pecasatwo

Baby no more...

2011-09-26T09:20:00.001-07:00

My 'baby' turned 24 on the 24th. We spent the day together up until he went to work (with birthday cake) then the next morning he jumped on a train to go catch the Megabus to go to Omaha, Nebraska to see his GF. If you have not heard about Megabus - do check it out for travel in the east or midwest US. Super Cheap - with free wifi and electrical connections on double decker buses. I'll share Stephen's review when he gets home but hope it turns out to be a good way for weekend getaways when we don't want to drive!

Stephen will be back Thursday morning, I can't wait. Everytime he does something new (like traveling by bus away from me) I find I revert to worrying mother mode. Does that ever end?

Vacation is over - but more excitement coming!

2011-09-26T08:14:00.000-07:00

Vacation was great!! Didn't realize how old my last post was until I signed in this morning. Wish I had some pictures to share - but we were so busy having fun we didn't really snap many pics!

Day one in SFO Mark and I walked from Market Street and Third all the way down to and around the waterfront. Straight through Chinatown, stopped at a little local pub and watched everyone queeing to get into the Sunday performance of Beach Blanket Babylon. Don't know why but on Sunday you have to be over 18 to get in - is it a differnt show than the other nights? hmmm...... no theater for us on this trip -

Lots of water though! We did the catamaran trip up the bay and under the Golden Gate bridge, took the passenger ferry from Oakland to SFO on Day 2 and then did the Emerald Bay paddlewheel boat in South Lake Tahoe and finished up with white water rafting on the middle fork of the American river. It was an awesome day shared with good friends.

The black mustang convertible was perfect - the top was down every day and the weather could not have been netter - we drove over 1200 miles.

Now - above is my review - my husband's varies. He enjoyed the trip also - but would have been happier with less 'driving and scenery' and more water. We did some long drives on dangerous mountain roads (curves at 10 mph) where we didn't see another vehicle for hours in either direction and while I felt in control after a while it did get very tedious and I was so glad when it was over! One road knocked us off schedule we did not get to overnight in Lake Tahoe but stayed about 45 minutes south of the lake and drove in the next day.

While on the paddlewheel boat (I highly recommend to anyone who visits Lake Tahoe) a local was talkign about other points of interest around the lake. Including the old CalNeva resort which at one time Frank sinatra was part owner in and the rat pack used to hang out there. It si on the north end of the lake, just where the road from Truckee comes in. We drove the long way around the lake to find it! It was kinda sad. Obviously the growth has really been at the south end of the lake. The north end is older and more residential than tourist - it's more snow-skiing than water sports. But it was interesting to see. there was some neat architectural elements and decoration that I wish someone whould come in and restore the place but I don't know what would draw the people back in this economy. Outside the showroom, there was a 'walk of fame' with pictures of Frank and other performes who appeared at the CalNeva, it was funny I had seen most of them and my husband didn't know some of them.

Since getting home I have been trying to find more time to relax and doing pretty well at that. Still wishing I had three day weekends....

On the quilting front - I have finished piecing the top for the Crayola challenge. Needed fushia thread for quilting and could not get in 100% cotton, so going to try a blend and see if I have breakage problems or not. I still have to get going on the Scraps to Treasures challenge which is due in 2 weeks!! I have the cutting done - but assembly is pending. If I fall behind I think it's okay - because this is a charity quilt that we decide who to donate to. I am thinking mine will go to NC to be donated to the children's home down there.

This weekend I made the '10 minute table runner' that I bought in a kit from my LQS. No Quilting, no batting and it was faster than 10 minutes. I love it and plan to make many more for gifts for friends and family. Seasonal changes - look out and easy to enlarge to be mantle length too! I'll post a picture next time!

Struggling with holiday gift for co-workers - may have to go get some ideas - and see if I can get started on them soon!

Oh - the excitement to come - so after we go back from SFO I squezzed in a 2 day trip to Florida for work. Had a great time with a co-worker staying ina small town just north of Sebastian. Old style Florida right on A1A. Long walk on the beach, beautiful sunsets and good work too! Then came back to find that I am going to be heading down to Buenos Aires, Argentina and Lima, Peru. Also for work - just 9 days and three of those will be travel days but going with a great team of co-workers and I am really looking forward to it in the middle of October.

Pre-Vacation Update

2011-08-18T09:19:00.000-07:00

Where has the summer gone?

I can hardly believe it's the end of August already. We had so much rain this summer it was a LONG growing season for the grass, but really limited the time we had to just 'enjoy' the weather. It was also record-setting hot in Chicago this year so if it wasn't too wet outside - it was too hot to be out there!

I have planted 3 more Norway Spruce trees at the house and have one more spruce and one more Colorado Blue baby to plant. Hope to get those in the ground before this weekend is over. I have to - because I can't rely on them getting watered while I am on vacation.

Yes, Vacation!! Finally!!! Mark and I booked this trip over a year ago and have been anxiously awaiting the date - August 27 - to leave Chicago and jet to a coast and just relax and be tourists! I'll share more info and hopefully pictures when we get back on Labor day weekend.

Thomas was in for two weeks - wish it had been more. he's a great young man and I am so proud he's mine. He is back at school now and this weekend I also plan to get a box out to him with a few surprises for his new dorm room. Luckily he does not read my blog (does anyone?) so he won't see this!

Stephen is working, his new job is going great he is now on the night shift from 4 to midnight and that suits him better than days. We are both so nocturnal, it's great he can do this and it fits his sleep patterns better. Of course it means I hardly see him, especially with Kim still in town, but she heads back to school on Saturday morning, so hopefully I'll get in a dinner once a week with my son after then.

Quilting - not a lot of activity. I have the RMHC crayola challenge quilt due Oct 31 and the Scraps to Treasure due Oct 7 so I better get cracking. I did get a pattern designed for the RMHC quilt and a nice start on the cutting and stitching - of course that's the one that's due later!! LOL..... When fall kicks in I'll spend more time down there!

I have been crocheting a lot. It allows me to watch TV and still get something accomplished - so I have been working on holiday gifts and a gift for delivery on vacation. No more on that until it's done and delivred, since that person might read my blog.... she is a lurker I think.

That's it for today - Take care - !! Toby

No picture this week

2011-07-01T07:15:00.000-07:00

I looked at my last post - 2 weeks ago - picture below... and I can see the changes in my new little garden patch easily. The rose bushes have filled in so I guess they are happy. We've had several windy rain storms so they have shed their petals but lots of new creamy blooms are on them now. Last weekend I covered the area with landscape fabric and spread 4 bags of mulch over top - I also planted 6 heather plants at the front edge nearest the yard and put the ledgestone blocks in front of them. The hose has been compromise keeping the pool filled - so they have been left on their own. Today in Chicagoland we are expecting record breaking heat, so I think when I get home I better disconnect the hose and give this bed and my container pots on the front steps a good soaking. I am considering getting a drip hose and putting it under the mulch all across the front of the house when it is finally done - that would be good for all of the new plantings - maybe next year.

I have been helping a co-worker friend with identifying plants and trees for his 'new to him' house so it has been fun and he has also gotten enthused about these knock out rose bushes. He got some pink and says he also found a double deep red - I may have to go today and look at those! Deep red would be lovely with my cream...

So this weekend is the fourth of July long weekend I am looking forward to some relaxation, how about you? Tonight I hope to hang my big flag on the front of my house. I used to have it up most of the year, but once it comes down it's hard to get back up - so this would be the first time this year. I like it, so I will try my best to get it done.

I am scheduled to pick up my car today from the repair shop. It was discovered after they opened her up that another part in the radiator got cracked and that part alone was another $1531 !!! Amazing what what little knock in the driveway can do! This week I have been driving a bright blue Ford Focus - it's okay - a speedy little car - I can sneak it up to 80 on the highway and not feel any shake or strain. Don't think I'd want one full time, it's not as spacious or luxurious as I like, but it's fine for free!!

Hope you have a safe and happy holiday weekend - or just a regular weekend if you are not in the US of A.

New garden spot

2011-06-14T09:03:00.000-07:00

This is a picture of a new garden spot on the front of my house. I had to wait until we had the concrete work done to our steps and since we did not change the configuration of the steps, our paver sidewalk remained intact and I was able to start on this new bed. This is at the corner of the driveway and the sidewalk, you can see the retaining block just put in and the damaged corner of my car (oops!) so that let's you know the orientation. Oh - This is North Facing. Also - this sidewalk is about 90 feet from the road so the plants will be at quite a dstance from pollution etc. I will by continuing with the retaining block all along the sidewalk as my intention is to extend the bed all the way across the front of the house - encompassing the giant Colorado Blue Spruce that is smack in the middle of the hous and then the new Norway Spruce we planted at the western corner last fall. More pics of that area to come....

So these are three knock out rose bushes in the color called sunshine - which I liked the name also - with red wave petunias so I should get some spread on those this year and a groundcover blue juniper that will spread to 1' high and about 8' wide. I anticipate pruning that to fit the corner. The master plan is to find some incredible large flat outcropping rocks in a cream and grey shade to place along the front edge of the bed - proving focal points - and have perennials and evergreens like the blue juniper creep over the rocks or growing between the slabs. A lot of the back side of the bed will just be rock and mulch as we have very difficult spruce roots in that area. We do have two raised planting beds along the front of the house so we have a soft foundation line. More on that later.....

So what do you think of my new roses?

The COF class in Basket Making

2011-06-13T14:22:00.000-07:00

So I wanted to share this also - this is a basket I made after getting home from the retreat. At the retreat one of the classes was making rope baskets. You use 7/32 inch cotton rope, wrap it in folded 1 inch strips of fabric and sew it all together zigzagging each row. The one I made at class was smaller and looks like golden straw. It sits next to me in the LR where I read and sometimes stitch. This one is quite large - about 13 inches long and 9 inches deep - so it's great for holding mail, books, would be great in a bathroom for rolled facecloths, or toiletries. The end of the 'rope' is twisted into a four leaf clover shape on the front of the basket. That was the hardest part!!

Please excuse the photo colors - the blues are lighter and the cream is a pale cream - all batiks again!

Mug Block for a Friend of COF

2011-06-13T14:11:00.000-07:00

So... finally I am back here again...life has been so busy I can hardly believe it has been over a month since my birthday and like 6 weeks since the retreat ended. I think I told you all about the wonderful potter from NC who did a demo and talk for us? I brought home a lovely vase he created? well - it was suggested we might make him a quilt as a thank you for his time and attendance - and so I have finished mine and will be mailing it off today. It is batik on batik, my favorite blues in the background and I love the new Perle thread that is ombre in shades of sapphire. The mug I rec'd at the retreat is creamy white so I thought this appropriate. The finished quilt will have probably 80 of these blocks on it! is that cool or what?

On another note spring has finally come to Illinois and I am busy in the garden - more pictures soon!

Oh - also more shopping at the LQS this past week - after a stressful week at work and the car accident and everything else I splurged a bit on medicinal fabric. Batiks and CWR and a new CWR pattern that I love..... oh my! life is so good when you have new fabric.... going to make some more rope bowls soon!

COF

2011-05-24T15:26:00.000-07:00

So I was just bouncing around some new COF friends blogspots and was thrilled to see some people update so frequently -others like me - not so much! oh well. It seems I was so geared up for so long to get to the retreat in Charlotte and then it came and went so quickly! I don't have many pics to share with you because after I arrived and turned on the newly charged camera it displayed a 'this card cannot be used' message. Something with formatting the memory card or something - anyway - lots of pictures elsewhere on the web. Here is however a picture of something I made BEFORE the retreat.

This is just a portion of the 102 yo-yo pins I made for the retreat attendees. (Scattered on my desk at work, see my diet coke cup in the background? smile) I wanted to do the best job I could to meet everyone - so I decided making something for each person was the way to go. So MONTHS before the retreat I started pulling fabrics (and buying fabrics) and making yo-yos. (Yes 204 of them and I had 2 yos left over so thats 206 yo-yos I made!) Each pin has two yo-yo's sewn on top of each other and held in place with a vintage button. No two pins are alike. The buttons came from a tin I inherited from a neighbor of my aunt in Florida in 1994. The original owner of the tin used to have a fabric shop in the NE with a sister dating back to the early 1900's. So many of the buttons were actually cards of stock samples and it was easy to pick out the deco and hand carved beauties! Unfortunately a lot fo them were bakelite and just didn't survive the passing of time but way down in the bottom of the tin I found a metal dog registration tag from the city of New York stamped 1903!! Cool eh??? So I made all these by hand then stitched brooch bask on the backside (by hand) and bagged and tagged them. We had about 80 attendees plus some guests, so I have very few of these left - it was a lot of fun, but I'm not sure what I can possibly do next year to surpass this.

More retreat news soon.

Pick yourself up...Dust yourself off......

2011-04-14T09:25:00.000-07:00

Great old song, and it's what I'm humming as I realize how far I have fallen down on updating my blog. I have been planning to come back for a long time, but was thinking too much on what I wanted to post instead of just doing it.

What I really wanted to post was the picture of the CWR (Civil War Reproduction) quilt I got back from custom quilting in January. But it's a gift for a loved one, and I didn't want to risk spoiling the surprise! So, I didn't post. Well - that's unacceptable - so here I am. Still not showing that quilt - but with other news.

First off - I can barely contain my excitement after almost a year of waiting I will be going to my first quilt retreat in less than 2 weeks!! I have lots to do still and am tracking tasks and packing on a spreadsheet to try to defray some of the anxiety. I am road tripping to Charlotte North Carolina and will be gone from home for almost two weeks! wow......I will miss my men, but it will be a good miss and I know I will be so happy to come home to them!

