Catching Up

Trying to get some stuff accomplished this week. I thought you might want to see this ruler. I have this one and then a smaller one with smaller measurements. If you are cutting out a lot of strips these are a real time saver. They are made by June Taylor and you just lay out the fabric and put this ruler on top of it and cut in the grooves. Works great.


Also picked up this crate at Staples. It is actually a "file holder" on wheels, but I bought it to put stuff in to take to quilt classes. It comes with a lid, good for rainy days, and it is large enough to be useful. This picture should be below the next one, but too bad.
This shows the folding crate before you undo it. I saw someone at a class I took on Saturday and decided I "had to have it", lol. Not expensive either.
Here is an actual finished quilt, complete with binding. This is Hopscotch made with Kaffe Fassett fabrics. It is 100 square, lol. I really do like it a bunch. Piece and Plenty is moving along at a snail's pace, but I am making progress. Have a lot to do but I had to take a break from it so I could refocus with a fresh eye. Also taking a break from my Web Sampler.
Here is my batik quilt coming along pretty well. I hope to finish it up by the end of the week, but around here who knows.
I took a class using paintsticks on Saturday. Learned a lot, but this is actually all I have to show for the time I was there. We spent a lot of time cutting out stencils and talking about the techniques, etc. It was a lot of fun and I think I will invest in the paintsticks and finish this up someday, lol.

I think that catches me up with quilty stuff for now. I am off to read a book by Sherrilyn Kenyon...a little risque in spots, but kinda funny.

Hope everyone is having a great week!

Star BOM Block 4

This is the 4th block of the Star BOM that I am doing along with others through Patchwork Times

Judy is hosting this and, as usual, I am barely keeping up. I am not sure this one is going to go well with the frist 3, but will worry about it later.

Life at the Funny Farm

It is 10:30 or so Monday morning. I didn't go to bed until around 5 this morning, and I had to get up at 8:30 because the cleaning lady comes today. Life is good when you can have a cleaning lady.

So, she is cleaning up my bathroom and I go in there to brush my teeth and, lo and behold she is cleaning my hairbrush with a toothbrush, lol. I am not sure where that toothbrush has been because it is in her cleaning supplies. But she is so proud of herself that I thank her and quickly leave, chuckling.

Into the kitchen from which Aud is coming down the hall with an empty bottle of Windex. Will I please take this out and put it in the blue box because today is trash day and it hasn't been picked up yet. Ok.

I do that, come back into the kitchen and ask Aud if she has written this on the grocery list. Of course not. She starts to write it on there and giggles. What are you giggling at? Look what I have written on here....what...."Poot"....my dear sweet soon to be 92 year old mother has written POOT on the grocery list! I have to laugh. She has no idea when she wrote it on there, but she did.

Ok, a nice laugh and we are having some cereal and reading the paper and Aud says, do you think our grandkids know whether we are alive or dead? We haven't heard from them in quite a while. The story behind that comment is we moved up here for several reasons. The main one being so they can keep an eye on us and help us if we get ill or whatever. Hah! They are both so busy they don't have time to think, much less worry about two little old ladies. So we decide maybe I better email them and tell them we are going to give their phone numbers to our neighbors in case they smell something funny one of these days they will know who to get in touch with, lol.

I bought Aud a yard blower that runs on batteries because she is obsessed with keeping the back porch and front walk clear of leaves etc. As I am being lazy and drinking my coffee and boring anyone who reads this, she is outside blowing off the porch with the blower. Of course the battery is dead. I know how she does things, so when I bought this for her I got an extra battery. Sure enough, in she comes and I have to change the battery for her and off she goes again.

I can see her from the window. Now she has sprayed the whole porch with water and is brooming it off. Why aren't I out there helping her? Hah! I don't want to encourage her. She might end up wanting to wash the windows, and I have to conserve my strength because this evening a young man is coming to help me start getting the flower beds ready for winter. I want to get them cleaned up some. I need to take a picture of my impatiens and caladiums in the front yard. They are huge!

When she finishes this she will disappear into her bedroom because by then the cleaning lady will have finished her area, and I won't see her again until nightfall. She will be zonked out from working so hard.

