BOO-HOO...Pink Saturday I Miss You!

Dungeon Dishwasher Done Did DaGal Dirty!

So Now She's Stuck in the Kreepy Kitchen!

And Pink Saturday She's A-Missin!

Be Not A-Feered, Ya'll

There's A Howlin GoodTime...

...For All by Clickin Right HERE


PostSpooky...As Always...Thanks for COMING and I hope YOU will leave a COMMENT when get HERE. I'll be Haunting your Halloween PinkPosts when the KreepyKitchen's done with this Witch!

Marathon 'The Place Not The Race'...In The Big Bend

Ultimate Friendship

Three Friends is the most difficult Friendship.
If you hear laughter when three people are together,
then their stories will last forever.

Yep, 'Three Amigas' have stories to tell of trips to the Big Bend!

Welcome to Marathon, Texas.
Long considered the
'Gateway to the Big Bend,'
Marathon is situated in the center of an ancient seabed,
surrounded by spectacular mountains and fascinating geology.



Meet the 'Three Amigas'...Loredia, Barbara and Sue. All 'Girls Raised In Texas' and friends since....well, lets say...A Mighty Long Time!


Marathon is located 58 miles south of Fort Stockton, Texas. Centrally located to points of interest in the Big Bend area, Marathon is about 150 miles, or 2.5 hours, from Midland-Odessa; 350 miles, or 6 hours from Central Texas; and 250 miles, or 4 hours from El Paso, Texas.

You Know You're A Texan when you measure distance in Minutes and Hours.

The Gomez Ortega Casa is the 'Three Amigas' favorite place to stay in Marathon.



It's the ultimate 'Get-A-Way Place'. No phone...Cell if you are on top of LaCasa or Mountain. TV-VCR if you want to watch a movie, but don't want to know what's going on in the Rest of the World. Basic kitchen for simple meals, compfy beds and a not so compfy couch for sleeping in the Mountain Air, and lots of uninterrupted time for Knitting, Reading, Napping...


...Long Walks with Spectacular Views!



Shopping at the local Mercantile and walking down Main Street.




A few hours away, which in the Big Bend is No Big Deal, is one of Texas' Historic Churches.




Where prayers are offered and thanks given for life's blessings
and the special bond of 'Three Friends'!


In case you are wondering how 'A Marathon' came to be in Texas, here's a Chamber of Commerce explanation: The Town of Marathon was founded and named in 1881 by Albion Shepard, an old sea captain, who settled in the area. The surrounding plains and mountains reminded him of Marathon, Greece. In Recent years, Marathon has become a center of attention due to its central location in the Big Bend and friendly, casual lifestyle. In addition, at over 4000' elevation, it boasts a delightful climate, a diversity of outdoor activities, shopping, dining, and art galleries.
Yep, 'The Three Amigas' Quiet-Quaint GetAWay can at times, be a Hub of Tourista Activity. So if you Looking for the Q&Q Time, give me a ShoutOut, and the 'Three Amigas' will meet you there.


So, Adios, from Marathon, Texas and the Big Bend,
Land of Spectacular Sunsets.
Viya Con Dios, mi Amigas!

Don't Mess With Texas Pinks...Pink Saturday #7

It's been a week of 'Travelin' through West Texas and The Big Bend National Park this week on CollectinTexas Gal.
If you'd like to catch up, you can scroll down to 'Collectin BlueBonnets, Cactus and Quilts'...In The Big Bend.
'Believe It or Not'...There's PINK In Them There Hills!
Yep, Mother Nature has a Strange Sense of Humor when it comes to the Beautiful Pinks of the Prickly Pear Cactus.

The Prickly Pear is armed with two kinds of spines, large smooth fixed spines and small hairlike spines that easily penetrate skin and detach from the plant. The bright PINK Fruit, commonly called Cactus Fig, Indian Fig or Tunas is covered in the small hairlike spines. It is carefully picked and skinned before blooming to make candies, jelly and a refreshing drink.


Now, if you'd like to Mess With Texas and Mother Natures Prickly Pear Protections here's a Recipe for making Prickly Pear Jelly.

But if you're like this Girl Raised In Texas, and would like to skip the pain of being stabbed by the 'Large Smooth Fixed Spines' and the hours spent with Tweezers and Magnifying Glass picking out the 'Small HairLike Dudes', then here's the Recipe for You.

I'm a Plum Jelly Gal myself, but give Prickly Pear a try, it's great on Texas Toast.

Happy Pink Trails To You as you ride around the Big Bend of West Texas!