The other news is that we met last night with a landscape designer who is going to draw plans for our front yard and our back terrace. It will be a 3-4 week adventure as we share ideas and desires back and forth. This came from needing to have our front porch and stairs replaced. The 55 year old concrete had just broken down and it has to go. We could just hire a concrete guy and tell him to replace it - but I hate the way it is now - want to re-orient and enlarge the porch and the steps and the best way to visualize what it's going to be is with a plan. We will get the hardscape work done probably in late May early June and then slowly incorporate the planting changes as we can budget it. Just in case you don't remember how ugly the front of my house is - here's a picture of it. I'll be sure to post more before, during and after as we proceed with this project. Now I guess I need to go buy Lottery tickets and hope I win so I can do all this!!

More later - Toby

Snow Time in Chicago!

2011-02-04T08:44:00.001-08:00

Well - as most of the world knows - we got hit with a big storm this week. Today is my first day back at work and the drive was incredible - almost double the time as usual as there was a lot of trucks on the road still removing snow from where it had been plowed on Wednesday and Thursday. On Route 53 right at the busiest interchange near Woodfield Mall there were two lanes completely filled with snow. I understand it's hard to have anywhere to push it when your on a highway overpass, but couldn't the trucks come and do their clean up and haul away at night instead of during rush hour?

I tried to drive to work yesterday and it took about 40 minutes to go 2 miles - and that was with limited time stuck in a snow pile as I tried to turn a corner. Thank you to all the people in 6 lanes of traffic who realized I had a problem that could only be resolved by backing across all of their lanes and turning back to go home. Also thanks to the man who was in the intersection facing out next to me when I got stuck for clearing out fast before my car could skid and potentially hit him. He left with a smile of understanding instead of fist shaking/cursing which is what a lot of people do in bad traffic!

I guess that's one of the joys of living in a small town. You have to be nice - because you are bound to run in to that person again somewhere!

So while I was at home what did I do... well I did work on line - the company closed our offices on Wednesday but all of us who could do so worked from home. I phoned in to conference calls and checked emails - reviewed documents - whatever I could do. As a global company we had to think about all our co-workers around the world who were still up and running and potentially needed us.

I also got in plenty of couch time in the evenings - not having to drive 2 hours each day allowed me to make dinner for the family and get in some extra sewing and crocheting time. I started the binding on the CWR quilt last night and after three hours am halfway done! It is teh largest quilt I have ever made because of the extra length to do the pillow wrap. I am excited to send it to my brother eventually! Will include pictures here in my next posting.

I am also finally assembling the blocks for my new BR quilt. I finished all the blocks on the weekend (64 blocks) and am now joining the rows. It's a challenge and I do have to pay attention - I guess this is where a design wall would really help - Then I could just arrange them on the wall and then pull them down in order to stitch together. Maybe a birthday idea? Hmmmm I'll have to think on it....

I have a lot of art that is sentimental to me. Prints collected in travels many decades ago that have been framed and hung in different homes. Right now my walls are mostly bare. After repainting the LR Dining room Entry last year we have not hung anything, and my new walls in the Sewing room had just one batik print and a bulletin board hanging until this weekend when I finally chansed down the special big hooks I bought and figured out how to hang my thread racks. I love where they are - out of the way of fabric hitting them as I sew and yet within easy reach when I stand up. I am loving the new desk also - as sona s it warms up we will get rid of the one mattres on the daybed and move the daybed to the garage and get more organized. But for now I can work in what mess is left......

only 11 more weeks until I leave for the Quilt Retreat!!

A new year has begun

2011-01-05T21:44:00.001-08:00

It was great to be away from work for more than 2 weeks - I realized that's the longest break Ive had in almost 6 years! and that was only while I was between jobs! I am back to work already, but thankfully this is a short week since we had Monday off. I can feel the difference in my stress levels, it's like the looming deadline of year end is gone and we have an almost clean slate for the new year.

Work is quiet - you can get things done which is welcome and tomorrow is our Thursday Stitch n B--ch lunch hour and even though a few people will be out - I have already been advised by one new avid crocheter that she will be there tomorrow. I have been ordered to bring in what I did over Christmas break to show.

So what did I do... well I worked almost 11 skeins into a new afghan and am about halfway through a baby blanket. Last night I worked on some crochet flowers but now have switched to yo yo flowers which I think are a lot more fun! I made up a half dozen in assorted fabrics tonight and tomorrow we will be looking at them and I have to decide to go ahead or change it up again!! These are really cute with a vintage button stitched in the center . I think I am committed so this weekend I will have to dive into the garage to get to the big antique button box I inherited about 20 years ago. That is a treasure trove!

I am also busy thinking ahead to the quilt retreat I am going to in April. After driving down for Christmas I didn't think I would want to do it again but it is easier to take my sewing machine etc by driving and if it works out I will be picking up a friend in Ky on the way down and bring her back so I will company for much of the way! We might also room together too which should be fun. Other than DH I can't remember the last time I shared a room with a friend! Taking my car will also allow me to get over to see the family or do other shopping there is some great shopping in Charlotte and I did not have nearly enough time in December!

well That's about it - I just wanted to drop in before the new year got too far underway. I;

'll post some projects soon. I promise...

Merry Christmas to All !!

2010-12-24T14:46:00.000-08:00

It's Christmas Eve and I am tucked warmly into my sister in law's home ... my eldest niece has just left for church services with her boyfriend and his family, my DH and his mom have just left to go pick up the younger niece from a friend's house. Adding the teens back in to the house this evening will bring more holiday excitement aka noise into the house - which is so wonderful! Christmas is more funs with kids and of course my house is usually just boys so this year with my niece's will be special!

We have shopped and shopped and not because it is the season for spending but because we have searched out what we hope will make our loved ones most happy. I can't wait to see people's faces tomorrow morning. Tonight we will have an incredible dinner prepared by my SIL and then open just one gift before bed. Tomorrow will be presents and more food and family and fun.

#1 niece and I did a run to Hobby Lobby and picked up fabric and tools for her sewing machine that I sent down last year when they moved. The old Kenmore is probably from the 60's - but solid metal - no computers on board and is one of those machines that will never die! So later we will have the walk through of care and maintenance and sewing lessons. We picked out some really cool fabric and I think she wants to make a tote for me, but I got more of it and am going to make a quilt for her. She will be surprised.

#2 niece is interested 'maybe' in crocheting, so I have picked up a learning kit with hooks and some great purple yarn for her to try and see if she likes it. If not that's okay, she likes crafting so sooner or later something will 'stick'.

It's been a great trip -although I dread the long drive home. I drove right by MaryJo's fabrics in Gastonia and will probably go right by it on the way out also - only because I know in April I will be back with a gaggle of girls from the retreat and we will be going to MaryJo's at that time.

Well - signing of now - going to call my baby who is home alone this holiday - well he's with Merlin but mostly alone - and make sure he got his pizzas from Lou Malnati's and is safely home for the night. This is the first Christmas apart for us and although my brain tells me it's a natural part of letting them grow up and be independent.... my heart still misses him.

Happy holidays, Merry Christmas, give thanks and love - Toby

Another quilt done and gone...

2010-12-10T15:15:00.000-08:00

This is the twin sized quilt I made and sent to a friend in NC that was celebrating her big 5-0 birthday with a quilt donation. She challenged her BB friends to donate a quilt hoping to get 50 (the same as her age to be) which would then be donated to an orphanage in North Carolina.

This is actually made from a charm pack (5" squares - one from each print of a collection) and a lovely background fabric in a soft white with blue swirls. Much better in person than as seen here. Anyway - I bought the charm pack and the background on our trip to Texas almost 2 years ago. The pattern was something I just made up as I went along and resulted in staggered framed boxes of the focal fabrics set vertically with sashing. More of the strips are in the border surrounding the center. I really enjoyed making it and hope some young person will love it also!

I have been home just a week from a busines strip to Calgary AB where I did some Christmas shopping, and some crafting on some small needlework I brought from home. It was very cold and the ground was snowladen, so we stayed in a lot! This trip we decided to stay in a downtown B&B (at a fraction of the cost of a hotel) and it was really nice. We met several people at breakfast and then saw them each day of the stay and it was like visting with friends for that hour every morning! I think we'll look at doing this again when it makes sense.

I am just one week from going on vacation for the year end and cannot wait. It's been a very busy fall and there's still so much to get done... I am looking forward to the long quiet drive...okay maybe not so quiet I am going to have Mark make us a USB stick of sing a long christmas carols... and I am excited to see the girls (my nieces) and shop with them and cook with them and just enjoy being with the family. I will miss my own family but maybe next year we can be with them somewhere.

That's it for today - I'll try to get back soon with more quilt pictures!!

The wall to be

2010-10-04T19:46:00.001-07:00

Well - darn if Blogger doesn't want to upload another picture - let me try another post!!!

This is the wall I started building this past weekend - you can see from halfway back the driveway (yes my front yard is about 100 feet deep (and the back is twice as long!!)

You can see here how it curves from the driveway in then out around the giant old blue spruce then in then out to go around a new to be planted Norway Spruce and then it will sweep back up to the house. I still need to get the back border of the wall in, and the top layer of brick on the right - and then I am also replacing the gray block that is in the raised bed on the other side of the sidewalk. This new block matches our paver sidewalk and will bring more color to the front of the house. It will be planted with evergreens, and red barberry rockets and crimson barberry shrubs (to be moved in the spring) and hostas and purple and red and yellow perennials. Also little butterfly corner....

This weekend Stephen and Tony amended my garden area to plant my 2 blue berries and two blackberries - hoping for some fruit next summer. That's in the back yard!! Our neighbor had to have his big shady honey locust taken down last week -so now I will get more sun in my back yard. Love the sun but I will miss his beautiful tree.

Finally getting my groove back.....

2010-10-04T19:32:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I blogged - but life has just been whizzing right on bye!! Let's back up - trip to DC in August for work - then home for two weeks and back on the road for some R&R in Seattle with Fred and Family - made some new friends, met lots of new people at a great party in the city and celebrated labor day (or the lack thereof) with some new and old friends. Then up to Vancouver for two days of work, then home again and back to work! whew - I need vacation from my vacation! Stephen stayed home and cared for Merlin all was well. He is busy with school and just enjoying it so much more this year!

I signed up for the COF quilt retreat next April in Charlotte NC so I am already working on a round robin challenge (which I cannot share with you until it's over!) and I had a queen quilt - Daisies for Kristen - which I just popped in the mail today to Kristen in TN. Kristen is Mormon and has been on her mission rip the past two years - she comes home this week and her mom is my BFF from UT Brenda. SO when Brenda started re-doing Kristen's room for her arrival I was solicited and quickly jumped on board to make Kristen's new room daisy-licious! Shown above - the colors are much brighter than it shows - weird light early in the morning!

I have been really fighting the asthma this year - all year and realized two weeks ago that I needed more help. So back to my favorite pulmonologist I went and after a week on Prednisone and two other steroids I can breathe again - and I can be active again - and I felt like superwoman last weekend - so of course I got in over my head and ordered two skids of landscape block to be delivered so I could re-scape the front of the house! Well - now the block is here and my dosage is lower and not quite as SuperMom but I went at it for 6 hours on Saturday - digging, trenching, graveling, leveling and laid in a whole skid and boy am I sore!! I am not even half way done but all of the bottom layer is in and so fdar I am very happy with what I think it will look like. Making a lot of work for myself for the spring - but what the heck it was time for a big change and Mark still won't let me demolish the front porch....hmmmmmmm

Getting back into it!

2010-08-18T10:12:00.000-07:00

So - when last I wrote I was trying to get back to sewing... well I still have trouble tearing myself away from the big screen TV each night - having shows on the DVR makes it so easy to watch back to back episodes of may favorites and before I know it the night is gone!

Anyway - I have started on my nine patches - and the first batch of 17 sewn late one night had some serious measurement problems and ripping out nine-patches is a horrible waste of time for 1/8 inch overall shortage - so I have just cut new strips and am paying more attention to those seam allowances and making sure they are truly 'scant'. I got a set of 17 more cut last night and pressed and if I do a little every night I will make the deadline - no problem. I may slow down a bit when I get to the ones cut from FQs but once I do the math and have a cutting plan I think it'll be okay. The shorties - I can use in some other project of my own or maybe in a pieced backing.

Did I tell you I signed up to go to a quilt retreat? Well I did!!!! I am so excited. Next year, spring, Charlotte NC, 100 quilters that I have been sharing with on the HGTV BBS for more years than I can recall. I am also in a Round Robin with a group of them which is kind of a cool thing - here's how that works.

We are each in a group of 5-6 quilters that signed up, we each make a center block of our choice, pieced, applique, crazy, whatever. We send to the next person and they add a border on all sides that must be pieced, appliqued, or whatever and they send it on. We have a long time between mailings which is an advantage for me. At the end - when we finish the last round we send it to one person who is going to take them all to the retreat and there will be a show and tell and delivery at the retreat. So we live in anticipation of what the finished piece will be. The center block can be no more than 9.5 inches and each border no more than 5.5 inches - so it will finish wall hanging size but one could always add extra borders and make it a throw or larger. I think it will be great fun. Once I get my center block done. I am torn on what to do - I started a Cross Sticth that I was going to put borders on - but now I am afraid I may not finish it on time. Forgot that I had not done cross sticth in 20 years and this one has like 5 shades of gold in it! I do have a back-up block in case I don't get it done!

We also have small groups for the retreat overall and mine is a combo of old and new friends so I am really looking forward to growing relationships over the next 9 months and then meeting in Charlotte.

This past week Mark and I got our reservations made for Labor day also! We will be in Seattle from Friday night until Wed and then up to Vancouver for me to work for 2 days and Mark to sightsee. Should be fun - can't wait to see the family. Stephen is starting school again on Monday, so he will be home with Merlin, enjoying the single life again! We always come home from being away and they are like best buds, which is nice to see. The rest of the time Mark and I dote on the dog so much I think he neglects Stephen. Are we giving that dumb dog too much credit? He is awfully dumb - though we love him to pieces!!

Here's my baby - when he was a baby......now he's 6 and has gray coming in around the muzzle...
He went to the vet last week for his annual visist and he is down 3 pounds. Not a lot to you and me, but it's 10% of his body weight, so we need to get a couple back on him. He should be around 34 pounds. Small enough to snuggle and big enough to be a 'real dog'. I think the weight loss is from restricting his human food.... we also put him back on Omega-3's for a shiny coat and allergy protection.

