A Teeny Tiny Block!

While blog-hopping tonight, I came across Dawn's blog, with the most artful, exquisite minitures I've seen. You have to go look. It inspired me to try it - Holy Moly, it was tough! I spent awhile with the calculator figuring the cuts, and did a bit of re-cutting and re-sewing to come up with this:


And it only took me an hour and a half! Good Grief but it was fun and a challenge and very very satisfying. That center 9-patch finishes at 3/4"! I can see in the picture what I didn't notice on the real thing - I need to take that right side off and try again. Isn't this too much fun for a Monday night?

Best Laid Plans ---

Well - I'll just say I'm a free spirit! Then I have to protest that outside forces were at work, making sure I didn't get any of my plans done. Heh heh heh. So the big plans didn't happen because Saturday I ended up gone most of the day and going out to dinner that night, then our friends came over. So much for that day! Sunday was more of the same - all fun stuff and fun people, but all time away from the sewing room. Then there was Mary Hickeys' book of baby quilts that got me all fired up to start making quilts for the first grandson coming in June - Jaden. I hope he likes cowboys! Just as I was sewing on the last border, Jaden's Daddy came in, scared the soup out of me. He lives 75 miles away! He came up behind me and did a "boogie-boogie" - whew! So I got to show him Jaden's quilt, and he wants me to do fleece for backing. I don't have any right now, so quilting will happen later - but the top was all done in one day!

Here's a close up of the blocks, fussy-cut from some cute fabric, that I think my darlin' Rosy gave me when she was my Secret Pal a couple of years ago. I can't remember buying it but I have a hazy memory of opening a gift and finding it.

Every bit of it came from stash, too! So it was free! LOL - how's that for reasoning? If I shop in my closet, it dosn't cost a thing. Makes sense to me! And I know anyone reading this will agree that it's too easy to get sidetracked into new projects - that's the fun of it all! Hmmmm...now what?

Free Fabric!

My mini-group, the 'Sew Whats', meets once a month or so to sit and stitch and and gab. This past Tuesday, one of our ladies brought a big pile of upholstery sample books! We had a blast tearing the books apart, making a mess of Leslie's house - (sorry, Les!) Everyone has a favorite, and the fabric was flyng; literally! "Hey Judy - here's one for you" followed by frog fabric flying thru the air towards Judy. In the end, everyone went home with a high pile. It took 3 pictures to get all of mine, and I was standing on a chair with my head brushing the ceiling!

As you can see, I tend to the bright side, clear colors mostly.

The majority of pieces were 6x8 inches or so, but there were a couple of books with very large pieces - 22x23!

All of them had paper glued to the back, either
a single strip across the top or down all 4 sides. Let me tell you, that paper does not want to come off. In the end, I just cut it off. The common denominator turned out to be 5 inches, so now I have a large stack of 5 inch squares.

My very most favorite bag is made from this type of fabric, and I've about loved it to bits. Time for a new one! Or 4, or 5.........

Always with the big plans!

Maybe if I put it in writing, I'll be shamed into getting it done. Heh, heh, heh - ummmmm, maybe? I want to get this bordered, quilted, bound and out of my way. It's not too old, but I really really really don't want UFO's to breed when my back is turned, and they seem to be doing that.

It's all folded up, but when it's all done it will generously cover a queen. I also want to get the rest of the diamonds pieced this weekend - I'm doing it in chunks instead of rows, hoping to cut down on the stretching. This one
grew and grew, and it will end up on my king size bed when it's done. I have to get it off my wall!

Finally, I have this wall hanging that's been hanging around. I love the pattern, didn't love the way it came out because there's not enough contrast for me. However, it needs to go away from my shelves.



There's more, of course, but right now those are the burrs under my saddle. And there's all those nifty new things I HAVE to start!! LOL! I should have the whole weekend to play, knock on wood, and it looks like it's going to be a rainy freezing weekend to stay inside without guilt. Oh yea - I have a huge stack of cotton upholstery fabrics to play with too -- more on that later. I need to retire........

