sunday spring clean-up & pinwheels

Buddha is back in the garden where he is happiest and the place is getting a good clean-up thanks to James. Yesterday it was too hot too soon. I really can't stand the heat and humidity and so living here, less than a mile from the ocean, is probably not the best place for me to be. It's home so I'm stuck with it. There are two seasons on Long Island. Hot and muggy and cold and damp. It's not so warm today so that's better.

I spent the day yesterday making some pin-wheels for a small mini quilt for a birthday gift. It was easy since I used one of those Thangles-type paper pieces. There's a lot of cutting and ironing prep work and paper pulling but then you have an amazing number of half square triangles when you're done.

Roger took the day off Friday since he is having some painful back issues. I think he's feeling a bit better. We'll see what tomorrow brings. He may have to have some physical therapy-not sure yet. In fact, he's not even sure what brought it on. I can relate. Some times you just move the wrong way and Boom! You're in pain.

I'm tackling some laundry and ironing and then some grilled chicken which is marinating in Italian dressing. Thin slicing makes it a couple of minutes on a side and you're done. A nice salad and maybe some grilled potatoes.

The wild cherry is in bloom and soon the wisteria will fragrance the yard. Momentary perfection.

Hope your day is a peaceful one.

it's officially spring

Just checking in to let you know what's cookin' (literally) in my neck of the woods. It's beer can chicken days...whoot whoot!

This guy will be ready soon and he will join roasted red peppers and fresh mozzarella and tomatoes. Grilled red potatoes. Gotta go get it all together. Back tomorrow with more chat. Hope you have something delicious cooking for dinner too.

Whoooot! Monday

This little guy came to stay with us over the weekend after a mishap with some other creature in the yard. We think he hit the window during the struggle and hurt one of his eyes. The picture is clickable. He flew under the porch and stayed there traumatized for the whole of Saturday. Happily, on Sunday morning he had departed for parts unknown. What a hoot(sorry) it was to get so close to him. He has very big talons and sat very still while we all gawked at him and gave him plenty of time to pose nicely for his close-up.

Roger planted some pretty giant pansies in the flower boxes(pic above from last year) and we watched "the Kite Runner" which I can highly recommend to anyone who liked the book. It is mostly in sub-titles but well worth the extra effort.

We are currently having spring one day and semi-winter another. Today it's sort of chilly but bright and sunny. By the end of the week-late summer. I'd be happy for a real spring but things could always be worse so I'll just quit bitchin'& enjoy.

I'm going to try to lay out the Lavender Passion today. Not an easy thing since I don't have one large space that's convenient. I may take over BIL Bob's living room floor and hope I get far enough not to be in his way. If I can just label the rows then all will be well. It's a bit tough on the back though. I can use some bending and stretching. Where did I put that Tylenol???

Back soon with pictures.

Movies & housework

Checking in with a couple of movie recommendations in between cleaning the kitch. "Goya's Ghosts" is very good and the make-up work they do to Natalie Portman is seriously award winning. Javier Bardem gives another winning portrait of a truly hideous human being. We watched "No Country for Old Men" Sat night and boy does he play evil well. Very gory but so well done. "Goya's Ghosts" is not really gory but it is about the Catholic Church in Spain during that time& dah, dah, dah.... Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition! Sorry, I couldn't help myself. "Silk" is about the silktrade and how it gets from Japan to Italy. I enjoyed it. Not sure about how the guys would like either of these.

I am in the spring cleaning mode and everything has a film of winter ick on it. These little treasures above are things that I have collected or been given to me over the years. Funny, how we look at things every day and suddenly one day you realize 40 years have gone by. Well, maybe not so funny. Just eye-opening. The small pieces are fetish from the southwest. I have a beautiful Katchina that Roger bought me some time ago. A favorite piece of mine. But that's a picture for another day.
I wish I could say that I have something quilty to share but life seems to be getting in the way right now I should change the picture at the header. Maybe putting that up there is actually coming true. I have many blocks of the Lavendar Passion ready to lay out but no-where to lay them. Such is always my problem with larger pieces.

Well, I must get back to the household stuff and the beef stew that is simmering away. I think the guys will enjoy that. I just lunched on a dish of left-over gnocci from the other night and don't have the nerve to eat another thing today.

Hope your day is as lovely as ours is out there. Very bright and slightly limey green. It's coming along nicely out there.

Bits & pieces of everything.

While I was putting together the Lavender Passion blocks I had a lot of scraps left over. Yesterday I decided to use them to make a table topper for a gift I owe a family member. I just set them together in a log cabin block-easy peasey and that will go with us to North Carolina when we are visiting Aunt Maddie & Uncle Don later this year. Today I checked my mail at the Food Pantry, did some paperwork, and stopped to pick up some new movies. I wanted "Sweeney Todd" but they were out. Also out was "I am Legend" and a couple of others. Does anyone out there watch "The Riches"? I love Minnie Driver and Eddy Izzard. I don't get to see it since it is on later than we are able to stay up and still get up at 6 a.m. They tell me the first season is coming out on DVD soon. Anyone have any other good suggestions? Ideas are always welcome. There isn't much going on around here. Thursday night quilting at my friends house tonight. It's not quite warm and not really cold. The house is in desperate need of spring cleaning. That will be next. It's a disgusting job but I love the way things look when all spiffy and clean. Pray for me. I'm going in....

