Disaster Diva

Summer Hiatus is over...

2011-09-18T15:52:00.000-05:00

Well...summer has been very fun, I must say. Lots of things going on and so many changes in my life. Best thing first...I have lost 43 pounds! My weight loss has been due to a number of things...people, really...I have been working with a nutritionist...see www.marianutrition.com for information on her. She helped me discover that I am gluten intolerant and also helped me ditch sugar. All very important changes in my life...I am off all of my medications except for the one for arthritis. My friend, David, is a massage therapist and he has helped me get off the medications as well...my back is so much better and now he is helping me with my knees. I will be off the arthritis medication as well...shortly. I can walk and sleep without pain meds...he is truly a Magic Man...then, an acupuncturist, Dona. Dona is doing wonderful things for me as well. She has been working on weight loss, edema, pain management, and so much more. I am so grateful for these people!

My sister is home again and feeling much better. She will have to have surgery again in about a year to remove an ostomy bag and reconnect her digestive system. She is getting around better and better. So nice to have her back from the brink.

I have really let my quilting slide. It was too hot to work in my sewing room...and I was having much fun outside with my friends. This summer was so much fun. I hope the fall and winter are as well.

Happy 4th of July!

2011-07-03T13:15:00.000-05:00

Well...busy is an understatement...and this week I get to go to a quilt retreat! I will be busy picking things together to work on at the retreat...my Dear Jane group retreats to the College of St. Benedicts in St. Joseph every year in July...looking forward to spending time with them.

And, of course, I have been behind in my Civil War blocks....I have all but this week's block done. Aren't they pretty?

Behinder and behinder....

2011-06-17T19:51:00.000-05:00

It must be summer....I seem to be a busy Diva these days! Went to the MN Quilt show yesterday and it was wonderful! I have pictures out on Picasa..if you want to see them, let me know, I will send you the link. I am 3 weeks behind in the Civil War Block of the Week with one more coming out tomorrow...sigh! I have a Dear Jane workday tomorrow so I will use that time to cut out the pieces. More later...one quick thing...my sister is back in the hospital...please pray for her recovery! I will have more info later.

Oh my! What a fun weekend!

2011-05-30T12:41:00.000-05:00

And it isn't even over yet! I am going to have to do this update in installments...too much to tell!

My friend David's birthday...which included walking tacos in the garden and a trip to Cirque Du Soleil

A trip to my favorite quilt shop, followed by a visit to my friend Dona for acupuncture

A day in the garden and some "spending quality time with a friend in a place where you can buy stuff"...I hate shopping so he tried to disguise it...I was not fooled, mind you....

Steaks on the grill and much fun quilting...but so very behind!

So....more to come on all of this fun stuff...in the meantime...I hope you all enjoy your Memorial Day.

Catching Up - Civil War Blocks

2011-05-22T19:52:00.000-05:00

I finished the last two week's blocks just now...and they turned out quite well! I am going to love this quilt!

This one is Underground Railroad

This one is New England Block.

Busy Diva!

2011-05-21T13:04:00.000-05:00

I have been remiss in posting...and very busy! Lots to do in the spring, I guess...not so much related to quilting, I am afraid.

My weight loss journey continues...I hit a rough patch there for a bit...was trying to get off medications and took the wrong one off first...now we have that figured out, I am off of two of the three and aiming to get rid of that last one. Exercise and weight loss have really made a difference in how I feel. It is amazing! The other parts of that amazing feeling equation, which made the exercise and weight loss possible are David, Maria and Dona. Massage, Nutritional guidance and Acupuncture have made such a difference for me! THANK YOU! I have been so lucky to have these people enter my life at this time...

So now today, I have to catch up on my Civil War Blocks...I have last week's block to do as well...and I am determined to make a dent in the mess in my sewing room. I have a Pile-its License that needs to be revoked. The piles are starting to tumble over. I am going to lose a dog if I am not careful.

However, there will be a diversion today. I am so excited for next Friday! My friend David's birthday will be a big event, ending in a trip to the Cirque d' Soleil...how fun is that? I already got my hair cut, and some new clothes...need to find some makeup and the proper hardware to go under those new clothes, if you catch my drift....so Katherine and I are headed to Mauled in America this afternoon. Oh...and shoes...I don't have any fun shoes...I will have to post a picture of the "new" me....it should be very fun and outrageous!

Quilt blocks will happen later tonight and I will post pictures...Have a great weekend!

A beautiful, sunny day!

2011-05-10T18:33:00.000-05:00

AND, better still...a vacation day in the middle of the week! As luck would have it, this is the only sunny day we are expecting for the week so I took advantage! Went to JoAnn's quilt shop, determined which of the new Carolina line I needed to have (all...no surprise) and signed up for the bus to the Minnesota Quilt show in June...then I went for a lovely bike ride. What a great day!

As promised, here is the picture of the Missouri Star block...love the fabrics!

I am going to just love this quilt...and I cannot believe that we are 19 weeks into it already!

Happy Mother's Day!

2011-05-08T12:03:00.000-05:00

What a beautiful day in Minneapolis! We have picture perfect skys, lovely temperatures and just a light breeze...perfect for Mother's Day! I have fun plans...going to make pork tenderloin for Mom, Katherine and my friend, David...some asparagus and some saurkraut will round this out to make a great meal...then Katherine, David and I are going to do some quilt / craft related fun stuff...

Katherine has returned from Europe...she has tons of great stories and I can't wait to see her pictures.

I have my fabrics picked out for this week's civil war block...have to get that one done too! Better get to work! I will come back with a picture of the block...

Keeping up...and other news!

2011-05-01T20:53:00.000-05:00

I just finshed this week's Civil War block. Union Square...I like these easy ones! Jo Morton fabric, as always. That print that looks like gingham is such fun!

Good news! My sister is scheduled to come home tomorrow afternoon. I pray that she will not be disappointed again. She will be home for her daughter Ashley's birthday. Diane misses her doggies and they miss her. They keep going into her closet and sniffing her clothes.

My niece Katherine is still in Europe. She texted me from Berlin. She will be there another four days and then to Amsterdam and then home next Saturday. I pick her up at the airport at 3pm.

She is home just in time for the "Divas and Desserts" concert by the Twin Cities Women's Choir. My sister-in-law is a member of the choir. We just LOVE their concerts! This one is a particular fave...desserts! They have always had a gluten free table but I have never had a reason to check it out before. Well...I bet there will be a lot more people checking out that table this year! They also have a silent auction which is lots of fun.

I hope everyone had a good weekend...I have a couple of puppies that think they need to check the perimeter for fuzzy tailed rodentials...good thing we have some mature trees those squirrels can climb!

Oh HAPPY Day!

2011-04-26T19:35:00.000-05:00

My sister called me a few minutes ago...she is scheduled to leave the hospital at the end of the month! She has been hospitalized since January 7th. Yahoo!!!

Happy Easter!

2011-04-24T16:44:00.000-05:00

Boy did I fall behind in my Civil War blocks...I have three of them ready to go...pictures are here:

This first one is Fort Sumpter

This one is White House

This one is Comfort Quilt...all in Jo Morton Fabrics. I am so excited about this Civil War quilt!

I hope everyone is having a wonderful Easter! We have a quiet home today. My niece Katherine is in Amsterdam right now, going to Bruges, Belgium and then to several cities in Germany. I have to hold down the fort with Grandma for a couple of weeks.

I have a fun week ahead! I am so excited that the weather has warmed up. I took my new bike out for a 30 minute ride...adventured to the neighboring city via bike path. It was fun! I love my new bike!

Enjoy that spring weather!

Busy, fun weekend!

2011-04-16T15:15:00.000-05:00

Boy, oh boy do I have fun plans! I started my weekend with a massage...and as usual, came home Friday night feeling wonderful! My friend David is absolutely MAGICAL! I hope everyone who has aches and pains can find someone like David to help them work through those "issues"....

Let's see...today started out with cookery and hopefully will end in a quilty fashion. Katherine made quiches for breakfast...then we freeze the rest for week day breakfasts...wonderful! A trip to Costco and we are set for the rest of the month with meat and vegetables...lucky us! I hope to get my Civil War blocks done...I have two weeks to do.