That's all for now - Toby

Where has my quilting gone?

2010-07-30T11:38:00.001-07:00

I have been asking myself that same question for a while now. Other than alterations to Caroline's dress I haven't been near the machine in too long. I did sew some binding down last week - on a runner I made over 7 months ago!! so - something is wrong!!

I decided one sure fire way to kick start myslef againwas to goget some more fabric - so I signed up for a 9 patch exchange on line and it is in Civil War Reproduction fabrics (which I do NOT own) so off I went last night. Fortunately we have a quilt shop near me that I know specializes in these fabrics so I went down after work and spent a good two hours stroking and matching fabrics. I walked out a whole lot lighter in the wallet but I love the fabrics I chose and I got most of it on sale. I also hit the FQ sale and so I got some variety for the future also. Now I am excited to get my 9 patches done and mailed in - though the swap doesn't complete until Sept. I will use this as a way to get back into my room!

I actually had started clearing the room to prepare it for Stephen but we have decided to see how he does his first semester back at school and if he gets good grades he will move down then - so I get to keep my room for 4 more months. I don't mind giving it to him, I hope it is part of his motivation to do well. I'll have lots of time to sew in it after he graduates and gets a job and leaves for his new life in 3 more years! (fingers crossed!)

So it is in a bit of upheaval right now and I hope to spend some time down there this weekend fixing it back up so I can use it!

Fallen off ?

2010-07-30T11:17:00.000-07:00

Well - I fell off the blog for a bit - so the last day of vacation - nothing really spectacular -

We headed out early from Mineral Point, going north til we could catch the road east that would take us to "Little Norway' . Mark and I are big fans of the old Columbian Exposition held in Chicago in 1893 so this was a must see. Little Norway is a property just SW of Madison (still part of the drift) anyway this area was setttled by Norwegian immigrants. For the exposition (previosuly mentioned) Norway had a rendition of a traditional StaveKirche (church) built in Norway then dis-assembled and shipped to chicago and re-assembled. This was the Norway display at the exposition. After the exposition the Stavekirche was sold at auction to a Norwegian man who had it moved to a vacation property near Geneva WI. This property was later sold to WIlliam Wrigley (gum anyone?) There it stayed until the mid 1930's when Bill decided to sell it to a Norwegian friend of his who once again had it dismantled and moved to the farm (it's present location). The farm had originally been settled by a young couple who lived in a dug-out (literally a small room dug into the wall of a hill) for several years. When their second daughter was born they built a small cabin outside the dugout and had yet another daughter (or was it 2?) anyway - today there are little buildings dating back to the turn of the previous century ringing a lovely green space. So the Stavekirche moved there and the buildings were restored and inhabited by family and used as a summer getaway place for over 70 years. Today the property is still in family hands and is open to the public. It houses the largest collection of Norwegian artifacts held by an individual and is a wonderful example of how the Norwegians settled and lived. You can picnic at the park and there is a small gift shop. Tours are given by local girls in traditional garb and they are very informative - highly recommend.

Well it rained on us while we finished our tour of Little Norway, so by heading south we could drive out of the rain. Several rolling hillsides later we arrived in New Glarus. This town was settled by immigrants from Switzerland. We arrived in time for lunch and queued up at the traditional Swiss New Glarus Hotel for a yummy soup and sandwich combo. But first........ as we pulled into town we espied a resale shop on a major corner and there on the front step was a fine set of kissing dutch children lawn ornaments. Mark has always wanted a set, so after parking and despite my grumbling tummy we went there first and purchased the set. They have their original paint job which includes tulips in assorted colors and were just wonderful. They also weigh a ton being made out of cast concrete, so we had lunch then drove back around the block, and lovingly secured them in several blankets in the trunk. I'll have to post a picture. They are pretty darn cute.

Well that was the end of our sightseeing, we had a deadline to get home so we set off crossing into Illinois near Rockford and then caught the highway (and heavy traffic) back to Roselle. The kissers are in the front of the house under our big spruce tree. Far from the road so they won't go 'missing' and close enough that I can see them and smile every day. Mark wants to now plant and build a whole vignette around them - more on that later!!

Day two of the Long Weekend

2010-07-16T13:37:00.000-07:00

SO... Sunday was our second day in SW WI and we spent a bit of it sleeping in and almost missed breakfast in the hotel lobby - but we made it in time for me to have a nice belgian waffle and Mark is on a new healthy kick so he had a bagel and a piece of fruit. It's really good to see that he is learning how to eat fruit and manage his diabetes, for the last 12 years that we've been together I rarely saw him eat fruit and he always blamed the 'natural' sugars. So this is good!!!

After breakfast we headed North about 15 miles, drove through the nice little town of Dodgeville and up to The House on the Rock. This is an attraction that you pay to walk through and see all the stuff a man collected in his life. It's kind of a weird story but this son of well to do parents in Madison used to go picnic on this big rock that was in the middle of a farmer's field. One day the farmer caught him out there and instead of throwing him out, took $10 and let him stay. Years go by, the farmer decides to sell, the man buys the farm, and begins building on top of the rock. People come out to picnic, or people see construction going on and they want to go see inside, so he charged them 50 cents. The more he made on admission he realized he could finance himself and his vision so the more he spent, built, bought - including the two neighboring farms so he had space to house his staff of engineers, caretakers etc. He was into animatronics and calliopes and he has whole rooms dedicated to animated music of different themes.

It took a few hours to go through and you just get to a certain point and realize it's kinda freaky weird. Why would a grown man collect dolls and then have a whole multi level carousel built with them on display? and he has mannequins with wooden wings flying overhead in the main carousel room? and rooms and rooms of doll houses? There are some interesting collections and interesting 'made' things but there's a little sign along the way that says the collection was valued at 4.8 million dollars (it's an old sign so mark that amount up for inflation!) and you have to wonder what kind of person does this? Think how many people could be fed, clothed, etc with that money. Oh well, we paid to see it, so what does that mean? LOL.... We mostly went because Mark had gone when he was a kid and it's fun to see how your perspective changes with age (and wisdom!) so we had to do it!!

We headed back to the hotel and hung out in the pool and hot tub (mostly) and met some local people who gave us the info on dining choices in the area. (no cuisine - just good old eatin') but also pointed us towards New Glarus - more on that location on my next post!!

So we ate, and wanted to see fireworks but didn't trust the weather. We drove back to Mineral Point, had some incredible ice cream (double dips in a sugar cone!!) at the Atomic Ice Cream store on the main drag and then headed back to hotel. Sure enough right when the fireworks should have started the heavens opened up and it rained like crazy!!! We decided missing fireworks was fine this year and we lounged until it was time to go to sleep again - rest needed for Day Three of the weekend!

The Long Weekend in WI

2010-07-15T08:14:00.001-07:00

This is my friend Brenda's husband Dean. Dean was NOT in SW WI with us. But I did think about him and Brenda an awful lot as Mark and I headed off on Saturday for SW WI. I was thinking about Brenda and Dean first because they came up from Eastern TN to see us a few weeks ago. Really they came up for an Eagles Concert at Soldier Field so it was a quick trip but the bonus was they got some visiting in with us too! Anyway - Brenda is just a road trip crazy girl! We did lots of them when we were buddies in University together (UT Knoxville). She has done the concert in Chicago trip several times over the last 10 years (since we got the house) and it's always an adventure for her and her passengers and I always love seeing her. I thought it was only natural that as we started our road trip I be thinking about my road tripping friends!!

So we started out a little later than I had hoped in the afternoon but our only deadline was to be in Mineral Point WI by 8 pm as we had tickets for theatre.

We started across Illinois on I-90 to Rockford but then headed north up to Jaynesville, WI (home of Jaynesville Flyers - wooden wagons) and decided from there on we would take back roads. It helped the decision that we were warned at a friendly roadside stop about the zero tolerance of local law enforcement for speeders, especially speeders with out of state plates! So we caromed around and across rolling hill sides and saw some beautiful farms!

I also saw some quilt barns on the way! I was surprised because I knew they were popular in Ohio but I guess the word has spread across the midwest. I remember being young and driving south through PA and seeing the PA Dutch symbols on homes and barns but this was my first quilt barn experience. It was pretty cool and no - we didn't stop for pictures!!

Why SW WI? Good question. Not just the proximity to us but also this is a very different landscape than most of the midwest. Many years befor emy time (believe it or not) as the glaciers headed south the scraped the midwest flat. For some reson they drifted over the SW corner of what is now WI and the land was left with rolling hills and lots of abandoned rocks (think HUGE boulders) from the glacial movement. This area is referred to as the 'driftless' . Well, in those rocks there were minerals!! So when the minerals were discovered (early 1800's) settlers flocked from EU and the East coast. Many of the miners were from the Cornwall area of England, andthey constructed the town of Mineral Point in their traditional style using the local rock . By the mid-1830's the minerals were playing out and news of the CA gold Rush came and the miners left Mineral Point in droves. One day saw 60 families leave town all at once!

Time goes on like it always does, and eventually some preservationists saw the beauty and history of this area and decided to restore what could be saved. The town has evolved into an artistic center. So now there are historic homes you can tour, art galleries to browse where you can meet and see the artists in action and there is also a nice local theatre group. It is outdoor theater in the woods, with interesting original productions, very talented players and musicians. We saw a play called "You Have No Idea"and enjoyed it very much. If you are interested in more info on the theatre group visit www.shakeragalley.com

More tomorrow!!

The dangers of editors!

2010-07-15T08:10:00.000-07:00

I composed a lovely entry on the blog last week and meant it to kick off a series of postings about all the wonderful places and things we did in SW Wisconsin (WI) over the holiday weekend. Then I went to find a picture to put on my entry and while I was in editor I noticed a spelling error and when I fixed it, I got an error message and when I hit my back button I lost the entire posting!!
I was so upset I just logged out and never started the series - but now I am back and ready to tell you about some interesting things to see in SW WI - just in case you're ever in the neighborhood!

GO, GO Giveaway!!!

2010-07-14T10:43:00.001-07:00

Giveaway!!

I just found this link and am sure you will want to go visit it also - for the chance to win an Accuquilt GO!

I have been seeing dramatic progress being made by users of the GO cutters - and am hoping that having one will help keep me closer to all the inspiration I am constantly subjected to!

Anything that helps speed the cutting process equals more quilts to be made! It's a win and it's FUN!!!

Join the Accuquilt group on Facebook or go to www.spunsugarquilt.com for your chance to win!!

13 years to corrupt him!

2010-06-30T11:06:00.000-07:00

Well it has finally happened my husband has brought home something from the neighbor's garbage! LOL..... I never thought I would see the day. I drive by on garbage day and my head spins to make sure there's nothing good out there, but Mark has always been against curb-sailing.

I remember back in 2000 we had just moved into the house and we drove down the street and a neighbor was discarding two lovely white wrought iron chairs for the yard. I oohed and awed and Mark refused to stop. We came back a couple of hours later and they had 'moved' to the side yard of another neighbor whose husband is an attorney and on the school board! To this day they are part of a nice little vignette in that yard - and they could have been mine!!!!

A few years later we were on our way somewhere one evening and I spied a vintage chrome/formica pedestal table at the curb. Lovely - oval, yellow top just like the ones I remember from my childhood. Mark was mortified when I whipped the van into a three point turn, jumped out, popped the back door and yelled at him to come help load it. It got moved to the garage and we never got a place to put it or use it so we ended up taking it to the street a couple of years later and turned around a few minutes later to see our neighbor snagging it for his farm down in Southern Illinois!

Maybe we should just have a neighborhood swap meet?

So this morning in lieu of a swim Mark got up early and decided to take Merlin for a walk and on the way back spotted two white adirondack chairs and a small side table at the curb around the corner. He stacked them up, carried them home and set them up in his 'cigar corner' of the yard. He seemed quite proud when he told me - so we'll see how this goes. The timing was right because we had been wanting to buy a couple of new ones for the back yard and looked at them this weekend but now that we don't have the van we can't make impulse or large sized buys like that anymore. We then talked about maybe getting an old truck for when we do need to haul large stuff - hmmmm if we get a truck will Mark go curb-crawling with me?

What do you think???

Only Tuesday??!

2010-06-29T16:54:00.000-07:00

For some reason I keep thinking today is Wednesday, but it's only Tuesday!

Yesterday the dept at work was supposed to do an outing to the Summerfest in Milwaukee (think lots of music at lots of venues and lots of crowds!) but we had a number of people out ill and we all got too busy with work in the morning and so we ended upjust leaving work aboiut an hour early and going to a local restaurant with outisde seating and relaxing for a while before heading home.
I am thinking Mark and I might go up this weekend and overnight in Milwaukee to see some bands perform - tough choices - lots of good bands.

So Mark did not get up and swim today though it would not have disturbed me anyway as I had been up a few times with various interruptions - the dog barking at nothing, sinuses, headache... I finally ended up sleeping in 4 different spots over the course of the night before it was time to roll out and get ready for work!

It's a beautiful day outside and I'm am going to head out and catch the last few nice moments - more later - !!

This weekend...

