Phantom Fans

Appearing at a quilt shop near you as soon as now....

Knock off the Old Quilt

Finally a quilt that might interest me....

I saw a pattern that I like. I drafted it in EQ. The quilt was scrappy, but my drafted quilt is all the same fabrics because I didn't want to spend the time making a bunch of block with different fabrics to set into the quilt.

The block could be drafted another way, but I just made it with HSTs.

The One and Only....

Too funny...

I've had a lot of fun over the years since IPods and ITunes adding favorite songs to my library, especially from my youth.

There has been one song that I check for everytime I remember that has been unavailable.  What should I check on today while downloading the Breaking Dawn Score....because if I'm going to buy something, I might as well buy more??????  Yes, The One and Only by Chesney Hawkes and woohoo, it was there!!!

Quiltless Christmas

Every year about this time I get this urge to make a last minute quilt for someone for christmas.

I don't have that urge this year.....

Maybe I'm cured?

Too Much to Say

Ever have too much say and are really just too lazy to take the time to type it all out?

Yep!  That's me.

Aren't y'all lucky that I'm that lazy?!

It's nothing that good anyway.....

I have been busy virtually quilting.  My sewing machine hasn't been on for at least a month, though.

http://www.twilightquilterscoven.com/

That's where I'll be for now....

Eager to be done with 2011!

I don't have much to say, but that.

I don't seem to be interested in regular quilting anymore.  I have started to go through all my fabric and will be taking it somewhere, donating it, or listing it on Craig's List.

I am eager to see the movie on 11/18.  I won't be going to a midnight showing for the first time.  I'm not eager to sit out in the cold for hours in line to get a good seat.  I may play hooky at some point on Friday to see it because I'll only be able to stand waiting that long.  I wish I had someone to share it with, but I don't.

I don't foresee getting anything done around the house to end my year, either.  I've pretty much given up caring for real, real about it.  Hey, it's less work for me.....  C is the only one who does her chores to get paid.  Z could get paid, but he doesn't care so he never does his chores.  S is all caught up in the fact that she doesn't like and want to do what I've suggested she do for chores and an allowance, nor does she think she would get paid enough so says what's the point.

Alex has been classified officially as "disabled" so that he can go down to the nurse's office everyday for uninterrupted bathroom time.  I think it's the silliest thing ever....

C is driving.....  I haven't had the pleasure of being a passenger.  M let her drive on an actual road the other day and about had heart failure after a couple of near misses.

We're done with soccer, but S is playing basketball.  C wants to play indoor, but we're having trouble finding a spot for her.  She is distraught at the thought of not playing.  I think she's addicted.

I had my three year anniversary at work.  I seem to be appreciated here with a nice raise as proof.  In this economy, I'm pretty lucky!

My mom's health is failing.  I'm scared @#$%less about that.

2012?  Bring it ON!!!

You know you're busy when...

You don't have time to think much about how things really are.

Life is keeping me super busy right now.  I wish I could say that I'm accomplishing a lot, but I can't.  All I do is run around from one activity to another, spend just enough time on housework to keep things semi-clean and everyone in clean clothes, and have just enough time to get the minimum amount of sleep required.

What can I tell you?!

C is changing schools for spring semester as mentioned.  M will take her to register on Thursday AND, if time, take her to get her driver's permit.  gasp!

We meet with A's school next week for his 504 meeting.  He has scheduled times during the day that he goes down to the nurse for private bathroom time.  Lord knows in this day and age he can't just do that, but has to be on a PLAN to protect his rights.  UGH.....  In addition to being an ILP kid, he'll now be a 504 kid.  Considering the fact that we aren't happy with Englewood Schools after elementary and will probably have all of them go to a different district from middle school on unless things drastically change, the labeling will make it that much harder to get him in an out of district school.  Although, I've heard that schools can extra money for certain things so maybe it could be to our benefit?!

I'll have 3 years at my job in November.  Thank you GOD!  M just had his one-year anniversary with his new company.  He is doing well.  KNOCK ON WOOD

Soccer season is almost over!  I'd like to take a break for awhile, but C wants to play indoor if she can find a team.  S and A want to play rec basketball.

I only have virtual quilting to report on.  I'm in a slump....or something.  I went through some EQ files last night.  I had EQ5 files on my laptop, that is on its last legs, and that we recovered from the old home pc that died months ago.  I even had EQ4 files.  I only saved about 20 and deleted the rest.  I didn't use the program for much quilt designing then, and not much now, and really only to print patterns.  I need to go through all the pictures and documents I have saved, but after spending too much time looking for a thumb drive and driving across town to get C from practice, I didn't have a lot of time to work.  I found some old New Moon Quilt stuff which still annoys me, but not the pattern I was really looking for.

Add a Phantom to My Bucket List

I caught some of the Phantom of the Opera (Butler and Rossom movie version) last night.  I've never seen it before.  I've heard some of the music.  I was old enough for all its popularity, but I never got on board as a fan.

Wow!  I've been missing out!!



I would probably root for the Phantom......

I would love to see it on stage.  I've put doing so on my bucket list.

Green with Envy....Blue with Anxiety

It would seem that my family is ruled by their emotions.....

Pea green, kelly green, or lime green--pick your favorite shade.  C is green with envy.  A friend turned 16 last weekend and got C's current heart's desire:  an I-Phone.

How far we have come in such a short span of time.  I remember that cell phones had just become realistic for the common folk to have when I was pregnant with C sixteen years ago.  M was working for a delivery company at one point and I made sure he had a cell phone so that I could reach him.

Now, C thinks she needs to have a device that connects her to everything the Apple way.  I'm not knocking the device, but is it a need?  I think not.