HOME and other Good Things

As they say, nice to travel, nicer to get home! A week in "The World" is about enough for me - little country mouse as I am now. But a week with Mom wasn't enough! Here she is, hiding under the quilt i brought her:

The high point of the trip was the trip to UC San Diego Cancer Center - Good News!! Her cancer is all 100% estrogen sensitive, in other words, it is breast cancer, metastizied. The good part is, the doctors stopped her hormone replacements in January, and since that time her liver has shrunk 8 centimeters - nearly 4 inches. The cancer marker in her blood tests is down from 3300 to 600; incredible decrease. She feels 100% better, has gained 4 pounds, has no pain whatsoever and all in all everyone is a bit stunned, including her doctors. I'm willing to give credit to the withdrawal of the 'cancer-feeding' hormones since I have always believed that it plays a role in cancers, but equal time has to go to all the good people praying for her. We figured out that she had no fewer than 6 demoninations totalling probably 9 church congregations holding her up in prayer! Add family and friends and that's a pretty formidable force to be reckoned with. She is not cleared and they won't quite call it a remission, but considering that 2 months ago they were sure she would not live to new Years - it is a HUGE step in the right direction.

This is Mom with her little brother John all smiles the night we got the good news. (I don't know where this underline came from, and there's no tab to turn it off -- THANKS B'ger!
We all stayed with my Uncle John and Aunt Alice in Escondido in the middle of 20 acres of avacados! We had fresh avacados every meal - what riches! The entire property is on a hillside, and Mom felt so well that we went on several hikes around the orchards, gathering dropped avacados. She set the pace, and a mighty brisk one it was, too! Up and down hills like a kid - it was wonderful!



The morning I was to leave, Uncle John went to the orchard and picked a bunch of Large Greenies for me to take back - we made a lot of jokes about taking grenades on the plane. Guess what? You can't even make those jokes in your own home - I was called back to the luggage check-in to unlock my suitcase for inspection! All those avacados wrapped so carefully in my clothing..........But they were very green, and made it home just fine. Oh, and the limousine? THAT was a blast!! As it turned out, my connecting flight out of LA was delayed nearly 5 hours and by that time my uncle or step-father could have come to get me, but we didn't know that when the arrangements were made. I waited with the other passangers for that flight for many many hours, and we all talked a bit, etc. When we finally landed and poured into the terminal in Carlsbad, there was the uniformed driver, holding a sign with my name on it! Everyone looked around to see who had the driver waiting and that was funny and a bit embarressing, but it was sooo nice! The driver got my bag and opened the back door for me, and I had that whole huge backseat to myself, and there was water and sodas in the back bar of the car....it was quite an expirence. I could get used to that! Talk about getting spoiled! LOL -- limos are wasted on high-school kids. There will be more rides like that in my future I promise.
Now back to the real world, back to my chores and back to my quilting - today I'm going to cut more diamonds and start sewing them together. I managed to get on of the dolly quilts completely hand quilted, heavier than planned because I spent SO much time waiting, but it's fun - and wrinkly! OH well -- I also want to catch up on blog reading - I've got a lot to do!

Leaving on a Jet plane

Finally, finally, finally going to see my Mom! We found out almost 2 months ago about her terminal diagnosis, and I've been just crazy to get my eyes and hands on her. At last!
Because there won't be anyone who can meet my plane, I was going to rent a car and drive myself 45 miles, thru a metropolis that plain did not exsist the last time I was there 35 years ago. In the dark. And find my uncles' house somewhere in the middle of an avacado orchard! Well, after some thinking and web surfing, I discovered that I can get a limo to take me, for less than half the price, AND someone else will sweat the driving! Oh goody! I received my confirmation along with a note that my driver will be waiting at the gate for me, holding a sign with my name on it - !!! Outrageous! LMBO - it just strikes me as hilarious! But hey, I'm going to enjoy it.
I posted my siggie blocks off to Cynthia today, yay! Unfortunately did not take any pics, but the ones who did take pics, and put them on blogs are beautiful! I can't wait to see them all! I have some little handwork to take along, quilting some dolly quilts for the DGDs. Whew - I better get busy! We leave bright and early for the airport -- see you all in a week!