2010-06-28T11:41:00.000-07:00

Busy busy weekend - between naps!! Stephen was with us all weekend but spent a lot of time out with his friends. Friday night Stephen and I went shopping for the items needed for the NC VA hospital bbq then stopped for sushi at a place he knew. Good sushi - not too much!
Saturday I was up and out early to go get a pedicure then to Joanns for a quick buy and then to a local store that was hosting a book signing by 5 authors one of whom is my favorite Emilie Richards. Emilie is also a quilter so I took a strip of batik and had her sign that and she had me sign the bottom edge of one of the batiks I took her. (took her 1/2 yard each of two coordinating indonesian batiks - tied with a ribbon and a little chocolate.) So we will both have signatures in some future quilt. I am thinking of doing another 'favorite things' quilt and that's where Emilie's strip would go.
So that was a thrill - her next book Fortunate Harbor hits the stands on Tuesday so please look for it. After the book signing I headed home and read! and have no recall of anything else that night! LOL - I did throw together a stir fry and had dinner with Mark.
Sunday Mark and I headed out to get some fresh fruit, I wanted to make some strawberry jam - and I brought home 10 pounds of Strawberries, 3 quarts of blueberries and a blueberry bush so in another year or two I will get free blueberries!! I even have a spot to plant it in planned. Sunday afternoon and night I made all the strawberry jam in about 20 different sized jars - larger ones for the strawberry lovers and smaller ones for gifts baskets or whatever. I have not tried it yet - hoping Stephen will be my guinea pig! LOL.
Mark got the pool vaccuumed out and said it is perfect for swimming - in fact he wants to swim every morning. That 6:30 alarm this morning really was irritating - but maybe I will join him - gotta see how he swims in a circle! The two of us could create quite a current!
More later - Toby

I am a jam maker!

2010-06-24T15:13:00.001-07:00

So... I got a canning set (HUGE!!) from my in-laws for my birthday (thanks Mike and Jean) and had to put it to immediate use. Whipped up a batch of blueberry jam late last night, allwent well just like the recipe said and at the end of the night I had the requisite mess in my kitchen and 4 sparkly little jars of jam! I actually cracked one of them open this morning and spread it on some 100% wheat toast and it was HEAVEN!! No really - there was something so special about taking a bit of something you have made yourself, from scratch - and you know all of the ingredients in that jar and exactly how it was made - it just makes it taste so much better!

Anyway I love my canning set - I realized I do need a special rack to hold my little jars in place but I am ready to become canning queen of Roselle! I may actually have to put a garden in next year and then it would really be from scratch!!

I highly recommend this to anyone who wants to eat better and you can actually save money. 4 jars of jelly would have cost about $20 at the grocery and they cost about $7 to make. I am also going to make spaghetti sauce and can it by the quart - that will save me at least $3 from every store bought bottle of sauce.

Every little bit helps when it comes to saving and it's fun !!

More of Julian

2010-06-22T13:51:00.000-07:00

Okay - last one for today - this is julian actually sitting on his quilt. Wasn't it wonderful how mommy Holly dressed him to give some contract with the quilt? This thing is big - probably 50 plus inches by 60 inches - so he can move up to his toddler bed with it and if it lasts it could be a throw in his dorm room or first apartment! Really big - but filled with love and as he uses it and mommy throws it in the washer and dryer it will get that vintage wrinkly feel most quilters love. I know I do!

Julian baby pictures

2010-06-22T13:48:00.000-07:00

Here's one of Julian with his crocheted baby blanket. Very oversized so it will last - made out of chenille boucle yarn, two strands held together and worked in double crochet at the same time. Light yet warm!

Julian's gifts

2010-06-22T13:37:00.000-07:00

So I finally got a picture of the quilt for Julian before i mailed it and as usual I took it in my office with my phone and the colors are all wrong. But here it is. I showed the back because it is a beautiful lime green and blues and yellow and you can't see it at all in the picture. Oh Well. Going to post two more shots compliments of Julian's mommy who posted these on Facebook for me.

This is a snowball block with different contrasting colors in the corners of the blocks and when the snow balls came together it was fun to make sure no two corners of the same color were in contact with each other!! It was my first timemaking snow balls but will definitely not be my last. Fun and fast!!

Another year older!

2010-05-28T14:33:00.000-07:00

I'm not announcing this to the world - just to the few who actually read my blog and you probably already know I had another birthday! But did you know my DH Mark also had his? It's true! He'll never catch up to me but we each get one per year - and that is a good thing!! We all got what we wanted for our birthdays and for mother's day, I got a visit from my mom - what could be better?

Things are going well - I have the baby blanket in my car to mail tomorrow and will snap a pic before mailing it - along with a crocheted baby blanket for Julian!

I also finished piecing that top for the bride/mom and once I can get it off to the quilter or onto my frame - whichever comes first - it will also be on the way to being done done!! This is my first quilt in 30 repros and lots of white on white and I do love the vintage look of the quilt. I should really stick to the vintage patterns and fabrics - I find such beauty in their simplicity.

So It's the holiday weekend and I will be sleeping in, selling poppies, doing yard work and still looking for that piece of art for my bathroom! It's the one last thing I need/want. Hoping to get pics of the new room this weekend also and will post!

Looks like we might get a summer in Illinois this year - all the locals are excited ! I am just looking forward to a little rest between all the activities of the Lion's Cluba nd The Legion.

As you enjoy your holiday please remember our veterans and wear a poppy!!

DRAT - and Drat again!!!

2010-04-19T13:49:00.000-07:00

Best of intentions and poor follow through - good thing I am better at work than with my poor blog!

Life has been oh so busy! - I have been away from the sewing machine for a few months!!

Winter blahs?
Hormone angst?
Lack of mecdication?
Too much medication?

I don't know, and not sure I need to analyze the reason - just glad I am back in the sewing room and looking forward to more quilting soon! I was working yesterday on a baby quilt, the last thing I pieced because the baby is due in just three more weeks !! My best friend from college oldest daughter is having her first child (a boy)!! just about on my birthday! What a funny gift - does this mean he has to be called Toby? I'll suggest that! LOL...

so I worked on the baby quilt and worked some more on a long overdue wedding quilt - dare I admit??.... yes I shall ... it's for the mother to be !! So you know it is LONG overdue, but in all fairnesss I did make her one earlier but then decided to let her pick her style so I had to start all over again!!! I am struggling with hundred of little 6" blocks, way smaller than I usually go!

The big annual quilt fest was in Chicago this past weekend and too late I heard it is the last year for Chicago, next year it will be in Cincinnati, OH. I have not gone for several years, admitting I have a huge enough stash to last my life and the ease of internet shopping is just so great - so I did not go.... but I did go to Quilter's Destination in Arlington Heights and spent many hours there working with their wonderful store staff to select fabrics for a new Log Cabin quilt for my room and a few other irresistible pieces of fabric. I got one batik that literally can take your breath away. I fear I may never be able to cut it! The Log Cabin is in new colors, so the bedroom will also have to be re-painted to go with it - see how that works???

So what else is new? Well - we got a new bathroom! Totally gutted our old main bathroom and tossed the 1955 rose colored tub, sink and twink for lovely new biscuit and granite and ceramic tile and glass tile all around. The re-do process was definitely quicker than the planning and shopping, just 3 1/2 weeks from demo to done after 9 years of planning!! lol - so we are very happy and very grateful to our remodeler and we are already thinking ahead to our next projects. I'll post pictures after I get the grout sealed - hopefully this week!

This winter we also repainted all of the first floor except for the kitchen which worked out great - because we just kept the draperies in their dry cleaning bags until the bathroom was done and we saved them from all that dust! The dust is just incredible - we are going to have our vents vacuumed professioanlly, but we may have the remnants of this around for a long long time!!

Other than that Stephen is out of work but searching hard for a new job. He totalled his car during a blizzard this winter but was unhurt and he now has a new used car he likes. Thomas is wrapping up his last few weeks of being a Univ. freshman and we are looking forward to a visit. Work is busy - more opportunities than I have time for. Mark's work is fine - everything is good!

Started yard work last weekend, then had a freeze the last two nights so no planting for another month yet. One of my neighbors was trying to burn her old dead plants and burned up one of my arborvitaes so I guess she is buying me a new tree! Sad part is that it was one of the few older ones - so about 6 feet tall! very established - but I love my neighbor more than my tree - and we can laugh about it! I took her mind off it by giving her the tour of the new bathroom. We did get the patio furniture out for the season and discovered a new crack in our raised terrace -I don't know if it's from the tree we had removed from the side of the terrace two years ago (doubtful) or the earthquake we had last month (more likely).

Travel for work will be starting again soon for the last bit and then I will be done with that I believe. Life is all about transitions I guess - more on that later.

Minor Update

2010-01-28T10:35:00.000-08:00

I am inspired daily by many of the blogs I read. I find it amazing that many people see the same image in daily life and yet perceive it differently. In work we have spent considerable time talking about intentions versus perceptions and how there can often be a gap between the two. Hmmm something to think about......again....

I have finished my Crayola quilt, and was going to mail it today but could not find my camera this morning. In the clearing of the LR and DR last weekend (getting ready for major re-paint) I put it in the kitchen cupboard with the drinking glasses so I would see it every day and know where it is - and now four days later - it is gone!! I will have to ask my DH tonight and get a picture before mailing the quilt tomorrow!

Tonight is our monthly Lion's Club meeting, Friday is something else going on I can't recall, Saturday is our annual Auxiliary Speakeasy dinner/dance and Sunday I prep for another diagnostic procedure to happen on Monday. As much as I hate the procedures I get rewarded with pancakes afterwards so I am looking forward to my trip to IHOP Monday afternoon!

I was reminded today of what a small world we live in. The nurse calling to pre-screen my meds for Monday recognized my phone number at work as the same exchange as her husband's work number, who incredibly in this company of 10,000 plus people works across the hall from me and we interact frequently!

I have a gift certificate from my frequent buyers points at a local quilt shop and it's starting to burn a whole in my wallet - so I think I may try to get over there soon and spend it on something for the stash! The challenge is spending ONLY the certificate! LOL.....

Mom has been calling and complaining about the cold down in Florida, so I have ordered some new velour outfits for her to be warm and comfy in. It's great to shop after the holidays and when seasons are changing in the stores, I scored some great deals at Coldwater Creek Outlet on-line and it will be hopefully a nice surprise for her when they arrive.

That's about all the news that's fit to print - more later!!

Working Hard and Hardly Working

2010-01-22T08:44:00.000-08:00

I have been working very hard at work, and hardly working at all at home. Sometimes that's just how it is and we ride the wave until it levels back out again!

I love my work, it's great working for a company that really makes a difference in people's lives at a very personal level. We've gone through a lot of organizational changes in the past 6 months and we still have more change coming, but we are all trying to feed on the energy that comes with change and are motivated by the successes we have seen to date. So I am working hard and running on adrenalin a lot!!

At home not so much is getting accomplished, I think after the hectic end of year with guests and redecorating and shopping and more guests we are just tired! I did finish piecing the top for RMHC and will be quilting that this weekend so I can get it in the mail the first of the week - watch for a new posting next week with a picture!

I also pulled fabrics last night to make a baby blanket for a friend's daughter who is having her first baby and it will in fact be the first grandchild for my friend. Funny - this my friend's her first child and when she was born I sewed for her a funny yellow quilted bunting with a frog applique and I think I crocheted a baby blanket (but who can recall after all these years?) Her next three children I don't recall sewing for and when she had number 3 I was delivering Stephen so I was really busy with that! But now it's nice to think that I am sewing something for the next generation - it's kind of like a legacy. Which has me thinking maybe I need to just start making baby blankets and stacking them away for this next generation. I do want to make the quilt I promised to Stephen when he was 4 years old "for his baby" so whenever that happens it will be done, whether I am here or not.

For some reason I have been thinking about my mortality lately - maybe it's the persistent iron deficiency that they can't figure out, or maybe it's just old age and being tired - but I am dedicating myself in 2010 to improving my health and my home by unloading, de-stressing, and just simplifying. It's easier to do now that it's just Mark and I at home and we have a good start made - so I am looking forward to continuing.

Within the next few weeks Mark and I will be packing up everything in the living and dining rooms and consolidating all of the furniture to the center of the room to do scraping, skim coating, and repainting. We had some water damage last summer through a roof leak and with plaster walls and ceilings it caused the paint to lift. Which I guess is better than getting holes in the drywall, but it will be a mess for a while anyway! Of course I want to do a larger project while we're at it and replace our fireplace wall, but I will probably back off on that in exchange for getting what I want in the master bathroom this summer when we do the major remodel in there. I have hated that bathroom for 9+ years so this is a big year for us!!

Loree's Friendship Star

2010-01-16T16:20:00.000-08:00

Here's a pic of the birthday surprise quilt for Loree - it finished about 72 inches square and is made primarily of the Hoffman Empress collection. gotta run - pizza is here!

Back in Chicago!

2010-01-13T07:46:00.000-08:00

Well - The trip was great - quick but great! I had to keep it a secret as I was flying back to Buffalo then driving in to Niagara Falls to a surprise birthday party. I have yet to unload my pictures but hope to get that done soon and will add one here of the quilt being delivered to Loree. Loree is a friend of my mom's (mine too) back from when I was about 14 years old. (That wasa LONG time ago!!!) They have remained best friends although time and distance has kept them apart and Loree's family decided for her 75th birthday that they would have a party! They had a beautiful event at the new Seneca Casino Hotel in Niagra Falls, NY and it was incredible. The event which was cocktails, dinner and dancing, was hosted by Loree's eldest daughter Linda and planned by Linda's daughter Chandra. Everything was just perfect and so much attention to detail it was amazing especially since Chandra does not live in the NF area. This would be a feat if you were local, let alone living 500 miles away.

We were afraid with the snow storms in Chicago and the East coast on Wednesday and Thursday that our flights Friday morning would be impacted - Mom was flying up from Miami and I was flying across from O'Hare scheduled to meet about 15 minutes apart in BUF. Both of our flights were delayed, but I arrived only about a half hour before Mom so I was in baggage claim ready to meet here when she arrived. The trip to NF was simple as there was very little traffic on the snowy roads. I had a rental car from National and they upgraded me to an Impala which handled the snow and slush with no problems. We made it in by 2:30 and the party was at 5:30.

I had brought the quilt in my suitcase so I could also pick up some bread from DiCamillo's bakery in Lewiston to bring home. The quilt was spread on a table in the cocktail/dancing room and everyone signed the back with messages to Loree. I ran upstairs at the end of dinner to iron the back so the pigma ink would be permanent. It was really wonderful to meet all the kids that I knew from my own youth and see the poeple they had become in life. Most have remained in NF, which is so different of course from my countrywide ramblings. But it was really beautiful to see 4 generations of a family come together with such love for Loree. Most of the kids gave little speeches of thanks, or read poems they had written and one of the grandsons did a rap. Mom and Loree were glued side by side all night just taking it all in, and it was nice to see them together again!

