State of my backside

Some time ago, I did the "State of my backside" reports. (the beginning coincided with the state of the union from the president). I then re-gained all the weight I had lost and stopped the SOMBS reports. Well, I've now re-re-lost the same 60 lbs. BUT have 30 more to go. I have been futzing around with this 30 lbs for months now.....haven't lost an ounce. In fact, I've gained 5 lbs. (SIGH). On the other hand, I have been struggling mightily with my RA this entire year. I am on my 3rd round of oral prednisone + a couple of shots for this year . The fact that I've managed to keep this weight off, continue to exercise regularly, meet with my trainer, AND take prednisone and massive amounts of ibuprofen, gives me some measure of accomplishment....but not enough! 10 lbs. gone would certainly help! So, I've decided to reinstate the State of my backside reports. Not feeling well is not a good enough excuse to allow either the weight to come back on or to become complacent in my efforts. Perhaps being accountable to WRITING down my accomplishments, and to my 3 readers left after my extended neglect of this blog, will spur me on to better eating habits and additional exercise. We'll see, we'll see....

If I could weigh what is on the scale in the picture........

Design Wall Monday

THis has been on my design wall for at least 6 months....maybe more.





It comes from this quilt that I made this at retreat in January....




.....for my husband. He in turn promised it to his dad. I never bound the thing! It's been sitting here patiently waiting while I recover from my quilting funk.

However, this is design wall Monday. Why the funky, wonky table runner looking thing? It was what I started to assemble to create a quilt from the leftovers from the quilt. I got this far, decided it looked like a table runner and quit! Perhaps my current streak of inspiration will allow me to work on it as a quilt...or at least finish it as a table runner!

Some friends are a pain!

I don't know if it's me or my friend Cccatlover that is the pain! See, she is making a fabulous 30's quilt. It has lots and lots of with lots and lots of cut off triangles. I couldn't bear for them to go to waste so she saves them for me, I sew, trim and put them in a box. I've been working on them again (OH did I mention that they will finish at 1"??) . Sew, iron, trim. Sew, iron, trim.




When I was in Ohio, I had my BIL help me separate them. (because of his brain tumor he is like a man with brain injury. It was a challenge for him to separate them into the proper piles). Here, I am on my own.


This is a SMALL pile of blue and white half squares waiting to be trimmed....




How many do you think are in this little tiny baggie??? 160!! Yes, all that work and once assembled 160 teeeny blocks will only work out to be 40X40....INCHES!!!



This is the pile I have left to sew. Doesn't look like much but trust me! There are a million little half squares in that pile.



I have no idea how many more she has for me...She keeps threatening to send more. All I know is I am nuts and she is literally becoming a pain in my neck! This is hard work! But I sure am enjoying myself with this mindless little ditty!

Doesn't look like much but....

I think it's safe to say that I have been in a quilting/blogging funk. It's really not even a funk that I was too worried about but it lasted soooo long this time. I am however, happy to report, that I am starting to put that funk where it belongs! I have been sewing. See the pile in the picture? It doesn't look like much. However, under the quilt that needs bound, there are two table runners that I finally finished adding borders to....after 3 years. There is also a top made from the orphan blocks leftover from Ms. A's "I used to be a pillow" quilt. Tucked in the drawer off to the left where you can't see, is a table runner that I began to quilt but the tension was off. I threw it in there in disgust about 6 months ago. Yesterday I ripped out all but the teeniest stitches. Oh and that quilt in the pile? The goal is to have it finished by the end of the week. It only needs to be trimmed and bound!






So if there is anyone left that has kept me on their blog reading list....I think, just think, that I'm back. Stay tuned....

I think...

I think....I think....I think...I've been sewing! It isn't an enormous amount but....I finished the tops of two table runners that have been here for two years, put together some leftover blocks to make a top and made pillows for work! It isn't much but it's sewing! Yeah!!! More updates very soon! I am so happy that I am sewing again! WhooHooo!

Storybook panels

I'm in love with all of the nursery rhyme, storybook fabrics they have been printing lately. I don't necesarrily buy the panel because you often have to cut them apart and reassemble. That drives me crazy. I do however love the companion fabrics. Because my school duties now include the library, they fit perfectly into my life. Today I bought (just as I said I don't buy them....LOL) the Brown Bear panel. I have the companion fabrics. I also have the Hungry Caterpillar companion fabrics but no panel. I have to get busy and get these made! School starts in two short weeks!

Summer 2010

Remember the kippot I made for Hudson? Well his Bar Mitzvah was the weekend that I left for Ohio. It was lovely, lovely, lovely. These are the pictures they took at his party. The first one is a photograph of my BFF and I. We were obviously being silly and sassy.

These are two of my former students. Hudson is on the left. The boy on the right had his Bar Mitzvah in January or February. He then promptly grew 3 feet taller!! LOL! Of the 5 boys in this class (I taught them for 2 years) these are the only two that haven't moved away. I was so pleased that they both agreed to have a picture taken with their ol' teacher.

Quilt Show New Braunfels, Texas - 2

More pretty pictures from the quilt show. Not going to narrate each one....I think the colors are wonderful on a few of these. If only I'd sit down and sew.........

Quilt Show New Braunfels, Texas - 1

Just thought I'd share these pretty pictures. I am always in awe of the workmanship of others. I have no idea of any of the makers. I apologize but I forgot to write down the names.




