Finishing For Frost Fest

The first project for the silent auction is done, what do you think?

I was so hoping I would have had enough of the khaki color to finish 6 place mats but I simply couldn't find one other piece, so I have five, but will only supply 4 with the table runner and hope these go for a decent price, after all it is for funds going back into our community programs.

Now to finish my string quilt. 
I have a box filled with tissue holders and book marks for the Library, so those too will be delivered this coming Saturday.  WHOOPPEE I am getting there, not as quick as I had hoped, but none the less almost done, after the string quilt is done I still have one or two more little projects I would like to do, one a tote bag and the other a few more of the plain and quick table runners, I have already pulled fabrics for.  We quilters are wierd people are we not?  Always looking ahead to more projects while WIP's are ongoing. 
First however, my mother asked to take a trip out of the Bay for her shopping fix, so off we went and me holding onto her for dear life trying to get her into the car and not laying flat on the icy driveway.  LOL she is 89 years old this coming April and still has to shop.  It was a very long day yesterday but sadly I didn't pass by any quilt shops (just to look, at least my resolution remains still in tack)!  We picked up some much needed items and things for a neighbor as well and will be seeing her sometime today, we hope.  
Currently it is raining and I am praying that the temperature continues to rise and the rain continues to come down, then hopefully all of the ice will melt away.  Leaving me free to remain indoors and nicely ensconced in front of my sewing machine.  
Some evenings my favorite shows are and and handwork is always handy, my hexies are growing.  So armed with hexies, sitting on top of my bed while watching the telly, there was a new Pilot to view with Keifer Sutherland,  one of my favorite actors.  He's back with a new series called Touch, well, for anyone interested in the plot line will certainly enjoy this new series, at least he isn't a killing machine this time like a few years ago in 24!  

I thoroughly enjoyed this pilot and hope many other of his fans will too. 
I discovered another wonderful blogger, Vicky of LA Quilter and she vows to use up her stash!  Scroll down into a previous post and you will see that she actually took a picture of her stash and it's a doosie too.  My stash is in three places, LOL, one over in the cabin upstairs in the loft I cannot use because no one but me can stand up in there, maybe one of these years I will get to use it?  Then one in my bedroom walk in closet cum sewing stash and one in the spare bedroom where I took over a whole chest of drawers... I honestly do no know how long it will take to use up this stash, but certainly more than a year or two, I am thinking. 
It was so very nice of you to drop in for a visit today, and listen to me rambling on, but now I am off to use more stash...
..............OH NO the rain is freezing, YUCK now more ice will accumulate, I wonder if any of the Angels up there are listening to my fervent wishes asking for melting temperatures, not freezing, guess I will have to pray harder! 
Today, give a stranger one of your smiles.  It might be the only sunshine he sees all day.  ~H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

I Found Another Free and Cute Project

While reading on some of my favorite bloggers I have found you another cute project with a free tutorial on it, so go on over to Lori Holts' blog Beeinmybonnet and you will find the cutest little gadget she has made for her quilting friends.  She calls them Love Handles and it is something I am sure you can appreciate being a quilter, tooing and frooing from various retreats, gatherings, or classes.  Such a fun little project for you to make and in no time at all, what a nifty little secret sister article to make and send, costing barely nothing at all. 
Have you noticed that 2012 is shaping up to be the year of the house block?  Seems like nearly every blogger I visit is doing a form of house block or following a group or blogger who has begun a house block quilt.  I seem to always be one step behind in trends, LOL, like I love house blocks, have always wanted to make myself a quilt with salt box houses and still have not done it, now it seems everyone is doing the House Block!  Sounds like a new dance doesn't it?  You have to admit, house blocks are pretty, can be in any style, any color, any shape including Wonky, and they remain popular.
Now, if you want to visit with a very interesting quilter, head on over to visit with Sara Craig, her blog Confession of a Fabric Addict is clean, uncluttered (not like mine) and her writing interesting and her pictures beautiful.  She has a very interesting blog, which I believe you may really get into and enjoy. 
I am close to completing the quilting of the table runner, the place mats are done, so once this runner is finished I will take pictures and you can then critique my terrible machine quilting attempts. 
I'm off, getting back to the sewing machine as there is only one and a half weeks left for me to complete all that I have set myself up to do for Frost Fest this year, thank heavens I did the Scavenger Hunt material earlier this year and that at least is ready for playing.  
I hope I have provided you with some blogs of interest today, these bloggers blow my mind they are all so talented and have a way of setting out their works, explaining their craft and sharing it with the generous use of their time in setting up wonderful tutorials for dense people such as myself to follow. 
Wishing you all a Happy Day today. I look forward to speaking with you again tomorrow. 
Hem your blessings with thankfulness so they don't unravel.  ~Author Unknown 

Squishies Are In The Mail!