Tomorrow is a BIG day...my friend David is coming over and we are going to work on a quilt for him. He is redecorating his space and needs something quilty for his bed. His house has a decoration on the front...I noticed it was a quilt block standing on point...Puss in the Corner! How fun is that? I think that Puss in the Corner will have to be a second quilt somewhere down the road.

More later on Shipshe, and hopefully the Civil War blocks. Katherine has laid out her graduation quilt so now I have to start putting that puppy together. It will be a beautiful quilt!

Inspiration and Affirmation

2011-04-13T21:19:00.001-05:00

My visits to Shipshewana are inspiring always. I get to visit with people I only see once a year. I also get to see all kinds of quilts and all kinds of quilters. One of the people I see is Rebecca Haarer. I mentioned her name in one of the shops and the shop keeper said that she read Rebecca's blog...well, I got all excited and when I saw Rebecca, I asked about her blog, wanting to become a follower. There is no blog at this point, much to my dismay. Rebecca has such a gift with words. I want to share with you an email she sent me ( I have her permission) that will inspire me for years to come. We only saw each other for maybe a total of 15 minutes during the time I was in Shipshewana, but she made an observation that has me glowing...what follows is an affirmation of the work I have been doing for the last three months, with my friend Maria, a nutritionist, and my friend David, a massage therapist. Here is Rebecca's note.

Hi Deb! I am barely awake it seems as I check my email after several very fun and busy days! I got in too late last night to check email, as I had a birthday party cookout to attend after work yesterday. I promised myself when I dropped into bed early this am, that I would "sleep in" but here, I am. Not to worry though....soon, I will turn this lap top off, set it aside, and roll over, and go back to sleep!

I am still very happy inside and out, from the happiness of having you and all the other beautiful quilters here. It just feeds my Soul and Spirit to have all of your creativity and enthusiasm sprinkled around the community. There is nothing better than to have a group of quilters in the shop laughing, discussing, and being excited, in general about quilts. I LOVE it!!!

Thank you So much for sending your blog to me. I enjoyed reading quite a bit of it!!! I wanted to tell you when you first walked into the shop, how radiant you look. Your "energy" has really shifted... in some way, and I couldn't put my finger on it but having read your blog....I know in part, it is the weight loss! wow. Congratulations on your committment to a healthier life style. You are an inspiration to me. (this is something I too need to address!) I have to say, that even though you have lost weight, there is MORE to you, in terms of energy, or something! You do look and feel radiant!

Also, I am sending prayers to your sister. Thank you for sharing her journey...what a journey, and I pray for her and her family. Witnessing a family member friend go thru this is a huge task. I feel for you as well. God's grace, to you all.

I also enjoyed seeing your quilt blocks. What fun blog sharing. I don't know if I will set up a blog....I don't quilt. I don't know If I would have something consistent to share. Probably my posts would be "all over the place!" But, If I do set up a blog.....I will thank YOU for your encouragement.

Now, back to sleep. Hope everything I have written makes sense...as there is still plenty of "sleep" in my brain!

Thank you Deb!

Be well! Rebecca Haarer

Now isn't that inspirational? I have to thank Maria, David and my niece for their support and guidance in this journey I am on to a healthier me. Life style changes take a whole lot of support and patience! But, I am finding these changes worthwhile...

More on Shipshe later when I get caught up!

Sadness....last full day at the retreat!

2011-04-09T15:42:00.000-05:00

We are frantically sewing and I am still behind. I have two projects with me that I have not even touched yet! I did finish sewing my niece's graduation quilt blocks...she gets to crawl on the floor when I get home and lay it out. Finally!

I am having a great time with my friends...

Here we are, standing in the rain in front of a quilt shop. Cindy took the picture and refused to have her picture taken...harumph!

We went from here to Gene Stratton-Porter's cabin...so there will be more pictures to folllow!

Adventure!!!

2011-04-06T19:36:00.000-05:00

What a fun day! We started out the morning with a wonderful breakfast at the 5 and 20 Restaurant...then went to Rome City and found Carolines Country Quilts...what a cute shop! I was forced to buy some fabric and a pattern for slippers. Then we went on to Gene Stratton-Porter's cabin. Oh my gosh! What a fabulous place! I have lots of pictures but will have to take some time to label them, etc. I will share them later...for now, here is the group, minus Cindy (who insists she is in the witness protection program)....

Cold and rainy! We saw mute swans and heard Candian Geese...it was a lovely place.

More to come!

Oh yeah, I was forced to go to Lolly's and spend a bunch of money there. Oh my...too bad for me!

Too excited for words!

2011-04-04T20:01:00.001-05:00

I actually slept last night (except for the personal, private, tropical vacation I had at 3am)...I hate hot flashes! I think tonight may be another story all together...

JoAnn tells me that she is going to be all done packing and get to bed at a decent hour. Her clothes were packed by the time I talked to her at 5pm...it was just to get the projects pulled together. What a challenge!

We are all set as far as I can tell. I can't wait! I feel like a little kid!

Oh dear! Mixed feelings!

2011-04-03T20:15:00.000-05:00

I am packing my heart out...and I know I will forget stuff...and take too much....and wish I had brought something else. Oh well, I am sure I will have friends there that can lend me what I forgot, right?

I am so excited to be going and yet nervous to leave...I want to be sure I cover every base and make everything OK before I go...but that can't happen. So, jittery I will have to be.

This year is so different from previous years. I haven't felt this good for many years and it will be different to be in this place I enjoy so much and be able to enjoy myself! Hard to express how I am feeling. Anyway...thanks to my friends for their part in my improved health...the Diva is on the right path now!

Is it Tuesday yet? I believe we are leaving at 6:30AM which means I may be fired right off the bat. JoAnn is NOT a morning person! Oh well, by the time we get to Chicago, she will appreciate me again....since I am the driver.

Here is a preview of one quilt I will be working on:

I love basket quilts...this one will have a double handle on each basket. The fabrics come from the Nottingham collection which is one of my favorites.

I am looking forward to finishing my niece's graduation quilt at the retreat...she reminds me on a regular basis that she graduated in 2005...AND 2010....sigh....

And I plan to work on, hopefully finish, the mystery quilt I started the end of February. That one will be extraordinary...pinks and browns...Jo Morton fabric.

Then, just in case I get bored, or need to converse...I have several of my blocks from the Heart in Hand applique that I hope to finish.

What do you think? Do I need to bring more? Aren't we there for 4 and 1/2 days? I need to clear my schedule so I can get to David's quilt...that will be wonderful!

Fun day!

2011-04-02T21:04:00.000-05:00

Oh what a fun day I have had! Met a friend for breakfast and then off to the quilt shop to look at fabric...We are cooking up a new quilt for him. I am really excited about this!

I am in the midst of packing to go to Shipshewana next week...and I had to stop to make the Barbara Brackman BOW...cute block...Jo Morton fabrics, of course!

This one is called Fox and Geese...I used some new and some old fabrics...my stash is getting some exercise here!

I have a really neat setting picked out...these blocks on point with setting blocks that are half light and half dark...not log cabins, more like quarter square triangles, but more angular. I am excited to get this one finished!

I hope everyone has fun plans for the weekend!

I am going to visit my sister in the hospital tomorrow and continue to work on packing for the trip. Oooh! I can't wait!

Basket!

2011-03-27T16:17:00.000-05:00

Here is this week's Barbara Brackman block. I used some of my favorite fabrics here...just love the look of this block! Now I have to start pulling stuff together for my trip to Shipshe in less than two weeks! I am so excited! Can you tell?

Good day for quilting!

2011-03-26T20:52:00.000-05:00

It is a bit chilly and blustery outside...so staying in and quilting is a good idea! I have a little project to make for a friend and then my weekly Barbara Brackman block. I just LOVE baskets so I am thrilled this week to have a basket opportunity! I decided to applique a handle on it so I have it all ready to go, just need to finish the handle...that is a tomorrow kind of thing.

JoAnn and I are going crazy planning for our trip to Shipshewana...we are taking her car this year and I have to start setting things aside to go into the trunk. By the time we get home, the back seat is full as well. We have SO much fun!

