CHAOS AND FRUSTRATION

This is my baby. I take good care of it. I clean it and oil it regularly.

This is my sewing room....on a good day. I don't take good care of it. I abuse the counter tops, the floor, the shelves. I do however, no matter how messy, know where things are. I, for the most part, know what I own and exactly where to find it.

This is the coffee we drink in our fancy schmancy coffee pot. We use whole bean and it comes in this really nifty plastic type bag.




This is a kool-aid bag. The pouches are made from the same type material as our coffee bags. I've made plenty of these little purses. AHA!!! In one of my more brilliant moments, I decided that I could make a tote bag from the coffee bags. I've been saving them for about a year now. I have had quite the collection.





This is why I was so, SO annoyed on Sunday when I

1. decided to clean up the little things hanging over my head. I finally put a label on Mrs. S's chuppah (wedding canopy)


2. cut out table runners for my upcoming retreat


3. grabbed the 10 or so coffee bean bags to finally make that tote bag

Why all the lead in. Well, I am not the most patient person. While sewing this little tote together I realized that there were a few coffee beans that I'd sewn inside the bag. Not to worry, I won't hit those beans with my needle........YIKES! I hit a bean. I bent a needle! Put in a new needle and trudge on. This time I hit a really hard corner seam and SCREEEEECH! My machine did that Gatling gun thing. When I tried to run it again I got this noise, this rubbing, grinding type noise. OH NO! WHAT DID I DO! I tried to find the source of the noise and the best I could come up with was the bobbin case. Monday morning, in a panic, I called the closest Janome dealer I'm willing to patronize. My dealer is 3 hours away. I drove 40 mins to the shop, described the problem and went home. The dealer said she thought it was the bobbin case. OH GOODY! I HAVE AN EXTRA BOBBIN CASE AT HOME! Off I trot to find my bobbin case. HEY????WHERE IS THAT THING? I KNOW I have an extra. Now my room didn't look like the above picture all neat and clean. It was a mess, I was working! I went through everything. I KNOW IT'S ON THE SHELF OR AT LEAST IN THE DRAWER ON THE SHELF. No luck. Frustration. FRUSTRATION! I'm going on retreat next week. So what does an impatient, very annoyed and hyper girl do? I tore my room apart! I was convinced it was behind the shelf. I removed everything, broke the shelf in the process and .....NO BOBBIN CASE.

This is the part of the mess I made .....looking for ......

This little tiny thing!

I KNOW IT"S ON THE @*^#$* SHELF! Two days later, I found the *^*&%&% thing. Where? On the shelf, in the drawer......under a package of needles! OMG! It was EXACTLY WHERE I KNEW IT WAS.... where I looked three times BEFORE I destroyed my room.....I just didn't lift that little package of needles.

What did I get from all of this? A much cleaner room. A new respect for my quilt shop owner. She delivered my machine back to me as she needed to come to my town. (BTW, all they did was clean the thing. I must have gotten coffee dust or oils in the machine. I haven't tested yet but they say it's fine.)

I threw away the rest of the coffee bags I had. And I got a brand new trash container..... Obviously, the tote bag idea flew out the window after the Gatling gun sounds. It's not even finished....it'll stay that way!

The State of our Backsides....

EDIT EDIT EDIT

Well, I am happy to say that my selfish nature is paying off. By talking publicly about weight loss, I feel the pressure of others wathching me. I feel others watchin me and I don't want to gain weight. Unfortunately I've been fighting illness for a week now and haven't exercised much. If you click on the above you'll see the chart I keep on exercise. The dancing cannot be judged in minutes. We take a lesson on Weds. and go out on Fridays. Let's just say I sweat! (you can tell I don't feel well as I didn't go to dance last night.) Also I changed my ticker to reflect my re-losing the same 1 1/2 lbs. I gained.

Join us! Devote an entire post, or just a portion of a post to your efforts at weight loss, exercise, being healthy...Here is how to do it. Once you have your post written and published use the Mr. Linky thingamabob to point us to the specific post.AAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!WRONG! Publish your post. Then go to the "edit posts" page. Right mouse click on the title of the post you want to link us to. Hit "copy shortcut." Then go to the Mr. Linky area on my blog and paste the link.