Monday Sew-up

Trying to perk things up around here with a minimum of cash and not too much hassle. This is the fabric I got for the downstairs window toppers. Something springy is called for. My furniture is a sort of olive colored corduroy so I have an abundance of green curtains. Frankly, I needed something with the green to liven up my crappy attitude. I'm hoping this will help. Work continues on the Lavender Passion quilt I am making for...ta dah...ME! So I won't bore you with more pics of the same. I made a trip to JoAnn Fabrics on Fri. Boy that place gets worse every time I go. They seem to be more interested in crafts than sewing. The fabric selection is minimal-at least the cotton stuff. If I wanted to decorate my windows with frou frou and baubbles and bling I would have been in the right place. I'm just not a bling sort of gal. Anyway, I'll be at the machine today so I can get out and do the clothes shopping I intended to do on Friday, tomorrow.
I'm off to walk on the treadmill. The going is slow but steady. I haven't mentioned it before but I'm having issues with my left hip. Out of the blue it began to be very uncomfortable a few weeks ago. Not really pain but sort of arthritic feeling. Walking seems to help but it's slower than I'm used to. I tend to be a fast walker-when I worked years ago we called it "retail walking". It was the act of scurrying around the store at top speed. I find that I never really slowed down a lot even after all these years. It's torture walking slow. I keep speeding up and have to stop myself.
Off I go! Talk to you soon

furry, feathery thursday

It's warmish but gloomy and gray here but I'm spending more time hanging with my little friends so the day isn't a total loss. In fact, it's kind of funny. It is clearly mating season in my yard. Once all the other vehicles have cleared out in the morning-it's like animal kingdom Motel 6 out there. Much chasing and tail posturing and such. Just as well since I seem to have a touch of the "pacing mania" and watching the wildlife calms me. Pacing mania results in starting many things and finishing nothing so that by the end of the day it looks like a bomb went off in here and I have accomplished nothing except leaving a trail of piles everywhere. The final straw in this wayward day was that my ironing board broke. Just fell flat on the ground. Granted it's a few years old but wow-it just fell over dead. I suppose it could have something to do with the pile of crap that lives on it regularly. So that's on my list of stuff to do tomorrow. I'm one of those people who like everything ironed (I know, obsessive compulsive). I wish I had something more interesting for you but the day is nearly over and I'm trying to get a few things done before my Thursday eve. quilting with the girls. I have to get a package of fabric ready to send out to the lovely lady who got the fat quarter pack exchange yesterday. Talk to to you tomorrow.

Possible exchange and Random thoughts

Addendum.... The fabric is now spoken for. Thanks for asking though-something else may fall off a shelf and bean me soon-thus allowing me to do another trade.

Occasionally, when I am in "The Closet of Shame", something falls off a shelf and onto my head. Fortunately most things residing there are made of cloth. This little pink wall hanging is something I made at least 15 years ago. Do you have little things that fade from memory and just never get out of the stacks anymore-this is one of those. It's perky so I think I may let it breathe a bit out here.

The second picture is of a pack of Keepsake fabric from Barbara Brackman and Terry Clothier Thompson that came to me when I was signed up for the historical fat quarter fabric packs. I've never used it for anything and it is in tact except for a 5 x 7 piece cut from the first fabric showing here. If any of you are making the Civil War Diary blocks or anything like that and would like to trade for some fat quarters of off-white-beige background fat quarters, e-mail me and maybe we can do a trade. I've had it for a while and I really need some neutral or tone on tone type fabrics for table toppers.

Not much going on around here. Spring is springing and the best part of my day is watching the goldfinches return. They really are little devils. They don't like to share and have these interesting battles mid-air for dominance of the feeders. As my husband says, "that's gotta be about sex."

I need to get some work done in order to get to the fun stuff. I have a stack of mail for the Pantry that needs attention and I want to get some vacuuming done so I can get out tomorrow and do some shopping for clothes. I have 2 pair of pants that fit me and one of them is too heavy for the weather we are having. This calls for a major shopping expedition tomorrow. One of my least favorite things to do...bah!

quiltathon results & Amish wall quilt

Here are the results of the Quiltathon that Judy Laquidara was having. I am embarrassed to say I didn't know I was quiltathoning until I read Judy's blog this morning and realized I could qualify. So there you are. I made something like twenty blocks for the purple passion and I sewed the Amish Blocks together. Lots more to do on PP and I am contemplating a piano key border for the Amish wall piece. I feel back in the swing a bit. Today it will be easy to continue since the weather is very wet and windy outside. It's always a bit harder when the sun is shining and the temps are nice and springy.

Just t make you smile a little, & what has now become the question of the day, What will I get from HoP today? I will get a roll of thread-just delivered by FedEx. HoP is apparently the gift that keeps on giving...Not!

Hope your day is good and your thread is plentiful!

Purple Passion... #225 in the Saga of thread

The Hancock's Saga continues. Today the FedEx truck delivered me an empty envelope. My hand to God. Empty. Zilch, Zip, Nada. Inside was a packing slip that read-I Hancock's of Paducah new catalog-3 rolls thread-back-ordered. The mind reels.

After some more discussion and a serious conversation regarding quality control and consumer unhappiness, I was told that I could have a free large cone of off white and still would receive my other thread as soon as it can be shipped, overnight, registered receipt. I can't wait to see what turns up this time. I wish they would mistakenly send me some great fat quarters or even some Kentucky BBQ-I really don't care because normally I have to use cablevision to get some laughs like this. I did manage to be really polite and act like a lady, mostly because I sense that I could be 3 feet from the person, screaming in their ear and they still wouldn't have an IQ larger than 2 digits. What's the point of yelling at the impaired? Thus ends another chapter in the Thread Saga.

Now on to really important things. I've been collecting different fat quarters of purple for a while. It started with a packet that I got from Keepsake a long time ago. I think I was in the Civil War monthly packs back then. Some of these are called mourning purples. They were shades of purple that woman from that era could wear when they were widows and enough time had passed that all black clothing could expanded to include something similarly somber but not black. I really loved the colors and the patterns. Most are sweet little prints and over time I included other pieces that were other variations of the color. They have been sitting on the shelf, aging for a time now. I need a new quilt. One for me personally. I am the electrician with no lights. The quilt I made myself many years ago is in shreds and was never a pretty one to begin with. It was serviceable and badly done a very long time ago. So I spent the morning cutting out pieces, strips and squares for a pattern much like the little quilt shown in the last entry but with solid center blocks. The colors are so pretty. I'm liking it and it looks elegant. I may have to move in order to use it in elegant surroundings since my bedroom is currently a pit without purple passion.

The other little quilt is part of a PIF piece that I am just putting a binding on-soon to be sent out.

