Ponderings

A friend of mine just asked me recently, "do you always have a quilt project going?" Hmmm...I had to really think about how to answer that question -- the operative word there being project -- as in just one. OK, you can stop laughing now. The questionee is not a quilter, so I just smiled and nodded.

I still have my quilting "mojo" - YAY! The proverbial "Quilting Bug" has bitten me hard and I have quite a few projects on-going, but alas nothing is yet finished. This time of year presents quite a few challenges for me with quilting -- I live in an old house that still has fuses. Now, do I run the A/C or turn on the iron? I've taken to quilting in the early morning and later in the evening when it's much cooler in the sewing room/sweat shop. Gotta have the iron on!

This morning I decided that I needed something for 4th of July - like, maybe a table topper. I went shopping in my stash and found exactly what I was looking for - woo-hoo! Now, I sketched out this table topper a while ago from somewhere in blog-land, so I don't remember when nor where I snagged it from -- but, I must have been destined to make it because it's just going together so well. Doesn't every patriotic quilt need Homeland Security protecting it? What is it about quilts and animals? - I see them all over Bloggerville - out comes the camera to get a shot, and there is the pet.

I'm still working on my First Quarter project for 30's Club, too. Yeah, I know - we're closing in on the end of the second quarter, but, hey, the Road To California is a long trip! The flower blocks are all done - and 6 out of 24 Road to California blocks are completed. HST's have become a way of life in those stolen minutes.

Lastly, I became the grandmother of a teenager! We celebrated Kylie's 13th birthday last week - oh my, where has that time gone? Now, what to get a teenager for her birthday? We don't

have the same taste in clothing, she already owns everything "Twilight"-related and cash seemed so impersonal. BUT, what teenager wouldn't appreciate a little cold-hard cash. After seeing the Geico commercial on TV, I went to the bank, got a stack of $1's and put googly eyes on it -- Man, did her face light up when she saw that little guy sitting atop the rest of the presents. There was other teenage-stuff in the birthday box, too, but I think that stack of cash was a big hit.

Happy Memorial Day & Seeing Stars

Happy Memorial Day and a special thanks to all of those serving in the Armed Forces that provide that blanket of freedom that we live under.

The Quilting Bug has bitten me hard and I'm so happy that I'm seeing Stars. Let me explain...the other night I was in AC Moore picking up some yarn, and while I was in line waiting, I picked up the new McCalls Quilting Celebrate Your Stash - America Love Scrap Quilts - whew, what a title, eh? Well, as I was flipping through the pages, I came across this quilt that just sung to me. What's not to love, scrappy, red/white/blue, and a sampler of stars --maybe, I can even put a major dent in some of my stash - hey, a girl can dream!!

Since all of the Season Finales are finally over, I decided not to turn on the TV on Thursday night. I took the magazine up to my sewing room and started pulling fabrics. Good-bye clean sewing room - hello new project.

I've been busy. It was like eating potato chips -- one block led to another, and sew on and sew forth. I must have been destined to make this quilt, because everything went together beautifully.

I was on vacation Friday and my morning ritual is usually a cup of coffee and Sudoku - I forwent the Sudoku puzzle and started sewing until the sun came out.

Since this quilt uses 4-patches as fillers, I've been sewing them as my Leaders & Enders.

I'm kind of a computer geek, because I made up an Excel spreadsheet to keep track of the blocks that I made and the many, many that I have left to do. But, I have been enjoying the process and that's all that matters.

I met up with my Quilting Buddies on Saturday for a little quilt retail therapy followed by Afternoon Tea and Show & Tell. What a perfect day. If you look at the reflection in the glass, you can see picture-perfect blue sky and not a cloud in sight. I also fell in love with the planter between Deb and Susan that housed a Diplidina -- I just had to have one and stopped at the garden center to pick one up. As a matter of fact, all three of us got one!



