I would see it again!

I am not a writer, nor a critic... and my review of this movie can be summed up in a few short words...

Not a disappointment.

Highly emotional.

Amazingly talented all-star cast.

Outrageously fabulous!

There were a few short moments that seemed to stall and drag out, but overall...wow!  I would see it again in theaters in a heartbeat.

Candace turns 7 :)

Candace turns 7 today!  And I have to chuckle that her favorite present was a huge container of cheesy puff balls :) LOL

I have some school work to take care of this weekend;  there was no way of avoiding it since I had to bolt out of school today to do some last minute BDay things.  Pizza, snacks.... ya know.

I also hope to have some time to work on Easy Street.  On Tuesday, this was as far as I got...

I was realllly planning on pushing through the piecing (See the glass of Mountain Dew??!?!?!?)

But when I laid out all of the units for this block......

????????????????

Am I missing some green squares?  Did they fall?  Did I fail to cut them out???

I CLEARLY was short!

So, I figured it was a sign.  And walked away.

This weekend though :)

However, shortly I'm heading out for a night out with some lady coworkers:  heading to see Les Miserables!  Can't Wait!!!!!!

Happy Weekend :D

2012 Running Wrap up

2012 Running Log
Totals: 62.87 miles (OH NO! Realllllly?)

Another year down; and without many races on the calendar (only one???), there wasn't anything to keep me honest.   That will change for 2013! It HAS to!  Time to get back up to my year of 300+ miles.

So some quick math to set a 2013 goal...before showing the (short) rundown from 2012. :\
If I try to set a CAH-RAZY goal (like running 2013 miles in 2013), that would mean...38.7 miles/week.  That...is stupidly unrealistic. lol.
Hmmm...half of that:  1006.5 miles would equate to 19.4/week;  and even that may be a bit unrealistic.
SO, how about reality???

15 miles/week?  That would result in roughly 780 miles on the year.  Hm....  I can see where some weeks will be more, specially if I truly dedicate myself to some half-marathon and marathon training again;  I am only 37, afterall.  I gots some years left on my legs :)  Besides;  I still have my 5K PR to beat! (25:04).  Will I evvvvver get there again? :S

Alright....how 'bout if we just start with trying to surpass my largest annual mileage to date:  308 miles.  Hm. 4 is my favorite number, so maybe....400???  That's only 7.6 miles/week.  {{That's IF I don't take any weeks off}}.  Besides, it's taking me way too long to get to Amy's house via my virtual vacation! LOL.  And if I hope to eventually make it down to Florida... oh vey!  Time to get moving :)

Alright, now the short run-down from 2012.

1/5/12: 1.00 mile on treadmill (pre-workout)
1/31/12: 2.00 miles on treadmill
3/13/12: 1.00 mile (EZ outside)
3/14/12: 1.00 mile (EZ outside)
3/15/12: 2.00 miles (EZ outside)
3/20/12: 3.32 miles (37:43; 11:21/mile)
3/22/12: 2.78 miles (26:08; 11:28/mile)
3/27/12: 1.99 miles (W-I-N-D-Y!!!) (22:21; 11:16/mile)
3/29/12: 2.66 miles (29:18; 11:00/mile)
4/11/12: 2.14 miles (22:35; 10:33/mile)
4/12/12: 4.00 miles (44:13; 11:04/mile) EZ/L
4/19/12: 2.00 miles (21:56; 10:58/mile)
5/17/12: 2.01 miles (22:43; 11:19/mile)
6/8/12: 1.84 miles (19:36; 10:39/mile) Mileage
6/11/12: 2.10 miles (22:13; 10:36/mile) Mileage
6/12/12: 17.74 miles (1:26:46; 4:53/mile) - XT Bike
6/13/12: 1.26 miles (13:54; 11:04/mile) Speed cut short
6/27/12: 1.83 miles (18:08; 9:55/mile) T
7/24/12: 1.67 miles (19:31; 11:43/mile) Mileage
8/7/12: 1.79 miles (19:02; 10:40/mile) Mileage
8/29/12: 1.83 miles (19:48; 10:50/mile) Mileage
10/13/12: 3.15 miles Ashland 5K.  (36:23; 11:34/mile)
11/6/12: 25 minutes (2.0ish miles)
11/8/12: 34 minutes (3.0ish miles)
11/27/12: 26 minutes (2.5ish miles)
11/28/12: 26 minutes (2.5ish miles)
11/29/12: 21 minutes (2.0ish miles)
12/2/12: 1.83 miles (19:13; 10:29/mile)
12/5/12: 25 minutes (2.0ish miles)
12/16/12: 3.25 miles (41:47; 12:51/mile)
12/17/12: 35 minutes of Intervals (2.5 miles)

