My health continues to improve. I had a doctor visit this past week and the doctor was pleased with my improvement and said I don't have to come back to see her unless things start backsliding. That is great news! I am feeling better and managed to work every day last week. My office was recarpeted during the week so it made things interesting but I got everything done I needed to do.
This past weekend was the Bluegrass Festival and my quilt was auctioned off for $250. The person who bought it would have gone higher but no one was bidding against her! That is my only sewing news for this past week but I have been getting some garden harvesting done.
One evening during the week I picked blueberries and got them in the freezer for the 'long, hard winter'. I also picked enough green beans for a couple of meals. I kept an eye on the pumpkins, squash, zucchini and cucumbers. At this point we have just 3 pumpkins which means I might only have one I have to deal with after giving one to each of the grandkids. There are acorn squash coming on and I really hope they mature because last year they were so delish! I have two zucchini plants but unlike most people, I am not getting too many, thank goodness. I had hoped for more cucumbers though. Finally managed to get enough to make one half gallon of dill pickles this weekend.
Niece Katie came over on Friday and on Saturday we picked blackberries and beans. Seventeen pounds of green beans and that was after the neighbor picked quite a few the night before! Yesterday, we froze 10 packages of beans and canned 7 quarts of dilly beans. We have to wait 2 weeks to see how those beans turn out. Unfortunately there will be more beans in a few days so I am torn as to whether I should use the same recipe for more or should I try another. Luckily I have a few days to make that decision.
Well, another week is starting and they are saying the weather should be cooler this week so I might actually get more done around the house!
Monday, August 20, 2012
Monday, August 13, 2012
Wanna Join?
About 3 1/2 years ago, my daughter and I started the Quilt Block Exchange Flickr group. Instead of swapping mini quilts or doll quilts we wanted a group to swap quilt blocks. Things went along great for a while and then interest dwindled so we haven't been exchanging for quite some time. Several new and old members of the group have shown interest again so if enough people sign up we will be swapping again in September.
Are you interested in being a part of this exchange? The guidelines are simple:
1. Sign up indicating the size, color, type of block you would want to receive.
2. At the beginning of the month I will post a list of participants and their desires and let everyone know who they should make blocks for. Usually the most you will need to make are 3-4 blocks.
3. Each participant is responsible for getting the address of those they are making blocks for and for providing their own address to those making blocks for them. This is usually done via Flickrmail.
4. By the end of the month, you should have your blocks finished and in the mail and then you just wait and see what arrives in your mail box.
The nice thing about this exchange is that you are only committing to one month at a time and can sit out for a month or two if your life is too hectic, etc.
So if this sounds like fun to you, head on over and sign-up for September!
Are you interested in being a part of this exchange? The guidelines are simple:
1. Sign up indicating the size, color, type of block you would want to receive.
2. At the beginning of the month I will post a list of participants and their desires and let everyone know who they should make blocks for. Usually the most you will need to make are 3-4 blocks.
3. Each participant is responsible for getting the address of those they are making blocks for and for providing their own address to those making blocks for them. This is usually done via Flickrmail.
4. By the end of the month, you should have your blocks finished and in the mail and then you just wait and see what arrives in your mail box.
The nice thing about this exchange is that you are only committing to one month at a time and can sit out for a month or two if your life is too hectic, etc.
So if this sounds like fun to you, head on over and sign-up for September!
Thursday, August 9, 2012
Minor Setback
My recovery had been moving along quite nicely and I was feeling great! Then on Tuesday morning, after a not so great night's sleep, I woke feeling rather crummy. I tried going into work but only lasted 2 hours. I came home and went to bed. After a few hours of napping I didn't feel any better so I called the doctor's office and got scheduled for an appointment first thing in the morning. That appointment was followed by a CT Scan which showed fluid built up in my abdomen so now I am on some serious antibiotics and we will see what happens. I am feeling better so that is a good thing but now everyone is telling me to rest! Do you know how boring that is?
I have spent a little time sewing but not much. I did manage to get three bindings finished before it got just too hot and got the blocks done for a baby quilt. Here is one possible layout.
I need to send the pictures of layout options for the baby quilt to the person who ordered it so I know how to put them together. Today the quilt for the Margarita Party will be delivered and I just need a hanging sleeve on the one for the Bluegrass Festival and that can be delivered also.
