Turd Thursday

I'm just kidding......  maybe.

I was thinking of joining the Totally Tuesday, Wayback Wednesday/Wordless Wednesday (could never happen)/WIP Wednesday, etc crowd with my very own day.  I even thought of making a button to share with code and everything.

I don't think Turd Tuesday or Turd Thursday would take off, though.

I just got back from spending the day out with kids and friends.  We went to see Gnomeo and Juliet.  I rarely get to see a movie in the theaters and having to spend $36.00 (really rather reasonable in this day and age of movie ticket prices) was a shame.  We went to lunch at Colore....another $60 there with tip, but we brought half our food home.  (This amount included Z's carrot cake he brought home, too.)  Off to Yogurt Land for another $20.  This is all for six people, but still an expensive day out.  I am justifying the day since it's really the only treat I've given the kids in awhile except for letting them get two On Demand movies this week while on spring break.

I finished sewing the middle part of the puppy quilt.  I would have been done sooner, but as I was about to sew the last two rows on, I realized that one of the blocks was sewn the wrong way--my specialty--and so I had to fix it.  I was up until 1 a.m. doing unsewing, resewing, and finishing the section.  I could have left the block the way it was, but I can't stand to leave a mistake if I can easily fix it.  I guess I'll never fit in with the crowd that thinks better done than perfect right.

I still need to measure the section and then cut it down.  The unattached block in the corner is just that.  It will be appliqued in a dog's mouth.

Whose Idea was THAT?

We had fun making them.....

You do the math.  And, no, at this point in my marriage I had sex more than once a year and my anniversary is in September...but M's b'day IS in late June.

At this time of year, M and I sweat it out.  This time a year is almost worse than Christmas.

We have four kids.

Two kids with birthdays on 4/19.

A kid with a 5/1 birthday. 

A kid with a 5/2 birthday.

Zachary will be 13 and Sarah will be 10 on 4/19.

Caroline will be 15 on 5/1.

Alexander will be 8 on 5/2.

C was two weeks early.  I had just gone on maternity leave.  In fact, I was in labor on my first official day off.  C was stubborn.  I had a very long labor without enough progression and she was sunny side up so I had to have a C.

Z was a week late because the doctor had to let me go at least a week over my due date before he induced.  It was a difficult birthing.  His shoulder got hung up and he was born blue.

Because of my previous troubles, I wasn't allowed to go later than my due date with S.  We scheduled with the idea that if I didn't go into labor on my own, I would be induced.  The doctor gave me a choice between a day or two.  I thought nothing of scheduling her on Z's birthday.  Z will never forgive me for having to have his 3rd birthday in the hospital and every one thereafter shared with his sister.

Troubles aside, the same applied for A.  I had to schedule again.  Learning my lesson, I avoided 5/1 and C's birthday.  A was born on 5/2 during the doctor's office lunch hour...for real!

Birthdays mean gifts and parties.  We've not always been able to do parties.  The kids have been pretty understanding.

This year we're doing okay....and I'd like to try to do a bit more.

C can't decide.  She might be over the choreographed birthday party at her age.

S definitely wants a party!  A couple of years ago we took the scouts to a hotel in the DTC for a slumber party to spend our cookie money.  The hotel had an indoor pool and a buffet breakfast with made to order omelets.  We had pizza, a sundae bar, and did makeovers.  We could do the same for S and three friends for $97.00 with tax for the hotel.  I think this is reasonable....  I'm talking M into it.

Z doesn't know what he wants to do except that he wants a phone.  He doesn't have a posse to have a party with like Caroline.  She could invite her high school and probably half would come she is so social.

A is in the same boat.  He wants an IPod, though.  You'd not think this was so crazy if you saw him walking around the house with Z's borrowed IPod singing Eminem's clean version of I'm not Afraid, Metallica, and Michael Jackson off key.  And, we promised him a big gift if beat his Encopresis....for real this time.  (He's going to the bathroom without prompting and doesn't seem to be holding at all.)

Books are Like Presents

I feel like I'm opening a present when I start reading a book.

I usually can find something to like about a book.  I rarely discard anything I start unfinished.  I particularly like it when I read a part of a book that really speaks to me and that I can identify with.

I up to H in the Sue Grafton Kinsey Millhone PI series.  I hope I don't get bored before I make it to the end of the series.  I think she's published up to U?

There has been a line in H is for Homicide already that I love.  It is so me!

...All of us are subjected to somebody else's power at some point.  So once in a while you kiss ass.  So what?  Either you make your peace with that early, or you end up living your life as a crank or a misfit. ...

Ah, ha!  This is my problem.  Too much ass kissing and not enough making peace with it.  I am living my life as a crank AND a misfit.

The Lucy Brown Effect



Meet Lucy Brown

1 part Sweet and Sour Drink Mix

1 part Cranberry Juice

1 part Orange Rum Barcardi O

1/2 part Captain Morgan

Slice of Orange

(I always end up adding an extra splash of cranberry juice.)

**************************************

No worries of me becoming an alcoholic.

I love my glass.  The stem is so cool!

**************************************

Help me get the word out....

To the teenage boys who have "ding dong ditched" my house the past three nights trying to WOO my daughter:

STOP already!