Hey there it's Tuesday and I would like those of you awaiting those squishes from me that their on their way to your mail box. 

 It had been raining all day yesterday and then the winds started up, I was worried that the ice on my driveway would be doubled in size this morning, but not!  This morning when I woke I saw that some of the thick ice has been washed away, oh there is still ice, but not like yesterday and the day before, it was so treacherous.  I took life and limb outside yesterday to go to the post office and to get more road salt to see if I could pare down the ice, the store was still out of road salt, but there was a huge bag of water softening ice crystals which according to someone at the store would work  just as well, so, I got me a huge bag and when I arrived home I threw a lot of it all over.  I think it helped along with the rain to wash it down. 
I ran out of my DIY pressing spray and had to make more, and in making more it reminded me to tell you about the recipe if you haven't already found it in one of my earlier posts. 
You can find this recipe on Amy's Blog, A Quilting Sheep and I believe you will like her style in quilting and color while your there as well. (it's a great place to spend time!) 
When you do visit there, click on the link that actually says DIY Pressing Spray and it will take you to the recipe.  This recipe has saved me lots and lots of $'s and I am grateful to Amy for sharing it with all of us.
I re-read once again the story of the Bone Marrow Donation which you may also enjoy reading about. 
Now here is a new blog I visited, nice quilter but better still she makes those lifelike baby dolls, your not going to believe your eyes, these dolls which she created are so true to life like I had to look several times and marveled at this Artist.  The blog name is Lillabelle Lane, just take a look- see at the pictures of those babies, judge for yourself, but I was simply blown away and at first I did not believe these were not pictures of real babies.  
While sitting here writing I saw something whiz past my window and when I took a peak to see what it might have been, I saw two black squirrels chasing each other, or at least one was being chased by the other.  By the time I found my camera and spotted them again there they were up on the neighbors roof!  These little creatures can really climb high and climb fast. 
So, just because I want to I will share them with you, though I have been told the black squirrels can do damage to a house if they get inside the walls and by the looks of the eaves around the neighbors house, I am crossing my fingers they cannot get into it.

I see you

The one sitting on the chimney chased the one on the peak right on down the antenna, what a hoot watching this being played out.

My break is over, if I want to get these items finished for Frost Fest it's time I went back to the sewing machine.

Thank you for making a stop in to visit with me today, I hope your day is going just great.  If you have time drop into The Quilting Gallery today, Michele has some new Bloggers to introduce you to and her Guest today is Linda Ezuka of Quilting Under The Influence, I really believe you will enjoy reading Linda's post and she's from Hawaii where the sun is shining and 85 degrees warm .  I love those photographs on her site, and when looking I was wishing, yes, wishing I was there to enjoy the warmth.
See you all in print tomorrow, have a wonderful day.


Constant use will not wear ragged the fabric of friendship.  ~Dorothy Parker

HAPPY LUNAR NEW YEAR

HAPPY NEW YEAR  to my friends Peter and Mei from Hong Kong, who I am certain are now visiting and celebrating the Lunar New Year, the year of the DRAGON with their family and friends in China.  
While surfing I was lead to a great article written by Graham Smith of the  Daily Mail and with the article the most colorful pictures showing off the beauty of the New Year celebrated yesterday!
If you go to this article you will see some very colorful and striking pictures taken of this celebration in China yesterday.  

Here are some pictures, not from this latest article, I found which shows off the striking colors of the Chinese New Year celebrations, these are not from this years celebrations, but of interest to me for the colors alone.

The color red seems to be the dominant color, this is so bright and vivid, with golds and blues following along to make the striking contrasts.

Are these golds, pinks, blues and reds not striking?

