I just read a reference to a behavior pattern and I think it is really my problem.
I AM BINARY!!!
So in computer speak - which is often used at my house - you know binary is all ones and zeroes. So you are either a one or a zero - there is no middle ground - there is no average - or moderation - just a one or a zero.
So when I am on to something (like a diet) (let's call this a one) - I am totally on it - gung ho!!! - no stopping me!!! - eat no fat - eat no carbs - eat no sugar - !!!
And then I hit a plateau or I burn out and I turn into a ZERO!!!!
and I am the other side of that coin - lay on the couch - want to do nothing - want to eat everything - I said 'Want' not going to do it - but I might just have some full fat salad dressing......
So at least there is a name for this behavior - now I just need to figure out if I want to change it or not....
Tuesday, February 2, 2016
Sunday, June 2, 2013
My Magnolia
Most years in spring I snap a pictur eof my magnolia tree. She is a beauty. She is so big when I am in my shower on the top floor of the house (2 stories above ground) it feels like I am showering in the tree and in the spring when she is in bloom I am just awestruck by her pink beauty!
My brother has a magnolia at his house in Seattle too. We swapped pictures one year as a challenge (look at mine!! No!! look at mine! Mine's bigger..no mine is!! ) you know ...sibling rivalry .... but they are just wonderful trees and I hope anyone who has one treasures it as much as I do mine.
The drop to our well is under the magnolia tree. A few years ago we were having some well problems and the well man said he needed to trim the tree drastically to bring in a boom. I told Mark we would be shutting down the well and having city water brought in before they would decimate my tree.
Just for context that arborvitae in the background is at least 15 feet tall!!
And half of my house two stories high is behind that three!
My brother has a magnolia at his house in Seattle too. We swapped pictures one year as a challenge (look at mine!! No!! look at mine! Mine's bigger..no mine is!! ) you know ...sibling rivalry .... but they are just wonderful trees and I hope anyone who has one treasures it as much as I do mine.
The drop to our well is under the magnolia tree. A few years ago we were having some well problems and the well man said he needed to trim the tree drastically to bring in a boom. I told Mark we would be shutting down the well and having city water brought in before they would decimate my tree.
Do you feel this strongly about any of your trees?
Saturday, June 1, 2013
There's one born every minute.....
We saw this sign below on vacation in Florida this past Christmas.
I really don't want to think that anybody is not smart enough to know that 'molesting' an alligator is not a good idea - but you never know!!
Friday, May 31, 2013
The weekend is back again!
I am just getting ready to start my weekend, the last few requests are walking in my door and once the flow of drive-bys stops I will head out the door. I am usually the last one out of the office for my department, and sometimes even the last one out of the building but not tonight I hope!
So I thought since I spend so much time here I would showyou a picture of where I spend so much of my time ...
That's really only a partial view from the door. But this is it!! The quilted wallhanging I made a few years ago for my spare room, when Stephen moved out. I moved in to the office shortly after he came back home I think, so I brought it in here. You can see a little frame on the left side - there are actually five of them - they are like shadowbox frames and in each is a 2' square of a favorite battik fabric.
The plant is a relic from the first Bosses Day I had after I cane to Hospira 8 years ago. My SAP SQA team gifted me a basket with a few plants in it and this guy survived. He loves my office and is spreading like crazy.
What's reallly interesting is that the walls between my office and the ones on either side are metal. So all of these items have to be hung with magnets! I never knew magnets could be so expensive - but the more weight you want to support the higher the price tag goes! I was fortunate to be magnet shopping for my frames just before Christmas and found very strong, very reasonably prices hooks made for hanging wreaths on metal doors. They are a little funky and green - but they do a great job of holding my frames in place! Also I travel frequently for work, so I started last year collecting magnets for each city or airport I travel to. They help bring some interest to the place too!
well - my week is almost over - Hope you have some fun planned for the weekend- I know I will be sewing, we are epxecting a lot more rain! I have some quilts to work on so I'll be happy. Hope you are too!
