car across but changed our minds lol! We bravely moved onward to the Casino for a bit before dinner at a Greek restaurant, and it was fabulous, the best I have ever had!

We spent 2 afternoons on their sailboat, sailing of course.... wheeeee! 

After sailing another food wish was granted.... a haddock fish fry right on Lake Ontario. Oh my gosh, it was so fabulous. Living in the midwest and being pretty land locked, we don't get anything like this. You must be thinking all we do is eat lol!

Only in Buffalo do they turn old grain silos in to beer cans, we enjoyed another fun dinner here by the water.

Our last night was spent at one more fine restaurant... Chefs, Italian food at its best. 

Our dear family and friends made sure all our favorite Buffalo food wishes were granted, they call it getting "Buffaloed" lol! Our time spent with everyone was precious and so enjoyed. The next morning we rolled home on our two day journey swearing off food for at least a week. 

We were anxious to see our little fur child again. And here she is, does your kitty beg lol?

Back to work here, new pattern coming later this week!