May 31st!!

The end of the no-buy month for me.

Last August I earned an A+. This May I give myself an A- ...... well, maybe a B+. Heck, I'll take it!

It's late now, and I'm tired, but I'm going to check in on a few bloggers to see how they did.

I've got another couple of weeks' extension on this pledge. Yikes!

Calgon, take me away!

I'm going to need to be taken away when I'm through sewing the giterdun, for sure! Ten more of these 20-patch blocks, and then I can move to the second block which should go together much faster. Can I get them all made by next weekend? I don't know, but I'm going to give it the old college try! I'm real ready to sew something else!

This weekend was quiet here. I only left the house once in three days, and that was to go to the market. Never thought I'd be looking forward to work, but I'm real ready to get out of here this morning!

Today is the 'inspection' of the condos. I was going to do all sorts of things around the house to get ready, but I vacuumed yesterday and that's it. I think they're only inspecting the new furnace/AC that was recently installed, but I don't know. I really don't think they are interested in how good a housekeeper I am. I certainly hope they don't care how much is stuffed in my garage. Hey, I can get my car in there! But I sure couldn't fit another one with all the boxes!

Gratitudes:

~ Catching up on sleep

~ Bonding with Daisy

~ Making progress on the giterdun

Lazy Saturday

I sewed today! It wasn't the giterdun, but at least I turned on the Bernina and shoved some fabric through it!

This was a Quilts in a Bag kit that I bought two or three years ago at the Glendale Quilt Show. The quilt is big -- just for perspective, those blue floral blocks are 10" finished. Talk about an easy quilt to sew together! But I'm going to put it all back in its tub and put it away for another day to assemble.

It's so much fun to lay a quilt out here. Just when I'd get it all in place, Daisy would come tearing across it and scatter the blocks everywhere. It was hilarious because she usually doesn't tear around the house. She pokes along. I guess because Mommy was down on the floor, that made it fair game. LOL

I'm going right now to bring the giterdun downstairs and figure out where I left off. My goal was to get it done in May. Doesn't look like that will happen, so my new goal is June 15th. We'll see.

I wasn't going to clean house this weekend, but I have an "inspection" on Tuesday, whatever that means. I bought my first house when I was 21, so this renting thing and having people in my house while I'm not here is new to me. I think it has something to do with the new A/C and furnace they put in a couple of weeks ago. Now, I know they're not looking to see whether I have dusty end tables, but I'd better spiffy up the joint anyway.

I took a nap a while ago. It felt good, but I feel a bit punchy now. Maybe I should have just stayed in bed. I slept really well last night, but I guess my body needed more.

Spaghetti tomorrow? Yeah, that sounds good - and I can make enough for leftovers!

I picked up three movies this week. I really loved one of them, liked one okay, and one of them I couldn't even finish. I'll give it another go tomorrow while I'm sewing.

Gratitudes:

~ Wash day tomorrow! I'm going to unpack those last two boxes of clothes in the garage and either wash them or toss them.

~ Listening to some little kids on the walking path giggling - and giggling and giggling. I wonder what was so funny.

~ Doing online window shopping today and nothing appealed to me. That's VERY good!

~ Daisy sleeps 18 hours a day, whether I'm home or not. The slug!

Oops

I got two packages in the mail today, and I knew I hadn't been poking buttons in the middle of the night. One was the Baking Day pattern that was on back order. I was hoping it wouldn't come until after May was over. This one is all Jeanne's fault! The other was the automatic quarterly shipment on the Jan Patek quilt; this quarter was the Seredipity kit. I totally forgot about that. Nancy will probably tell me I don't have to count that -- whew! She's such a good leader!! :)

I haven't been perfect this month, but I haven't been very bad either. Sorta in the middle -- like where I am in life, middle age and all. At least the no-buy month brought focus to my purchasing addiction and curtailed it greatly. I'd better watch it though because my online group will take away my CEO of Purchasing title! LOL

I'm going to take this another month. I figure if I stay with it, I'll finally get to buying only what I need for a specific project. Don't laugh, Jane! (She's rolling on the floor reading this!) I'm focusing on stash big time right now. Basically if it's not the stash, I ain't buying it. That ought to keep me busy for the next 76 years or so.

I'm really homesick. Really really homesick. I NEED to go home for a visit. And to make matters worse, I stopped in for a manicure tonight after work, and my manicurist and his family are going to Lafayette, Louisiana this weekend to meet his son's fiancee's family. Man, pea-green jealous homesickness is the pits!