After we left the quilt shop, we made a side trip to Joann Fabrics armed with our coupons and I picked up this cool Art Bin that is now holding my Star blocks together waiting for me to get finished.

Party with Patrick

On Wednesday night, I attended the first Party with Patrick celebration at The Quilter's Hive. It was so much fun. The theme was a bridal shower and many of the participants came with some of the most outrageous bridal veils. They held a judging and had the women parade throughout the store for prizes. My creative juices weren't flowing to come up with a bridal veil, so I just shot pictures.


My name got called in one of the drawings and I won a roll of Steam-a-Seam 2. I was so excited since I've never used it before (I've been a Heat and Bond Lite gal for quite some time), but, I love trying new things.




They also demo'd the monthly project (a May Flowers banner) and my friend Susan and I got sucked in --They cast the line and we were caught, hook, line & sinker. At least it was a kit, which included everything needed to complete it -- even the backing fabric. And, of course we had to have the sunflower hanger, too.

The celebration was complete with dessert and a delicious punch.

It's Been Too Long

Just in case anyone is interested or still reading my blog, I am alive and well. I just didn't have anything going on in my life that was Blog-worthy.

I so happy that Spring is finally here - a time of new beginnings. My Knock-Out rose is just beautiful this year - it was a Mother's Day gift from my Mother 3 years ago - so it's truly the gift that keeps on giving. A robin has built a nest on my front porch and it has 4 baby robins in it. I have enjoyed watching them, but they are the shittingest birds I have even seen. It's a good thing that they are cute because I have to wash down my porch every evening. The addition of these birds does not thrill my "indoor residents" and they spend all of their time looking out the front door barking - which really annoys the Alpha Dog - ME! Here's Toby in the "Sentinel" position next to the front door.

I am finally starting to get my Quilting Mojo back. I'm attending the monthly Demo's at The Quilters Hive, I attended the Lancaster Quilt Show with my two quilting buddies and I've joined a 30's Club. Once a month I go "clubbing" at the quilt shop, which is a great social event - we have a monthly project in 30's fabric and then are treated to dessert and a discount on any purchases. If this just sounds like a lot of retail therapy - you're correct!

I've been visiting a lot of blogs looking for inspiration and lo and behold, I stumbled across http://crazymomquilts.blogspot.com/ blog and she is sponsoring a Quilt-A-Thon. Just one block a day - hey, I can do that. And, the block is the 9-Patch -- my personal favorite. Of course, it wouldn't be me, if I didn't get a late start -- every group needs a slacker - so I fit right in. So, here I was 16 days late, but I just love a deadline. I made an Excel spreadsheet so that I can keep track of what I've done and where I need to be.

On Friday night, I started stripping - hey, now don't go there - stripping fabrics with the rotary cutter!! I've been trying to clean out my sewing room - OK, I'll admit it -- I have too much fabric and in that too much fabric is stuff I never want to see again -- well, maybe if I just take a strip, then I can be done with it. In the clean out, I also came across tons of FQ's that I have know idea of why I bought them, but they are fun and bright and just the ticket to pull me out of my Quilting Funk. Thanks, Amanda Jean.

Once I had a pile of strips, it was grab & sew and it didn't take long for me to catch up. It felt so good to hear my Bernina humming along. I didn't even mind the hopping up and tripping over a dog to press because everything was just falling into place.

I'm happy to report that it's now Day 22 and I have 25 blocks made.

Happy Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day. Yes, I am still alive and well, I just haven't had much to Blog about.

I've decided to put my Mom's house on the market, since I just can bring myself to live there. I can only hope that I am making the right decision, especially with the housing market so depressed. But, I've made a decision and I'm going to stick to it and not look back.

I did make my quilted postcards for a swap on Stashbusters, but I forgot to take a photograph of them before I sent them out. I received two really cute postcards from Nancy and Shirley. I really liked making the postcards and I plan to make more - I'm hooked.

Since stitchery is one of my greatest loves - I'm participating in the Gail Pan BOM and I have the first block completed.

