I've been horrible about posting, I know. The main reason being I haven't been doing much. I had a couple weekends where I lazed around on the couch and (when not on FB playing games) cross-stitching. It's a blackwork pattern, so technically I was backstitching.
I did get the sewing machine back up over the t'giving break, finally! I started working on the bookshelf quilt I promised to do for someone *grin.* I have one "shelf" put together, the one that most closely resembles my bookshelves. No pictures though.
Can you believe it's Dec 1 already? 10 days until mom and I sail out of Charleston Harbor to the Bahamas. This time I have enough meds to (hopefully) counteract the stupid motion sickness that's bugged me the last few years on cruises. We're hitting 2 islands in the Bahamas and Key West. I'm signed up to play with dolphins at the Atlantis, so some cool pics should be forthcoming.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Sunday, October 24, 2010
It's been a busy week
This has been a pretty busy week. Not a bad week, just busy. I had to go to Myrtle Beach for a night for the state library association conference. I tried to get out of spending the night but Sheraton has a 3 day cancellation policy. 3 days? Mom went with me so we could hit the quilt stores. There are 3 in the Myrtle Beach area and we hit all of them plus one knitting store.
Folks in all the stores were very nice, especially the knitting store. Didn't get pics of the travel hedgie on Wed, I was way too tired. Did get pics of him in the two stores we hit on Thurs. Sooo, hedgie store pics
Saturday was a fun beading class. It was sponsored by the Devine Quilters guild Mom and I belong too. Dee and Joann did a great job. We were learning beading on fabric techniques. The following is picture of the sampler we did. We were supposed to write down the name of the technique next to the sample. As you can see, I didn't follow directions on that one. Travel hedgie did show up to supervise and keep us out of trouble.
The headless dude in the bottom right is actually a limb with buds on it.
More travel hedgie pics can be found here:
It's sad when one's facebook game addictions interfere with one's blogging and crafting. My evening craft, should I shut off the laptop, is cross stitch. I'd love to get good at applique, but I'm first and foremost a cross-stitcher. I finally finished the small cats project I was working on for ages (darn farmville), have the backstitch on a small Margaret Sherry hedgehog to do (darn frontierville), and have finally started on a big project again! I want to enter something in the Fair next year and decided on this cool blackwork pattern I bought last year.
I love blackwork. My favorite part of the Church Street cross stitch I did years ago was the iron gates. Yes, it's just backstitch but I love the backstitching and how it makes things pop.
To keep the images down a bit, here's the link to the cats I just finished. The pattern was in one of my British xstitching magazines. I loved the colors.
The start of the blackwork pattern:
Saturday, October 23, 2010
fear the goat
Off to a beading class today (how to bead on your quilts class). I'll try to blog when I get back, have a few pics and stuff from Myrtle Beach.
Anyhoo, I have to get this out
GO NAVY!!! BEAT NOTRE DAME!!!!!
Anyhoo, I have to get this out
GO NAVY!!! BEAT NOTRE DAME!!!!!
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Back from the SC state fair
Mom and I went to the State Fair today. We usually end up going on a Sunday. No pictures for you this year, usually I try to take a pic of something: the mushrooms, the fried candy bar of the year... Nothing today.
Of course we started with the usual fried mushrooms and gyro.The fair fried mushrooms are what got me started eating mushrooms at the age of 33. We brought in our own drinks and split an order of each. Saved much moolah that way. The crafts building is always selling cookies and milk (cheapest food there) so that was dessert.
Once again, no pics. They tend to fold the quilts when they hang them so you only see about 1/4-1/3 of the quilt. It's really rather disappointing in a way. I did take a look at the cross stitch. My goal this year is to do another project to enter for next year.
This year's fried food adventure was the fried butter, stolen from the Texas State Fair of course. Lets just say I should've found out where the fried pickles were and gone for that. I usually get the bad stuff as we leave. No picture this year b/c I stuffed it in the trash when we hit the car. It honestly made me want to hurl. Their fried butter is a pat/blob of butter dunked in cinnamon/sugar (or just the cin), dipped in batter and then deep fried. You get 4 for $4. I ate one (dribbling on my Denver Bronco shirt). I wasn't too impressed, but gamely tried the second. I didn't even finish that one when I stuffed them all into the trash. I'm still recovering.