Happy Birthday Baby!

35 years ago, on a dark and stormy night, God sent me an angel to have for my very own for awhile. Steven Michael weighed in at 9lbs, 6 oz and was a long 24 inches. The hospital made me take him home even tho I didn't have the faintest idea what to do with a baby! Today he is a strapping 6ft 6 inches, has a lovely wife named Kelly, a baby of his own on the way, and his own succesful geology business. Everything I could ever have wished for this child has come true and I am so grateful. Who would have ever thunk it? Me so proud.
Now, for the dark side of my son: I called him to sing my customary off-key rendition of Happy Birthday, and he responded with "Thank you Mom, that's very nice. Say hi to everyone - you're on speaker phone" YOU RAT FINK!!!
(I wasn't, but I guess he gets his jollies from harrassing old ladies!)

Super Weekend

What a great weekend! OK, nothing earth-shattering - (lol, just what I need!) but a good feeling of accomplishment. Friday started off very badly at work, and when I had to run out on an errand, I took myself to the fabric store too! They had just placed a bunch of bolts on the markdown table, $2.97. I've been being a lot more picky about what I buy these days, since I'm not really stash-building anymore, but there was some nice stuff!

A little indulgence is good for the blood pressure, I think -- Besides, it looks like we have at least one baby boy coming, and I don't have a lot of blues. The FQs are for the Diana's Diamonds, which I decided has to be bigger. Saturday was Guild meeting, and that's always good for inspiration and a little boot in the fanny. I always come home fired up and wanting to quilt the world! LOL! We had a wonderful speaker and trunk show, and when I remember her name I'll post it. She had a lot of artsy landscapes and abstracts usually not my style, but as she explained her creative process I was more drawn into the quilts. Very interesting, and a nice person AND a good speaker! So all inspired, I came home to finish the sailboats for my DIL. We found out by accident that the baby is due in a week - she didn't tell me that part! Talk about in the nick of time!

I quilted alternating rows of waves across the body, and watery ripples in the borders. I found a batt in my closet that gave me exactly the amount of poofiness I wanted, not all puffed up but not as flat as I usually like them. Perfect. Chalk off another finish for the year!

Finally today was church, chores, catch-up, a granddaughters' 6th birthday party, getting the curtain rod hardware changed out and the new curtains hung, and oh yea - some football! Our friends from Chicago didn't enjoy the game quite as much maybe as we did - there was a lot of crow-eating going on! It was a fun afternoon of some heavy duty teasing and harrasment, and in the end my DH let them keep the $$$ they had so confidentaly wagered - LOL!! And we got to have chili nachos and beer for dinner - what's better? Ahhh -- a good weekend!

Crafts and Lessons

DH is gone to San Francisco for the week, leaving me quite at loose ends, and not sleeping too well because my cat wakes me up every hour to ask where dad is. Grrrr....he better get over that! So when I'm at loose ends I tend to get crafty, and I did. I have wanted new curtain rods in the family room and kitchen ever since we moved in, but because they are very large windows the long rods are either not available (in our little town), they're ugly, or they cost way more than I think curtain rods ought to cost. What is a curtain rod? Well, a long shaft-type affair with some kind of decorative finial at the ends. OK - one 10 foot length of electrical conduit is $1.97 - for the whole thing! At the craft store I bought wooden eggs, wooden candle cups, a piece of dowel and some hammered gold paint.
First, cut the dowel into 6 pieces, about 2 inches each. Screw thru the bottom of the candle cup into the end of a piece of dowel. Glue the egg onto the top rim of the candle cup, and let it all dry. Sand lightly, a couple coats of primer and a couple of paint, and voila!

It's a curtain rod! LOL! (those are not the brackets I'll be using - I have painted new ones to match the new rods)
NOW - I guess I better do something about curtains for the new rods?