(The doorbell didn't actually get activated last night.  M was napping before coming to bed again.  One of the same boys came up on the porch, but one of the dogs actually caught sight of him before he could ring the bell and scared him away.)

Caroline has warned them off, but I don't think they think we're serious.

***************************

Another funny C story.....

She was stuck at home all day with the kids minus S who was at a friend's since last night's sleepover.

I took pity on her when she asked if she could go to a friend's despite her plans not coming together until 8:40 and us needing to give another girlfriend a ride with her to her boy who is a friend's house.

I was hoping she could get a ride home.

No such luck....

her evening almost ruined.....

Until

Boy's mother offered to drive girls home!

My not-so-jokingly comment to M:

Just HOW challenged is this boy that a mother will do anything to help a couple of girls come over to visit?!
(I was thinking of mom's joy about the pretty girlfriend in Transformers.)

C not hearing my comment, but thinking we were talking about her eagerness to go to this boy's house because she had designs on him

says

He's not that good looking.  (Please excuse my daughter's comment....but understandable for this age....)

M just look at each other and laugh.

*****************************************************
Off to sew......

9-Patch Hangover

Happy Hour started at about 3:30 this afternoon.  M had made me a half container of Lucy Browns yesterday, but we had wine with dinner last night so I did not partake of the Lucy Browns because I nursed my tumbler-full of wine through the evening post-dinner.  I actually had to take some Advil because I drank a little bit into a hangover which is a bit of a shame because without the headache I might have finished the pre-border and applique stage of the puppy quilt.

Talk about being one of those simple quilters, I feel like a beginner again.  The owl quilt was full of 9-Patches and this quilt is made of a bunch of 9-Patches.  I'm officially sick of 9-Patches for awhile.  There goes my idea of getting on that Blooming 9-Patch that is on my quilt bucket list.

One of the 9-Patches will be appliqued so that is why it is in a weird position on the quilt top.  The three top rows are sewed together.  The bottom three rows are unfinished.

Something is up with blogger and uploading photos.  My pic is there, but itsn't showing up.

Quilt Groupies or.....Minions?

Despicable Me has quickly become one of our favorite movies.

We even love the music!

The blog chatter this past week has been a buzz with the debate over the dumbing down of quilting.  The debate was handled with aplomb by both sides with only a few people getting their panties in a twist.  You had those defending the ART of quilting simply and modernly and those posing the arguments for quilters to learn the ART and improve their skills.  You had those, with their panties in a twist, calling up the quilt police accusation or asking why anyone should care how they choose to quilt?

I've certainly thought a lot about this subject and briefly touched on it on posts in the past.  I've questioned the heavy dependence on pre-cuts and kits that so many people seem to rely on in order to make quilts these days.  On the one hand, it's wonderful that so many more people are quilting since these shortcuts supposedly save quilting time so people with a shortage of time can still quilt and beginners can make quilts.  On the other hand, I feel the downsides on a personal level.  So much of the quilting industry's energy seems to be focused on shortcuts, precuts, and dumbing down quilitng...whether it really needs to be or not.  Hurry up and quilt something so more money can be made....

I can get over most of this.  The books that are geared toward dumb quilters or time challenged quilters have techniques and ideas that I can still use.  I learn something new all the time because, to be frank, dumb or lacking common sense--I still need a lot of help.  And, of course, there is the resounding agrument that I don't really need to care how other people are quilting and what they are choosing to make.  There will continue to master quilters among us that decide to be really ARTFUL and MASTERFUL in their quilting.  Quilting will survive!  We shouldn't want the hobby and art to remain stagnant or devoid of improvement.

Oh, and I rarely have to buy a pattern unless it's applique.  I love to look at pictures of quilts and to recreate them when needed.  I'm sure they aren't exactly like the originals but I don't care.  I'm eager to make a couple of these, namely Fast Forward and Hugs and Kisses.  Oh, and I'm not going to use a charm pack or jelly roll!  I'll probably even make a foundation pattern.  Gasp~

There are other things about the industry and the blogging world that strike a nerve more and resonate more with me because of my personality or temperament and because I rarely get to be a part of the group...never part of the popular crowd.  I feel like I'm in high school all over again only, this time, I'm making certain quilts instead of wearing certain clothes or fixing my hair a certain way.

I think we're becoming a bunch of groupies and maybe even minions.  I'd probably become one in a heartbeat if given the chance.  Becoming followers, auto receiving patterns, quilting the xxx way, using the exact same patterns, using the exact same fabrics...  A lot of people seem to be acting like groupies.

Although, all this is probably went on before.  We all just know and see it now because we're all so plugged in and quilting online.

Don't be a Cupcake

Today was fine.  Today was peachy.  I did a lot of laundry, a tiny bit of picking up, some reading, and some agonizing over fabrics for the Supernova quilt that I may or may not still want to make.  I don't trust myself at all picking out fabrics to go together for projects like this.  The girls spent most of the day at their friends'.  A went to swimming lessons this morning and I got threated to a McD's Vanilla Latte--yes, I have successfully weaned myself off of Starbucks lattes to save myself $1/day for lattes and more if I get an iced coffee.  Z stayed in his room reading one of the Last Olympians books for the xx time.  C finally came home and M and her had their discussion about her activities and how her running around 24-7 affects the family time we rarely get to have, like last night.  Tears flowed and she stormed off with a slam of the door with a "I can't do anything right!"  (Word to the wise...with the exception of getting hanged up on, slamming doors is the next worst thing you can do to him.)