Don't get me wrong....I would love to have one, too.  I don't think I need one, though.  I don't think the expense is one that we need....ever....either.  I do get a bit envious at times of all my friends who have smart phones, but I'm usually able to let it go.

I think it's only going to get worse after she changes schools after Christmas.  We'll have to start paying for her to play sports, drive to this school, and keep up with her wardrobe needs.  Remember how I said we were going to have extra money in a few months?  I should know better.

My life is typically chaotic.  I'm still trying to live with chaos and function.  It seems like the more I permit, though, that more and more is added.  I'm a bit blue with anxiety.  A vibrant shocking blue that stuns my senses.....

I did finish a quilt last weekend which was nice for me.  I'm now trying to figure out what to do for the back.  I find it hard to edit so I'm thinking about piecing some blocks for the back since I can't make them work for the front.  Crazy!

My apologies to those that have seen it on the other blog:

The quilt may look a little wonky....it's not!  I can never get a good picture and, therefore, I photo edited it to make it square so I could import it into EQ7 to doodle.

Quilter: Here and There

Setting triangles needed.  Tonight?  Nope....well, probably not....I'll be skating with the kids in support of a soccer fundraiser.

Soccer Parents @$#!

I've got two kids that play soccer and I'm glad because I don't think I could stand much more.  (We are trying to get A to play next season, but I'm almost questioning that?!)  I enjoy watching my kids play and I'm actually enjoying watching and learning the game--something I didn't think I would ever do.  I love sports as a rule, but I wasn't sure I'd ever really get into the game because I didn't think it would be that exciting considering typical low scores, etc.

The soccer parents I could do without....

Actually, I don't think it's just soccer parents.....  I think most sports parents are complete butt heads and make asses of themselves on a regular basis.  I even find myself going down the wrong road occasionally before I have to tell myself to zip it and zip it good.

I think we all on some level think our kids are the best players ever in their sport and that they can do no wrong...right?  I don't most of the time.  I'm uber supportive of C, especially, but I do always think that both girls could practice more and learn more so that they would play better.  C wants to be a soccer star in some form or another, but she only seems to put in so much time and I think it should be more since she's not a natural talent.  I will never question her effort during a game, although she probably has some games where she doesn't for whatever reason put in 100%,  because it always looks like she's playing all out.

We decided to let her play competitive soccer this season.  She'd played on rec leagues for a couple of years, but there is a distinct fall off in participation in rec leagues for her age.  A competitive team was an option so we went with that because of her professed desire to play more than just school ball, the crappy soccer situation at EHS, and more than one person advising us that she's more likely to get noticed playing for a club than at school.

She only tried out for one team....  She was pretty excited to have made the team and didn't think anything of not making the top level team in the club.  She was glad to have made the same team with her good friend and daughter of her old soccer coach.  We all were pretty naive to the whole thing, but boy did we learn a lot about the whole soccer club scene.  There are 17 girls on her team as one girl had to drop out because of illness.  The teams play with 11 on the field.  C's preferred position is Right Fullback, although she played a Mid position at high school.  Her coach has soccer experience having played himself through college and coached boys in some type of league, but this is his first time coaching girls.  C has played most of the minutes of her games as the team is light with defenders--everyone prefers the mid or forward positions.

C's team hasn't done very well.  They won one game in a tournament that they started their season with.  They've scored a a total of four or five goals in five regular games and six tournament games--if you don't count the one goal C scored--an own goal--last Friday night.  (Yes, she was devastated!)  C's trying to stay positive, but she's disappointed.  I don't blame her.

The thing I'm most disturbed about and is so deflating are the parents.  I'm going to say that many of them are really obnoxious.  After just the first game, I figure out there were people I couldn't stand to sit by.  This far into the season, we've taken to sitting by ourselves....or with C's old coach if she's there.  The tournament last weekend was the worst.  Parents questioning quite vocally ref calls (as if that will get you anywhere besides sitting in your car), coaching from the sidelines, and all out bad mouthing their own kids!!!  We sat in front of one mom on Saturday and couldn't believe how awful she was.  On Sunday, I got situated and then realized she was sitting behind me so I moved down by myself on the sidelines since M and the coach friend couldn't come.  All the other parents sat up on the hill.  As I was yelling Go, Blue and being positive these parents moaning, groaning, and all out criticizing.

Awful!  The worst mom at one point was yelling at her daughter to get off the field and that she was a waste of space.  Are you kidding me?  The ref came over and warned all the parents to be quiet or else previously, but she still kept talking.  At this comment, the step dad of one of the girls finally looked at her and told her that she didn't know what the hell she was talking about and to shut up.

This is what I was told as I missed all the drama since I wasn't sitting with them.  My friend called later that night to ask about all the drama.  I'm not sorry I missed it.

C says the girls on the field really can't hear the parents.  I would hope not.  I hope this woman's daughter can't, but can you imagine what she's like at home?!

Epic

C follows Epic Tweets....

Epic is right!

One from today

A person hates you for three reasons:

1) They want to be you

2) They don't like themselves

3) They feel threatened by you

We got C's accepantance letter to her new high school today.  She will start spring sememster.  We're relieved!  M only turned her paperwork Thursday.  M was pretty confident that she would get in based on his conversation with the registrar because of C's academic record, attendance, and excellent behavior.  I was surprised by the quick turnaround, though.  She is so happy!

Retail Therapy

If you need some retail therapy, buy something you've been lusting needing for a long time....within reason, of course!

I bought the download of Maria Elkins Making Faces video today and I'm so glad.  I watched the Beginner section and I think I can do it!

The next thing I need is Photoshop Elements.  It's on my Christmas list along with a pair of black Fat Baby boots.  Hey, it's almost October so it's not too early for a Christmas list.