The duck quilt came home with me to put the binding on. I started off really well on it, and then got sick. I don't know what's wrong. Nothing really hurts, and no coughing. But a really upset stomach for several days now. All I want to do is sleep. Thank goodness there's a three-day weekend ahead. Maybe I can catch up and get this old body back to its version of normal.

Daisy's allergies are acting up again. She's real itchy, so I need to tote her upstairs for a good bath. Problem is I don't feel like it tonight. I guess that's on the agenda for the weekend, too.

The giterdun is going to be worked on a lot this weekend. I'm not even going to touch that other easy quilt I started, although it's tugging at my heartstrings. I have to get that blasted thing out of my life!!

Gratitudes:

~ The cool weather that I fear is about to end

~ Productive days at the office. Working last Sunday helped.

~ Enjoying cruising the ring tonight. I've missed everyone!

~ The microwave!

Let Her Eat Cake

Daisy's 10th birthday was last week. Not that she cared one iota, but, hey, any excuse for gooey icing and a few bites of sugar-packed bliss! Oh, wait, it's the dog's birthday, not mine!

She's usually scared of the candle, but not this year. She's learned a few things from the previous nine birthdays. First, Mommy is going to take tons of stupid pictures while that candle wax is dripping all over the cake. And then there's the fact that when you don't have hands to help hold the cupcake, it gets messy.

So Jane held her while I got a couple of pictures. The cupcake kept falling over while I was trying to get a shot. Jane was grabbing it and setting it upright, all the while holding Daisy back. We were laughing so hard - and Daisy was focused on the cupcake the whole time. Then we turned her loose. Jane was laying on her back on the floor with green icing smeared on her hands, her chin and her nose. I was laughing so hard I missed that shot! Darn! It was priceless! Could have gotten a lot of (s)miles out of that bit of bribbery! What fun!

We didn't sew much. Ended up yakking the day away. I did, however, start something easy. I decided the gitterdun could wait one more day. It's a Quilts in a Bag kit, gigantic four-patches alternated with gigantic squares. It should go together in a jiff. But it's going to be put aside so I can get back to the pink/green thing next week.

My niece called me last night to say one of my older cousins passed away. She died peacefully in her sleep from a heart attack. Dixie was my hero when I was young. She's my brother's age, and not having a sister, I'm sure I followed her around and pestered the bejeebers out of her. She and John have been married for probably 47 or 48 years. Such a loving couple, and always so much fun to be around. I remember like it was yesterday their wedding. I won't be able to fly home for the funeral. I know Don will go, and I hope he handles it okay. He and Dixie were so close growing up.

Gratitudes:

~ The wonderful memories of my childhood, and those in my family who made it so special.

~ A lazy day spent with a friend.

~ Cooler than usual weather for this time of the year.

~ A long weekend coming up! :)

~ My fat little icing-covered Daisy

Wonky Day

Have you ever had days that just seemed, well, wonky? That was my day today. Oh, I got tons done at the office, but everything seems off-kilter a bit. I hope I'm not getting sick. I know my sinuses are really bad right now, so maybe that's it.

I was thinking I haven't been getting much done, but when I thought about it today, I guess I have. Judy finished quilting a baby quilt for which my online group made the blocks and I assembled for another online friend. Maybe when it's delivered, she'll post that picture. And I got the ugly duck quilt done for Ginger's. Not too shabby so far. Oh, and I've done a couple of Dutch Treat blocks also.

AND .......... drum roll here .......... I'm sewing on the giterdun!! Yes, I am! At this point I'm not liking this pink/green combo very much, but I know the cream will tone it all down when the Irish chain starts emerging. This is SO boring. But I want to get the main part of the top done this month, if not the whole quilt. I want this off my list in May! The line from "Steel Magnolias" keeps popping to mind on this quilt, the one about the sanctuary looking like it was hosed down in Pepto-Bismol. LOL. It really won't be so bad. I just have to remember that these were not my color choices!

One more thing I've accomplished - but this is year-to-date - appx. 56 yards of fabric have been depleted from my stash. The giterdun will count as a whole lot more, but I can't count that until I get the top made. Now how much fabric was added to my stash this year? I don't know. I honestly don't. But I just know it's a whole bunch less than last year at this time. Baby steps are being made! Jane and I were talking on Sunday about how much I used to buy every weekend. She justified that by saying I had nothing when I started quilting. I felt very righteous there for a few minutes (I've been using that word a lot lately LOL) until I realized that I'm almost six years into this quilting adventure. Can't use that justification any more! Sigh ~ it's always something! Well, gosh, I guess 56 yards isn't really so much, but considering I only get to sew on the weekends, I'll take it.