I made a mistake here. This is the way that Judy explained it on her blog. When you add your link to the Mr. Linky code, it needs to be your specific post. To do this, click on the time in your post (at the bottom). It will say something like "copy link location". Copy that and paste that. Mine is http://http://morahquilts.blogspot.com/2008/01/state-of-our-backsides.htmlNOT http://morahquilts.blogspot.com/. If you post a link to your main blog, then when others go back later in the week to read your report, they're going to come to your latest blog entries. Please post the link to your weekly progress report! Thanks!! Sorry for copying directly from Judy but it seemed the most efficient method to fix my error.

It may seem like a small or unusual thing to do, linking all of our efforts together, but you never know who your words will affect. You never know if your bit of effort is just what is necessary for someone else to continue on their journey. You never know if revealing the fact that you struggle is just what is necessary for someone else to realize that they are not alone in this very difficult undertaking.

Stashbusting efforts

(Notice I'm using caps again?)

I had to redeem myself after such a poor showing in the self control department. Today I bound not 1, not 2 but 3 quilts!! WHOO! WHOO! WHOO! Not only that I moved 3 UFO's to the finished column.

This one is one from our charity group. We call ourselves "Strips and Strings." We are working along with the Heartstrings Project. (URGH! I deleted it and had to reload which means you can't click on it!) This was my first foray into the longarm. I did a panto and decided I much prefer free motion (see below).

This quilt was started last year at retreat. Many of the girls at retreat made blocks. Our charity group made additional blocks and assembled. It was quilted by a very nice member of the Heartstrings group...I just don't remember who! If you are the quilter and read this, let me know so I can give you credit!. It's a good thing I finished this because this years' retreat is next week!

And last but not least, my baby. My proudest quilt. I don't know why exactly but I am very thrilled with this one. I think it's because I

1. had help purchasing the fabric but NO help with placement, problem solving, and pulling from stash. I even made one border, rejected it and replaced it with another. TOTALLY not like me.
2. used nearly all of the green and white boot fabrics. Each has about a 6" square left. If you look at the border, you'll see that there wasn't enough green for the entire border. Had to use the white. Had to figure it out on my own! Then I was still about 3" short so had to add one of the 6" squares to squeak by and get the length necessary.
3. I longarm free motion quilted this.
4. I finished in one month. World record for me!
   

The quilt is not wavy, my holder is sick and not happy to be holding today! The colors on the closeups are more true. Notice the words I quilted in. I took a little detour in my life's journey this summer and fall. I wasn't sure which path I'd end up on and am pleased to announce that path looped around back to where it should be....only better. You don't need to completely understand this however, this became my "healing" quilt. I quilted in words that are meaningful to me. Most of them are in the busy boot fabric because they are nobodies business but my own. The ones I wanted read, I put in the borders.



This is just a closeup of my best flowers.

my stashbusting efforts........

(notice the lower case, whispering , head hanging in shame title.....)

NOT! YIKES! I'M OUTA CONTROL!!!!!!!!! Gosh, I have been dreading this post............Ms.CCCat gets me in more trouble! Yup! That's my story, that's my excuse and I'll use her as my scapegoat! Hey! I feel better all ready. Ya see, she is the queen of discovering inexpensive fabrics. S he was at Hobby Lobby and I made the fatal mistake of calling her at precisely the right moment. She was buying name brand fabric for $2/yd! You better believe I cleaned up my classroom but quick. Good thing it was quitting time or those kiddos would have wondered what that dust streak was that lead to my car! After some pre-shopping sustenance, she took me back to HL. Notice I said back....she had already visited the cutting table once.....(Oh yeah! If I'm going down, I'm not going down alone!) I'm won't tell how much we bought or what I spent so let's just say there were quite a few cardboard bolt casualties on the floor around the clerk. 2$/yd for Northcott fabrics...my fav! How could I walk away? Also, no kidding here, I hate making a pieced back. A few pieces ok. But to practically make a large block quilt on the backing is not my idea of fun. If I can have some large pieces to chose from it would so add to my sanity. Plus, after my "using the last oooch of fabric for a border" problems on my boot quilt, I would love to have enough yardage for borders. Now I have been dreading making this post. Ms. CCCat wouldn't have told on me because she doesn't have a blog. But Ms. FudgeBuckets already tattled on me in her blog so I had to come clean. Sheesh! With enabling friends and tattling friends a girl could lose her mind! So in the true nature of an addict, I take no blame. It wasn't my fault. All my friends were doing it and I couldn't be the only one just standing at the cutting counter! My name is Morah and I am a fabric addict!