Did you notice that the baby quilt is made from the leftover HSTs from the Margarita Party quilt?
Today I hope to finish the last binding and maybe get that hanging sleeve done while I watch Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. I do need to find something else to do work on or I am going to go stir crazy!
I have spent a little time sewing but not much. I did manage to get three bindings finished before it got just too hot and got the blocks done for a baby quilt. Here is one possible layout.
I need to send the pictures of layout options for the baby quilt to the person who ordered it so I know how to put them together. Today the quilt for the Margarita Party will be delivered and I just need a hanging sleeve on the one for the Bluegrass Festival and that can be delivered also.
Did you notice that the baby quilt is made from the leftover HSTs from the Margarita Party quilt?
Today I hope to finish the last binding and maybe get that hanging sleeve done while I watch Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. I do need to find something else to do work on or I am going to go stir crazy!
Friday, July 27, 2012
Recuperation
So I don't have pictures of finished quilts to share or even shots of quilts in progress because I have not spent much time in the sewing room. I did get those bindings done and the weeding and the roto-tilling but as of last Sunday I have done almost nothing. That is because I was preparing for surgery this past Tuesday. It was time to 'have my lady bits removed'.
I spent Monday on a clear liquid diet which included a couple of bottles of Magnesium Citrate. Let's just say I would rather not have to do that again! Early Tuesday my husband and I headed to the hospital and by 8 I was in the operating room. This was my first time to be in the hospital for anything other than having babies. Also my fist time to be knocked out for anything. Evidently, the surgery went well. All I know is that one minute the anesthesiologist was telling me to think of my favorite place to relax and then next thing I know I was waking up in recovery! I do remember that the OR nurse was a quilter who had just finished her first king size quilt though.
The good news is I have not had any pain really. The worst thing is my abdominal muscles are not happy so changing positions is not too fun but last night I was able to sleep on my side for the first time so I slept better that I had been.
Miss Lucy is very happy to have her mommy sitting or lying around all the time so she can stay close! I have my daughter and niece here taking good care of me, making gooseberry jam, picking peas, watering the garden, making fancy dinners and fetching and carrying things for me. The doctor says no lifting for 8 weeks.
I am hoping today to actually start working on those 4 bindings as I watch TV so maybe I can get the girls to take some pictures of some finished quilts for me soon!
I spent Monday on a clear liquid diet which included a couple of bottles of Magnesium Citrate. Let's just say I would rather not have to do that again! Early Tuesday my husband and I headed to the hospital and by 8 I was in the operating room. This was my first time to be in the hospital for anything other than having babies. Also my fist time to be knocked out for anything. Evidently, the surgery went well. All I know is that one minute the anesthesiologist was telling me to think of my favorite place to relax and then next thing I know I was waking up in recovery! I do remember that the OR nurse was a quilter who had just finished her first king size quilt though.
The good news is I have not had any pain really. The worst thing is my abdominal muscles are not happy so changing positions is not too fun but last night I was able to sleep on my side for the first time so I slept better that I had been.
Miss Lucy is very happy to have her mommy sitting or lying around all the time so she can stay close! I have my daughter and niece here taking good care of me, making gooseberry jam, picking peas, watering the garden, making fancy dinners and fetching and carrying things for me. The doctor says no lifting for 8 weeks.
I am hoping today to actually start working on those 4 bindings as I watch TV so maybe I can get the girls to take some pictures of some finished quilts for me soon!
Sunday, July 15, 2012
Good Weekend
I got a good bit done this weekend and even had some time for reading!
Four loaves of bread came out of the oven yesterday and I got the kitchen tidied up some. Even cleaned out one of my cabinets!
While the bread was rising I swept the great room floor and started laying out a quilt. By the time I was done I had 4 quilts basted. I might have done more but I would have had to start piecing backs and I just wasn't in the mood!
When all that was done I decided I should get something done outside so I mowed inside the fence and then pulled out the weed-eater and ran through 2 tanks of gas. I was pleased with what I had gotten done and I was pooped!
After church this morning I headed into the sewing room to do some quilting. I quilted all four of the quilts that got basted yesterday. Nothing fancy but they are done!
My shoulders were a bit tight so I laid down and finished the second book in the Hunger Games series and then headed out to the garden. I did the last decent picking of strawberries and picked the peas. When all was said and done I had about 5 1/2 cups of shelled peas. Pretty exciting to get some home grown peas in the freezer!
