A Major Milestone - Sylvia's Bridal Sampler

I have just reached a major milestone in my Sylvia's Bridal Sampler quilt.  I started it on April 16, 2009 with a large group of ladies.  We were to do a random block every week.  The "cheerleader" sent us an e-mail with which block to make and tips to make it.  The e-mails stopped in February, 2012. Several have finished; most haven't. 

There are 140 blocks, finished to 6" each.  I have completed 100 blocks; 40 left to do.  Anyway~~~~~~

 

I HAVE COMPLETELY SEWN HALF OF THE QUILT!

 

I am so excited I can hardly stand it.  It really is pretty.  My husband usually just says "that's nice".  But tonight he said "Wow...that's really pretty.  Very nice."  All of it is scraps except for the sashing, cornerstones (pink) and the back~~it will be plain muslin. 

 

Please leave a comment.

New Post

Last night I went to my local quilt guild meeting and got a gentle nudge from someone that reminded me that I hadn't blogged for awhile.

So while listening to the debates, I will write!

My trip to Texas was good.  I saw my friend and members of her family~~her son from Atlanta was there on business and stayed to see us, and her daughter with her 2 small twins came for dinner~~, played bridge, with my old bridge group, did NOT go to the steak restaurant I referenced, and had a good time with my daughter.  We went to La Madelaine for lunch twice...caesar salad, tomato basil soup, and strawberries Romanov.  When I lived there, the strawberries Romanov were served in a lovely big wine glass.  Nope...now they're just plopped in a dish.  But the soup tasted the same and so did the salad.  This is the ONLY time I eat tomato soup.  This is the bestest!  Sorry Campbell's.

We had dinner with another friend of mine and her significant other and she gave me a LOVELY bracelet from Tiffany.  She knows how much I love blue, but I still don't know why she did this for me.  I did accept it graciously, but wow!


I haven't done any sewing since I've been back.  Just not in the mood.  But I'm still working on Sylvia's Bridal Sampler (I have only 40 more blocks to make and then put the damn thing quilt together) and while in Texas I did some work on the big star quilt from the previous postings. 

I have to get my butt in gear and get moving on these projects.  I'm tired of looking at them!

Going to Dallas

I leave tomorrow for Dallas to visit my daughter and a very dear friend who is very ill.  I'll be there for four days.  I hope the weather is nice.  Hopefully, I'll get to eat at one of my favorite restaurants~~Del Friscos Double Eagle.  HUGE yummy tender steaks...my daughter and I could split one and we'd both be happy.



Only 7 more to go!

Had a great sewing day yesterday at the Chandler Police Station.  Great ladies and beautiful projects in progress.  Made a big star block.    Yeah!  Been working on this quilt since we moved here two years ago.  I have -2- made now...need total of 9. 

Stash report - Week 36

Yds used this past Week 9/2/2012	0.25
Yds used year to Date	26.25
Yds added this Week	8
Yds added Year to Date	16
Yds net Used for 2012	-18.25

Not too bad!  Haven't added too much this year so far.  I'm sure that, in the past, it was much worse!

Not doing much today.  Kinda icky outside.  More laundry and more sewing for sure.

Happy Sunday!

Stash report - Week 27

Yds used this past Week 6/24/2012	0
Yds used year to Date	26
Yds added this Week	4
Yds added Year to Date	8
Yds net Used for 2012	-22

OK...so I added some more fabric.  I was in CA on my yearly retreat and I needed more shirtings for a quilt I'm working on.  I couldn't go any further because I ran out.  What was I supposed to do?  I want to finish this quilt!  Here is a picture of the block.  I just love it.

I stayed at my friend's house before and after the retreat.  I have my own little room, the dog comes and visits me there, we get to eat outside, good food, lovely wine.  Doesn't get much better than that.

The retreat was at Sonoma State University.  It's always quite lovely there.  We have a routine:  leave around 10:00 am, stop at Quilted Angel quilt shop in Petaluma, go to a fish and chips restaurant in Santa Rosa for lunch, then on to the retreat.  We get there just in time to get into the rooms.  Then nothing but sewing, laughing, and having a good time for 3.5 days.  I really miss these women.  Moving is so hard and now I'm going thru the "breaking away" stage.  I'm beginning to feel left out.  I know this is a natural progression of moving, but I still feel bad.  But my group still Skype sews with me once a month and that's good.  So someone will have to come here for a visit or I just wait and bear until next year's retreat to see them in person!