A Case of the Can'ts

I don't say I can't a lot, but I sure do think it!

Do You Want to Be Immortal?

I've always had a thing for vampires even before my Twilight obsession....

Romances with vampires as the part of the story are a guilty pleasure.

I had to chuckle, though, when I started seeing Immortal..............Cash commercials this week.

Immortal Cash

 

Colorado Lottery Immortal Cash from Cactus on Vimeo.

You know my name, not my story. You've heard what I've done but not what I have been through....


Perfect!

2012

I don't think it's too early to start looking forward to the new year?  Isn't the world supposed to end in 2012?  I hope not because I'm certainly looking forward to it.

I'll be 42.  Well, I'm not looking forward to that.  There is no avoiding it, though, so I best just make the most of it.

I'm most excited about the fact that we hope to be that much closer some financial breathing room.

Let's all knock on wood while I'm writing and anyone that is reading, shall we?!

We have two more payments on the mini van.  Yahoo!!!!!!!!!!!!  I'm going to drive that thing until it dies or it makes more sense to get a newer car than repair it.  It's got 130,000 miles on it right now so who knows?!I'd like to put toward something else even if its into savings for emergencies.  M pays that payment so who knows what he will do.  I'm hoping he puts at least part of it towards another one of his bills or some of mine.

I'll be clear of a big bill in two months, too.  I'll be able to breathe a little easier and not have to ask M for money all the time.  Some of it will have to be put towards some other bills, but not all of it!

Have I learned my lesson?  I hope so!!!

Money flies out the door.  C's soccer has to be paid for.  We've been advised that she has a better chance playing club soccer than just high school.  She gets more instruction there and more chance to be noticed for college.  S started violin this week.  The boys are pretty quiet, but we'd like to get them more involved in some activities of their choice.

I have aspirations, too.  Don't we all?

Quilter

I have been working on a quilt....

Contention

Headed off to the Rockies game tonight....  club seats!!!!

We're all going.  Yes, the entire family.  It ought to be interesting.  The boys are excited.  The girls are hating on each other more than ever right now.  They got into a physical confrontation yesterday afternoon and S's phone is broken--it works for calls but the screen is cracked.  Who ever heard of a baseball game being punishment?  They think it is!

We probably wouldn't have gotten the seats had the Rockies not been totally out of the pennant race.  M was gifted to tickets through a work contact.

Yay!  Some things you just have to go and do even if you would rather stay home......

The game starts at 6:10.  We'll probably miss an inning or two.

I'm bring my camera.  I hope to get some pics to share.

Happy Anniversary

17 years!

A couple of anniversaries this weekend.  9/11.....  and M and I on 9/10.

I'll let all the media outlets help us remember 9/11.

M and I met in college in an accounting class.  I remember that we just clicked.  He was the first male that seemed to be interested in me beyond the superficial.  I hadn't dated much at all up to that point.

I think we were both looking for that special connection.

The bottom line will always be that I love him.

I have to remind myself that all the time.

I'm sure he has to do the same.

Bowling for Quilts

I used to be an avid bowler.  I bowled in a couple of leagues, was in a couple of tournaments, and bowled for fun....  Like many things in my life, though, I stopped.  It became too expensive, we became too busy, started having trouble with carpel tunnel, and I got tired of dealing with the smokers (although this shouldn't be an issue now because of new laws) and other bowlers who annoyed me.  I'm sure I was very annoying, too........  I was never any good.  I think I topped out at a 130 average.

Spoonflower's latest contest is for bowling fabrics and bring back many memories!

Bowling

My favorite?  Top Left Corner

I drive by a couple of bowling alleys every week.  Their parking lots are always empty.  Does anyone bowl anymore?  We actually have a cool alley in our neighborhood at Moe's.  We've never bowled there, but the kids bowled last summer because the restaurant sponsored A's baseball team.

A Good Book

I've been desperate to find a good book to read.  I've given up on a couple of books of late because they didn't hold my attention.  The writing was pretty awful.  I don't blame the writer as much as I do the publishing companies and the editors.  The stories were original, but the plot development, character development, and dialogue had major problems in both books.

I'd probably have the same issues if I ever wrote anything for real, but I would hope that an editor would reign me in and make my book this side of awesome....

I'm reading a pretty good book now called Hourglass.  I think I'll be able to finish it.  It really just okay.  It's a YA novel.  I'm not in love with the characters as they seem just a bit too smart and mature, but the story is very original.

In my trolling Twilight sights for Breaking Dawn news, breakingdawnmovie.org helped me find this book.  I've read the excerpt and I'm hooked.  From only a few pages, I'm enthralled.  Wow!  The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern.  I've asked M to reserve it for me at the library, but I might have to snag a copy for my very own.

Sinking

I find myself sinking a bit.....okay, a lot.

If you know that you're doing it, then you should be able to stop.....

It would be one thing to be sad about things, like about the dog, but I feel such a sense of despair.

I know despair is a dramatic word, but it totally fits for what I'm feeling.

It's not like I'm not able to laugh and that I walk around morose every single minute.

I'm still getting work done.

I have a lot on the brain....

Putting the dog down.  I still forget and look for him.  The extra dish.

Possibly changing Z's school because his backpack was put in the toilet yesterday during gym.  Just another incident of bullying that the school has no answer for.

S's constant arguing with me.  The sky is blue.  No, it's not.

M's desire that I change jobs to the one he found for me (probably in response to my routine bitching about my current job) that pays $2.50/hr less.

Finishing a quilt, but having no desire to finish or start another one despite one staring me in the face from the wall every single day.

No need to go on!

All Dogs Go to Heaven

Marvin, the Martian dog, last photo.....