Janet Wickell over at About.com has an easy pattern and instructions for the construction of a Chinese Lantern.
I have seen in my surfing travels the 100 Good Wishes Quilts mentioned but never investigated, however, because I am now writing about the Chinese Lunar New Year, I thought you may enjoy the tradition behind the title of these quilts. 
There is a tradition in the Northern part of China that the idea of the 100 Good Wishes quilt idea originates from and if you visit with Sophie you can read of this tradition of these little squares means to all of the parents adopting or having already adopted children.  I find this a very interesting tradition. 
Over at Original Quilts you can visit and enjoy the 100 Good Wishes Quilts from the Gallery below the information.  There are also explanations of things like "why ladybugs are significant"!  The Tab marked "China" has beautiful pictures with a story attached during her travels.  Wonderful!  All of 100 Good Wishes quilts were made for others and if you click on the quilt picture it will enlarge and you can see the entire quilt and their colors.  Simply a marvelous site to explore. 
Many of these people have joined with internet groups of others who are collecting, sharing, trading and helping each other to complete these quilts.  
Springs Greeting Cards has a nice page explaining this Year of the Dragon and its importance to those born in the year of the Dragon and a very interesting read too.  
Please note, I am in no way affiliated with any of these site owners or business'.
Thank you for spending some of your time with me today and I wish you a very wonderful Year of the Dragon and I sincerely hope you enjoy todays  Lunar New Year post.

Celebrate the happiness that friends are always giving.  Make every day a holiday and celebrate just living!  ~Amanda Bradley 

Finishing Stages

Good Sunday afternoon everyone and how is your day progressing? 
I have been a busy beaver this morning, getting my place mats sandwiched and quilted, next the table runner and lastly my strings lap quilt.  I have several more little tissue covers to make for the Library, but I believe I might get time to make those as well.  More or less I am in the finishing stages of all the items I will need for Frost Fest.
Did any of you see the Valentine Heart video tutorial from the Missouri Star Quilt Co. yesterday?  Isn't it easy to follow and if I put my thinking cap on we don't have to use Layer Cake blocks, we could just cut the 5.5" squares and that will do the job just as nicely.  I bought a Layer Cake package this summer and put it somewhere, so far I haven't found it, that will show you my stash is still unmanageable. One of these fine days I may make a significant dent in it.
Look at this sweet heart quilted runner I found a picture of, isn't it just a darling?

Seems like this might be appliqued?   
What do you think of this, I just couldn't envision curly q's or round circles on these, I am hoping they look all right?  What do you think?

I stitched in the ditch around the three squares and then these lines through the center, guess this will have to stay as I'm not in the mood to frog it.  LOL
I'm hoping you all had a wonderful Sunday, just the way you like it and thank you very much for stopping by today. 
Things turn out best for the people who make the best out of the way things turn out.  ~Art Linkletter

A Sharing Saturday

This being Saturday, I thought I would share these things with you today.  As I keep saying, I so love Free so here are a few other freebies which you might enjoy today.
I subscribe to the You Tube Digest and this morning what I received was a You Tube "Missouri Star Quilt Co." video tutorial for Valentine's Day.  Wonderful heart block construction tutorial which I think some of you might enjoy, something nice to do for the upcoming special day which isn't too far off and still enough time for anyone wanting to make something special to make up. 

Don't you just love this quilt store.  These people really know how to keep you involved and interested in their products while still teaching something new and inventive. 

I so enjoy reading in bed at night, 

and have finished reading both of my latest mysteries and for those who have never met or enjoyed the Preston & Child duo the latest and newest character, Gideon Crew in "Gideon's Sword" is fast paced and well written, I am so enjoying this newest cast member from their imaginations. There is a new book "Gideon Crew" book schedule to be released sometime this year titled "Gideon's Corpse" ohh cannot wait to read this.  Meanwhile I am into two new novels for me, the first being Dream Fever with Special Agent Pendergast, also from the writing duo Preston & Child.  
I am also a fan of Oliver Stone, a Baldacci character and his Camel Club friends.  I just finished Hell's Corner and set to read a new novel titled "Zero Day" with John Puller the main character.  
 As you can see I love mysteries and these authors are among my favorites.  
You can bet I will be reading this evening.  Guess I will begin with Special Agent Pendergast.  Hmmmm wonder if there is a quilt in here?  Sometimes these writiers surprise me and write quilts into their books, only sometimes though but I keep a sharp eye out just in case.

While it isn't a dull and deary day here like it is for Quiltville's  Bonnie Hunter, who is off to a matinee this afternoon, (I sometimes wish we had a cinema near by), however before she left her computer,  she left a free kindle book link (on her blog post today)  for anyone who collects and loves to download free kindle books.  I bought a Kobo and kindle isn't compatible with it, but I downloaded it onto my free PC Kindle, gotta love free!!
Here in the Bay it is very cold  -6 and going down to -18 this afternoon and into the evening, ouch!
IF you have a few extra moments to share, check out The Weekly Theme Quilt Contest over at the Quilting Gallery, I have a black and white themed quilt in there this week. 
I am making headway with my Frost Fest projects, finishing up the borders for the place mats and hopefully I will make up my mind what fabric to use for the backs so that I might get these finished this weekend. 
I thank you for coming by this afternoon and visiting with me, I wish you a fantastic Saturday. 
From Quote Hugs

