Building a new house!

We still have a home phone. While I have turned off the ringers on all the handsets but one, it drives me crazy at the frequency with which this phone rings and I really should turn that last ringer off. I NEVER answer my home phone but you're welcome to leave a message on it. I do check the VM from time to time. When I check the list of callers, it's all telemarketing. Sheesh!!!!  You would think that they would start to realize that no one answers that phone!!!!

There is at least two quilt shows this weekend.

Quilts Kingston - the show is in Kingston, Ontario.  June 8 - 10.   Oh gosh - I forgot that there's also the show of Log Cabin quilts in Kingston. That's on until August 5. I would really like to see that show. MUST mark that one in the calendar. The information is on that same link.

Quilts on the Grand - the show is in Fergus, Ontario. June  8 and 9.

I wish I could go to either of the shows, but alas, I'm getting on a plane in two hours. Only gone for a week, but it still messes up my schedule.

I spent the entire day yesterday on the computer. I had quilts to be designed for a deadline. Have you ever tried to make that brain work to a creative deadline? A wee bit of a challenge. However, I sent off 12 designs (some of them were just different colorways, but that still takes time to figure out). Then the designs had to be assembled in the format they like with all the details. That got put into five different files and then all was sent off.

That's one thing off the plate. I have another batch that has to be done next week when I'm back. Oh yes and my pattern writer person? There are more patterns coming. That's OK because I'm going to have that process down pat.

Did I say that I love doing this freelance stuff? You never know what's going to be thrown your way and yet I have loads of flexibility to do what I want. And I find that writing and designing have made me a better quilter.

I have a quote to share with you today.  "Broken crayons still color."   Isn't that cool? That's how we should be looking at our fabrics and tools and UFOs. We can still make something with it even if we don't like it or it's broken. It'll work  - you have to believe.

A while back, I showed you a picture of a wee pair of running shoes or a hiking boot that I had acquired and I had attached it to my day hiking backpack (which I haven't used in a while). Look - I got a new shoe to attach to the backpack. It's a sandal - something for AFTER the hike.

A small sandal

Here it is attached to the backpack with the other boots and shoes. I LOVE this kind of thing and thanks so much to France for the wee sandal.

Shoes on the backpack

I got my house block back and look - it's all fixed up. Why I didn't do it this way I did the first time? No idea. We get something in our head and it sticks that way. I was able to remove the piece from the block (still had the paper attached) and remove the brick and put in the foundation. Literally lifted the house so to speak.

A new foundation for the house

Here's what the block looked like before. I think it's much nicer now. Hope the recipient likes it.

Brick foundation -not so nice

In my "spare" time, I've been working on this. An interesting object has appeared on my sewing table. No time to take it to the next step. That will have to wait until I get back home.

A big ball of string

But what kind of string???


It was so cold here yesterday. Our house tends to be on the cold side regardless of the weather outside. It was even colder and there I was sitting at the computer with a scarf around my neck and my DOWN VEST on all day. Seriously - I was freezing.  But the vest worked like a charm and soon I ws toasty warm and stayed that way all day.

OK --- I had better get a few more pictures edited for another post later this week. I do have stuff to blog, just not sure about pictures and how long the posts will be. As I said yesterday, you may want to check if I haven't written two short ones rather than one longer one. I did check online about the buffer on the iPad. I think there's an app for the blog software, but I hate the "new" Apple store. Drives me crazy. Shoot - I should have asked my technie guru last night when she was downloading shows to my iPad for me to watch on the plane and she downloaded a Podcast as well. Thanks, RONDA  -  and thanks for ponyexpressing my stuff to the guild tonight.

I seriously do have great friends. I just hope that I give them back in return what I get from them. Just shout at me if I'm not!!!!

One other thing that I wanted to mention. I get my weekly updates from Grammarly. I'm not sure how accurate they are since I don't believe all the stats they send. My error rate for spelling should be way down with the new keyboard.  Anyway, I was reading Louise Penny's newsletter the other day. I love her newsletter and she's so humble. She is writing her new Gamache series book. She writes about 1,000 words a day. Hmmm - just checked the word count for this blog post.  It will be 1000 words or more by the time I'm done. HEY - I could be an author. Except that her words for the next book are probably a lot harder to write than my 1000 words for the blog post.

Speaking of books, if you're interested in finding a new HOT mystery author, here's a list of nominees for the Anthony Awards.  Looks like some great reads.

I finally buckled down and did something two days ago that I was wanting to do for a long time. I "married" those two book databases of mine. So now the Fictfact with the lists of series is up to date with what I've read. Then I was able to print off a "next book" list. When I want to find a new book to read, I just have to look at that list. I want to see how many of those "next" books are available at the library. Then what isn't available, can become my shopping list when I hit a used bookstore. Oh gosh - when I want to be organized, I can be scary!!!!

I think that's all I had to say for today. I had better finish packing in my HUGE suitcase because DH won't let me take the smaller one I usually use. The one I have is still small, but it's a wee bit bigger than I normally use and I don't take much when I go.

Have a super day!!!!!


Ciao!!!