the 'girls' learn how fun it is to quilt in pj's!

On our recent retreat, I warned them all that I only get dressed if I'm going somewhere (other than the pool) and I RARELY go anywhere! LOL I live in PJ's and swimsuits while in Pawley's. How much better can it get? Quilting and sunning...my idea of an ideal vacation. And they all got in the spirit of it all and learned that pj's are okay to where, even at 3:00 in the afternoon! It's so fun getting away with other quilting friends. And boy, do you learn a lot when you get them away from home! Whooo--eeee!! Did we learn about the 'other' side of everyone and decided that some things are just better left among just us! So, my lips are sealed. But let me tell you, we sure did some hootin' and hollerin' and lots of laughing when some 'secrets' were revealed. Don't ask, cuz we won't tell.

We had daily classes on learning/perfecting quilt techniques and by the week's end, they all had their quilt tops done. A couple of them had only to fuse on the lettering, but they decided to do that at home because they were leaving early to stop at yet another quilt store on the way home and wanted to leave time to shop! But other than that, they all got them done along with a few UFO's.

More finished photos to come.......

Life is Good!

3 months ago I was diagnosed with Diabetes and it's been an emotional roller coaster since then, add in a HUGE change in our household with our youngest daughter's (with Down's) moving out into her own apartment and it explains my absence. I was in a bit of a depression, but I just kept plugging away and now I feel a TON better.

First..health wise--got a GREAT report from the Dr. yesterday. My blood sugar numbers were well below where they needed to be, so she is keeping me off meds! WOO HOO! I've lost 27 lbs. so far and have a bit to go, but it's nice to be able to fit into some clothes of the past. :) The numbers aren't completely under control, but well on it's way. Thank God for allowing me to perservere through all this. And thanks to Kirt, being my biggest supporter. He said that my diagnosis was a good thing for both of us...a huge incentive to get back into eating healthy and exercising. So, he's been going right along with me and has lost 42 lbs! Go figure, it just drops off men, doesn't it? Well, I guess that and the fact he works out 1 1/2 hours a day! LOL

Second...Sheleah's big move! She was ready for it...acting like a rebellious teenager, you know--the ones who hit adulthood and decide that they can make their own decisions? Well, she was there, a bit late perhaps, but was ready. We moved her into her own apartment and she has care takers with her from the time she gets off work through the night until she goes back to work in the morning. We pick her up on Sunday mornings to go to church with us and then spend the day with us. I never thought this day would come actually. It was always a dream, the kind of dream like winning the lottery--you'd like it to happen, but it probably won't. I wasn't sure how I'd be with all of this and solved the problem by going out of town with some friends! And it worked! I missed her, but there wasn't a huge hole at night when she didn't come home.

We had an impromptu housewarming shower for her and she was SO excited. Well, after we had to explain that it wasn't a birthday party and they would be bringing kitchen related stuff rather than CD's and DVD's! She did request pink, she loves pink. And she got a lot of pink stuff! She loved the whole shower and was really pleased when they spelled her name right. LOL--she hates it when people misspell her name or say it wrong. And unfortunately there were a few that didn't know how to spell her name, but she waited patiently while they had to get up and change it right away--per her request!

I went away for two weeks, the first week was back to Lake Anna, VA with some friends. What a nice getaway, I caught up on sleep, laughs and a bit of sewing. It went by way too fast, as girlfriend getaways do! Then I headed down to my home in Pawley's Island, SC where I was having a retreat for my students. Some were so anxious to be there, they beat me! We had another fun week of mini lessons in the mornings (I had a retreat quilt that they all worked on, a bit each day), sunning at the pool/beach/Lazy River in the afternoons and then more sewing at night. Man, if you ever want to get to know people, go on a retreat with them! LOL We learned some good stuff--but we promised not to share it! Spent a lot of time laughing, tag team sewing to get someone (no names will be mentioned--LOL) caught up so she wouldn't have to stay up all night sewing. I presented the next step for the quilt in the mornings and then they all had to have their homework done by the next morning. Let's just say there were some wee hours sewing going on! I threatened to ground them from the pool if they didnt' get it done. But they all did and all went home with finished quilt tops! And lots of quilty things learned and a whole lot more. here's a little preview of our retreat quilt.........more to come.........

Being gone and being preoccupied has pushed me way back in my postings, but hopefully I can slowly get caught up. I'm back into the groove of sewing again--I KNEW it would come back! But more in the next post!

OH--there was a third thing I wanted to share---we have a new resident at our place..........more to come! heehee

I'm back!