My sister has had another setback. She was supposed to be coming home but another fistula has developed and she is going back to the hospital so her doctor can take a look. I am afraid she may be facing another surgery. She is so brave and patient!

Happy National Quilting Day!

2011-03-19T20:09:00.000-05:00

Well...the day is not quite over but it has been fun already! I had breakfast with my friend Deb, and just happened to run into my other friend Deb at the same restaurant! What a coincidence! Had a wonderful conversation with Deb and a fabulous bacon, ham and cheese omelette...did I tell you that I LOVE my diet?

Speaking of which, I have lost another 3 pounds this week...making a total of 19 since the end of January! Over 15 inches lost as well...all over! This is the lightest I have been since the early 90s I think. My friend David says I am going to leap like a gazelle! Well...I guess I will have to try that out!

I have been busy quilt wise...while I was sitting and listening to my tax accountant work on my taxes, I basted two applique blocks...then I came home and finished the Barbara Brackman block of the week. Here it is:

I am having a great time working on these blocks. I get to dig into my extensive stash of Jo Morton fabrics and play with them all!

I have the layout planned...setting these on point with a setting block that looks like a split nine patch. The border will be wonderful as well. I am so excited! What a great way to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Civil War!

I am going to start preparing for my trip to Shipshewana...need to have stuff to work on while I am there. I can't shop and eat the whole time, can I?

I hope all my friends have a great weekend and a Happy National Quilting Day!
XXOO Diva

Such wonderful news today!

2011-03-14T20:02:00.000-05:00

My sister gets to eat lemon torte for her birthday! One piece...and then it is back to a liquid diet. She is getting so much better but not quite healed. However, her doctor is allowing her the one piece of cake. I hope she gets to go home soon. She is really being very patient and deserves a reward. Thank you for all your prayers on her behalf!

And...I am caught up on the Civil War blocks...here is this week's block...all finished!

Nice, old fabrics from my stash with some brand new fabric! I love to mix and match like this! This quilt is going to be so beautiful!

Oh yea! Caught up!

2011-03-12T21:07:00.000-06:00

I managed to get Lincoln's Platform done last night and have it ready to show you!

I love the Covey Bird Toile print from Jo Morton. I think this block turned out quite well! I have the fabrics picked out for the next block as well...hope to get that one done tomorrow.

My niece and I did some shopping today. We both got new shoes..she also got a new dress for a wedding. Then I got to spend some quality time at Four Seasons Quilts. My Dear Jane group had a work day today.

JoAnn and I are starting to go crazy planning for our trip to Shipshewana. I can't wait! I have an appointment with my Massage Therapist (I am a Diva, remember?) for the Friday before and the Friday after. I need to be sure don't put any crimps in my back now that it is so much better...don't need to be walking around bent in half. Oooh those were such bad days! David has worked miracles with my back!

Big day again tomorrow....making Pumpkin Pancakes for breakfast, running off to see my sister and then pulling all my tax stuff together so I can make an appointment with the tax guy. It will be a great relief to have it all done. Oh..then my Civil War block....that will cap it off nicely!

Happy Weekend!

2011-03-11T15:48:00.000-06:00

Oh boy, do I need to hit the ground running this weekend! I am walking out of my shoes and my slacks so some shopping is in order...darn! I am also needing to get my taxes pulled together so I can go get them done. Then, going to visit my sister...then there is the attic that needs cleaning, the Civil War blocks that need to be done...and a whole host of other things. Phew!

So, I have finished one block...a day or so ago..and now I can show it to you:

Isn't it pretty? Only one behind. Until tomorrow AM, when the next block comes out. Sigh...I will catch up one of these days!

A good day!

2011-03-06T16:15:00.001-06:00

We went to see my sister. She is doing so well. She actually had clogs on her feet. Her legs and feet have been so swollen with edema since her surgery that she could not put shoes on. The edema is gone and she is so happy to have her favorite clogs on for walking! Thank you for the prayers for her.

Now Katherine and I are going through stuff in the attic...need to clear that space out so we can properly insulate and hopefully avoid the issues with water pouring into the house and ruining the kitchen, living room and dining room ceilings. This has been a very rough winter. Sigh...and we are supposed to have more snow starting tonight.

I have two Civil War BOW blocks to make in order to catch up...I will hopefully get those done tonight. We are making Tuna Steaks with Broiled Brussel Sprouts w/Pecans for dinner. I am excited to try this new recipe. Love everything we have made so far from Maria's recipe books. Love the weight loss even more!

More Civil War blocks...catching up!

2011-03-05T20:56:00.000-06:00

This one is Cotton Boll and I used some of my favorite Jo Morton fabrics...I just love that background with the raspberries! It looks so old fashioned.

This one is Richmond...was a bit of a challenge but I managed to overcome! I used Jo fabrics, I love the paisley that I have in the middle. That will show up often.

I have two more blocks to cut out and sew in order to catch up to this week. I have the fabrics all chosen so I should be able to get them done by the end of the weekend. We are going to visit my sister tomorrow. I hope she is getting her therapy in!

Busy Diva....

2011-03-05T17:56:00.000-06:00

But GOOD busy...my sister is much better, has moved to a rehab hospital. She is walking and very anxious to get home by her birthday. Let's all pray hard that she gets to leave on or before March 21st!

Then, a MYSTERY quilt! My friend Kari designs a quilt and teaches a mystery class at Four Seasons Quilts every year. This year I finally got to go! I have two blocks finished and love them! I will put up some pictures shortly.

And finally...there is less of the Diva to love! I have been working with a wonderful nutritionist, Maria Emmerich, who has been helping Katherine and me change our lifestyles. I have lost 13 pounds since the end of January and have been eating very well! I am actually walking out of my shoes and my jeans are clown pants. I even had to get new jammies...life is so hard! Let me know if you want more info on Maria, I have her website listed under my favorites. She is so very helpful! Has great recipes as well.

More to come...pictures, etc.

Best of news today!

2011-02-24T20:06:00.000-06:00

My brother-in-law sent out a wonderful email today. My sister has walked around the nurse's station twice and is doing physical therapy and even turned her phone on and called a few people! Most amazing of all, she is having people from her place of business come to see her tomorrow. She has not allowed anyone but family to come and see her. She must be feeling so much better!

I am so excited for this weekend. My good friend Kari Schell is teaching a mystery class...starting Friday night and ending Sunday night. Of course I have chosen my favorite fabrics to use.....and I am getting boring on this...the same border fabric I am using in the Civil War quilt...but in pink and brown. I will show pictures of progress. My camera is being packed up tonight!

Sigh....things are finally looking up! Thank you God!

Busy, busy, busy!

2011-02-19T20:57:00.000-06:00

Holey moley! I have been so busy I have not made a quilt block all week. That is good and bad I guess! My sister is improving, after her fourth surgery. Poor kid! I have been busy visiting her and we had our Heritage Club meeting this week. That takes time as well.

I have Cotton Boll all picked out and ready to cut. I have to sew #6 (forgot the name) and get that up as well. Tomorrow is going to be a busy day too...visiting Diane and cooking for the next week. We are trying to learn to be prepared!

Progress on the Civil War...oh dear, that doesn't sound right!

2011-02-13T19:37:00.000-06:00

Well, I skipped block 6 and finished block 7...but block 6 is cut out and waiting for me to get back to the sewing machine and finish it! Anyway...here is block 7.

Notice the lovely ladies peeking out at you from the center?

I love that fabric!

I finished another of my Heart and Hand applique blocks. Making good progress on that one! I am excited to see this quilt done. I have a beautiful quilt planned using Crimson and Clover for the setting blocks and the borders. It will be divine!

OK...enough messing around at the computer. I am going to get block six finished tonight! Have a great week and a Happy Valentines Day!

Oh MAN! Back in the hospital!

2011-02-09T20:53:00.000-06:00

My poor sister! She is having surgery again tomorrow. She has developed a fistula and this is the cause of all that fluid that drains from her wound. At least they finally figured it out...AND she will be close so we can visit her and keep her spirits up. Four surgeries in just over a month. This is heartbreaking!

