My big mouth!!

So I was at work today and this well-meaning person (one can only hope since she is a social worker) handed me a lint brush and said she was giving them to all the people she knew tha had animals. I thanked her very much. I probably should have stopped there but nooooooooo I proceed to say, " you know, I like my cats better than most people!"

Well that is the truth-except for other cat people, quilters and my firends (you know who you are). I also really am partial to the geriatric population on the whole. I can just imagine what was going through her mind when I said that! I think I will go sit in her chair and try to shed a little fur. I'm bad!!!

Reading in the dark.......

This morning I finished "T is for Trespass". I guess I am tired of Kinsey because I could not wait to finish the book. The other thing was it had to do with elder abuse and since I work around elders all day long. Now I just have to wait until the library lets me know the book I reserved is in.
I ended up taking the quilt over to Stitch 'N Quilt for quilting. I got to see my firend Wendy. She has such a good eye and was able to pick out a binding for me in about 2 seconds! The hardest thing was deciding what color to do the quilting in. Wendy, Pam and I must have tired 7 colors. I have to decide what I will do for the winter stitch in. I guess I won't have a problem with having nothing to do-probelm is too many UFO's. Come on Saturday!!!!

too many quilts.....

My mind is always thinking about new creations. Yesterday I stopped at S 'N'Q to check out the pattern for the February project at Stitchin Sisters. It is called Sassy 16 and is made with i6 fat quarters..go figure. Anyway, it reminds me of Yellow Brick Road pattern. Of course, that is exactly what Pat said! Such a smart woman. So I reserved a pattern.....BUT I think I will just save the pattern for later since I need support to work on the applique part of Peace in the Valley. (If only somebody would do that part for me!).

Fast forward to me trolling in my sewing room- I have decided that I will actually finish a quilt I started back ???? It is the first quilt from the Pinhead club that Pat led in another store....Actually the top has been finished since that first year. I just have to piece the backing. I will take it on Saturday to the shop to be quilted and then I can use that wonderful pattern with hearts on it again. I guess I have used the material that came in the kit for the binding, I will have to get something new. I really need to finish some of the tops I have piled up before I begin another. But then again I have started collecting for the quilt I have in mind. No more new ideas!!!

Becky's blog had a new book series...I've already been online and reserved a copy! Not enough hours in the day and work really gets in the way!

T is for Trespass

After work yesterday, I stopped at the library and picked up Sue Grafton's newest book. Before I could start it however, I had to unsew the last side of the border on Peace in the Valley. When I put it on yesterday morning, I did not line it up right and the last corner did not match up like it was supposed to. And now it does!!
Then I allowed myself to start the book! It is the usual Kinsey Mclone up to solving problems. So far, so good. I finally gave up reading because Henry was sitting on my lap and it became increasingly hard to read around him.

Peace in the Valley

I spent some of this weekend working on the January Stitch N Sisters quilt. I am onto the outer border but did not finish it this evening. I did find some navy jumbo rick rack for the applique that is on the border. I will attempt to applique again.....even though the "a" word is a four letter word for me.

Don't know what I will do with this top when it is done since it matches NOTHING in my house (or for that matter-nothing in any of the girls' houses. Ah yes...another orphan top for the pile!

Oh that Emma......

I had breakfast with the girls this morning. I had picked up some clothes on sale the other day and they needed to be delivered. Sarah wanted to play "ponopoly"-a kids version. She always manages to win! Emma was just racing around the house! Being Grandma is good stuff!

The Dragonfly Quilt Shop

There is something to be said about rural Georgia....but I'm not sure what!
So I took my trusty little piece of paper with the directions and my cell phone (fully charged) and hit the road for Watkinsville. And I drove and drove...there is not too much to see on 316....well there is nothing see on 316. Watkinsville is sort of very east of East Bumblef___ (as my girls would say). It took about an hour to get there and it is a nice little shop with some different fabrics-lots of geometric. It was kind of crowded because evidently this is a birthday for the shop. I won a free fat quarter. Lots of different stuff and nice samples. The ladies were all very nice. It is a good place to go if you want to do a road trip but a little far for your average "go to the store and hang out with your friends and maybe buy some more fabric that you don't need".
I was pretty good and only spent about $35.
I have already checked in with Laur so she knows I am safe and sound and back in Gwinnett.

How old am I?

The phone rang this morning rather early for a Saturday and a sleepy voice on the other end said, "where is Watkinsville?" My girl worries about her mother. Yes, I did know about the possibility of "weather" but she had not put on the TV this morning and hear that the winter weather had gone south of I20. I promise I will call you when I return home and I will take my cell phone with me and hopefully it has a charge on it.

On the other hand, should I be worried about her? If you were to click on my contents on my site, you would see 2 names: one is Laurie (the concerned) and Freids is Sue and my little girls. Emma out playing for the first time in snow is cute (but then again, I am a tad bit prejudiced)! There is no link to Kris-don't think she has a blog.

Will have to see if I venture out to Watkinsville today. Right now it is laundry and I am sewing rows together on "peace in the valley".

Mr. Spiff relaxes....