Thanks to Pink Saturday Hostess Beverly at How Sweet The Sound. I hope you will 'Mosey on Over There' to meet the New Pinkies and visit the Other Pink Saturday Participants.

And As Always...Thanks for Coming and Commenting!

Honest Scrap Award & Honest To Goodness Scrap Quilt!

In All Honesty....
I Accept This Honest Scrap Award....
For I Honestly Love Scraps!
A Few Scraps of Info About This GRIT:
1) As a Quilter, I Love Scraps! I enjoy the results of scrap quilts more than those made from planned yardage patterns.
2) I Collect OPS...Other Peoples Scraps...of Fabric, Yarn, Lace, Crochet, etc.
3) I Make the Best Tex-Mex Scrap Goulosh...that'd be LeftOvers with a Kick!
4) Always been a ScrapSaver, and just finished ScrapBooking 'Senior Year Memories'. A combined Scrapbook of mine and my husbands 1965 Senior Year for our 45th Class Reunion.
5) I seldom throw away ANYTHING! I try to ReCycle or RePurpose...or what we used call Re-Do!
6,7,8,9,10)Born in Iowa...Raised In Texas. Love My God, Family and Country!


Thanks Sam at My Carolina Kitchen for the 'Honest Scrap Award'. Sam is a gourmet cook, writer and food columnist. Does this 'Chicken with Tomatoes, Basil and Feta Served over Orzo' look DeliciouslyScrappy or what?
Honest Scrap Award...Here are the rules as they were presented to me from Sam:
- Post the Honest Scrap award on your blog. Present this award to seven others whose blogs you find brilliant in content and/or design, or those who have encouraged you. See my SEVEN BLOGS Listed Under the HONEST SCRAP on the SideBar.
- Tell those seven people they've been awarded HONEST SCRAP and inform them of these guidelines and ask that they link back to you.
- Share "Ten Honest Things" about yourself.

In Keeping With My Terlingua Post and Header....Here's A Few More SCRAPS...


Several years ago, a group of Big Bend Quilters started the 'Boquillas Quilt Project'. We donated Fabric Yardage, Scraps, Treadle Sewing Machines, Basic Quilting Tools, and Teachers to the women of Boquillas, Mexico. Boquillas is a small village just across the Rio Grande from Terlingua, Texas. The only way there from the Texas border is to cross the Rio Grande in a hand paddled flat bottom boat. There is no electricity and primitive living conditions are the everyday way of life. Crossing the Rio Grande after heavy rains can be very exciting against a strong current and fast running water. The great Mexican food at the Boquillas Cafe is worth the trip, and the Quilting Project was even more rewarding.


The women of Boquillas pieced the Quilt Tops and returned them to Terlinqua to be sold at the Terlinqua Quilt Shop with all proceeds going to the Village of Boquillas. I purchased the Scrap Quilt Top pictured above at the Terlinqua Quilt Shop. It was Oralta Ureste's first quilt top to piece and was made on a Treadle Sewing Machine. I quilted it on my LongArm Quilting Machine, and it is one of my favorite quilts. Sadly, this project has become more difficult with the restrictions placed on importing and exporting anything between Texas and Mexico.

PS...When Life Gives You Scraps...Make A Quilt or Tex-Mex Goulosh.

Collectin BlueBonnets, Cactus & Quilts...In The Big Bend

Welcome to West Texas and Big Bend Country in the Great State of Texas.
Home of the Big Bend National Park and Land of:

 

The Chisos Mountains and Ocotillo

Land of The Bluebonnets, Texas State Flower, which cover the Basins of the Mountains and Mesas in the spring after a winter of snow and an early spring of good rains.



Land of
The Fishhook Barrel Cactus
and
The Spanish Dagger Cactus

 Land of Spectacular SunSets










Home of 'Law West of the Pecos',
Judge Roy Bean in Langtry, Texas.
and
The Buffalo Soliders at Fort Davis State Park, Fort Davis, Texas

The Texas Rangers - Law Enforcement


AND.....A QUILT SHOP...
Yep, by now ya'll know this GirlRaisedInTexas can find a Quilt Shop in the most remote places, and the 'Terlingua Quilt Shop' is about as remote as you can get in Texas. It's an Oasis for the Quilt Thirsty Tourista's, and even when the temperature is in Triple Digit HOT, they buy quilts. How do I know this? Been There...Done That.

PS...More about Judge Roy Bean and Texas Art in my First CollectInTexas Gal Post

Hankies Galore-ious...Pink Saturday #6

It's Another Hankie Pink Saturday here at CollectInTexas Gal.

Last Saturday I shared a few Hankies from my collection.