We ended up having a very nice family dinner tonight.  M had repaired the grill and got it ready for the season at my request.  Even though it was a little colder than he likes for grilling, we had petite sirloins with roasted red potatoes and asparagus.  M even opened a bottle of my favorite red wine, the only one I've learned to like, Cupcake Red Velvet.

We're now watching Megamind on On Demand as a family.  I don't know how willingly C is here, but at least she's here.

Fri-Day Sewing

I'm calling it a night.  I shouldn't be as tired as I am and I don't think I am, but my brain is a little numb from the Mandarin Orange Cosmopolitan I had a couple of hours ago at Colore.  M took me there for dinner.  It's our second visit and was as good as our first.  We had planned to go out for a family dinner, but the kids were uncooperative for different reasons.  I enjoyed dinner and my cocktail, but I'm pretty sad inside.

I took today off.  I was off yesterday, too.  S and A had conferences.  S is doing really well.  A is still lagging behind, but his teacher said he is improving.  He seems to be finally interested in reading.

I sewed a bit yesterday on the puppy quilt.  I made sure I liked my 9-Patches and the fabrics I had picked out.  I also sewed a bit more on the yellow owl quilt binding.  I don't think I'll ever finish it.  I sewed on it while at S's soccer practice for about a half our.  We had the weirdest weather yesterday.  It was sunny in the moring, but chilly.  In the afternoon, it started clouding up.  At 5, when we went to S's practice it was spitting rain.  When we got to practice, it was snowing a bit.  S's coach called practice, but we stayed at the field as the girls that had showed up ran around some.  After about a half hour of that, the sun had come out and they probably could have had practice.  It was no big thing.  The team has their Bye this week.

I spent today being lazy rather than busy.  I had stayed up late watching T.V. last night so I slept in until 9.  The Butler vs. Wisconsin game was exciting!  M had gone to bed and C was at a friend's.  I had to go and get her after the game was over.  Then, I came across a Buffy the Vampire Slayer episode--the one where Buffy finds out that Angel is a vampire.  I was startled off of the couch when two teenage boys crept up on my porch.  I had all the lights off so I don't think they saw me.  The checked the numbers on the house, rang the doorbell three or four times, and then ran off.  I called C, but she didn't get out of her room fast enough.  It woke M up and all the dogs were barking.  C finally found out who they were tonight.  Two Senior boys she says?  And so it begins or continues....

I did manage to cut the rest of the fabric squares for my 9-Patches and the setting triangles.  I completed two more 9-Patches and sewed the first two rows together.  A is thrilled and thanked me a couple of times for starting his quilt.

Of note, are the setting triangles.  I always make them larger than called for and then cut them back.  I don't know if the pattern calls for a 1/4" seam for this part or bigger, making this part of the top float a bit.  I like things to float so it may not matter what the pattern calls for.  I'll probably do what I think looks the best.

I also made multiple trips down to the basement this afternoon to visit my stash.  I pulled a ton of fabrics for the Supernova Quilt-a-Long.  I only needed four fabrics for each block in addition to the one focus fabric I'm going to use in every block, but I probably pulled 3x that many fabrics than I needed.  I basically pulled every fabric I liked in the colorways I could get to in the totes.  I'll narrow down from there.  I may go crazy in the process because I get so freaked out doing this type of thing second guessing myself, etc.  My working with other fabrics freaked A out a bit because he thought I was going to stop working on his puppy quilt.  I reassured him that wasn't going to be the case.

I may not have committed to making this quilt had I not been so inspired by the fabric above.  I bought it at Hobby Lobby so its not the best quality fabric.  I absolutely love the print.  I've always wanted to make a grey quilt.  I got a lighter grey Kona for the background fabric in the blocks.

Supernova, Freshly Pieced

Soccer Chick

I'm one proud soccer momma!

EHS is struggling this season, but C has kept her head up.  She continues to practice and play hard.  She exhibits true sportsmanship and continuously demonstrates her passion for the game.

Englewood Herald

C learned that she was one of the lucky teammates to be featured in a photo in support of a story in the Englewood Herald about the upcoming season.  I wish I had known sooner.  We're going to try to find a copy.

Writing Tools

I grew up in a between time.  We had computers in high school.  I even took a programming class as a senior for an elective.  There were computer labs at my college, Metropolitan State College of Denver.  One of my English classes the first year met regularly in one of the computer labs and required that our work be done on the computer and the saved files be shared with the instructor.  I remember having some type of issue with one of my assignments and being too embarrassed to ask for help.  Most of my college papers were still done on a typewriter.

I didn't become fully computer literate until 1999 when I went to work for a Dentist that used a program specifically designed for Dentists which hosted all patient files, the appointment book, and the accounts receivable.  He also used Quickbooks.  I also was introduced to the Internet at this time through my job.  I had just started really quilting at this point and quickly learned the ins and outs of using the 'Net to make online fabric purchases, make connections via the World Wide Quilting site, and join quilting groups at Yahoo Groups for swaps and fellowship.