I listened to two speeches this week. The new Governor of NY gave a rousing speech which I thoroughly enjoyed. He is everything Elliot Spitzer is not plus he appears to have a sense of humor. No sooner was the speech over than they broke in with a "this just in" headline in which he admitted that he and his wife had engaged in extramarital affairs.. Sigh..... Let me just say that if I hear one more word about the sex life of political people anywhere I'm going to hurl. Enough people! Keep your pants on your skirts down your legs crossed and your mind on important issues. I don't care if they roll around the sty nekkid on their time-I don't want to hear about it anymore...Bleah!On that note there isn't a hole deep enough to bury the Ex-governor of NJ McGreavy gang and their chauffeur...Ted. Even the Judge at their divorce hearing said they were the most disgusting group of people he had in his courtroom in recent memory. Yuk.

On the plus side, I just finished listening to Obama explain himself and that man is a wordsmith. If he's doing something behind closed doors I don't want to know. It matters not to me. Just raise the bar out of this fetid, stinking mess that is politics in general and Washington D.C. specifically.

O.K. It's back to the sewing machine. Over and out!

WIPs-not Wed.

The fun thing about being totally disorganized is how easy it is to completely forget about an entire group of blocks. Regard....many nine patch Amish-like blocks. Enough for a good sized wall hanging when mixed with some plain ones. I love Amish quilts. The ones I saw many years ago in Pennsylvania Amish country are the quilts that first made my heart go pitter-patter. I was convinced that something so simple could not be so difficult. Hah!The funny thing is that sometimes, the simpler the more difficult it becomes to do the simple blocks real justice. All this is by way of saying that I found a cache of these blocks and it peaked my interest all over again. Sometimes it's really good to pull all the crap out of a bag and see what's going on down at the bottom. I have several of these type bags from various sources. My BIL Bob's cruise trips and some from the new trend to use cloth bags for groceries, which I like a lot. The other little top, really a table topper, just needs a binding sewn on and it will be off to a friend who needs something cheerful in her life right now.

Anyway, that's what I'm up to today. Yesterday was a weird day consisting of computer problems that began a week ago. Apparently we have something called splicers or some such thing that are outdated or in bad condition-whatever, they need replacing. Once a couple of things were taken care of by my crack computer staff(Hi guys-love you) our so- called high-speed surfing abilities resumed this morning. If you tried to contact me yesterday I probably didn't get your e-mail. If you didn't...what were you doing that was so important you couldn't shoot me a hello? Kidding.

Off to the Mighty Viking to play.

By the way, thanks for the tips on thread-Red Rock looks good and the choices are better.

Quilt Givaway..very cool

As soon as you get a chance to to this blog and see what's up for a giveaway
Old Red Barn
There is lots of great stuff there even without the giveaway. Very nice looking products made by the blog owner. The quilt is made with the Katie Jump rope line of fabrics which are very colorful and just the ticket to perk up any space. Go on now, get over there and get your name into the drawing. Info on the blog for what, when, and where.

I could have walked to Paducah by now

Thread rant-beware....not for the faint or up-tight.

I'm a very patient, polite and non-confrontational person. Maybe that's how I got to this point. The FedEx man just delivered me a package. I'll give you five guesses.......Jeopardy music.........

BUZZZZZZZZZ..

You might have guessed that my four rolls of ordinary off-white thread would be in the bag and further ask yourself why they would send 4 small rolls of thread FEDEX. But no....there is ONE roll, I repeat, ONE ROLL of 500 yards of off-white thread in a bag the size of a small child. Perhaps you remember when a charming young woman told me my rolls (4) of thread were in staging just waiting to be put in a bag an mailed, several entries ago. Now imagine how much fun it was trying to get another woman to understand what happened at that point, days ago, and what's happening now, today. I never yell at people or say rude things(except to people who call our unlisted number trying to sell things when we're on a no-call list and they won't take no for an answer the first two times)but it took all of my considerable quietness not to stuff a towel in my mouth and scream, lighted torches in hand, "Where's my effing thread?" It's official. There is now no such thing as customer service anywhere for anything. It is us against them and they have the thread. I will, from now on, take the advice of my friend Dorothy in Vermont and by from the place she suggested. I think it was Red Rock or something like that. I'll check with her comments a few days ago. I'd write her but she tells me that it's Girl Scout Cookie days in her house and that takes all the brainpower, will power, and patience a gal can have-she's probably on her last nerve and full of sugar.

Seriously, I have always loved Hancock's and recommended them happily to anyone needing supplies. That ship has now sailed.

Rant over..carry on.

what's up with the internet and/or Blogger?

I'm not even sure this will go through since everything is very weird with the Internet and possibly blogger. I can't open many pages or upload pictures or even get comments to go through on some things.
Anyway, I went to the Dr. for a check-up on the cholesterol status and it's better-not a lot but at least a few points. The weight is the same but that's not bad since I thought I had gained a pound or two at least. All in all not horrible.
I've decided to take the Kaffe fabrics I got, and hope to be able to show you soon, and make them into snowball type blocks so I can highlight the beautiful fabric and not have to chop it all up. His fabric almost calls for that type of treatment. It was a toss up between something like a Bento Box block and this. I'll check back tomorrow and let you know which I end up with. With snowball blocks I can really show each pattern and I have a lot of bright Moda solids to use in the corners.
I hope this mess on the Internet sorts itself out soon. I miss visiting friends and commenting. In the meantime, thanks to all who commented regarding the Hancock's mess up. Good to know I'm not alone. By the way, the thread is still out there in the hinterlands somewhere. What are my chances of getting 4 spools of thread in a tiny package delivered???? Hmmm
By the way, we're all sitting on the edge of our chairs waiting to find out exactly what it is that Governor Elliott Spitzer paid $5000.00 for. That must be some trick!!! I wonder about his wife and why he had to drag her out on that stage for his arrogant performance yesterday....or...should we wonder about her if she went willingly. Poor kids though. Really disgusting behavior and the first time, in-I-can't-remember-when, that we were actually surprised and shocked by a politicians dirty behavior...really surprised. This guy has held more feet to the fire in NY than you can imagine. Like a dog with a bone. Rumors abounded that he was really hated in Albany though. I read an article recently in Vanity Fair that said there were people who spent their days just going over things with a fine-toothed comb to find anything on him...anything. Little did those people know that the FBI was already getting the goods. They say that there is dancing in the streets in Albany-the hum of happiness in the State Senate.
Oh Well-more to come soon I'm sure. They'll trot out that hooker and give her a book contract and, as Roger says, they are probably filming the made-for-t.v. movie right now.
Stand By...

the thread thing...again.

