Translate

Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Messages heard

One of my daily emails shared these quotes for today.
 
 
"Activity is not achievement.
It is not enough to rush about beginning a lot of things and keeping busy.
A well-spent life is one that rounds out what it has begun."
-- Eknath Easwaran


"Genius begins great works; labor alone finishes them."
-- Joseph Joubert

"Good to begin well, better to end well."
-- English proverb


Is the universe or someone trying to tell me something?    lol


 
 
FOLLOW THROUGH AND COMPLETE

Intention and the words we speak are powerful. When we say we are going to do something, we set energy in motion. When we fail to act or complete our intention, we drain our energy. We lose our power.

We would be wise to choose our words carefully -- to really mean what we say and to honour the commitments we have made.

 

A Listening Jane





 

Monday, May 27, 2013

Thanks and Honors Given



Freedom isn't free......

Thanks and Honor are given to those that gave their all.


Jane

PS:  Patriotic patterns at Michele's blog

Sunday, May 26, 2013

Stash Report #21, 2013

Just a touch of that Green will be used in June for another challenge I'm participating with "Tammy"!
and the other two were because I loved them.
So much has been going on STILL!  but I  am longing, hoping and aiming for quieter times.  I will just  catchup on my stash report today and let those other missed weeks' worth slide.  I will include all those numbers and compile them with this report.   

Stash In: 18.25 Yards
Stash Out: 0 Yards

YTD In: 72.50 Yards
YTD Used/Out the Door: 34.5 yards


That's a stash gain of 38 yards for this year.
Scottie, my thrusters are at capacity and they're in reverse for my stash usage!  
 
See how much better other bloggers are faring with their stash reports over at Judy's  blog.  Though I did have some bright spots by shopping while handling everything around here.  DH's surgery was a success, as was a medical test of mine, court handled well and the other appointments met with glad tidings.  For the calendar this week, we're catching our breath and will resume our more normal, typical routines.   We still don't know if we'll be heading to Boston for a pretransplant Cardiac workup for DH, we'll find that out in several weeks but we are ever hopeful that it'll be put off for several more years if needed at all with this most recent surgery this past  Thursday. 

Ahhhh..... peace!   Amongst all the traveling,  appointments, scheduled and non planned I was also on a quest to find 2 yards more of that Dimples Brown I need to finish the camper quilt,  I blogged about on the last post, What I found instead were some lovely fabrics that ended up coming home with me.  Many backgrounds while shopping with my Cousin Diane after our guild and a lunch, besides that new background from the Indian Summer line that's so unique, backing for the camper quilt, some lovely browns for the Charlotte Baskets (aka Bonnie Hunter class I attended on the 10th), a lovely eye-glasses fabric and the lime green from the Stitched in Color line both are fabrics that I adore, oh what a happy girl I am and one who managed all that was  thrown at her with just a bit of shopping.  lol    It is one of my coping skills did you know?  And one that I also need to control.  LOL 
 
 
Basket blocks done in a Bonnie Hunter workshop, May 2013
Adding to my background stash, I never seem to have enough lights!

 
 
 
 
  
 
But it could have been so much worse, there is a wicked deal on a Bernina 830 that I did walk past, though 4 years at zero financing made it hard.  But truth be known, I would rather have a true long arm machine, either a sit down one or a free arm one rather than a slightly bigger harped machine with all the bells and whistles  even though I do love my Berninas. 
 
 
Maybe someday I can find the right financing for a Millennium George or perhaps a Handiquilter 18 that will fit my budget and be just the right circumstances for me to purchase one.  Whenever that occurs I'll need to find the right space here to accommodate it
 
 
My cousin and I both bought this pattern and hers is done already! 
She gave it to her Mom for Mother's Day, Showoff!!  lol

 
 
 
That camper quilt top is put together and I'd like to get the borders on when I find that Hershey bar colored chocolate brown dimples.  Today is paperwork time so I'll spend some of the time to finish my quest for that dimples.  No local shops carry it and the one I initially bought it  at only had the rustier brown version on their shelves .  And that was in a 3 week time interval, not years which is usually so typical for me! 
 


I also kept in mind the next projects I'd like to focus on for my New FOs and list of four for June.  Some other fabrics were for the Cardinal Patchability besides buying  another 2 patterns that  I 'd like to do hopefully this year if not the next. 






A pin cushion for my SIL who provides us with
dozens of farm fresh eggs from her girls. 
Those feathers might by the Cat's meow for it too!


 

Border, background and print  fabric for this NewFO I'd like to do in June.
That border has a Frank Lloyd Wright style to it that appeals to me.
and I may have to place those Cardinals on a birch limb since that is where they perch here.
 
My sewing room is in disarray and am unsure whether to try to tame it down, or just throw it all in a super large tote so I can find some time to play on these 2 days off without grandchildren.    It's raining here and thank goodness too or I'd be out in the yard taking care of other chores. 
Enjoy your Sunday and the long Holiday weekend,
 and Thanks for stopping by. 
 