I'll post again soon about what else I did in NF!

Well - It's time to work, so I'll add the pictures later - but I am home again and now working on my Crayola challenge quilt for the Ronald McDonald House Charities. This is my third RHMC challenge and I am really enjoying the quilt. I am making a Snail's Trail pattern and my quilt is Crayola colors Carnation Pink and Aquamarine. It is due to be at the host's home by February 1, so I am working hard on it. I made 15 blocks last night and hopefully can get five more out of the pink fabric I have. Otherwise I may have to do some substitution.

Surprise quilt finished!!

2010-01-04T12:55:00.001-08:00

Yes - I finally finished it this weekend and will be packing it away for a trip later this week. I wasn't thrilled with the quilt as I made it, each block was pretty, but it's not really 'my' colors, and when I put the blocks together it was 'okay'. It wasn't until I finished quilting it at 4:30 Sunday morning that I said -'wow - this works' and I love this quilt. I'll give more details when I post a picture next week (after reveal) and hopefully it's new owner will love it as much as I do.

Now my home is back to just Mark and I (and Merlin) and it seems very very quiet, but I really, really like it!! I love my family and friends and entertaining, but it had been just two weeks since Stephen moved out before the holiday started and I felt like we hadn't really transitioned into being empty nesters. I feel like now we can start on that next phase of our lives together. So... as I try to tell my husband last night how much I like just the two of us together, he tells me he doesn't! LOL - city boy - he's used to more hustle and bustle and constant noise. I held my tongue and didn't remind him the holiday was different for him than for me (gift shopping, food buying, food prepping, decorating, cleaning, etc etc) Maybe next year I'll let it be his turn altho he swears that somewhere in our wedding vows I agreed to doing all those things for him! Oh well - it's never boring.....

35th Anniversary quilt.. a little late!

2009-12-28T14:16:00.001-08:00

Again a picture from the quilter's site as I gave this one away for Christmas to my In-Laws - Mike and Jean. I actually started piecing the top 2 years ago with 35 different 'coins' to represent their anniversary that year. But I didn't get it done on time, and then it languished waiting to go to the quilter and then 5 more months at the quilter's before it came home. The color is a little off - the border is a nice rich navy and the colors of the coins just pop against that blue. This is one of my favorite border fabrics. I have it in several colors. This is also an oversized queen - it will fit a king size bed - so no fighting over the covers on the cold Chicago nights! They have now been married 37 years so if we count the border fabric and the backing fabric I am right at 37 - does that make it not late after all???? LOL.....

A holiday gift given early

2009-12-28T14:13:00.000-08:00

Forgot to take a picture before sending this home with Mom at Thanksgiving. So this is an unbound picture from the quilter's site of my Warm Wishes (WW) quilt in peach and turquoise. It's a queen size. Loved the brightness and it's just right for living in Miami!

One holiday down... one to go!!

2009-12-28T10:55:00.000-08:00

It feels so anti-climactic after the holiday is over. The presents are all opened, the last dessert has been cleared away and all you're left with is a dirty kitchen, overflowing trash cans and an empty house (no guests remain).

The holiday was great - I especially loved having the time to spend with my SIL. We shopped and talked and tried to pace ourselves to ensure we enjoyed the holiday also! Diane was busy with last minute 'deferred maintenance' on her old house to get ready for closing in a few weeks and so I got a little one on one time with my oldest niece Katherine. Both of my nieces are just beautiful girls (inside and out!) and I love spending time with them. Our next visit with them will probably be in NC next summer, it's going to be a long time before I get more 'girl-time', but Katherine will come up for an orthodontist visit in February so maybe I can catch a day or two then! I Hope!

My brother is on his way to Miami for two weeks with Mom and I am back at work today. It's very quiet so I am getting a lot accomplished - year end always has many challenges especially with so many people on vacation! I am excited about the year ahead and I hope you are too!

I started a very special quilt this weekend, but I can't share for two more weeks, I will say the colors are a departure for me but I do like them all and hope the finished quilt will be loved by it's new owner.

Gotta run - More later

Merry Christmas - Happy Holidays!

2009-12-18T09:28:00.000-08:00

Well - I have been getting irritated lately at going to people's blogs and not finding any updates - and realized I have not posted in quite a while either - so shame on me!!!

We have been so busy - Stephen moved out of home 2 weeks ago into an apartment with a friend, tonight will be our first dinner with Stephen and Charlie will also join us, so we can get to know him better. They have been game playing friends for years and both were looking to be 'liberated' from home at the same time so this worked out great. They have a nice 2 bedroom in a building on my way home from work so we can do dinner or whatever after work - we'll see...since he's been gone two weeks and this is our first dinner I don't think he's missing me yet!

Diane and the girls are driving from NC to be with us for the holiday (Glenn will fly up Christmas eve)so we have been redecorating Stephen's room into a guest room and what a big job it ended up being! I decided after the primer was on that the walls really needed to be skim coated. They are old plaster and had gotten damaged in wallpaper removal from previous owners. So my one day paint project turned into 3 days and by the time we got back into the next work week progress really slowed down! The colors were all inspired by a hand stitched Jacobean style pillow I got at a local high end furniture store outlet at a price too good to reveal!!! The walls are a nice deep tan called Peanut Shell, we kept white trim on the windows and baseboards. The draperies will be floor length deep red and the rug is a shag area rug with sage, ivory and the peanut shell color blended together. I love it! We are keeping the day bed and trundle in the room, covering it in sage linens and an ivory matelasse spread and skirt and shams with sage microfiber toss pillows and the inspirational pillow. I am adding in a restored treadle sewing machine that was a gift from Mike and Jean my in-laws. It's very special as it was Jean's mother's machine and restored after getting it from the lodge in northern WI that her father had. It has beautiful carved filigree and iron work. I'll add in lamps and art and that's about it. Not sure on art yet, but am thinking of moving all the cross stitch I did for Stephen as a baby into a collage grouping on one wall - since this was his room! I've also been working on a modern quilted wallhanging that may end up in the room also - I'll have to try it after I get it finished - I am at the binding stage tonight! The colors and decor are a big change from the turquoise walls and black carpet of Stephen's residence, but I think it's more us and will last a long time.

We had good news from Diane that her house here in IL finally sold, they are closing soon, so we are thinking ahead with all our home projects and trying to go 'neutral' for the day we put ours on the market. We're in no rush and are enjoying the space by ourselves, but eventually we will downsize I guess.

So for the holidays we will be in IL with Diane and family and Mike and Jean this year, Fred will be in Seattle with his family then go to see mom on the 28th and Grandma Sharon will be on her own in NC. We hate that, but it's hard to juggle a family with so many parts!

Mom and I will be heading to WNY in early January for a secret trip that I'll have to come back and tell you about later!

In the meantime - whoever you are, where ever you are, what ever you celebrate this season, I wish you glad tidings, be safe, be warm and check back in next year! Hug - Toby

DOILIES???!! Click photo for a close up!!

2009-10-05T09:33:00.000-07:00

Yes - Doilies!! I know your grandmother or great grandmother used to have them all around the house but they are certainly not seen in younger or more contemporary homes - but since I love all things vintage and live in a very traditional house I love doilies under lamps and figurines. They provide a little more protection for the wood or objet d'art so I like them. And from time to time I need a little crafting challenge so I have made a few over the years. This past month I made the two doilies shown here and the thread bookmark. The Burgundy one is just under 12 inches and the white and purple one is just over 12 inches! I really liked both of these patterns, though the purple and white doily pattern was a little hard to follow I think it turned out great. I am now going to make the burgundy one in white thread, maybe a few of them for use in my china cabinet. I'll be taking these to the craft show October 16 and 17 at the Legion Hall but I won't be sad if they don't sell. I also made some thread crochet book thongs that were fun to make and a change from fabric crafts. Have a good week! Toby

Quilt Gifted and another one coming.....

2009-09-15T14:16:00.000-07:00

I have been working off and on on my courthouse steps quilt. Finished 32 blocks and am a little burned out - I need 64 total - so I think I'll turn back to my unquilted table runners and get those done for the craft show in October. I really haven't done a lot of the things I wanted to do for that show - the ADD kicked in and I got distracted - but I will have to get back to some of those! (I am tracking the variations of courthouse step blocks in a spreadsheet of all possible combinations of the fabrics in use - so there's a lot of work, not just creativity in this one!)

I gave a scrappy quilt to my son's friend Tony this past weekend. He is a great guy and we really have enjoyed his company over the years. This past Thanksgiving he house/dog sat for us while we vacationed in Seattle and on Sunday he brought his GF Caitlyn over for dinner. She is also a very nice young woman. Giving Tony a quilt was just an extension of the care we feel for him. Then, last night I got a text msg forwarded from Stephen that says Tony's mom loves his quilt and would I make one for her? Well it turns out I have so many already made that she is going to come over on Thursday and decide if she likes one of them (that I am willing to give up) or if I will make a new one for her. This will be a gift also - just because.....

I will however have to get back to Thomas' college quilt if I am ever to get it done for christmas! I am mailing him a box today full of home baked cookies and a SBSP (Sponge Bob Square Pants) tin lunch box with a coupel of Sponge Bob pillow cases inside. Yes, he's in college, but he still likes SPonge Bob - so what the heck - at least it will make him smile! I'll probably also get another email out of it!! LOL.

I was on a baking binge Sunday night - made Lemon Poppy Seed muffins, then two batches of cookies, one tollhouse and one with M&Ms mixed in, then 3 batches of buttermilk jalapeno cornbread. Mark requested the cornbread to take to work and it was a hit there on Monday. We had one batch with dinner Sunday night - ham with Tony and Caitlyn and it was good! Leftover cornbread worked last night also with a big crock pot of beef stew that smelled so good when it was bubbling all day!

More later - want to check the elections in Provo to see if NieNie's dad is winning - hope so - he sounds like a great guy! Ciao!!

Stephen's Quilt

2009-09-12T21:29:00.000-07:00

I finally got pictures of the quilt I finished for Stephen several months ago! It's not looking it's best - pulled straight off his bed and tossed over the log pile in the back yard, but I had to take a picture of the Fourth Annual Scraps to Treasure quilt I finished at 3 am this morning so I thought .. as long as I was out there getting a photo of that one - I'd throw this one on the pile too!

Stephen has always been intrigued with knots. When he was little I would keep bow-biters on his shoes to protect the laces because given a minute he would have the ends knotted over and over till there was no lace left just a line of knots. He got out of that finally, but when I saw this Celtic knot fabric I knew I had to get it for him. I made the top probably 4 years ago and it sat waiting for me to find the black batting that was stored in the garage. If you use white batting in a black quilt, you run the risk of seeing white at the stitch holes when the needle pops in and out. So - probably 6 months ago I found the black batting, and finished his quilt. It is meander quilted in red thread, which is striking up close.

Stephen loves it and that's all that matters. I have another in the works for him - queen size for when he moves out (if ever! LOL)

Can't share the picture of my scrap quilt until after the contest ends - but that will be forthcoming in a month or so! In the meantime I am bust working on a courthouse steps quilt and as always planning more projects.

Found a lovely little quilt shop out in Huntley, IL that carries a LOT of batiks, so I had a great time picking up some new pieces today. I am gathering for two wall hangings. Now I just need more time to work on all these projects!!

More soon - hugs - Toby

Chuckles

2009-09-11T09:22:00.000-07:00

I went to the microwave at work the other day to heat up my Smart One lunch and while waiting for it to heat, I turned and looked at the vending machines. I was surprised to see Chuckles in the machine.
I hope you remember Chuckles - I had a friend in my youth turn me on to them and I have had a life long love affair with jellied candy ever since. Chuckles were just the best for clear fruity flavors and good sugar coating, I always saved the red one for last.
Then I discovered those jelly orange slices!! Heaven!! and a neighbor down the road had a recipe for cookies with little snips of those orange slices mixed in - I must ask Mom for the recipe from her box.
But I haven't seen Chuckles for a long long time. I used to get Sunkist jellies at Joann Fabrics - but they don't have them much anymore. And now - here are Chuckles just down the hall.
I went to the vending machines a minute ago to get a drink and checked to see if the Chuckles were still there. Yep, still there neatly stacked between the coils of the silvery spring that twirls to deliver your treat. Then I noted they are a dollar. Wow - a dollar for the same little six pieces of jelly bliss that were probably 35 cents when I first fell in love with them.
Complaining about the price makes me feel like an old woman "I remember when..." instead I should be glad I can afford the dollar and just take the ride back to my youth as I work my way through the packet, still saving the red one for last!

2 weeks just rushed by!!

