I’m the wife of Don and mother of Chris. We live in south Louisiana where it’s hot and sticky most of the year. We share our home with furbaby: Molly Mae and Duke the beloved dog.
I love flowers so I’m constantly thinking about re-doing the flower beds to make them more accessible for maintenance. It’s just not as easy getting on ground level to weed, plant, etc. as it used to be.
I’m a hobby photographer. I will travel miles for photo ops. Don drives me and helps me in my shoots.
Our local university has a program for older adults that allows me to take a 3 hour course gratis every semester. I’ve taken Louisiana History, Arboriculture, and multiple Photography classes. I encourage any of you who just happen to be over 60 to see if your local institution of higher learning has a similar program. The dynamic between us older students and the “kids” is wonderful.
Ten years ago I was diagnosed with Diabetes Type 2. Since that time, I’ve had surgery for kidney cancer and lost part of my right kidney. Diabetes and the loss of kidney tissue have led to chronic kidney insufficiency. My most recent health scare involved a ruptured appendix along with acute kidney failure (resolved) as well as borderline sepsis. Add to the kidney element…gout. I haven’t had a gall bladder in many years. I tell you these things because it might help explain why I’ve made certain decisions regarding diet.
My dream is to develop recipes somewhere between keto and regular diet. Gluten isn’t a problem for me. I can easily adjust sweeteners to accomodate my blood sugars. Kidney issues don’t allow me to consume the amount of protein in a true keto diet. High fat diets are no-go for someone without a gallbladder. This rules out a true keto diet (and my nephrologist says no keto). I do use keto recipes often….just not the lifestyle. The recipes I dream about creating will include some degree of traditional flours along with low carb flours. This should be interesting. I’l be calling on dear friend, Beth for assistance!
I hope you’ll stop by from time to time to visit. Your constructive input is always welcome.
Quilting Tizzy 
Renee
/ June 3, 2009Sheryl, I just found your blog. Love it!! I was looking at your older posts and found the one’s where you were cleaning up your house. You could be my twin. LOL I am a clutter-er/collector also. To top it off I married a guy who had a house full too. His stuff is special though because he was in the Air Force for twenty years he has collected stuff from all the world. Never mind I have no idea how to use a camel saddle in our current decor. When he moved in everything went anywhere and has pretty much stayed that way. Although I have been getting rid of stuff i never seem to get any extra space. So my question is, How are you doing now? Things still tidy? I seem to clean up my sewing area and as soon as I do start another 5 projects and it goes to hell again. I guess it is organized chaos because I can never find anything when I clean up. Not sure this is the place to send my comments on an old entry but Just wanted you to know I enjoy your blog.
Renee
Jeri Cross
/ March 17, 2012I just found this BOM, and it is gorgeous! I didn’t read anywhere that you’ll have the patterns that I missed for sale at any time. Will you have them for sale? Or the whole quilt?
Thanks
Carlain
/ June 7, 2009HI Sheryl, I ran across your blog through the Yahoo group. I love your WordPress theme and your blog. I am new to quilting and just bought a HQ frame and need to set up a carriage system with my home machine. Got to start with the small stuff before I can invest in a dream machine. I also work in healthcare as a Cardiovascular Tech and as a traveler. I just finished up a contract in Opelousas, LA and loved the people of LA. Hope you have a moment to check out my traveling blog. I will bookmark yours for future reading. Happy quilting and all the stuff you do!! Carlain
Deb
/ September 5, 2009Hi Sheryl, On your personal web page, among the wonderful older sewing machines, is a cabinet with the 301A you named Delilah. Another one of these cabinets is on eBay for the next 15 hours. It is not in as good condition as yours, but you can see the detail on the front door matches your cabinet. Theirs is home to a Singer Red Eye 66 Treadle. IF they were original with the treadles, they might very well be a pretty rare find. Since you say it was original to the owner of Delilah, the 301A, maybe they used it with a treadle before they went electric, who knows. I just love my 301A! Deb
cottagerswife
/ March 16, 2010Hi, I’m a stalled but hopeful quilter (three on the go, no idea when I might finish any and a fourth bubbling up in my head). Perhaps you will inspire me to get going.
Two boys, a cat, a job and a small home business plus lots of interests keep me pretty busy.
I’m about to start a square foot garden and wondered how your’s turned out? I saw a picture of a giant squash which would seem to indicate success, but was your over-all experience pretty positive? Do you plan to do it again this year? Any particular tips to share, possibly starting with ” I wish I’d known…
Look forward to exploring your archive a bit, but dinner won’t cook itself.
Cheers! Lisa
Gram
/ August 10, 2010Hello to all you special people who are creating beautiful ,eye-catching quilts. I’m finding that I have started using soft chenille for the back of my bed and baby quilts as it is so soft and tactile is important don’t you think?Garden tip: Spring Ambosia for all your plants
5 # garden food, 2 cups bonemeal, l cup epson salts, 1 cup sugar,
4 pulverized banana peels mix all well and spread around plants .
