Quilting Bee Fabric

So, as we probably all know, January is my month for the Quilter Bees.  I, being the poor planner that I am thought that the end of December would be the perfect time for me to take care of getting my fabric and planning my quilt, and sending out packages.  Alas, it was not quite meant to be, due to other things that I have recently discussed. 

So, in the way of an update (at least I am moving forward a bit):

 I bought this fabric for my month–

 

It is Denise Schmidt, Hope Valley in the New Day color way.  I bought it from Fabricworm on Etsy.  It should be here shortly.  And then I will pick out a few solids to match.  I was going to order, but I don’t want to take anymore time, so I’m just gonna work with what JoAnn’s has.  I’m sure I’ll find something to work!  And then I’ll get it cut and mail it off.  As soon as I settle on, and figure out a design that is.  Which will be by the time the fabric is here, I promise.  I’m thinking of something Log Cabinish, or something that is squares in squares…Have you seen this quilt along?  Obviously my plan isn’t for the paintbox idea specifically, but I like the block layouts.  Or maybe different sized squares inspired by the Kaffe Fassett Jewel Squares pattern.  Here is a picture of what I’m talking about.  What do you think?  I’m open to suggestions.  I just can’t wrap my mind around this right now for some reason!

DC Modern

It looks like there is a quilting group getting together in DC.  I’ll refer you to Natalie’s post if you’re interested.

I’m getting on board, and am really excited to connect with some other quilters in my area in person!

Twenty Ten

Happy New Year!

I’ve been missing.  Missing from the blog, missing from sewing, missing from life, really.  I sorta checked out for a while, mentally, emotionally, physically even.  But I think I’m back.  I had the last almost 2 weeks off, and spent time relaxing-something I’m not really super good at.  I mean, sure, I’m good at sitting around watching tv and doing nothing, but I’m not really relaxing.  I’m always obsessing over the things I meant to do, need to do, should be doing.  Which leads to what seems like laziness, but is really just paralysis.  I get overwhelmed and can’t move.

So.  I decided, after Christmas, after all the family obligation business was over, that I was just going to take the week to do nothing, or at least, whatever I felt like doing, and if what i felt like doing ended up being nothing, well, that would be ok.  And you know, I’ve gone almost a whole week without crying.  I feel happy.  I feel optimistic.  I’m glad to be back at work, glad to get back to a routine.  I am keeping my plans for the new year small, simple.  I’m hopeful that these small, simple goals will lead to bigger things, but for now, I just want to be happy. 

So, my goals, if you want to hear them, are these: to spend less money on unnecessary things; to cook at home; to eat more healthy; to be more healthy.  I know if I can accomplish these things, I will be able to move forward happily.

As for sewing, I haven’t done much.  I haven’t felt inspired.  My dear mother in law bought me two books for Christmas though, One Yard Wonders and Applique Your Way and yesterday I broke out some of the Amy Butler Love fabric to make a bag from the first.  It’s going together slowly (mostly because I am not good with following actual patterns) but I think it will turn out nicely.  It felt good to get in there and do a little sewing!  I might even work on it some more tonight!  And if I can find my stupid battery charger for my stupid camera, I might even have some pictures to show.

Our Little Adventure

Meet Murphy!

Picture quality = poo.  I don’t have any great pictures of him.  When it was light enough out this weekend, I was too exhausted to find the camera, and he just moves too much to take a decent picture inside.  And since it’s dark by the time we get home (and raining now, to boot), no good pictures.  Maybe this weekend.  So.

I’ve been utterly exhausted the last few days.  The getting him was tiring, to say the least.  Here’s how it went:

We were told that they would be arriving in the parking lot at 7:30pm Friday.  We planned to get dinner with our friends (who also adopted) at 6pm close by so that we would be able to just walk right on over.  So, we left here at 5pm.  Got to dinner, as we were finishing up, around 6:30, we get a call that they have been delayed, and will be arriving closer to 9:30.  So, we have 3 hours to kill.  We went to a few stores, and just hung out.  At 9:15, we are in the parking lot, and get told they have been delayed yet again and will be arriving closer to 10:35 or 10:45.  We fill out our paper work and sit in the car.  When all was said and done, we had the pups in our arms around 11:45.  Then, wrapped in towels, we made our way home. 