I would find it hard to function without a computer today.  I love email.  I love to blog.  I love that I'm not restricted to shopping at my local quilt stores.  I appreciate that I can get an instant answer for just about anything.  The world is really wide open.  (I'm fully aware of all the negatives that come with all of this, too.)

I'm not totally with the program.  I don't have a laptop, IPad, or Smart Phone.  I'm not totally plugged in as one would say.  I would love to have a device that would allow me to be plugged in more than I am even if it's just across the room working on my laptop in the comfort of sitting on the couch instead of a hard chair in front of the computer desk.  I vow that after this tortuous year of being responsible and paying off my bills that I will be able to get a laptop, at least.

I think of myself as handicapped technologically speaking.  I do let it intefer with not working on things.  I could easily write a story down with pen and paper.  I could easily doodle out a quilt design.  I don't have to use the computer or EQ to get it done.

I surrendered the T.V. to M last night after watching Top Chef All-Stars.  He channel surfed to a movie I'd seen a million times before and I knew he'd be snoring in minutes so I went to bed.  I read a bit more of G is for Gumshoe and then I got inspired.  Would you believe that I have no paper in my house?  I ended up using a discarded foundation pattern to start writing a story down.  The words flowed from my brain and, yes, using a pencil I wrote them all down.  I didn't get fussy about arranging them perfectly.  I only erased a couple of times.  I've got arrows everywhere with sidenotes and added sentences.  I'll flush it all out later.  I couldn't write by hand fast enough was the only thing.  I wanted to keep going, but I got tired after awhile.  I worked myself to a good stopping point satisfied with the story, but more by the fact that I'd actually worked on something!

I've created a Page on this blog in my header.  It's called A Real Quilting U.F.O. for now.  I'm going to put my story there and hopefully keep adding to it until its conclusion.

Bent Out of Shape

I woke up this morning earl-I-A this morning so that I could do S's hair.  I only came away with a couple of burned fingers and S walked away with ringlets galore.  She wore her new shirt and shorts even though it was cold this morning at 7 am when she had to leave for choir practice.

It is picture day at the elementary school.  The school has two picture days.  One at the beginning of the year.  The second is around this time of year.  Class pictures are taken for $10 in addition to individual shots in more casual poses with a more interesting background than the typical one color backgrounds of the standard school pictures.  Pictures are sent home for approval at a later date in a package of multiple sizes so parents can pay for as many as they want and return the rest or all of them.

We didn't spring for pictures at the beginning of the year because money is always tight during that time of year after paying for everything else that the kids need to start school.  I also was hoping that the second picture day would happen like it did last year.

A was not a happy camper this morning.  He was slow moving and I had a feeling that we were going to have issues.  Sure enough....  M trotted off with C this morning, taking her to school, and then headed off to work.  I was left to prod, plead, and yell at the boys to get ready for school.  Every morning it's the same thing...get dressed, eat breakfast, comb your hair, brush your teeth.  I have tried to just let them be and not nag them, but that never works either.

A had put temporary tattoos on his neck over the weekend.  I told him that they had to come off but, of course, he didn't want me to scrub them off last night or this morning.  I had a bitch of a time getting them off and, according to him, I hurt him unbearably doing so.  He refused to wear the plain blue T-shirt I had out for him to wear and instead came out with his Despicable Me Minions shirt on.  Now, I love the Minions as much as anyone but not on picture day.  He also had on his holiest of jeans which wasn't that big of a deal.

I barely got him out the door.  I made the motion of leaving him in the house pretending that I was actually leaving him.  He didn't believe me.  I would have really left to take Z to school, but I just imagined coming home to the police in front of my house because he hadn't stayed inside to pout.  At this point we were 10 minutes behind schedule and I had called Michael--a cry for help and another ruse to get A to shape up in fear of his dad.  When we got to his school, he wouldn't get out of the car right away.  More begging, pleading, cajoling--all this while the gym teacher looked on offering no help.  A wouldn't go into the school and at this point Z was going to be late.  I pulled A back into the car, shot the unhelpful gym teacher a look that could kill, called M again, and drove to the middle school to drop Z off.

I took A back home.  Murderous thoughts raced through my head.

See, that's the thing.  I have no power in this relationship or any others.

In my phone call to M, in which I yelled and then hung up on him (a mortal sin in M's eyes), I told him he had to come home from work and deal with A because I couldn't be late late to work or miss work.  I honestly didn't know if I could get A to go to school at that point, although the little poop head was showing a most aggravating sense of calm at this point.  Why not?  He had won.  I was upset.

A sat on the couch and I in my room until 8:30.  I was just ready to take A to school and was calling M when he walked in the door.  I got the warning, "don't ever call and yell at me like that and hang up."  He took A to school....I think he got there.  I haven't heard.

I'm bent out of shape in more ways than one.

I actually don't feel all that well today.  You know you're out of shape when you wake up with muscle aches because you pinned a quilt the day before on your hands and knees.  My butt muscles actually hurt today and so does my shoulder.  Pathetic.

I would never give up quilting even if I occasionally consider it.  It feels good to be in control of one small corner of the universe.  Quilting is my one small corner of the universe.  (I must give credit where credit is due.  This line is from G is for Gumshoe by Sue Grafton.)

Making Do or Make it Work?