2009-08-26T09:28:00.000-07:00

I should have lots of pictures to post because I have been busy working on crafty quilty things - but have not taken any pictures. Maybe I can rectify that tonight and will post later. In the last two weeks we have had the American Legion Installation banquet which took a turn this year into a more casual and technically advanced format. Going green - we (the presidents and commanders) decided to use the new projection system in the hall and not print programs for each attendee. So I put together a powerpoint program and also put together a slide show of pictures taken during various events from all the clubs this past year and had that running all night during dinner and after the swearing in. I worked set up and did simple floral centerpieces for each table and then Mark and I helped clean up after and scooted home for a little rest. The rest of the crew stayed and karaoked with the DJ.
My SIL Diane and her family moved to Charlotte NC this past week, and though we are deeply saddened to have them so far away, we understand that sometimes you have to make tough decisions to do what's best for your family. Mark and I have often talked about retiring to that area of the US so if they stay put this may 'seal the deal' down the road. Wouldn't it be more fun to be retired and live close so we can play together more?
My SIL Sharon from Seattle is in town for work and will overnight with us tonight. She is craving some home-style italian food, so we'll be heading out tonight for dinner then get back home to hang out and chatter and maybe dig up some hand made gifties to send home with her.
I finished the binding on a huge quilt this past weekend that was meandered by Joanne Lendaro - check her blog at splittingstitches.blogspot.com I am happy with the quilting and the quilt. Joanne has two more of mine to do which I am sure will also just be great! As promised pictures later.
Evenings I have been doing some thread crochet - discovered book thongs with lovely long tassels on the end and a crocheted motif on the top, they work up quickly and are fun to do in different colors. This past weekend I actually made a doily! I thought I would go blind doing it in burgundy thread while watching TV (I didn't see much TV!) once I get it blocked and starched I think it will be great under a figuring in the china cabinet or something. The pattern was a toughie, but I am glad I worked it through and finished!
I've also been playing with some quilted table runners and getting ready for my next RHMC Crayola Challenge quilt. I have yet to quilt and finish the Scraps to Treasures quilt - better get on that - I have just two more weeks I think to have it done and submitted.
Stephen is still at home waiting for full time hours and paycheck and Thomas is safely esconced in college and doing well.
So all is good - well except for the darn skunk who has been stealing my Roma tomatoes from the garden and leaving them half eaten as if to taunt me. My basil is flourishing but I have not gone out to pick any - I have some fresh pine nuts and parmesan to make more pesto - better pick up some romano cheese and get on that task before all this rain takes it's toll on the leaves. I freeze the pesto - it lasts forever! Also make some with sun dired tomatoes - yummy easy way to dress plain pasta when there's nothing else to eat in the house!!
Ta for now - Toby

Fred's LR quilt

2009-08-10T19:23:00.000-07:00

When I was out at my brother's new house in November last year, his LR would get a little chilly at night and silly me I only took quilts for his beds!! I came home after seeing his new couch and started collecting new fabrics to add to stash and made him this quilt for his LR. I sent it to him a few months ago, but just found the picture on my camera. Hope he gets some use out of it this coming fall and winter! It's a 'manly' combination of golds, browns cream and black. I really liked the simple layout and blocks of this one!

Last day of July!

2009-07-31T08:01:00.000-07:00

I am sitting here just wondering where did the month go and then I realize how quickly the year is just flying by! We have had so much going on this summer we are just exhausted and no rest in sight!

The summer started with Stephen planning on moving out - he finally landed a job and is now waiting to be bumped up to full time hours and get a couple of paychecks put away so he can make his move. Timeline end of September.

We got the pool opened but have yet to get in it! The weather has been really rainy and when it is nice we are either at work or have other committments that prevent us from getting in and relaxing. This is our second year of little to no pool use - so I am thinking of taking it down - though I know Mark will balk.

Thomas came up for two weeks the beginning of July It is always good to have him in house and this summer especially as he heads off to college in the fall.

Speaking of bad weather it's been lightning and raining and tornadoes all over the midwest. We took a lightning strike near the house a few weeks ago which fried our pool pump and the clothes washer (only 3 years old top of the line....errrrr!!!) So we replaced the pump and ordered a new washing machine and then we had another storm July 2 which evidently succeeded in breaking just one of the power lines coming into the house. Unfortunately the line that broke was not the power feed, but the line that controls how much power comes through into the house. So when we got home ready for a nice holiday weekend we could not use any appliances in the house, could not run the AC, we were getting surges and drops so we called ComEd and put in a work request and of course they never showed up. So - we decided we could use just one appliance at a time - no AC but one appliance - not having had a washer for over a week I needed to do laundry - so we put the brand new washer which was delivered in the middle of this crisis on a surge protector and I started loads. Sunday I went to throw the last load into the dryer (on it's own isolated 220 line) and when I pushed the start button on the drier I had electricity flying out of the outlet next to the drier - which of course is where the washer is plugged in! It blew the surge protector - lots of smoke and smell - but luckily the washer was safe.

Com Ed finally came out on Monday acknowledged their broken line and fixed it in 20 minutes. I was irritated no end - because I not only have replaced about $1,000 worth of appliances, there is more that I have not yet replaced and worst of all my three day weekend was ruined! All in all the storms this year have cost us the pool pump, the washer, 2 mother boards, 1 hard drive in a laptop, a hub unit, 2 surge protectors (up in smoke), and the air filter from the bedroom.

Oh well Life goes on! Last week I did a quick trip to Cleveland for work - always interesting and this past weekend Mark and I volunteered at the Lions Club Annual Senior Picnic - held at the American Legion we had lots of seniors, good food, good fun. Bingo and prizes for everyone.

This weekend - starting today I will be volunteering at the Taste of Roselle - the American Legion booth will have Dove bars as usual, and the Auxiliary will be selling quilt raffle tickets on the quilt that was donated to us by Meliss - Nancy Vrba's sister. It's a beautiful queen size - I'll try to get a pic in the sunshine and post it next week with details.

Tuesday night August 4 we will be at Turner Pond in Roselle handing out hotdogs and sodas again for the National Night Out. This is always fun as we work side by side with Harris Bank staff. Harris is a very generous underwriter for this event and many other community events and organizations - I highly recommend their banking services. That's it for today ! Hope you have a happy and safe weekend ! Ciao!!

Colors are off - but here's a new quilt/pic- Surf's Up!!

2009-07-31T07:46:00.000-07:00

I took this picture with the cell phone in my office - which has limited light - so you can't see the beautiful turquoise and green frond border fabric or the great colors in the coins - but this is what I have - so imagine!!

This quilt started with the gift of a set of coins that are cut from the fabrics that hawaiian shirts are made of. The gift giver went on vacation to Hawaii last year and knows me so well, that when bringing back gifties instead of chocolate covered macadamia nuts I received quilt coins!! I purchased some additional hawaiian shirt print fabrics at a quilt shop in Woodstock, IL and the wonderful palm frond border fabric. It sat for a couple months while I decided on a layout and when I came up with this one I didn't have enough of the border fabric - so off to the internet I went to find more (of course I bought extra!! It's Turquoise!!!)

The back is an all over palm tree print (with coconuts!) on a turquoise background and the quilt is stitched all over in turquoise thread in a meandering pattern. The curves of the stitching bring a different texture to all the straight lines of the coins and borders.

I really loved this quilt, all the bright colors and prints kept me thinking of warm tropical beaches and luscious views but I decided to gift the quilt back to the friend who gave me the coins. She had a birthday coming up and it was perfect timing and I knew it would be a surprise. She was surprised and I was so glad she liked it. It's 72 x 72 finished so it's the perfect size for napping or snuggling on the couch with that wonderful man she went to Hawaii with!!

Taking the weekend off!!

2009-06-12T11:47:00.001-07:00

It has been a really hectic two weeks. Busy at work, busy on the weekend in between, too much daily stress. So this weekend I have nothing planned other than relaxing and resting. I will fit in a little grocery shopping and a little house cleaning but mostly this is a weekend of self indulgence.

Last weekend was the Roselle Rose Fest - an annual event the Roselle Lions Club has been bring to the town for decades. It's a 4 day carnival with live music every night, a beer tent, a parade on Sunday and even a Rose Queen. I worked 5 shifts volunteering at the carnival and walked in the parade on Sunday for the American Legion throwing candy to the kids along the parade route. That was fun! I teared up a couple of times as we passed some old soldiers sitting in their lawn chairs beside the road and they solemnly saluted the uniformed soldiers we had riding the float. We had quite a Legion presence with the color guard leading the parade, the Legion Riders on their motorcycles, a truck for the Patriot Guard with candy throwers and the Legion float recognizing all of the Legion clubs. The Lion club float was right behind us and they also had a huge flag that about a dozen people carried stretched flat - it was neat in the aerial photos. I've posted one above of our float - I am the little candy thrower near the Southeast corner of the float!

Well - that's about it - I am ready for the weekend! Hope you all have a good one too!!

Last one is a graduate!!

2009-05-27T19:34:00.000-07:00

This weekend Mark and I flew to Texas to see my son Thomas graduate from HS. That's him with his GF Sarah in the picture above! It was a quick trip but we spent some time together at a movie on Saturday afternoon, at birthday dinner saturday night (Mark's birthday) and then the graduation on Sunday.

This was our second trip to Texas in the past month - about 4 weeks ago we were there for a 4 day weekend and did lots of stuff together! Thomas will be heading off to Southwestern University in Georgetown Texas in the fall. (Go Pirates!!)

Sharon's Quilt

2009-05-27T19:27:00.000-07:00

I finally unloaded my camera of pictures so have the shots of my SILs quilt to post. The colors are not very true - too much sunlight on my terrace I guess so am posting the second picture which is a closeup of the fabrics and really shows the swirly inspiration fabric. Hope you like it! It is a queen size and the colors all match her new paint scheme of warm gold walls and lilac and sage accents, mid tone brown furniture and a pop of color with one magenta wall behind the bookcases! I popped the magenta on the binding of the quilt also to give it great definition when it is on the bed. I sent along a couple of pillowcases with a matching border to use with the quilt.

This week has been busy - more in my next post!

New picture coming soon!

2009-04-30T13:53:00.000-07:00

I am anxiously awaiting a quilt to be returned from my long arm quilter in Ohio. Yes I know it's far from home, but this quilter is so worth it! Her pricing is not to be believed and I have never been disappointed in her work - she finds just the right panto to bring my quilts to life. The quilt I am waiting for is a belated birthday gift to my SIL Sharon in Seattle. I cheated and sent her a few clips of just some of the fabrics I used in the quilt and she is excited to receive it! There's a little surprise she does not know about it that I know will make her even happier!

Also on the quilting front, I have decided to publish a quilt pattern I created recently for a wedding quilt for a friend. It is unique that the quilt block and layout has a story behind it that makes it perfect for newlyweds, anniversaries or anyone in a relationship. More news to come on that front after I find the time to file my business name, get copyrights, etc. Not sure yet what my marketing approach will be but I think "start small and grow" is the best plan right now, after all I do have a real job too!!

We've been deluged with rain the past few weeks. Even when we flew to Dallas for a long weekend with Thomas the rain came with us and we had it 3 of the 4 days! So that one day we got out and did as much as we could, including visiting a quilt shop, going to the stockyard in Fort Worth and running the stockyard maze. Too much fun!! Hopefully the swine flu gets under control and we are able to get back to Texas for Thomas' HS graduation in just 3 more weeks!

Well - That's about all the news I have today. I moved a credenza into the quilting room and it is providing some much needed additional storage and a handy place to keep my racks of my spools of thread.

I am so inspired by the quilts I am seeing on line at at the HGTV.com bb that I am itching to spend some time in the studio and create! More news soon!

Stimulate the Economy Today!

2009-03-27T11:47:00.000-07:00

I just read about the most incredible offer to stimulate our economy. One of my fellow quilters is offering an opportunity to get your quilts quilted for a special reduced price. Limited time offer, and full instructions are on her blog go here http://splittingstitches.blogspot.com/2009/03/update-on-stimulus-package.html

I read about this on another blog I follow - which is Bingo Bonnie's blog. She is a quilter from the HGTV quilt bbs. you can check it out here http://bingobonnie.blogspot.com/

Hoping I make the schedule I have a couple of quilts I would love to get done and am always interested in finding a new LA quilter!

Speaking of quilting, I finished the quilt for my SIL and it has been sent for quilting. I actually sent her clips of the fabrics so she could compare with her new wall colors and not an hour ago I got her email saying they are perfect!

Last night I started assembling my Flutterby blocks from a 2008 swap I was in on the hGTV bbs. My flutterby is very scrappy and full of bright colors. I don't know if it will stay at my house or go to live with my brother in Seattle, but I like it so far! Will post pictures when they are done done!!

No news is no news!!

2009-03-13T08:03:00.000-07:00

Not much going on in the way of quilting lately. I have been struggling with the birthday quilt for my SIL. The colors are perfect, but the fabric was purchased over three years ago and now I find out I don't have enough to do what I want in the borders. I will have to improvise which means a lot of 'UN-sewing' but I am motivated to finish it and get it in the mail to her.

My brother sent us a lovely box of King salmon and Dungeness crab from the Pike Place Market fish market last weekend, I have really enjoyed it all week. The timing was perfect as we had a family birthday dinner last weekend, so I purchased a roasted garlic aioli marinade from our local grocer and marinated the salmon (filetted) for about an hour then wrapped in foil and roasted on the outdoor grill. Luckily it stopped raining long enough to cook! After it was almost done - I brought it in, sliced into servings then put on a baking sheet sprinkled with panko crumbs and slid it under the broiler to brown the crumbs. Scrumptious!! We used more of the marinade as a dipping sauce. As it was 7 1/4 pounds of salmon we had leftovers, and I have had it reheated, and cold over caesar salad this week and loved it each and every time. The dungeness I steamed briefly with a little Old Bay seasoning in the water and served with drawn butter for 'ripping and dipping' it was fun and different! Reminded me of fondue with everyone gathered around the pot!

Well - work is hectic as usual, I am still loving the new car - 3 weeks old tomorrow and I will have 1200 miles on it by then! It is good on gas, but it has a smaller tank than my van and I am not used to having to fill it up every week, but that's the only downside of the new car! I really wish I could plan a road trip somewhere!! More later - hugs - Toby

Is it STILL winter????

2009-02-24T11:10:00.000-08:00

Just a quick post of the fall/winter quilt on my office wall - hopefully he will come down soon and Easter will go up!!

I am going to HE _ _ !!!

2009-02-24T10:33:00.001-08:00

If the road to perdition is paved with good intentions then this blog is definitely proof of where I am going.

I find nothing more annoying than finding a really interesting blogspot and then finding it has not been updated in ages!! and here I am guilty of the same - though I hesitate to infer my blogspot is anything more than a place to share my life and loves with family and friends.