IF you don't like something change it; if you can't change it, change the way you think about it.  ~Mary Engelbreit

Catching Up

She writes so much better than I, and yet she made the same point, what would we all do without the internet?  If you have time today, go and read what it is that Bonnie has to say, she's such a gentle and sweet person and her words work so much better than the hissy fit I had the other day about the internet being censored.  I am still hoping for forgiveness on that post? She and I were in the same online quilt group many years ago before she became so brilliantly famous. She is so inspirational and shares herself with everyone who is interested in learning how to use that stash. 
Want to see a very beautiful quilt, go over and visit with Kathie of Inspired by Antique Quilts She's showing off her latest quilt, an Irish Chain and my goodness it is so pretty.  
AND Gretchen of 120 Blocks is organizing her stash and clearing up her basement area, I sure know how that feels and can emphasize with her on that score, every few weeks I have to clear up my sewing area messes or I simply would not have a place to lay my head down at nights. You see my sewing area is in my bedroom because the loft in the cabin simply isn't of any good use.  Maybe some day I might be in a position to use that cabin but as of right now it simply is not possible.  
I have been diligently working on completing the projects for the Frost Fest silent auction and am making good headway.  This morning, I went back to working on the khaki and black floral table runner and place mats set, working on getting all of the borders on the place mats.  I confess it is fun switching from one project to another, seems I might be ADD and never realizing it until now when I see just how many project irons I have in the fire. 
I have also stolen some time to catch up on reading what it is my favorite bloggers have to say today and what it is they are thinking about and working on.  I love this internet and my quilting hobby.  Such a fun place to be and with so many areas to visit and each teaching me something new and exciting. 
I did some snow shoveling this morning, managed to take myself another fall and yes, re injured the same knee again.  I used a whole bag of salt on the drive, lets hope the store gets more in stock cause everyone around here has thick ice on their walkways and on their driveways.  This morning when I went to purchase more, the store was completely sold out, oh my stars, guess we will have to succumb to using kitty litter until more sale is trucked in.  \temperatures have risen a bit today we are now sitting at -12 not bad considering the last few days its been -16 and -19 brrrrrrrr and no winds to speak of this morning, which in and of  itself is a blessing. 
Ohhh and I discovered a whole new series of mystery books to read written by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child....these two can write so well together, and I have two of their latest titles.  
Do you enjoy mysteries?  Who are your favorite authors?
I was introduced to two gentlemen at the Library the other afternoon, 

Our beautiful Library, small but well used

they were bringing in cartons of books.  The younger of the two informed me that these were all in his mothers sewing studio and that she had recently passed away.
He said in his humble opinion she had won!  I asked won?  He then stated the quote she had on her sewing machine, about dying with the most fabric!!  Apparently he has sisters who also sew and whatever they do not accept he will be selling (needless to say I asked him to let me know when this will happen). I know I made a resolution to not buy any new fabrics this year, but, he said his mother was a quilter and that she had nothing but the best of fabrics, you can bet I am going to at least look it all over...he he he
 The cartons he and his father were bringing in that afternoon were but some of his mothers books which were being donated to the Library.  She too was a huge mystery novel fan and also had years and years of quilting magazines and text books, and I can't wait for those to come in and I was asked if I wanted those because they simply do not have room for many magazines.  You know I said a HUGE YES, Please!. 
Once our  Librarian gets these cataloged and onto the shelves, The Bay mystery buffs will be into those shelves like dirty shirts all looking for more titles to read.  
Thank you so much for visiting with me this afternoon, I hope your day is going well? And Hugs to you from Quote Hug!
Aerodynamically the bumblebee shouldn't be able to fly, but the bumblebee doesn't know that so it goes on flying anyway.  ~Mary Kay Ash

A Great Day to Sit and Sew

It's been a challenging day today with the winds howling and the deep freeze continuing.  Out internet for some reason kept going on and off and it was a bit of a challenge Skyping today with my best friend.  Our internet provider seems to have been challenged through the weather as well so I sewed all day and didn't get on the net too long at all. 
I worked on a few projects today, I am refilling the Tissue covers and the bookmarks for the Library to sell during Frost Fest.  The ones I made before Christmas just disappeared.  My box is already half full with the covers and some book marks.  Any money generated from the sale of these items will be directed back to the Library. 

Then too, my string blocks have grown and I have been enjoying the process.

