Smile

This morning, I forced myself to get up and out of the house - late, but out.  I finished the borders on Victory Garden before I left for class...

and took photos of that quilt and the unfinished Stars & Strips Forever.

Now I just need to finish it (borders and quilting) and write up the directions for the quilt and 'publish' the pattern.  I also need to finish and publish pattern #2 for my guild's b&w exchange.

On the way home from class, I picked up some cheap fabric at the J-store for the back of Victory Garden and pieced the back when I got home.  It's all ready to send to the quilter (I'm not doing this one myself).

Tomorrow starts another quilt run that I'll be going on with my friends Debbie and Marlyn.  It should be a lot of fun - I'm looking forward to the run, the companionship, and four days on the road, away from everything...  should I take the computer or not?  big question, but I probably will... Need to get my email fix every day, lol.

Anyway, time to head out for the gym, get some exercise and fresh air.

Today I am grateful for the simple capacity to smile.  Even when everything seems like a chore, there is a smile in so many little things in the day - from spending a little time with one of my cats, talking to friends, making something even if I can't finish it (yet), finishing something, greeting my husband at the end of a long day, sharing a joke with a friend... even a little smile - given or received, can brighten a gloomy day.

Another Finish... almost

So a little mojo back, I almost finished another 'flimsy' - sans borders... I call the quilt Victory Garden.  It's from the book Gathered From the Garden by Cindy Lammon.  I did it in all red, white, blue and gold.  I'm thinking a red strip for the first border, then maybe a floral in patriotic colors?  I'll need to find and audition some fabrics for that outer border.  But at least I finished something.

Hopefully it will get quilted in time for my guild's quilt show in October, which is patriotic themed.  It will fit right in with all the other red,white and blue quilts.

Today I am grateful for being able to get up and get out of bed while I can.  There are a lot of people in this world who can't.  Be grateful for what we have - no matter what we lack, there are others who lack more.

Three Day Weekend...

So the three day weekend (Memorial Day in the States for anyone outside) is over.  I actually sewed this weekend, finishing a few blocks in an Americana Garden quilt I'm making.  I also got to spend a little time with my husband - playing D&D, walking, shopping.  I'm feeling a little better, but still depressed.

It makes me feel better that I'm actually working, accomplishing something.  Yet when I'm in the worst of my depression I can't work and that's when I most need to do so...  This half-depressed state is something I can literally work my way out of, which is a good thing, and I'm doing just that now.

So here is what I've done lately:
I made a bag for my guild's opportunity drawing last month - it brought in about $90, which isn't bad for my guild.  It was a lot of fun to make even though it was all very last minute - depression and all - I started it on Monday and the meeting was on Wednesday - I got it done - BARELY in time.  Pattern is called Tahoe Tote by Pink Sand Beach Designs.

I made a one block wonder quilt.  It's finally together and just needs to be quilted.  I call it Parrot Nebula because it reminds me of the Hubble photos of distant nebulae, and the original fabric was beautiful parrots on a deep teal background.

I also made some postcards for an exchange through Stashbusters.  They were supposed to be a floral design and represent spring.  I made cartloads of flowers, represented by yoyos which were made by my friend Marlyn. 

Today I am grateful for cats... and dogs... for all the animals with which we share our lives... while right now I only have cats and a dog, I know our animal companions also come with feathers, scales, carapaces and shells.  Right now I have a kitty stretched across my arm, trying to help me type.  Each with their own personalities and needs, they certainly add whole dimensions to our existence through their companionship.  What would we do without them?... I pity those who live without pets.

Progress

Tonight I am at the local senior center with some friends, quilting and chatting.  I am playing on the computer while they sew, crochet and applique their various and very diverse projects.  I sewed two blocks today, did a little shopping, went out to dinner with a friend.  I'm actually looking forward to going home and spending a little time with my husband... maybe watch a little tv.  Is my life boring or what?

I'm no longer working for the census bureau.  It was fun while it lasted, but the last few cases I had were difficult to close so it was time to hand them off to someone else.  I'm glad I did it, but I'm also glad it's over.  In a few days I will start worrying about election day - I work as an Inspector (basically a supervisor of Election Board Clerks) at a polling place.  It's only one day of work, plus a 1/2 day training, but it's a very looooong day of work  (basically 5:30am to 9:30pm).

Today I put together two blocks for a quilt I'm making... that's progress, and I actually enjoyed sewing, so maybe I'm getting my creative juices flowing again.  I have a lot more work to do on it, but I'm making progress.  I feel so slow and lethargic at it... A year ago, I would have finished this quilt by now.  I am SO all about instant gratification, so the progress, or lack of it, is making me frustrated even while I am actually working and making headway.  I can't win for losing...

Tomorrow I will try cutting a couple more blocks... I hope I get something done - I think it will make me feel better about myself and my work.