I've also performed a lot of retail therapy over the internet. Isn't it great that you can order fabric while sitting at your computer late at night in you pajamas and a few days later it is delivered right to your door?

What a nice Valentine surprise -- I was invited to my son's house for dinner and he is doing the cooking - it doesn't get any better than that - spending Valentine's Day with the one's that you love!

Happy Birthday, Baby

I really can't believe that 32 years ago I became a mother. My son was born in the blizzard of 1977 and to this day, he is the best thing that I have ever done in my entire life.

I've alway enjoyed the boy that he was and I have never been more proud of the man that he has become.

Happy Birthday, baby -- and I can hear Captain Zoom winging his way to do your birthday greeting.

Love always,

Mom

PROCRASTINATION

Doesn't that sound like the name of a song - just substitute Carly Simon's Anticipation with Procrastination!

Procrastination, Procrastination

Is makin' me late

Is keepin' me waitin'

This should be my theme song and I don't know why I do it nor do I like that I do it. I want to do something, then I get sidetracked doing something else that seemed really important at the time and then I'm off on to something else entirely different.

I'm saying all of this to justify why the chair in my previous post still looks the same - only little Toby has moved off of it because dogs have to eat, go out and sleep. I guess that humans do too, but that's beside the point.

Yes, I'm permitting myself to take those baby steps, but I think I need a good swift kick in the pants to get me moving and motivated.

I've always been intrigued by fabric postcards. I actually got into blogging by doing a Google search on fabric postcards -- I found so many pretty things on those blogs and it spurred me to try it too. So, my first project for 2009 is to try it out. Starting off with something small should be gratifying and keep me motivated to keep on going - don't you agree?

Happy New Year - 2009

Happy New Year to anyone still reading my Blog! I am so glad that 2008 is a memory and let's just leave it at that.

I'm not one for making resolutions because I know that I won't keep them - so why bother? However, I do have a few goals for 2009.

• I want to get back into sewing again and I have a new project all lined up -- A Christmas Sampler quilt - to use up some of the many, many homespuns that I have collected over the years. If I was forced to get rid of any of my stash, I would guard those homespuns and "Kansas Troubles" with my life.


• Stop procrastinating.


• Stop being a TV junkie.


• Go to bed at a decent hour. I have a very disjointed sleep pattern. I end up falling asleep on a very uncomfortable sofa while watching TV, then waking up when the dogs are very vocal about going out for the final time of the night. I don't want to buy a more comfortable sofa, because then I would be sleeping on it every night, but me and two dogs on a sofa that is too short to stretch out on is comical at best. Then, when I do wake up to let the dogs out, I get sucked in to watching bad TV from 2-4 a.m. because I can't get back to sleep. WOW - some of those late night informercials are so bad that I seem to sit there with a WTF look on my face, but I can't stop watching -- kinda like watching a train wreck unfolding before your eyes.

Well, three days into the New Year and I have not accomplished any of the above - so TODAY is the DAY! I don't have any plans, per se and I am in my sewing room (even if I'm only typing this Blog entry) and as soon as I'm done, I'm going to tackle something in this room - even if I have to take Baby Steps to do it. I'm publishing this photo of the chair in my sewing room, which is appalling, and yes, there is a dog (Toby) sleeping atop that mountain of fabric.

So without any further procrastination (see, I'm getting the hang of this) I'm going to get something done. HAPPY 2009!

Candy Canes

Candy canes are one of my favorite candy and now just look at this -- they're good for you, too!.

New studies on peppermint, the key flavoring in traditional candy canes, reveal the herb may do everything from kill germs to treat digestive troubles. Some researchers now advise consumers to eat a tablespoon or more of fresh peppermint, and other green herbs, daily.

Peppermint oil, found in most candy canes, also appears to have health benefits. A recent British Medical Journal study, led by McMaster University researcher Alex Ford, concludes that peppermint oil should be the first line of defense against irritable bowel syndrome, a condition characterized by abdominal pain and irregular bowels that affects between 5 to 20 percent of the population.