Please leave a comment!  Happy Sunday~~first day of July.

Phoenix Zoo

DH and I went to the Phoenix zoo today.  It was a lovely Phoenix day~~meaning under 100!!  Slight breeze.  Lots of crazy people out today.  Sheesh!  Here are some photos...leave a comment.

Braces

Got braces today...for the 2nd time in my life.  Wow...I remember the discomfort...the first time was 35 yrs ago.  They came off in July, 1977~~one month before my daughter was born.  Eating dinner was painful; chose food that was not soft enough.  Tomorrow will be soup! 

At least my mouth pain will take my mind off my back pain!!  :)

And it's hot here...108^o today.  Yuck.  POOL!

Leave a comment...

This week

This has been an interesting week.

• We had -7- baby ducklings in the pool for a day.  So cute!
• I was at the grocery store and saw -5- hunkie firefighters!
• Last week I had a more in-depth mammo and was given a clean bill of health.  Found out today that the radiologist made a mistake and she wants me to have the ultrasound.  Now I'm freakin out.

Have a good weekend.

Week 18 Stash Report - 4/22/2012

Yds used this past Week 4/22/2012	8
Yds used year to Date	25
Yds added this Week	4
Yds added Year to Date	4
Yds net Used for 2012	-21

Had to buy fabric to use as a backing.  I know I said this was a "no buy" year, but this fit my criteria as being for a gift so it's OK and really doesn't count for THAT category...in MY mind anyway!!

Life

You know, it just never stops.  It's always one thing after another. 

Last Thursday my DH had some minor foot surgery.  It went well.  However, the next day, he was in so much pain I had to take him to the dr. office to get shots of novacaine in his foot.  Much better! 

Last night somehow, out toilet base completely cracked and broke.  We have to have a new toilet.  The plumber is here and of course our house was made on the cheap and the flange in the floor is wrong and we gotta pay extra and it's a big expense and mess and just something else that I don't need to deal with or pay for.

It's always something.  I'm so upset I can't even type any more than this.
********************************************************************************************

PS. And then this evening, I went to straighten up the bedding on the bed. The BRAND NEW mattress on the side my DH sleeps on is bulging out on the side. Something else I have to deal with.

It's just so damn frustrating. But, I know people who have it worse off than me, but I'm at my personal capacity for crap.

Anniversary

Today is my 23rd wedding anniversary. 

Friend visit + food

I have a friend coming for a visit tomorrow.  We're going to make tomato aspic.  Now, no one that I know likes this...my sister, daughter, and husband hate it.  My g'ma, mother, and I LOVE it.  It's a molded salad made with lemon jello, tomato juice, celery, canned peas, canned asparagus, and "scraped onion".  She then served it with a dollop of mayonnaise mixed with a little bit of French salad dressing.  It was a beautiful color!

My g'ma lived upstairs from my family.  She would serve this molded salad to her lady friends when they came over to play bridge.  They had wonderful names...Hortense, Aurelia (she wore the most amazing high heels), and Mabel.  Yes, Mabel.  They all smoked...except my g'ma.  They all got completely SOUSED on whiskey highballs...except my g'ma.  They were a hoot!  When I was maybe 8 or 9 yrs old, I was invited upstairs to have lunch with these ladies.  I'll never forget it...smoke hung heavy in the air mixed with their perfume and whiskey highballs.  OH. MY. GOODNESS.

I really miss these times in my life.  I remember them fondly and I keep realizing that they have molded me and affected me greatly.  For those who know me...yes, I have the molds AND all the table linens AND all the dishes she used for these luncheons.  NO...I don't have the decks of cards...ha ha!

I'll post pictures later.

Travel

Here I am in MN for a week. Left Tuesday afternoon. The flight was thankfully uneventful. I'm at my sister's house with her terrific dog , Jasper. Got off the plane and had my first walleye of the trip. Tonight was Carbone's pizza. Nothing else like it.

Brought some UFOs to work on while I'm by myself while she's at work. I am borrowing a sewing machine. I hate that I do that but it beats lugging mine on the plane.

I am here for the funeral and family gathering of my Uncle Bern. He was my mothers last surviving sibling, youngest of the family. He would have been 90 on March 22. I will miss him and the era that has ended with his passing.

Ack

It's been quite the week...or at least the last few days. 