So I thought since I spend so much time here I would showyou a picture of where I spend so much of my time ...
That's really only a partial view from the door. But this is it!! The quilted wallhanging I made a few years ago for my spare room, when Stephen moved out. I moved in to the office shortly after he came back home I think, so I brought it in here. You can see a little frame on the left side - there are actually five of them - they are like shadowbox frames and in each is a 2' square of a favorite battik fabric.
The plant is a relic from the first Bosses Day I had after I cane to Hospira 8 years ago. My SAP SQA team gifted me a basket with a few plants in it and this guy survived. He loves my office and is spreading like crazy.
What's reallly interesting is that the walls between my office and the ones on either side are metal. So all of these items have to be hung with magnets! I never knew magnets could be so expensive - but the more weight you want to support the higher the price tag goes! I was fortunate to be magnet shopping for my frames just before Christmas and found very strong, very reasonably prices hooks made for hanging wreaths on metal doors. They are a little funky and green - but they do a great job of holding my frames in place! Also I travel frequently for work, so I started last year collecting magnets for each city or airport I travel to. They help bring some interest to the place too!
well - my week is almost over - Hope you have some fun planned for the weekend- I know I will be sewing, we are epxecting a lot more rain! I have some quilts to work on so I'll be happy. Hope you are too!
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
How was your Memorial Day?
Mine was mostly wet.
So sad to have a 3 day weekend and it was rainy or looking like rain most of the time. Cold too.
So I did the best with it I could and hibernated in my basement - working on a new quilt.
I am not thrilled with it so far - it's got a lot of ivory in it - lots of background - so I think I won't be sure until it is quilted with some colorful thread. I'll post some pictures soon - right now it's only 2 rows wide - though all of teh blocks are done and borders are all planned.
When I did come up for air or food or diet Coke, I did some small home chores and headed right back down to my lair. Let's see Friday night I made a stop at Costco on my way home and picked up a rotisserie chicken then did several loads of laundry and vegged on the couch in front of the TV.
Saturday morning I cleaned the kitchen then made some orange creamsicle cupcakes. Threw together a Caesar salad for dinner and washed and spun enough lettuce for Sunday too. Headed back down and sewed and cut and sewed some more. I cannot even remember what we did for dinner on Saturday - oops!! I do recall I stayed up until 5:30 in the morning Sunday watching TV shows on Netflix. (Yes, sometimes I act irresposibly, especially about sleeping!)
Sunday I ran some errands with Mark in the afternoon - primarily to Joann's for some Guterman's thread on sale and to pick up some Diet Coke! Grabbed a late lunch or was it early dinner at Panera. Then back to sewing and more TV.
Monday I sewed again, did more laundry, cleaned the kitchen. marinated pork tenderloins for dinner, and later cooked same tenderloins on the grill and served with cheddar broccoli rice (thank you Zatarains!) Mid afternoon baking break for a batch of ginger crinkle cookies - yummmy...
I did not get my basil plants in the containers outdoors as planned. I did not get my hollyhock bulbs in the ground - I think they are probably dead by now or mushy from the rain exposure.
We are expecting rain all week this week - so I guess those tasks will just get pushed out til next weekend - or not.
Gotta go - home is calling!
So sad to have a 3 day weekend and it was rainy or looking like rain most of the time. Cold too.
So I did the best with it I could and hibernated in my basement - working on a new quilt.
I am not thrilled with it so far - it's got a lot of ivory in it - lots of background - so I think I won't be sure until it is quilted with some colorful thread. I'll post some pictures soon - right now it's only 2 rows wide - though all of teh blocks are done and borders are all planned.
When I did come up for air or food or diet Coke, I did some small home chores and headed right back down to my lair. Let's see Friday night I made a stop at Costco on my way home and picked up a rotisserie chicken then did several loads of laundry and vegged on the couch in front of the TV.
