A STUPID STUPID STUPID idea

WAIT A MINUTE - what happened to yesterday?   Well I'll tell you. I started the blog and then had ANOTHER BRILLIANT idea (I needed pictures for what I was talking about). One thing led to another and I ran out of time.

So - now here is the blog from yesterday!!!!!






Do you every get one of those days? You have a BRILLIANT idea but is it really?????

Come September, I will belong to THREE quilt guilds. That in itself is stupid, but why not? I have great friends in all of them and as long as I volunteer, but NOT TOO MUCH, I will be OK.

Now - this means that there are not one, not two, but THREE quilt shows to prepare for. Yikes - how did that happen????   At least I have ONE YEAR to prepare.

While out walking this morning, I thought of a brilliant idea. I guess that depends on who you are. So over the years - I have taught a LOT of $10 quilts. Ongoing monthly quilt is more like it - but they are referred to as $10 quilts.

Let's recap so  you can see.............   (Oh yes - these were all taught at the Hobby Horse)

2003 - A Pieceful Year (sorry - not my picture - I could NOT find my pattern)

2004 - Seasonal Samplers - we actually only made TWO that year, but we sort of did one more the following year

2005 - Welcome to My Cabin

2006 - Wish Upon a Star

2007 - Simple Country Sampler

2007 - Patchwork Sampler

2008 - Rosewood Cottage

2008 - Around the Block

2009 - The Twelve Rows of Christmas

2009 - Nana's Farm

2010 - Quilter's Dozen

2010 - Piecemaker's Calendar

2010 - Pieceful Nights

2011 - Dragon Star

2011 - Christmas Heart Light

2012 - Dear Jane

2012 - Hobo Quilts

2012 - Farmer's Wife

2012 - Spring has Sprung

Then we started a Christmas Club at Cockadoodle Quilts and this is what we have worked on..............

2010 - Candy Cane Lane

2011 - Welcome to the North Pole

2012 - Critter Christmas

 2012 - O Tannebaum

Then I got into this with Ruti's Needlebed

2011/2012 - Elm Creek - Sylvia's Bridal Sampler

 And let's not forget Underground Railroad that I did a number of years ago at Hobby Horse. I don't remember how many months this was, but it was not a year long project - I don't think. (and it was around 2007 that we did it)

Underground Railroad

 But one must always be looking to the future!!!!!!   Here is a new one that will start at Ruti's in September.

Stonehenge Block of the Month

 These classes are a GREAT way to learn. You get homework - you come back the following month - if you have issues they can be discussed in class. Plus you build up friendships - honestly - they are a GREAT deal - especially with ME as the teacher. although the fact that I can`t finish any of them is a CONCERN!!!!

And I am already digging out patterns for 2013. I know - I have a SICKNESS!!!!!   But they are going to be GREAT!!!!!


Oh - now back to my BRILLIANT idea - NONE of these quilts are complete. Wish Upon a Star is the most complete, but is missing some quilting. What if I could get them ALL done and display them between the three quilt shows??????   Wow - what an accomplishment that would be !!!!!!!!!!    A lot of them are pretty close to being completed.

I've got to contemplate that - cause it will throw my plans off track!!!!!!

Well - more secrets. I spent one day this week with Elaine S. A friend from 20 + years ago (we met at work and then realized AFTER we didn't work at the same company that we were both interested in quilting. We have kept touch over the years, but she was working full time and so not a lot of time to play around. Anyway - we spent one day together this week. I worked on two blocks for one of my exchanges and I LOVE LOVE LOVE the two blocks I did. They are awesome and I HATE HATE HATE to give them away. Well I have no choice - I wonder if Marian would notice if one of her blocks went missing?????  She hasn't seen it so she would never know????? Well - I can always make another for myself. But what a great day - we sat outside and stitched all day - chatting and both of us accomplished a LOT. I think that will become a frequent outing. We already have another day planned.


And I got one of my quilts quilted for the challenge on Monday. Sorry - can't show you, but it looks great and I LOVE LOVE LOVE it. I hope I have time to wash it as I think it will really look amazing. But I doubt that since I have THREE more to get quilted before Monday and there is so much else to do.

It just seems that the deadlines are rolling into one another. Yes - I shouldn't leave things to the last minute - but that is just me. I am good at delaying, but like getting those two blocks done the other day - what a sense of accomplishment!!!!!!!!