M and I made the difficult decision this weekend to euthanize Marvin.  His health and quality of life had seriously deteriorated the past year and especially the past couple of months.  (One of kids stepped on him yesterday afternoon and I think he was hurting more than usual.)  Even with the best preparation and good intentions, putting a dog down is one of the most difficult things I've ever had to do and we've done it quite a few times.  I was up with him for a good part of the night hoping that we wouldn't have to go.....  He could barely eat last night, wasn't taking water, couldn't get up by himself or stay sitting for any length of time.  The moaning and strange sounding barking did me in.  I made M go this morning instead of waiting until this afternoon because I couldn't bear to think of him languishing in the state he was in alone all day.

Marvin was 17 years old this summer.

He was a really great dog!

M and I got him in 1994 just a few months before we got married.  We saw him at the pet store and couldn't resist.  For a pet store dog, he came really cheap.  We only paid $99 for him.  He was a bit older and the store must have been trying to unload him.  I think it may have been because of his coloring?  He was a Blue Merle Longhaired Dachshund.

He loved to ride in the car.  He loved to be outside.  He loved to snuggle.  His love of jumping and getting around caused back problems when he was three or four years old.  We opted for his back surgery after he became paralyzed unexpectedly one day.  There was a chance that he wouldn't walk again, but he did!

The vet visit was fairly traumatic as usual.  He hadn't had regular care for years and it was decided that we would take him to the emergency animal hospital around the corner from our house so we didn't have to wait for an appointment.  (We didn't want to go to Denver Dumb again because you can't be with your dog and can only go in to say goodbye after the procdure is done.)  There was some confusion as to whether or not we wanted an evaluation first so we waited unnecessarily for awhile before M checked on things.  The vet made things a little easier.  I got to hold him during the procedure which was important.  The vet put him into a deep sleep and then gave him the drug to stop his heart.

I didn't want to give him up and could have held him forever.

Thank you.....

Sometimes They Come Back

The boyfriend came to the the first game of C's soccer tournament last weekend.  A-ha! An opportunity that I couldn't resist.....you know it!  I couldn't resist mentioning that C wouldn't let me put a label on his quilt.

Yeah, she'll hate me forever or at least five minutes.

We had emailed each other before, with permission--C let me email tournament details and season schedule, so he emailed me last week to ask if I could still put a label on his quilt.

He asked C first if it was okay to ask me to do it.  She thinks he's a dork, but his reasoning is that he wants a lable on it so it is a fact that someone, his girlfriend, gave it to him and that it was made especially for him.

I think I like this guy!  (I almost think, though, that she has met him too early in life.  I don't think there's such a thing as high school sweathearts anymore.)

He brought the quilt to C's soccer game yesterday.  He had it in a zippered plastic bag--so, maybe there is something weird about this guy?!  (or, his mother taught him well?!  I'm kicking myself that I didn't think of that.  Then, again, I hope he's not keeping it in there and just used it to transport the quilt.  We don't want him to store it.  We want him to use it!)

I put together label yesterday with acceptable wording printed it on Printed Treasures and sewed it on the quilt yesterday.  The first one I made was awful so I got online and got instructions for a better method--I may have been quilting for years and made more than one label, but I don't work with a lot of common sense at my disposal and I also forget from one project to the next.  Duh!

I even got to take what I think are better pictures ....

name removed to protect the innocent

Rush Job

Connie of Top Quilters did a wonderful job quilting the C.U. Boyfriend quilt.  She picked it up at Creative Needle after I dropped it off last Wednesday, called me on a Friday to recommend thread and pattern, had it done by Saturday morning, and delivered back to CN.  I rushed right over to pick it up along with some binding fabric.

She quilted a geometric continuous Edge to Edge square pattern on the top with monofilament top thread and black for the back.  I wasn't sure about the monofilament, but it looks wonderful.  It would have been hard to use a colored thread and still have an Edge to Edge design, which is cheaper, with the buffalo applique.

I wanted to start binding it right away, but we were out all Saturday and I had Sarah's bag to finish.  I knew it was going to be really difficult to finish it on time for Tuesday because I refused to compromise by machine sewing the binding on both sides.  I had 240" of binding to sew......  I'm pretty quick now, but still having only started on Sunday night, working all day but sewing at lunches (ahem....), and then at C's Monday soccer practice, and a bit Monday night, I wasn't done 3 pm on Tuesday!  I should have sewed the binding with a lighter color thread, but I was an idiot and used black.  Black fabric for the binding, black thread, and black backing fabric.....  I use my machine sewed seam line for a guide, matching up the edge of binding, and sewing just below it with a blind stitch.  I could barely see what I was doing in poor light and even used my book light attached to my shirt for extra lighting.

I stopped after work to buy a Shout Color Catcher.  I never prewash my fabric.  C misunderstood me and put the quilt on for a regular Delicate Wash.  It wasn't finished drying, lint rollered, and wrapped until 8:15.

She wouldn't let me put a label on it.  UGH!  Can you say Quilt Sin?!  I didn't get any good pictures--no closeups and it was too dark to take them outside.  Darn it!

He liked it....  I have her word for it.  She was able to tell him in all honesty that she designed it from an existing plaid quilt pattern, cut most of the fabric, and pieced two of the diamonds.

He's off to C.U. today for Move-In Day.

He wants to come see her play in her soccer tournament this weekend.  Crazy in Love?!

Back to School

First day of school for S and A.  S is in 5th and A in 3rd.  C has been in school since the 11th.  Z, 8th grade, went to school on the 11th, but was off on the 12th to allow the 6th graders to have the school to themselves and get settled.  They all still have late start at 9 on Mondays.  C has first period off--not bad for a Sophomore.  (I kept pestering her about it.  Isn't there some class you can take?!)