Don't feel sorry for her, it is activity like this that keeps her young and gives her the strength of will to stay alive. She is a jewel and I love her dearly even if she does write "poot" on the grocery list!

Update: Aud informs me that "poot" means fart, like "old fart", lollol...see why I love her so much?

Quiltathon - part 2

Got a super late start Sunday on the Quiltathon that Judy hosted this weekend, so I finished super early on Monday.

These are blocks 3 and 4 of the Designer BOM I am doing through Fat Quarter Shop.

Block 3 from the Batik Stars quilt I am doing

Block 4 from the Batik Stars quilt...oops, I did something wrong, lol...hmmm, lol,

So, I watched old movies and started binding my Kaffe Fassett quilt that I got back from the quilter.

Thanks bunches Judy, I enjoyed sewing this weekend....I don't think my time schedule corresponds with anyone else's at the moment.

Everyone have a good week!

Quiltathon

JudyL is having another Quiltathon this weekend so I thought I would play along. Not getting a lot done, but at least I am doing some, lol.

These are the last 2 stars to a quilt I am calling Batik Stars. The quilt itself has 13 total.


Here are the ones I have finished today. I cut out all four of the remaining stars I needed yesterday so I could concentrate on just sewing today. By the time I have made all four blocks I will have made them each 3 times, lol. Right now triangles and I are not getting along too well.

Here are the other stars in this pattern. You can see a hint of the setting stars in this picture. It is kind of one of those quilts I am deciding what to do as I go.

Thanks Judy for providing me a reason to sew all weekend, lol.

Observation

I have lots of things I want to share with you, but this one thing is kind of a quicky. I can't seem to be still long enough this week to blog, because as we all know, it does take some quality time.

Ok, on with my story. I shop a lot online because I do not like to shop. I also buy a lot of quilting stuff online more out of habit than anything else probably. When I first moved to OKC there was only one quilt store here and it didn't carry the type of fabric I really liked. Moving from the Houston area as I was you can understand that.

Anyway, over the years there are several shops that I visit each week. When The Fat Quarter Shop came online I thought I had found heaven because by then I had decided that fat quarter bundles were the way I wanted to go with fabric. That way I could get some of each piece of a collection and build around it.

As the years have gone by I have watched Kimberly build her shop little by little to one of the best and most efficient places to shop I have ever seen. And as she has made innovations I have noticed other online shops following her lead. Rather interesting to say the least.

What has prompted me to write this it the following. I ordered a book from an online web site that I could not find any place else as it is a specialty book. It came today. I was so surprised at the way it was wrapped but I didn't take a picture, which was a mistake. This book was wrapped in paper and tied with a fabric bow. It was like a present. A year ago this would not have happened.

Kimberly has set the standard for packaging I think, and other shops seem to be following her lead. At least most other shops; there are a few out there that could take some lessons, that's for sure.

The other thing I want to talk about is BOMs. I have joined a lot of BOMs over the year from online stores. Always, with no exceptions, there have been shortages of fabric. One store in particular I do not order from period because they screw everything they do up. However, that's another story. I always buy extra fabric if possible when I start a new BOM because somewhere along the way I am going to miscut a piece. It is one of my wonderful habits, lol

I want to thank Kimberly for her BOMs. I always have so much leftover fabric that I don't have that inner worry about miscutting because I know I am going to have some left over from one block or another. They are a pleasure to work with, that's for sure. Other shops need to take notice.

The last thing I want to talk about is the Piece and Plenty BOM. I am behind on it because of my eyes but it has been a wonderful experience for me. I did not do hand applique until this piece and I stretched myself and have handled it, maybe not well, but it was something I wanted to do. This quilt is going to be an heirloom when I finish. I think my girls will probably fight over it. I have incorporated my own style into parts of it and changed some things that I thought would reflect me. I hope those of you who have worked on this quilt appreciate what you are building. It is just wonderful. And I have enough fabric left over to do a small project I think, which has been an added bonus.

You'll know Kimberly is a friend of mine, but she did not influence me to write this. Sometimes it is easier to complain about the things a store doesn't do than it is to praise a store for the things they do.

So, Kimberly, this is a thank you for the things you do. I appreciate them more than you will ever know! You make my midnight shopping more fun.