Peppermint oil, and other potent essential oils, may even one day be wafted in their vapor form over food to prevent the growth of bacteria.

Belated Merry Christmas

I was half tempted to cancel Christmas this year, but lo and behold, I did get into the spirit of the season when I finally put up my little Christmas tree.

This was my first Christmas without my Mother. Losing her this summer was one of the most devastating events in my life. She suffered for six months with several illnesses, but none of that mattered when the time came. We were not prepared. We wanted the suffering to stop, but we were not ready to let her go.

My Mother was a wonderful woman who enjoyed Christmas more than anyone and we were truly blessed to have her and the traditions that she passed on. I hope that she knows how much we love her and miss her. Life has not been the same with her gone, but it does go on and we are still trying to cope. From now on, every time I listen to Silent Night I will shed a few tears.

I must say that I did have a beautiful Christmas. My son went with me to mass on Christmas morning and that was a gift in itself. He left in the early afternoon to pick up his daughter and open gifts at his house and I took “the boys” with me to the cemetery to deliver the wreaths to my Mother and Father. It was a gorgeous sunny day and the air was crisp - so, after visiting the cemetery, we took a nice walk along the river for some fresh air. The boys enjoyed the walk and it gave me some time to clear my head.

A truly weird thing happened when we returned home. I’ve had the cold that won’t go away for well over a week – so smelling anything has been non-existent, and as I opened the front door, I could smell my mother’s perfume – even the dogs stopped to sniff the air. It just lingered for a few moments and then it was gone – but, I knew that I was meant to enjoy Christmas and she was with us in spirit – or else, I’m losing my mind.

My son and granddaughter returned around 3:30 p.m. and we opened our gifts. They spoiled me. I am now the proud owner of a collection of Jim Shore lighthouses that will replace the Jim Shore Santa’s that now grace my mantle, in addition to a host of other gifts. I was speechless.

Kylie was thrilled with her Wii Fit and told me that she received everything that she asked for for Christmas - how special is that??

After a nice leisurely dinner, where we cooked the potatoes out on the grill,

we played with Kylie’s Electronic Banking Monopoly

and I have never had so much fun nor laughed so hard playing Monopoly. Even the dogs had a chance to be "The Banker".

As the evening wore on, I had two tired pups, a house that resembles "Dog Toys R Us" and the joy of spending Christmas with my family, which isn't something that you can wrap up with pretty paper and sparkling bows.

I hope that you and your family had a wonderful Christmas, too.

Thanksgiving Week

I love Thanksgiving week. I always take this week as vacation and get to spend some quality time with my Granddaughter as her school closes for Parent/Teacher conferences. I always knew that Kylie was one smart cookie, but now she has the proof - Straight A's on her report card - it doesn't get any better than that. She reminds me so much of her father it's not even funny - I don't think that I ever got Straight A's - except maybe in art. Yes, I am one proud grandmother!

After spending the better part of the week with Kylie, I've come to the conclusion that I don't ever want to grow up - it's just too much fun being childlike. Don't they call this Peter Pan Syndrome?

I picked up Kylie on Saturday afternoon for a "Girls Day Out" and we started off at Joann Fabrics for a papercrafting demo. I always hoped to get into scrapbooking, but so far all I've ever done is some retail therapy and amass a lot of stuff that I planned to use one day and never have. Thankfully, I didn't purge it when I was in my "clean it out" mode. Joann's was demo-ing one of those fancy new Cricut machines and as they were setting the bait to reel us in, I thought twice about spending $400 for a machine that I may or may not use -- then there were the cartridges that go along with it. Whoa, this could be an expensive new hobby. Oh, did we ever get caught up in the possibilities of the things that we could make with this machine, but as we browsed the aisles of Joann's, they had a Sizzix Big Kick machine that was hand crank and 40% off both the machine and die-cuts. Now that was more like it. After we left Joann's, we went to lunch and Kylie's head was just swirling with ideas of what we were going to make.