I wanted a turkey...to eat...not take care of. 
So I went to the grocery stores and couldn't find one in the brand that I like so I ended up getting a store brand one.  I'm cooking it today and let me tell you, so far I'm not impressed.  The inside of it was so unclean and it still had some small feathers in it.  So I washed it out VERY well and took a pliers and plucked out the feathers.  I'm a little apprehensive about how it's going to turn out.  But we'll see in another 4-5 hours.

Mid-morning on Friday, my sister called and said that my mother's last living sibling had died the hour before.  I feel lost; empty.  I grew up with him.  He was a part of our lives.  He lived in the same town and was over at our house alot.  We went over to his family's house alot.  He was always funny and so nice to us all.  I'll miss you, Uncle Bern.  I want to go to the services, but ticket prices are so outrageous, I just can't get there.  But I'll keep trying.

Later that same day, Friday, I was walking on our tile floor to the garage to get a can of pop.  I slipped on the tile and went down...hard...on my left knee and hip.  I don't remember falling, but the pain was excrutiating.  It was funny...my cats came around me while I was down...they were pacing around me.  They looked very worried.  I've been in alot of pain since then.  Still moving around though, but slowly.  Knee is very colorful and has a big goose egg.  Pretty.  And my left back/side is very sore...wrenched it badly.  But Advil is helping during the day and some hydrocodone at bedtime lets me sleep. 

Week 9 Stash report

Here is my week 9 stash report

Yds used this past Week 2/19/2012	4
Yds used year to Date	17
Yds added this Week	0
Yds added Year to Date	0
Yds net Used for 2012	-17

Not much else to report...just waiting for the Oscars show to start tonight.

And...A Finished Object (FO)

When we moved from CA to AZ August of 2010, I brought my sewing machines and some scraps with me in the car and not in the moving van.  I started this quilt while we lived in a corporate-sponsored apartment while we got the lay of the land and looked for a house.

So finally, this week, I finished this quilt.  I love the scraps and it's very YELLOW...hence the name Lemon Zest.  I couldn't get a picture to show exactly how yellow it is.  I quilted it on the longarm with a pantograph pattern called Popcorn and a lovely varigated sage thread.  I usually don't do pantographs...don't like working from the back of the machine.  And after this, I've decided I REALLY don't like them!  But it went fast and I learned alot. 

So here it is...in all its yellow gloriousness...can I get a WHOOP WHOOP!!!

Enjoy...leave a comment please!

What a great afternoon today!

This past Tuesday my daughter, who lives in Dallas, called me and said that Leslie Blodgett~~grand exhalted poobah of Bare Escentuals~~will be at MY MALL today from 6-7 PM! Please go for me, she said. OK...I agreed. Well, my daughter posted on Leslie's Facebook page that I would be there to see her. We discussed exactly what I would wear and even the jewlery.

So I leave my house at 4:30; get to the mall. The girls at the store take my name and check me off the list. One of them looks up and says "Are you the mom?" Yes I am! She turns around and says to everyone else...Hey...it's the mom from the FB page! 

So I hang around, have them put makeup on my eyes (which I hardly ever wear), and just wait for Leslie. She shows up...she's amazing. Whoop whoop! She starts talking about all the current products and new products and such. Then she said we could start taking pictures with her. I stand in line...I get up to Leslie...the mgr of the store says to her...This is the Facebook mom! Leslie says OH WOW~~what a nice thing to do, aren't you a good mom...etc. And I got a great picture with Leslie. My daughter was OVER THE MOON!   It really is a good picture. It was a great afternoon. Thank you, Leslie.

Another Sunday night

Didn't have a very good day today.  But it will be better tomorrow.  It's all relative, right?  I needed to wash my good comforter and it was too big for the washing machine.  Water all over the laundry room floor.  Everything I sewed wasn't right and had to rip it out.

But something I did do today turned out OK...so far.  I love love LOVE Laura Calder on the Cooking Channel.  I love the background music; I love how she talks~~SO French!!  Her show is French Food at Home.  She makes it look so easy.  Anyway, I made one of her items tonight for dessert...Chaussons aux Pommes...basically sauted apples in puff pastry.  SO yummy~~Here's the recipe

No stash change to report today.  But it's day 50 with no-fabric purchase.  Yeah and boo.

Glad you stopped by...leave a comment.

Sunday

It's Sunday night.  My day of Skype sewing with my group from CA was terrific.  I always like getting together with them even if it's over the wires.  I'm missing the comraderie that I had with that group.  Haven't found it here yet where I"m living now.  I just gotta keep trying. 