Oooh...busy weekend!

2011-02-06T20:47:00.000-06:00

Holy moley...hardly any quilting for this Diva! My sister is back in the cities...not so far away and doing better. I went to visit her a couple of times this weekend. I also went to my Sister-In-Law's concert with the Twin Cities Women's Choir...what a wonderful concert! Then, to make it even better she made us dinner afterwards! What a wonderwoman she is!

Today Katherine and I did the shopping, cleaned out kitchen cupboards and did some cooking for the upcoming week. We made individual quiches...yummy! Now we have nice, stick to your ribs breakfasts for the next days when it is so horribly cold out!

I did have the time to pick out my fabrics for the next installment of the Barbara Brackman Civil War BOW. My stash of Jo fabrics did not fail me! I just need to come up with the time to put it together. Monday night I am going back out to see my sister. I need to help keep her spirits up so she works hard to get out of the extended care facility.

I am NOT spoiled...

2011-02-04T20:42:00.000-06:00

Harumph I say! I am not spoiled....a Diva needs a massage now and then!

Wonderful news...my sister is back in Minnesota, not far from her home and I have been able to visit with her! Now she has to work hard so she can get back to being independent and can go home. I get to see her tomorrow again and this time I am bringing my niece Katherine and my mother. Not a lot of quilting this weekend!

I hope all my good buddies have a great weekend!

A hitch in her get-along...

2011-02-01T20:43:00.000-06:00

Sigh. My sister is still in Ohio. That *&$% snowstorm has her trapped. I cannot believe how frustrating this is...and it must be unbearable for her. She wants to be home. Phooey.

Next....

2011-01-30T20:51:00.001-06:00

Ooh....Kansas Troubles...Diva Troubles should be the name of this baby! Who'd a thunk it would be such a challenge! I changed my fabric choices...I sewed the triangles upside down...I lost my pinwheel in the middle...I had nothing but troubles! Oh well...it is done and I like it!

This BOW is very challenging and I like it! I think I have my layout planned...I just love EQ7 and the fact that I can go out to the internet and grab images of the fabric I want to use and play with them. How wonderful is that?

Anyway, I have a setting with an alternate block that looks nice and old fashioned to go along with these wonderful Civil War blocks. I am looking forward to the next challenge!

On a very happy note, my sister is all set to leave Columbus Ohio tomorrow morning and set off for a twelve hour drive back to MN. Her husband will drive the daylight hours and Ashley will drive in the dark. They are taking her to a rehabilitation facility in Edina, very close to us...and she may be there for as long as a month. I have picked out a quilt to cheer her up in her new setting. I have talked to her every day and plan to go see her on Tuesday if she is up to visitors. Please God, let this go off without a hitch!

Ahhh....Saturday!

2011-01-29T19:43:00.000-06:00

Even better when it is a Saturday AND a Dear Jane Workday! I got to hang out with about 12 of my good buddies this afternoon...we all get together approximately once a month to work on our Dear Janes....or what ever else moves us. My friend JoAnn has that new space above her quilt shop that is just ideal for this purpose. What fun!

I really like what Kari was working on. We had exchanged Chimney Sweep blocks at the shop and she was putting hers together. She has a beautiful applique block in the center and borders all around...the album blocks were one of the borders. It is gorgeous!

My sister has had 3 good days strung together. Her doctor said she was on track to be heading out the door on Monday. We have our fingers crossed and are praying hard that this comes to pass...and that the trip (12 hours from Columbus Ohio to Edina Minn where she will be in recovery and rehabilitation) won't be too much for her. I talked to her several times today and she is very alert (we were balancing her checkbook and paying bills) and wants very much to come home.

Well...I get to pick out the fabrics for the next installment of the Civil War BOW from Barbara Brackman. This is going to be a "scrapbook" of my Jo Morton fabric collection. It will be FABULOUS!!! I will post a picture when I finish the block...a challenging one this time....again! Love it!

Civil War blocks...progress!

2011-01-26T19:11:00.000-06:00

I finished two this week and am all caught up! I chickened out and appliqued the Seven Sisters block...and I nearly used up all of one of my favorite fabrics in the Texas Tears block. Sniff! I hate using up one of my favorites but I did just that in preparing for a mystery class. I fell in love with one of Jo Morton's earlier pieces...a cinnamon pink fabric with little "pepper pots" on it. The very last FQ will be a part of this mystery quilt.

Speaking of sisters...mine is still having a tough time. She was supposed to be back in MN by now but had emergency surgery (3rd time if you are counting) on Sunday. She is devastated. Her youngest is in Ohio with her now, as well as her husband. Ashley is bolstering Mom's spirits a great deal. I feel so helpless. She says she will not go through this again so in five years, I most likely will lose my sister. I hope she has a change of heart by then.

Enough sad! Here are my beautiful blocks!

Yeah weekend!

2011-01-22T17:26:00.000-06:00

So, fun day so far....I am picking together fabric for Kari's mystery quilt weekend. I am going with Jo Morton (who else?) fabrics in pink and brown. I love her Andover line and the wide stripe that she put out with that line will be my border....and THEN...the fourth block from the Barbara Brackman Civil War BOW has come out. I still need to finish appliqueing the seven sisters block! Oh well, I can pick the fabrics out for this one. I need to stay on top of this BOW.

My sister is coming home on Monday. She will be taken to a nursing care facility for a few weeks. She is still weak, has fluid problems and needs round the clock care. They will get her back into fighting trim...and I can't wait to see her.

Happy Weekend!

2011-01-21T20:57:00.000-06:00

It is below zero and I am not planning to go ANYWHERE this weekend. Too cold...that means I have time for QUILTING! I just had a lovely massage and am ready to sit down in my comfy chair and work on my weekly applique block. The Red and Green quilt is shaping up!

I hope everyone has a great weekend!

Reely! Lime IS a Neutral!

2011-01-19T20:29:00.000-06:00

I finally finished the binding. Isn't this beautiful? Totally out of my comfort zone. I am a Civil War girl all the way....I can't wait for Diane's book to come out. It will be marvelous!
My friend Kari Schell did the quilting. She is amazing! I love what she did with the quilt.

Reely Lime is back from Kari!

2011-01-14T19:55:00.000-06:00

This is going to be a teaser! My lime reel quilt just came back from Kari Schell...she did a wonderful job of quilting it...I am putting the binding on and have to get back to that. Oh my gosh!

My sister is still in Columbus, still in the hospital. She woke up this morning with a bit of a fever and some pain in her ribcage area...so more tests and a CAT Scan...I wish she was closer! I could have the Evil give her a glance or two...certainly much cheaper and it comes with free purrings...

Another Civil War block

2011-01-09T16:16:00.001-06:00

Here is the second block...the history Barbara Brackman has added along with the pattern is wonderful! Check it out if you haven't already!

Better today...

2011-01-09T12:30:00.000-06:00

She is still in intensive care but they are backing her off the respirator and she is breathing on her own. This has been so hard for her! Her husband feels that she is sad because she thought she would be going home soon...and he thinks it may be a week or more before they release her.

Thanks so much for your prayers and support. I am sure this is helping her pull through!

When she is back in MN and recovering, we will be making a quilt together as part of her get back to normal therapy. We did this last time and had a lot of fun.

Meanwhile, I am starting a new quilt based on Barbara Brackman's Civil War BOM. I will use my wonderful stash of Jo Morton fabrics...here is the first block! I am thinking of a diagonal set with sashing...will need to make a few more blocks but that isn't a big deal...I am looking forward to seeing this one finished! I think I will use one of the beautiful stripes from the Annandale line for the outer border...and maybe a smaller stripe from Providence for the sashing...

Still Scarey...

2011-01-08T19:05:00.000-06:00

My sister had her surgery and there was a crisis today. She wanted to sit in a chair and in the process of moving her to the chair, she passed out. Her blood pressure dropped alarmingly and there were 10 people in the room immediately with a "code blue"...her husband thought she was lost. The surgeon happened to be in the hospital and opened her up, thinking that she had something bleeding that should not be...didn't find anything. So, she is in intensive care overnight for observation...

Please pray!