I decided to make this six blocks wide and six down.  All I will have to do when I finish the last six blocks is to decide on a border.  Then I am ready to sandwich the table runner and place mats I made last week and have a few more pieces of fabric chosen for a just a few more table runners.  I can't help but get ahead with the weather being so terrible it forces you to stay indoors, and with my internet problems today I actually made a bit more progress than normal, as I wasn't online reading other bloggers, searching for information or catching up on e-mail. 
Are any of you interested in getting free quilting e-books, if so, here are some links to those resources for you. 
Fons and Porters site offers free e-book containing patterns and information which you might enjoy, but it is free and so worth it.  I was especially taken with the Civil War quilts in the free e-book.
THIS site holds a free e-book on "Understanding The Basics Of Quilting" quite interesting.  There is also quite a number of other free e-books on a variety of interests. 
Quilting Daily has a number of free e-books to be shared as well, many of these are well written and very interesting.  I get the Newsletter and there is always something for free!  !
Fave Quilts has so many free things which will be of interest to you, it is a site you want to visit time and again, great tutorials too!
Time to get back to the sewing machine, I believe I can get away with another hour of sewing before I shut it all down for the evening.
Thank you for coming back to visit with me today, I hope your day was a great as mine was. 
The moment when you first wake up in the morning is the most wonderful of the twenty-four hours.  No matter how weary or dreary you may feel, you possess the certainty that, during the day that lies before you, absolutely anything may happen.  And the fact that it practically always doesn't, matters not a jot.  The possibility is always there.  ~Monica Baldwin 

THE POTENTIAL FOR LOSS OF INTERNET FREEDOM

OKAY I realize you  may hear me shouting a bit during this rampage today, but in all honesty at first I was going to dismiss it and keep my BIG mouth shut, but after reading and thinking on all I have read so far, my hackles rose considerably, so much so, that I decided this would be todays' topic!
As a blogger I am constantly surfing the web and reading what my peers are saying!  Many times I am also into using other social media sites in an effort to keep up with what is going on with the latest technology and the current events which may or may not have a direct effect on me and how I live, work and play.  This morning I received a Notice in my mail box and effectively it states to me that the Internet is on Strike!!!  YOU MAY read all about it here or here and here! 

Image from Michael Sheridans' Article at NY Daily News

I believe no matter which country your living in you will find an article such as the above written in your language and understand what all this fuss is being made over.
IT seems that the Congress of the United States of America is once again puttering in a direction it should not be moving in and the World Wide Web is its latest target!
While I realize sites on the web are being pirated and in many instances the contents are copyrighted material being infringed upon,  and even though the internet is constantly evolving and has places which are totally unacceptable to a sane thinking caring human being which I as a person would never consider visiting, that choice is mine to make under the specific RIGHTS that I have as a citizen of this world.
I do not agree with censorship in any form, even though I agree there are sites out there in cyberspace that are categorized as despicable in many forms of content and if possible should be shut down but not by governments, but by the people who use the internet, we make those decisions, however, if we stoop to censoring those sites we leave ourselves open to being censored and that to me in unacceptable. 
How widespread this Censorship Notion is within the U.S. Congress I simply do not know, but, in my heart of hearts I have a feeling this is a HUGE MISSTEP and is also a bit of a RED HERRING, while we are all being engaged in combating this so called possible move to censor, what is it that these people are really attempting to divert our attention from?
THERE are so many URGENT economic and world matters which it should be donating their attention to I simply cannot fathom why it would be concerned with the World Wide Web, now especially with our world in the topsy turvy condition it is in.  My goodness they couldn't even come to a solution on their own finances and they want to tackle the World Wide Web?  Does not compute to my simplistic thought process. 
OUR FREEDOM is what has been a catalyst to other nations currently struggling and dying for and Congress wants to censor the content of each web site out there, GOOD LUCK UNCLE SAM I believe your on the wrong track and should be paying close and better attention to the REAL PROBLEMS being inflicted upon your constituents instead of concerning yourself by sticking your nose into something you shouldn't.  THE INTERNET is the INTERNET connecting people from the ENTIRE WORLD population together and those of us with minds of our own can certainly chose which sites are healthy or unhealthy and make our own decisions as to whether or not we wish to interact with it or not.  IF governments and I do not mean just the United States Congress, but all governments would stick to ruling their countries and treating their bank accounts as those belonging to the people and not their own personal PIGGY BANKS and deal with TRANSPARENCY we, the people of this world might, and I say might just stand a chance of getting rid of the ills that are currently plaguing us all.  CENSORSHIP is not the responsibility of any government, that in and of itself leads us into dictatorships, and we have all seen what many dictatorships have done!  
IF we as citizens of the world are to believe that the current members of the United States Congress 