Daisy turned 10 years old yesterday. I pulled into Albertson's to get her a cupcake, then decided I'd wait until this weekend. Jane will probably come over, and we can do it up good! So instead she got a manicure and pedicure last night. You've have thought I was killing her. She was wiggling so much that I drew blood at one point. OMG, that did it. She hated me and pouted for a good hour. She's okay. It wasn't anything that lots of hugs and kisses couldn't cure. :)

Gratitudes:

~ My Daisy dog filled the hole in my heart when my Katie dog died 10 years ago.

~ Really enjoying my mattress now that it's been turned.

~ Smoke has almost cleared here.

~ Emailed pictures to my brother of when we were young to replace some he lost in the fire. He cried.

Enablers!

That's what you all are - a bunch of enablers! LOL. Thank you for helping me find excuses for my fall from grace! My friend, Mar, called me yesterday. When I answered the phone, she said, "Just exactly how many FQs did you buy?" And an email from my :) :) :) friend wondering the same thing! Geez ........ I don't get no respect! I guess I now have to extend my no-buy for two more weeks just to keep them happy!

But here's the best excuse of all for buying those FQs! I got the UGLY quilt done! I finished it yesterday, pieced the backing, made the binding, and delivered it all to Ginger at the quilt shop. She was laughing when I pulled it out and told her I thought it was ugly. Then another employee walked up and said how much she liked it. Go figure! Oh, well, it's done! I'm going start sewing on the blasted giterdun in about 15 minutes. Yep! Very soon I hope to rename that quilt the "gotitdun"! After doing the ducks and all those geese, the Irish chain suddenly doesn't seem so bad!

I just love the Nancy Halvorsen books and fabrics. I've been buying the books for years but have never made a single thing from them. The four FQs pictured just below the book are from her last line. I love it when fabric designers coordinate things so we can use our leftovers from one project in another. I guess it would be boring if they all did that, but every once in a while would be great! You could do that with a lot of the old Robyn Pandolph Moda lines. There are a couple of small projects in this book that I want to attempt. They involve fusibles and blanket stitching. I can do it! It'll be fun to try something new! In her Christmas book last year, there was a reindeer quilt that's adorable. Another one on my to-do list!

Happy Mother's Day to everyone. I think Jane and I are getting together a little later today. That's always fun! Daisy loves Jane, and totally ignores me when Jane's around! That little snooker! Thinking of Mom a lot today. I just might do the hokey-pokey for her!

Gratitudes:

~ A peaceful, productive weekend

~ A trip to the market last night for under 100 bucks!

~ "Mary Ellen's Best Press, the Clear Starch Alternative"

~ Finishing the Applique Club proposal

~ Smelling the wonderful jasmine in bloom!

Hanging my Head in Shame

I stopped by Ginger's last night-- just to visit with Jane, honestly! I don't know how it happened, but some FQs followed me home. I went in righteous and came out feeling like a quitter. But, oh, my, they are pretty.

So do I get kicked outta here? I think perhaps this fall off of the wagon won't count against me -- it was Christmas fabric, after all! Oh, wait, you're not buying that? How about it's a whole lot less than I would have gotten last month? Not that either, huh?

Nancy, what's my penance here? Because I can't think of a single rule that would give me special dispensation in this instance. (sigh) My name is Vicky; I'm a fabricholic.

The new A/C unit was installed yesterday, along with a thermostat that looks like it ought to be in the cockpit of a fighter jet. It was so hot yesterday, and when I got home the unit was completely off. I fumbled with it for half an hour before I figured out how to get it turned on. It ran wide open until about 10:00 when I got up and went to downstairs to turn it up some. At 1:00 I woke up sweating bullets. So back downstairs to turn it down. Again, up at 3:00 to adjust it again. I'm going to have to get them over here tomorrow to give me instructions. It makes no sense to me. Of course, this is the person who hasn't figured out how to work her message machine after two years. It's amazing that I can operate a sewing machine!

The smoke here is horrible. The fires at Griffith Park and at Catalina Island this week have really smoked up our valley. A good weekend to stay inside and sew!

I'll post a picture tomorrow of Ginger's shop sample. I think it's looking nice, although I'm not much into ducks. LOL. (Note to Vicky: Blog the mallard duck dance recital story some day.)

