The Latest

First let me say...I've missed you too! I love hearing from my blogland friends, and thank you for checking in on me. I promise all has been well but with sick children and My Hero traveling every week, there's been a bit of an adjustment period. Something had to go and that was my blogging. It will have to take a back seat for a short period. Falling but not forgotten.

Now for the fun stuff:
My Nutcracker (12 year old daughter who loves ballet) and I (just the 2 of us) went to....

a very fun place, beautiful and chaotic at the same time.

Oddly enough, not very quiet,

but can be tranquil if you find a nice spot to sit and eat your lunch which you picked up that morning at the corner grocery as you walked to your ballet class.

This photo should give you a hint if you look at the gold shiny statue in the background (especially if you watch the Today show).

And this is the photo from our hotel room. That's right, Times Square. My Nutcracker and I went to New York this weekend to do a weekend curriculum called Passport to Purity by Dennis Rainey. The weekend focused on the importance of waiting until you're married to have...well, you know what. It was a wonderful venue to have those "odd" conversations. It was nice to decide on "when" to date and "who" to date and what certain kinds of peer pressure look like before you are actually "in the moment". Overall, a smashing success!

Highlights:
My daughter took a ballet class at "Steps on Broadway" (a ballet studio in NYC) from Gelsey Kirkland. Anyone know who that is? Probably the most famous American ballerina of all time. A tragic figure in some respects but seems to have come out on the great end of life. Her battle with a hard childhood, anorexia, plastic surgery, drug addiction and difficult relationships with Mikhal Baryshnikov and others led her to write the book, Dancing on My Grave. There were many parts of the book I didn't let my daughter read but some of it was beneficial in knowing what goes on in the mind of dancers.

Another highlight was getting a fitted for pointe shoes from a professional fitter at Gaynor Minden. Click on all of those pictures, it's exactly as it's shown. The showroom is in the Chelsea neighborhood in the most precious brownstone. See photos. There's a lot of controversy over these shoes in the world of ballet for various reasons but I swear they have cleared up a lot of "issues" we had with the other shoes. Mostly "fit" issues.

Another highlight:
Seeing Ground Zero...no pics but a haunting experience. Our tour guide said that New Yorkers really came together after that and everyone washed off their "ugliness" and became kind and genuine to each other. We really noticed it being tourists. Everyone was more than generous.

And the last highlight:
Wicked.

The Broadway musical. Encouraging story, full of forgiveness and learning to come out on top when the world is less than kind. If you haven't seen it...it's a flat must. Costumes are outstanding, story...phenomenal. Singing...to die for. I'd recommend it for all ages. Even my sports loving, corporate executive, never go to a museum husband would have loved it. We'll definitely see it again.

We also saw West Side Story....wished we had seen Billy Elliott or Jersey Boys instead. Those got great reviews.

In short, it was a wonderful weekend and a much needed getaway for me. I'll be thinking about it for ages! Now, for a little quilting...I'm doing the signature blocks, due at the end of this month. If you are not signed up for it, but are one of my readers, I'd love to have one of your blocks in my quilt. If you're interested, post a comment and I'll send my address to you and send my signature block to you as well.

Please know, all is well. And as they say in New York,
Take care.

Note to Self

Here's the note....Next year...in blogland...

Take the month of August off.

August presents a whole long list of transitions/additions that complicate life. These would include but not limited to:

1-Returning home from vacation.

2-Starting a new year of home schooling (my girls 6 and 12).

3-Starting a new year of "go to" schooling (my 15 year old son).

4-Ballet everyday. The round trip travel is 1 hour minimum. My pony is tired.

5-Having a strong desire to "store" nothing in my home...everything must be "everyday useable". I'm even thinking about having only 20 clothing items in my closet. Comments?
6-Baby girl having strep throat for a month...no lie. Started last month in Montreat.

7-My boy looks like he's on the way to having that same strep throat.

8-We have a "Shelter Breakfast" coming up on Saturday....Have I told you about the Shelter?

Maybe not...my husband and children cook and serve (just the 5 of us unless we invite a friend or two to help) 150 women and children at the Atlanta Day Shelter for Women and Children. We do it 1-3 times per month, provide the food and get some great fellowship. That is a very long story about how I got involved with that and I'll save that for a time when we can all put our feet up for awhile.


And the list goes on and on.....