I am late to the game but recently I have begun to fall under the spell of Kaffe. I think this fabric is actually designed by someone in his studio but never-the-less it just sings to me. I'm in a rich, saturated color phase. Since my phases last about a week, who knows what next week will ring. schizophrenic much Dee??? I like big bold geranium leaves and this has them by the handful.

I ordered some thread and a fat quarter pack from Hancock's last week and low and behold, my package came 3 days later. In it was a fat-quarter pack of Kaffe designs and....no thread. The packing slip said there were 3 spools of thread in the bag but, alas, there was only the fabric and nothing else. So I got the phone and my credit card and my big-girl-don't-screw-with-me voice ready and called customer service. A very nice young woman asked for my packing slip # and would I hold. She came right back and told me the thread was right there in the shipping room waiting to be sent out. ?????? Have any of you had "interesting experiences" with Hancock's of Paducah lately? I've been using them almost as long as I've been quilting or about 2o+ years and every order lately there is something not right or they take really long to get here or they send me a card that says something simple, like thread, is back-ordered. How does a company of that size and time in business run out of thread? Oh well, I'll just have to wait a little longer. It's interesting though and I wondered if they changed ownership. That seems to be a signal in many a business for a change in customer service and not just in the fabric business.

So poor me, I'll just have to go play with my Kaffe fabrics. I can't imagine how I will suffer through but if it doesn't kill me, I'll be back tomorrow with more stuff. As I'm writing this I realize that it's already 3:30 and my day is almost gone. Is anyone else affected by the time change like me? I'm so tired and it takes a few days to get settled with it. Not that I don't appreciate the added sunshine, for some reason it just makes me feel exhausted. Later.

Possible Plan of attack

Just a pretty picture of my all-time favorite flowers. There are not a lot of flowers on our property but in the early spring these beauties crowd around the front hill of the house. I could sit out there and smell their perfume all day. I know there are several companies who make perfumes called Lily of the Valley but, as is the case with most fragrances, nothing comes near the original scent in nature. I can't wait to see these little beauties. They make me so happy and I just walk around with them held up to my nose all day.

I'm not doing much right now but I like to check in with friends and see what's up. If you love gardens and people who work hard to make them beautiful, you can't beat Melody and Dave. On her Fibermania blog, Melody is currently beginning the gigantic job of planting and caring for a new and wonderful space. If you are like me, and waiting patiently for things like the flowers above, take yourself over there for an eye full of wonder. They have an orchard with all manner of apples and even, be still my heart, Asian pears. For me, you could stop right there and I'd be in hog heaven. My husband has had to restrain me physically from jumping out of a moving vehicle into an apple orchard more than once. I'd rather have fruit than candy, or for that matter, almost anything. Fruit from a tree...Oh My! When I was a little girl in the Midwest, there was a giant pear tree across the road. We had a tornado pass through the area and the winds took down that tree. I would go over there, crossing the road(very forbidden)at around 5 years old and eat myself sick on those pears. The tree was covered with yellow jackets who also wanted the fruit and I didn't care a lick. I remember being stung on the foot and arms-didn't matter, there was fruit to be eaten. Even at 5 it was all about the food. There was also an apple tree with the small kind of sourish apples you wouldn't normally care about-not me, I'd get up in those branches and pick those teeny apples and eat till my stomach hurt.

My point is this....if Mel & Dave know what's good for them, they will get strong flashlights and big dogs because I'm already dreaming about those apples and pears... Seriously, if you get a chance go see what's up at Casa Johnson. That girl has a green thumb and then some. Now if I can just find that map of Tennessee here somewhere.

O.K. now I'm hungry....bah.

Monday Misc.

This picture, taken by my talented photography staff , is one of many charming lighthouses in Maine. I'm sorry to say I can't remember which one but frankly they all are cute. Not sure why the pic looks blurry. It doesn't look blurry in my photos but when I uploaded it-blurrr.

I've got nothing to show today since there are some things that need taking care of around here. The first of those things is....me! Nothing wrong but I have to have bloodwork done tomorrow to check lipids etc. Just thought I'd check in to say hello and if ever there were a good day to play hooky-this is it. The windows are open and fresh, clean, nearly-spring-like air is cascading in. I went to the grocery store this morning and did a bit of laundry. Really exciting stuff.

My friend Terry got home from her trip to Bermuda with tall tales of an under-water excursion in a tropical storm that didn't make her happy. I think everything else went well. I'll find out on Thursday night at our quilt group(all 3 of us). Next up for me is dinner-Jambalaya. It's all ready to go into the oven and smells pretty darn good. Chicken and sausage and rice. What could be bad? Talk to you soon.

Gifts from afar

I was lucky enough to get these beautiful cards from my friend Kim Carney of Something to Say. For some time I have admired her work and look forward to her blog every day. She is not only talented but has something wonderful to look at nearly every time you click on her blog. Very prolific and she finds the best links to really great sites. Don't miss a chance to go there and see what she's up to on any given day. Amazing art, both by Kim, and whom ever she has found to link to that day. Thank you Kim for the cards and the note and the adorable tiny butterfly punch piece. Kim has made inspired artwork that uses these butterflies in a grid on a canvas. I really loved that work. I think I will frame a few of these cards into a grouping to brighten a corner of my house.