I'm not sure where to start..it's been 2 months since I've last posted and a lot has been going on in our household. The last time I wrote I was in SC on a little vacation with my hubby and daughter. And the last time I felt carefree. I got a call from my doctor while gone and found out that I have diabetes. I know so many that live with the disease, but it sure was an eye opener and shock to me. And talk about a change in lifestyle! I've been trying to get it under control with diet/exercise and I think I've done as best as I can and think that I may have to reconcile the fact that I'll have to take meds. My first check up with the dr. was good, but things haven't gotten any better since then. But we'll see. Then our youngest daughter, with Down's....oops, I'm sorry,. she's now French..LOL.. has been acting like a rebellious 18 year old. Lots of issues at work and home. A very emotional time at our house for the last two months. But I see a light at the end of the rainbow. She is going to be moving out on June 1st and she is so excited to finally be a woman, or so she says! :) She's going to have a caretaker at all times, so that makes me feel better. But ask me on June 1 how I feel! So, in a nutshell--lots of changes/emotional ups and downs these last few months left me with no desire to sew/quilt/blog. BUT--after spending a week with Ted and another friend in Paducah and then back in SC with some quilting friends has spurred me back into the quilting world again. My hubby was getting worried about me. I mean, I've never gone this long without sewing, ever!

So...what have I been working on? I had to make a few more purses/bags for gifts....

I offered to sew a few samples for Laurie at Lollipops Bindings as she is about to depart on a whirlwind Australian tour..

Found a kit I got last year as a gift and knew it would be quick and easy... And another kit I received as payment for work done for a quilt shop..(you know I DO work for fabric! LOL)...

Made a few blocks for a friend who is having her own struggles with her husband's health issues..

So, there you go...my life...all the good and the bad. And I'll survive. :) and I'm glad to be back!

more embroidery and a new project

Here is one more dress that is embroidered.

I was lucky to have a day of sewing with my friend Marilyn (who was just up visiting me a few weeks ago) and we worked on a project that we started probably 5 years ago. Well, let me clarify, we cut it out!

I got one block done yesterday, quite tedious. And the sad thing is, I'm not really sure I like it. :( I love the colors, but not real happy that the spikes don't show up very well. Then I placed it on the fabric that is going to be the alternate blocks and not liking that very well either. Hmm, what a bummer. I think I'll make 4 more blocks (the pattern called for 25 pieced blocks total) and then decide whether to invest my time in the whole thing. It's just not striking any chords with me. I guess I better find out now before I make all those little arcs! But dang it, now they are all cut out. I may have to get my thinking cap on!

off again

here I sit in SC--basking in some warm sun, well, warm to me anyway. The people down here can tell we're from the north as we wear our short and sandals and they are all bundled up! But I'm loving the blue skies. We found ourselves with a very light week of commitments, so re-scheduled the few we had and buzzed down here. The sun does us a lot of good.

I brought some hand embroidery with me. I had started the Retro Dresses that was on The Bobby Socks Quilt Company a few years ago and thought I really should finish them. They are so darn cute. I've never been taught how to do embroidery, save for a few minute lesson from Ted. so, I'm learning. I went to Leanne's website, hoping to find a tutorial. Instead, I just enlarged her photos so I could see how she does her beautiful embroidery. I hope no one enlarges mine! LOL I'm halfway done with the 12 blocks and don't think I'll be able to finish them while I'm here, but I'll be close.

Boo boo day in the studio

I had two boo boos yesterday in the studio...one involved fabric and the other was my finger. First of all, you'd think that I would work on ONE thing at a time and then put things away. That would be the most common sense thing to do, but no....look at this mess! I'm trying to cut out 4 different quilts--quite the job when you need just ONE piece from a whole lot of fabrics. They aren't scraps, so the fabrics must be unfolded, sometimes ironed, one piece cut out (actually I'm cutting out two or three different pieces from each fabric) and then refolded. It takes time and space! But I still have other things going on as well, a BOM or two, bindings to be put on newly quilted quilts, etc. So, being in the hurry that I usually am, I tried to cut the excess fabric off a newly quilted quilt so I could make the binding from the leftovers. Did I clear my space off? Of course not! And as I was cutting and scooting the quilt along, it picked up a couple of hitchhikers and you guessed it! I cut into one of them. It was a BOM I'm doing from the Be Attitudes book and I still need to do all the embroidery on it. It's a big enough cut that it won't be hidden in a seam allowance. The bad thing is that there is a fused applique on that piece. So not sure how I'm going to fix it at the moment. Ahh..if I were only more organized. :( I keep trying....not very well apparently.

Isn't it ironic that it's on a "Be Positive" block? LOL I am positive I need to improve on my organizational skills! And it wasn't any worse than what it was.

Second mishap happened while I was stitching very carefully on a curved line and I must have reached in to adjust something (it's funny, I don't even really know what happened!) and the take up bar must have grabbed my finger--I know it didn't hit the needle) but it snapped my fingernail (an acrylic one) and cracked it from the middle diagonally down to the side of my finger. OUCH! I cut off the excess portion of the nail hanging over the finger, hoping to get it out of the way and not catch on anything. But it still hurt like the dickens. So I thought I would take off the acrylic nail on the smaller portion that was split, but as soon as I tried, it really started bleeding. It actually split my REAL nail bed! I could see raw meat down through the crack! And when I tried to lift off the fake nail, it was really stuck to the real one and it was pulling away from the nail bed. Of course hubby isn't here to help. I ended up snipping off as much as I could and then covered it all with bandaids. I think it's going to take a bit to heal. Two good things--it didn't bleed on ANY fabric! and the other was that it was on my left hand, so won't interfere with any sewing!