Liquid butter should only be enjoyed with crab legs, not at the fair!
Of course we started with the usual fried mushrooms and gyro.The fair fried mushrooms are what got me started eating mushrooms at the age of 33. We brought in our own drinks and split an order of each. Saved much moolah that way. The crafts building is always selling cookies and milk (cheapest food there) so that was dessert.
Once again, no pics. They tend to fold the quilts when they hang them so you only see about 1/4-1/3 of the quilt. It's really rather disappointing in a way. I did take a look at the cross stitch. My goal this year is to do another project to enter for next year.
This year's fried food adventure was the fried butter, stolen from the Texas State Fair of course. Lets just say I should've found out where the fried pickles were and gone for that. I usually get the bad stuff as we leave. No picture this year b/c I stuffed it in the trash when we hit the car. It honestly made me want to hurl. Their fried butter is a pat/blob of butter dunked in cinnamon/sugar (or just the cin), dipped in batter and then deep fried. You get 4 for $4. I ate one (dribbling on my Denver Bronco shirt). I wasn't too impressed, but gamely tried the second. I didn't even finish that one when I stuffed them all into the trash. I'm still recovering.
Liquid butter should only be enjoyed with crab legs, not at the fair!
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
It's October and it actually feels like fall!
Fall is my favorite time of year. The weather starts getting cool and pumpkin spice lattes start appearing at your local Starbucks :-) I could do without the joint aches of the weather change, but at least I can cuddle up in a quilt or on top of the space heater at work.
QSC retreat is over! Yay, my 2 year tour of duty as retreat co-chair is over. Next year we can attend and just have fun without worrying about things and running around. That's Anita's job *evil grin*
I did, crazily, volunteer to be membership chair after we got home. The current chair needs to step down and I decided I could do that job. I can't even blame the idea on drinking since it was mid afternoon on a Sunday and we were coming from a Baptist retreat center.
I did get some sewing done. I finished the top of my 4patch swirl quilt. It's been sitting around for some weird reason. Not sure why I put it aside, but I finished it and added a border. I also got a few small pumpkins done from the pumpking pattern.
This weekend I look forward to sleeping in and loafing all weekend.
QSC retreat is over! Yay, my 2 year tour of duty as retreat co-chair is over. Next year we can attend and just have fun without worrying about things and running around. That's Anita's job *evil grin*
I did, crazily, volunteer to be membership chair after we got home. The current chair needs to step down and I decided I could do that job. I can't even blame the idea on drinking since it was mid afternoon on a Sunday and we were coming from a Baptist retreat center.
I did get some sewing done. I finished the top of my 4patch swirl quilt. It's been sitting around for some weird reason. Not sure why I put it aside, but I finished it and added a border. I also got a few small pumpkins done from the pumpking pattern.
This weekend I look forward to sleeping in and loafing all weekend.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
QSC Quilt retreat
The Quilters of SC retreat is almost here. I'm so excited, of course not for the normal reason. 2.5 years ago I went to the bathroom during the Spring Meeting and came back to find that my mom had volunteered US to run the retreat for 2 years. Not the kind of stress I like to deal with. Hard to enjoy the retreat, as well. Like working fast food & retail, it does give you an insight on similar events and keeps you from being as hypercritical as some people can get.
Once again, i'm signed up to do Bring Your Own Project for the whole weekend. Hopefully will get stuff done. I will be making a daily trip home to clean and feed the hedgies. It's cheaper $ wise than boarding them.
So, next time I post I might have retreat pictures but I will definitely no longer be qsc retreat co-chair. Whew. I hope things go well and everyone has a great time.
Once again, i'm signed up to do Bring Your Own Project for the whole weekend. Hopefully will get stuff done. I will be making a daily trip home to clean and feed the hedgies. It's cheaper $ wise than boarding them.
So, next time I post I might have retreat pictures but I will definitely no longer be qsc retreat co-chair. Whew. I hope things go well and everyone has a great time.