I found this small piece in The Closet of Shame and all it needs is a few lines of quilting. Doesn't get much more scrappy than this. I made it years ago. Guess you could say I have issues with finishing anything. The thing I need right now is to make a quilt for myself. The quilt I made myself years ago is awful and now getting ragged as well. It's stuffed with poly fiber and tied. Bleah! I have a very large number of X- blocks that I began a couple of years ago with the intention of making a quilt for our anniversary. The fabrics are mostly civil war repros since I was getting a monthly shipment from Keepsake of Historical fat-quarters. At one point I used some to make a table topper for someone and there are still about a hundred 6-inch blocks. I think I will make them into a quilt for myself and try something else for the anniversary quilt to be. Unfortunately, they are all paper pieced so I will grab a hand full and remove the paper a bit at a time. I really love PP but hate the paper removal. I guess next time I'll look for the paper that washes away. I think Carol Doak makes that.

It's a gorgeous day here in my world. The sun is bright and that's a good thing because the temps are arctic-like. I have a BBQ brisket in the oven . Good Day for it since it has to cook slowly and long-like pulled pork. The house smells heavenly. Later I will shred it and put more sauce on it and put it on rolls-yum.

Talk to you soon

Closet of Shame reveals more.....

Hey! Spell-check's back but you still can't format the writing where you want it to appear.

Well, the gloomy weather goes on but at least there's no snow to go with it. I swear, just under those grey clouds is a spring day waiting to burst forth. It's very warm outside(for NY in Feb) and I worked up a real sweat just walking this morning.

After my walk, I went to the Pantry to pick up the latest mail that was waiting for me and there was plenty since I have been illin' the last ten days or so. It's good to see so many people don't forget families in need at this time of year.

Here are two pieces I did very early on in my quilting life. The fans are hand appliqued (and badly) and very poofy and with the wrong thread color etc. Still, I can't seem to get rid of it. I am going to slap a binding on it and hang it up to keep me humble and boy is it ever! The other one, the flying geese was done before I had a 1/4 inch foot and got serious about how to quilt things. it only requires a couple of lines of quilting down the central beige portions to keep it from pooching when you hang it. The geese are made from pretty fabric squares I got a really long time ago. The beige is a fabric I wish I had bought yards of. It's so pretty and I think I only have a very small half yard left. So pretty.

Well, I'm off to try and figure out what to serve the guys for dinner.

Thanks for stopping by to visit. Tomorrow I will show you some pictures of some beautiful cards I got from a photographer friend who is way, way, talented. I couldn't get them loaded today. She's a genius with a camera and, clearly, I am not. Tune in tomorrow for more "As the Dee Turns"

snow & daffodils

Thanks for all the nice wishes-I'm pretty much better except for the searing pain in my sinuses that isn't helped by the very bright sun today. I felt better yesterday. The real problem is most likely the after-effects of Benadryl and cough medicine. They make me feel groggy and cranky. That'll pass in a day or two.

I'm slowly working on getting the baby quilt tied. It's not very big but I'm not very motivated so I do a square and give up.

Most gratifying right now is that my husband and son haven't caught the crud. We are all fortified with lots of Echinacea and so far it seems to be working for the guys. I think it makes the duration of the crud shorter as well. I am not a good patient. An impatient patient at best. I have infinite patience when someone I love is not well but don't extend the same patience to myself. Two days and I'm super cranky. It's been a week-don't ask!. The boys are leaving a wide berth around me for safety sake. Well, I have many things to do and probably only the energy for one or two so I'll check in with you soon. The pictures above are of the snow we got-7 or so inches, and the daffodils I got at the grocery store. They were all buds and I didn't really think they would open but I put them in a sunny window and they are a little picture of spring. Most of the snow is already gone and the temps are climbing. Can spring be far behind?

Creeping Crud

I'm sicker than three dogs with the creeping crud. Hacking and sneezing up a storm. Thanks to all who commented on the last entry. You are so sweet and you make my day on a regular basis. I'll be back as soon as I can take in a good breath without getting gaggy! Love you guys.

Baby up-date and I am from....

Well, those of you who really know me knew full well that the baby would be finished before the quilt-and thus ever remains the song of Dee.
The baby, little Mackenzie was born on the 17th and everyone is well and happier than anyone has a right to be. She is adorable with a really sweet face. Some babies are all wrinkly but not this one. Full weight and lots of downy hair. Lovely.

These last few days I have noticed that several people have done this lovely and moving tribute to where they are from. I saw my friend Terry's version this morning and it nearly made me weep it was so sweet. What comfort it must be to have such happy memories.

I have happy memories, as well as some that are not.

I am from
Good Fortune
Strong German women who could not hold onto the men that loved and feared them. Intelligent women who lived lives unfullfilled and became angry and bitter old women.
I am from desire. To leave behind such a legacy and find life anew in another country. Youthful desire, frenzied teenage women who thought little of the consequences of indiscretions or the distruction of the lives they walked over getting here.
I am from strong middle American roots. Native roots and Scottish Woodruff roots. I suspect the women were strong and died young, giving over their essence to weak men with no tolerance for liquor. I am from those men who grew tobacco and filled barns with the leaves to dry in the Kentucky heat while they sipped that whiskey.
I am from seamstresses and cooks and artists. All talents not nourished nor really appreciated until it was too late.

I am from a mother's abandonment.
From placement with a Jewish family where I learned about the beauty and practice of faith. Reverence for God
I am from banishment to a Methodist orphanage.

I am from weak-willed drunken step-fathers who pulled me by my hair and called me wicked names.
I am from beatings and worse.
I am from forgiveness and fear of failure and numbing self-doubt.
I am from a staggering fear of death.
I want my life back and I cannot have it to do over for everything would be different and, worse than fear of death, I fear the loss of what I have come to be.
I am from learning to be a wife & mother at 36.

I am from being gobsmacked at how much a small human life can change your own perspective on everything and how much better you become for it.
I am from finding the first home I've ever known right here.
I am from loving the only man who ever loved me completely without condition.
I am from gratitude, and patience, and soft birds settling in the leaves and Beech trees and 18 ft runabouts on glassy Long Island Sound sunsets and seeing the House of the Rising Sun. I am from new roots with this Irish-German family, so much of their history right here. Farmers of cattle, tillers of land and arborists of giant trees in beautiful landscapes.
From knowing that it is more important where you land than where you take off from.