Sarah's bag did get finished.  I ended up using a McCall's pattern as a guide that I bought for $.99.  I measured the tissue pattern pieces--hate those--and cut the bag pieces.  I incorporated the 1/2" seam allowance that the pattern called for.  I quilted the fabric for the outside of the bag in a simple meander.  The liner isn't quilted and she's annoyed by the polka dot fabric--I couldn't find anymore of the same fabric I used for the outside and wasn't going to run across town to another Hobby Lobby looking for it.  The straps and front pocket (I  only put one on the front) are stabilized with a fusible interfacing (the same weight I used for a T-shirt quilt).  I ended up doing the binding on the top of the bag differently than the pattern instructed, using the same method I use to bind my quilts (no-bump end and hand sewn to the back).  I placed heat set rhinestonses in the center of the smaller flowers.

C wants one, too, but a smaller version.  I'm racing to finish the binding on the boyfriend's quilt.  It's going to be close.....

Breaking News

The quilter called me today to finalize the pattern she will quilt on the top and thread for the CU Boyfriend Quilt.

Could it be that it will be done in time?!

Funny story......

Scott believes M doesn't like him.  Well, that's a given on some level.  He's done nothing but date M's daughter.

M took A and S to meet their teachers, be tested, drop off supplies, and fill out paperwork yesterday.  Scott's mom came up to M and A at the school.  She works there.  She introduced herself as Mrs. (insert last name) and M drew a blank.  He had no idea who she was as she didn't include Scott's mom and so M just nodded and smiled, thinking she was some teacher or something.  She of course told her son and ribbed him a little about C's dad not putting two and two together and him not making enough of an impression for M to remember his last name.

The other thing is that when C makes plans and asks her dad about curfew, etc he always sides on limiting her activities and an earlier curfew.  I always let her stay out, etc. because I want her to like me and to think I'm a cool mom trust her and him--they've not shown me I can't.   Because of this, I supposedly like him.

If making a quilt doesn't solidify approval of the relationship, I don't know what will.  Maybe I should say M made it? 

It's in the Bag

Aunt Flo is visiting this week my house this week for all the girls.  S started the other day.  She's only 10!  She's not ready.....  I'm not ready.....  Granted, we're not talking a rushing river, but we are talking a bout of major emotions!  She was very weepy last night over the whole experience and the other changes she's experiencing.  We knew it was coming--maybe not this soon as C didn't start until she was 14--and have talked, but it's not real until it happens.  I tried to be as supportive as I could be and I challenged C to be the best big sis there is because of the fragility.

I'm not feeling all that well myself.  My associated anxiety that I always experience at this time of the month has hit once again.  Paired with the fact that payday is still days away and I'm a basket case.  Oh, and I can't wait to see the quilting on the CU Boyfriend quilt and am praying that the quilter can work a miracle and get it back to me....like tomorrow.

I put on a positive face and lied through my teeth put a positive spin on things during our little pep talk.

There's a pill for that.  (I wish.  I haven't found a really good one.)

You may feel like crap, but activity is the best way to chase the pain away.  (Sure, there are days when you just want to lie in bed for one reason or another.)

It's no big thing to deal with at school.

S has insisted that I make her a bag for school.  I just wanted to buy her a backpack, but NO!  I've decided to go ahead because it may be the pick me up she needs.  I have a couple of free patterns bookmarked but, of course, I'm thinking of modifying them for size, handles, and technique.

I know I'll regret it.  I'll be telling MYSELF, I told you so!  On the other hand, I keep insisting that I'm an experienced enough sewer to be able to do it, right?  I am going to put something down on paper first and try to be organized.

Quilting All-Nighters

I'm a zombie today after being up all night finishing the quilt.  My butt was glued to my sewing chair for most of the night.  (A sad state since I was even too lazy/involved to changed the channel on the T.V. and ended up watching Borat while M snored away on the couch.)  My body is a mess of aches and pains.  My brain is mush.

I dropped it off at Creative Needle for Top Quilters--a whole 'nother story that I don't want to get into right now.

The polka dots won.  The quilter is just going to have to deal with 5ish" on all sides for the backing instead of the six requested.  She's usually pretty quick and I called ahead so she's expecting it.  I had hoped to deliver it to CN by Sunday, but.....well, you know!

C says she loves it!

I forgot to laugh when M said that she'll probably break up with him as soon as she gives it to him.

It's a good thing I'm so tired or I'd bore you with more critique of my work.  I like the buffalo--I just wish I'd have planned better and it could have been bigger.  I used the Upside Down Applique method which I love!

Comedy of Errors

I've made my last quilt......JUST KIDDING!

I'm almost done with the CU Boyfriend Quilt.  I can't finish it soon enough.  With the amount of mistakes I've made, unsewing, and resewing....I could have made two quilts by now.

WHY o WHY can't I be more organized?

I started with a bit of a plan.  I drafted the quilt in EQ7, but I strayed from the design for some reason trying to make the quilt bigger.  However, I bought fabric based upon the design so I ended up going back to original width but adding an extra row in length.  The two rows I had added two extra blocks to had to be taken apart which created more problems.....

I didn't have a pressing plan in the beginning.  I did one after piecing the first row where it didn't matter, but it still wasn't right and I also got confused by sewing the block parts together in the wrong order.

We added the diamond blocks, but I printed the patterns the wrong size....and pieced them.  This error was a result of me not wanting to spend the money to print the patterns the full size at Kinkos.

I have one more row to piece and the darn buffalo to make which I have to fudge because I screwed up the diamonds.

With all this how does the quilt look?  Not bad except for the thread mess of fraying blocks on the back.  All those seams of the plaid pattern intersected!!!!

Have I learned my lesson?  Probably not.....

Why do I quilt again?