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Pumpkins Are Done!
Well, at least the top is :-) Ok, the pattern is Scrap Pumpkins, design by Cheri. I bought it at the quilt store we went to in Vegas. They had the quilt hanging near the door. It was pumpkins, it was scrappy, it involved small squares. My kind of difficulty. The ladies there had to mail it to me, they hadn't gotten their supply, but that was ok. One less item to pack. Plus, they paid the postage.
I liked the pattern, but for $8.50 I want more than 2 pieces of paper, an envelope, and a paper picture on the envelope. The pattern and instructions were hand drawn/written, which is fine. I would've liked a bit more on the cutting instruction side. You know, cut 3 million 1.5 inch squares... It was just a drawing with the measurements written in. I think the idea was to make it scrappy/country looking.
Anyway it's a cute pattern and I finished the top my way. The dark border is green. It was supposed to be more 1.5 inch orange squares. I wanted more color.
I'm going to try to do some single pumpkin quilts and see if anyone at work wants to take one home for a donation. I've got to get working on some plans for Christmas, too.
Here's a close up of the middle pumpkin:
It's so funny how pixilated it looks from afar.
It's almost time for the QSC Pieceable retreat (3 days until we move in). This is the last of the 2 years Mom volunteered us to organize it. Yay! I've decided not to board the hedgies. That would be about $60 bucks. It's cheaper (and less exhausting) just to drive down Friday and Sat and clean/feed.
Speaking of hedgies, today was sink bath day for Calvin. I was at the end of a cat nap, so mom gave it to him. Needless to say I grabbed the camera. I said there would be hedgie pics...
Calvin
Ender
I liked the pattern, but for $8.50 I want more than 2 pieces of paper, an envelope, and a paper picture on the envelope. The pattern and instructions were hand drawn/written, which is fine. I would've liked a bit more on the cutting instruction side. You know, cut 3 million 1.5 inch squares... It was just a drawing with the measurements written in. I think the idea was to make it scrappy/country looking.
Anyway it's a cute pattern and I finished the top my way. The dark border is green. It was supposed to be more 1.5 inch orange squares. I wanted more color.
I'm going to try to do some single pumpkin quilts and see if anyone at work wants to take one home for a donation. I've got to get working on some plans for Christmas, too.
Here's a close up of the middle pumpkin:
It's so funny how pixilated it looks from afar.
It's almost time for the QSC Pieceable retreat (3 days until we move in). This is the last of the 2 years Mom volunteered us to organize it. Yay! I've decided not to board the hedgies. That would be about $60 bucks. It's cheaper (and less exhausting) just to drive down Friday and Sat and clean/feed.
Speaking of hedgies, today was sink bath day for Calvin. I was at the end of a cat nap, so mom gave it to him. Needless to say I grabbed the camera. I said there would be hedgie pics...
Calvin
Ender
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Happy Tuesday!
About a week and a half until the QSC retreat. A week and a half until we get to pass it on to someone else. Yay! I think I have mom trained not to volunteer us for stuff anymore. The hedgies won't be coming, but they also won't be going to the kennel. I've decided to drive down each day to clean the wheel and feed them. They won't care when the wheel gets cleaned and it'll be cheaper in the long run.
I've discovered the joy of making smaller pieces. For the pumpkin pattern, you make 9 pumpkins out of 20 1 1/2 inch blocks. I got to buy about 16 1/8yd cuts of orange batiks. Sooo much cheaper than even fat quarters AND I get to cut them into really small squares. I guess the OCD thing is showing through. 4 done so far.
I've discovered the joy of making smaller pieces. For the pumpkin pattern, you make 9 pumpkins out of 20 1 1/2 inch blocks. I got to buy about 16 1/8yd cuts of orange batiks. Sooo much cheaper than even fat quarters AND I get to cut them into really small squares. I guess the OCD thing is showing through. 4 done so far.
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Quilt donation and Vegas
I'm trying to remember to take pictures of quilts I finish (or mom finishes for me), especially thie big ones.