Saturday morning I cleaned the kitchen then made some orange creamsicle cupcakes. Threw together a Caesar salad for dinner and washed and spun enough lettuce for Sunday too. Headed back down and sewed and cut and sewed some more. I cannot even remember what we did for dinner on Saturday - oops!! I do recall I stayed up until 5:30 in the morning Sunday watching TV shows on Netflix. (Yes, sometimes I act irresposibly, especially about sleeping!)
Sunday I ran some errands with Mark in the afternoon - primarily to Joann's for some Guterman's thread on sale and to pick up some Diet Coke! Grabbed a late lunch or was it early dinner at Panera. Then back to sewing and more TV.
Monday I sewed again, did more laundry, cleaned the kitchen. marinated pork tenderloins for dinner, and later cooked same tenderloins on the grill and served with cheddar broccoli rice (thank you Zatarains!) Mid afternoon baking break for a batch of ginger crinkle cookies - yummmy...
I did not get my basil plants in the containers outdoors as planned. I did not get my hollyhock bulbs in the ground - I think they are probably dead by now or mushy from the rain exposure.
We are expecting rain all week this week - so I guess those tasks will just get pushed out til next weekend - or not.
Gotta go - home is calling!
Friday, May 24, 2013
The weekend is here!!!
I love weekends.
Really.
No - I REALLY, REALLY LOVE weekends!!
and better than just a weekend is a three day weekend.
I love my job too, but I do work hard all week - burning brain cells. And I need my weekends to rest and recover. By the time Friday comes, my fingers are tired, my brain is tired, my eyes ache ... sometimes I think my hair even aches!!
I was recounting working this morning on the phone with Mom. I have been working full time summers in between full time college and so on since 1975. My mom thinks going to college is not equivalent to working full time. Hmmm - I don't agree. In fact, if I had to go back to college full time I think it would be harder than working. What do you think?
This weekend all of our pollen is out in full force - so I may be hibernating at home. But I have lots of inside projects to work on, or I could get back to my quilt in progress (one of many in progress) or my new V stitch ripple crochet throw in progress or any other crafty thing I can think up as long as I don't have to go shop for it!!
I just need to get home and hang my big flag on the front of the house and I will be ready for Memorial Day!!
See you all next week with some pictures of finished projects I hope!! Here's a quilt I made a few years ago and we raffled off to support our hospitalized veterans!
Please buy a poppy this weekend to help those who have sacrificed for our freedom.
Monday, May 20, 2013
13 years in the making!
This past week Mark and I flew to Austin Texas to see our son Thomas graduate from Southwestern University in Georgetown, TX. My MIL also flew in from NC and we all met in the airport.
Southwestern is actually the first institute of higher learning in Texas, founded in 1840. It is a beautiful campus in a wonderfully rejuvenated small town. We drove around the town square multiple times and altho I was driving I was also salivating over all the cute shops and restaurants, but no shopping for me! At least not that day!
The graduation photos are on Mark's phone, so they will have to wait. But suffice to say it was a beautiful (hot) day and our buttons were almost popping off with pride at learning that Thomas graduated Magna Cum Laude with Honors. Of the 59 students receiving their BS that day only 4 did the honors program. So it was 'big stuff' to us. Thomas' paper will be bound and retained in the Southwestern library for generations ot come!
The day before heading to Texas I took a day off to get ready, do a doctor's appointment, and do a little home decor project that has been bugging me for 13 years! Our home built in 1955 originally had a big lava rock wall surrounding the fireplace. The next owners in the late 70's replaced that with cherry wood paneling. Nice paneling - but still... (eyes rolling) Not being a rustic kind of girl that wall has really bugged me. I tried to get Mark to let me paint it when we repainted the living room in 'Parchment Paper' 3 years ago, to no avail. To make matters worse the adjacent wall which goes up the stairs to the top level of the house I had painted in Ralph Lauren River Rock in a deep cherry color (trying to disguise the cherry elephant in the room). So that wall had to be completely sanded to lose the rock texture before any painting could begin.