If I’m being honest, it was sorta gross.  These guys had been in a crate together (their other 2 siblings were also being adopted) for however long it takes to travel from South Carolina to DC.  I’ve made that drive.  It’s long.  You can imagine what sort of state they were in, and because they are so young (read: haven’t had their last set of shots), they weren’t allowed to touch the ground.  So.  We got home, and immediately had to give him a bath.  He wasn’t in the crate until 2am.  At 5:30, he woke up, and I let him out, and because I had dragged my husband on this journey, and he had to go to a training class at 7am, I stayed up with Murphy to keep him quiet.

I am not a napper.  I tried, I really did, but it just didn’t happen.  So I was up from 5:30 until about 11 or midnight Saturday.  Saturday night, Murphy woke up every.two.hours.  And out we’d go, and then in we’d go, and then we’d have pitiful barking for about 20 minutes.  Sunday night was much better (6 hours of quiet!), and Monday was even better. 

Now that we’re back to our regular routine, things seem  to be working better.  He complains much less about the crate, and seems to be getting the hang of going outside to do his business.  He’s mostly sleeping through the night, and we’re all adjusting. 

The cats aren’t quite sure what to do.  They’ve taken refuge in the basement, but have been making appearances here and there.  Murphy alternately chases them or doesn’t notice them.  And he won’t run down the steps after them either (at this point), so I guess that’s something.  I’m sure they’ll work it out!

Anyway, that’s been my life for the last 5 days.  I’m starting to feel more normal again, catching up on sleep and getting on my normal schedule.

I’ll be sure to let you know how it goes. 

Also.  My father said that he didn’t look very Irish.  However, we’ve determined that because of the fighting he did with his sister, and his intense interest in beer (see below) he is as Irish as they come!* 

*please don’t take offense at that blatant stereotyping.  I have a healthy dose of Irish in me, as does my husband, both our families (obviously) and many of our friends and neighbors.  It’s all in good fun, people!

Disappearing act.

Oops. I didn’t mean to be gone for so long.  Things have just been, as usual, busy.  And I feel guilty for not having any pictures to post.  I have, however, been sewing.  I finished the Far Far away quilt, which turned out not too badly.  And I’m working on a quilt for my mother to give to a coworker for her baby shower.  The weekends have just seemed so gloomy and rainy lately that there’s never a good time for pictures.  And now that we’ve changed the clocks, it is dark when I get home.  So, here’s hoping we have some sunshine this weekend!  Though, I can’t make any sewing picture promises…something else will be occupying us I’m sure!

Another thing that has been keeping us preoccupied over the last couple of weeks is the adoption process for this lovely.  See that “Adoption Pending”?  That should mean for us!  We just had our home visit about an hour ago.  Either it went very badly, or very well.  It was pretty quick, so I’m hoping they liked what they saw, and weren’t scared off immediately.  I’m pretty sure it went ok.  She talked like it went ok.  So, wish us luck.  And pray that the cats don’t hate us forever.  We pick him up in a parking lot Friday assuming all goes well.  I’m pretty paranoid, so I”m not going to count my chickens before they officially hatch!

Anyway, hopefully some pictures of sewing projects, and most likely some pictures of the puppy!  Also, maybe I’ll be more regular in posting again.

Fabfanatic.com

Have you seen this:  http://www.fabfanatic.com/?  I heard about it through the Tallgrass Prairie Studio post this morning.  And I joined, and put in request.  Might not be a bad idea.  Obviously it’s not for when you’re looking for specific fabric for a specific purpose and need said fabric  immediately.  But for general stash building, or finding something you love but don’t need, the prices might be worth the wait.

Only time will tell I suppose, but I think you should check it out.

Have you seen this?

They’re having a giveaway over at The Sproutz Store.  Check it out.  They’re giving away a few great charm packs.

Injury!

I had high hopes for a post tonight.  I wanted to show off all the things I’d done.  Like, the finished little house for the quilting bee.  Or the fabrics I’d washed and ironed and cut for the Thanksgiving napkins.  Or maybe some more scrappy strip blocks.