I finished layering the purple quilt sandwich today at work.  I'm not ready to quilt it.  I need to buy thread and come up with a quilting plan.  I'm going to see if I can talk M into getting my equilter order for me.  I want to try Isacord thread as recommended by Leah Day for the quilting and I need more Aurifil thread for piecing.

I'm not really good at making do.  I always want to buy new fabric for projects even with my huge stash.  Buying fabric is thrilling!  The endorphins rush.  I associate using fabric in my stash with making do.

I need to get over myself.

I went through my tote of browns to find some more that might work for my 9-Patches in the puppy quilt.  I'm determined to make them work.

Experimental

Sarah's school is having a science fair for the 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades.  She's been talking about it for a couple of weeks, but only brought the packet home tonight.  I know what we'll be doing over spring break.  She wants to grow seeds in different soils and measure the growth to determine the better soil.  I remember growing mold for my Honorable Mention in 5th grade.

I took the purple quilt into work today as planned.  My boss actually had the carpets cleaned over the weekend so the conditions were even better than I thought they would be.  I was concerned about the pieced back, but I actually think I'm on to something.  The back seems to very stable and not prone to the distortion I sometimes get with a two section pieced back.  I didn't do a very precise job of cutting the too large batting with my crappy scissors.  I'm going to take my cutting mat into work and trim the batting flush with the backing tomorrow.  After I complete that step, I'll flip it over and place the top on it.  I'm going to safety pin the layers together.

I started A's puppy quilt since I had an open design wall.  He is so excited!  I rarely make a quilt as a pattern dictates.  I decided that I didn't want to applique anything but the puppies so I drafted a pattern for the alternate blocks.  I'm wishing that I had more light browns in my stash for the 9-Patch blocks.  I may want to pick up a FQ or two.

The blocks appear larger in the picture below.  They're actually pretty small at 6" finished.

The quilt from the pattern:

Accidental

My weekend is almost over.  I'm ready for a weekend wrap-up post.

We went to C's soccer game Friday.  They lost miserably.  I say miserably not because of the score, 0-7, but because we're still shaking our heads at the coaching.  Coach had the girls in some strange alignment or formation or whatever....  We know this because one of the parents of another girl that played with C in her rec league team is a seasoned soccer player and coach.  He couldn't figure out why the coach had the girls playing in that particular formation for the ENTIRE game because it's some type of formation that the German national team uses when they're up a goal or two.  I'm all for trying new things and teaching, but maybe after it's apparent it isn't working...?!  I guess the 0-1 score at the half was deceptive.  I could tell the girls were frustrated even with that score.  I'm learning to weather the tears.  I've not seen C cry so much and never over soccer.  I was a disappointed in her coach's behavior.  He threw his clipboard at one point after a score and flounced over to bench, sitting down with legs crossed for most of the second half.

S's game wasn't much better.  They also got skunked.  I would like for them to win a game at some point.  I think they only won one last year.  Her team has a lot of new girls.  They're only about nine and ten-years old so there's hope.

And, here's the biggie:

M had an accident on Saturday.  This one was his fault.  He plowed into someone from behind.  He was distracted talking to Z on the way to the climbing wall place when the light turned red.  No one was hurt.  I ran up to get Z to take him to his activity after M called me.  The car he hit looked pretty smashed up.  The car he hit also hit someone the car in front of them.  I've lost track of the accidents at this point.  The last one wasn't M's fault.  I know he had one or two in the past couple of years.  I think those were in his work truck.  I'm not supposed to be worried.  I guess I'll stick my head in the sand some more until I see how it's going to play out.  He hasn't settled with the insurance from the last accident in which someone hit him and totalled his new-used truck.  I've stopped asking.

I sewed a bit today.  I finally finished sewing all the purple quilt back sections together.  My boss will be out of the office Monday and Tuesday.  I think I'm going to take the quilt to work and sandwich it there.  The quilt is too big for my table.  I need a big enough hair-free area to get it done.  Quilting is always the question.  I'm still really lost in this area.  I'm seriously considering getting some wash-away stabilizer to draw on and quilt over.

Supernova Quilt-Along

I like this one!

I am so tempted......  Uh, oh.

I don't need another project.  I can't buy anymore fabric.  I'm broke.

I really like this one!

I'm not into the modern thing for the sake of being modern.  I'm more tempted by patterns and colors not for making things wonky, using solids and modern fabrics, etc. just to be in the modern crowd.

I'm going to think on it.

Lazy vs. Busy

Love Susan's entry:  Lazy vs. Busy

It's suits me to a T!

National Quilting Day is 3/19.  I have no real sewing plans.  I'll be running around with the kids all day Saturday.

Why is that everything is scheduled on the same day?  The EHS baseball team is playing at Coors Field this Saturday at 12.  It's a free event.  (Probably not so free after one pays for all the goodies a person would justify in getting since entry is free.)

A has swimming lessons in the morning which conflicts with S's first soccer game which conflicts with Z's climbing with scouts.

Things are so busy I'm wishing C could drive.  Now that's CRAZY!

Speaking of C--her team won their first soccer game Monday.  I missed the first half because I was at S's soccer practice. They are 1-2.  They play again Friday night.