We didn't buy fabric for the back.  I don't have much yardage in my stash except for black with white polka dots or spiders on silver webs.  I don't have time to piece a back at this point.

If You Give a Mouse a Cookie

I was standing at my sink at 2 am last night doing dishes.....when a mouse ran from one side of my kitchen counter along the space between the sink and the window to back behind my microwave and I assume into my stove.  Right in front of me!  I think I must have scared it out of its hiding place by being awake at that hour and running the disposal.  I let out a scream and M got up off the couch where he was sleeping to investigate.  He turned on the oven and we think the mouse ran out along the baseboard and into the space between the dishwasher and the under the sink cupboard.

Ick!

I hate mice in my kitchen.  It grosses me out!  We keep everything really clean and my counters clear as to not to invite any pests, but we still get an occasional uninvited guest.  The cat usually gets them before they get into the house.  She's not too good at catching them inside.

I can only imagine that it didn't expect anyone to be up at that hour and came out to look for food, thinking the coast was clear.

It's hard to put a peanut butter baited trap down on the floor because the dogs always find it and set it off before having a chance to catch the mouse.

One more instance that I wish I had a door on my kitchen or no dogs.....

Oh, What a Savings!

Since I can't give up certain things, I just have to find cheaper things or way to do things.

I have to have my breakfast in the morning.  I can't get going in the morning unless I have a McD's $1 Sausage Burrito and Vanilla Iced Coffee or Vanilla Latte, but at $3++ a day, I've had to figure out alternatives.  (It's not only an eating thing, but a mental health thing!)  I've taken to making my version of the Iced Coffee at home and then stopping by and getting my $1 burrito on the way to work.  (I could make these at home, too, but I'm just not there yet.)  I've had to work with my recipe, but I've figured it out enough to be satisfied.  M's Keurig makes things easier and I've figured out which setting to use to make the coffee strong enough since it gets watered down by the ice.  (It's the only coffee maker we have so I know those K Cups are more expensive per serving, but at least we can get them at CostCo.)  I use Half and Half and I've found that for cheap using WalMart's brand.  I'll be looking for cheaper syrup options, maybe even making my own, but for now I'm working on a bottle of Torani Vanilla Syrup because I found that at WalMart, too.  I stole S's Starbucks cup with straw and have been using that.  (I love it because it's double layered and doesn't sweat.)

The only thing is that I feel the need to fill the cup up and I'm drinking more coffee per day if I would buy because I usually only got the Medium.

I'll be making a poor woman's latte when the weather turns cooler......

I figure I'm saving a $1+ a day which will add up, right?

I'm making progress....  I used to be a Starbuck's girl, having to get a latte and pastry there every morning at $5.50 a pop years ago.

How do you save money without giving something up entirely?

Driver's Ed

C talked her dad into registering and paying for an online driver's ed class.  She will take the class and then test at the DMV for her permit.  Yeah, she IS 15 years and 3 months.

Wow!

Timing is everything.  M is sweating the increase in our insurance.  We barely can keep up with him driving.  We just received notice that our insurance is going up $600.00/year because of the $15,000 settlement in addition to car repairs, etc. our insurance paid to the driver he rear ended in the spring.  Maybe we should see if he can take a class?!

(It's a good thing he can't be bothered to read my blog!)

I'm a tad annoyed about the increase for a number of reasons.  He never followed through against the driver who hit him last fall in the awful accident that totalled his truck, severely bruised his ribs, and broke his glasses.  (The woman that hit him ran a red light and about took off the front of his truck.)  He got his totalled truck replaced, but he never pursued medical or pain and suffering.  He still has discomfort.

If he had, we might have come out even.  But, what do I know?!

His answer?  "Well, the guy I hit got a lawyer and the lawyer will take about half of the settlement."

What is half of $15,000?





And Then You Go and Do Something Nice...

My sewing machine pedal has been acting up and with 48 more block parts to go, I was freaking out a bit a bunch.  48 more block parts and 24 blocks to assemble....gah!

My sewing machine is old.  I toy with the idea of replacing it when I have money again, but then I ask myself Why?  I love my Pfaff.  I would just end up getting another Pfaff and probably a lesser model.  I've not taken very good care of it.  It's never been serviced.  M has fixed the cords a couple of time when dogs have chewed them.  I've replaced the power card for the same reason.  I can still wind bobbins, but I have to watch it and stop it from winding when it gets too full because a little piece is broken.  I don't oil it enough.....

Saturday night I was trying to sew.  I had to jimmy the foot pedal after every block and I was getting frustrated so I started stomping on it.  Temper!  M took it from me to try and fix it.  It was touch and go for awhile, especially after a tiny piece fell on the floor and was lost for awhile.  I started hyper-ventilating because I'm right in the middle of a project.

He's a genius, though, and fixed it.

It's moments like those when I think about....things.  We can both be real poop heads to each other sometimes, but we still try and do nice things for each other every once and awhile.

Boyfriend Quilt, Revised

C has decided she wants to ditch the buffalo and Colorado University.  I'm not sure, but it's her quilt..... even though I'm making it.

I still want a buffalo!

Plaid

I've been meaning to take a picture for days, but I just got to it today.  I actually tried the other night, but I didn't like the picture I had to take with the blocks on my table since my design wall is covered in a Twilight quilt.

Even at this stage, I'm trying to figure out how I'm going to quilt it.  I'm going to have to quilt it myself.  I'm seriously thinking of quilting it in sections using Nancy Zieman's Column Quilts method.

I figure I can get away with quilting it with straight lines to accent the plaid pattern.