Instead, I went into my sewing room, sat down to start sewing, went to move the mini-iron, and realized, after I’d grabbed it with my right hand, by the long metal part (that heats up if you don’t know that part), that I had unplugged the sewing machine last night instead of the iron.  Which means it had been on for almost 24 hours.  And great as it is, it doesn’t have an automatic shut off.  And I didn’t switch it to off because, well, I’d unplugged it.  Except I hadn’t.

I’ll spare you the images of the blisters on my hand.  Suffice it to say that my hand is mostly out of commission for the evening.  Writing this even sucks since several of my finger tips are burning right now.  I tried to be a trooper and do some sewing anyway but it just wasn’t meant to be.

I guess if nothing else it’s a valid excuse for getting nothing done tonight.  It was feeling a little better, but the hot shower I just took reignited the burn.  So I’m going now to ice it some more, and hope that it is a little better in the morning.

Oops!

So much for that every day posting thing.  I sorta dropped of the face of the earth this last little while.  If you ask what has kept me so busy, I won’t be able to tell you.  I know I’ve been busy, I’m just not entirely sure what those things are that I’ve been busy with….

Over the weekend, while my husband was taking his motorcycle course, I went with my parents to visit my grandparents.  I don’t go often enough, and so this was the perfect opportunity for a little visit.  It was a nice time, a relaxing time, and a time filled with shopping.  We checked out this shop, which was definitely a highlight.  They had a great selection of fabrics.  Designer type fabrics and patterns and such that I’ve not actually seen in person prior to purchasing.  I picked up a few charm packs and some other tools, including a Clover Mini-Iron.  It’s not something that I would have bought myself, but have wanted one for quite some time, and since my lovely mother treated me to it, I got to bring it home.  I haven’t had a chance to use it yet, but know that it will come in handy.

I’ve also started some knitting projects.  I must be crazy, but it’s nice to have something mindless to work on when I’m sitting in front of the tv.  I’m working on some fingerless gloves.  People keep making jokes, but I think they’re adorable, and might really come in handy since I hate wearing gloves.  They’re all going to be jealous!

Also, I think that the sewing room will get it’s furniture overhaul this weekend!  I’m trying not to annoy Jack by sending him incessent emails about it.  It needs a new light fixture/ceiling fan.  I’m gonna see if I can convince him to install it.  And if not, maybe I’ll try it out on my own!  Yeah right.   

Anyway.  I’ve just had so many distrations at home with the knitting, and pampered chef party, and weekend trips and all that I’ve lost focus on picture taking and blogging.  I’m not going to make any promises.  Because I tend to just look like a lying idiot!  If nothing else, I should have my little house block to show you for the quilting bee by the end of the weekend. 

Until then, I’ll be knitting a bunch of things I’ll never actually finish 😉

Finding time.

How do you find the time to do what you want to do and the time to do what you need to do, and the time to do what you have to do?  I have a hard time reconciling it all really, and I’m just part of a household with myself and husband and 2 cats.  I can’t even imagine what’s it’s like if you start adding babies into that.

I tend to get locked into weird little chambers of immobility when faced with all the things on my various lists.  Obviously there are some things that must happen, like going to work every day.  But then there are the things that should happen: exercising, cooking dinner, laundry, vaccuuming, etc.  And then there are the things that I’d like to happen: sewing, shopping, watching some tv or a movie, going out with my friends, taking trips here and there.  Sometimes I find it really hard to walk away from the sewing machine to do some laundry.  Some days I can’t justify abandoning the housework for other things that are more fun.  It really stinks!

So, here’s what I’ve started to do: Every day I decide on a few things that must happen.  The number of things varies based on length and difficulty of task.  I write down those few things, make a breif plan of  attack, and then decide that if those few things are the only things I get done, I’ll be ok with that.  I won’t beat myself up over the things I didn’t get to do.  For example, I’ve been trying really hard to start this C25K thing, and so on Wednesday I told myself that the only thing I needed to do was a load of laundry and to do the running thing.  So, I did those two things.  Since I was good with the exercise (definitely NOT my strong point), my reward was to be able to spend the rest of the evening doing whatever I wanted whether it be sewing, or vaccuuming, or watching TV.  Last night I had to cook dinner, clean the bathroom, and spend an hour cleaning the sewing room. 

I find that having specific tasks keeps me from being overwhelmed, and having goals, completing those goals and then rewarding myself with a clear conscience is really working for me. And to top it all off, I get a lot more done.