LESSONS:
I am so new to html and the intricacies of editing and have made a huge discovery. In trying to learn if I can change the background of my blog, I copied and pasted lots of background jpgs from websites offering those kinds of goodies, but none of them worked. I tried it from various webpages that I visited, with the same no luck. One evening while blog-rolling, I came across one of my favorites, Forest Jane Designs, and she has a beautiful quilty background there. I tried the copy and paste technique and it worked! Changed the background on my blog, and I was so excited it never occurred to me it might be copyrighted. Come to find out it is her own design and is indeed copyrighted. I sent her a note right away, and she was so gracious in accepting my apologies and giving me written permission, along with a very nice suggestion as to how this might be better handled in the future. I am very grateful for that, and embarrassed enough that I can't use the background now even tho she said I may. This lesson has pushed me to figure out what I was doing wrong, and learn how to copy and paste from my own files rather than someone elses' web page. It's probably only news to me, but Forest Jane, you have done a good thing for other page owners and designers, and novices like me. Thank you.
(Now I see that my new background only shows up in the preview on the edit html page, not on the live blog............oh well!)

It's A ---

PEANUT!!!

LOL -- this is the newest member-to-be of our family, at B-minus 12 weeks. I am amazed how much like a baby it looks! In fact, I think it looks like my son, don't you? Hee hee -- This is the first pre-birth picture I've ever seen of someone I will eventually know and love. I am just blown away. His/Her Mommy and Daddy have waited a long, long time for this little Peanut!

Blogger Rant

Stupid, stupid Blogger!! I've said all along I wouldn't change till they forced me, but I did it anyway and now it's all garped up. Suddenly all the comments are anonymous - does anyone have any ideas about why that happened and how to fix it? I guess it should be Stupid, stupid ME. I shouldn't have switched.

Upgraded; maybe

That was close! I finally caved in and did the upgrade because I liked the idea of fooling around with the colors and fonts more easily than html. Yes, it's easier, but my shiny new Q4P icon disappeared and I couldn't get it back! My little weather lady and counter were both gone, too. Clearly I have more to learn, LOL! I plan to keep fooling with it tho, it's fun! I'd like to have some of those really pretty backgrounds and pictures so I'll figure this out yet! Wish me luck........

Rub-a-Dub

And the cutes just keep on comin'. LOL --

My DIL from next door, (the one with 5 kids!) came over the other day and asked if I would make a baby quilt for her to give as a gift at a baby shower. Of course! I sat her down with a bunch of books, and she picked this one from Mary Hickeys "Sweet and Simple Baby Quilts". And it was. I have to put the borders on yet, but already I kind of like it. It's SO not me! LOL - in fact, the setting squares were supposed to be another medium blue with little yellow flowers, but I just couldn't do it. It doesn't pop as wildly as the picture shows, but it's a little more lively than originally intended.
I have a lot of baby quilts in this year. One of my sons called to tell me their baby will be a boy, (yippee!) and the other son called to tell me they had seen their little peanut bouncing around like crazy in an ultrasound, and he's going to e-mail me a picture. Imagine!!
I have another set of plane reservations to go see my mom, and nothing (prayers) is going to stop me this time. I'm flying into Carlsbad, CA which is where Eleanor Burns is headquartered. Gee, I might just have to go find her store, ya think? 