I am working on the Barbara Brackman Civil War blocks to distract myself.

My sister....

2011-01-06T19:32:00.001-06:00

My big sister, Diane, is having surgery tomorrow...she is so brave. She is having 3 tumors removed from her abdomen (cancer) and this is the 4th such surgery. Please add her to your thoughts and prayers. Her surgery is at 1pm EST tomorrow.

First project of 2011

2011-01-02T15:55:00.000-06:00

My talented friend Kari made a lovely bag for me as a Christmas gift. She used my favorite fabric (by Jo Morton) and I was inspired to make a couple of "extras" to go along with it. This bag will become my Heart and Hand applique bag. I have to get some blocks prepped and keep this ready to go. Isn't it wonderful?

Kari used a bag pattern from Terry Atkinson and I used her Cash and Carry pattern for the thread case. The needle case has a wool page in it for needles and pins.

Happy New Quilt! er...Year!

2011-01-01T13:39:00.000-06:00

What a way to end the year! I finished a beautiful quilt and put it on my bed..just as the power went out last night around 11:30. We had to use candles and cell phones to light our way...and I missed out on how Sherlock Holmes ends...Oh well...I can catch up on that today.

Here is a picture of the quilt. The pattern is the Night at the Symphony free pattern from Moda with a few modifications...it was quilted by my talented friend Kari Schell.

Also, you can see the quilt inspector doing his job....Evil Awful Puss has made his indentation of approval on the quilt.

That Evil...always hard at work. Doesn't he make it look easy?

I am so happy that my dear friend has emerged from her surgery with flying colors...now on to my next concern...my older sister is facing cancer surgery for the 4th time. We have a prayer service for her today at her church. She is so brave! Please add Diane to your prayers...she has tumors in her abdomen and liver that will be removed.

I am working on making a list of all of my Works In Progress and will share this with my Dear Jane group in hopes of making a dent this year...I am also going to try to get a handle on the Projects In Grocery Sacks that I have sitting around as well...I have a big herd of PIGS...phooey!

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-24T15:39:00.000-06:00

I hope all my friends have a wonderful, blessed Christmas! We are going to be with family and that makes it all wonderful! We are all praying especially fervently for several dear friends who are scheduled for surgery in the upcoming weeks. May God be with them and the people who will be caring for them before, during and after the procedure.

We have had some excitement with our new doggie, Sawyer...the little rascal got into a bag in Katherine's room and ate quite a lot of very expensive chocolate. Now he seems to be OK but he has vomited all over my couch...and I anticipate some other eruptions later...what a little rascal. Good thing we all love him.

We have had a few more inches of snow. The snow is so high in the back yard that Sawyer could just walk over the fence. We have to tie him up which is what we were trying to avoid. Poor guy!

I made him a stocking so he is official! This is supposed to look like a dog bone...I hope he likes it! Jett's is very cute too. Midnight has one that is shaped like a fish....and of course, Evil puss that he is, he sticks his nose up at it. He likes the goodies we have it in, but the stocking is not something he gets excited about...
Sigh....

Oh well....

Merry Christmas! God Bless us, every one!

Catching up!

2010-12-18T15:35:00.001-06:00

I hope everyone is having a great time getting ready for the holidays! I have been doing the gift thing but no decorating has been done yet. I had better get on the stick!

It is here!

2010-11-13T20:32:00.000-06:00

My reely lime reel quilt top is done....this is a subset of the blocks from Heart and Hand applique (with a few from the Dear Jane Applique Society for good measure). Diane Schneck is going to be publishing these patterns in a book some time next year. This is going to her as a possible sample for the book. My friend Kari Schell is going to quilt it for me. Isn't this fun? Certainly not colors I normally use. I am thinking of calling it "No, reely! Lime IS a neutral!" It is a little hard to see what color the setting / border fabric is...it is a dark blue with grayish patterns...JoAnn helped me pick it out. She is VERY good at this!

Oh man! Busy, busy, busy!

2010-11-13T14:42:00.000-06:00

Poor excuse for not keeping up! So very sorry.

We have a new doggie...Sawyer. Isn't he cute? He is a miniature pinscher / sheltie mix that was a rescue...very smart doggie but he hates men. My brother is patiently trying to work through the fear that Sawyer has. He sees our new fence as a challenge, whereas Jett, my baby, sees it as a barrier...

Everyone in my house is doing fine. We had our first snow last night and it was a doozy...about a foot of very wet snow. Sawyer wasn't fazed a bit. He is from Kansas according to what we were told by the rescue organization. Katherine and I are going to make him some boots. He is her dog.

Well...have to get to work, I am finishing the last borders on something. I promise to share it later today. You will be shocked and amazed!

Back to work!

2010-08-14T13:53:00.000-05:00

Oh now, quilting isn't work, is it? I am busy making some album blocks for an exchange in our Heritage Club next month. JoAnn and I are exchanging with all three groups so we have about 40 blocks to make. Phew! I have 10 made, another 10 cut out and 20 more prepped and ready to cut out...I had better get to work!

I hope everyone is having a great summer!

Busy, busy, busy!

2010-08-08T14:48:00.000-05:00

Here is the Gettysburg Sun quilt I finished in July at the Dear Jane MN retreat. Isn't it cute?

The fabrics are Jo Morton's Toast and Indigo Berries. I think it turned out very cute. It is hanging in the quilt shop for now.

I hope everyone is having a great summer! We are busy as can be....but doing well. I hate this horrible heat wave we are experiencing! I can't wait for Fall.

Oooftah...what a weekend!

2010-06-27T18:50:00.000-05:00

This has been an exhausting weekend...storms Friday and Saturday night have scared my poor little puppy something fierce. He shook so hard we could hear his little bones knocking against the floor in the kitchen. We took turns holding him and that seemed to help a bit.

Then, to complicate things, Katherine and her friend Chris had a car accident. An inattentive driver ran a red light and they collided almost head on. Katherine and Chris seem to be OK but Chris' car is undrivable....leaving him in a difficult situation. We are arranging schedules and working to free up Katherine's car for Chris until he has the insurance assessment and knows how to move forward. What a hassle for Chris. I hope this gets resolved soon.

I am making progress on my Gettysburg Stars (?) quilt...putting the top together tonight. I will add a picture soon.

Friday!

2010-06-18T21:08:00.001-05:00

I am hoping to get some quilting done this weekend...it has been very busy lately. I have a small quilt that I am making for a shop sample and want to have it done for Monday night. The Dear Jane guild is meeting and it would be fun to have something for show and tell.

I hope everyone has a great weekend!

Fun Day!

2010-06-10T18:25:00.000-05:00

I spent the day at an IT seminar...learned a lot...and saw some old buddies from the company I worked at 1 1/2 years ago. Nice people. Tonight I am going to work on my applique for the Lime Reels quilt I am making...lots to do! I hope everyone has a nice evening!

Lovely Day!

2010-06-04T20:33:00.000-05:00

This was a beautiful day! Katherine is home, I had a productive day at work and now I have the whole weekend to look forward to.

I am working on a little quilt...and will share one block with you. I am using Jo Morton fabrics from my stash. It will be all blue with shirtings. I have a nice stripe to use for sashing strips. I will post a picture of the final project.

I hope everyone has a great weekend!

Happy Memorial Day!

2010-05-28T18:09:00.000-05:00

What a great week! I really enjoy my new job and the people that I work with. I am such a lucky kid!

I have a big day tomorrow. Breakfast with my friends and my Mom...then my Dear Jane guild is getting together for a work day...but then, I was supposed to pick up my niece Katherine at the airport, returning from Guatemala...now the flight is cancelled due to the volcano. I have my fingers crossed that they will be able to come home on Sunday.

She starts her job on Tuesday. It would be a bad deal if she was delayed. I have my fingers crossed that she is home yet this weekend. We all miss her.

Anticipation!

2010-05-23T12:55:00.001-05:00

New job starts tomorrow. I am excited and nervous. I hope everything works out perfectly and we are all happy.

I went to Quilt Market yesterday. So much to see! JoAnn picked up some wonderful patterns. One very interesting Civil War star patterns. There were some basket quilts that just knocked my socks off...I love basket quilts for some reason.