State of Our Backsides

****edit at the end
Ladies (and Gentlemen if you're reading), it is nearly time for the State of the Union address. I would like to present the "State of Our Backsides Address." Right now, before you read any further, I'd like you to stretch around, twist your waist and look at your backside. Do you have to twist very far or can you just move your eyes from side to side to see it overhanging off of your chair? Do you walk into a room and the door hits you on the backside? Does your backside look suspiciously like your favorite quilting chair? Our passion, the thing we like to do the most in the world is not very conducive to a small backside. The extent of our activity is pulling out the checkbook to buy more fabric. We sit for hours at a time. We stand (occasionally) for a few minutes to iron, then go right back to sitting. I propose that we start our own Backside Revolution! (No, that doesn't mean jumping from side to side and calculating how long after stopping your feet, your backside will stop wiggling!) Let's get in shape! Whatever that means to you. If that means losing weight, lose weight. If that means exercise, exercise. If that means eating healthy, eat healthy. YOU know what you need.

I have lost some weight and you have all been so supportive. I get emails every day that say, "I need to lose weight too," and "I really need to exercise more." Ya' know what?! You can do it! When are we going to realize that our backsides, and frontsides,and weakened hearts and flabby muscles are limiting us, shortening our lives and cutting down on the time we have to use up our stash!

Now before anyone thinks I'm preaching, I'm not. I'm a very selfish person. I need help and I figure the best way I can do it is to involve others! I haven't weighed this little since I got married. I MUST maintain this at the least and lose an additional 30 lbs at the best. I NEED SUPPORT. Plain and simple. Selfish, selfish but.....I figure if we do it together, we can be cheerleaders. Sooooo.....I've set up a Mr. Linky thingy like we use for Judy's stashbusting reports. Because I could only use certain names, I had to call this the Weds. Weightloss report. Here is how it will work. On Weds. we will post our "State of My Backside Report." It doesn't need to be fussy. You can post your exercise for the week or weight loss. Whatever works for you. Remember, many of us belong a quilty blog groups and you'll still need to maintain the quilty content that is required from your group. I checked with Judy before I began this and have her approval.

Now,I know this is Thursday but I really don't want to wait until next week to begin. This will be a short week.

My report is that I must be honest and change my ticker to reflect my weight. I gained 3.5 lbs by not exercising and eating poorly over the holidays. SO I am off to change my ticker....(head held low and really, really mad at myself!) JOIN IN! DON'T LET ME DO THIS ALONE!! I'LL POUT! I thank you for joining in, my husband thanks you, my backside thanks you and I'd imagine the people that walk behind me thank you!

Figured out I posted the link incorrectly, have corrected it below....We will not be called Weightloss Weds. This is the "State of Our Backsides" Report. Sorry so many time to publish post....got confused!

Award

Ya know, it's fun to blog. I'm always amazed that other people are interested in my drivel! Therefore, it totally thrilled me when Ms. Susan of DesertSkyquilts sent me this award. I feel like I'm a queen for a day!

The awards rules are: “Give the award to up to 10 people whose blogs bring you happiness and inspiration and make you feel so happy about blogland! Let them know by posting a comment on their blog so that they can pass it on. Beware! You may get the award several times! :-) "

Now, I don't really converse with most of the bloggers I read. I send comments, but to actually converse, no. I think most of who I would send the award to would say 'HUH, who are you ?" So, Oooooo, please don't be upset Ms. Susan, I'm am not going to send this on. I really, really enjoy all of the blogs I read and for all sorts of different reasons. So, if I regularly leave you comments, know that I do so because I enjoy your blog. I come back again and again. You all inspire me, keep me quilting and make me want to be a better quilter. Keep writing, posting, and taking pictures and know that I love this whole blogging business. If you are reading this and know that I comment to you regularly, take the award and pass it on. You all deserve it!