Love the idea of this one. The possibilites make my head spin.



Could these two be any happier???



I would never have the patience for all this paper piecing!





This was so cute. There were embellishments all over it. Bugs, ect. Very, very cute.







Just pretties~

Playing with my Friends....Again

I am so lucky. My little friends here have a mom and dad that are completely willing to live with my wierdness! I was gone for 5 weeks, came back, called them and asked if the girls could come out and play with me! LOL! This time we went to the coolest fountains. You have to understand. We live on the gulf. Water abounds......but so does sand. Sandy toes, car seats and the new leather seats in my car.....well, they don't mix. I love these little girls....but not THAT much!! LOL!! This little fountain area fits the bill perfectly. The water is about 6" deep, the fountains go on and off....water play...no sand in sight! (It's a shame. I won't post pictures of them playing in the fountain because there are too many crazies out there....)

Here they are just enjoying themselves.

After the fountains we went to McDonalds for lunch. It was nearly 100 degrees out that day so an indoor playground was perfect. More fun ensued!

Ice Cream! Yummmm....

I learned from our last outing just how to get Ms. Monkey in the car, in the car seat and not go nuts!! I carried her, no shoes on her feet, out to the car and gave her no choice. I put her in the car seat this time! Worked like a charm! It's funny the things you forget when you don't have little ones around for a while! LOL!

Quilty!

OH My goodness! I finally have a quilty post and I FORGOT to take pictures!!! URGHHH!!!!

We have been making these potato bags here. I don't know what has set us (my friends and I) off about these silly things but we are all busy making them. They are nothing more than a fabric bag filled with cotton batting but supposedly they make the most scrumptious microwaved potatos. I don't eat potatoes so I have to take their word for it. Since I don't have pictures of mine, I thought the least I could do is provide a link! LOL! I don't make mine exactly the same but you get the idea. I make them in all sizes because they are so versatile! You can use the basic idea to resize for many, many uses.

I made potato bags for my sister to share with all of her volunteers. She cannot leave my BIL alone and volunteers often help out. I thought it might be a nice little token for her to give for their help.

Hopefully I will find time to blog surf......I miss you all!

June and July doings

I've been away from home for the past 4 weeks. I am at "home" helping my sister. My brother in law has been fighting glioblastoma multiforme (if you scroll to the bottom you'll see the dismal prognosis.) for the past 11 years. For all intents and purposes, he beat it because when he was diagnosed 11 years ago, they gave him mere months to live. He has fought hard and received fabulous treatments. They really don't know what worked or why but obviously something did work. Now however, because the tumor is growing again, he is very much like a man with a traumatic brain injury. He is currently under hospice care.

This is a great picture of my BIL and niece taken the 2nd week I was here.

The past few weeks have been a true test of my mettle. I came here for many reasons. Obviously I came to help my sister, bro in law and niece, but I also came to help my 94 year old grandmother. She is at the point where living alone (in a two story home with laundry in the basement) is no longer a good option. We are trying to find the perfect place for her to live. My grandma is a feisty woman and it isn't easy merging her needs and desires! This task alone could drive a person to drink!

This is honestly the best picture I've seen of her in years!!! She actually smiled!

I came here for a another reason too. I've been too wrapped up in my own emotions and needs lately. I've been to self centered. Here, I've had no time here to worry about myself and and my self indulgent thoughts and behaviors. I don't have time to worry about piddly, unchangeable things. It is all about life, death and living with dignity. There is only time to do the necessities and certainly no time for self indulgence. It has been an emotionally and physically draining few weeks but ones that I wouldn't trade for anything.

I've had the intention to make baked potato bags for all of the volunteers that help my sister. I bought the fabric and borrowed the sewing machine the first week I was here. I still only have 4 made...uhm....two of those 4 are pressed correctly. I will get them finished this week before I leave. Hopefully, I'll be able to get a picture and blog about them. In the meantime....

Playing with my friends...baking cookies

It started out innocent enough...Cookies, frosting and sprinkles. Fun huh! As you can see, Monkey managed to get one cookie frosted before the tasting and finger licking began.




Now Ms. Kitten got wayyyy further along in the process before she began the finger licking. She is older and although the finger licking is fun, she had more fun with the sprinkles......






Cookie number two........already been licked once....notice her face....











Messy fingers......










Another cookie, more finger licking fun! (reallly she didn't eat frosting as much as lick her fingers)







Look at that face!!!!!



Now Ms. Kitten began to really, really get into the whole process.....




Sprinkles and sprinkles.....



...and sprinkles......



...and sprinkles!!!!!!!!




The cute part was that they helped clean up without being asked. Ms. Kitten rinsed all the dishes for me to put in the dishwasher. Look at the bottom left, you can see Monkey's arm reaching up. She found a sponge and was "cleaning" the sprinkles off of the table.


When I took them home, both girls were asleep before I was a mile down the road. I honestly could have slept myself! This day made me understand the concept of a grandparent. Things I would have never let my kids get away with.....using 3 bottles of sprinkles on 24 cookies.... didn't bother me in the least. But, it also made me realize that sheeeesh! I am soooo glad I had my kids when I did. I don't think I have the ooomph to keep up with them!