can waste their precious resources of time and money on censoring the web, then the POTENTIAL for the LOSS of our FREEDOM is at stake, and once the United States gets on board, you can believe other country's governments will also sit up and take notice.
OKAY I have made one or two minor points I suppose, here is what CNN is saying today about all of this? This is quite a concise article with other well know experts quoted on their thoughts about the whole issue. Do you think Anderson Cooper might address it on "Keeping Them Honest" tonight? 
In thinking about this very possible loss of my freedom has me totally enraged.  WHAT about YOU?  WHERE do you stand?  CAN we combat this insane notion of but a few misguided individuals?  I believe we can if we open a truthful dialogue and pass it all around, but as can be evidenced by the ever growing and undeniable number of web sites currently listed at SOPASTRIKE we should all finds ways and means to get involved.


"The only sure bulwark of continuing liberty is a government strong enough to protect the interests of the people, and a people strong enough and well enough informed to maintain its sovereign control over it's government." Franklin Roosevelt (1938)


What are your thoughts about all of this, should we be concerned? I agree on some of those copyright issues, but not to the extent that this bill would infringe upon. 
Did you get shut out of any of your favorite sites?  IS your Internet Provider on that Petition List?  
Should we be concerned about this, or, is this just another way of stirring the pot for something which may never happen?
I am so interested in what your thoughts are, not the political rhetoric, but the intent behind the process.
Thanks for stopping by this afternoon, and, if your still with me at this point, possibly you will accept my apologies for forgetting my web etiquette and manners and forgive me for shouting. 

A Full Day

It's raining, it's pouring and then its gonna freeze!!  I am terribly behind today in posting, but, I accomplished quite a lot.
I have been in and out of doors most of the day trying to eradicate the driveway from ice 

as the temperature steadily rose high enough to actually make it feel balmy. It rose to 1 Celsius a huge difference from the minus 19 of yesterday. I even unearthed my van and it looks kind of nice seeing as the ice took most of the road dirt with it and it looks nice and shiny just now.  It rained a fine mist all day.  Hopefully my chipping away at the ice and my sprinkling road salt all over that a lot will melt away before the freezing temperatures we are told to expect this evening hit us once again.  
I took a tumble and wrenched my left knee so I am hoping it won't be as serious as the pain is at the moment and hope in the morning it will feel better.  Right now I am limping  and look like STUMPY in that movie, RIO LOBO  can you remember just how he hitched himself up and walked because of his characters' bad leg?  Yes, thats me, just call me Stumpy! 

MARY COX and ANNE BROWN please keep your eyes out for your prizes, they left this morning,

the fat quarters to everyone else will leave here tomorrow. I put the envelopes with the fats in the car, and until this afternoon I just couldn't get the doors opened to retrieve them,

so now that I have reclaimed my van from the ice, your little squishes will go out in the morning post.

 I also puttered around with sashing those string blocks I made the last few days, that took up a few hours as well.  At first I tried black for the sashing, but I didn't like the black so have frog stitched those and tried a mottled print which I think looks nicer.  Just the top row is being worked on, and I placed several below to see how it might look once a picture was taken.  

I am making great use of my digital camera in conjunction with quilting, it really helps to see it in perspective and pictures sure do that!  
Now for the next little while its back to the sewing machine, and the sashing of those blocks, Between now and February 2nd, there is still quite a deal of finishing work to be accomplished on the donations I am making for Frost Fest. 
I also need to fill up the Tissue holder box both with the holders and the bookmarks for the Library.  These will once again be sold during the Frost Fest weekend with any and all proceeds being donated to the Library.  So I must put on my skates and get at it all. 
Thanks ever so much for stopping by today, it's so much fun to have others to share with and I so enjoy every comment which comes my way from all of my new friends which I so very much appreciate.  

Good friends are like quilts - they age with you yet never lose their warmth.  ~Author Unknown

Haphazardness = Strings

Good afternoon from the chilly Bay!
I believe I mentioned I was making string blocks, and have been merrily sewing along with the classic pop tunes!  Very freeing I must say.  Though I am having some difficulties - how you might ask can anyone have difficulties while piecing string block?  WELL, if your me, that isn't difficult at all, especially when you think your done a block and go to iron it, then you notice you have three pieces of fabric sewn to the back as well,  you can see my point!  It pays to pay attention to what your doing every so often!  I have heard of scrap reduction, but sewing on the front as well as the back does certainly help with scrap reduction! I am also having problems not being stringy!  What I mean is, these are supposed to be random fabrics sewn together, I am not supposed to be controlling the colorways, or themes, but I find myself doing just that, though looking around the web I have determined there just are no hard and fast rules about what you should or should not do when stringing!  Also, I see I have not just sewn scraps, but some crazy styled blocks too. 