Today is the Day

Happy, happy to us! It's hard to believe. 25yrs...WHERE did it go? What is on the agenda for this most auspicious day? Work, a funeral, charity quilting and then the big celebration....dancing lessons and Whataburger for dinner! What a day it will be! LOL! Actually, yesterday I finally got a hold of the Rabbi and scheduled a date to have a religious marriage ceremony. We were married by a Judge and I've wanted a religious ceremony. Because I didn't plan well, we aren't doing it until late Feb. It feels kinda weird as I just did this whole wedding thing for my daughter. I don't need to fluff and mushy stuff, but I want it to be nice.....I need a chuppah! I don't have the time or inclination to make one but don't want to use Mrs. S's..........I have alot to do in a few weeks. I need something to wear....I need refreshments....I need a wedding ring! LOL! (mine lost a few little diamonds and I've been looking for a new ring. I'll need to pick up the pace on this one for sure!!!) AHHHH! What was I thinking? I've wanted to do this for a few years now but keep backing out. I now know why! Later, on a less crazy day, I'll post some pictures of DH and I. Today I need to fly.

Quilt quilted

........and now you have to wait for me to bind it before you can see it. Just let me say, a bit of tension trouble, one potty break and 4 hours and I have a quilted quilt! One eensy weensy problem. One of us measured wrong....the backing fabric was 1/2 " too short......AUUGGHHH! Like Ms. CCCat says, I'll never do that again. It seems I only gave extra to the top and not the bottom. I'll try to have it finished by Weds. but I'm giving no promises.

Since I like pictures when I read a blog I'll leave you with this. Can you guess what I gave almost 10 yr. old Cheergirl for a gift?

I LOVE the internet and digital cameras. Aunt M. can stay in touch just like I'm there! Cheergirl got a manicure and I got a bunch of incredible pictures! Love it!

This ain't workin' so well

It is January 6th. I have two resolutions. Buy less, spend less and stay in shape (I need to get back in shape as vacation and illness kept me from exercise for almost 4 weeks. I've only gained 4 lbs and will change my meter if it doesn't come off in a few days....I was on vacation......). I am failing miserably on the first. On New Year's Day my friend called and asked me if I wanted to go to Joanns. She bought nothing, I bought fleece. I hate buying fleece! But MIL, FIL, & Ms. A are CRAZY about crossword puzzles. I saw this and HAD to make something. There was only enough for one tied blanket and a pillow (good thing for my checkbook!). On the plus side, I finished the blanket and will mail it Monday.

Then, I tallied my UFO's. I decided that in order to finish the pink and brown log cabin I started last year, I would add two more rounds to make bigger blocks rather than make more blocks. That requires a bit more dark pink to keep it looking scrappy. Plus Hancock's had cutting tools on 1/2 price and I needed blades....and the circle cutter as I can't make the small circles on my thingamabob cutter that I can't remember the name of. I've already bought 2 useless rotary cutters in order to use this thing...one wouldn't allow me to cut the arc without gouging the plastic of the thingamabob and the other made too shallow of a cut and the blade didn't reach the fabric. (In defense of the circle cutter purchase, I am beginning to be more selective in the use of my wrists. I've had arthritis since I was 16 and my weakest spot is my wrists. It is hard for me to cut too much with scissors. I'm trying to find another method of cutting yo-yos.)

Then, I ran out of my Aurafil thread. I love this thread. It has lasts and lasts. Well, the shipping was the same whether I ordered one spool or a couple. I am planning on making machine appliqued table runners and wall hangings while at retreat and the 28 wt. is supposed to look very nice on a machine blanket stitch.

Didjya see my total? In one week????!!! I only hope DH doesn't read my blog! I really haven't spent much on quilting in the last 6 months of 2007 but in one week! After making a resolution!?!?! I still need a few more pinks but may just make due.... oh WHO am I kidding!? (the only thing that may save me and keep me from buying more fabric is our rinky dink town and the fact that there is nowhere to buy the tones I'm looking for. The one shop that does sell the right tone is taboo.)

On the UFO side....I finished three things that have been in my drawer for over 2 yrs. They aren't much but they are done. I actually made all 4 of the coasters but was using one when I took the picture. The pouches only required the zippers and side seams finished.