I bought the batting for the purple quilt yesterday.  I really should write my needs down before I shop.  I ended up buying way too much batting because I got confused by the measurements.  I like buying batting from a roll.  I also like the 80-20 so I've been getting my batting from The Wooden Spools.  The purple quilt finishes 48x60 and I bought 2yds 72" of the 96" batting. Duh!  I only really need 1.5yds.

I'm only half way done piecing the backing.  It irks me that I don't just get it done!  If I did, then I'd have to get going on the quilting. 

Extra Work

I got to thinking about the strips I cut of the paisley fabric for the borders that I ended up not using.  The fabric strips would have languished in my stash forever.

I get attached to fabric.  I have so many FQs and yardage that I find excuses not to use.

I decided to piece the back for the purple quilt.  I did it today.  I used the border strips and the rest of the yardage to cut more strips.  I pieced the varying lengths of the purple strips with leftover fabrics and some new ones.  I'm glad I did this.  I won't be spending more money on fabric for the back.

I haven't pieced the strips together yet.

I've never pieced a back like this before.  I've pieced 2 widths of fabric.  I've other backs with large sections.  I wonder how tough its going to be to make my quilt sandwich.  I'm also a little worried about quilting the quilt with this type of back. 

We went over to a friend's last night for an impromptu birthday party for her.  We didn't get home until almost 2 am.  I got up at 7 and with Daylight Savings time I didn't get my hours in.  I'm tired!

Purpleness Personified

All the rows are sewed together so the top is finished?!

I was working from this Atkinson Designs' pattern from Kansas City Scrapbook.

I would have been better served to use very light purples for the Snowball blocks instead of the paisley fabric to have my quilt look like the book quilt.  I always have to be different, though.  The Bow Tie border is my own creation....hmmmmm.

Next month's....ooops--March's---color is brown.  I promised A a puppy quilt.  He picked out brown fabric out of my stash last night.  I have the pattern....which I've already started to change.  (The pattern is copyright 2003 and it shows.  All the diagrams are hand drawn and the instructions are really bad.  I made M read them and he's confused, too.  Granted, he's not a quilter.  Still he did notice an error in labeling the puppies in part of the instructions and diagrams.)  I don't want to applique those circles so I've created a square/diamond block in EQ7 or I might paper piece or applique paw prints.

Java House Quilts, Ruff Around the Edges

I saw the cutest fabric with dog words at the store, but I resisted....for now.

Pound Hounds, Sue Marsh for RJR

I've also fallen in love with this quilt.  I want to make a quilt for myself using these fabrics as background:

Working title is "It's a Skream!"

Friday Sewing: Knowing When to Stop

I didn't get a lot of sewing done tonight, but not for lack of want.....

I came home from work with time to kill.  It's been a rough week so I was very eager to end my week.  I purposely left work about an hour early so I could get the boys after school.  C's first soccer game was tonight so she stayed at school.  S was off to a friend's house with another friend.  She's spent the whole year not being friends with her BFF from last year.  The minute soccer season hits and they're all friends again, planning play dates and sleepovers.

I managed to sew a couple more rows of the purple quilt together before we headed off to C's game since I had some time to kill before the game.  We missed the start of the game, darn it, because M didn't get home in time.  I should have just without him because I wanted to see C's name announced as a starter, but he had the money to get us into the game and would have been annoyed if I hadn't waited for him.

The game was just sad.  The score was 6-0 at half.  Littleton played so much better and they just steamrolled C's team.  Frustration soon set in.  C was heartbroken to have lost so badly.  She was visibly upset at half time.

Back to the quilt.....

I need to know when to quit.  I've given up on adding another border to this quilt even though I think it needs one and it annoys me that I can't get the combination right.  I went so far as to make some more Bow Tie blocks and cutting the purple paisley fabric strips.  I didn't like the way it looked.  I think the only thing that would have worked is to make more Bow Tie blocks so as to complete the circles for all four border strips.  I'm just not up to it.  I want to finish this quilt and get on to the next one.

The plan is to finish sewing all the rows together into the top this weekend and then quilt it next.  I'll have to wait to buy batting and my backing fabric unless I decide to piece my backing.  Payday is the 15th!

I would have sewed more, but M was snoring like a hibernating bear on the couch.  I must have shook him awake 20 times, but he wouldn't go to bed.  I was trying to watch Top Chef Master on On Demand and sew, but I couldn't concentrate on either with all the noise.  The minute I turned off the T.V. he was up like a shot.  I'm off to bed to try to sleep.  I bet I'll end on the couch instead.

I'm at a Loss

I lack focus.......

I have so many ideas for quilts, stories, and even a quilt book that I think about.

I don't know why I can't seem to get anything done.

It's easier to sit around, watch T.V., and make excuses.

I see people all around me designing quilts, making patterns, writing books....  I don't think I overestimate my abilities when I say that I could be doing the same things as there isn't anything that special or ground breaking with most things that I see.  The only difference is that those people have gotten of their lazy or scared or.....butts to get it done.

Stalker

Hellooooooooooooooooooo

Is anyone there?

I've been stalking the magazine aisles lately.  I've been looking for new quilt magazines.  I love quilt magazines.  I know I'll never make any of the quilts, but I still like to look.  I don't always buy a magazine at first glance because I can rarely justify the expenditure.  I wait until I'm in an impulsive mood and need a pick me up.