Some as Prized Hankies for framing.
Some used in my Very Victorian Quilt.
And, Some memories that Vintage Hankies bring to mind.

My favorite Hankie Ideas, Thoughts, and Memories came from Your Comments.

~Sarah uses them as bread basket liners and cocktail napkins and has boxes of hankies that belonged to her Mother and Grandmother.
~Jil confessed to having BAGS of vintage hankies, and can't resist buying more.
~My Arts Desire Sue can't bring herself to cut into hers either.
~Beverly has a few hankies that belonged to special people in her life.
~Claudia was inspired to StartANew Collection....of Hankies.
~Peggy openly admitted to being a 'HankieHolic'.
~Lynn's the brave one who has cut and folded...only ones with holes, for pockets and to decorate pillow cases.

There's more ideas and memories if you would like to visit last Saturday's Comments.
Thank-you all for your Hankie Ideas and Comments.

Did you ever see a more beautiful Hankie arrangement for Quilt Blocks than the ones my Friend Ann created in her all Hankie Quilt? Every block is embellished with lace, beads, pearls, embroidery and more. I've selected the ones with Pink to share with you today.



Thank-you Ann for allowing me to Photograph and Share your Beautiful Hankie Quilt with my Pink Saturday Friends.



As promised, this week I've shown several more blocks from my Very Victorian Quilt. Here are three Heart Blocks. Each one is only 4 inches square, but they sure Pack ALotta Love!

I'm going to be a Texas Early MockingBird...Texas State Bird...for this Pink Saturday. Due to my High School 45th Reunion starting Friday, and a Must DisConnect of the Computer for Carpet Guys...I'll be posting on Friday. That will give some of you a head start on Saturday. Hope that works for Ya'll. Notice that I linked the Gals that made Hankie Comments? Please visit one or all of them for my Pink Saturday ShoutOut!

 Thanks to our Hostess Beverly at How Sweet The Sound...be sure to pop in and visit the other Pink Saturday Participants.

And As Always...Thanks for Coming and Commenting!

Hankies~Mostly Blue...Still No BlewN or SewN

Girls Raised In Texas, especially in West Texas, keep a Texas Hankie Handy! Yep, when the Tumble Weeds and the Dirt start Blowin so does the Nose. That's when we reach for a BOX of KLEENEX...NOT Sue's Prize Texas BlueBonnet Hankie.



For that matter, there will be NO NOSE BLOWIN on any of the Collected Hankies. I'm sure that at some time, someone has used them for the purpose they were intended. That'd be...
1) Tucked in a Blouse Pocket
2) Carried in a purse with the edge showing.
3) As a coin holder.
4) As a gift sent with a Birthday Card.
5) Oh, Okay!! For some SnotNosed Kid.


My Grandmother Minnie was NEVER without a Hankie. Now she wasn't a GRITexas, but Girls Raised In Iowa needed hankies, too, and I remember hers having pennies tied up in them, and always one folded in her Bible.
One of the Blue Flowery Hankies was hers and the other one was one she sent to me in a Birthday Card.
The Crocheted Pineapple Doily was made by my Husbands Grandmother.
They have been framed for many years and hang in the Quilt Bedroom for Guests.

Speaking of Quilts....


This PastPinkSaturday I showed how Hankies were used in a Quilt Block, and I promised to show you some more of that quilt. Here, a White Hankie has been folded into a Butterfly, appliqued and quilted. All the fabrics are 1930's Originals or Reproductions. This group of blocks makes up the top center part of the quilt. I'll be showing more on a later post this week. I hope you'll come back for that, and if you missed the Hankies on Pink Saturday, they are just below.

And As Always....Thanks for Coming and Commenting!



PS...Beverly from How Sweet The Sound gave me a 'Big Ole ShoutOut' today!
So, a BIG TEXAS WELCOME to all of You
for making the trip over to Meet Sue...
that'd be ME>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Thanks Beverly!!!!

No Blowin or Sewin on OldHankies...PinkSaturday#5

I Am A Hankie Collector!I Am A Hankie Collector!
I Am A Hankie Collector!
There, I've said it.
What a Relief!
Even if it is an
Obssesive Compulsive Behavior!
Now If I could only make myself
Do Something With Them!

I do have a plan for the 200+ Hankies. For years I've planned to make a quilt like the one pictured in Grandmother's Favorite Quilts by Sandra L. Hatch. The butterfly pattern calls for only 20 of my Prize Hankies folded in half cross ways. I could do that, but which 20, and I hate to fold them and only see half of the hankie. So Scratch that...for now.