As for quilting...not much to share except that I did the Streak of Lightening block(I did mine in hot pink) 4 times...and finally got it right. I started doing some of the blocks by hand because I can sit at ballet and get a whole one done. I am actually pleased with the results because my points line up like a dream. The applique techniques from Pearl have changed my life! I did the reverse applique on Streak of Lightening which was a little tricky but the results were OK. Applique has opened up a whole new sewing world to me and that is a beautiful thing.

By the way, did anyone see the free pattern on Little Cotton Rabbits from Freebies for Crafters? This woman does beautiful knitted toy animals. (please click that last link....they're so precious) She has an autistic son so there's not a ton of production going on, understandably. Her stuff sells like bananas on her etsy shop. I did order the Debbie Bliss books she talked about.

So ladies, that's just a snippet of my life in the last month...I didn't mention the boating accident of a 9th grade girl at our school (femoral artery and both femurs severed by propeller, flat lined 4 times) or Baby Samuel who is fighting for his life (friends of ours). All I can say is...please pray.

Have a great day!

The Marriage Saver

What is a Marriage Saver?  

Well, when you're in the mountains, folks up there have a different sort of humor than us stuffy city slickers.  At the Saturday fair,  there was the son of an elderly couple selling these.  He said if he sold these it would save his parent's marriage.  Why?  Because his mother buys yarn all the time and doesn't use it up....sounds like a stash to  me.  hee hee.  Guess what my sister said as she laughed her head off.....(he was being funny btw)

"I'll take the whole box!"

He was so thrilled to pack up his box, save his parent's marriage, and take the rest of the day off.  He probably saw her Tory Burch sandles coming from far away...(who wears those to the Saturday Fair?)

These really do make a great scrubber....perfect tough scrubber and luscious latherer at the same time.  Am I making any sense?

Does anyone have a pattern for these novelty items?  I've never seen anything like it before.  It's a dollar store scrubber with knitting/crochet around the edges.  Hysterical!  Especially when you bring it to your next house warming party labeled as "The Marriage Saver".

Let me know if you have a pattern or clue as to how to make one...I couldn't find anything in my extensive research ....of course, nothing was posted under "marriage saver"

Enjoy!

Expand My Brain Please Lord!

These are the Rainbow Jane blocks I'll be working on for the next two weeks....That's a nice way of saying... "I need to EXPAND MY BRAIN!"  There are trials that we all need help with in life but this is one of those challenges in life where you just need an expert to sit with you for about the first 10 blocks....then, I think I'd have the techniques nailed down.  

For most of you this is easy and fun and a real pleasure...I do enjoy it but it's tough to work so hard at the piecing and then have it look like the neighbors cat did it.   moving on.....

(Just sneaking in a pic of my summer girls, ages 6 and 12)

Update on my Wavy Wipers....These have saved me this summer...here's the story...I've been spending 4-7 hours (I'm not kidding)  in the car everyday going back and forth to ballet, tennis and my boy's job (stringing tennis racquets).  

I've been knitting these goodies while waiting for them or even (I confess) at traffic lights.  I gave these three to Danny's mother-in-law who got tied up by the bad guy with the gun a few days ago.  I think she really liked them!  For that story, click here.  I talked to Jake, the father-in-law (probably in his 80's) who fired three shots at the guy and he said,

"I didn't know if Danny would do what the guy told him to so I had to go do something...we just can't do without Danny, he's been so good to us."  Jake broke out of his hand bindings and hopped upstairs to the kitchen to cut free his leg binding and then went after the guy.  Danny calls him, John Wayne.  

Because their house is so full of "Manly Men"...I had to take them these jalapeno, bacon-wrapped, cream cheese things that are to die for from Pioneer Woman... Recipe here.  All I know is that when I take these to ANY function....my plate comes home clean without fail.  I even make them for myself sometimes.

Here's the last of my Three by Three swap for Anina at Twiddletails.  Kind of Christmasy...after all it is July.

That's all for today...we're packing for our big trip to Montreat, NC...my college roommate is coming to stay with me for a bit so we have that to look forward to!  I'll keep you posted on all of our doings. 

 I think I'm even going to play tennis this summer for the firstish time in 15 years....did you know that I played college tennis (see the Salem College t-shirt above)?   Don't get too excited about that...my high school team was better than my college team!  My whole family plays tennis and I mean everybody...it's just that truly, I'm not a competitive person...My Hero loves to play tennis and I thought I'd give it a go for his sake.  When I look back 18 years ago, I think it was one of the reasons he married me!  

My best shot.... top spin lob to the baseline.

Ciao!

Excuses, Excuses

I promise, I haven't fallen off the edge of the quilt...but here's...