Say Hello to my Little friend --

Every so often, the Bureau of Land Management has an auction of wild horses and donkeys collected from the deserts where there are way too many. About 4 years ago, DH and I went to one nearby and adopted a little 8 month old, wild-born donkey. He was so wild, that after the wranglers got him into our big horse trailer, he repeatedly body slammed the door trying to get out. We left earlier than planned because when the trailer is moving, they have to concentrate on keeping their legs braced and if he was doing that he couldn't so any damage to himself. At home, we turned him out into a small pasture by himself, with his halter and 20 foot long thick cotton rope left in place. I left him alone for a few days, then took a chair and book into his pasture and sat down to read. I ignored him. Pretty soon his curiosity got the better of him, and he started making wide circles around me. I ignored him. Over the next 45 minutes, the circle got smaller and smaller, and I ignored him. He even came up behind me, sniffing; I ignored him. Finally, he walked past me no more then a foot away, and stopped 5 feet in front of me with his back turned to me. The long rope was trailing him, right next to my chair, so I picked it up and slowly stood up, talking softly. The rodeo was on! He jumped and bucked and heaved and hoed, and whenever he stopped, I reeled in a little rope. It was a long workout for both of us, but when he got close enough to touch, I started scratching his neck with litle short scratches the way equines do to each other, still talking in a sing-song voice. By the end of the afternoon, I had my arm around his neck. 2 days later, he no longer ran from me at all, and by the end of the week he came when I called. Now he is my lap-donkey, and if I let him in the house he'd curl up on the couch! His name is Paco, and he is just the cutest thing around. He is smarter than any horse, even his 20 year-old partner, Dolly.

Paco trying to look pathetic so I'll scratch more. This is Dolly, my DH's horse;

(aka "Funny Face" and "Miss Lips") Dolly is about 20 or so, and no one rides her anymore except occasionally our oldest DGD next door. DH can't ride anymore, and I sold my horse a couple of years ago since that is no longer a big part of our lives, like it used to be. We love to watch these two characters play and harass each other, it's cheap entertainment! Every once in awhile, "Miss Lips" undoes a gate somewhere and they escape. The Highway Patrol isn't too happy with me, but hey! When you live in the country, these things happen. ((shrug)) 

Happy Surprise!

My sneaky son!! The story went that they had found a Christmas present for me that they forgot to bring up at Christmas. They got here and handed me a Christmas present, and this is what I found:


Talk about HAPPY! Those two have been trying for several years without luck, and I was worried for them. Their younger sibs already have kids, and they're creeping to the mid-thirties. (Gosh, I guess my 35 yr old son is already there!) My younger son and DIL are also expecting #2 this summer, in June. What a riot of emotions this year promises to be. Two new grandbabies, and my mothers' illness. For now, joy is all I can feel. I called my mom and she is so happy - he is her first grandchild, and they have a special bond.
My DDIL is surrounded by quilters: her mom, her aunt and me. Think that child will have enough quilts? LOL! I better get busy -- 2 babies means a lot of sewing to do!
 

Weekend!

After a long, long, long week. I have 2 simple wants for this weekend: finish the hearts, and cut diamonds. (gee, maybe I need to consider clubs and spades...hummm.....) The hearts needs borders because the original ones I put on turned to bllleeaaaccchh overnight. Just borders and quilting - 2 hours, tops. Another hour or so to hand stitch the binding, and that's it!!
The diamonds are looking good, now I want it bigger so need to cut a bunch more fabric, awwww shucks. And of course, needed to get some more dark FQs....awwww, durn! hee hee.

My kids killed most of my Saturday - they are planning an invasion. LOL! I never turn that down! I think they are a little spooked by their Grammas news and need to see their mom. Maybe -- I know I'm going crazy not being able yet to see MY mommy! She has been travelling back and forth from Utah to San Diego, and the latest word is that they have found another cancer - breast, this time. The good thing is, we have a teeeny reason to hope, because it's possible this may turn out to be the primary source of all the rest, if so it's very treatable. She will stay in SD for chemo, and I will fly there in week-long visits. So we are being cautiously optimistic, and she is in great spirits. We had a long hilarious phone conversation about how to use her new blood sugar monitor - diabetes came along with this cancer. She's also happy being at my uncles house, since it is surrounded by 20 acres of avacados, and she is, by her account, making a pig of herself. 4 or 5 avacados a day - good for her!! She needs to gain about 30 lbs. Wish I could arrange a donation, I sure have it to share! LOL! 