Gratitudes:

~ It's Friday
~ A Tiger tail from LSU! Thanks N!!
~ Tomorrow is giterdun day~
~ It's Friday (wait, I already said that)

May No-Buy Report

Proof positive that Daisy is a bad dog! She's got her 10th birthday coming up this month. You'd a-thunk she'd be over this! LOL

I'm still hanging in here. Nancy is counting down the days for us -- eight down, a gazillion to go! :) So far the only fabric purchase was that background last week. I feel guilty about that, but I know I'll use it for a specific project for which I already have the other fabrics. I'll just have to extend my no-buy for a week. Gasp!

The funny thing is that I really did go through the cyber newsletters that have been hitting my email inbox. None of the new fabric from market is singing to me. Now the new books and patterns - that's a whole nuther story. I keep telling myself they'll be there next month. I'm just going to hokey-pokey my way through May and feel righteous at the end. (rolls eyes here)

I've been working on this shop sample. I don't like it. It's a panel cut apart, sashed, with 92 flying geese on the border. That's where I am right now, geesing it. I cut the fabric per instructions before I really read through the pattern. The quick method they have printed is different than what I would have done, and involves an extra step that's driving me bonkers. I do think it's important, though, to follow the pattern on a sample. Another night or two should have those finished, and I can assemble this thing and get it out of my life. I want the giterdun to be finished this month. I'm exhausted thinking about my procrastination on it. Won't it be nice to be free to work on my stuff finally!

Alex's retreat in November -- I've been pondering whether I want to do the neutral quilt project. I've already got a neutral quilt, and I've got the White Christmas applique project in the works. That may be enough for me. No decisions need to be made now, but it's sort of bugging me that for the first time, I won't be doing the retreat project. Want to bet an FQ that I change my mind before then?

I've gotten some decorating done on the cabinet and quilt hanger that were hung last weekend. I tried to get pix last night, but all I kept getting was my reflection in the glass. Maybe this weekend with the lights off and the windows opened. I will say that there is a picture of Judy and friends taken at the quilt museum in Paducah that has been displayed up there. It's one of my favorite pictures of friends.

Approaching Mother's Day has me thinking about Mom. I miss her.

Gratitudes:

~ The daylilies are almost through blooming here. Such happy plants!

~ Checked the tire and it was just low; no nail in it.

~ It's hump day!

Lazy Sunday

I've been making flying geese all afternoon for a shop sample. I'm following the instructions on the pattern for their version of the quick piecing method, and it's real wonky. There are 92 geese. I'm about a third of the way done. But the task is much more pleasant sitting in my newly decorated sewing room! :)

A friend of mine designs applique patterns under the name LadyBaltimore Designs. This quilt is called "Birthstone Teacups." Each month uses the birthstone color for that month. She does beautiful applique. After being online friends for a couple of years, we finally met in person at Road to California about three years ago. And her husband is from Louisiana!! If anyone is interested in this pattern or any others, you can contact her at LBaltimoreDesign@aol.com. A really delightful lady!

Back to the grindstone tomorrow. Why is it that fun and relaxing weekends zoom by, and the weekends when I'm not feeling well or really busy seem to drag on forever? I realized today we have Memorial Day off this month, so I have one long weekend to look forward to.

Gratitudes:

~ That extra steak on the grill last night for dinner tonight.

~ Leftover strawberry shortcake! :)

~ Cool weather today!

New in My Sewing Room

I'm so excited that the wall above my sewing table has finally been decorated!

The gorgeous cabinet was made by Jace Weber. Judy has mentioned Jace and his fabulous workworking, and I've also talked about his work in a prior post on the Nelly table. (Scroll down for the Nelly story.) Jace and Sally's church holds an annual Lord's Acre Sale and auction. Jace donated this cabinet to that auction. Although we're half a country apart, I was the lucky winner of the auction! I asked Jace if I could order a quilt hanger to match the cabinet. Imagine my surprise when the quilt hanger arrived -- with a beautiful wallhanging by Sally! I'm just the luckiest gal alive!

Last night my friend, Jane, and her sweet husband, Jim, came over to hang these for me. Bless his heart, he pulled out the sewing cabinet and crammed himself between the table and the wall to get these hung! I'm thrilled that they are hanging just as I envisioned them. I had been saving that wall for something special! And they also helped me turn that thick mattress on my bed.