The Top 10 Reasons why I haven't blogged in the last week:

10- Too busy working on my Three By Three Swap with Tweedletails - I'm pleased with them so far and am kind of getting addicted to them.

9- Too busy admiring the fabulous fabrics I received from Wanda at Exuberant Color for my Cathedral Window quilt. All vintage and fabulous. So generous...thanks so much, can't wait to show them to blogland.

8- Too busy doing standardized testing with the home school group. (yet rejoicing at the same time that school is almost out!)

7- Too busy admiring my new Aldi products...a market umbrella for $35.00, an awesome lipstick and facial stuff, to die for tinted lotion that looks like a great tan, ...any Aldi fans out there? It cut my grocery bill in half....I swear...I'm not kidding.

6- Trying to figure out some fun summer plans that include 2 "summer school" classes for a 15 year old boy. (arguably, number one on the list)

5- driving to ballet 4 days a week.

4- contemplating a whole house clean out that, I'm thinking, will change my life.

3- wishing my mother's day gift was already built....a garden box!

2- Putting off getting a learner's driving licence for that same 15 year old (waiting for that frontal brain lobe to develop a little more!)


and...the number one reason why I haven't blogged in a week is......

1- I can't find my card reader for my camera cards!!!! (which means I can't post any new pics of my 9 patches or the vintage fabrics for the Cathedral Window....


...my personal opinion...this is a rich person's problem....in other words...I have no problems!

Perspective....it's humbling.

Affirmation is a Beautiful Thing!

How wonderful is this? (...blush...) I'm in shock, floored, overwhelmed, way too excited, and generally just full of joy. Did I say my heart is filled up to the brim? Does one ever tire of getting a compliment? Uh, nooooo, I don't think so! Gosh,thank you so much.

Linda at Two Succulent Sisters generously gave this award to me....I love reading about their fun life and especially about their almost 100 year old mother who is still crafty. That's what I call daily inspiration.

A great big blog hug to you, Linda, for this; it sure is a big "pick me up".

For now...I'll just enjoy the "breeze". {tee hee.}

From The Quilters Gallery Newsletter

I'm working on a my Eye Spy quilt and will have a post later this week....In the meantime, please enjoy some of these lovelies I've run across this week:

Most are from the Quilters Gallery Newsletter:

Check out this cute little Mini- Quilt Swap - You can go as small as 12 x 12 or as large as 24 x 24.


Quilter's Acronyms
* BOB = Beginner’s Only Block (swap)
* BOM = Block of the Month
* DSM = Domestic Sewing Machine
* DWR = Double Wedding Ring
* FART = Fabric Aquisition Road Trip
* FIU = Finish It Up
* FQ = Fat Quarter
* HST = Half-Square Triangle
* HSY = Haven’t Started Yet
* LAQ= Long Arm Quilter
* LQS = Local Quilt Shop
* MAQ = Mid-Arm Quilter
* OBW = One-Block More »
I'll add my favorite...WIP - Work in Progress


The Quilter's Alphabet
Accuracy...mood dependent.
Bleed...bless the fabric that doesn't.
Credit card...purrs in a quilt shop.
Distance...at which points look good.
Even...well, does it look even?
Fudge...adjustment terminology.
Golden...the moment it's finished!
Hug...wrap up in a quilt.
Iron...the great fabric disciplinarian!
Justify...can't cook! Quilting an heirloom.
Knot...size need not stop a truck.
Love...quilting is a labor of.
Marker...please, let it wash out.
Needle...feet always find it.
Ouch...related to one end of a pin.
Pucker...that rascally little puffy thing.
Quilt...a thing of beauty, a joy forever!
Rip...as ye sew, so shall ye.
Seam...straight is good.
Time...to quilt, grab more.
Underside...where all the work shows.
Victim...of quilt guilt (too many?).
What...a quilt (all pupose comment)!
Xamine...I'll say how close!
Y...only quilt on days ending in "y".
Zero...other things you'd rather do!

Have a "piece" ful day!
Enjoy

This Will Make You Smile

This is truly an amazing story. Unless you've been under a rock, by now you've heard of her...Susan Boyle...on Britian's Got Talent. It doesn't matter if you're 70, or 17, into jazz or into rock, sick or well....this will make you smile, laugh and cry...it touches everyone, even Simon Cowell.
There was a moment...maybe even two, when he had true, genuine, kindness, surprise, wonder and even joy on his face.

