Pandora's box

I just HAD to open that box. Oh dear - you see, I am teaching a class today. Hopscotch and I wanted to get the second blue/white floral quilt done.

I did get the top sewn together................

Second blue/white floral Hopscotch - DONE (well still needs borders)

And that is where the problem started. I went to the basket of white fabric to get some fabric for the border of this quilt. And something caught my eye................

The basket of white fabric on the bottom and right above that - what is in that box????

Looks like blues and yellows. I might like to make a blue/yellow version of Hopscotch. Let me check it out.....

OH - now I know why all those deep rich blues are NOT in the stash basket. They are in this box. And why are they in this box???  Well - I was working on a blue/yellow quilt a NUMBER of years ago. These fabrics were set aside for that project.

Hmmmmm - let's dig out those project boxes................ (notice how in mere seconds - literally - I was able to locate both project boxes. Thank god for good organization skills and a GOOD memory)

Actually I was making ONE quilt for M (her bedroom was blue and gold at the time). After I abandoned making this quilt for her, I decided to split it into TWO projects. I will lay them on the design wall later today and take pictures so I can see what I am going to do with them)

Block One was a drunkard's path. I found TWELVE or THIRTEEN completed blocks in the box PLUS

All the pieces prepped or mostly prepped to make a LOT more. Plus there is extra yardage in this box. 

Second project box is this block - there is only ONE complete, BUT

All the rest of the components are cut and prepped and ready to sew together. I think I just found a NEW ender and leader project!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

AND the good news is that I found a fabric in that box of blues and yellows that will be perfect for the binding on the blue/white floral. If this doesn't work, I am sure there is something in that box that will work. 

Now do you see the problem that I am facing?????   I am supposed to be working on my $10 quilts - both current and past, I am supposed to be working on stuff on the 2013 shelf and well - that just doesn't seem to be happening!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   Although - the Drunkard's path project box WAS ON the 2013 shelf. You know - it really doesn't matter - as long as I am getting older projects done - I don't really care which ones get done. And I would LOVE to get to the stage where there is NOTHING on the work tables. Making progress, but not fast enough.

I am teaching a class today and so will take those project boxes along and as the students are busy sewing, I will take inventory of the boxes and see what I have. Then I can make a decision about that blue/yellow box of fabric. If it needs to be shelved - then it will get shelved. It makes me shudder to think how much other fabric is HIDDEN like that in the stash room.

Speaking of enders and leaders - I now have SIX blocks of those mini blocks. I need/want NINE

This is all the bits and pieces that remain - yes - the bits and pieces are in this tray as I am taking this to the class for show n tell and didn't want to take the bigger one. I may have to find a few odds and ends to get the nine blocks I need since each block requires SIXTEEN half square triangle and I don't think there are forty-eight in this pile. My guess (and I have NOT counted - I will get TWO more blocks)

We are having CUP wars at our house. I get the cool drinking cups and then EVERYONE wants to use MY cups.

Last summer, Ronda bought me this cute cup with bicycles on it...............

Cute bicycle cup that belongs to ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Except that a certain someone has been using the cup. I have tried to get her to use something else, but NOPE - she wanted that style and you just can't get them right now.

Well Berk to the rescue - because he found the cups.

So he got a RED one for Princess M

And an orange one for ME

So NOTE TO M - HANDS OFF MY CUPS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



Now here is a note to myself. I guess I felt a bit like Alice in Wonderland. I came home yesterday afternoon and being a bit hungry, I searched the kitchen and found these apple muffins on the counter. Hmmmmm - I wonder where they came from. Must have been M or Berke that bought them. Oh well - they won't notice if I eat one. So I did!!!!!!!!!!!!

BIG - I meant GIGANTIC muffins

After eating one, I was ill. Not ill in that I had any of the usual symptoms, I was just ill at the thought of eating that muffin and I couldn't eat another thing the rest of the day. I was so full, I just wanted to get rid of that muffin, but it was quite happy sitting in the pit of my stomach. Oh boy - NEVER eat an entire one of these muffins ever again!!!!!!!!!!!   It was a tad large, but still - just can't deal with that stuff any more (in that quantity)


Plus I was tired from the intense workouts two days in a row, a busy day and all I wanted was a nap which just wasn't going to happen. It is always the same - I lay down and then the dogs want out, then they want in, the phone rings, a text message comes in, someone wants to play Scrabble, Mom - can you come pick us up???. In future when I nap - those iFriends of mine are going to sleep in ANOTHER room and I will put the dogs out first. So I finally got to nap about 8 PM on the couch and that is where I was when I woke up this morning!!!!!!!!!!!!

Got another quilt DONE!!!!!!!!!!!   

Detail of quilting

Got lots more to do and now I had better get some trimming happening!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Went to the bicycle show in the afternoon. Oh boy - what a cool show. I don't have time to show you stuff from that, but there was some cool stuff and I wasn't even looking at the bikes. I DO NOT need another bike. I have FOUR bikes - of course - I could always get an electric bike??  NO - that is silly. Maybe when I am eighty!!!!!!!!


After picking M and Caroline up from the gym (they went to the spa and got manicures and facials as part of the birthday celebrations), we had to pick up the ice cream cake for the birthday. YES - I fail as a mother in the birthday celebration preparations. But Berke met us at the store and it was fun picking out the cake - so I am more into the experience than the surprise. YUP - as a cool Mom - I rock!!!!!!!!!!!!!     Well in my mind I do.

They chose sparklers instead of candles (see I would NOT have chosen sparklers). Berke is watching Caroline light the sparklers. 

The birthday girl - notice that HUGE pillar candle. That serves for ANY number of birthdays. Perfect solution!!!!    Thanks Caroline!!!!!!!!

All sparkly!!!!!!!!!!!!

Take a BIG breath

Oh - such a gentle little puff of breath!!!!!!!

Nope those sparklers do NOT blow out!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The cake

Cutting the cake 

So yes - I did have a little piece of cake, but I did it for the sake of the birthday NOT because I wanted some. I just wanted to die at that point!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Well - I am running out of time this morning. It was an awesome day and I thought that may be the last time that I get to see my baby on her birthday. If she is away at school or whatever, I might not get to see her. Oh pooh - will have to travel to wherever she is. Now I sound like Marian!!!!!!!!!!!!1


On that note - I had better get myself ready for the day ahead.


Have a GREAT day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   (don't forget to MOVE MOVE MOVE)


Ciao!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


By the way - does anyone have this pattern?????   It is called Journey of a Quilter. It was a Block of the Month several years ago and while I LOVE the quilt, I wasn't prepared to spend $100 for the pattern. Yes - it comes from Australia and is VERY EXPENSIVE. And granted - you could just figure it out without spending that kind of money. But if someone had one for sale at a reasonable price - I would be willing to buy it.


Journey of a Quilter