This is going to be one undefinable quilt to be certain.  I love going to visit Bonnie Hunters' Quiltville, and one of her many articles is where she and Marsha R have colaborated on String quilting Primer !  I have always been facinated by Bonnie's way of thinking and wish my mind ran to 1/100th of her fantastic ideas for ways to use fabric and putting it all together using SCRAPS!
Anyhow the primer doesn't really set out any hard or fast rules, so maybe I haven't broken any and the quilt police won't have to come and chastise me for these blocks I am putting together.  I just have to get my mind out of  matching colors that compliment one another....

truth is I have to learn that the color wheel doesn't apply to scrap quilting, string or otherwise!  From all that Bonnie says in her articles is have fun, enjoy the process whatever you chose it to be.  I wish we could get her up here to Ontario, she'd have a waiting list just to listen to her.
Here are my blocks so far 

I am thinking of sashing them just so that I won't have to make a great many blocks and instead of a twin possibly I should stop at a lap size?    Besides, I am thinking they might not look too bad sashed.  For a person who isn't into blues, I seem to have a lot of blue in those blocks so far!  How do you deal with being totally scrappy?  I never considered just how much of a control freak I really am!

It is so very nice of you to stop by and visit with me today and I leave you with this thought!

In the crazy quilt of life, I'm glad you're in my block of friends.  ~Author Unknown

Sleepless in The Bay

Never drink coffee after 7 p.m. if you want to sleep the night through!  Well I drank coffee well after that time and to my detriment last night and couldn't sleep, so till 4:30 a.m. this morning I tried reading, tried tidying up my sewing area and ended up sewing some string blocks!  I was really physically tired from snow shoveling, but wired from the coffee.... If you want a good nights sleep and if caffeine bothers you don't be a silly person like me!  I only got three hours sleep, why?  Because my internal clock is permanently set for 6:30 a.m. and once awakened, I can never get back to sleep.  How very silly of me to have broken my coffee drinking rule!  I not only feel wonky but look like a tattered dishrag and this dratted cold lingers and refuses to go.
When I shoveled the driveway yesterday afternoon there was so much water and the dratted white stuff was so heavy it so much longer, and now with the deep freeze temperature it is like a skating rink out there.  I thought I had played it smart by sprinkling road salt on it before leaving it, but seems like the freeze won out and I didn't use the salting recipe correctly.  Oh well, I will have another go at it later this afternoon, hoping what sunshine we manage to keep today will help in some small way.
With the deep freeze temperature which settled in last night, hopefully the cold/flu germs will also be killed off and people (like me) can get back to feeling better.  Barring the time I shoveled snow and went out to the Citizen Of The Year awards ceremony last Sunday, I haven't been out of the house and some of the groups I volunteer with are beginning to believe I have turned into a recluse!

While not being able to sleep and yet being physically tired I tried reading, 

I packed up all of the inside Christmas decorations away,

 and began tidying up the sewing area.  Finding lots more scraps along the tidy up route I finally sat down in front of the sewing machine and made some string blocks until finally I felt sleep enough to attempt inspecting my bed once again.  IF YOU VALUE the next day, don't drink the coffee after 7 at night (and that said by a coffeeholic)!

These are the string blocks I made while seeking sleep this morning, 

what a  nice change from piecing a structured block.  I think I will continue with these for awhile longer and see what I can accomplish with them today.  Seeing as I am not working on all pistons, these are a great way to make more blocks and use up some of this multitudinous scrap collection I have.  I can't think of a better way to chase away the grumps I get from lack of sleep.  Table runners will take a back seat today because I know I will make too many piecing mistakes if I try today.
WHAT do you do when you can't sleep?  
Thanks for popping in this morning, I hope I haven't put you to sleep, and to those waiting for parcels from the giveaways, no, I haven't forgotten you, please be patient, I haven't been to the post office just yet, guess I will try next week, rest assured these are all ready to go I just have to motivate myself to get there!

TODAY is an "S" Word Day

One of my favorite people, a quilter is in California today, working, but soaking up all of the California sunshine and what do we have here in the Bay - SNOW!!!!!  Oh how I dislike that stuff!
YUP it is doing just that in the Bay right now!