I was at the grocery store today.  Quick Quilts was out, but I wasn't impressed.  The new The Quilt Life was there, too.  I can't seem to get into this magazine.  It's more of a lifestyles magazine.  I don't need to be jealous any more than what I already am.

The purple quilt is coming together at a snail's pace.  I sewed another two rows together last night, but that was all I could manage.

The truth is I've been stressed out.  Quilting should be my go to when I'm stressed, but the more I'm stressed the more I avoid quilting.  Only the fact that I want to finish the darn quilt made me sew those two rows together.

It's been tantrum city around the house.  I can't wait for the weather to be warm consistently so I don't have to fight with S over her wardrobe choices.  It was cold for a couple of days this week.  S didn't get the memo.  On the coldest day, she wanted to wear to wear her knit capris and hooker sandles.

Work has been highly stressful.  Nothing like being asked at 3 pm to book a full truck load from L.A. to Denver with pick ups to be completed the next day and, oh, we need the truck here by Friday morning so we can ship out product by the afternoon.

Such is life!

The only good thing right now is that C's soccer season started this week.  She made Varsity as a freshman!  She's had two scrimmages and her first game is Friday.  Her coach switched her position to mid-fielder offense....whatever that means...from her preferred defensive position for the second scrimmage.  I'm proud of her for playing through and going with the flow.  I've been looking to outfit myself in EHS gear that proclaims I'm the proud mom of #13.  13 isn't the number she wanted, but she's so little and only the lower numbers fit her size by the way they have their uniforms set up.  She had to have something with a 3 in it and 3 was taken so she's #13.  Eeewww....  The girl's and boy's teams share uniforms, turning them in when their seasons are done.  I would almost prefer putting out the money for uniforms.

Quilting Trends

This blogger is one of my heroes. Not only does she write what she pleases, swears with impunity (only in the interest of reporting truthfully what has been said) and doesn't use %$#$@ in the place of the actual words, but people seem to love her with 362 Followers  (I seem to be stuck on that, huh?!).  I guess everyone can have an audience if they do it right.  The Bitchy Stitcher  I love how people come off as humorous when I come off as whiny, crass, and mean.

I admit to having a few loose threads.  Many trends in the quilting world make little or no sense to me....unless I assume that most quilters have no time and/or are disinclined to do much or any of their own prep work (I was going to say lazy, but that sounds rude.)  Special rulers, charm packs, Jelly Rolls, etc have overtaken the quilting world.  Quilting certainly is easier!  Everyone should be able to do it.

Hurry up and quilt seems to be the rule......

Don't get me wrong!  I would be lost without my rotary cutter, Omnigrid ruler, sewing machine, and computer.  I would never want to go back to the quilting dark ages of templates, scissors, and yard sticks.

I've never been into kits.  Kits require you to be accurate and to piece blocks a certain way as there's never much fabric to spare.  I don't think I've ever made a quilt of fabrics from just one line or grouping.  I used to buy all the latest gadgets and rulers that were supposed to make quilting easier and NO FAIL, but I almost always reverted to my favorite methods that don't require a special gadget.

I'm not saying that I don't like all the little fabric packs, like Charm packs, that are out there.  I'll even admit to buying a few because they're just so cute.  I've never used one in a project.  Everyone and their cousin pattern designer has a book and patterns for using Jelly Rolls, Charm Packs, and Layer Cakes so I shouldn't have an excuse.

I certainly hope that we will be able to buy actual fabric yardage in the future!  I have nightmares where I walk into a quilt shop and all there is to buy is little charm packs, FQ packs, Jelly Rolls.  And, WORSE, the person selling in the shop is a ROBOT.

Down Day

I'm having a down day....

I guess what I'm most sad about today is that I'm tired of being nice and doing my part thinking that people will reciprocate.

My new dryer is also not working right either already.

Oh, well. I'm off to do my part regardless.

Sleep

I think I want sleep more than money.  I haven't had a decent night's sleep in 15 years.  Babies, dogs, snoring....  I expect that my body and mind has been trained not to sleep without interruption.

I sewed a bit today between chores and goofing. I ran across town for more purple paisly fabric. The bolt was 4" short of the amount I really needed, but I got 20% off for finishing the bolt. I bit the bullet and bought it instead of ordering the correct amount online. I've got something funky planned for the border. I'm not holding my breath that it'll work out, though. What I saved I spent in FQs. I've fallen in love with a quilt I saw blog hopping from another blog. I think I'm going to try taking people's advice and make a quilt for myself. I can't wait to share, but I'm too lazy and SLEEPY now. Think Day of the Dead.

Friday Sewing: Stop and Stare

I wish I could blame errors on my drinking, but nope....

I sewed some more on the purple quilt last night.  I finally finished all the blocks.

M and I were looking at the purple quilt today.  I was saying that I thought it needed one more border.  He said he agreed it needed something.  The doofus suggested black fabric.  I'm pretty sure he was kidding and I told him so.  His complaint is that it's too purple and there's no pattern.

I disagreed.  There is a pattern and then I got to looking at it closer.  I got the book out and started checking the blocks row by row.  Sure enough, I had three turned the wrong way!  I had sewn them the wrong way awhile ago.  I'm glad I noticed that before I started sewing the rows into a top.