Instead of using 20 hankies, I decided I could part with five hankies. They had a few spots and a couple of holes, and it was eaiser to cut and fold them.

I'm sure the former owners did not blow on these too pretty to blow on hankies.

 

This is ONE block in a VeryVictorian wall quilt I made back in the 1990's.  I'll show you the rest at a later date.

The layered hankies line up next to a row of paper pieced Miniature Spools.

 

The right row with the pink background features a favorite hankie with 'Mother' embroidered in the corner and surrounded with vintage crocheted and tatted lace....another OCB Collection.

 

Whew! I'm feeling better with every passing minute and confession.

And now for a 'Pink Hankie Show' and a few Pink Vintage Vases!
There, that's Three OCB Collection Confessions!



There is no way I could cut, fold, sew or quilt on this exquisite Round Rose Hanky! Could You?
So, in my search for
'How To Use Hankies',
I found NanaLuLu's Linen Closet .

There are some wonderful ideas for Vintage Hankies,
and I'm thinking the Round Rose will have to be Framed!

Thanks to Pink Saturday Hostess, Beverly at How Sweet The Sound.

My 'New Blog Shout Out' for this week is Barbara at Purple Goat Lady.
This past week she has featured some amazing Fall TableScape Collections.

Barbara's had some Computer Crisis, and she dealt with them like any GirlRaisedInTexas should...Take a Look!

Have a Positively Perfect Pink Saturday visiting the Participants.

And As Always...Thanks for Coming and Commenting!

October CollectIn & Pumpkin Patchwork

How about a Fall Quilt Block? Yep, it's OCTOBER, and the Crows are FlyIn, the ScareCrows are ScareIn and the PumpkIn's are Everywhere.

One day I found two pumpkin seeds.
I planted one and pulled the weeds.
It sprouted roots and a big long vine.
A pumpkin grew; I called it mine.
The pumpkin was quite round and fat.
(I am really quite proud of that)
But there is something, I'll admit
That has me worried just a bit.
I ate the other seed you see.
Now will it grow inside of me?

Have you made a Block of the Month Quilt?
I always wanted to do a Themed Block of the Month.
So I joined 'The BirdHouse BOM' in September 2005.
It was suppose to be a SIMPLE Birdhouse Block with just the Gourd hanging from the tree branch.
That's it...That's all.
As you can see, OverDoSue, had to add from Collections of:
Fall Novelty Fabrics
Janome Embroidery Bird Card
Janome Applique Stitches
and Hand Quilting
To the October BOM
And of course, again in
November, December and January.
I'll show them in the months to follow.

What about February, March,April, May,
June, July, August, and September?
Oh! They are on my list of 'ToDo's for 2010'.
FIVE years later...It's About Time!

PS...About the SecondSeed...I'm so relieved since I found...that Pumpkin Seeds only grow in the ground.

PPS...October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
Celebrating 25 Years of Awareness, Education and Empowerment.
PPPS...SunBonnet Sue and Overall Sam are on hold...hope it's not another BOM!

Precious Moments and Precious Quilts...Pink Saturday #4

Life is Filled with Precious Moments. We have all experienced them, and this Precious Moments Figurine is a sweet momento of the birth of my
Grandson on 9-09-2009.
'Dedicated to God', #488232 dated 1999 is one of the many collectibles from
Precious Moments Figurines.
I have a few more to show you, but before I do,
I would like to call your attention to the patchwork quilt
beneath this sweet baby figurine.
Made of 2" squares of country floral prints in pinks and blues, it is a small table topper I made in 1999.
An appropriate background for this Precious Moments Figurine.

These two Sweet Pink Precious Moments girls were discovered at an estate sale I've been working this week in San Antonio, Texas.

Overall Sam and SunBonnet Sue have been favorite subjects for baby quilts since the 1930's.

Sam and Sue are depicted performing everyday chores and events.

Sam and Sue in these quilt blocks are gardening.

They are two blocks in a crib quilt with other Sam's and Sue's doing a variety of gardening chores.

I chose these two to share with you on this Pink Saturday of Sam in his Pink Overalls and Sue in her Pink Bonnet.

I hope you will come back for the rest of Sam and Sue's gardening blocks, and the completed Crib Quilt which I will begin posting on Monday.

Thanks to our Pink Saturday Hostess, Beverly at How Sweet The Sound. Please visit this weeks Participants and my
'New Blog ShoutOut' Rosebud Quilting.
Michelle is a LongArm Quilter and has a beautiful selection of fabrics in her ETSY Shop.
My visits To All of You will be delayed a day or two as I'm working in San Antonio, Texas this weekend.
As Always....Thanks for Coming and Commenting.