Life has been incredibly busy aka stressful lately. Work is a rush and home and community just doesn't let up. Mark and I kept thinking it would quiet down after the holidays but it's just not happening! We are already planning what Lions conventions we will be attending this year, (I think we're limiting it to one night at District and two days at State but commuting from home for a change)then we want to fly out to Texas to see Thomas run a track meet, then back out to DFW the end of May for his graduation, so right now we are in the deciding on college and how to pay for it phase, Stephen is in college and on track, but he needs a part-time job since he has a GF that likes to eat but doesn't cook, and then there's the Legion activities - Spring Brunch, barbecue at North Chicago, Bags Tourney, Fish Fries, Steak Fry at the VA, and Lion's meeting and events like Senior picnic, Casino Night, Rose Festival, Taste of Roselle, on and on....

I've been to Boston again this month for work, just two days, but it was on warm days, so I got to enjoy a brisk walk along the river one night and a great seafood dinner at Legal Seafood in Cambridge.

My old mini-van finally bit the dust this weekend, the transmission went just 2.5 years after having a rebuild put in and just two weeks after another pricey repair to the transmission that in retrospect was not the problem after all!! So I got a new car this weekend - straight off the dealers lot a 2009 Hyundai Sonata Limited. It is beautiful!! Hyundai put in some new fuel efficiencies so hopefully it will perform better than our 2003 Sonata on gas. The 2009 is ranked higher than the Camry and Accord across the board, maintenance, fuel, size and features. I am loving the satellite radio, getting to listen to music from the BBC, and the steering wheel controls are fun! I have to stop looking at the odometer though I drive at least 60 miles a day so the miles are going on quickly!

I have been sewing but not finishing anything! I'll have to get a quilt done for my SIL for her new color scheme for her birthday this weekend, and I have one waiting to be quilted for my brother's living room, and this weekend I located the black batting to finally finish the Celtic quilt for Stephen. I'll try to get pictures as I finish them!

I did sign up for the Annual Scraps to Treasures challenge (picture of last entry below) so I will be pulling fabric from stash for that challenge soon though the quilt is not 'due' until September.

Raffle tickets are on sale for the Crayola Quilts - there were so many quilts and ticket sales have been slow so the odds are good of winning! Tickets will be on sale until end of June, so let me know if you are interested I can send you the link to the whole gallery of quilts that will be raffled.

That's it for today! More soon!

RMHC Crayola quilt

2009-01-01T11:46:00.000-08:00

There is an annual challenge on the HGTV quilt BB that challenges the quilters to try something new and results in the donation of quilts or wallhangings to be raffled for the benefit of Ronald McDonald House Charities. This year the recipient house is in Dallas. They are building a new wing and our fund-raising will go to that project. The challenge part for the quilters this year is that we were given three Crayola colors picked at random by the host's DH and those were the only colors we were to use in the quilt. You could go up and down the range of the color but not out of it. So I took the three crayons and colored on white paper, hard, medium, and soft and took that paper to the fabric shop. I made a traditional Amish block, which usually has one solid black half and the other half in colored stripes, but laid it out in a non-traditional setting to create the kaleidoscope effect in the centers and the burgundy star. It is a twin size quilt with the center quilted in burgundy thread in a simple meander and the outer border in a pale blue thread on top and burgundy on the back. I really enjoyed making this quilt and plan to make another larger one.

Vacation is over!

2008-12-04T14:04:00.001-08:00

Well - back at work - in the snow - seems very anticlimactic after 8 days in Seattle!

The trip was great - we went to lots of cool places, Downtown Seattle of course with Pike's Market, Undercover Quilts, Ivar's seafood, Ye Olde Curiosity Shop and the underground tour. Another day we went to the Expereince Music Project and the Sci-Fi Museum - many thanks Paul Allen!! - and really enjoyed those venues, took the monorail into town and ate some great Thai food.

We also visited Snoqualmie Falls, and Roslyn the town made famous in "Northern Exposure" the TV series. It's a very old coal town, all the buildings look like a western town, very cool - they also had a new quilt shop in town "Crazy Quilts' with wonderful,inspirational quilts and many fabric collections including batiks! I did not pocket any coal from the display to put in someone's stocking this year!

Another day we drove (and drove and drove) over to the Olympic Peninsula, taking the van on a ferry from Edmunds WA to Kingston WA to go to the town of Forks, which was the town Bella and Edward live in from the book/movie Twilight. Twilight (the movie) just opened two or three weeks ago so the town is ready for the marketing of twilight merchandise - and it was interesting! We went into the little corner drug store and I discovered they have a wonderful fabric department featuring many quilting lines, moda, etc.. at good prices! I was able to get a piece from the Jim Shore Noah's Ark collection that the Roslyn store was sold out of - and I found an incredible piece for my brother's quilt that I can't tell about yet! (just in case he visits this site!)

I was able to use my new/old sewing machine the last day I was there to sew privacy panels for my brother's french doors to the den, but that was about it! We were on the go or hanging out the rest of the time.

I did go Black Friday shopping about 1 am at the local outlet mall with my SIL Sharon and scooped some good deals for me - no christmas gifts! Oh Well!

We had turkey at my SIL's home on Mercer Island and really enjoyed having everyone together - not to mention all the good food and desserts!

The weather was about 20 degrees warmer than at home so it was a nice change, and of course landing in snow after midnight was not fun - so we are ready to go back at any time!

That's all for today - but I am on Facebook last now - if you'd like to be my friend there please send an invite to Toby Bobbitt! Ciao!!!!!

No picture today

2008-11-20T09:50:00.000-08:00

Just an update as I get ready to leave on vacation. At long last our trip to Seattle starts in just 38 more hours. I am very excited to go out and spend some time with my brother and behave like a tourist in Seattle and the area. Not to mention we had snowflakes this morning as I came in to work and it's about 20 degrees warmer in Seattle this week!

I have been working on several sewing projects but not making a lot of headway. I am taking out a homespun quilt for my brother's new house and will have to get pictures of it somewhere along the way, right now it's in a suitcase! I purchased a vintage sewing machine in an oak desk (yeah Craigslist!!) and had it delivered to my brother's house so I am taking out a huge suitcase full of home dec fabrics to do some window treatments and other stuff while I am out there! I sure do hope he likes what I'm bringing!

My quilt for the Ronald McDonald House Crayola challenge is sandwiched and just waiting quilting when I get back from Seattle. I love this quilt and can't wait to share it with you! The colors are so unique and not what one would choose but that was the challenge!!

This past weekend I had the absolute joyous experience of dinner with a childhood friend who was in town for a conference. We had not seen each other in 30+ years, so a lot of catching up - but it seemed like the years just melted away. I am really looking forward to staying in touch and getting together in the future. I should have a high school reunion in 2 more years - maybe then we can make it happen again!

Well that's about all the news. Work is great -busy at year end - but I do thrive on that so I am happy and the family is all well so what more could I ask for? Stephen will be joining us in Seattle for Thanksgiving and Thomas will be flying to NC to participate in a regional cross country run, which he is hoping will get him noticed for some collegiate scholarships.

As soon as we return from Seattle the Christmas season will be upon us with decorating and gifting and entertaining in addition to the work we do through Lions Club and American Legion. Someday our lives will calm down, we hope.

Hope you have a wonderful warm safe holiday and I'll be back!!

2008 Scrap Challenge

2008-10-22T15:50:00.000-07:00

The Scraps to Treasures challenge is over for 2008 so I can finally post my quilt. This is an annual challenge that quilters sign up to participate in on the HGTV bulletin board. As many quilters as sign up is how many quilts get donated back to community organization or individuals. This year it was 54 - so quite an impact. Every quilter must send in 2 6" squares of fabric for every participant. Then depending on your previous year's performance you can also be allotted additional fabrics to add in. Each quilter makes their quilt, sends in pictures, then waits!

My quilt this year was donated once again to be raffled to benefit the activities of the American Legion. I called it "Loose Change" . The shape of the blocks are called 'coins' and loose change is what the legion membres collect at various times of the year for fundraising, through Poppy Days if you are in the Auxiliary or GTTYWG (Gifts to the Yanks that Gave) if you are a legion member.

So here's my quilt - it measured about 75 " square - so it was large enough for a double bed. It is backed in a tiny all over flag print. Sorry for the fuzzy pic - it was taken with the phone!

Enjoy! Now home to start the Crayola quilt for Ronald McDonald House Charities!!

Another oldie that I loved

2008-09-27T17:36:00.000-07:00

I write this title and am not sure if I am referring to the quilt picture or the person I gave it to many years ago.

I found the cat fabric made by Red Rooster and outer border by Moda in a small shop in Phoenix AZ when I was out there working one summer. The antique stuffed cats reminded me of the mother of a friend of mine when I was a child. Pauline had a wonderful house filled with antiques and collectibles and one of the things she collected was stuffed tabby cats made from fabric panels. I don't know when the panels were originally printed, but they were reprinted in... I believe the 60's. Anyway, Pauline would find the cats at sales, then people would bring her cats they found at sales and she ended up with many many stuffed tabby cats. About 7 years ago I went back to my hometown in Western New York, reunited with Laurie my childhood friend and when we went to visit Pauline she had all the cats lined up on the stairs to the second floor of her house (now unused). They were looking like they had all been coming downstairs and stopped for a short sit and then you walked in!

So when I saw this fabric I had to buy it and make Pauline a quilt. I bought all there was of the cat panel and it was just enough to make this quilt. But once I got it made, I loved the quilt so much I searched for months on ebay until I found more of the cat fabric. The seller had a large quantity and was selling it whole piece. So I now have 9 yards of the cat fabric in my stash!

I mailed the quilt to Pauline that Christmas and do I have to tell you she loved it? I visited the following summer with my son Stephen, we road tripped the day after school ended from Illinois back to Western New York and of course visited with Pauline and saw the quilt spread over the couch in her home. We were there to shop the 100 mile yard sale and Pauline and Laurie and Stephen and I really did most of the miles! Well, don't you know Pauline gave me a couple of her stuffed cats to bring home. I was so touched. Seeing them justtakes me right back to being a kid.

Pauline passed away early this year. I regret I didn't get back again to see her. But she was a wonderful woman and mother, who never failed to make me feel as special and cared for as her own kids. Some day I'm going to have to make that other quilt for myself and put it on the bed with Pauline's cats and enjoy the many happy memories of my youth and Pauline.

Quick Update

2008-09-09T12:29:00.000-07:00

Well - it's almost fall in Illinois, in fact with cold weather this week after Gustav's rains blew through here it really feels like football weather! From running the AC one day to wanting a fire in the fireplace the next night - it's quite a change!

I finished my Scraps to Treasures challenge quilt on schedule but can't post a picture yet, because the challenge is not closed. That will be in two more weeks I think. I've been busy unpacking fabric from the garage into my new sewing space and getting rid of lots of old stuff. A major remodel is a great opportunity to identify how much you really can live without!!

I also finished my flutterbye block swap on the HGTV boards and someday will get those blocks put together into a quilt top!

The attached picture is my first HGTV swap quilt from when I joined the boards about 5 years ago. It is an Autumn Log Cabin (queen size) and I love it - I keep it on my bed in the fall. Right now it is in the family room and after many washings it is so soft and snugly. The blocks are signed by the women who participated from all over the country so it's a nice trip down memory lane when I look at it.

I also finished a table topper for my brother this week done in beautiful batiks that I bought in Boston last month and I have signed up for a new challenge using the Surf and Sand collection from Marcus Brothers. It is lovely blues, taupes and cream in retro designs and paisley. I used it for a throw for my SIL this past winter (which I mailed away without taking a pic!) and I loved it , so I am happy to be in this new challenge. I am supposed to have 8 blocks done by mid October! EEPS!!!!

After that it will be the RMHC Crayola quilt which is due in December, I have my pattern ready, I planned it in EQ5 (my quilt design software) in fact I designed two - one for the charity and one larger for me to keep!

Thanksgiving we are heading out to Seattle for a visit with my brother and his family. It is sure to be a good time and I will get to make a mess in his kitchen instead of in mine!! I am shipping out a spare sewing machine and fabric in advance so I don't have to carry it on the flight and hope to put some things together for his home while I am there! I'll leave the machine for future trips.

Stephen will be 21 soon, so I hoping to finish his Celtic quilt that has been waiting over 2 years to be quilted.....part of a long line up, but his is getting moved to the front of the line. Hard to believe 21 years have just flown by, but I am very proud of him and the man he has become.

Well - That's it for today! More soon!

Long time no chatter!

2008-07-31T19:30:00.000-07:00

Came across some older quilt pictures, so I am going to post them over the next little while, until I get new pictures taken I guess!

I have not taken pictures of all the quilts I have made over the years. Many I finish just in the nick of time to pack them up and ship them off or give them away. I don't feel as strong a need to memorialize my efforts as much as I really just want the recipients to enjoy them. Here is one I made for QWL, Quilts with Love. I have been associated with this group for 4 or 5 years. A military mom friend in MO started it with a quilt request for her son on his way to the middle east. It has turned into a huge undertaking with volunteer quilters all over the country participating and has resulted in over 1,000 quilts being sent directly to soldiers.

This one I made from our Legion Post 1084 in Roselle, IL. The white squares have personal sayings and prayers from the Legion members. I really liked this one!!

Window shade is up in Family Room

2008-06-24T14:51:00.000-07:00

The window shade finally went up night before last - had issues with getting the rod in the right place - but it's done and works well to block all the light. I used some great fabric I found at Calico Corners in Brookfield, WI when I was there in March. Had intended to use it for pillows on the couch, but was able to purchase more by phone last week, and one of my team was going there last week and picked it up for me! So that worked out and tomorrow I should have the new in my hands and am ready to make the pillows for the couches. I picked up the pillow forms a week ago so progress is being made - not perfection! Not yet anyway.

I am struggling with the pattern to use for the charity quilt that will be raffled off on Aug 1 weekend. I have over 100 6" blocks of all different fabrics. I can add 2 fat quarters more, plus one yard more. And from that I must cut each square at least once and use at least 2" from every square. Sound easy? Not when you are trying to make as large a quilt as possible so that you can get a lot of sales on it at the raffle! It will obviously be very scrappy which is my favorite style. I may play with some fabrics tonight and just do it!! That's how I approached it last year.