I hand sanded, taped, applied 2 coats of primer and 2 coats of paint and the wall was done! I loved it!!! I had the mantel decor back up before Mark got home and he loved it too! Now we sit and wonder why we waited so long! I guess I should have pushed harder all those years ago. The almost white wall really opens up the space. My next project is a family 'rogue's gallery' going up the stairs. The frames are all purchased, just need to pull pictures and plan the layout - this might be a good task for next weekend when I have 3 days off!
Timber !!!
Here are some pics from my last posting. The small trees along the back fence line are about 6 feet tall - so extrapolate that to the spruce and you can see what a loss this huge tree was!
In this next picture you can see the tree on the right which is a Norway Spruce on the back fence line and the CO Blue to the left of the one removed are both trimmed and thinning - in the two weeks since this picture was taken they are even more dead from the ground up. We will be doing sterile trimming on the CO Blue to try to save it - but the Norway will come down in the next few weeks also. If we don't contain this it can spread airborne to our other evergreens. So far all of our front trees are unaffected.
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In this next picture you can see the tree on the right which is a Norway Spruce on the back fence line and the CO Blue to the left of the one removed are both trimmed and thinning - in the two weeks since this picture was taken they are even more dead from the ground up. We will be doing sterile trimming on the CO Blue to try to save it - but the Norway will come down in the next few weeks also. If we don't contain this it can spread airborne to our other evergreens. So far all of our front trees are unaffected.
Lots of work ahead for us!
Monday, May 6, 2013
Doing Better!
So - Only a few days since my last post - over a weekend - and while I wish I had a picture to share I left my phone at home today - so pictures will wait until my next posting.
The big weekend news is that our 60 year old Colorado Blue SPruce which towered over the neighborhood from our back yard is now gone. It had lost almost all of it's needles since last fall and we are worried it may be a fungus that could spread to our other spruces - but after taking a piece of stem with dead and live needles to the nursery it may be drought related. I am going to try to get an arborist out to give me guidance this week but hope we can save our other trees.
So here is something I learned - when trimming branches from trees you should alwyas wipe the saw blade with alcohol between each branch - so if lower branches are sick you don't spread it! AND especially if you trim from tree to tree!! Good to know eh?
The tree came down in about 15 minutes - then an hour and a half later, the stump was gone, the trunk wood had been picked up by some neighbors, the branches were at the curb - other than a blank circle in the back yard you would never know there had been a giant tree there! So sad. Loved our tree guy - great prices great service - if you are in upper IL, lower WI call Kotierra Tree Service out of Winthrop Harbor.
So with that done, we spent the rest of the weekend working on smaller gardening projects - planting containers in the front, putting in a new rose bush, general grooming. The hostas are just peeking through the soil. the magnolia tree is shedding her beautiful flower petals and in a couple of weeks the pool will be open and on it's way to warming! That's the first sign of our hope for a nice hot summer!
Today is my nephew Freddie's 24th Birthday!! Happy Birthday Freddie!!! Where did the years go?
The big weekend news is that our 60 year old Colorado Blue SPruce which towered over the neighborhood from our back yard is now gone. It had lost almost all of it's needles since last fall and we are worried it may be a fungus that could spread to our other spruces - but after taking a piece of stem with dead and live needles to the nursery it may be drought related. I am going to try to get an arborist out to give me guidance this week but hope we can save our other trees.
So here is something I learned - when trimming branches from trees you should alwyas wipe the saw blade with alcohol between each branch - so if lower branches are sick you don't spread it! AND especially if you trim from tree to tree!! Good to know eh?
The tree came down in about 15 minutes - then an hour and a half later, the stump was gone, the trunk wood had been picked up by some neighbors, the branches were at the curb - other than a blank circle in the back yard you would never know there had been a giant tree there! So sad. Loved our tree guy - great prices great service - if you are in upper IL, lower WI call Kotierra Tree Service out of Winthrop Harbor.