This was the Logan Mystery Quilt for 2009. It actually ended up being finished b/c I donated it to the Epworth Children's Home through the Devine quilt guild. We decided to furnish quilts for the girls who are off to college and grad school this year. Mom was really coveting it but I wouldn't let her have it. Lynn donated the quilting and batting so mom would've had to pay her for it AND come up with a new quilt.
When we went to Vegas for my cousin's wedding Mom and I managed to hit one quilt store and one cross stitch store. We took an expensive cab ride to the xstitch store and then some nice lady gave us a ride to the quilt store. Needless to say, we took the bus system back to the strip. MUCH cheaper.
I found the store on the Internet. There was a good review plus the Artful Bras book was on the web site :-) It's called The Christmas Goose. Very nice folks in there. The fabric wasn't our style, lots of country type stuff. I think I saw 4 bolts of batiks, but I did pick up a couple patterns (one the pumpkin one mentioned the last post). We did find out there are 4 other stores in the area (1 is closing) and a quilt tours business that will take you to all of them. Of course, I could've found it on their links page... So if you go to Vegas, here's the LINK.
The cute hedgie I bought decided to check out the fabric as well. (I need to come up with a name for him).
More pics of Vegas and my other doings can be found on my Webshots Album.
This was the Logan Mystery Quilt for 2009. It actually ended up being finished b/c I donated it to the Epworth Children's Home through the Devine quilt guild. We decided to furnish quilts for the girls who are off to college and grad school this year. Mom was really coveting it but I wouldn't let her have it. Lynn donated the quilting and batting so mom would've had to pay her for it AND come up with a new quilt.
When we went to Vegas for my cousin's wedding Mom and I managed to hit one quilt store and one cross stitch store. We took an expensive cab ride to the xstitch store and then some nice lady gave us a ride to the quilt store. Needless to say, we took the bus system back to the strip. MUCH cheaper.
I found the store on the Internet. There was a good review plus the Artful Bras book was on the web site :-) It's called The Christmas Goose. Very nice folks in there. The fabric wasn't our style, lots of country type stuff. I think I saw 4 bolts of batiks, but I did pick up a couple patterns (one the pumpkin one mentioned the last post). We did find out there are 4 other stores in the area (1 is closing) and a quilt tours business that will take you to all of them. Of course, I could've found it on their links page... So if you go to Vegas, here's the LINK.
The cute hedgie I bought decided to check out the fabric as well. (I need to come up with a name for him).
New Blog Purpose/Theme!
I tried to set this up to be a hedgehog journal after I got Ender the hedgie, but I never remembered to post. Now I'm going to try a new theme: sort of a crafting/travel journey. There will probably be a lot of quilting/cross stitch pics and reviews and travel/crafting pics. There may be hedgehog pics or mentions of romance novels, you never know.
I sort of got the idea today when looking at a pattern I bought in Las Vegas. They had to mail it to me since they had a sample but the pattern hadn't come in. I'll post about it later, but it only had 2 pages. For $8.50 I want more than 2 pages and more specific instructions. Other folks review the books and patterns and stores they go to, why not me? So, after I work on the quilt I'll post a review of the pattern.
I picked up a stuffed hedgie at the Sanrio store in Vegas, so a small stuffed hedgie may make an appearance in some posts.
No pics yet, I have to upload them into my Webshots album first. I pay for that account so there shouldn't be any linkin/traffic problems. Until then, enjoy the fused hedgie in my profile pic :-)
I sort of got the idea today when looking at a pattern I bought in Las Vegas. They had to mail it to me since they had a sample but the pattern hadn't come in. I'll post about it later, but it only had 2 pages. For $8.50 I want more than 2 pages and more specific instructions. Other folks review the books and patterns and stores they go to, why not me? So, after I work on the quilt I'll post a review of the pattern.
I picked up a stuffed hedgie at the Sanrio store in Vegas, so a small stuffed hedgie may make an appearance in some posts.
No pics yet, I have to upload them into my Webshots album first. I pay for that account so there shouldn't be any linkin/traffic problems. Until then, enjoy the fused hedgie in my profile pic :-)
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