Sitting here watching the Grammy's.  I miss Prince's strong presence at this ceremony.  He used to rock the house.  And I miss Michael.  Although with both of them absent from the stage maybe some others will have a chance.  I'm not dissing anyone, but some of this music I just don't get.  Don't understand the words, can't dance to it, and there's no beat.  I give it a "2".  Give me the 50's, 60's, or disco any day.  THAT you can dance to and the only song you really couldn't understand the words to was "Louie Louie"!!!!  GREAT song though! 

And what about Whitney?  So tragic and sad and totally unnecessary.  It didn't have to happen at all.

Didn't have a stash report today.  Didn't use much last week.  Mostly quilting on the longarm.  Hope to get the binding on Lemon Zest this week.  Then I'm done with it and on to the bed it goes.  Use it for awhile before it gets too damn hot here in Arizona. 

Tuesday

No sewing for the past couple days.  Didn't do much today either.  Went to the dentist to have the permanent crown put on.  Man...was that tooth sensitive.  They had to numb me up before they could work on it.  I spent the rest of the afternoon in pain.  Usually putting the permanent crown on doesn't bother me, but sheesh!

And...38 days with no fabric purchase!  :)

Week 6 stash report

I haven't done much this week. Battled a headache for almost 3 days. It's yucky. I hate headaches. Anyway, I did make the binding for Lemon Zest. Here's my numbers~~

Yds used this past Week 1/29/2012	1
Yds used year to Date	13
Yds added this Week	0
Yds added Year to Date	0
Yds net Used for 2012	-13

Happy sewing and just wait for the Super Bowl commercials.  I think they're hysterical!

Please leave a comment and thanks!

Difficult thing today

I did a very difficult thing today. 

I have a tendancy to keep things.  No, I'm not a hoarder.  Both my mother and her mother are gone.  I have several large sets of china from my grandmother plus some of her furniture.  I have many items that belonged to my mother.  I have a hard time discarding these items because I feel such a strong connection/attachment to them.  I grew up with these THINGS.  Yes, I know that all the memories are in my head and I don't actually need the items, but still.  I feel like I'm letting these people down if I don't keep them.

I have my mother's wedding dress.  She always said the color was "Candle Glow".  It's kind of a pinkish-ivory.  It's a lovely color~~even still.  Today, I took that dress that she kept all those years since Sept 27, 1952 and cut off the lace, took all the tulle of the veil off the cap, cut off the buttons/loops from the tulle sleeves and threw the rest away~~garment bag and all.  GOD...I FEEL TERRIBLE!  Maybe someday I'll feel lighter; relieved. But right now I feel like crap. 

I want to get some lovely velvet and make a pillow for me and for my daughter.  I just told her about it and she said that would be wonderful; what a good idea.  And she told me that g'ma would be OK with this.  That helped. 

Week 5 stash report

Still plugging away at Lemon Zest.  Finishing up piecing the top and the back.  Gotta buy batting...Hobbs 80/20.  That's NOT fabric...right???  So...day 29 with no fabric purchase and below is my stash report for Week 5.


Happy sewing...please leave a comment.

Used this Week 1/22/2012	6
Used year to Date	12
Added this Week	0
Added Year to Date	0
Net Used for 2012	-12

OW

I went to the dentist yesterday to start work on a new crown.  I was there for -2- hours.  My mouth was and is still very sore and tender.  Couldn't sleep.  Have to go back in -2- weeks for the permanent crown to be cemented on.  I don't mind going to the dentist, but I really hate the soreness.  Advil today.

My Friday

My husband was supposed to be on vacation during Christmas, but alas, he took calls and meetings.  So he arranged to take today as a day of vacation and we drove to the 2012 Tucson guild quilt show.  It was a very nice show.  There were some amazing quilts.   I'd post pictures, but I don't want to spoil it for people who are going but haven't been. 

**AND YOU'D BE SO PROUD OF ME...I DIDN'T BUY ANY FABRIC**

Deep down inside, that's just so wrong!  But now it's Day 20 of 365 with no fabric purchase.   I did buy rotary cutter blades~~5 for $23.  I thought a very good deal. 

Tonight I'm pressing the inner border fabric for "Lemon Zest".  But first, I cleaned my iron. It sure was dirty and boy did it smoke.  Good thing I did it in the kitchen by the stove and the ventilation hood.  But now it's shiny and looks kinda like new!  It's a Rowenta steam generator.  I just love it.