First quilt top of 2013 - Forever

Waking up at 4:30AM on this last day of vacation may be a little wacked-out for most people...

But I didn't want the day to go to waste.  SO MUCH TO DO :D

After coffee and blogs, I was raring to go at 7:00AM, piecing Forever into a top.

By 10:00 (and 18 burnt muffins later), the top was pieced and bordered.

Forever (70" x 80")

And now... off to work on Bonnie's mystery!  Could there be TWO quilt tops completed today??!?!!?

{{Tall order there}}

2012 Quilts wrapup

2011/12 NYE

Bear Paw

Buckeye Beauty - Fall

Diamond Fields

Freedom

Maltese Star

Old Glory

Orca Bay

Scrappy Picnic

Star Path

Star Harbor (w/ label)

Midget action

Placemats

Quilting for customers/friends

Embroidery projects

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Post links:

- Maltese Star
- NYE 2012
- A Scrappy Picnic
- Bear Paw
- Freedom
- Diamond Fields
- Star Path (QOV #28)
- Star Harbor
- Old Glory
- Quilts for Kids (2)
- Orca Bay
- BEB Fall

New Year's Eve - time lapse style

Morning Everyone!!!
Today, I quilt.
Today, I will throw a loaf of bread at the girls, and say "make a sandwich!" when they get hungry
LOL.
Alright...maybe not, but I will quilt much of the day away!

I haven't done a time-lapse day in a long time.  Check back often, or one final time at the end of the day to watch the progress.

Downstairs at 8:00 AM (a bit of a late start, but I enjoyed a cup of coffee and perusing blogs).

Although Bonnie has clue 7 posted, I am going to continue working on Forever for much of the day, and maybe intermix a little Bonnie along the way.
So my first hour (or so) was tidying up the mess that my daughters created yesterday when they and friends "sewed up a surprise," but then quickly moved into the Diamond blocks.
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10:30 MAD update
Amy!  Amy!  HOW many years have you been quilting now?!?!?!

Alright, you probably have NO idea why I'm mad!  Afterall, this block is might nice, right?  Points match up.  Near perfect 11" square.

ELEVEN ?!?!?!??!!?
It should be 10.5"!

*sigh*
Step #6:  square diagonal units for 5.5".
GUESS what I skippppppped over?!?!?!?!?!
For crying out loud!
So now....I have 6 blocks all sewn; and NOT in the mood to rip :\
So....brain thinking, thinking.....
I wasn't a fan of that reddish-brown center block on the star blocks anyway;  why couldn't I just cut them out to 6" instead of 5"?  That would fix the problem, right?

Ummmm!  NOPE!  Idiot Amy!  You've already cut and sewn the star points at 5.5".

Tell me Paul, how does this make me feel????

At least he made a Big Pancake for me to munch on while I fume a bit at my stupidity!

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11:30 update

I set aside my 6 blocks of frustration, and started piecing the remaining 9 blocks that use my darker greens.  And after exhausting most of my playlists, I followed Spotify "recommended" links, and came across the soundtrack for Extremly Loud and Incredibly Close.  WOW!!! Amazing soundtrack!  I haven't seen the movie, and I got a bit sidetracked while reading up on it;  hm....I may need to visit the library to see if they have it.  

