I feel like it's been forever since I've posted...

But I know that Forever is a long time...

This really says it all.  Life is good.  Busy, but good.
I haven't sewn in weeks;  even last weekend after returning from my parent's house one day early with the HOPES of sewing on Sunday.....it didn't happen.  I read instead.  And there's nothing wrong with that.  In fact, I read THREE whole books over the Thanksgiving weekend, and it was heaven!  I have missed getting lost in a good story.

Cassie's 12th birthday came and went on Wednesday.  Paul had fun picking out the re-igniting candles, and amazingly, after lots of patience a few more than a few blows, they all remained unlit and we commenced to gift opening.

The daily rituals have been fairly redundant;  wake up, school, try to fit everything in in the evening that can fit, and then repeat.  I've worked some Junior High basketball games; it's always enjoyable to see students in a different light outside of the classroom.

So yeah.  I'm SUPER glad today is Friday.  As badly as I would like to just sit and sew, I actually have other relaxing plans for the evening.  Paul is taking the younger 2 up to visit the in-laws;  Cassie has a friend over for a late birthday get-together and they want to go skating.  SO, I'm not up for skating, and the skating place is in a town 30 miles away.  What to do, what to do......I AM up for relaxing in a movie theater (and finally use up a gift certificate that's been sitting for a full year!).  Therefore, I'll drop the girls off in just over an hour, and then kick back at the movie theater to watch Skyfall.  Going to a movie by yourself is okay, right??? :D

Happy Friday

Tiny Tuesday: Midget #37: Imperial Fan

Midget #37: Imperial Fan

I'm beginning to like applique more and more through the variety of midget blocks that have come up over the past couple of months.

Tiny Tuesday: Midget #36: 4H Club

Midget #36: 4H Club

Only a half day of inservice planned today at school, and then vacation starts.  FINALLY!

Some border action x2

I kinda like days where I have NO obligations; NO where to be; NOTHING to do

(except, NO ONE is allowed to come to my house right now, unless s/he promises not to pass judgement.  It's a DISASTER zone!!!)

I was downstairs at 7AM with no real plan on the day.  Somehow....I really can't remember how or why.... but somehow, I found myself in my main carpet area sifting through piles and piles of finished quilts and awaiting flimsies, and collections of centers awaiting borders.

I dug in and pulled out Frost 25, a QOV mystery (#25) from.....2009?  2010?  Ummm....I'd have to look back. 

Frost 25 (73" x 73")

I remember what stopped my progress oh so long ago:  I ran out of the dark purple, which I wanted to use as a border.  Hm.....I found a similar print awaiting in my Easy Street fabrics;  11" remained of it.  So, I cut it up in 1.25" strips for a THIN inner border, then finished it off with a 3" white border.  

The fabric was a Connecting Threads line:  "Twilight Frost," which is partially where the quilt's name came from: Frost 25.  

And I couldn't resist!  Do you recognize the movie playing??? :D

I had my own Twilight marathon for much of the morning hours.  And now that the top is finished, I find myself wondering why I needed to wait so long;  that thin inner border worked nicely to finish off the center.

Not interested in loading it on the quilt frame, I folded it up and moved it to my Flimsy pile. :D

BEB Fallswap (84" x 100")

After some self-convincing, I pulled out the Buckeye Beauty Fall swap center and pieced a 2.5" light border on it.  With oodles of 4-patches left over, a potential 4-patch pieced final border was tried out.... and then I recalled I had 4 yards of this "fallish" Mayfly fabric waiting on the shelf, meant for this quilt!  Cut, cut...sew, sew....press, press.

AND LOAD, LOAD!  I'm halfway through quilting this already!

However, at 2:30, I closed up shop to spend some time coloring with the girls.  Box Tops is offering up a cute lil' turkey for the holiday season.  (Can't you see how excited they all are to pose for this picture?) :}

Happy Sunday!

Saturday Sewing with Nancy

Nancy (Patchwork Penguin) and I retreated via Skype this afternoon;  it's always nice when I get to sew with others :)


I had a few of the subunits completed for Omigosh from leaders and enders over the past couple of weeks;  I wanted to see them come together into something tangible.  They are stinkin' CUTE merely due to their size!  All of those individual squares in the 4- and 9-patches finish at 1/2".

Next, although I'm no where NEAR finishing enough midget blocks, I have been putting some time and thought into the sashing for the finale.  With some motivation from Bonnie's In The Pink quilt, I started drawing up some templates on paper for the sizes needed.  The square-in-a-square will all end up being paper-pieced, but the sashing units will be pieced with the assistance from my Tri-Recs ruler set.

Facing reality?

My car has its own little attitude.

Lately, I don't know if it's trying to tell me it has a mind of its own; or if it simply being indecisive.

Over the past week, it seems that my car can't decide WHICH headlight it wants to actually utilize for those dusky hours.  One day, the left headlight is the only one that is shining.   The next day, the right headlight will decide to work while the left one doesn't.  Honestly, I have no clue if there is a "short" somewhere?  the bulbs aren't properly installed?  Wiring problems?  I have no clue.  I do know that since we've had it (9 years now!), the lights have always been problematic. 

So tonight....4:45....dusk literally on the horizons;  NEITHER light decides to work.  Therefore, the grocery shopping spree was postponed so I could make it home while at least a little dusk light remained.  Three miles from home, the left light flickered on after hitting a little bump.

So yeah...time to bite the bullet and realize:  It's time to CAR SHOP!

Tiny Tuesday: EM #2

EM #2 

Well, I'm taking the easy way out again this week, merely to have SOMETHING to post for Tiny Tuesday.  This is another block made by EM, my Brother 770 embroidery machine.

To get a glimpse of my embroidered blocks with the others, I took a moment to arrange them on the design wall.  EM #2 is in the top (center) row;  EM #1 is in the 2nd row (2nd from right).  I think they fit right in....in the big picture.

Easy Street

HM!  Is anyone REALLY surprised that the colors finding their way into my Easy Street potential pile are oranges, greens and purples???  You haven't heard of Bonnie's newest mystery Easy Street yet??  Go check it out!  I simply didn't have enough aquas, and I didn't want to buy anything for the mystery.  I'll simply have to settle for another amazing Purple/Orange/Green Bonnie quilt :)

Easy Street is also how I landed today;  after being at work for an hour this morning, I simply sat back and said..."Nope.  I need a sub today."... and I started working with the secretary to figure out how to make it happen.  By 9:00, I was home putting my feet up and closing my eyes;  only after taking 600mg of ibuprofin.  My chest pain wasn't something I wanted to face at school today :|  

yeah, yeah....it still affects me;  and I think I have some information to share with my doctor when I DO eventually break down to see if anything can be done.  It's strange, but it seems like a week before menstruation is when it kicks in to the point where it's not extremely comfortable to breathe deeply :\    Almost like clockwork!  And it's ALWAYS "piercing" in the same spot; about 1 1/2" below my collarbone and 1 1/2" "in" from my shoulder joint.  

Anyway;   at least all the laundry was finished today, and I also washed the bedding.  I'm thinking of enjoying a soak in the tub with my book, and then crawling into that freshly laundered bed.  

Oh yeah---it snowed today too. :/  Not ready for the white stuff yet!