Here is a woman, unemployed but looking for work, 47, never been married, never been kissed, lives with her cat - Peebles and is such a delight. In the space of 7 minutes you will be changed forever. Whatever got you down today, will be a thing of the past, whatever your greatest joy today, will be in second place. I'll say it again...it touches everyone. Just click.

Update on Paper Pots

This is just a sneak peak of my back porch.


Maters.


More maters. Even some heirloom beauties.

Quirky old watering cans but love those colors.


A beautiful blue sedimentary rock which I cannot identify...can you help?

Hope to get a visitor next year in this crazy old birdhouse!
Enjoy!

Niagra Falls - Study

#1
My husband works for the largest carpet manufacturer in the world and it's owned by one of the richest men in the world...Warren Buffet. Ever heard of him? I admire him on several levels.

This man could live any way he chooses but actually lives very frugally. When he bought the company, the secretary made BLT sandwiches...at her desk. The ingredients were all in a small fridge under her desk.

I've heard him once say..."the only difference between me and you is, I travel a little better and wear nicer clothes"...(something to that effect).

He still lives in his starter house....no joke. My guess...it's paid for. Drives a Buick.

#2
Now, having said all of that...My Hero travels a lot with his job...Yesterday....it was Niagra Falls...No he's not trying to carpet Niagra Falls, they were just passing through to Canada.



#3
He took this photo with his cell phone...Not bad. It's probably hard to take a bad photo of Niagra Falls no matter what you're using.




#4
I've doctored it up several ways.


#5
Which do you like the best? #1 is straight out of the camera....I think I like #2 the best.

One more question...does anyone live in the first house they bought when they got married?

Confession:
I love my Gingher scissors...they've been missing in action for the last week....I can't make myself sit down and muster through a project with a different pair of scissors. I'm not that mature yet!
Today is the day...I feeeeeel it, I'll find them today. Organization...probably not my strong suit!

Live it like it's your last!

Ten Uses for Dryer Sheets

Pretty neat stuff...here goes:

1- Hang a dryer sheet outside during mosquito season to keep them away.

2-Put one in a drawer, hang in a closet under the seat of a car or truck, or in your health club locker.

3- MY FAVORITE!...run a sewing needle through a dryer sheet to keep the thread from getting in a tangle or twisty.

4-Keep one in your luggage to keep your clothes from smelling musty when you travel.

5-Rub one one the T.V. or computer screen to stop static electricity.

6-Clean shower soap scum with a dryer sheet; it dissolves the scum.

7-Keep bugs and bees away but putting a dryer sheet in your picnic basket or under lawn furniture....you can even rub it right on your skin as a bug repellent.

8-Pat hair, clothes and stockings with a dryer sheet to prevent static electricity.

9-Another favorite: Rub one on a stinky dog before they come in the house! Even works on wet dogs.

10-Soak dirty pots and pans, baked on with gunck with a dryer sheet or two. You can even use it on the stove, or oven and clean up is a breeze.

I read this in the Wall Street Journal today....it's always nice to have something positive in the news, isn't it!

Just call me Heloise today.

Superior Threads Giveaway

Superior Threads is having a giveaway on their blog. Gift certificates. There's a little bit of a funny thing on one of their pictures....can you "SPOT" it? That was your clue. I think we all need to become familiar with our cropping tool if we're to take pictures from the back of the room in a meeting!

Thinking Outside the Box

What is this you say? Only my favorite Christmas present thus far. My friend, Sue, gave them to me at the Life Flight party on Wednesday. I just found this morning on my desk. I didn't even know she'd brought them. My organizational skills are overwhelming you at this point. Can you tell what these lovelies are? I call them mop shoes or God's gift to women or the greatest invention ever...something like that will do. They rank right up there with Robert Redford and Elvis, or maybe the yodeling pickle. Aside from the obvious practical purpose, they provide a great source of entertainment. I can only imagine she laughed as much buying them as I did opening them. She says to me this morning, "No bending over". This would have been so beneficial this summer when I had a gazillion stitches in my groin (sorry for the yukky word). (Hmmm, does she think I still have those stitches?). Please.

Will I have to share them with my daughters? Selfishness is ugly but necessary at times. This is one of those cases. I'm not sure I can share. The fact of the matter is that Sue was thinking outside the box. Thinking of having fun, laughing. Did I say it was my favorite Christmas present thus far? My Hero even gave me an Iphone for an early present. Ooooo, this is a tough call. I wouldn't want to say, don't want to hurt anyone's feelings, after all, isn't it...all about the heart.