It would seem that the winter blahs has not really affected Spiff. He is the same mellow boy that he always is. I was worried that he would be upset when I gave away "his" quilt....so I made him a new one. Well actually I made it for me but I will share it with him. He also has been sleeping on my 652 half square triangles quilt.

I am thinking about a road trip to remedy my blahs. The gals on the Sisters web site have been talking about a quilt shop in Watkinsville. Hmmm.....so I went on mapquest and I have the directions. If the weather is favorable tomorrow, I might just have to make a trip. Like I need more fabric ...not! But that has not stopped me yet!

Mr. Spiff relaxes.....

tis the season...

I really am not fond of the cold and I guess that is why this time of the year is probably my least favorite. Maybe I have seasonal affective disorder. At any rate, I just don't feel like doing anything. I plop down on the couch with the cats, turn on the TV and watch hours of mindless programming or fall asleep.
Yesterday I went to a meeting of the Ga nursing home fond. and trade show over in Cobb. I grumbled to myself all the way over and all the way back. The lecture was a dud. When I came home, I sorted out all the handouts I got and threw most of them away. I did get pens to last for awhile.
I finished the paper-piecing portion of "peace in the valley". I have gotten paper-piecing out of my system for awhile. I want to finish this top as I have another one buzzing around in my brain

Managing the UFO'a

All of my quilting friends have our UFO's, don't we? I think my UFO's are way out of control.
Renee, my friend and co-founder of the ABC Club ( more about that some other time) has decided that she was going to number her completed items with the year included. (2008-1, 2008-2, etc. I think that is a right good idea! so therefore:
2008-1: Laurie's quilt, Memories of France
2008-2 My new fav-Honeyberry Hearts. I have taken to carrying that one back and forth bed to couch so I can use it while I am watching TV too (or watching TV with my eyes closed, snuggled with Henry). Both Henry and Spiff seem to like it too!

Now a couple of years ago I decided to list all my UFO's on index cards and put them in a little box to pick out and finish. That turned into a real depressing task as I kept adding index cards. I think the box is somewhere in the sewing room and I don't believe I ever finished one of those projects. I guess Debbie Fry has more discipline than I.

I'm still working on "peace in the valley". I have 5 more of the basic paper pieced blocks to do. I think I will have them ready to start on the next part by the next Sisters Saturday. There is another quilt in my head spinning around. I have the pattern but the fabric is not quite right yet. Sweet Home is having a fat quarter sale coming up......

Indoor activity for a snowy day

The sun is shining this morning but it is brutally cold outside (for Atlanta). Bailey is not interested in staying out very long. It is supposed to get up to 30ish by early afternoon.

I finished putting the binding on my new quilt. I really love this pattern.

Bailey and the Great Snowstorm of '08

Bailey out in the backyard....(for a few minutes) She is now back inside on the couch on a quilt. She is a rotten, spoiled dog!

winter storm warning-part deux

There is a winter storm warning again-"heavy snow due- 1-2". Yet again the news is on early for snow reports! It was supposed to start around midnight as rain and then tranistion to snow. Go figure...it didn't start on time-what a surprise.
When I let Bailey out in the backyard, I can feel a little drizzle. Now the idea of the dog in the backyard on a chain so she can not repeat the great escape should keep me from not having to go out in the precipitation. But no....Bailey insists on wrapping herself around patio furniture assuring that I have to go out and untangle the chain. Such a dumb dog!!! (Sorry, Laurie)

Last evening I went over to S&Q and picked up my quilt. I am so excited because it was ready way early! The ladies did a beautiful job on the quilting. It is one of their new patterns and it is full of swirling hearts. It is gorgeous. This is my replacement for the quilt I gave to Laur recently. Bailey will not be napping on this one! Last night, however, she was on the couch on top of a quilt...smelly dog now I have to wash that one!

So today I will sew.....I have to make the binding for the new quilt and also work on "peace in the valley" I only have 4 blocks done on that one.

I'll keep the TV on so I can listen to further "heavy snow warnings"!

the day after the "big" snow storm

I have been reading all of my friends blogs this morning and they all deal with the"snowstorm" that blew in yesterday.
Pleeease...I guess there was about an inch (maybe) here in L'ville. But it was quite amusing. 11Alive cancelled the evening news with Brian Williams so they could continue the weather reports.

Sarah(age almost 6) told her Mom that it was "raining snow".

But now it is gone. I can't say I am sad. We have not had snow in Atlanta in 3 years and to me that is a good thing. The winters of '96 and '97 living in NY and having to shovel that damn driveway did me in. I have always disliked the snow and cold and that pushed me right over the edge. Ergo, I live in the South now! And snow is just another four letter word. White s--- is what I call it.

Today my sometimes roommate returns for a short holiday while Laur goes to Cal. to visit some of her boys. I think she said she was going to check out some wineries in the Napa Valley. Why am I not surprised!

I guess I should go to work-no snow day for me!!

Wintery forecast...

One of these days I will not hit enter when I don't mean to......

All week the weather dudes have been talking about the upcoming weather. I really don't believe them BUT when I left work this afternoon, it was really quite raw out. And the sky looked really drab and dreary. I mad my pit stop at the library and picked up the books that I had reserved. Yipee, now it can snow because I have lots of books to read.