Star BOM Block 2 and 3

I got caught up on the Star BOM that JudyL is doing online. Didn't do a real good job on these, but I have decided to call this quilt "It Stays as it Lays" in honor of Vicky, who conned this phrase when we started this madness, lol.

This is block 3 of the Star BOM

This is Block 2 of the Star BOM

Unbelievable!!

Remember my sweet little granddaughter that has Cystic Fibrosis that broke her arm about what, 2 months or so ago? Welllllllll.............she did it again!!! Last Sunday. Sundays are not good for this child.

Here is the email I got from her mother Saturday and the pictures she sent me.

After the initial pain and disappointment of breaking her arm, Katy's mind turned to the fact that she would get ice cream in the hospital and that this time she might choose a different color for her cast. She decided on red, and this was while we were still in the emergency room.

She was in a splint wrapped with an ace bandage until yesterday (they didn't want to cast too soon because of swelling). Friday we went to get the cast on. Katy was a little uncomfortable during the casting process, so the casting technician (yes, when you go to a large orthopedic practice, they have such a thing!). Anyway, the casting tech tried to distract her by offering to put a "stripe" of a different color on the cast, and Katy chose blue.

So it was only natural that it evolved to what you see here. Just a quick stop by Hobby Lobby and some hot glue, and voila!

Ashamed!!!

I am so ashamed that I haven't blogged in a while. It has just been very busy and frustrating these past 2 weeks or so.

My birthday was in August and I thought I had managed to not let anyone know, but while Sharon was here we were talking about it being Dennis's BD and I mentioned that mine had been the day after his. Ooops, that let the cat out of the bag, lol.

So, a few days later what should arrive in the mail but this wonderful package from my sweet friend, aka DDD aka The Papparazzi Princess. I was going to title this post

"Purple Package from the Papparazzi Princess for the Purple Haired Old Lady"

but it has been so long since I got it that I am just too ashamed to do so. However, I loved this package when it arrived, and I love everything in it!
Notice the purple card and wrapping paper!!!!
And, look, a very pretty and feminine box with purple flowers, some purple notecards....I think this is a hint that I should send cards out, lol.... They are just too pretty to use, that is my excuse and I am sticking to it!

A new Rotary Cutter with purple flowers all over it....it works like a dream, and see the cute picture of the dog, looks a lot like Madeleine doesn't it?

Lace Post It Notes in their own little packet that I can carry in my purse!!! That's so I don't have to rely on my memory. Thank you so much Sharon!!! Can I have another birthday this month? LOL!!!

Since the truth is out about my birthday, and I'm not telling my age, I will also show you a picture of the flowers my oldest daughter sent me. They lasted for almost 2 weeks and were just gorgeous.

Now, on to other things, no sewing has occurred around this house. I tried to do some but have had to rip out most of it. I am behind on all projects at the moment. My eyes have been so blurry for close work I could not see well enough to do anything that looked right. So, I just stopped trying.

Had a doctor's appt today and my eyes are healed. They are not perfect like the doc and I both wanted them to be, but they are in pretty good shape considering the Floppy Irises that I have. I got a prescription for glasses that will be ready in a week and then I should be good to go. I still don't have to wear glasses all the time, but what I chose to do was get Transition lenses with bifocals in the bottom so I can use them for sunglasses and to see close. I am hoping this will work, if not, we will try something else. The astigmatisms have come back a little bit in my left eye, but not enough to cause problems, (hah)

I have to think that all of the eye problems I am having will gradually go away. She is going to check them again in 3 months and see where they are, but I am going to just assume this is what I am going to be left with and adjust my thinking and live in a myopic state sometimes, lol.

The thing that has consumed my time lately and what little sense I have anymore is cars. Aud has decided she doesn't want to drive anymore. Ok, that's fine. We will give her car to one of my grandchildren and keep mine. I get mine tuned up, and of course it needs a new battery, and checked out and ready to go. That takes a couple of my days.

Then I take hers, which is a 1992 white Buick Reviera (a true classic) with white leather seats and maroon dash and floorboards, etc.....to have the fluids checked. Aud is looking longingly at the Buick and "it is so much more comfortable than your car", and it is in great shape, we should keep it instead". Hmmm, ok, let me think about this....