Lifting Weights

Payday!  I enjoyed it for all of two seconds before I logged on or made the calls to pay bills.  I'm left with $150.00 for two weeks.  Gas, groceries, and incidentals will eat that up quicker than I can blink.  I'll be asking for money from M by Monday, stressing over the asking and whether or not he'll help me.  He'll have to get the kids' school supplies and anything else that they need for sure.

I'm in quite the pickle, but the end is in sight.  I've got six more months of financial misery before I'll be in a better situation.  I'll still have one bill to pay another six months on, but then I will be in the clear.

I did the responsible thing by paying these bills today as soon as I got paid.  If I don't do this, I get myself into trouble.  One of them was past due and I have gotten a letter, email, and four calls a day, two each to my home phone and cell, requesting payment.  Calls that I should have taken, but ones I ignored because I couldn't deal.

My stomach in knots and my brain a buzz.....all because I wasn't responsible a month ago and went shopping for a girls day out with Sarah and because I took some days off from work when C had her surgery.  How quickly things snowball!

The funny thing is and a truth I wish I could realize is that I feel better even though I don't have any money.  I usually spend money, even on needed things, knowing I have bills to pay and then I feel horrible and sick seconds after.  Then, I spend whatever amount of time until I get paid eaten alive by stress.

I've gotten into the habit of this and it's hard to break the cycle.  It's almost like I don't know how else to live or I live off of these bad feelings.

Crazy!

I don't get much help from those around me, especially the kids.  I've been honest with them about how desperate my situation is, but they still constantly ask me for stuff.  Kids will be kids and I'm supposed to be able to say no, but its so tough.  I remember growing up and my parents not having any money.  I knew early in life not to ask for things.  If we couldn't get it at the commissary or at the BX, we didn't get it and, even if we did, it probably had to go on layaway first.

The fact that they still ask me and pester me for stuff makes me angry and depressed a lot.  I never know when M can help or when he can't.  He'll say that he doesn't have any money and then he'll go out an buy something--maybe he just doesn't have any money for me?

I'm positive today, but who knows how I'll feel tomorrow.

Temptation

I have the devil sitting on my shoulder, but my angel is missing.

I don't deal well with temptation.  I usually cave....  My solution is to not have things around to tempt me or put myself in situations where I will be tempted.  For instance, I don't buy junk food to be kept in the house (difficult with the kids) or go shopping just to look.

As is my M.O., I rarely deal with things head on.  I have to do something, though, because I'm forever eating, buying, or doing something to try to make myself feel better.

My most recent tempation is one of the flesh....(sounds so biblical).  If anyone sees my angel, I really could use a voice of reason.  I'm finding it more and more of a challenge to resist.

Would You Rather.....Quilting Style

I was up very late last night cutting all the fabric pieces for the C.U. quilt.  The fact that I did so is amazing in itself.  I actually did it this time so that C could help with the quilt.  She helped for a little while, but then got too tired....or bored.  Am I a bad mom if I say that I don't think she will be a quilter and that I can't make her?  She did manage to carry on an hour long text conversation with the boyfriend while cutting and didn't make many mistakes or cut off a finger so maybe she IS better at multi-tasking than I am?  I went ahead and finished cutting to get it done.....and so I wouldn't have to monitor C.

I've pieced three blocks and am working on the remaining three of Row 1 so at least I know that the blocks are good.  I think I worked out my seam direction pressing problems.

I know the best thing to do is to cut all the fabric out for a quilt after I'm sure I'm situated, but I always resist doing it.  I'm also the type who finds it very difficult to chain piece and has to grit her teeth while sewing on more than one block at a time.

I wish my brain weren't hot wired as such.  I would so go for hypnosis to try to work out my issues.

So, how do you do it?  I'm sure most quilters are organized, have a plan, follow a pattern, cut all their fabric out, etc.

Looking Forward to the Weekend

I'm really looking forward to the weekend.  It's been another long week even if I was in the office by myself for most of it.

I have a love/hate relationship with deadlines.  Without them, I wouldn't get anything done.  However, I still procrastinate and wait until the last minute to start and finish.  I routinely miss deadlines for things, especially for quilting.  I  usually get a pass.

Waiting for the End

I love Linkin Park!  I have my favorite songs, of course, and I loved this one as soon as I heard it.  The lyrics were written just for me, you know?! Waiting for the End

Lyrics | Linkin Park lyrics - Waiting for the end lyrics

Bumbling and Stumbling

I started making blocks for the C.U. Quilt last night.  I made a mistake right off the bat.....  I'm paper piecing the blocks.  I tried to draft them and figure things out so that the seams would nest, but I think I already screwed that up.  Quilting is such an adventure!

I was sewing along swimmingly piecing the first section of the first three blocks before I realized that I was using the fabric legend for blocks 2, 4, and 6 to piece blocks 1, 3, and 5.

The mistake isn't devastating as the blocks are the same except for how I had them grouped and numbered for pressing, but I was thrown for the rest of the night.  I also didn't take into consideration how the sections would be pressed when sewed together into the whole block.  I can make adjustments in the first section because the section below it is the applique section and not more plaid blocks.  I need to figure things out for the rest of the quilt, though.

Like I said, quilting is ever the adventure for me.

I would have sewed into the night, but S decided she wanted to watch Secret Life of the American Teenager Season 1 through Netflix.  I hate this show for a number of reasons, least of all the really bad acting!  And you ask, who is in charge at my house?  M wasn't home or he would have put his foot down and I would have been watching the same USA Network shows multiple times instead.

My kingdom for my own sewing room.

I wouldn't have been sewing at all had it not been for the storms that called the boys' baseball games.  I don't know how all the missed games are going to be made up?