I am from, at long last, peace.

Better Hurry WIP-and more flix

What the heck is up with Blogger's spell check? Very annoying and it's been this way for weeks. Bah!

I'm working on the baby quilt for my friend Pam's new grandchild who is arriving any minute. They know the baby is a girl so even though it's no big surprise-it's still so exciting. I'm especially excited since someone else gets to be a grandma before me. I am the oldest member of our little group and , for the time being, I'm not a grandmother even though some days I feel like a great grandmother. Here's a shot of the top. I am making a checkerboard border around the edges and that will get this one done and out very quickly.
I guess I made Blogger mad at me because now I can't up-load any photos. If I could, I would show you the latest batch from B---buster. I got The Tudors with a much more yummy Henry XIII that actual historical drawings and painting would show. He was considered handsome in his youth(although I think he had a horse-face)but very soon was not attractive and suffered from a number of maladies that would tend to make one cringe, not the least of which was severe halitosis and skin rashes. All that aside, I grew up with Henry being played by Charles Laughton. This Henry is, as the girl in Bl---buster said gleefully, yummy. I proceeded to leave her befuddled because she about 15 and Charles Laughton is, naturally, unknown to all but crones like me. Sweet girl though. Must come fromt he upper midwest. She had that funny way of speaking that reminded me of Marge Gunderson in Fargo...ya. Adorable child. Anyway, I also got Gone Baby Gone because something good has to come from a book that good. Also got "Once" and "No Reservations", but I'm fairly sure that it can't be anywhere near as good as "Mostly Martha" which it was a re-make of and I adored. Right now I'm popping in one of the Henry XIII and getting a move on before the little one arrives. Due date-Valentines Day, YIKES! Back later.

Weekend Up-Date

This was a quiet, but delicious, weekend. We all trooped off to the same Italian restaurant we went to for New Years Eve and, for the most part, it was very enjoyable. The appetizers were not up to par but my dinner was very good. BIL Bob seemed to enjoy his while Roger found his lacking. James & Dani ordered the chicken parm. I thought that was a bad move on their part for two reasons. Never order the same dish. Then you can't try each others stuff and I make the best chicken parm that James loves. I knew theirs wasn't going to please him that much since it most likely wouldn't be crispy. I make my breading with a combo of flavored crumbs and Panko. Crunch to the max under all that cheese. Yesterday I made a fresh pork roast and smashed potatoes with gravy and corn. Comfort food.

I watched Elizabeth The Golden Age which I really enjoyed. I have the first one and I am a total sucker for a period piece. The costumes alone are fabulous and it's history, which I adore. I'm sure it's not everyones cuppa but it sure is mine.

The glorious fabric above is one of the latest pack of the month from Keepsake. Moda's Sentimental Stitches line. Very rich, color saturated, wonderful, almost silky hand. I just love Moda fabrics. Don't know what I will do with it yet. It's aging a bit-till I finish other things.

I have resumed walking the treadmill. Doing pretty good. One day at a time.

Hope your Monday is warmer than ours(18 degrees). Winter has finally arrived on Long Island. Brrrrr A real slap in the face after the springtime temps of late. Talk to you tomorrow.

Not much Thursday

I've got nothing good to show for any reason today. Unless, of course, you want to see pictures of plumbers installing hot water heaters? Nah, I didn't think so. I am about to go into the basement to walk on the treadmill. Gearing up for re-re-start of Curves. In my current engorged state I will never make it around the circuit without falling down dead. So I'm trying to get my breathing back to some sort of normal. I heard someone on the radio this morning talk about having been to re-hab and gotten sober and clean many years ago. He commented that, in retrospect, it was an amazing thing the terrible way we treat ourselves. I believe his words were, "we treat ourselves in a manner we would never allow others to treat us" So true for me. I have every excuse in the book for treating myself badly and just who am I punishing? Why Moi! Dumbass!
Yipeee!The plumbers are leaving, as is a fist full of money that trails off behind them...sigh.
Goin' walkin'.....later gators.

So Many Celebrations

It's Primary Day, Giants ticker-tape parade, Mardi Gras, Chinese New Year, Setsubon-woohoo! Must be some sort of auspicious happening in the world. I was born in the year of the Rat. I hope this year is as exciting as many of the horoscopes I've read. I'll be happy if it is a year of good things and pleasant changes. Since I have the ever-sarcastic sense of humor, I had to laugh at the last description of my sign-holding on to things-packrat here. Definitely a good description. I was looking for something good to photograph today when I saw the hawk outside, perched in a tree nearby, waiting patiently for a small moving morsel. A few weeks ago I saw a smaller one. This one today was the Daddy Hawk. I wonder if he was sitting out there above me while I ws emptying the groceries out of the car???? I would have gladly thrown him a small piece of lamb to throw him off my track. It's a jungle out there. Making crab cakes for dinner so I better get on the stick. Talk to you tomorrow.

Twenty-Four

It's been more than I ever imagined.

Love is patient, love is kind
it does not envy,
it does not boast,
it is not proud.
It is not rude,
it is not self-seeking
it is not easily angered,
it keeps no records of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil
but rejoices with the truth.
It always protects,
always trusts, always hopes,

always perseveres.

1 Corinthians 13:1 - 8.

Happy Anniversary to us. I wish for, at least, another 24.

Yesterday, we went to the annual Superbowl party at our friends house. Since they are big-time Giants fans, you can imagine how the festivities unfolded there. The only bad part of the whole day was that I picked a place to perch that had a banquet-sized dish of really good potato chips. I never eat them anymore because they are salty and make my hands, feet, and legs, swell up like big fat piggies. I am currently typing with my little pink hooves. Never do that again. Anyway, the really amazing part of the whole day was that I not only watched a football game, but we left at 4th quarter and I came home, turned on the tube and watched them win. They must have put something in my soda. I normally loath football but found myself getting nervous in the last few minutes when it appeared that NY was losing. I'm going to chalk it up to television being just that bad. Anything new looks good-even, gulp, football.