This past weekend Mark was sworn in as Director of our Lions Club again. This is a one year term, then we'll see what's next. I get sworn in next month I think as President of our American Legion Auxiliary. Exciting times for a Canadian! LOL!

Have shopped some more for my brother's new home and looking forward to my next visit to Seattle.

More later - will post a pic maybe of the valance material - very funky!

Lots of work, very little sewing!

2008-06-18T11:42:00.000-07:00

Have been working hard and skipping lunch breaks, eating at my desk all week, so very tired at night. Not much new on the sewing front. The boys are clamoring for the window shade to be done in the family room so they can better view the TV, so I worked on cutting that last night, but sewing machine is in new studio and french doors are not yet up and the TV was blaring and I just couldn't sit in all that noise and didn't have the 'oomph' to haul the machine back upstairs, so maybe tonight. I already have the rod so it should be a quick job.

I have been receiving the 'flutterbye' blocks from the exchange I am doign via the HGTV quilters BBS and really love them!

We went to dinner last night with Sara (h?) , my son Stephen's new girlfriend. She's very nice - very cute freckles. Didn't open up much but I am sure her first time around the family was a little uncomfortable. I do remember that feeling, it takes some time to get over. I look forward to getting to know her better as their relationship progresses.

We had a tree man at the house yesterday and he will be back today, trimming our maples of old growth, doing some de-stumping and cutting all the wood from our 3 tree removal project last year into firewood sized pieces. They got about 30% of that task done yesterday and hopefully will be all done today. Then I get to go buy new trees or shrubs and replant the area in the patio that I cut down a few years ago! oops!!

Last week I went fabric shopping at Walter E Smithe. They are a high end custom furniture store in Chicago area and I am fortunate to have their outlet store right down the street from me!! I have got some great deals through the years, and love the shop! When they custom upholster a piece they often have leftover fabric and so send the leftovers to the outlet and sell it for $5 a yard! This is usually $45 and up a yard fabric - so it's incredible! So last week I was looking for fabric to recover my brother's dining room furniture after he moves. His home style is mission and his table and chairs are black, so I really needed the right fabric to bring a 'mission' flavor to them. Well, I bought a piece in a deep rust shade with a cross hatching of same color velvet which is gorgeous and works with the black and brings in the graphic lines of mission styling, but then I got home and looked at a piece I picked up a few months ago for my own family room and decided that might be better for him. I have struggled with the decision all week since I might cut the one for my family room window shade and have finally decided to fly both out with us at Thanksgiving and let Fred decide for himself. I have a spare sewing machine that I was going to pass on to my mom anyway, so I will just take that with me and leave it at his house for the future. Oh - I also found a 10 yard bolt of a beautiful chocolate brown, taupe, seafoam, teal, cream striped chenille that I just couldn't leave. I'll use it someday.....somewhere!

Got to run - more later!

Whew!! Finally back!

2008-06-12T08:38:00.000-07:00

Been a while since I posted - I was out of commission for a few weeks with a nasty respiratory infection and then was away for 5 days in Seattle to attend my nephew's HS graduation. So much has happened I think I'll have to abridge it.

The carpet is all done in the basement, now we just need to hang 4 doors and finish moving in the furniture and 'stuff' from the garage.

I am not yet sewing in my new quilt studio, but hope to do that within the next few weeks. I am moving things down, just no time for sewing right now.

The trip to Seattle was wonderful, spending time with my family always is. I almost cried during the graduation it was a wonderful ceremony delivered primarily by the students. So much talent it was awesome. I also made it to Pike's Place Market and spent a little time in Undercover Quilts a bountiful quilt shop in the market. Came home with some lovely Aussie fabrics and a really rich batik (lots of that) !! I was able to see the home my brother is closing on next week, it's very nice I think it will be perfect for him and since it's new construction all the work is outside which Fred really enjoys. It will be a challenge but I am sure it will be great! My flight was cancelled on the way home due to tornadoes in the midwest, so I actually spent an extra evening with the family and I really enjoyed that.

I'm attaching my first picture here of a wallhanging I am mailing to NC today to be raffled off on July 1 as a fundraiser for McDonald House Charities. It was a charity challenge on the HGTV.com quilting message board so there are actually 22 small quilts being raffled. Reportedly the winning tickets will be pulled by 'hunky' local firemen! The challenge was called Life is a Bowl of Diamonds and the challenge required that we each pick an item for our 'bowl' , we could use only black, white and colored fabric related to our item, and we had to use diamonds somewhere in the quilt. My diamonds are appliqued for the flower petals. The water and black background are both batiks from bali and it is created in the sashiko style of quilting with white thread hand stitching against the black to create movement. The border is swirled print from Kona Bay that mimics the sashiko. and the flowers centers are tiny beads in varying shades of blues.

Well - That's it for today! More soon - as it happens! Thanks for the visit!

Another Day Older - but a lot more accomplished!

2008-05-16T08:59:00.000-07:00

Took off work on Tuesday for my birthday, Stephen was also off work, and DH, Mark took the day off to spend it with us. The carpet finally came in on Monday so I picked it up Monday evening along with the finish nail gun and more oak trim. We all got up early and were back at work just after 8 am Tuesday morning. Staining, carpet laying, installing trim - we were in great shape when the couches arrived at noon. A little more finish work and we were off to run errands and go pick up our new TV. We decided on a Sharp 52" LCD. Got it in the house just before the rain started and into place within minutes. It is a wonderful addition to the family room and I have already enjoyed it almost ever night since. We went out to dinner at a local char-house where I indulged in a big filet mignon dinner. I don't eat red meat very often, so it was a change.

Now I am struggling with the need to find storage for the quilt room and get moved in while up against several deadlines for charity quilts to be delivered. I shopped last night on the way home and will do the same again tonight and hopefully make some decisions and purchases.

It's hard to get going with everything scattered.

Stephen is at the ACEN convention this weekend, he hauled out about 5:30 this morning to start getting ready and we had a gaggle of young people in the driveway when I headed out for the office at 6:30. Stephen took my van so they could all car-pool together and keep down the cost of parking. So I have his car for the first time. It's rather nice driving a sedan, though it does feel smaller in the cabin space than my usual passenger van.

Tomorrow is the MD-1 Lions State convention in Itasca. so another busy weekend, and then next weekend more busy-ness with the in-laws arriving back from Florida and wanting to get together for May Birthdays and Mark's birthday on Friday - still no shopping done for that! OOPS!!! Something else for the list!!!!

No carpet yet!

2008-05-12T07:24:00.000-07:00

Worked our tails off all weekend - including an extended trip to the local HD to pick up the carpet tiles that were supposed to be in on Friday - only to be told they were not in. Called again this morning and the Customer Service rep this time tells me they couldn't have come in on Friday - Holland doesn't deliver on Friday (the trucking firm). So someone is jerking me around again, and as frustrating as it is, we have a backup plan and will not delay the remaining work.

We finished installing the wall to wall carpeting in my quilt studio - it's the loveliest shade of blue - sort of a Wedgewood blue - and will match one of the stripes in my victorian loveseat which I plan to put in the room. Right now the room is empty, so when the furniture comes tomorrow for the family room, since we have no carpet there, we can put it in my quilt studio. It will be an easy move through the double french doors after we do get the carpet installed.

No progress on furniture. Spent lots of time staining and polycoating the last of the trim and french doors so we will install those tomorrow. I did get some rest time on Mother's day, we ran errands and I picked up a couple of inspirational quilt magazine's at the book shop, then into the mall where I snagged a few great deals in the ladies department and got a new battery in my watch at the jewelers. I cooked dinner, which we ate in front of the TV and that was about it!

I was hoping to do some planting and yard work this weekend, but it rained quite a bit most of Sunday and the family room has to be our priority at this time. Maybe next week or the week after I will be able to come up with some time to do that! Of course we are booked for the next 3 weekends with Lions and Legion activities, but I will find the time somewhere.

Off to work now!

It's almost here!

2008-05-08T14:52:00.000-07:00

Got a call this morning that our carpet tiles will be in town tomorrow!! This means we have a lot of work to do this weekend. The last 5% of details like caulking moulding that makes a huge difference. I have already scheduled Tuesday off from work so the furniture will be delivered then also and we'll be most of the way through having a finished family room again - oh and my quilt studio! I am still trying to figure out how to get an antique china cabinet down there for my fabric storage! To aid the cause I went and bought more fabric the other night. We'll have new quilts for our new couches.

This has been an excruciatingly long work week, little sleep most nights. Don't know why but allergies are raging and can't wait for this spring pollen season to cease! I do need to get out in the garden and plant my annuals and do some weeding, but the family room comes first. Gotta run - more later!

New Link Added

2008-05-06T08:55:00.001-07:00

Added a link to The Bright Spot Lighting. This was the source for my Frank Lloyd Wright Dana House reproduction lamp. I just love it and it will be perfect in our family room! Item DT101016 in case you want to check it out.

Here's a trivia snip from my mom -

Olivia DeHavilland (of Gone with the Wind fame) was the niece of Frank Lloyd Wright.

2 steps forward, 1 giant step back!

2008-05-06T08:34:00.000-07:00

Spent most of the weekend working on the basement remodel, though I also squeezed in a haircut, pedicure and a little shopping. I finished painting and staining the trim and baseboards and we installed most of the trim on Sunday. We also installed the drop ceiling in the quilt studio, and picked up the wall to wall carpet for the quilt studio. I still have to stain and poly the door jambs and double french doors for the entrance to the quilt studio from the family room. That will be sometime this week.

Woke up Monday morning at 4:30 - unable to sleep any more - so at 5:15 got up and went down and in the next hour finished about 60 more feet of oak baseboard and was able to return the rented finish nail gun at 7 am on my way to work. I was planning to put in the wall to wall last night and the carpet tiles in main room this week so we could get furniture next week (maybe for my birthday?) but we got a call last night that the store we ordered our carpet from had received notice from the vendor that the matching broadloom (for stair runner) was discontinued and they had cancelled the whole order. I am simply livid after waiting for than 3 weeks to get that message, then being told we would have to re-place the order for the tiles and wait two weeks again. So I just called and reamed one of their managers and am expecting them to expedite the order. If I had a choice to get it somewhere else I would, but this is a custom style and color available only through this big-box retailer. We'll see what happens - but it looks like I will not be getting new furniture delivered on my birthday.

Work is good, family is good. My brother has just put an offer on a house out in the Seattle area, I am hoping he gets what he wants and that I will be able to see it when I head out there next month.

Today is my Nephew's birthday -

Happy 19th Freddie!!! Enjoy your last 'teenage' year!!

First Blog - How Exciting!!

2008-05-02T08:09:00.000-07:00

SO... just opened this blogspot, motivated by jealousy and intrigue after viewing a friend's blog and am hoping it will become a vehicle for sharing my passions and information with anyone who cares.

I am, much to my husband's dismay at times, a highly productive person. I always have at least 10 projects waiting in the wings. This leads to very animated discussions with him and sleepless nights for me as I lay awake planning and making lists in my mind. I think I'm normal... however not many seem to agree with me. I asked my husband a few weeks ago, what do people without hobbies do with all their time? I answered my own question by looking around and realizing they probably do laundry or clean their houses. How boring!! I would go bonkers! It's not that I live in a pigsty, but it's certainly not at the top of my priorities.

So, as a start let me tell you about my quilting. I have been quilting off and on for a long, long time. More off than on in the early years but pretty much constantly for the last 8 years. I love art quilts, but really prefer that people sleep under my quilts. I make them to be used, not hung on a wall and generally don't make anything smaller than a queen size. I do this on a Kenmore sewing machine I received as a gift 31 years ago. I have always been a fabric lover, and have been known to spend all day in a fabric store! When I was younger I made clothes, now I don't even repair my own clothes other than hems. I have been quilting in my dining room for the last 8 years, and my DH is tired of fabric all over the house, so for the last year we have been working on a major basement remodel which includes a 12 x 12 quilting studio for me. At least we are hoping there is enough room in there for all the fabric and my sewing machine. I do have a New Generation quilt frame and Pfaff quilting machine waiting to be set up, but it will not fit in my room so the garage will be an extension of my work space.

I have two sons, Stephen who is 20 has just taken 2 years off from school but is returning to college in a few weeks. Stephen lives at home and works full time at Half Price Books. He has always been an avid reader so the job is perfect for him. He has incredible artistic talent which he also applies to one of his other passions which is anime. He develops and draws original characters and storyboards and he looks forward to attending the Acen convention each year in Rosemont (a Chicago suburb) which is fortunately close to home.

Thomas is 17 and will be graduating from high school next year. He lives in Texas most of the year, with his mother and family. Thomas is an accomplished athlete and his current passion is running. He participates in both cross country and track. Last year at 16 Thomas competed for the second time in Chicago's Race to the Taste. Out of 1878 finishers he came in 12th and came in first in his age category. We are very proud of both of our sons.

My husband and I have been married for 10 years. I don't think the honeymoon is over yet, which I guess means we chose well (this time!) (Hope he agrees!) He brings light and laughter to my life and I often think of him as the calm in my storm. We actually have been married 3 times. The first was in January when I knew none of my family would want to come to Chicago in a snow storm for a wedding, so we were married by a judge in the judge's home. The judge was actually the father of one of my husband's co-workers, so it was a very personal and wonderful event for us. I cried all the way through and my husband was afraid I was unhappy ! It's funny in retrospect, but not at the time. We had a church wedding the following summer with attendants and the gown and everything and then we had a honeymoon in Cancun. It was a huge spurge, but so wonderful! I think it was 2 years later on Valentines Day Sunday, that our church offered a ceremony of renewal of vows for any couples interested, and so we did it again in front of our friends and fellow parishioners.

Whew - I am tired - this is almost like therapy - or at least what I think therapy would be like - so I am signing off now - more later and pictures to follow.