Now, if I can just get over being intimidated by my longarm so I can get some work done on it.... I need to talk to other people who have these blasted machines and see if they ever feel the same and how they get past this total paralyzation when it comes to using them.

If I don't use it, I think my husband might start having fits over what I spent on it.

Quilting Mojo

I seem to have lost my quilting mojo for the time being.  Not sure what is wrong... the new job with the census bureau, a problem with my depression meds, just general ennui, addiction to Evony... pick one.. pick any or all.  Whatever it is, I force myself to do a little from time to time, but I'm just not up to my usual speed, determination or inspiration.
I DID do something fun this last weekend - I went to Renaissance Faire.  I attended their 'Queen's College' and learned how to make batiks!  that was SO much fun... probably more fun than I've ever had before at Ren Faire, at least since my 'going in costume' days.  They had all these crafty classes, and if I'd been there sans husband, I could have stayed all day making things.  As it was, I only did the batik class.  We got to work on muslin and on silk... oh my... that was fun and really made me want to work with fabric again.  I hope I can carry that inspiration back home with me.
Today I am grateful for being alive.  'nuff said.

Gaga at Glendale

So I went a little gaga at the Glendale Quilt Show.  After swearing off spending money on quilting, too. 

I took a machine quilting class from Harriet Hargrave.  She's a hoot - had some great stories, and really made traditional quilting fearless.  I was amazed by her incredible quilting all done on her DSM.  She took a lot of the intimidation out of the process. 

Of course getting there was a total panic.... here's my story:  I was supposed to take classes at Glendale for all four days of the show.  Harriet's class (two days long) and two other one-day classes, plus a Saturday night class.  The two one-day classes were cancelled, and somehow I got it in my head that Harriet's class was on Saturday and Sunday.  I spent most of last week slowly prepping for Harriet's class, so I had SOME of the stuff we needed ready.  Still getting ready for the class, on Thursday morning at 8am, I cut out my show badge and looked at the letter that came with it.  The letter gave the dates of the class, which I glanced at but didn't pay much attention to... When I was done prepping for class, I sat down at the computer to fool around for a while.  This was 8am on Thursday. That's when I realized that 3/18 WAS Thursday, not Saturday.  I dropped everything, tossed a few more tools and supplies in a bag, ran off to shower and dress.  I grabbed a quick breakfast and raced off to Glendale. It was 8:30 am when I left the house, and I arrived, breathless, at 9am and slipped into the classroom.  I was already an hour late... sigh...  Not an auspicious start.. and I was embarrassed as hell walking in so late... but I made it...

Finally got into the swing of things by the time we started actually sewing, and on Friday, I brought the rest of the supplies I hadn't had time to gather up on Thursday.  I hate showing up unprepared for class.  So humliating.
Anyway, after two days of classes, I went back to the show on Saturday to actually attend the show itself, look at the quilts, and shop.

I fell off the no-fabric-buy wagon and bought two panels, a piece of cat fabric, a small piece of dark teal for the borders of my OBW quilt.  I also bought a kit of fabric that had bunnies, possums, raccoons, and squirrels - I'd been looking for this fabric for months and the only way they had it was in the kit, so now I have a kit I don't need that has fabric I wanted.  I bought a ruler and an iron cozy and a Laurel Burch bag, too. 
Most important, I had fun with Kathy and Debbie at the show.  We went to lunch at Momotaro's - awesome sushi.  And there were some really nice quilts at the quilt show, too. 

I'm glad I went.  I'm glad I'm home...

Today I am grateful for beauty in the world... in MY world... blue skies, the dark orange and pinks of sunset, the beautiful green of the trees that shade our house, for all the things that inspire what I do and what I love.

Work in Progress

So, after getting back from the Machine Quilter's Getaway in Trinidad, CA, I have been busy...
Playing Evony, sewing, avoiding practicing on the new longarm (more on that later), playing Evony, watching TV, reading, playing Evony.
I did finish my first rag quilt and took a class on One Block Wonder quilts - not quite finished, but the strips are sewn, now just have to sew them all together.
Here's my rag quilt, which I call 'Kitty Corners'.

And my OBW (the strip along the bottom is the original fabric):

This weekend I'm taking a class on Heirloom Machine Quilting from Harriet Hargrave.  So, the rest of the week will be prepping for that class.

Oh, and here's my 'quick star quilt' from Jan Krentz's book.  I made this on a quilting cruise I took last April.

I've been kinda depressed of late, which is why I haven't practiced on my longarm or updated the blog.  I hope to pull out of it and do more soon.  The leak in the upstairs plumbing, gophers on the lawn, broken dryers... sometimes it all seems too much.  Why me?

Today I am grateful for friends.  If I didn't have Debbie and Kathy and Marlyn, and yes, even Joe, I think I'd go out of my mind.