Now I have to say that Sparky and Sammy are VERY SMART dogs. This morning when we went for our walk, I notice a squirrel ahead of us. Sammy is not far behind and I am thinking why is that squirrel not heading for the trees. When I arrive on the path - I notice movement to my right - AH - not a squirrel, but a SKUNK. And my dogs gave the skunk NOT A GLANCE. They both knew the consequences. If Kaylee had of been here - well I probably would NOT be blogging right now. She would be getting a bath.


You never know when you are going to need protection. And I have no fears of being invaded by aliens or bad guys. Why do you ask - well look who is protecting me all day....................

Why - it is BATMAN!!!!!    Actually that is Sparky lying outside the studio window in the backyard!!!!!!   I love the times when she actually looks in the window. Probably wondering - hey - how you are in there and I am out here?

Oh yes - while I was searching through my stuff for all those pictures - by the way - I am happy to say that I went through ALL my quilting stuff in about TWO hours. Searched through bookcases, boxes, closets, bags. Because everything is labelled and sorted - it really didn't take much time to go through it all. Just the shear quantity of stuff warranted the time, but I pretty much put my hands on EVERYTHING, but that one book which I may have given away, but I don't think so. And the Wish Upon a Star pattern is in a pile of patterns to give away and I can't remember if I gave that pile away  - I don't think so. So while it is better - it is NOT perfect.

Anyway - while searching for that stuff - I did find something that I haven't been able to find. Linda asked to borrow a book and I could not find it - even after searching SEVERAL times. But I found it yesterday!!!!!

Log Cabin book for Linda

And I found this book by Sue Spargo that I had been hunting. 

The problem with these skinny books is they get caught up behind another book and are hard to fine, but I was determined yesterday!!!!!

A piece of trim (it is elastic no less) that Marian brought me back from Iceland - how cool is that!!!!!!!

A quick caution about NOT attending guild meetings. Last year - I was unable to attend the June meeting for one of the guilds. When I got back, I was handed a list of names of people who wanted a CD for the quilt show. All the pictures of the quilts. Yikes - I was CERTAIN that I was NOT volunteering to make one. However since I had taken pictures of all the quilts, I sort of felt obligated. But NOT rushed to make it. Well as the year draws to a close, I am scrambling now to edit the HUNDREDS of pictures of quilts and labels of the quilts. My poor computer is in overdrive as I EDIT EDIT EDIT. I was hoping to get it done for tonight, but that is NOT going to happen. But I will have it done by the June meeting. I have about half of the SIX HUNDRED pictures edited. I know - STUPID STUPID STUPID  - but if you are going to do a job - do it right!!!!!   The editing is by no means perfect - we are talking CROP CROP CROP and that is it. No time for more fancy editing.

I think that is where my idea about the $10 quilts came from. See what I mean - STUPID STUPID STUPID!!!!!

Oh well - there is NEVER a dull moment in my life.

Speaking of which - if you are SQUEAMISH - I would NOT look at the next picture.  I am out riding my bike on the weekend - had an AMAZING ride - 87 K.

It seems that when I am in the car - I rack up the KM faster than I can say BOO! But on a bike - I have to go FAR or so it seems to rack up the K.

Have a look  at the map and stats....................


Sunday Bike Ride


Just happy to say that my legs were STRONG and I felt great after the ride, despite the fact that I forgot to take sun screen, but I was OK.


Close your eyes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
























I TOLD YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A SNAKE!!!!!!

Now I know nothing about snakes except that I do not like them. This one seemed to be sunning itself. It did NOT move in the least and I wasn't going near it. However it wasn't until I got home and did some searching on the internet when I realized what kind of snake it was!!!!!!   Do you know????????



Well I guess it makes sense since there is a place called Rattlesnake Point in the area where I say this guy. Yikes - ICK ICK ICK.


And I also saw this sign.................

I wonder what this is all about.............

Well on that note - I MUST get myself to work. I have loads to do before this evening.


Oh yes - a WORD OF CAUTION - I was using one of the blue WASH OUT pens the other day. When I was finished, I spritzed it with water. When it dried, the blue mark came back BIGGER than before and in several spots. I spritzed again - and same thing. I finally had to dunk it in WATER to get all the blue out. Be careful that you notice the blue is gone BEFORE you iron it because the heat of the iron will SET that blue and it won't be pretty. I saw it way before I pressed it, so I am OK.



Have a GREAT day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  



Ciao!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   (crap - I almost wrote CHAOS!!!!!!  - which is probably more like my life!!!)