All in all I suppose that I didn't really buy anything extravagant or outrageous except the circle cutter but I can make a real case for something that saves my wrist. I did finish 3 UFO's, quilted two quilts, started and finished a fleece blanket, and finished clue one on the Quiltville mystery... all in one week. I just am glad I've decided to work this summer because this not buying fabric and not spending money is very expensive!!!!!!!

Fun? YOU BETCHA!

Not only do I have a great family, I have a great group of quilting friends! One of my friends, CCCat, recently bought a long arm machine. She has graciously allowed me to learn to quilt on it. Yesterday I quilted one of our HeartStrings quilts, start to finish....I needed to warm up for my boot quilt. When I went home last night, I practiced "quilting" patterns. The pajama quilter recommends practicing on a white board. I don't own a white board, but I do own a 6 ft. mirror. I put it on my table and doodled away! Here are my practices.

CCCat does own a white board and I practiced more there....
This is the picture you are waiting for.....my quilt on the machine. We spent 5 hours working today. Together we set it up and I quilted. It is just over 1/2 done. I don't know how long

was actual quilting time but we only took breaks to roll the quilt, wind another bobbin, have one bit of trouble with the a knot and have a standing snack of nuts. We won't win any speed races but it's tons faster than my home machine. Also, she has only had her machine since Sept. and this is the 3rd time I've ever touched it. Yesterday was the first time I'd even been exposed to loading the quilt so I was still learning/remembering today.

I don't know what in the world I was doing with my chin, but I must have been concentrating like crazy! It's funny, the movement of long arm is exactly like the movement of pushing the quilt around on my home machine. If you are a competent home machine quilter, you will more than likely be able to use the long arm.
Here is a closeup of the quilting. I tried like crazy to not have to move this so you could enlarge it but no such luck. I inadvertently deleted it and had to move the picture after it reloaded. The pattern seems to be the one I resort to when I can't figure out what else to do. I did however, learn a new flower, wrote words in the quilt and have mastered the leaf! That middle flower didn't come out like I'd hoped but it still looks good kinda wonky.I'm going back tomorrow to finish and once it's bound I'll show the entire thing.

Family

I don't know that I've ever posted a picture of my in-laws. I thought I'd share this one because it came out so nice. My in-laws have been married nearly 52 years. We actually both come from families with marriage longevity. My parents were married 35 years before my mom died. My one set of grandparents 50 odd years and my other 35 before my grandpa died (they had both been widowed with children when they married). Both of DH's grandparents were married over 50 yrs. and my in-laws 52 so far. The fact that we are going on 25 was never unexpected. It never occurred to me that we'd do anything but remain married. We've had our moments of total love and devotion..ahem...but neither one of us has ever even suggested throwing in the towel. It just never occurred to me that I'd be anywhere else.

I wish I'd have taken a good picture of my dad while I was visiting, but I didn't. My dad is NOT photogenic so the very best picture I have of him is from Mrs. S's wedding.

I just love my family. For all their quirks, foibles, "pita"ness, and just plain weirdness, I wouldn't trade them for anything. Why so mushy? Holidays of reflection always remind me of what a lucky, lucky woman I am. From my husband, his family, my family and our family, I am a very lucky woman.

Happy New Year

Happy, Healthy New Year to everyone! We spent last night with Mrs. S and Mr. FancyPants just playing games. Do other families still play games?? We played all sorts of board games while at my in-laws house also. I love it that our children enjoy spending time with us. We spent the last two weeks with Ms. A and last night with the Mr. & Mrs. There was a time when they were teens that I wasn't too sure about them but the 20's seem to suit them just fine.

I finally finished clue 1 in the Quiltville mystery. Man I'm slow! Others are already panting and waiting for the next clue. Not me. I'm shouting SLOW DOWN from my little corner of the world.