So, the soothing soundtrack calmed me down...and I came to realize that despite how MUCH I loathe ripping seams.....**sigh**.  I like these colors far too much to have to struggle easing in those 11" blocks.  Therefore, later, they will be ripped out.  For now....I want to continue piecing :)

Lunch soon?  Bahhhhh.......coffee is enough! :D

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Still working on the other 9 diagonal blocks in darker greens.  The trimming up will be SO worth it; but it does take time to do.  Hm...another fitting reason to name this quilt "Forever." 

;)

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2:15...

After a short lunch, I was back to the diamond blocks; and I even ripped out the mistakes from earlier.  All 15 blocks - done.  

Now to find the right replacement fabric for the star centers.....

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5:00 update

Getting into an afternoon flow, I failed to take any pictures of the "right" brown fabrics.  Plus, I got distracted from Facebook :D  Between Nancy, Andee and a few other non-quilty friends...I was able to rip out the old icky rust centers, and resew the star blocks with the brown swirl centers.  

The light has faded outside to black, so my plans consist of building a fire and then heading out to the hot tub for a while :)  

Paul headed out ice fishing a couple of hours ago, so I may find myself back in my quilting room later.  I completely forgot to fit in time to work on Bonnie's step 7! :\  

Hawaii Sunset blocks done; Easy Street caught up; A new start :)

I love days when things plug along like a well oiled machine!  

I got into a major rhythm this morning piecing together the 600 flying geese units into rows of 6.  Although, once I got to the end, I kinda scratched my head....... not sure if I was missing units or if I had extra.  But I figured I'd worry about that once I neared the finish of the 25 blocks; I didn't want to be slowed down with counting and figuring at that time.

And wouldn't ya know it?  THEY WERE EXTRA!

These were most definitely super fun blocks to piece.  Every block is a bit crazy, 1845 style!  Andra and Andee swapped some beautiful units!

Unfortunately, this is as far as I can go.  I don't have any "perfect" fabrics for use as sashing; so a shopping spree will need to be planned. Soon. :)

Therefore, I took care of cutting up Easy Street part 6 since my cutting board had been cleaned off.  That didn't take all that long....

So FINALLY.... these fabrics had been calling me long enough, waiting so patiently on one of my shelves.  And go figure, right!?!?!?!?  Light purples, rich hunter greens, and copper.  LOL.  My favorite!

After looking through my files of "to be made someday" patterns, I pulled out "Forever Christmas."  Although, these most definitely are not Christmas colors. :)  I'm simply thinking of shortening it to "Forever".  Seems fitting.  They ARE my favorite color combinations afterall :)

I was plugging along, cutting away and piecing away.  Until 3:30, when the Packer game pulled me away.  

And now that I see this brownish/reddish fabric that I thought I'd try as a "here i am!" fabric..... I'm reallllly not liking it.

I'm glad I haven't sewn these together yet.  That fabric may just be ripped out, and I'll grab one of my darker greens.

Meet Father-in-Law.  Taken Christmas Day.

Happy Sunday everyone!

Wow! This is really only my 9th December post?

Well, with a day and a half left of December, I simply MUST fix that!

LOL

I guess this month kinda got away from me :s
I've been busily sewing away this morning;  taking a quick break right now for some lunch.

Pictures to come later -
Bonnie's Easy Street part 6 was completed
ALLLLL 25 Hawaii Sunset blocks are pieced! Can I get a whoo-hoo?? {{Or maybe wait until the picture post later??}}

And now...off to look at my "to be made someday" list of quilts.  I have a stack of GORGEOUS coordinating fabrics that are calling...calling...calling to be pressed and cut and pieced into a masterpiece!!!  :D

Alright;  meat's cooking.

Happy Sunday.