Busy, but not much to show for it

The title just about sums up my life this month so far, LOL.

Bruce was involved in a minor traffic accident (no injuries) that sent our beloved Prius to the repair shop for 2-3 weeks (originally was only supposed to be a week).  So, if I want transportation when he works, I must drive him to the bus/train stop where he grabs the light rail to work.  And then pick him back up in the evening.  So, I have only been using the car once or twice a week when I have a doctor/dentist appointment or must do the grocery shopping, meaning I am at home without transportation most of the time. This is the second week of that, and the car is supposed to be another week before it’s ready. Blimey! 

So, the first week of that was fine, because it was cold and snowy and after I had cortisone shots in both knees, I didn’t want to go anywhere anyway.  But this week I’m feeling great - and I am going stir crazy.  MUST. GET. OUT. So, today I did the grocery shopping and then spent a couple hours visiting thrift stores. I also visited the liquor store because we have gotten into Cape Cods (vodka and cranberry juice). I was actually drinking them virgin - with Fresca instead of vodka - but we both decided they would be a bit better with a touch of alcohol.  :-)   And then I treated myself to some TCBY super fro-yo (frozen yogurt with probiotics).

I have been doing some stitching and am getting ready to work on another round robin block - the Victorian Women block for my friend Rengin in Turkey.  In addition, I have cut out and am in the process of piecing daughter Megan’s quilt and about half done with that. I hope to finish the top today and then baste it on Sunday.  Saturday is devoted to dyeing lace - close to 100 yards of it - for my Etsy shop.

And then I am participating in the Sugar Block Club (see link in sidebar) and have finally pieced our January block of the month.   As you can see, I am a bit rusty with my accuracy, which I proudly attribute to my 13 years of crazy quilting, where we do as we please, LOL!

The twelve blocks will eventually be made into a quilt for ME!!  (Yay!)

I am also working on a purse for myself, because my black winter purse is falling apart. This new purse, however, is BRIGHT and bears no resemblance to anything a fifty-something grandma would be expected to carry.  Amen and amen!!

Hopefully my next post will have more pictures.  :-)

Thanks for dropping by!

Paris Round Robin Block for Wilma

In the Crazy Quilting International Yahoo group, I am participating in the “I Love Paris” round robin.  Today I finished a block for my friend Wilma from The Netherlands (whom we are hoping will be joining us in September for our 6th annual retreat!).

I stitched a perfume - er, Parfum - bottle, and embellished some lace that a prior stitcher had added.

The colors on this block are brown and black, with accents of gold, mustard through light yellow and tidbits of burgundy. It is very elegant, and the prints used in the block (pieced for her several years ago by a friend) suggest a Paris Fashion theme.  Hence, I did not do a bicycle with flowers filling the basket, LOL.

 Lower in the block I ruffled some ribbon and stitched on the letters for PARIS from sew-on “typewriter keys”. I think the colors are perfect, and they blend well with the Roaring Twenties theme in the fabrics.  I also added the lace fleur de lis and did the seam stitching of the burgundy chain with gold flowers.
 

This is Wilma’s block to date, and it will be mailed on to the next stitcher tomorrow. Dear Wilma, I hope you are liking it as much as I am!

Hugs,

Starts and Finishes

Happy New Year everyone!  I have really enjoyed looking at blogs over the last few days where people have recapped what they have accomplished in 2012 and included collaged pictures.  *Sigh*.  One of these days, I will learn to make a collage!!  I even have a site bookmarked, but have I read or practiced it?  Noooooo.  So you lucked out!  ;-)

I realized I had not ever posted my September Crazy Quilt Journal Project block when I went to photograph my October block.  So, since I only have a few days to get this done (I think), I have spent a quiet New Year’s Day stitching.  In the afternoon, anyway. I took down all the decorations and the tree in the morning, then dusted (etc) and put all the regular stuff back in place. I even took the boxed tree down to the basement, but Bruce can do the rest!!

Without further ado, here are my (meh…) blocks for September and October.

September

October

I am really not very happy with them, but oh well. But I do LOVE the dyed crocheted doily that Lorraine sent to me!  She has a fantastic Etsy shop called LES Designs.  I’ve been using a lot of her wonderful dyed threads,  and they are lovely to work with.  Her colors are divine!   Unfortunately, my work does not show them off to their best advantage; but go check out her blog and you will see drool-worthy stitching!

So, this is how the entire project looks to date.

I am watching my DGD London tomorrow, so my stitching time will probably have to wait until Thursday.  I thought things would slow down after Christmas, but my To Do list is still a mile long.  What I need to do is stop adding things to the queue. But I can’t help myself!

Oh, and I am not setting goals this year, either.  And I haven’t thought of a word for the year (last year’s was ENJOY), but I am leaning toward HEALTHY.  I have to lose weight, get my carpal tunnel problems fixed and find out why I am so stiff all the time.  So, I am my own biggest project this year, hehehe.

Hope you are off to a good start in 2013!

Hugs,