So with that done, we spent the rest of the weekend working on smaller gardening projects - planting containers in the front, putting in a new rose bush, general grooming. The hostas are just peeking through the soil. the magnolia tree is shedding her beautiful flower petals and in a couple of weeks the pool will be open and on it's way to warming! That's the first sign of our hope for a nice hot summer!
Today is my nephew Freddie's 24th Birthday!! Happy Birthday Freddie!!! Where did the years go?
Friday, May 3, 2013
OMG!!! Two Years!
Can't believe it's been that long! Well - yeah I can.... no excuses - life has been busy, between work, home and family it's a wonder I even recall my name some days! But I am back!
Strangely enough, I probably stopped blogging much around the same time I stopped spending so much time in the quilting studio. Most days I dream of stealing some time in there. No longer do I get up and stay in jammies all day on Saturday or Sunday and just sew to my hearts content! More often I am busy with something else - some house project or shopping, or cooking, or gardening and in the evenings I am just worn out!
I did a lot of travel for work in the last 18 months - I went to Argentina, Peru, Mexico City, UK, Paris, Philadelphia a couple of times, Florida, Milwaukee, Las Vegas, Quebec City, Lexington, KY and Boston, then we added a 3 week road trip at year end that took us from Illinois to North Carolina, down the East Coast to Port St Lucie, FL. down and over to Naples, then back up. We were changing locations about every three days and drove almost 4,000 miles in 21 days. We also shuttled 2 kids to 4 different airports on 4 different days! I needed to come back to work to rest!!
I do love to travel and I enjoy meeting new people. So it's not a hardship for me other than the rest of my work doesn't go away when I travel and I do know Mark did not marry me thinking I would be travelling so much! This past year was a bit more extreme than usual (but it was fun!!)
Here's some great pictures I took in Paris - at least they were great for me! I did find a little quilt shop in Saint Germain - Le Rouvray - and indulged in some wonderful fabric in fact I just picked up some coordinating fabrics last week at my new haunt in Elmhurst so maybe I'll get back in the studio some day soon. Still researching designs. Be back soon! Toby
Strangely enough, I probably stopped blogging much around the same time I stopped spending so much time in the quilting studio. Most days I dream of stealing some time in there. No longer do I get up and stay in jammies all day on Saturday or Sunday and just sew to my hearts content! More often I am busy with something else - some house project or shopping, or cooking, or gardening and in the evenings I am just worn out!
I did a lot of travel for work in the last 18 months - I went to Argentina, Peru, Mexico City, UK, Paris, Philadelphia a couple of times, Florida, Milwaukee, Las Vegas, Quebec City, Lexington, KY and Boston, then we added a 3 week road trip at year end that took us from Illinois to North Carolina, down the East Coast to Port St Lucie, FL. down and over to Naples, then back up. We were changing locations about every three days and drove almost 4,000 miles in 21 days. We also shuttled 2 kids to 4 different airports on 4 different days! I needed to come back to work to rest!!
I do love to travel and I enjoy meeting new people. So it's not a hardship for me other than the rest of my work doesn't go away when I travel and I do know Mark did not marry me thinking I would be travelling so much! This past year was a bit more extreme than usual (but it was fun!!)
Here's some great pictures I took in Paris - at least they were great for me! I did find a little quilt shop in Saint Germain - Le Rouvray - and indulged in some wonderful fabric in fact I just picked up some coordinating fabrics last week at my new haunt in Elmhurst so maybe I'll get back in the studio some day soon. Still researching designs. Be back soon! Toby
Monday, September 26, 2011
Baby no more...
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?
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!
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.
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.
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Pre-Vacation Update
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
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
Friday, July 1, 2011
No picture this week
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.
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.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
New garden spot
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?
Monday, June 13, 2011
The COF class in Basket Making
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
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!
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
COF
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.
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Pick yourself up...Dust yourself off......
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
Friday, February 4, 2011
Snow Time in Chicago!
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!!
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!!
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