Jane


Monday, May 13, 2013

On the wire....

Talking about my deadline for the "It's for the Birds Blog Hop" that is.    I just finished assembling the top just 10 minutes before the stroke of twelve and I am trying to post this ASAP without too many typos or grammatical errors, I HOPE!  



Please accept my apologies Mary and Madamme Samm for being so last minute with this one.  Between Dr's Appointments, family commitments, quilt classes (Yes, I had two full day classes recently which I'll share on another day/post - they were with Pam Druhen and Bonnie Hunter) grandchildren and children spending several hours here today to celebrate Mothers day, besides being away, all of it took a toll on my project's process.   Of course starting it in the first of May didn't help my case out either!


 
 
My  inspiration came from this fabric. 
I Just love how many different birds are graffiti printed on this fabric and those colors, YUMM!   Birdie fathers, offspring of babies and younger birds, besides  a Momma bird which is so apropro for today, Mother's Day .  It couldn't be more perfect.   The different colorations, directions and sizes capture the elements of my family which I value highly.

 
I fell in love with this graffiti stylized bird print several months ago.  Since one of my LQS was having  their anniversary salelast month, I snapped up about 9 yeards total of this print and some coordinating fabrics that I've been lusting wishing for but wouldn't allow myself to buy.
The fabric line is called Love Lives Here by P. Carter Carpin for P&B Textiles.  Ahhh.. so dreamy,  romantic and yet wonky!  Just like my family,  lol.
 
So without further adieau- Here's the quilt top I made for "It's For the Birds!" blog hop.
 
 
Not being sure which pattern I'd use either until I ran across a recent catalog from Connecting Threads.   On page 22,  a Jane Hardy Miller had a pattern and/or kit available called Stacked Blox Crib Quilt
 
In a previous post I mentioned that her kit with the pattern was  crib size and that wouldn't work for the queen bed for the master bedroom in the camper.  So a lot of math was called for and Voila!  The top for our camper quilt is done. 
 
 
 
I will be adding a border on three sides which will be that soft blue color, second from the bottom on that stacked blocks on the right.  I also ran into a problem of not having enough of that Dimple dot brown to finish the borders in how I sketched it out, so I'll be getting more of that next week when we go for DH's surgery out of state.   
 
The blocks finished at 12" and with the layout in a 5 X 8 block grid, this is the perfect size for the camper's master bed.  The colors will go nicely with it too without being too matchy.  ;-) 
With borders it should finish 80" x 94", a very comfortable quilt.
Thanks for stopping by and if you have time, please check out the other bloggers who are participating with this hop. 

 
Monday, May 13
 
Tuesday, May 14

Wednesday, May 15

 
Thanks Madamme Samm for thinking of another fun hop and thanks too for  Mary for being such a gracious cheerleader.
 
You may ask what's up next for me?  Well, going to bed is first on my agenda then maybe tomorrow I can find the time to check my email which has been neglected since last Wednesday,  press this top so it lays better, make some jello since I need to only have clear liquids and food for Monday beside s the grands, etc....
 
I hope everyone was blessed with a wonderful Mother's Day!
 
Jane
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Petition for Google Reader to Stay....

Found a link of a petition for Google Reader to stay.
Can be found here.


So far there are 151,014 signatures, I wonder what number needs to be reached for google reader to say there are enough people using this service.    Please help out.

Sunday, May 5, 2013

Stash Report #18, 2013

The stash numbers this week continue showing more of the stash getting used, Yippee!  
it also shows more being purchased as well, a Double Yippee!!  
(sometimes there's just nothing better than a little retail therapy!) 
 
With finishing those three pillows and the linings for them all, it pushed it to three yards used for the projects finished this week.  But, I also bought another 6.5 yards while being in Vermont this past Wednesday for DH's appointment.  He's in heart failure and thankfully a heart transplant will be a ways off, we continue to hope and pray that it's even years before he needs one, if at all.  We'll know better after this next procedure and the post procedural appointment.  His Ejection Fracture which is his cardiac output is in the pits,  his current numbers are 10-15, that range is minimal (normal ranges are 52-77).  The Doctor thinks another Ventricular lead for his pacer defibrillator may be a benefit, but can't give any guarantees.  He explained it by saying that with a quad lead attachment of this one Ventricular lead, it will afford the Doctors some ability to further tweak his cardiac output.  AND by replacing this ventricular lead we were hopeful that the lead being replaced was the one on the Medtronics recall list, sadly it 's not.  Anyway, he'll be having that done whenever they schedule it and let us know.    So sewing helps keep me sane whenever I can find the time or should i say make the time.  You can be sure I'll have some handwork ready to take with me while he's in the Hospital out of state.   Sorry for so much information, but my fingers did the talking for me  and I allowed them sometimes you just need to vent.