We will not be going out to celebrate this evening. Waiting for the weekend and BIL Bob to take us out for dinner. He's leaving on a jet plane for chilly Chicago for a 2 day meeting.

Gotta go now and make something for dinner and have more water...lots more water. Hope I can flush out some of this salt. I feel downright preserved(but not in a good way)

Talk to you tomorrow when I hope Blogger is less weird. Can't use spell check and can't make it space the way you want it to look. I'm beginning to really dislike them. Bah!

Credit where credit is due

I really can't take credit for this and I don't want to blame Mel for it either. In the bag-o-scraps I got, so generously, from her were a few components already fused together so several of the things in here are pieces and parts taken from those. I kept having frady-scared thoughts and walking past the envelope without attempting even the slightest thing. This morning I decided to just go ahead and play. I'm not trying to be Mel and so I keep thinking that it's just a bad to wind up with blatant imitaion but then what else can one do to begin and get over being afraid of the whole fusing thing?

I had a few fabrics I had purchased last year from her collection that had never been used. I just began to lay things out early this morning. It is now noon and I haven't done a thing but brush my teeth and comb my hair. This is where the guilt comes in. Threw a load of stuff in the washer and went back to look again. I must resist the urge to use EVERYTHING just because it's there. Melody has a good entry in answer to a readers question regarding inspiration(strange question though). I don't need inspritation-I need the room to play with this stuff without having to bag it all up at the end. There is another idea that's in the works but I don't want to show it yet-in the meantime this reminds me a little of playing with Legos. It's addictive and you have to smack yourself on the hand to stop re-arranging things over and over. It would be a good thing to have a space large enough to be working on a couple of pieces at a time. Spreading out the wealth as it were. It's a lot of fun and I see now where the "doing it" engenders bravery. You just have to jump in with two feet. I plan to do a bunch of stitching on this when I can and maybe it will look better. One of my original ideas was I wanted to make a piece that was an interpretation of the outdoor markets in so many foreign places. Spice markets, flower markets, fruit & veg, well it didn't wind up that way but for a first effort I don't hate it. It need embellishment-lots of embellishment. I must now catch up with other things. See you later.

Addendum

The stacks are stacking up! Can't stop....must do important work around house.....

Nothin' wishy-washy goin' on here

Well now...lookee what the postman brought me. A fabulous scrap-bag from the Color Countess of Tennessee. I have been running my hands through the yumminess and playing on this gray day. Maybe I'm not going to wind up being all that beige. I need to make a little space devoted to sorting because these fabrics are already fused and the Countess reminds me to clean my glasses or I will end up with a big blob of goo on the iron. While I was in the cleaning phase(an on-going and eye-opening event) I found some further proof that I have an, albeit recessive color gene. I forgot about these bright blue blocks.

Just the thing to overcome the gray blahs. It's not snowing but it is very damp and chilly. I'll take that over snow though. Up here on the hill snow removal is an all day affair for the guys. I keep hoping that someday they will awake in a blinding flash to realize that there are people you can hire to do the work for you. Won't hold my breath. When I win the big lottery-I'm going to hire many assorted and talented people with tools to finish the 300 things that need doing around here. You know, the things that we'll get to next year. I could keep a good sized army of men and women busy laboring around here for months if not years. Roof, windows, yardwork, snow removal, painting, floor installation....Ahh, I dream, and in color!

I rented a charming and unusual movie. It's not a regular ovie with a plot/story as such. It's 12 little short pieces about love in Paris called "Paris Je T'aime" Some of the stories are only a few short minutes and some are very sad and others very strange but more often than not, they are touching and sweet. I real enjoyed it. Each scene takes place in a different section of Paris and each by a different director. A huge number of stars mostly European but Willem Dafoe, Natalie Portman, Ben Gazzara, and Gena Rowlands are a few. There is a scene with character actor Steve Buscemi in the Paris Metro that is both hilarious and scary at once. Something different and, of course, the real star is Paris. Some french spoken but not that much. The only piece I didn't like was about Mimes. They annoy me.

Talk to you soon.

I've become beige

When we were first dating, back when dinosaurs roamed the earth, I remarked to my husband that everything he owned was beige. His is an engineer-beige is the national color of engineering. He's not a beige person. He's colorful and funny and best of all, he loves me like a rock(earworm). As I dig my way through the fabric detritus of my life and work to date I have come to the awful realization that I have now become beige. Beige walls,beige floors, beige backgrounds, beige borders, wow...what the hell happened to my artistic spirit and when did I get to be so boringly safe. Granted, pale colors often punch up the surrounding colors but geeez louise, I'm sick of myself. It's probably the time of year as well. If it's not beige, it's gray.

The main reason is this. Hop on over to Jan at Be'mused, go ahead I'll wait.....Jeopardy music......See the gorgeous house blocks with the cheddar yellow sky. How cool is that anyway? Granted, Jan is a genius with color and it flows from her like a rainbow, but why Oh WHY can't I get back my color muse. I must be bold and go where I have not gone before(for a while). I must remember that there are many shades and pigments and even hundreds of shades of...gasp...beige. Some where in the last few years I got stuck in the netherworld that lurks between art and craft. I wanted to make things that worked in my house and as gifts for like-minded friends back then and I was hit over the head by the Coloring-in-the-lines Fairy. I've really got to get that bitch off my back. I, too, can imagine cheddar skies and Kaffe-like backgrounds. Is it because I'm lazy AND afraid? I think some of that is true as well. I am taking the no-beige pledge for my next piece. I will drown that awful Fairy in color. Stay tuned!

P.S. Still no thread-beige or otherwise.

Still more blah....

Waiting on the Mailman & Eye Candy

I have many things to get done today since the weather is expected to get ugly soon. These lovely threads are from a photo taken in a market in Morocco. Yummy silk thread in delicious colors. My shipment didn't come yet from Hancock's so I'm still threadless in NY. When I went to open my blog for writing this morning I saw that a new entry was made to the Studio. I just have such admiration for someone who can turn out a piece like this. I know many people have done the Dear Jane quilt but looking at it is like looking at a piece of history. It's really lovely. This one was done by Debby of Quiltnbee fame. It's a beauty. I hope she doesn't mind my giving the link but after all the work that went into this quilt, she deserves a shout out..wOOt.