Meanwhile, the window washers squeak to high heaven and it is rainy, so I go to AutoZone and get new windshield washers.....and now they don't squeak. I think they had been on the car since she bought it.

She is right about keeping the car, it has a wonderful quiet ride, except the radio squeals a high pitched squeal that drives me crazy. Ok, I don't care, we can give him the Ford, and keep the Buick , but I am going to put a decent radio in it. That takes a day at Best Buy because of course it involves a lot of work. Then I want to get the tires balanced and rotated. That takes a couple of hours and, oh, by the way, some of the lug nuts have been broken off, and that is dangerous, you really need to have them replaced. Oh, and the tires are in great shape.

Ok, fine, so I take it to a mechanic that has worked on this car previously because we have discovered some oil that has leaked out of the car on the floor of the garage. Two days and a nice sum of money later we have all 20 lug nuts replaced on the wheels and I won't have any problems if I ever have a flat. And everything else is ok, the oil is probably from having the oil changed, and don't worry about the "check engine light" that keeps coming on, lol.

Next thing, the lighter doesn't work. I don't smoke, but I need an outlet for my phone and my Ipod charger. Back to Autozone. They are too busy to check out my fuses, so I leave. Down the street to the Buick dealer, will you please check my fuses. Sure, oh yes, the one for the lighter needs to be changed. They change it, how much do I owe you, nothing, but your "AntiLock Brake light" is coming on and you need that checked out.

Great, can you fix it? No, we don't work on cars this old, you will have to take it to Smicklaus, they have the manuals to work on these old cars. Fine.

I call Smicklaus, and yes, they will take a look at it, so I take it down last Saturday and leave it for them so I don't have to get up at the crack of dawn yesterday morning to get it down there.

I get a call about 3 yesterday afternoon....Ms Perry, how much do you want to drive this car?, ....hmmm, that sounds bad....what are we talking about here......"Well, the hot bearings need to be changed or fixed" or something, I don't even know what they are, but according to the mechanic, they are dangerous to drive with...the brakes are fine,,,,but the bearings need changing and that is x number of dollars. And the "check engine light" is coming on because your timing is out of sinc and that also really needs to be fixed, for x number of dollars, and the window that doesn't want to go up sometimes (forgot to mention that one) needs a new module and that is x number of dollars. We are up to a nice tidy sum by now, so I tell him I will think about it and call him back. I am in too much of a state of shock at the moment to try to even talk.

So Aud and I talk it over, and decide not to have it fixed, keep the Ford, try to find someone to buy the Buick as is, and, making a sensible decision, I call him back and tell him we will pick it up in a little while, we have decided not to spend the money.

Good sensible decision made, I go to my room and play some solitaire on my computer and think about what I am going to tell my grandson about him not getting the car.

Aud comes in about 30 mintues later, and after some discussion about selling them both and buying a new car, which I do not want to do, we decide to have the Buick fixed and give the ford to the grandson.

div>So, I call Smicklaus back, and tell them to go ahead and do the work on the car, and the car is still down there. I figure they will have it another day or so. The mechanic promises me the car will run like a top. It only has 75,000 miles on it after all.

You would think that this would be the end of this tale, but no, now I have to find the title for the Ford. Hah!!! I don't have it, would you believe. If you have read this far, you should know by now I am ready to pull my hair out.

I have gone through a lot of drawers of "crap" that I should have thrown away, looked for all the "important papers" that should be together, wrong!!! I do find a letter that says I have the car paid for, but no title. This afternoon I finally get a chance to call Ford Motor Credit and ask them where my title is. Oh, it has been more than 5 years since that car has been paid for, we don't have any records past 5 years. If you want something called a release of lien it will cost you 17.00 to get it!!! I think you probably saw a little steam over OKC about that time. I believe that the person who took my credit card number was in India. No wonder Ford is not in good shape, that was another hour of frustration to get that done, but I should have my "release of lien" in 6 to 7 days. Then I get to go through the State of Texas Motor Vehicle Division to get the title. Unreal..... Eventually I guess I will get it all together. Good thing he isn't in any hurry for it, lol.

And that, my friends, is why I have not blogged in so long.