It's funny looking at the picture--geez, it hardly looks bad at all, but man it hurts! It doesn't throb anymore, but hurts to touch it, obviously.

On another note, say a little prayer for safety for my hubby as he is working with a company in Mexico to do some manufacturing for him. He is there right now and was supposed to visit the factory, but after all the dire warnings posted to Americans traveling to Mexico, he forced them to come to him, 30 miles north of the Mexican border. Last year, (right AFTER he was there) a businessman in the factory next to the one he is dealing with was kidnapped and held for ransom. He initially thought he would meet the factory owners at the border, but opted to move even farther away. Even then he said the little town is crawling with border security. Scary--I'm so glad he didn't go into Mexico. They telling Americans to not even go to the resorts like Acapulco or Cancun. All because they are clamping down on the drug cartels, they see this as another profitable business venture and are actually running the kidnappings as a business.

Confession Time

First of all, let me tell you that I had this written a few days ago and was kind of embarrassed to post it. LOL I thought about not saying a word about it and just quietly carrying on like nothing ever happened. But then I thought--I have been pretty darn good for 2 years now, and even have resorted to sewing out of trash cans (well, not because I don't have fabric--but to show I can sew with anything! hahaha). and now....................for the rest of the story.........................

Vickie and Carol went to SewKrazy quilt store where everything in the store was half off! They were going to buy 50 yards and they offered to split it four ways with us and we'd all get 50 FQ's. I resisted and then had to drool when we went there and they gave Marilyn her share. But I had a lot of the ones they got (thanks to a gift for my birthday from hubby). Marilyn was so excited for all her new fabrics, we wanted to make something right away. But the more we looked at it, the more we decided that using Kaffe Fasset fabrics was going to be a bit difficult without any type of blender fabrics at all. So Marilyn teamed up with 'Kathy' (the evil twin) and forced me to buy fabric! LOTS OF IT!! I was doomed from the start. And I fell off the wagon SO hard, my bum STILL hurts! Not to mention the pocket book. I bought lots of blender fabrics....dots, aboriginal dots, shot cottons; I bought several backings, a few bits of yardage for borders and some flannels for baby quilts. Wanna hear the total bought? Are you ready? Hint: it is 2 1/2 TIMES what I bought ALL of last year!!! 98 yards! Yes, you read that right! I can't believe I'm admitting it. Editor's note: you know, the more I think about it, I need to re-add those totals. I didn't REALLY buy all that much, did I? sigh.......... I feel a tiny bit guilty for succumbing to my weakness, but the way I figure it is that I would never have had enough backing fabric for all those Kaffe fabrics or borders (if I want them), and by buying the blender fabrics, it makes all my fabric really usuable. In fact, we came home and made not one, but TWO quilt tops!! And I cut enough out to make 3 more! Enough that you can see a bit of dent already. So, good or bad, it's done and now I guess I'll have to get busy! Actually, this quilt was made with fabric my hubby gave me for my birthday. (picture shown is just the squares, I forgot to take a photo of the finished quilt top.) I figured I need to make a quilt ASAP so he knows that I do appreciate it and him for buying for me. It makes him happy to see me use it and it makes me happy to use lots of new stuff! I love the scrappy quilts but it's always fun to play with the new colors and patterns as well.
I also helped Marilyn set up her blog, Quilts Old and New, so you'll have to go take a visit. She is a collector of antique quilts and also does restoration and appraisals on them.

Carol, our other friend, also started a new blog as well, Liberty Threads. Welcome gals to the blogging world!

I didn't have the stomach to post a Stash Report this week, but it will be in my totals next week. Cuz after all...I've used a lot already!

Fun week with quilter friends

"Sprout....Grow....Bloom"

What another whirlwind week it has been! First of all, my friend Marilyn came to visit from SC. To sew! What a treat for me to sew on things, just for me. She brought the most darling kit for us to make. I changed mine to add just a touch of lime. It looks perfect in my entry hall.

We spent one afternoon trying to find the stickers we needed to put on top of the buttons. The bottom pot says "Sprout"..second one says "Grow" and the third one says "Bloom". What a nice quick project and I finally have something for my foyer.

I taught 3 classes last Saturday and she joined one of them to make a purse as well. Then on Sunday, we went to visit Vickie (Mid Ohio Knitter) and Carol. (check out her blog...she has a picture of the four of us.--I forgot my camera!) Vickie made us a yummy lunch and she had made Cake Balls for dessert. SO yummy! Marilyn and I loved them so much, we came home and made some more. heehee I'm posting the recipe over on my recipe blog. (well, as soon as my camera gets recharged..LOL)

Stay tuned for more adventures with Marilyn and my evil twin. They were BAD!!