Its been since June of last year since we moved the kitchen into the living room in anticipation of the kitchen remodel. While packing up the small kitchen,16 x8, found all the McCormick spices shoved to the back of the cabs. There is a spot at the McCormick website that you can enter the code on the jar and it will tell you how long ago it was manufactered. Some were from the 90s! Kinda gross. Its amazing what you find. Did I need 6 spatulas? And 4 wire whisks? I also got rid of the extra blenders/ parts, the bread maker, the waffle maker, stuff I used m ybe once a year. And the garage is full of boxes as is the spare bedroom. More going thru is clearly needed before the kitchen is reloaded.

I started sewing in the 7th grade. I would stay at my grandparents in the summer and my grandmother helped me make my school clothes. When my kids were little I made clothes for them. I also did alot of crafty things with fabric but not quilts. I would make covers for furniture and pillows, curtains, car seat covers, just about anything. I started making quilts about 8 years ago. My husband passed away and he had 50+ t-shirts from where he worked, volunteering, places we had been, schools, etc. I couldn't throw them away. A friend took me to a quilt show and I was hooked. I saw a t shirt quilt there and knew what I had to do. I made 2 quilts from his tshirts, then made each of my boys a quilt from there old shirts, and then I got interested in wall quilts, and other types of quilts. I've lost count. I also crochet, my great grandmother taught me when I was young. I never accomplished knitting. I love to grow things, always have a veggie garden. Also have several fruit trees and grape vines. Pick wild blackberries and like to make jelly. I don't think of myself as creative- I have to look at pictures and copy. I'm a science teacher so I'm probably more logical. My DH now is very creative, he loves to draw and plans out the garden. He has encouraged me in making quilts and likes to help with the colors.

Well Patty, we'll see about whose surprise "Scotty's Surprise" turns out to be. It certainly was mine -- for awhile! I didn't notice the bromeliad flower stalk until the day after you were here. You're Ms. Eagle-eye -- surprised you didn't spot it. Maybe it shot up over night?

It's natural stone; impossible to locate the same "lot" over a long period of time. You can try to come close by taking a few pieces to different shops and check against the current lots available.