The best present

Like any good quilter, I have bought and received many pin cushions. Being somewhat anal, I use different cushions for different pins. ( I see I've mixed a few up on this pincushion!) The chicken used to be my favorite. He sits next to me while I sew.I got this one in a secret sister exchange and love it also. It sits next to my design wall so my pins, or at least not quite as many, don't hit the floor. It is a folded star shaped into a pin cushion.
This pin cushion is also a trash container. I have a fancy pattern for one of these things and have every intention of using it.....someday! In the meantime, I used a child's blue jean pant leg, a bag with flour and whatever else I stuffed in there, and a few straight pins and VIOLA' a fancy schmancy pincushion/trash container. This guy has been moved and now sits to my left when at my machine. That way if I decide to throw thread away left or right (trash can) it doesn't hit the floor quite so often.
I even own the requisite tomato pincushion. This guy sits on my cutting table or ironing board. I also have another holding only safety pins but didn't take a picture of it. But BY FAR the best pin cushion I now own is from my nephew SportsGuy. He chose it himself at his schools "buy secret gifts for your family" shop. ( I have no idea what it's called) Don't ya just love it! It now holds all of my needles so I don't have to wreck my eyes searching my bazzilion of other pin cushions!

It came filled with thread, needles (which will soon be on the pin cushion), safety pins and buttons! Cool huh!Bet you all wish SportsGuy was your nephew after seeing such a cool gift! This one is going to sit on my shelf with all of my other hand sewing things. The next time I need to find just the right sized needle I will know exactly where to look!

Stash Enhancing Busting Report

I haven't busted a thing over the past few weeks. Well, I did get my 1st clue FINALLY finished for the Quiltville mystery and I started and finished the stitchery from my last post. However, it is totally negated by the fact that I bought the above. Doesn't it look like Hanukkah fabric? I bought it, in all places, at Joanns. We obviously didn't have it here in our rinky dink store so I felt the need to buy all they had. I have no idea how many yards is there, I never even looked, asked or checked. I just love it though. It is an Alexander Henry fabric and it was something like $3/yd. I don't feel one ounce of guilt in buying this fabric. I think that's the entire point of this little business of stash busting. It is not feeling guilty for the occasional purchase but at the same time not buying everything in sight. Plus, being a glutton for punishment, and after complaining about the round one, I bought the heart shaped yo-yo maker. I needed to see if it would be easier on shapes then on the circle. If not I will be crowned with the "duh" award of the year because not only did I not like the round maker and am giving it away, I paid full price for this one! I would have waited for it to go on sale but I haven't been able to find these things in any of our local stores.

Home is Good

I love to visit family but there is no place like home. We had the usual lovely time with the actual travel aspect; airline & weather delays, racing between terminals in Houston with seconds to spare...but we made it there and back in one piece and all is well. Family time was wonderful. We must have taken 300 photos over the course of a few days and I can't wait to scrapbook them. All in all it was fun. However, I am really, really ready to get back to normal. Our schedules have been nuts for at least the last month and I want to get back to the humdrum of everyday life.

I did meet my goal on finishing a stitchery while gone. I came home last night, woke up this morning, bordered it and it is now finished! World record for me, start to finish in 9 days. I did buy some fabric while away but it is something that I've not seen here and I don't feel one ounce of guilt. I take a picture and post it tomorrow. MIL bought me this book and this book. I am thrilled! I can't wait to actually put the designs to good use. In case you are interested, Pam Clarke has her own website for additional items. TTFN

Brrrr

So OKAY ALREADY! I've become a Texan! It's snowing here in Ohio and I am cold! Obviously nothing quilty going on.....Talk to you all when I return. Have safe travels, make wonderful memories and most of all, take loads of pictures to share with us on the flip side!

Lookee

I.
See my new banner??!! Cool huh! Both the banner and the fact that I am
A. old enough to have been married 25 yrs
B. young enough to be enjoying the next 25 yrs
C. lasted this long
D. haven't killed DH
E. haven't been killed by DH
F. still love him
and MOST importantly
G. HE still loves me!

II.
Lost another 1.5 lbs. just in time to go and celebrate with family!!! Whew! Hopefully the scales won't be too tilted when I get home! Didn't quite make it to where I wanted but that will NOT stop me. Look out Pizza Oven!

III.
Haven't touched my last borders on my quilt. I have however been trying to cut circles with the Easy Circle Cut by EZ Quilting. This has been an expensive little experiment. THe 45 mm rotary cutter (common size one, not the very large one) doens't work with the 2 & 3" circles. Bought an 18 mm.....too shallow of a cut with the template. Bought the 28 mm.....eehhh! (said like Aunt Janice when being asked how the pie tastes). It works but not so good. Suggestions?????