Now back to my  stash report, with my fabric gain, two yards of the new stuff  has already been sliced up and is currently being used.  I also am taking a Bonnie Hunter class through my guild this week, so I picked up a few items for that.  The rest of my purchase will go for the "For the Birds Blog Hop" that is happening this and next week. Mary from I piece 2 is our cheerleader and this hop is another brainchild of Madamme Samm of Sew We Quilt.  can you just imagine being able to creep into her brain and see how it works?  What a creative and gracious lady!  Her Quilt Diva that she made has been sold and the profits are going for another sewing machine to help out ladies in need.

Oh where does the time go?  Boy, I need to get ready for all of those events and soon!  So, without further adieu, my report is:

Stash In: 6.5 Yards
Stash Out: 3 Yards

YTD In: 54.25 Yards
YTD Used/Out the Door: 34.5 yards

That's a stash gain of 19.75 yards for this year.
 
 
 
Actually I did start A New FO for May yesterday. It wasn't even on my list of 12 for 2013, just something that caught my eye and lit my fuse, opps, I meant lit up my muse.   LOL  Though I've used up 2 yards of a dark brown dimple dot by Gail Kessler from Andover fabrics that was just purchased, I can't consider any of that used for the stash report until the project is finished.  The brown  is just the sashing pieces running through out the quilt. Want a peek? 

 

No, the brown fabric shown is not the dimple dot, this is another brown I'm using on the same project.
A pattern I saw in a magazine which finished at 40"X50" and wouldn't work for a full/queen bed I loved.  The pattern didn't list any other dimensions for it, so I refigured the pattern with my own dimensions to make it similiar to the stacked blocks bsby quilt, but finishing the top section in a 60"x74" before adding any borders.  We'll see when I finish assembling it together how it needs to proceed, it's aWIP now.  
 
I started some of my Spring cleaning, starting with the foyer and Dining Room.  Need to get to that front porch too.  It's so dirty and dusty from these winter months, the siding looks so bad it looks like I'll have to chisel the dirt off.  Since I don't want the cart before the horse, I'll wait to do the windows until DH gets the siding washed.  No since doing a job twice if you can do it once.  I'll have to request that chore higher on his list, perhaps this week.  Even knowing that by doing that, it'll be on my list of chores since he can't do it without me helping.  Can't wait to get the crud off these windows and let the sun shine through.  There's something uplifting to me about clean windows.
 
Looks like Spring has finally decided to arrive in these parts.  
My daffodils are blooming, the hyacinths have bloomed and a forsythia bush is also starting to make it's presence known, but that is all so far.  
 
As for outside work, the list is long.

 

regular sized Jonquils
Multi flowered tete a tete daffodils, so sweet.



Allelulia, first of May,
Outside playing begins that day!
 
 
 
 
I did throw some pansies into the planters on the back deck just to have a bit of color while the temps. are still too risky for the other types of flowers I usually keep in them.  It makes it nicer during our breaks with ice water to rest. 
See all those plants on the bench part?  More outside playing when I know it won't be killed by the frost.  The deals were too good to pass up.  Even though they may die back, I am a gardener at heart and know the efforts will be worth it next year even if that happens. 

What else has been going on?
More playing with the grandchildren. 

Cupcakes turned more into a science experiment with color. 
We only used yellow, red and green with varying intensities and mixing those bits together too.  Just see all those colors. 
Don't look to close though, I wouldn't want you to lose your dinner.  lol 
The kids  loved doing them and eating them too, happy day.


 
 
 
While in a neighboring state for DH's Doctors appointment,  I saw a store sample of a frairie garden.
We picked up the necessary supplies thinking that PGD#1 would love to craft this. 
She's always looking for projects to make or do together. 
 
So I explained the order of how and snipped some of the larger plantings to be individual and smaller sized trees and bushes for her and let her go to town.  She placed the lights on the fence, laid the base layer of plastic vegetation and then played with the best scenerio for the little trees, mushooms and Miss Fairie. 
 
Tried to get a better photo showing the lights, but it wasn't happening.
She did it all by herself.
Isn't it beautiful!
Just Perfect!
Mostly it sits on the coffee table in the Living Room and while it's lit at night, those little lights shine and it's restful.
For the photo, I placed it on the dining room table where there was better lighting.
I really should let her take it home,
but I did ask her to make it for Papi and Meme.
Thankfully, she complied nicely so I will keep it.
Geting off this computer and on to some paperwork  calling my name.
Have a Good night and
Enjoy your week,
Jane


This will be starting soon.....

Tuesday, May 7

 
Wednesday, May 8

Thursday, May 9

Friday, May 10
Monday, May 13

Tuesday, May 14
 
Wednesday, May 15
 
 
Can't wait to see all the creativity these bloggers will share, the projects are always so versatile and it's enjoyable to meet new friends along the way.