Owls were the big "thing" this time...lots of owls in booths. It was a fun experience. I am glad I got to go.

WooHoo!

2010-05-18T18:01:00.000-05:00

I finished up my job at my current employer today and start my new job on Monday. I am so excited! I am going to be getting back into the Disaster Recovery business and I just can't wait!

To celebrate my temporary freedom, I am going out to lunch with friends...I have a date for Wednesday and one for Thursday. I am looking forward to seeing and spending time with my buddies.

One more exciting thing! I get to go to Quilt Market! That will be on Saturday. I will post about that...Market is very interesting. I love to see all the new stuff.

Lots to show and tell

2010-05-16T15:49:00.001-05:00

Here is a picture of my niece as she takes her seat at graduation. She is in the middle with a black top on. Smiling! Good job Katherine!

And here is the Tulip Reel I finished this weekend. It is from the Heart and Hand Applique quilt. I am making a small quilt out of the reel blocks, using lime batiks. A bit out of my comfort zone. Fun!

A BIG day at my house!

2010-05-15T11:30:00.000-05:00

My niece Katherine is graduating from MCAD today. I am so excited! I will post a picture or two later. We are leaving shortly so she can have pictures taken with her class before the ceremony.

Oh what a wonderful sound!

2010-05-09T15:39:00.000-05:00

That concert last night was wonderful. I am still singing "I'll Fly Away" much to my niece's annoyance. Good thing Mom is mostly deaf or she would be trying to trade me off for someone that can carry a tune....and keep her in the manner in which she would like to become accustomed. Harumph!

Today is big stuff at our house. Grandma has been taken to brunch by my older sister. My brother and his wife stopped by and my younger sister is here to "hang" with her daughter. Puppy and I are going walkies in a bit, Katie is going to grill some tuna steaks and we will have a lovely meal. Sigh...

Right now I am going to finish the last two Dear Jane swap blocks. That will be a good thing.

Happy Mother's Day!

2010-05-08T14:01:00.000-05:00

Boy, I have some exciting days coming up. We have my sister-in-law's concert tonight. She is a member of the Twin Cities Women's Choir (www.twincitieswomenschoir.org). Wonderful music...I love their concerts. Tonight is my favorite "Divas and Desserts"...of course you KNOW why I love it. I am a Diva and I love dessert. They sing to me, they feed me dessert...I may never leave. Check it out. Tonight's concert is sold out but there is always the next one. Definitely worth going to see.

Oh but I have next weekend to look forward to even more. My niece Katherine graduates from college. She already has a job and benefits, the whole bit. She is so smart and so good at what she does...great work ethic and deserves all the best the world can offer. I am so happy for her!

Then...even more better...oh, but that will have to come later...

We are starting a signature swap at the Heritage Club. JoAnn and I have signed up for all three groups. We will be making blocks like crazy people! This is going to be a blast!

An update on the Chicken Quilt contest

2010-05-01T12:14:00.000-05:00

I have to show you the four quilts that resulted from the Chicken Challenge. They are incredible! From right to left, Connie Makl, Jeanne Meddaugh, JoAnn Atkins and me. Aren't these quilts incredible? We are going to send Brenda a challenge in return. We all had a blast making these fun quilts.

The pattern for my chickens came from a free to use pattern on the internet from Sindy Rodenmayer of FatCat patterns. She has the most wonderful designs...please visit her site at www.fatcatpatterns.com. You will be inspired.

EQ7 has arrived! It will be shipping in mid-June but can be ordered in advance for a reduced price. I ordered my upgrade already and am looking forward to checking it out. I love EQ6 and use it all the time. Go to www.electricquilt.com/shop/eq7/eq7.asp to see what EQ has in store for you!

Happy May Day!

2010-05-01T12:02:00.000-05:00

I have a picture of the tulip block I made for Brenda (who is doing this for Susan Powell). Isn't it wild? I would never choose these fabrics to use, let alone use together. However, I bet this quilt, when completed, will be breathtaking. I enjoy working outside of my comfort zone once in awhile.

Today is a catch-up day. I still have some swap blocks to complete before the May Dear Jane meeting and my sewing room is an absolute disaster. How appropriate for me. I should have plans written up on how to address this issue....starting with "DON'T BE SUCH A MESS" in the first place! I wonder if that would work for me? Probably not. Oh well...I do enjoy my hobby!

Working hard on Dear Jane...

2010-04-29T19:40:00.000-05:00

Our Dear Jane group is swapping blocks again this year. We are supposed to swap in May and have the quilt done for our show in September. I will post a picture of what I have so far. No idea what I will do with them.

Cleaning and organizing....

2010-04-24T18:41:00.000-05:00

Oh man I have a mess in my sewing room. We have switched out my old computer for a new one and have the old PC still up here taking up precious space. I have bunches of fabric not put away...bad Diva! I have too many PIGS and too many UFOs and a HUGE mess!

I am going to spend the next couple of days working away at clearing it. If you don't hear from me, please send help.

Getting back to normal...

2010-04-23T20:10:00.000-05:00

...whatever THAT means! I have most of my mess unpacked. I have been so busy at work that I am exhausted every night. It feels good to get it all done but I don't have anything left for home stuff. Sigh.

I am going to be concentrating on finishing the Lime Reels Quilt I am making from the Heart and Hand applique patterns. Diane is looking for samples for her book and the Lime Reels has to be done by December for photography. I am excited for Diane! I will add some pictures when I finish some blocks.

Packing up....

2010-04-17T21:59:00.001-05:00

Boy did I have fun in Shipshe! We sat with the chicken sisters, Cindy, Val and Hanne. When we weren't eating or shopping, we laughed a lot! Susan Kraftcheck joined us for a few days as well. What talented people these all are! I will be uploading pictures later. We had a great time!

Oh dearie me....look what I did!

2010-04-16T13:47:00.001-05:00

Guess who fell in love at the antique shop? This is a hearts and gizzards quilt made during the 1920s in Rochester, Indiana. Isn't it just gorgeous? I am bringing her home with me. Two little spots, a bit of loose quilting but other then that, pristine! What a beautiful, graphic quilt. Definitely a work of art.

We have done a little sewing, I have done some sleeping and we are having a great time. I will put more pictures up and let you know where they are.

New toys!

2010-03-28T14:55:00.000-05:00

You won't believe the technology fun I have been having! New PC at home...my last one was 7 years old so way past the point of replacement...new smart phone, the Eris Droid, I love it! And, more fun...new software.

Free picture collage personalized with Smilebox

Isn't that cute! I got to make something fun!

Has it been that long?

2010-03-14T13:57:00.000-05:00

Holey Moley! The year is 1/4 over almost and I haven't written once! I guess I am a busy girl. Today Katie and I are going to see Iron Ring at the Children's Theater. Can't wait, I just read a really great review of it. First we are going to take Jett for walkies. He is resting up for that monumentous event right now. He is such a lucky guy!

I hope all my friends are doing well. I am working on some exchange blocks for my Dear Jane group. I hope to get them mostly finished by the end of this week. Here are some chicken blocks
I am making as part of a challenge from Brenda Papadakis..aren't they goofy?

Happy New Year!

2009-12-31T17:41:00.000-06:00

I hope all my friends will have a wonderful 2010! I am glad 2009 is over and have great hopes for the coming year.

We just had a scientifical experiment....we made King Crab legs for dinner tonight...talk about ritzy! We are going to have white chicken chili tomorrow...not the black eyed peas as in tradition but close enough.

We have several movies to watch tonight and I am planning to finish binding my tree skirt. Didn't make it on time for this year but I am ready for next!

Happy Holidays!

2009-12-27T14:33:00.000-06:00

I hope all my friends had a lovely Christmas and that 2010 is the best year ever. 2009 has been interesting, frustrating and rewarding in strange ways...I am grateful that I remained employed and that my family is healthy and relatively happy.

Santa's work

2009-12-19T14:26:00.000-06:00

I am going to start making some personalized pillow cases for the daughters of a woman I work with. THEN I need to finish my Tree Skirt for the new baby Christmas Tree! I will post pictures later.

Holidayish...