IV.
Since I can't seem to cut circle quickly for yo-yo's, I'll be working on a stitchery. My goal is to finish it before I come home. I've done it before so I know it isn't impossible.

V.
WHY do we need everything we own when we pack to go away!??? G-d forbid we should be without something!! Like I'm going to the wilds of Africa and there aren't stores if I forget anything!

Oooo! Stashbusting!

Oooooo! STASHBUSTING!! After months of kvetching about not sewing...I AM SEWING! It's like being a kid in a candy store; I just can't seem to stop...or be happy with just one! This week I...

1. cut and pieced an entire front! This is an unheard of accomplishment for me. I even added most of the borders! WHOO HOO! This was no small feat because I was determined NOT to buy any additional fabric and had to make what I had work. I also decided that I lie. I am not willing to share the picture of my quilt until at least the top is finished. I need to add one more border tonight (there is another border already added that is not in this picture) and then I'll show and tell. In the meantime, here is a teaser

This is the next border being created............

One more border needs to be added and then I'll share the entire photo.

2. started the mystery quilt being hosted by Bonnie Hunter at Quiltville. I don't usually enjoy mystery quilts but I have mounds of 1 1/2" strips already cut and not earmarked for anything. I am making this from strips leftover from a log cabin quilt so I have a variety of sizes. I have it all set up so I can mix and match. It would sure be faster using all the same sized strips! (see my perfect, wonderful, amazing Hanukkah present...the mp3 docking station. I LOVE it!)

3. decided I am not thrilled with the round Clover yo-yo maker. Am I missing something? It is easier to just do them on my own. Please comment.

4. got hand projects ready for travel

5. CLEANED up after myself!

I did have to go out and buy floss for my hand stitcheries. I suppose I could have just used the "wrong" color but just didn't want to. I am too anal to not use the color listed.

Oh and by the way... had to laugh at the picture of Ms. S and I (scroll down to the previous post). I am wearing one of my uniforms!

I'm proud of us....

...and not afraid to brag or accept kudo!!! Between Mrs. S and myself we've lost 110 lbs!!!!!!! Here we are at her wedding last October.

Here is us in July.....

...and here we are tonight.

Proud, proud, PROUD! I also think we both look much younger. Getting the weight of is the easy part. I just don't want to gain it again...IT IS SO EASY TO DO! (If you go back up and look at Ms. A...well, she is just disqusting! She is THIN! We tease her all the time that we don't know where she came from! ) But it is so weird to look at pictues of myself. I know that is me, I was there! It's just ...well, I don't FEEL like I look. I am by no stretch of the imagination thin. But when I look at pictures it boggles my mind. My self image is f-a-t! Maybe this public log will help to keep me on track for the long run. I mean my face, my much thinner face, is now out there is cyberville for all to see. I would sure hate to disappoint the millions that read my blog and gain all that weight back!

On the quilty front.....

I'm working on Bonnie Hunters mystery and almost have my retreat top done. I've changed my tune and am willing to post unfinished things so once I get the borders on I'll post my progress. It feels SO GOOD to be sewing again.

Happy Hanukkah

Happy Hanukkah!

It's been a busy, crazy, tension filled but successful week and a big YEE. HA. WHOO. HOO. My party is over and seemed to go well. We celebrated Hanukkah as a family (Ms. A came home overnight so we could be together as a family for one night of Hanukkah.) I managed to eat everything I shouldn't have and the instant 5 lbs. is showing on the scale (it's not real weight but it's annoying nonetheless.) BUT, with this week over, I feel like the weight of the world has been lifted off of my shoulders! For the next week I have nothing to do but clean house, sew and get ready for vacation. I am so relieved.

