What I've been up to..............................

OH MY GOD - I am listening to the radio and they are having a discussion with an "expert" on sending text messages to attract men or to help out with relationships. Seriously????   OK - I am way past that stage or do people have NO BRAINS anymore?????

How about starting the day with a good laugh.  I was born and lived in Saskatchewan for a number of years. Tish sent me this link to a video which you have to watch. It is pretty funny and you know what - it is pretty bang on. They do talk like that!!!!

Oh - one more thing before I go on. We had the pleasure of having Elaine Quehl at our guild last night. She is a very impressive and prolific art quilter.  As I was listening to her and thinking about what I do - I wondered what it would be like to focus (mostly) on a single technique and do variations of the same themes. I am not certain that I would like that as I do like trying new things. I would love take something and play with the idea until I have exhausted it. I'm thinking striped fabric for instance. My biggest problem (and I know what you are going to tell me - so DON'T) is that I have so much old stuff that I want to finish.  And no I don't want to give it away so I have time for the new. That just does NOT work with my nature so don't even go there. It just means that I have to find a way to free up some time so I can take a day here and there to do my experimenting. At least I have identified that!

And I am MAD!!!!!   Oh yes - really mad. And who am I mad at????   My STUDENTS!!!!!   And why???   Well, as Elaine was speaking last night and talking about her quilting and designing - what did she say?  You must doodle on paper, you must practice, you must be patient (well maybe she didn't say that).  But what do I tell my students ALL THE TIME??????   You must doodle on paper, you must practice!!!!  And I had TWO people come up to me last night and say "oh - I see what you mean!!!!!"   WELL - those students are going to get a HUGE assignment this week. Oh yes - they are going to be sorry that they doubted me. They are going to regret not taking me serious!!!!

I'm just kidding of course, but really - I tell them all the time to doodle on paper, practice practice practice. I cannot say enough for that and hopefully I have some converts now. I must confess that many of the students are doing a FABULOUS job and they are doodling and they are practicing and they have made HUGE progress. Night and day for some!!!  I am VERY PROUD of the students - they are committed and I love that!!!!


OK - well that was a lot I had to get off my chest before I share with you what I have been working on.
You remember a couple of weeks ago, I was working on these blocks which I had resurrected from the depths of the closet. I swear - I have no idea how that happens. I have projects on that damn shelf and yet other things leap in my bag thumbing their nose at the shelf as they pass by. There is something fishy going on in my studio.

Project state from a couple of weeks ago

 I did not have a lot of this black left and so it got cut up into 1 inch strips.

All that remains of this black

This past Monday, I joined all those remaining 1 inch strips and I sewed the last part of the blocks. The big question was - do I have enough fabric. The answer is YES - but with NOTHING to spare.

That is all that was left - a mere few threads!!!!!

Trimmed some more of the half square triangles. Oh boy - I can't wait until I get to sew the eight pointed stars for this project. Well I have to cut them first!!!!   But let's get this trimming done. 

Then I worked on the scraps for the hour glass blocks.  I throw all those border cutoffs into a bag and when there is some to join, I join them.

Start by making half square triangles

Using a ruler and pencil - mark a sewing line that is 90 degrees to the first sewing line

Chalk line marked - I'll sew them next week

These triangles are waiting for partners. Need to make more borders!!!!!

Two half square triangles

To make the hour glass - they get laid on top of each other like above. Then mark the line and sew and trim!

My wacky blocks. I made another cut on the blocks and I hope there is ONE more cut next week and I will be done!!!!!

I have more stuff, but no pictures yet. Yes - you notice what keeps me happy is not working on fancy applique stuff, but working on scrappy, little pieces. I've said it before and I'll say it again - I could sew together what other people throw out and I would be happy happy happy!!!!   And I would be RICH!!!!

As you know - I like things that are ORANGE.  I came home earlier this week to find this.  These were all things that had somehow accumulated on the kitchen table. Yes - even a pair of running shoes - they've only been worn once (at the gym) so they are not dirty!!!

Things that are orange - but WAIT?  What's this?  A note??   What does it say????

Ah M - left me a note. Silly girl!!!!!

The weather has been weird. Patient, tolerant me is getting tired of the cold. But today might be the last day.  Please please - but look at what I found in the backyard.

Ice hanging in a tree

It was a warm day and the snow was melting on the roof and then freezing as it hit this tree. Pretty weird. It was very hard to get a good picture of it.

Thanks to my heaters in the pond - it has remained open all winter. The birds and the fish are happy!

Look at the path that my two girls have worked into the snow along the side of the house!!!!

And speaking of my silly girls - our electricity was going crazy this past week. It went off several times one night. Of course - it freaked both dogs out. Sparky was trembling and I had to wrap them both in a quilt and give them some love!!!   They lapped it up!!!!!

Sparky and Sammy!!!!

Before I close - don't forget to check out QUILTSocial. I think I forgot to include the link yesterday so you get TWO links today.

QUILTSocial - Thursday
QUILTSocial - Friday



On that note - another busy day ahead so I had better get started.


Have a great day!!!!


Ciao!!!!