When I arrived home, I was greeted by Spooky. No welcome from Spiff and Henry. So I checked in my bedroom and sure enough, the boys were on the bed all nice and comfy. I had put on a flannel-backed quilt and they had found it!

The books are already calling me.......LET IT SNOW!

The "wintery" forecast

The writer's strike

It has been quite awhile that the writer's on TV have been on strike. Even the usual garbage is not on. But that is okay because I have found a new author and all I want to do is sit and read! Thanks to Becky from Saturday sisters. I read one book and on the way home from work stopped at the library and picked up 3 more! I guess I won't be doing much sewing this week.

The office was treated today to lunch which means that I am not really hungry and I can skip supper. I actually could skip a lot of suppers and be none the worse for it!! But anyway...I think I will get rid of the work clothes, hunker down on the couch under a quilt and read!! What a great night!!

lazy weekend.....

So far this has been pretty much a perfect Saturday..

I got up early and finished a book-Savannah Blues. It was a good book. I heard about on the silver thimble book club. Then I did the usual Sat stuff: laundry, change the bed. I decided to make a coffee cake and then did a little work on the paper-piecing that is my current quilting project. I have now completed 2 of the 18 blocks..woot woot

Then I decided that perhaps I should do a little more reading so I start (and finished) another book. This one a rec. from Becky of Saturday sisters fame. It is about a librarian/sleuth. There are several books in the series. I have been to the library web site and reserved 2 more!

Finally got around to getting dressed and only did so because I was cold. Who needs to get dressed at 4 o'clock in the afternoon?

I'lll have to forage in the firg for supper but that's okay....tomorrow is another day!

Lazy weekend......

Laurie's French Quilt

Laurie, my globetrotting daughter AKA Ms MBA, traveled to France in 2006 as part of her course work(?) toward her degree. While wining and dining and wining across the south of France, she found fabric for Mom to make a quilt for her.
So fast forward to late 2007. Mom finally finished the quilt top. Laur has since traveled to India and fortunately did not bring back more fabric.

And now it is finished!! It is an interesting pattern. The blocks are sewn together and then cut aprt on the diagonal and sewn back together again. The end effect is the quilt looks like it is set on point but it isn't! No bias to deal with.

I hope Laurie and Bailey like their new quilt.

Back to the Kitchen

Yesterday was the day!! The man is coming to install my new dishwasher. Sometime around one o'clock I decided I had better call Lowe's and remind them I need a call at work ahead of time so I can get home to meet him. It is a good thing I did. No, the woman in the office did not know I needed this call and yes the man had just been at the store and picked up 2 dishwashers. Now when I bought the new appliances a couple of weeks ago, they originally tried to deliver 2 dishwashers. One went back to the store and the other to the garage to await Mr. Installer. Now 2 more are coming....yikes!! Mr. Installer and I arrived at my house at the same time. Now the new pretty white dishwasher is in, the old yucky black-front dishwasher is gone and the boxed dishwasher is back at Lowe's. I love my kitchen. And it will stay clean since I hardly ever use it!! So what's with those little electrolsol dishwasher detergent things?? I have to go to the store and read the directions on how many to use, etc. but then again, I am a Cascade kind of person.

My permanant roommates

Above is Henry..my most loveable boy. He loves to sleep on all my quilts but has a prefernce for flannel!
Next is Spiff..named after a local radio station DJ. Alas-there is no RAndy to go with him!
Lat but not least of the boys....Spooky. And he truly is. When anyone comes to visit, he takes a Pasadena. It takes me forever to find him. And when Bailey comes, I have to look in all the closets.

There is one more roommate...Harry. Now Harry is my only "northern" cat. Harry is rather antisocial and for years lived under my bed. She has been intimidated by the others so now she lives in her kitty condo (a 2 room crate). She is the oldest of the cats. I will have to try and get a pix of her when I take her out. She watches TV with me at night on the couch.

I finally was able to access the blogs of some quilting buddies. Gretchen's is far more interesting than mine...but then she has a real life!

Back to 'Sisters"

One of these days I will get this blogging down to s science.........
Today being the first Saturday after the first Friday of the month, it was the day for "stitch in sisters". It was so good to see all of my quilting buddies and catch up after the holidays. I started a new quilt-this month's quilt of the month-one of Pat's patterns called "peace in the Valley". It is foundation piecing which I have done before. I spent the whole Saturday session cutting. My hands are going to hurt tonight!! Thank goodness Cindi had advil with her but they are already screaming from sustained use of the rotary cutter. Getting old sucks!

Anyway show and tell was interesting-seeing what some of the others did sicne last we met. I took my new honneyberries in to be quilted as I gave the other one to Laur. i hope Spiff will like the new one as much as he enjoyed the one that is now at Laur's house. Bailey liked it too.

I decided not to put the outer border on the scrappy quilt I made. One of the blocks got left at the shop last month and I had to go get it as Karen was holding it for ramsom. I really like the finished quilt although I don't know what I will do with it. I hope one of the girls will claim it as their own.

Back to 'Sisters"