We had a great dinner. Grilled steaks, baked beans, potatoes, salad, bread, and strawberry shortcake for dessert. Also andouille sausage and apple/chicken sausage. I was stuffed! What a fun day!

I've been so blessed with having these special people in my life. Sally and Jace , Jane and Jim - I love you!

Tomorrow I clean off the sewing table, arrange the cabinet and shelf, and I sew!!

I'm so happy!

Sewing Forward

Since I've been reverse sewing on this thing for two months, I'm looking forward to sewing forward for a change!

This was a mystery quilt from about four years ago. I think I blogged before about how the thread was looped on the back when I got it back from a quilter. I should have just chucked it in the garbage can, but I wanted a red/white/blue quilt. I'm going to get it requilted, and then wash it to get the first quilting holes out of it. It's not an important quilt in my life, but I was determined to get it done right. It's one step closer now to being marked off my UFO list! LOL

The Applique Club at my LCS that I mentioned last week -- this is something I suggested, and so I was told to put a proposal together. I've been pondering it. I think we need to see how many people would be interested, and then have a first meeting to discuss how to proceed. I was thinking that we could have a project that we all work on, or we could just have a stitch session once a month. All skill levels. I think it would be a great way to exchange ideas and to advance our applique skills. I'll try to get the proposal drafted this weekend.

I'm going to sew this weekend, probably Sunday. Jane and her DH might come over on Saturday. DH is going to hang a beautiful cabinet and quilt hanger that my friend, Jace, made. I can't wait to get those up. I'll be sure to blog a picture of them. Sally sent a gorgeous wallhanging on the quilt hanger, and I'm about to 'splode to get them hung!

Apparently I didn't shut Daisy's kennel door very snugly last night. About 2:00 this morning I heard a loud banging coming from downstairs. It woke me, and, frankly, scared me. That is, until I figured out what the noise was. You see, Miss Daisy Dog was out of water, and was banging her water bowl against the kitchen cabinets. Impatient little cuss! So I had to get up and troop downstairs, stand there while she drank, take her outside, and then securely shut her in the kennel. What was so funny that look on her face when I turned on the kitchen light. Jane knows that look ..... :)

May no-buy is progressing. I admit to buying a background yesterday, but I needed it so I won't count that. And I knew it would sell out quickly at the quilt shop. Jane okayed that special dispensation! But that's it. I'm good for the remainder of the month! Of course, I won't go look again at all the new patterns I want. You know the ones -- Bunny Hill Designs, etc. I just won't look at them until next month. Maybe I won't want them then. Yeah, right.

Matt, if you read this, I remembered how to post a picture! LOL

Gratitudes:

~ So tired that I'll surely sleep the night through
~ A notice from the condo management that I'm getting a new A/C and furnace next week. I'm sure they're more energy efficient than what I have, so therefore less utility bills/more quilty money! :) For June .......
~ "The Queen" on DVD
~ Stunning roses in full bloom everywhere!

I'm fixed!!!

Matt came and installed my fixed computer tonight, and also fixed the camera card/printer problem. So I'm all ready to start taking pix and, hopefully, have a much more interesting blog!

A couple of months ago, Jace and Sally gifted me with a quilt hanger that Jace made. The hanger along with a gorgeous matching cabinet will be hung this weekend, and I'll post pictures of them. But the night the box arrived, I heard Daisy making funny sounds. I discovered her with her head stuck in the batting that they used to wrap the ends of the hanger. Silly dog!

I just realized, doggone it, that I'm fixed just in time for the start of the May no-buy month! Whose bright idea was this, anyway? I've been reading a really thick book for the third time ("And Ladies of the Club") and I plan on reading in the middle of the night instead of coming downstairs and poking on the order buttons! That's my plan anyway! And when I'm done with that book, I'm going to reread "Winds of War" and "War and Remembrance." That's another thousand pages or so! (vbg)

Along with May being a no-buy month, it's also a sewing month for me. I've got the giterdun cut out and ready to work on this weekend, and another shop sample cut out for the quilt shop. When these two quilts are done, I'm going to quilt just for me for the rest of the year!!! Yeah, yeah, I know. I always say that. But I mean it this time!

I've been pondering an Applique Club for the quilt shop. I don't know. It might be fun to have a set day or night a month to meet up and sit and stitch. I'm still pondering that ...

Gratitudes:

~ Special thanks to my hero, Matt!!

~ Peaceful sleep tonight!

~ Checking in with friends I've missed for the past week!

~ Getting the A/C gassed up in my car just in time for the hot weather!