Desires for December

With the major Holiday fast approaching there's a calmness I have with knowing that all will get done.  Just by doing bits at a time, it will be achievable, hehe.....(and delegating)

                      it's the same principal as how I mention how do you eat an elephant?

                              One Bite At a Time!  (Or as with Trudy, moving that paper clip)

That being said there seems to be more done when I list my intentions down and this will be my format this year.

• This week I plan on getting the outdoors decorations up like the wreaths, garland and even candles in the windows.  Then I'll start the Christmas cards and greetings. 
• Of course there will be shopping, cooking, and candy making included for tasks needing done.
• As for traveling, we need to visit the eldest grandson at his school in Ma., Christmas concerts (I love!!), Christmas Services, Holiday parties and gatherings with friends I also love.
• Taking care of all of that besides progressing on my creative endeavors and the want to get done lists.  So the December's list in that arena will contain:

1- Quilt that Horse quilt PGD#1 made for the boy in Nicaragua. This I'll slate as my December's challenge for ALYOF.  It is resting on the sewing table relaxing so I hope to get to that this coming week.   YIPPEE! Done, see this link...
2- Teach PGD#1 how to bind it.   Done on the above link and project.
3- Quilt then Bind the Community Project quilt for WFQG.
4- Stitch four more blocks on the current CXS Lizzie Kate, Winter Alphabet.  Progressing nicely.
5- Make 2 more doll/stuffed animal quilts. 
6- Start the new QAL with Bonnie Hunter Mystery, Grand Illusion. Yep, going to jump on that boat and try to keep up with the steps for each week. Maybe not get all the units sewn but started so it'll be in bits unti I can get caught up, I have to be realistic about this. Perhaps a baby quilt size.......hehehe.  Also am thinking of changing the colors a bit too time wll tell, Yellow, pink red and green with the black and white sounds yummy doesn't it.  
7- Make trash containers for the car, these should be such a quick project that I'll use this project as my NewFO for December, the last one, she's giving these up to concentrate on UFOs next year.  Barb Stanbro who has been hosting this at Cat Patches blog gets so much accomplished each month.  She's amazing.  If you have time, check out her posts and the quilting she's currently doing on the "Gardeners Quilt". 
8- Using another wild card or 2,3  4  for myself as my #8 entry, making things like a tea cozy, assist making a Library card holder and bag for PGD#1, new table runner with a Christmas fabrics for Living Room,  etc....  we'll see.
9- Exercise 20 minutes a day at least for 5 days a week.
Could you tell I was an over achiever in school? It's either that or am I just plain NUTS? It seems like quite a large list to get to and I know it'll be a challenge but I am also ever optimistic. 

We went to see the Holiday Train last night when it went through town and despite the deep cold, it was  enjoyable.  The Canadien Pacific Holiday Train is another tradition we've embraced in the past several years.  The grand children love seeing it and the idea of giving food for those less fortunate embodies the season of giving.   As I sign off it's only fitting to quote a train by chanting,  I think I can, I think I can, I think I can .........toot toot!

I need to run, the ladies of our family are attending a party at 5pm with oils and fragrances and I love learning new ideas. 

Jane

Friday night with friends then slipped more into Saturday

Hello -  Yes, I'm still alive but have been really getting stretched to "my MAX" more than ever lately.  Then on top of it I've been suffering with another bout of Bronchitis.  So here I go again with another round of drugs with those dang steroid kickers which makes me all jittery and even more edgy than my usual self!  UGH!!!!  Just what I need!    Now I'm not mentioning all the other side affects either that the latter has on my sugar levels, hunger issues....  blah.... blah....... blah.
So, I was eager to reconnect with some friends for our very late Christmas Holiday gathering last night  at a local restaurant with some of my circle of friends quilting group who could attend.  Seems like it's getting harder for all of us to have free time available on the same days and or evenings with everybodies' life schedules, so I was glad at least some could make it but missed those that couldn't. 
It's been ages since I've  connected with a couple of them and I do miss them, so it was an enjoyable evening despite being quick on my part due to another commitment already scheduled for another  friend's retirement party that I couldn't ignore.  Would you believe I made both functions and was back home by 9pm.  Talk about feeling like Cinderella with a time clock  deadline looming ever closer, I just wasn't wearing any glass slippers, TG!  
Both gatherings were enjoyable and seemed like the best possible medicine for me.   After getting home, while finishing packing up what was needed for the Guild's Saturday Meetig/AM trip, I watched the Olympics and managed to get my Block of the month done too.  Boy, that's when I remembered how nice it is to sit and sew, to  sit and eat, to actually just sit and drink, ahhhhhh making the time,  pure Heaven. 