2009-12-06T17:39:00.000-06:00

Well...we picked up a new table top Christmas Tree yesterday. I wanted to downsize and found someone that would use my old (25 years) 7 foot tree...so we have a new little one. I like it. Katherine and I put it up this morning. Now if we can just keep Evil Puss from eating the feathers we have adorning the little tree. We also have two peacocks. I will take a picture when the decorating is done. I have to start wrapping presents. Get those out of the way.

I hope everyone is happy and healthy! Take care!

Christmas Log Cabin finished!

2009-11-29T18:02:00.000-06:00

Oh darn, it looks crooked but that is just my poor camera work. It is very happy looking in person. Made from Crimson and Clover (Jo Morton / Andover) and an EQ6 block pattern. It will be the offering for our December Heritage Club. I am so glad to be done....and even early!

I hope everyone had a great thanksgiving and is well on the way to being ready for the rest of the Holiday Season!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2009-11-26T12:00:00.000-06:00

I hope all my friends are having a great time with their friends and families! We are headed to my sister's house and I am bringing "that corn thing". My yearly foray into cooking. Good thing we are hardy people, no one has died yet. Phew!

I am working on the December quilt for our Heritage Club. We are having such a great time doing our own thing that we don't even miss Jo Morton's Club. I think Club Nine is out now but we won't be doing that until next year and then we will just fit it in as time allows. Jo really did us a favor when she got behind in her club offerings. Our show is in January and I will post the site so you can see our stuff. I am proud of what we are doing.

Katie laid out my Night at the Opera quilt for me last night so my next big one is one step closer to being done. That is going to be one gorgeous quilt!

Candy Day!

2009-11-14T20:49:00.000-06:00

Stephanie, Joann and I made candy today....it is our yearly thing. Joann makes Caramels and Cherry Mash bars. Stephanie made tons of stuff and coated pretzels is one of her standards. My Mom made fudge and Nut Goodie Bars. I made Peanut Brittle and English Almond Toffee. We all had a great time but it gets harder to do this every year. It is worth it...good times with great friends.

Adventures in Sewing...

2009-11-01T12:43:00.000-06:00

I just got back from Quilt Camp....my friend Lois
set up her family room for sewing and she entertained me and my featherweight. It was lots of fun, as usual. Lois sewed circles around me, as usual....she is so prepared for sewing days like this. I need to take a lesson from her. We also experimented with Inklingo and I failed badly...but will try using Inklingo on my next project that requires a large quantity of half square triangles. I want to be able to make them accurately without having to trim a bunch.

Of course, Lois had an assistant...hmmmm...
This may be why she got so much done. Look at that young man iron. He is a whiz at the sewing machine as well. Gavin was very busy helping Grandma. He also found time to make a rocket ship for himself. What a cute guy he is!

Next quilt camp is in April....and I can't wait! Let's see...what did I accomplish? I finished the stars for my Vienna Nights quilt and made a practice block for the log cabin quilt we are going to use in December's Heritage Club. I worked too!

Not so chatty lately!

2009-10-24T11:46:00.000-05:00

I have been busy...but that is not a good excuse I guess. Let's see, what has been going on? I am getting close to finishing that quilt with the blue, brown and red stars. That is going to be gorgeous!

I have also done something I am so excited about! I ordered a desk to be hand made for me. It is wonderful. The man who is making the desk is a real craftsman. He uses all old wood working techniques, no nails, fits the pieces together with dovetail joints. The desk is going to be made out of butternut and will replace a big, dark, heavy roll top desk I have in the living room now. I want to have a smaller, lighter piece there. I feel I will make use of it rather than use it to hide junk.

One more thing to tell. I am making great progress on my applique quilt. The pattern is from one of the Dear Jane members and the little blocks are fun to make. My quilt will be made of red, green, yellow and just a hint of cheddar. I am excited to see this quilt progress!

I hope all my friends have a great weekend!

Oh so busy!

2009-09-18T18:46:00.001-05:00

I haven't posted all month. I can't believe how busy we all are! We seem to be running all the time and not getting anything done.

This weekend I am going to finish the flying geese I need for the Ohio Star blocks that will go into my next large quilt. I am very excited for October to get here. I am on Kari's list for quilting two large wall hangings. I need to have these bound, labeled and ready for the Heritage Club show in January. It will be wonderful!

I hope all my friends have a great weekend!

Dear Jane Weekend

2009-08-29T21:44:00.000-05:00

We have our Dear Jane exhibit in full swing at Four Seasons Quilts. I forgot my camera today but will go back tomorrow and take pictures. I cannot believe how beautiful those quilts are...every one of them. We have 11 of the 14 Neutral Jane Challenge quilts hung on the wall. Each one of them different but all made of the same blocks. That blows my little mind!

Today I am finishing up the quilt for this month's Heritage Club. It is made from a Dear Jane block, with Brenda's permission (of course!), and it is extraordinarily cute!

I hope all my friends are finding time to do something fun this weekend!

Yea for the weekend!

2009-08-22T10:03:00.000-05:00

Grocery shopping is done already...Katie is such a great help with that stuff. We tried something new and wonderful. We stopped at Papa Murphy's for the d'lite pizza and came away with something delightful but not "light"...for breakfast we had the cinnamon thingie that they sell. Oh my! Twas good!

This weekend I am finishing up my Neutral Jane so I can turn it in to the shop...we hang our show on Friday and will have our open house on Saturday. I am excited! Our first Dear Jane show! There WILL be pictures!

Major Accomplishment!

2009-08-14T18:12:00.000-05:00

OK...so the asbestos chimney liner is out and properly disposed of...the new furnace and air conditioner are in and saving me money (97.5% Efficient Furnace/ 18 SEAR AC vs 60% and 6 SEAR)...the holes in the walls (caused by the removal of the chimney liner) are repaired AND the painting is done. My gosh it has been a hectic and messy month and a half. Phew!

Busy weekend...we will be organizing and trying to get this mess under control.

Wish me luck.

I hope my friends have a great weekend!

Just another manic weekend...

2009-08-08T18:54:00.000-05:00

Oh wait...it is supposed to be a Manic Monday. Phooey. Oh well, I will get a head start on it. Katie and I are working on her new school bag. This will be her last year at MCAD so we are going to pull out all the stops and make her a stand-out school bag. We are using the Laurel Burch mermaid as the front...it will be huge and will have special pockets...and she is going to embellish it with Swarovski crystals....I will post pictures when we get it finished.

I am navigating on two hours sleep. Jr. is soooo frightened of thunderstorms that we had a quivering, panting puppy all night long. I feel bad for him and hope we get over this before I die from lack of sleep. Lucky for him, he is a cute boy.

Sigh....Piece and Quiet....

2009-08-02T14:43:00.000-05:00

and lemon cake. Yummy! Ms. Katie is in danger of missing out on the treat. Snerk, snerk!

I am going to applique today and to work on hand sewing a binding...and then I am going to prepare for the Heritage Club on Thursday. I have some research to do.

I am excited for Monday. I am having lunch with my former boss, Deb. She is going to meet me at Campiellos for lunch and I am bringing Joann, who also used to work for Deb. It is always good to catch up with what she is doing...she is a very interesting person and I enjoy her company.

Unfortunately, that is the highlight of the week...sigh...until Heritage Club on Thursday, at least.

Finally Friday...

2009-07-31T18:43:00.000-05:00

I am going to finish my block of the week (Heart and Hand) and post the last two weeks. Boy was this a busy week or what? My living room has been repainted, Katie's room has been repainted except for the closet with the hole in it...I picked up my new car last night...Jeanne and Connie will be relieved to know it is a SEDAN...no more horrible incidents in Shipshe...at least none that we can blame on the car...PHEW!

JoAnn's shop has her One Stop Shop Hop starting tomorrow...you should check out her website. http://www.fourseasonsquiltsmn.com/Special_events.php. I think it is a hilarious idea and I hope she does VERY well!

Two birthdays coming up this month...Jeanne and JoAnn....what fun is that?

One more very exciting thing! Katie and I had our first two sales in our ETSY shop. We are pumped and I am hoping that eventually I will see the floor of my sewing room....