Happy sewing.

The Pork Shop

Hope all is well wherever you are.

This past Saturday my husband and I went to The Pork Shop in Queen Creek, AZ to pick up some more lucious pork products.  (They are not paying me). 

This place is amazing. Pork everywhere. We bought several pkgs of pork loin chops, a pork roast, and some sausage.  After having this meat, I refuse to buy pork in the grocery stores.  Isn't she cute?  Her eyelashes are amazing!

We have also found a beef place in Mesa, AZ where you can actually BUY prime-grade beef.  I got my Christmas standing rib roast there.  You used to be able to get it in the grocery store, but now the best they carry is select grade.  The grocery store butcher meat guy always tells me you can't taste the difference.  YES YOU CAN!!!

When we lived in Wichita, KS we would go to the Mennonite butcher shop in Yoder.  The best  beef ever.  It wasn't governed by the USDA and there were no chemicals or anything foreign fed to the cattle.  Yes, you CAN really taste the difference. 

Today is day 18 without a fabric purchase.  Keep on sewing!

Sunday Night + Stash report

Dinner is over, dishes are done.  I'm sitting watching the Golden Globes. 

I love Ricky Gervais.  Funny and dashing.  He's so irreverent. 

I spent the day cutting up my Christmas fabric into 10" squares.  I've always liked the quilts made with the Twister tool.  They have not paid me...just giving you the link.  So...that's what I did today.

http://www.country-schoolhouse.com/twister_tool.htm

Went to Sit and Sew last night and started Block 5 of my Civil War BOM.  All those HSTs are driving me nuts. 

Here's some pictures of my Christmas fabric piles.  I'll finish cutting them up tomorrow. My stash report is

Used this Week: 6 yards
Used year to Date: 6 yards
Added this Week: 0 yards
Added Year to Date: 0 yards
Net Used for 2012: 6 yards

Have a good evening.  Please leave a comment.

Cute new thing

No...I don't mean me! 

I saw this yesterday somewhere on the net and had to do it.  I needed some cheering up today so I went to a local antique mall, found this cute little dish.  Went to Wal-Mart and bought the magnets and Krazy Glue. 

Sheesh~~this is SO much better than that big blue pin magnet thingy.  You know what I'm talking about.  Total cost~$7.00. 

Tell me what you think!

 

What are you going to do today?

I have a dentist appt today.  Just a cleaning.  I LOVE going to the dentist. 

I also plan on doing some sewing.  Work on Lemon Zest.  I've run out of 2" squares from me and my friends.  So I've begged from folks on Quiltville group on Yahoo.  Many have come to my rescue.  I love the quilting community. 

Depression has reared its ugly head today.  In a deep funk right now.  Hope it lightens up. 

How do you like my new grab button?  Let me know...leave a comment.  

Oh...and day 11 with no fabric purchase.

Sunday Sewing

Happy Sunny Sunday!

I"ve been sewing yesterday and today.  I have a pork shoulder in the crock pot.  The house smells good.

I finished Month 4 of the Civil War Chronicles quilt.  It's very dark.  But it has purple in it so it should be OK.  I've taken it off the design wall so I can continue working on my "Lemon Zest" quilt. 

It's yellow!  I want to get it finished so I can use it!  I've got a really cute back for it.  It has cupcakes on it.  But I need more 2" squares for the outer borders.  I'll need to do some more begging.

That's all for now. 

Oh...Day 8 with no fabric purchase! 

What are you going to do today?

DAY 3 OF NO FABRIC PURCHASE YEAR. 

So far, this has been easy!  I haven't left the house!  But I have to today.  Gotta go grocery shopping.  Then come home and clean up the house a little and then on to some sewing.  Will probably work on Civil War blocks.

Tucson quilt show coming up on Jan 20 weekend.  Husband is going to take Jan 20 off so we can go on that Friday.  Supposed to be the biggest show in Arizona.

Bought my airline ticket for my CA guild's annual retreat at Sonoma State.  Now I just have to wait until June!

What are you going to do today?  :)

First post of 2012

Hello to you all! 

Daughter went home yesterday.  All holiday decor is put away until next year.  It looks like it never happened! 

We're both still pretty sick.  Coughing coughing coughing.

My resolution for this year is I'm going to TRY to not buy any fabric unless the project is a gift.  I've got plenty to work with already.

So...Day 2 of 365...no fabric purchase