Gratitude is a fruit of great cultivation in all things. Enjoy Gram
Dana Pellerin
/ August 18, 2010Loved parts 10,11,and 12. Wow! what a center to start with. Really anxious to continue. Wish I knew how to send a picture to you but I don’t so I willl have to rely on my friend Irma to come and show me what to do. Thanks again for including us (Krotz Springs) your sister quilters.
DANA PELLERIN
/ May 4, 2012whopee!! I just finished my Garden quilt. It is beautiful just as yours is.Still trying to get a picture to you. Thanks again for this beautiful quilt.
Arlene
/ February 22, 2011Sheryl, I am so glad I found you! You may not remember me but long ago I always joined your swaps. I remember the one that we sent a block and story for your son’s school.
Paula Portanova
/ June 24, 2011Hi Sheryl,
I just joined your blog and also live in southeast La. Destrehan where do you live? maybe we are neighbors. I have a pinnacle frame and a 9 inch babylock machine. I only do quilting for myself just learning.
Marty Askins
/ December 23, 2011Sheryl, I have been away for a while, because of sickness and deaths, is there anyway that you can email me the following files for “Chart Your Course” – Clue #13 through #17 and Border Options #1 & 2
barbj084
/ January 14, 2012I love hearing your stories especially whe you “get mad” Have you joined “The Quilt Show” with Alex and Ricky They have fabulous videos from all the Famous Quilters I just watched Gyleen Fitgerald who does Grandmothers Flower Garden on the machine have alwayswanted to make one but don’t do hand piecing or hand quilting Boy I can’t wait till you get that Long Arm You’ll really have something to talk about How can you stand to wait? Bye Barbara in Tx
Beverly
/ January 16, 2012Hello:
I am an Innova owner and purchased it in May 2011, I have also just purchased the Pantovision and can’t wait to get it. The machine is wonderful and have not had any problems what so ever. I know you will love it as much as I do. Hope to hear how your’e doing after you receive it.
DANA PELLERIN
/ May 4, 2012anxiously awaiting the Christms in July pattern.
gonerustic
/ September 30, 2012I don’t agree about there being nothing exciting to describe about yourself – wife, mother, nurse, pet owner and (last but not least) quilter! There’s a whole world of exciting stuff in there … =D
June
/ April 4, 2013Hi Sheryl, I discovered your wonderful site., I was looking for the Arkansas Snowflake pattern, I found it on your site but the only thing I could get was the Norstrom comerical. Is there a better way to get this pattern. June
Linda Phillip
/ July 11, 2013Sheryl, Just came across your adventures and had fun reading about them. I am most excited about your Grace quilting machine comments. I have an Aluminum Quilting Frame from Grace. You’d love the story on how I acquired it!!
What I am wondering is … your Grace is the wooden type that sits on a table? I loved how you replaced the trace with the 1/4″ conduit!! Brilliant!! Here is what I am wondering, do you think the same type might work in replacing the plastic track that came with mine? You are like me, I am always looking for a better way to do something! And I see that you and Don are on a “first-name basis” with the employees at your local Home Depot too!! LOL!!
You’ll get a kick out of this Home Depot story. I had to get some new scroll saw blades, but they had rearranged the hardware dept. So I asked one of the guys where they had moved them to. He gladly showed me their new location and handed me a package of blades. Unfortunately, I had to correct him in that he handed me Jigsaw blades. He said these will work. Oh I gave him a crash course in proper blades for specific tools. LOL!! What made it even funnier, was one of the old-timers (you know, employees who have actually worked there more than a month), told the guy, “Oh this lady knows her saw blades, so don’t try to tell her she is mistaken”!! The first guy kind of limped away thinking he was going to show up a woman! Not likely buddy!! Me and the “old-timer” just laughed!!
Anyway, look forward to hearing from you and to hear more of your upcoming adventures!!
Cheerfully,
Linda P.
Debbie
/ February 8, 2014I’ve been following you for several years but haven’t heard from you in a very long time. I hope that you are in good health and life is treating you well. I miss your ramblings and your fun projects……Debbie
Sydney Davis
/ February 27, 2014Hi, I have just read all your comments on the grace frame, & totally agree with you sheryl, im in Australia & have had nothing but trouble with them, there tracks don’t last more than 1/2 dz quilts & I only have a small machine, & now they wont even ship to Australia so Im finding it impossible to get tracks, ive only had it a year & I also bought it 2nd hand, so now im close to not having one after spending a fortune , grace companys service is terrible I have to constantly email them just to get a reply, which is barely ever. I don’t understand it , they took everybodys money in the first place. I hope theres a solution somewhere to their useless tracks.
Sydney, Australia
Dana Pellerin
/ April 3, 2014hi Sheryl I was hoping to see a picture of the furbabies,it has been a while since I saw a picture. I haven’t heard from you in a while and was praying you are well . Dana
Melanie Jackson
/ January 19, 2017Dear Sheryl: I am an avid spinner and I was wondering if you sell your Alpaca fleeces. I am looking for a small fleece in white, cream, or lt. gray. I also dye my own fleece/yarn. My etsy shop is http://www.etsy.com/shop/ElusiveUnicorn