Overall, it was an interesting night.  M was out until after 10 at a meeting for work which wasn't supposed to go that late which left me wondering if that's where he really was.  Z pouted in his room all night about the porn incident and the fact that we now have proof that he took $15 from C last week.  He had denied it, but C looked at his text messages in which he was going on and on about how he had an extra $15 to spend.  Idiot!  C is spitting mad and so am I since I ended up replacing the money, we knew he had taken it despite his denial based on previous incidents, and M didn't force the issue last weekend after saying he would take care of it.  He let Z's denial be the final say.....  Z can't even give the money back because he supposedly LOST it and his wallet on the way home Monday.   RIIIIIGHT.....

The thing is that he could get an allowance if he would just do the little we ask, but even that is too much for him.  The girls get their allowance regularly.  They have to keep their room clean and do x1 thing a day extra, like vacuuming or attending to some of the other build up of dirt around the house.  S has taken to cleaning door jams, mouldings, and walls.  C and Z are supposed to swap weeks cleaning the bathroom and tidying up the kitchen, including mopping the floor.  We aren't supposed to have to pester them to complete their chores and they have to have the bathroom and the kitchen cleaned by Sunday night.  Z refuses to pick up his room or attend to his sheets when he wets them, do his weekly job until we threaten him, and would rather steal money from other people than work for it.

The girls want a lock box for their room and I don't blame them.

I'm beginning to think he can't help himself.

Busted

We busted Z last night for visiting questionable websites.  He was at home watching his brother while we were at S's baseball game and C was out.  After we returned and were settled, I went to get online to do some more research for a Twilight quilting project and was greeted on screen by a bevy of naked women in a pop-up.

Oh, joy!

It is to be expected, right?  He's 13.

We've not had parental controls on the computer.  When we replaced the computer that died recently, M went through all the extra steps of setting up an admin account and user accounts for ITunes, me, him, and the kids.  The browser and how it displays is also a bit different.  You can have a bunch of separate Internet pages open and not really realize it or close them......

I was probably a pretty sneaky kid.  I wasn't a serious troublemaker and never did anything really bad, but I had issues with shoplifting, taking money from my parents, sneaking peeks at Christmas presents, hoarding food, etc.  I got pretty good at covering my tracks, but never good enough.  I'm sure my parents knew a lot of what I was doing, but they never really confronted me about anything.  I know I have issues today because of it.

Z isn't very good at covering up and, because of how I was as a kid, I almost always see what he's up to.  M thinks I'm being silly and that kids will be kids.  Yes, that is true...... but, I also know how things turn out when parents turn a blind eye.

In this instance, he just wasn't smart enough which continues to be a good thing.  He's the worst speller in the house.  When I saw lesbean and girl on girl actshun, I had to laugh.  He doesn't know how to clear history, about pop-ups, or that his brother has no loyalty and will tattle on him about everything.

We know have controls on the computer, the kids can't log on when we're not home, and he can't log on at all for awhile.  It's the way of the world.....

Let the Crazy Out

I don't want to quilt any longer, but every time I think about stopping I freak out.

What the heck is my problem?!

I believe that I am addicted.  Yes, addicted.

I have been doing some research about how to overcome addiction.

One of my fears is that I'll transfer to something else.

Fabric

I went fabric shopping with C Friday afternoon.  We started at Wooden Spools.  I prayed that we would find all of the fabric there because it's only $5/yd, but no such luck.  We only found the gold.  We ended up at the store I don't like as much because it's the next closest quilt shop.

She was steadfast in her selections.....

M is a little jealous.....  He went to C.U. and doesn't have a C.U. quilt, but he thinks he might need one.

C thinks the boyfriend is getting too clingy, though.  She feels smothered.

We went to see H.P. today.  I held off seeing it with the girls even though I really wanted to!  M and the boys got back from camping today.  One of the first things he asked me was if I had seen it.  I told him, "Of course not!  I wanted to see it with you and the family...."

The movie is awesome!  I did a Shannon thing by reading Movie Spoiler's write-up and I'm glad I did.  It helped me follow along with the movie and not get too confused.  I still haven't read all the books.  I think it was a little too scary and complicated for S and A.

With a Little Help from Quiltmaker and EQ7

What is about college and plaid that go together?  I'm not a plaid lover, but I immediately thought plaid for the quilt.  I've had the Mad About Plaid by Black Mountain Quilts in my library for-ev-er.  I've never made a quilt from the book, but I've always wanted to.  My favorite quilt, Scottish Plaid, seemed like a lot of work with all that strip piecing and I wasn't up to it.  Quiltmaker July/August '11 has a plaid quilt, too.  I was tempted once again.

I'm beginning to think that it would be nice if magazines started making EQ7 files available for patterns.....  I took the Quiltmaker quilt and drafted the block so I could audition the color scheme we wanted.  I kept shifting fabrics around and made Caroline help me until it looked like she wanted it.  We decided to add the grey.  The version above is what we settled on.  We haven't figured out the buffalo or the lettering, but we can wait on that.  I'll make the plaid blocks and leave that section open until we do.

Quilts=Love

C asked me to make a quilt today.

She wants me to make a quilt for the boyfriend that is headed off to C.U.

She says she knows he would like it and appreciate it because she's seen his room (whole 'nother story) and he's pretty sentimental and likes to keep things.  (His grandmother made quilts for him so he knows how special they are.)

In my mind, her asking me to make a quilt for someone special to her carries a lot of meaning.

It's no secret, I'm kind of lost right now.

This is a little bit of a pick me up.

I just wish she'd asked me sooner......

We have a bit of a time crunch now.

Shannonigans

I've been up to many things of late and so has the family.

I haven't figured anything out.  I'm not out setting the world on fire, though.

C had her third molar surgery.

S got hit by a baseball a couple of times.

Z is off camping with his troop.

A is back to having bathroom problems.

School starts mid-August.