Here's Kylie at work with cranking out all of the designs.

Let me tell you, this was the best money ever spent. I have never had so much fun playing with little pieces of paper and glue and seeing the happy smile on Kylie's face as she was creating her masterpieces. The time spent together laughing, talking and being creative was priceless.

Kylie did take time to dote on "the boys" and they loved every minute of it.

I have a few projects that I've been working on that are quilt related and I hope to get back to them once the papercrafting bug has let up.

This is an embroidered pillow top that just needs a backing.

This is the background for a Country Santa that needs to be appliqued.

and, finally a Christmas tree quilt that needs to be quilted and I'm still playing with the prairie points that will rim the edge.

I'm hoping that posting these half-finished photos of works-in-progress will shame me into finishing them. Do ya think???

Happy Thanksgiving! I am so thankful that I had so much fun spending time with my granddaughter.

Early Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving came early for us this year. My granddaughter is going to be spending Thanksgiving with her mother's family, so we decided that we have so much to be thankful for that we would celebrate early.


I spent most of Saturday cleaning my house - and believe me it sure did need it. I should be charging those dust bunnies rent. The weather was dreadful, so it was a good day to stay inside. I had my "to-do" list and it felt oh so good to cross off all those tasks that I've been putting off. This was also my first attempt at cooking a turkey and I was a little nervous, but since it wasn't officially Thanksgiving we could just call and order from KFC if it didn't turn out. Thankfully, it was as easy as it looked!

The "boys", Toby & Bailey, knew that something was up and were excited that we were having company - or should I say they were planning who would spend the most time with Kylie.

Dinner was so relaxing and enjoyable - no pressure, just good food, good company and good wine. I was on my A-game today and everything was timed perfectly.

You know how people get really sleepy after eating turkey, we'll I have two tired and exhausted pups (yes that photo is really two dogs sleeping together) and now I have the rest of the evening to do whatever. It doesn't get any better than this.

Life Goes On

I'm sure that anyone still reading my blog would think that I would be gushing about the wedding, but that didn't happen. Another curveball in the game we call life. Once again our family has learned that no matter what .... life does go on. These things happen for a reason and you don't dwell on it - you just move on.


Enough doom and gloom and on to happier things.


How about those Phillies - 2008 World Champions!!! My son, granddaughter and I went up to Philadelphia to see the parade - 28 years in the making and it was worth every minute of it. Twice in my lifetime the Philies have won a world championship. I've never seen sooo many people in one place at one time. The closest thing that I can imagine is Times Square on New Year's Eve which I've watched on TV and wondered "are those people nuts to want to be in a crowd like that" -- YES! But, it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience and I'm glad that I got to experience it.


I won't go into how the crowd roared when Chase Utley dropped the F-bomb on "live" TV! Way to go Chase.........


Another piece of good news - I got a new sewing machine - a little 12-pound Janome Gem 760. A great little machine to take to all of those classes that I plan to attend. I'm not having a lot of success with forcing myself to spend time in my sewing room, so maybe if I take a few classes, I'll get my MoJo back. It would probably help, if I took the machine out of the box.....maybe.





My friend, Deb, and I have been sewing Stockings for the Troops and that is easing me back into sewing a little. I'm not setting the world on fire sewing these things, but it is using up a lot of Christmas fabric from my stash.


I've been keeping busy with two houses, too. My mother's house is almost cleaned out and I need to do some rennovations before moving in. I've also been clearing out my own house to downsize before moving. Oh my, the stuff we keep. I do get into these binges of "Use it or lose it", but it is so hard to get rid of your own stuff. Now, I'm looking at stuff to "use it or move it."

I can't believe the Holiday season is almost here and for us it will be bittersweet without Mom, but once again life does go on.