I thought I'd share pictures we took on Weds. night. I might be prejudice but I really think I have the most wonderful family ever! We had so much fun opening gifts. We decided this year to only buy "what was within our means." In other words, I didn't want the girls going crazy on us. I really don't enjoy buying presents so it let me off the hook to go very simple this year. We have this thing about wrapping presents. We are always running so late that it doesn't get done....we don't like to waste the paper... and generally we are lazy. Many years ago we began to use "instawrap." Instawrap is grocery bags, reused gift bags proclaiming the wrong event (happy graduation on Hanukkah, etc.), anything that will cover the gift but isn't' wrapping paper. We get really silly with this sometimes. One year for my birthday, DH used a Hanukkah gift bag, undies as tissue paper and a lighter as a candle on my cake! It made for a great scrapbook page!!!! This year we hadn't planned on getting together as a complete family at all. On Mon. Ms. A called and said she'd be home Weds. It was a mad dash. Actually, I already had a box to mail to her ready to go but dinner and everything else was crazy! We didn't even eat until 8:30 because Mrs. S is in school. None of us wrapped our presents....at all! Mrs. S put my gift in a Bath and Body works bag, I didn't even put a bow on the luggage I bought her and Mr. Fancypants and Ms. A put Mrs. S's gift in a bag and used a bed pillow as the tissue! We had a blast! We had to keep running out of the room to get the next gift! The gifts couldn't be in one room....nothing was wrapped! Fun, fun, fun~~~Chaotic to some....just plain family for us!

Since beginning this this morning, DH took me shopping. He bought me a docking station for my mp3 player and a new chair for sewing! I have no excuses left. Expect a quilty post tomorrow!

Happy Hanukkah to all of my Jewish friends and to those of you that celebrate Christmas, hang it there! Santa will be here very soon!!

Luggage tags..again

A number of people have asked for the pattern for the luggage tags. Well, I've been contemplating making a tutorial on them. There have been so many generous quilters out there that I would like to give something back. Give me a little bit and I will get it posted. I already have taken the pictures. It is not a published pattern to begin with (as far as I know). Plus I really changed the original alot. Again, give me to the end of the week to get it posted.

GOOD GRIEF IS THIS FUNNY!

TOTALLY NOT ABOUT QUILTING!
Oh my goodness! I cannot stop laughing! You have to make your own! Every time I see this I nearly fall out of my chair again!

http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=1157042969

Stashbusting Sunday...on Monday

I finished all of the luggage tags and mailed my Pay it Forward!!! (I have two openings still if you are interested in playing). I'm waaaay ahead of the game. Here they are all finished....all 22 of them.

I need to apologize in advance ladies. I don't have the time right now to visit all of your blogs and checkup on your stashbusting triumphs. Keep it up the rest of the week and I'll check back next week. I may post quickly this week, but really have to buckle down and get things done. That will require limited computer time.

Mad doesn't cover it

As a mitzvah project for our school, we are collecting items for a soldier in Afghanistan. His wife is an assistant at our school. We are also collecting money to help defray the costs of postage. I left 5 - 1$ bills, intended to be used for postage, in a clothes pin clip, on my file cabinet. They were gone when I got to work on Friday. Mad would not be a word I use to describe how I feel. This is donation money. It's like stealing from the Salvation Army bucket!

1. Everyone working at my school is entrusted with children! We trust them to take care of them, be aware at all times, and teach them the right way to do things. Stealing would not be one of those traits we would like to instill in our children. How can we trust our employees with our children if we can't trust them with a lousy $5. (the money was taken after school hours, during daycare, when there are a number of very young girls employed. Plus, my room is out of the way, in the back and not readily available to the general public. In other words, you either need a reason or a purpose to be in my room. The girls cut through my room and also use the restroom. Parents almost never come to my room because it's in the back and they generally have no reason to come back there)

2. I went up to all the young girls that work there, one by one, gave them my best "I'm not sure if you did it or not stare" and told them, "Someone took donation money from my cabinet. Tell all of your friends that if they are hungry, come see me and I'll feed them. If they need money for bills, come see me and I'll help if I can. If they want a diet coke, they are in my refrigerator. If they just took the money to have it, Shame on them!" Every "little girl" that I talked to gave me those big "ok Mrs. H," eyes....like OH MY GOSH!, "I hope she doesn't think """I""" took it!" (these little girls are all 18-19 yrs. old) This was the exact effect I wanted to have on them. The "she thinks I did it but I didn't" complex. This will get them talking to all the other girls and perhaps they will figure it out on their own who took it and admonish the culprit!

3. It's not the money, it's the principle.

4. So I figured if they were in my room once, they'll be back. I posted this "note" on paper as big as the entire wall. I plan on removing it during the school day and re posting every night before I leave. Maybe I'll just embarrass the culprit enough to not do it again. If not, at least I feel better.