Parties!!!

2009-07-25T10:49:00.000-05:00

Holy Moley do I have a busy weekend...it is tough being a social butterfly, let me tell you. My friend Carey is having a 3 kid birthday party today. I am heading out to Farmington once I get my behinder off this chair and into the shower. Then, my sister-in-law has a big birthday celebration tonight...and tomorrow is Girlfriend Day at the shop. JoAnn and I are attending the class. We are making Christmas Stockings. I am so excited!

I have fallen behind in my applique. I am going to have to get myself in gear so I don't miss the BOW deadline Sunday.

I hope all my friends are doing well!

Busy weekend!

2009-07-19T12:47:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, my friend Hester and I went to St. Cloud to spend some time with our friend Lois. We sewed and talked and ate and had a good time. Hester is visiting from California and didn't have any projects with her...so, good kid that I am, I volunteered several of my own! Hester finished hand sewing the binding to my Vienna Nights quilt and unsewed the wavy borders from my Holiday Inn quilt.

I love you Hester! What an unpleasant task...and she offered to do them both. I am a lucky kid to have friends like Hester and Lois.

I will post pictures of Vienna Nights when I have the label put on and the cat fur taken off.

Today is busy with a work related emergency. No rest for the wicked...

Oh yeah...Katie and I are cleaning out the sewing room...and we have stuff for sale on ETSY... http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6799827

And, finally, here is a picture of the Challenge quilt with borders attached. Isn't it pretty? I am going to take it to my Dear Jane guild meeting tomorrow night and give it to Kari for quilting. Our show is in September!

DJ Challenge Quilt

2009-07-14T20:06:00.000-05:00

I cannot believe how beautiful all the challenge quilts are. I can't wait for our show in September. Here is the center of my quilt. I have to get my camera out and have Katie take a picture with the borders on.

We had a great time at the retreat. Eight people finished the centers of their challenge quilts. Check my webshots to see them all. The pictures are in the Dear Jane Retreat 2009 album.
http://community.webshots.com/scripts/misc.fcgi?action=invitePickup&uri=album/288514140ojpKqq

RETREAT!

2009-07-11T11:10:00.000-05:00

I am here in St. Joseph with a dozen of my friends working on Dear Jane swap quilts. We have taken over the lower floor of a dormitory in St. Benedicts College and we are making a mess! JoAnn and I went to breakfast at Kay's this morning and were fighting over a cinnamon roll...then I got my own so we were too busy to fight anymore.

I am going to lay out my version of the challenge quilt this morning...I will post a picture or two later.

Happy weekend!

Dear Jane Quilt Camp

2009-07-10T11:03:00.000-05:00

OMG! Fun is being had here in St. Joseph....I am not making much progress but I am having a great time with my friends. More later...

Drudgery...sigh...

2009-07-05T15:41:00.000-05:00

I am wasting time, putting off cutting fabric for the Hawaiian Pineapple quilt I am making for a class sample. I don't feel like cutting fabric. I would rather be working on applique. Sigh....

OK, I have wasted enough time. I need to pack for my Dear Jane quilt camp. I am leaving on Thursday morning and need to be ready to go! I am going to work on my neutral Dear Jane, my class sample and will be taking some applique with me for fun.

I also want to get back to my Women of the Bible quilt. I have the new patterns and want to see what I can make out of them all together.

To work!

Aaaah....

2009-06-27T16:06:00.000-05:00

Well...we have a mess but we also have a cool house. This new A/C is cooling off corners that didn't ever get cooled off before. Our furnace was 59 years old and the A/C was at least 35. That is LOOONG past the average life of either. I am very fortunate to have put off replacing them both for this long.

We also have new holes in the walls. Our chimney liner was well and truly fixed to stay in place forever...being as it was asbestos, I wanted it OUT! So, it is out...and I have to have walls fixed. I am looking for estimates on repairing walls and then will have 3 rooms painted to finish (I hope) this chapter in my life.

One good thing, Katie gets to decorate her room...we will get rid of the Pepto Bismol pink walls and make it more presentable. I am so glad she is back with us! That little darling finished putting my exercise bike together...Thanks Katie!

So, the rest of the weekend is pulling the house back into partial order (I don't want to get carried away) and some hand applique. I have a friend that turned 50 last week so I have to go visit her before she gets so old she forgets who I am. I AM older than she is but she picks on me so much for being old that I have to get my licks in where I can.

I found a fun give-away on my friend Jeanne's blog...I thought I would pass it along so I can enter the contest as well. Check out http://www.quiltqua.com/ for the details! They are giving away a fat quarter set of Frosted Memories fabric...NICE!

Happy Weekend all!

New stuff...

2009-06-20T19:08:00.000-05:00

I am pouring over 5 estimates for replacing my furnace and air conditioner. Not so much fun...and LOTS of money. Good thing I have been saving for this for 5 years and more. Man that is expensive but we will be so much more efficient...from 60% efficiency to 97% and nearly the same for the air conditioner. Sigh...I wish it was over already.

The block exchange with my Dear Jane group was wonderful. I have an idea for my blocks that I don't think anyone else will come up with...and my quilt will be quite large (lap robe size) when I am done. I like that idea!

My niece Katie is moving back home. I will be very happy to see her back here. I am sure that Evil Puss will also be happy to have his person back. We need some perking up here.

Have a fun weekend!

Summer is here!

2009-06-13T10:17:00.000-05:00

It is supposed to get up to 80 today so I turned the airconditioning on...I cannot take the heat! I am planning to clean a bit and sew a lot. I hope that works out.

We have a block swap in our Dear Jane group on Monday. We are swapping neutral 6 inch Dear Jane blocks. There are 16 swappers. We will have a showing of our Dear Jane quilts in September at the shop. I need to finish binding the Round Robin one and hope to get the Neutral one finished before the show. Good thing we have a four day retreat in August!

I hope all my friends are doing well. My back is still pretty good but I am having trouble sleeping due to pain. I am currently in Physical Therapy and have hopes that I will get past this pain stuff. I am exercising a bit more and need to increase that...I am stuck on my weight loss but I am being a bit lax about the sweets...I am a chocolate hound and just can't resist. I have to get that resolve back and stop with the goodies!

Rainy Saturday

2009-06-06T18:44:00.000-05:00

It is about time...we desperately needed some rain. It was a good opportunity to stay in and get some work done. I made a new applique block for my patriotic strippy and will get started on next week's challenge block.

This was a big, fun week for me. I met with Deb, my former boss from Kroll, at lunch on Weds. I enjoyed catching up with her. She likes her new job and seems to be happy. Good deal!

I met with another former boss, Joe, on Thursday. It is always good to catch up with him. He is a busy guy with lots going on at work and at home. I feel bad for him today, he is having guests at his home for his middle child's graduation from high school...and was planning to have these guests outside in his back yard. I hope it all worked out. He knows how to have a good time so I am sure he was prepared with a Plan B.

Let's see...what else....Katie is here washing windows. She needed money to cover a class (belly dancing) and wanted me to help her out...so, she gets to help me out! What lucky kids we both are.

My back is recovering very nicely. This myofacial release work the PT is doing really seems to be helping. The many times I have been to PT before just worked on the area that hurt...and my problems always came back. This time I have a plan...I want to walk out of there with an exercise routine that works for me and that I will do. I also want to have all those issues addressed so I don't have to keep going back. Wish me luck!

OK...enough for today, I want to get back to quilting! Check out my Webshots for pictures of what I have been working on....

http://community.webshots.com/scripts/misc.fcgi?action=invitePickup&uri=album/288514140ojpKqq

Back sliding...

2009-05-30T10:46:00.000-05:00

Oh dear...the scale didn't say nice things to me today...I was a little too free and easy with the carbs this week and it caught up with me. Back to the more strict diet and hopefully I will be facing down that plateau spot by next Saturday.

I am off to the quilt shop today to spend time with my Dear Jane buddies. I want to finish the swap blocks for next month. We are swapping neutral DJ blocks in a 6 inch finished size and I can't wait to see the outcome of that swap. I am toying with the idea of throwing in one bright color just to make a point...maybe lime green cornerstones or something.