Hearts and History

My friends will be laughing.......... I'm a little anti-cute, but in my current state of frantically sewing anything in sight, I made these:

Yeah, they're cute. They're destined to be one of those long slim wall hangings, with the heart blocks set on point, one over the next. On the sides will be small charm squares, surrounded with white sashings. I saw this in a magazine, but I couldn't for the life of me tell you which one, or when. I drafted it up in EQ the way I remembered it looking. The really fun part here was upending my scrap basket onto the floor and picking out all the scraps! Just hacking away a chunk out of the chosen ones -- the squares are 2". Reds and purples I have galore; blues and greens, ummm, not so much. Speaking of floor, you see that carpet under the blocks? Yes, that is a medium gray semi-shag carpet. Very good quality, and I like it alot -- except in the sewing room. You can well imagine what it is to drop a pin or needle into this! Since I am of the barefoot persuasion, I usually can only find them with my toes! My dream is to pull out the carpet and put wood laminate down. Dream on, girl!
My friend Amazon sent me a new book today - "The Salt Lake City 14th Ward Album Quilt, 1857"

About a beautifully appliqued and embroidered album quilt, which some guy actually CUT IN HALF!!! He gave one half to each daughter, and away it went over the years. Generations later, the current owner of one half, who happens to be a quilter, was horrified to discover it cut - right down the center of the blocks, too -- not even on a seam. She got busy and tracked down the other half, then researched the makers. Most of the blocks were signed, and many of the ladies had re-searchable histories; the Mormans are fantastic keepers of history. (if you ever get the chance, go see the Pioneer Museum in SLC - it's magical!) Quite a few ladies had pictures as well, so we get to see the block maker and read a little about her life. Astonishingly, the corner setting blocks ( it's on point) were the appliqued ones, simply cut in half! Again, right thru the design. It's just a neat book -- I'm fascinated with old quilts and history in general, so it's riveting to me. Well worth a look. In fact, I think the 14th Ward and I need to go curl up and read some more!

Perfect Diamonds!

Late, late last night I pieced the first sets of the little diamonds, the 2 inch guys. What a challenge. Small 60 degree diamonds, hard to work with because of all that stretchy business they do, and hard to get good points because they don't nestle like a plain 4-patch does. S0, when I got the first few done, I carefully pressed them open and was SO impressed!! I did them right! The points are perfectly sharp, not overlapping, the total is still 60 degrees square.....I was so proud. It's great to tackle something outside of your comfort zone and have it work so well. Evidence:


Just fantastic. I wandered out to the kitchen to get another glass of water, and came back to sit and look. That's when I noticed one giant, fatal flaw. They're supposed to look like THIS:


OOPS!!! Dang it, Drats, Phooey, Nutz, FIDDLESTICKS!! And, to make it worse, on the next pile, I did the same thing to about half of them!! Clearly I'm not the sort to stay up very late sewing -- but I sure needed that long laugh.
This morning, it's cold and frosty and my little donkey has a stripe of white frost running down his chocolate colored back like a skunk. I'm writing up a list of things I need/want to do today, to whit:
Clean the nasty kitchen
sew
Do my nails
sew
close my clinics' time clock
sew
finish the laundry
sew
take two, 2 mile walks
sew.
Pretty ambitious, so I'm going to get on it right now. My washing machine takes 1 hr 25 minutes to wash one load, (front loaders are slow) so I'll start that and head out for my first walk. The rest will sort itself out as it will.  

----- Or NOT

I didn't get to go afterall . The ariport is almost 4 hours from here, and by the time we were halfway there I knew I was too sick to go. Our area of California is being hit pretty hard by a digestive bug called Norovirus, and it's my turn. Many of our patients and staff have had it and there's just no hiding. Whatever, it's nothing to take to my mother, so we turned around. Clearly God has a reason to not have me see my Mom right now, so I'm trying to be very patient. Got home, went to bed and got up about an hour ago with no "Umph" . I'll putter in the sewing room between naps, and go visit all the blogs -- see you soon!

Flyin South

Well -- Mom is still in San Diego for a few more days before she heads back to Utah, and I may or may not get to go spend a few weeks anytime soon. SO - today I decided I can't wait, I have to go get my eyes and hands on her. Tomorrow I'm getting on a plane and jetting to San Diego to spend 24 hours with her. Hopefully that'll hold me till I get the good visit.
Bon Voyage!