Can you see them?

The cat looks like she's been drinking:

Cake, Egg Rolls Part Deux and Deadlines, Don't Make Me Laugh

Scared by the title of this post?  Don't be...I just couldn't make up my mind and I'm going to combine two separate storylines in this post because I'm too lazy to write two separate posts.

Cake, Egg Rolls Part Deux

My parents and sister came over last weekend for my rescheduled birthday dinner.  My mom has fixed egg rolls for years.  We usually also have fried rice and some other dish.  We got started on this tradition because we never went out for birthday dinners due to the cost involved of taking everyone out.  My mom always made everyone's favorite food for their birthday dinner.  Mine was my mom's egg rolls because she hardly ever made them during the year since they were so much work.

I tried to get out of dinner this year.  My mom is almost immobile and navigating the two sets of stairs into my house has become almost impossible.  I've also been in quite the mood lately and I've not been willing to celebrate birthdays with any enthusiasm.  As is typical my desires aren't really considered, the fact that it was MY birthday and should have been up to me to decide how I wanted or NOT wanted to celebrate (and don't get too judgmental on me--we get together plenty for other celebrations during the rest of the year) wasn't taken too seriously and so we decided to get together anyway.  (We also can't go over to my parent's house for reasons I don't want to go into.)  My mom would have seen it as the beginning of the end if she hadn't come over to cook.....

My mom has this habit of changing beloved recipes.  We all usually pitch a fit, but she does it anyway.  She did it this year with my egg rolls.  Not only did she change some of the ingredients, but she added some like ginger and garlic, and the wrappers were a different brand.  They tasted totally different and it was upsetting to me.

Ungrateful, much?!

Added to my distress was the fact that cake #3 which I had been looking SO forward to because I was sure my mom would get my cake right, i.e. allow for no bakery/cake decorator shenanigans, wasn't right.  It had whippy frosting, but it was covered in candy discs, #^%$ BUTTERCREAM frosting balloons and three rows of piped BUTTERCREAM frosting.  You could barely see the top of the cake.  My dad had ordered it because my mom couldn't make it into the store.  He says he ordered it the right way.....  I have a feeling that it's a MAN thing as M had the same experience.

Ungrateful, much?!

How did I deal with all this?  Not well....  I admit to crying a bit and feeling sorry for myself.

Then, I decided to get what I wanted.

I bought the fixins for egg rolls this week and fixed them tonight.  Can you say Happy Hour with egg rolls and Lucy Browns (a delicious cocktail with Orange Rum, Captain Morgans Spiced Rum, Sweet and Sour Mix, and Cranberry Juice...I'm on #2 as I write this post)?

Bok Choy, Napa Cabbage, Bean Sprouts, Shredded Carrots, Onion, Asparagus, and Shredded Cooked Chicken--that's it.  Stir fry the ingredients until tender.  Add Soy Sauce.  Cook some more.  Drain the ingredients in strainer.  Put Filling in Egg Roll Wrappers.  Roll.  Fry.

YUMMO....

I even did a pretty good time this time if I do say so myself!  I didn't overstuff them this time.  They taste great!  I only made 15 and wasn't going to share, but I gave in and let C have one and M a couple.

Deadlines, Don't Make Me Laugh

I was supposed to have the purple quilt done by 3/1 in order to be a part of the blog parade.  It wasn't....  I'm still working on it.  I'm even considering adding another border of blocks.  Why, I don't really know.....  Considering the fact of how I've said that I don't really like it and just want to finish it.  Crazy, much?!   ....don't answer that!!!!

There's never a deadline that I totally blow off or think is not really for me.  Deadlines are like an idea, right?  A goal only, but one if not met, is okay?  HA!  I remember participating in swaps, missing a deadline, and being mad if people got mad at me.  I know, I know....  Deadlines are made to be broken....no, that's promises.  No, that's not right.... ugh!

The idea of a deadline is a good thing for me.  I'd probably never get anything done if I didn't think there was a deadline that I was probably going to miss.

Having vs. Being

I have a hoarder in my life.  I was particularly creeped out by tonight's replay of a CSI episode that featured hoarding..... featuring the effects it has on children and some dead bodies.   eeew



Most interesting to me, though, was the Having vs. Being conversation.  I will continue to think about this some more.  It has specific applications to quilting, especially MY quilting and hoarding of fabric.

Blogging is Good for Me

In case you haven't noticed, I have a split personality of sorts.

I love to blog.  I like that I have a voice here on my blog, be it snarky and rude too many times, because I don't have a voice anywhere else in my life.

I love the friends I have made even though it seems that I'm put out most of the time that I don't have more.

I love that I can post pictures of my quilts here and that someone might say that they like it...even if they really don't and are just being polite.

Yep, blogging is good for me...

Blogging Isn't Good for You

I've been blogging for almost 3 years.  I've had more than one blog.  Blogging is probably the worst thing I could be doing for myself.  It validates every bad opinion I have of myself for one.....

Most people can handle blogging.  They blog for themselves to keep an online journal.  Most people don't care if they ever have anyone but themselves read it.  They don't care if the have any visitors or Followers.

Most people blog without obligation.

Most people blog about the good stuff in their lives and never get whiny or angry.