I'm off to the store and Pantry and elsewhere. Back soon.

Crimson Morning

Even though it means "red sky at morning, sailor take warning", this was a beautiful sight. The color took over the sky in minutes. It means we will get that icky mess this afternoon of snow and rain. Hopefully it will be more rain than snow. Since the current temp is 27, I'm fairly sure I know which of the two it will be.
There's not a lot going on in my neck of the woods right now. My husband was off yesterday for Martin Luther King Day and we celebrated by doing virtually nothing. Watched a great old movie on the morning. "The Lady Eve", with Barbara Stanwyck and Henry Fonda. That movie is from the 40s and laugh-out-loud funny. I was pleased to find that Roger enjoyed it too. Spent the rest of the day loafing around. I would have finished the baby quilt but I came to a horrifying discovery-I'm out of thread! Well, I have thread but it's crappy stuff that my machine doesn't like. I usually use Mettler or Guttermann and I've got none of either. Because it's a little chilly(ahem) outside I would rather not make a trip way out east and a trip to the nearest Quilt shop would tempt me more than I can afford and more than I need-I think I will order some from Hancock's and just wait a day or two. Lord knows I have plenty to keep me busy in the meantime.
That said, I better get to it. Back soon with pictures-Hope your day is a good one.

Addendum to the Thread Shortage....Hancock's of Paducah has a sale on Mettler and King Tut. The thread is in the mail.

Keep it simple stupid!

Not sure what's up with Blogger this morning but I'll try again. I already wrote this post once and thought it was saved but no. In a moment of stunning clarity I decided to just keep it simple with the baby quilt. After all, the baby is not even born yet and will probably blurgh all over this thing a million times so a complicated and artistic design makes no sense at all. I will layer it and tie it and then this sucker is out of here. It was fun working with pretty colors though. Not sure why the picture is coming out so fuzzy looking. The original photo isn't fuzzy so I suspect that it has something to do with the uploading service which shall remain nameless.
I have a haircut and some errands to run this morning. Did anyone else watch American Idol last night? I can't remove the image of that hairy guy with the cape and breastplate from my mind and it's burned into my brain. The horror! I'm a little ashamed to admit that I only watch the try outs. After that the program is of no interest to me whatsoever. The try outs are a masterpiece of strangeness though. I have to say that Paula Abdul looks as if she went to re-hab successfully this time. The girl looked positively coherent for a change but then it's only episode 2. Stand by.....
I better get going if I hope to get anything done this morning. The tricky part this a.m. for me is getting in and out of the Village without being seen. There is a monthly meeting to do with the Pantry that I was trying to avoid that, unfortunately, happens to take place next door to where I need to make a stop. I must be stealthy or go later this afternoon. I will blame my computer for not getting notification of the meeting. These so-called meetings have become a dog and pony show for the local politicians to come up with great ideas to "help us". Imagine how much fun that is and let me say further that not one idea from any of them has helped in years. The last great idea they had was to photograph the needy coming in to get their food and get those pictures in the local paper to "advertise" the Pantry. They don't get it at all. Anyway, I thought I'd dispense with the meetings in an effort to miss whatever brain farts they have come up with this month. Lord knows I'll hear all about it from my partner in crime as she vents for an hour or two in the coming days.
O.K. I will now don my super secret cloak of mystery while practicing things to say when important people you haven't seen for a year appear in front of you on line at the grocery store and wonder why you didn't make it to the meeting. I will barely be able to speak-sore throat-back away slowly. Highly infectious-throatyfeveritis. *grin*

Meaningful changes

I spent the early morning playing with a re-design of the header sent tome by my very funny and very talented friend, Mrs. Mel. Since I have to fumble along with this blogging thing I just assumed that whatever blogger did with your picture was what you got. I received 3 versions of the header pic and this was the funny one that most applied to my current status as a lapsed quilter. Funny enough, today I will be working on a baby quilt for a little one due in Feb. I better get on the stick eh? I love working with girly colors so this should be just pure fun. I'm making a simple log cabin in sweet colors. Hopefully I'll have something to show very soon. talk to you soon.

From the Sublime to the Ridiculous

My Darling Photgraphy Staff(Hi Guys) got this shot of the harbor for me over the weekend. I liked the pictures so much that I decided to use one for the header. Maybe I should also change the name of this blog to Thea Quilts(but not much). I can't believe how hard a time I'm having getting back into the swing of things. I just had so many things I let slide around the hovel that I couldn't go on without attacking the mess. Seriously, it looked like a fabric explosion in the closet, which is generally in pretty bad shape anyway given my lack of concern with hanging things up. Well after numerous days of chucking stuff and the eternal search for "the mythical bottom", I'm still looking at a couple more days of discovery and rejection. I can't believe all the crap I have. Shame...really shame on me. Anyway, I thought I'd just check in and let you know that I have not gone missing-at least not in the true sense of the word. In reality, I simply cannot work on anything until I take at least a stab at being organized. I managed to find a few things that I had forgotten about that are, of course, unfinished. I would show you pictures but I went to use the camera yesterday and it told me the card was full. I will ask my favorite engineer to help me with that later. What I can show you is how neat and tidy I boxed up some fat quarters that were, literally, looking like confetti on the closet floor. I managed to twist my foot and ankle a bit getting off the pull-down attic stairs yesterday so today will be an attic-free day. I remain Grace personified.

It still looks pretty bad but I can't tell you how much better this mess looks than it did. Scary huh???

Well, time for some lunch and back to work.

I did want to thank my friend Grazia in Rome for the "Make my Day" award. Rather than naming any individual people this time I will just say if you're reading this, you make my day. I have so many wonderful and talented people with blogs I read regularly that I just can't single out anymore people. Thanks so much for stopping by to read my blather and sticking around even though I have clearly fallen into a creative abyss. Hope to climb out soon.