While I dislike that white stuff that falls from the sky, I have to admit when it first falls and lays on the earth, all before 4 wheel and 2 legged traffic strides over it, it is so darned beautiful. 
I am such a contradictory person, I dislike the stuff, but appreciate the beauty its' flakes make when it sticks to the trees, surrounding shrubbery, over the gardens and on any peaks like hills and mountains, but, I like to see that beauty in photographs, not outside my door!  
This means ultimately when the white flakes stop falling,  I must don those heavy and cumbersome winter boots, hat, scarf, mitts and grab the snow shovel. 
Before I can do any shoveling  I need to do warm up exercises before hitting the driveway or my joints will cease along with the "hardly ever" used muscles....UGH!

Mind you when finished shoveling I'll finally stumble into the doorway, extricate myself from the bundles of outdoor clothing, dry off and hit the kitchen, turn on the kettle, while it boils I'll wrap up in something warm 
and grab the hot chocolate and relax!

Don't I just wish I looked this great!

Today though, while I wait for the snow to stop falling I really want to  play in front of the sewing machine, even though the dust bunnies are waiting for me to play hide and seek with them again
(it is Friday after all, the day a modicum of housework should be done) and the vacuum is waiting for me to stretch its neck to get the kinks out of it 

by hunting down the grit that lies about the floor making it look dull and lifeless, so after playing with the vac I guess I will have to hunt for Miss Mop (I can hear her cries somewhere below from being so neglected) 

 and get her up and dancing along the boards.  

NOT TRUE!

Do you have days like the one I am describing?  Some days I just cannot seem to get a handle on what it is I need to do first.  Piecing and quilting are always #1 on my list and them time just seems to fly and the chores remain still waiting for me to attack them all.  WHAT I need is a HUGE WIN from the lottery, but, as a friend so nicely advised me awhile ago, first I should buy a ticket!!!!  
SEW my friends out there, what say you, do I tackle the indoor stuff or the out of doors stuff, which is it to be?  Never mind, I have decided it's SEWING TIME.....
I thank you for stopping by on such a snowy quarrelsome day with myself and hope you haven't been too put off by my ranting.  Whatever your up for today I wish for you no dusters, no dust bunnies, no soapy suds and no snow shovels!  Have a perfect California day today, you deserve it!

Sheesh Just Short Of Six

Just that 2 inches by about 18 inches too short!  I have been trying to get six place mats out of the Khaki colored fabric I pulled as the co-ordinate with the Black floral "Independence" by R.E.D. fabrics in the main table runner and the four place mats I have constructed.  
I was ruthless in my search this afternoon, I went through all of the bins and totes which house all of my scraps and I went through all of the brown/beige/cream bundles of fabrics in search of just one tiny sliver which might provide me with enough to finish the 6th place mat.  NOPE, nada, nix, nothing at all, not even close in colorway,  no such luck at all.  
I am exhausted from searching!!!

A set of 6 place mats always seems a better number than 4 and 5. 25 just won't do, so, giving in to the lack of fabric and in defeat I will keep the last mat I made and use it for something else sometime in the future, and be pleased that I made it to 5 1/2 and at least 4 to go with the runner.   What do you think?  I will finish these as I have made the runner and one day next week will get into the machine quilting of all of the pieces I manage to complete this week. 

 Here they are and these will be finished in the same way as the table runner. 
I fell in love with this R.E.D. "Independence" fabric many years ago and it is one of those fabrics I never had the heart to cut into, but, if I do not begin to use these fabrics I certainly will die with the most fabric!  LOL
It's bad weather here in our region and I just heard from my sister-in-law that there had been a terrible auto/trucking accident on our Highway during the early morning hours, closing off that section of the highway for over 7 hours.  Apparently the roads are coated with black ice, this my friends can be a killer when combined with speed on the roads.  I am happy to say the only speed happening around here is me and my trusty sewing machine. 
Hey, have any of you noticed the many quilters making house block quilts?  I saw at least 5 today, not bad, this must be the year of the house, and me, here I am just ooooing and aaaawing over all of them!
I'm off to re-connect with my fabric and sewing machine! 
What I wish to remind all of you who must drive on the roads where this years unpredictable weather is happening, is to take your time getting to and from where ever it is you need to get to, cause I would like you here at my place for coffee, or tea and a visit with me everyday, so please stay safe out there. 
Thank you so very much for sharing a part of your precious time with me today, I am so gratified by your company and offer you just from the oven muffins (like these that Kevin baked with his delicious recipe) 

 straight from the over and slathered with butter with a cup of your most favorite brew to wash it down, after all, how else can I bribe you to visit???