 It so enjoyable to watch many of the races and events of the Olympics but I really love seeing the opening ceremonies for the Olympics with all the pomp and circumstance.  Wonderful to see the parade of nations with all of these talented and very focused atheletes shown with such  Joy, Pride and Hopefull Expectations etched on their faces.  (See how I used my theme word of FOCUS in there, lol).  This year's Olympics regalia seemed like one of  the best done yet.  Each year the sponsoring country always impresses me with their hospitality and pride of their nation.   Did you see the technology used while Russia presented their history.  It was so beautifully done and I was just awestruck.   

 

Which brings me to this AM and arising at 4:15 (uh-hum,  I still am not a morning person so it takes me awhile to wake up) that way I'd be ready to ride at 6:15 with a friend driving so we could travel to Glens Falls for our quilt guild meeting.  That's where I connected with even some more friends.  Another slot of time spent nicely and was enjoyable.  

After the meeting we stayed for a community service sewathon where with the neutrals Gina provided and the the guild had colorful sets of 2 1/2"wide  strips WOF in subsets of 36 strips to make our quilts we all worked as teams to construct some community project quilts.   Here's the link at All People quilt with the pattern, Skinny Strips that we used.    I've had that pattern printed out to actually make myself at some point so today's QAL was a win win for me, helping out and giving while tryng a pattern I've wanted to make for awhile now.    Great day.

Since it's a little over 2 hours to get there we headed out early enough to get back home at a reasonable hour.    DH fixed an enjoyable meal of Caprese Chicken with a spinach side dish, then we got settled in to watch more of the Olympics this evening.    So that's a snap shot of a 24 hour time slot, and I wonder why I feeling so stretched???    NO WONDER!  Slow down Janey, just breath or is it those reeving up steroids pumping me up again?     Yee gads, I'll be glad when my normal returns.

A big Congratulatioins goes out to Sage Kotsenburg for a great run!  Yippee!!

 

 

Now as for my creativity, that really slid into a corner somewhere.  I need to find which corner it's hidden in as well as my creativity Mojo to start getting some projects worked on.  I did just place an order through Red Rock Threads for some necessary thread to finish quilting those quilts from the quilt show that haven't been finished yet and will be venturing forth after they arrive.

Hopefully, as I get more energy, I'll be back to share what I'll be doing on a more regular basis.  (I have been such a huge slacker lately.)

 

 

As always, thanks for stopping by and taking the time to leave a comment or two.  My apologies for not replying induividually to you as I like to do, beside time and commitment issues, my computer has had some issues as well  and I truly can only manage one thing at a time lately.  Nice to be back.

 

Jane

 

Starburst QAL

Just stumbled across a Starburst QAL and have asked to join in.  The plan is for scraps but a planned scrappy perheps with a patriotic feel.  Off to rumage through some fibers to make the first block.  It's still available through Allison at Little Bunny Quilts.    

My last list of four didn't happen, only two were completed which were the carved pumpkin and the pants  hemmed.   For the other two,  progress was only made on the Lil' Miss Shabby Embroidery beside s of course starting a counted cross  stitch fob designed by  Sheperd's Bush called Scaredy Sheep.    I must be having a case of startitus and plese be warned it's VERY contagious!    I never did even one quilt stitch on Tweet camping!   SO this week the list of four are:

• Quilt brown sashing in Tweet Camping- still auditioning what to quilt in that area, (that's my delay)!
• Finish embroidery on June's  'Lil Miss Shabby
• Paper piece block #1 on Starburst QAL- will be scrap stashing for this one.
• Listing a wild card here, leaving it open as my muse calls for I  will follow.

Happy stitching,
Jane

 

Mysteries, QAL and BOMs, Oh My!

Yes, go ahead and say it like Dorothy did in the Wizard of OZ - " Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh MY! " 

Now I know how potentially overwhelmed she was and can relate to but not out of fear of any wildlife but with the fear of missing out of a beautiful quilt and some gorgeous project(s).

 

This list is what I know are currently going on now.

 

 

Mystery Quilt Links:

Quilters United In Learning Together – Schenectady

Venice Area Quilts Guild Mystery 2013

BV Piecemakers

Shabby Fabrics unique possibly w/ using wools

Patchwork Times Medallion Mystery My hero that I want to be like when I grow (even though she's younger!).

Once Piece At A Time  with Erin Russart, a very talented designer

 

 there's not alot to be said, they are MYSTERIES! 

 

Block of the Month or Weeks or there abouts:

Open Gate Quilts  Another one I am thinking of doing, Block one printed out alreadyand I have the rulers she's designed and suggests!

Just Quilting with Denise Russart  Lovely Pinwheel prominately displayed.