After dinner I got the quilts trimmed and ready for their bindings. Should be able to get at least a couple of those on tomorrow after work.
This week I have a lot I need to get done including those bindings and weeding and roto-tilling the whole garden. It isn't bad but if it doesn't get done this week it will be out of control!
Four loaves of bread came out of the oven yesterday and I got the kitchen tidied up some. Even cleaned out one of my cabinets!
While the bread was rising I swept the great room floor and started laying out a quilt. By the time I was done I had 4 quilts basted. I might have done more but I would have had to start piecing backs and I just wasn't in the mood!
When all that was done I decided I should get something done outside so I mowed inside the fence and then pulled out the weed-eater and ran through 2 tanks of gas. I was pleased with what I had gotten done and I was pooped!
After church this morning I headed into the sewing room to do some quilting. I quilted all four of the quilts that got basted yesterday. Nothing fancy but they are done!
My shoulders were a bit tight so I laid down and finished the second book in the Hunger Games series and then headed out to the garden. I did the last decent picking of strawberries and picked the peas. When all was said and done I had about 5 1/2 cups of shelled peas. Pretty exciting to get some home grown peas in the freezer!
After dinner I got the quilts trimmed and ready for their bindings. Should be able to get at least a couple of those on tomorrow after work.
This week I have a lot I need to get done including those bindings and weeding and roto-tilling the whole garden. It isn't bad but if it doesn't get done this week it will be out of control!
Saturday, July 14, 2012
Some Quilt Pictures
The weather has warmed up here (as usual for our area, that happened on July 5) so I took some quilt tops out to the clothesline for a photo op. This is the one for my friend's Susan G. Komen fundraiser. The pattern is Christmas Ribbons from Kim Brackett's Scrap-Basket Surprises.
The pattern was for a wall hanging with about 10 blocks or something and I could make 57 blocks from the leftovers. I drew up an alternate layout and discovered I needed 59 blocks so I quickly made up two more blocks, found some fabric for the setting triangles and figured out how big they should be (thanks Bonnie Hunter of Quiltville for the formula for figuring that out) and started putting it together. Since this picture was taken I have gotten the strips sewn together but haven't moved on to the border since I need to do some more figuring so I can add red to the green to extend the points out into the border.
I finished up a second week of work and while I still am not excited about a full time job I am seriously considering a half time job. I just have to decide if I want to be a church secretary or a bookkeeper more. Each choice has its benefits so it is not an easy decision!
Today is a day to get things caught up around the house. We need bread and I have not had a day at home to make a batch or two; the kitchen is a fright as are several other rooms and maybe I can get a quilt or two basted. I would love to get 6 basted but we shall see if I have the time and energy!
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
Another Crazy Week (and a half)!
How time flies when you are crazy busy! Let's see, my niece, Brita, was here for most of a week. We didn't get great weather for working outside but we did get good sewing weather. I got two comfort quilt tops finished and Brita cut out two quilts I need to have done by August. The first was for the Olalla Bluegrass Festival and will hang on the stage behind the bands and other acts. At the end of the day they will auction it off to raise money for our local community club. The other is for my friend's Margarita Fundraising Party for the Susan G. Komen 3-Day. They are both from the same pattern but very different colors. I got one top done and the second one started before she headed back home to Idaho. The pattern we used creates leftover HSTs and Brita even trimmed all of those and I made them into some cute little blocks.
Well, Brita left on Sunday and on Monday, our oldest daughter and her husband arrived for the Holiday week. The kids had a sleepover at Katie's house and came over on Tuesday. I started my temporary job on Monday and boy, do I know why I don't want a full-time job anymore! We had a fun day on the 4th and celebrated our granddaughter's 4th birthday (her actual birthday is today). I made her birthday cake - very similar to her brother's half-birthday cake last month - SPIDERS!
Our gift for her was this little shirt and tu-tu that I made out of tulle, ribbons and pom-poms. She is a twirling dancer, nothing she likes more than spinning round and round!
I realized I hadn't gotten around to posting a picture of this little quilt. It is the one I made as a retirement gift for the person whose job I am doing now. She is a huge fan of Orcas so found a picture online and adapted it for this quilt. She was pleased with her gift.
I am hoping to get caught up to date but I think it will have to wait until tomorrow or the next day!
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