Jeanne Rae Crafts - Pixie Garden

Project House 360 Pinwheel Pardise

Curve It Up  many curvy blocks

Generation X with a unique modern look layout

Sulky.com in metric measures!

Civil War Quilts Barbara Brackman

Persimmon Quilts (started June 2012 and runs until August 2013)

Grandmother’s Choice Interesting reading  and the Block #1 started in September 2012

Anchors Away QAL hosted by Mara from Traveling thu Greece

Triple Zip Pouch sew along hosted by Debbie from the quilter's Table

 

I spend so many hours dreaming on the computer or as my youngest grandchild keeps calling it the puter.  I swear, I don't need to dream any more, I need to get my plan into action and start moving that needle.   Above is a list of all the Mysteries, BOM and QAL being offered besides there are others I've already shared on previus posts that are also going on such as Kristy at Quiet Play for the And Sew ON paper pieced SAL  and the paper pieced Lord of the Rings aka:Hobbit paper piece offered by Regina Grewe .    One more just popped into my brain, the LUCKY STARS  QAL I started with Elizabeth Dackson for a nominal fee from the Don't Call Me Betsy blog.    

 

And I wonder with all that eye candy and incentives why I'm having difficulty focusing?    Besides all these new possibilities there are numerous UFO's and New Fos calling my name.  Breath Janie, just breath! 

 

Currently I am in Florida having a grand time with my Mom and enjoying the Villages Quilt Show with all their vendors.  Yes, I'm  testing my discipline and using this mantra: I have enough, I really have enough, I really, really have enough, etc...  I sure do hope it works!   

 

I'll be taking a blogging break until I return to NY in February and get things settled from my absence.  But with that being said I did already post my stash report #4 of 2013 to appear on time.  I'll catch up on Stash Report #5 what the true tally of my trip was.   Mom is such a horrible enabler!  That's one of the reasons we get along so well!    lol

 

Fingers crossed now and a skip in my heels.

 

TTFN,

Jane

Mumbling weakly now- I might have enough,

Another link with some free quilt patterns and monograms is at the Needle N Thread.

Heat and shrink and some other stuff

After posting about the technique class last week I figured it would be best to try out the heat and shrink since Pam so graciously supplied what was needed to give it a whirl.









First as most of you know was to put stitches on your layered fabric on top of the heat and shrink.  You can see how many different ways I stitched this sample piece.







Then apply heat across all of the surface making sure your iron doesn't come in contect with the Heat and Shrink material.

I like the areas where I stitched the clam shell motif and the triangles,  both of those textures seemed to look better to my eye.

  Can you say EASY!


In some bags and clutches I can see where this would be a textile asset and even more luscious if I use a polyester  or silk fabric like what I sampled this technique with.  All that sheen scrunched up into loveliness, YUMM!










And lastly, Melissa from Happy Quilting Melissa   is sharing a Starburst quilt along and I'm thinking of participating with that but using the smallest block and more of them.  Perhaps this fabric line, Garden Medley from RJR fabrics would be unique and spectacular.  This FQ bundle I bought last year and it's beautiful, I had initially thought about using it in the Blogger Girls BOM QAL offered by Monique Dillard at Open Gate Quilts which is another one I'd love to participate with.  I think I have a  serious problem of STARTITUS this year.  But am thinking this would be nicer in a more traditionally themed fabbies, perhaps some of the pinks and chocolates I have in my stash.  Stay tuned... when I know, you'll know. 
Another saying comes to mind, The first cut is the deepest.  Who knew way back when that that song was about quilting?!   lol  Am showing a picture of them here since I'll be  printing it out in gray scale.  My picture program would only allow me to change colors and tints and I couldn't figure out how to print it in grayscale when I knew it could be done this way.  What's that expression, There is more than one way to skin a cat, not that I'd want to do that!

Am also busy getting my house in order since I leave very very early Thursday morning.  My flight leaves at 6am so at the airport by 4 am!  Jeepers that's crazy early.  Maybe I won't bother getting to bed, it might be easier than getting up at 2am so I can leave the house at 3!  I can't imagine working at the airport at that time every day, those poor TSA and flight workers.     DH still isn't allowed to drive since his cardiac event almost two years ago, and since he opted not to go to visit my Mom figuring we'd be doing our quilty things, I'll need to be sure everything he needs is in.  Then I still have the grands to watch in the beginning of the week, so my time will fly!   

The inauguration of President Obama is today besides the National Holiday for Martin Luther King is celebrated today too.  A little tidbit, MLK shared the same birth date as my FIL so It's easy to remember and he (my dear FIL)  is post humous about 35 years now.    What a gentle man he was and he has been missed. 

Enjoy your liberties and Enjoy your day.
Jane

Changed the fabrics according to grayscale, Light to dark configuration..