Cheddar Design RAK

No Call Sunday

Good Sunday Morning. Good "no call Sunday" Morning. Did you know about this? It's just kinda nice if you don't call on Sunday. Folks need a break. Some of us have an unwritten rule called "no call Sunday." Unless you're of a certain rank, or have a certain need, it's "no phone call" day. I enjoy the fact that the phone doesn't ring for at least one day. I'd rather get an email than a phone call on a Sunday. West Coast Family - free pass - but that's pretty much about it.

CHEDDAR PATCHES

Now, yesterday evening and today I'll be working on my Cheddar 16 patches as well as the last two rows on Cabin Tracks. Liz and I were chatting about the setting for the Cheddar patches. She came up with this design which I haven't committed to but I really like it and those little nine patches in there are just too cute!

You know what I dig the most ? She caught my style. This is something I would create. It feels good and I'm not just talking about the design. I'm talking about about the RAK. You know, this act of creating and giving is a real "healing." I felt a sense of health and healing thru Liz's kindness here the moment I opened the photo. I'll leave it at that.

CABIN TRACKS ~ NAMES

Now, onto Cabin Tracks. I wrote a while back regarding my quilt name. A very important part of the process. Take for instance my quilt "Scrappy Stars" on my sidebar. The real *karendianne. name for that Quilt was "Mayberry" but it never took so it's called now and forever "Amy's Stars." I digress. Back to the renaming of Cabin Tracks.

Getting ahead of myself since I'm not on the border situation yet but names take time. Nothing solid yet but sticking with the theme(s) of Kings, Queens, Knights, English History as well as something Scottish Highland these are some of the ideas, names and/or springboards offered from the last post:

• Because it's main element is square within square, something Fortress or Citadel. (I liked this one because there's much to work with here. Now I haven't gone looking yet but that's a great angle!)
• Something from Braveheart would be fitting
  
• Sean Connery, he's a highland man (which I pulled out because he's quite the man but I can't really name my quilt Sean Connery... I mean I can but I'll get all distracted!)
• Florida Highlander (which I really liked because it just cracked me up!)
• Back On Track because it fits and it's clever

There were more ideas but these got pulled first. I have to take time and look at some of the Fortresses and Citadels out of the last couple of books I've read. I have one in mind. We'll see. Also really leaning towards "Florida Highlander" and "Back on Track." Oh, I love them all. I really do like "Sean Connery" but ladies, shiver me timbers!!!


~~~~~~~~

“Talent is God given. Be humble. Fame is man-given. Be grateful. Conceit is self-given. Be careful.”

- John Wooden

The Slow Dying Camera?

photo credit: Danielle Hughson

There's just no other way to get this out that to painfully say it. My digital camera is making the slow groans one hears just prior to the passing of an electronic piece of equipment - if one is lucky. Generally they tend to just stop working. This time I get something of a metaphoric bell. I'll not be sending to know for whom the bell tolls.

I could darn sure use some toll money though. This isn't what I had in mind dontcha know! So while I continue to use said camera (hoping it holds out for many months before it actually dies) I'd like to get prepared. Can you help? I could use some what would you buy in the digital camera arena for the Blogging person. Not for the "photographer as a hobby" type gal. We can't afford that. We have to make do, make a well informed decision and I was hoping I could look to you my experienced circle of familiars for some feedback.

I enjoyed reading up on what everyone was doing yesterday. And thanks for the continued support with Cabin Tracks. It's a great fun quilt to work on but everyone together is why we Blog (one more reason anyway).

(back of Cabin Tracks)

The legs and feet are just - ack! You know the drill. Just in case I was going to forget I have MS, MS wanted to remind me. I told that darn MS I didn't forget and this wasn't necessary & that darn MS listened to me. Like when I was out with the dogs in the sunshine. Pain free!



Good for the soul. Always helped me shake off stress. Wait. That's not true. Sometimes they're bad dogs and that doesn't make me happy. But probably I'm still happy being out there with 'em. Anyway, later in the day my sister came by then we went out for more food since I don't see much of her. We both needed that food. Right!!!


I hope to do some work with my Cheddar blocks as soon as I'm done here. If you didn't get a chance to read my previous post about how to set those blocks, I'd love to hear from you. Don't forget to offer input into a reasonably priced Camera for the LeeHaven realm if you'd like to contribute. I'm open to suggestions. Reasonably priced means under 350.00.

... by definition, *karendianne.

Lost Idea, Replacing Idea?

Right on, you made it! How's your stomach? Mines not really interested in food but I'm sticking with the routine - a little bit of canned fruit and some coffee. I'm askeered to try my jeans on. Are you going out today, doing any shopping on-line, resting, cooking, quilting, what ARE you doing? Inquiring minds want to know!

This girl has an afghan pattern she wants to do so the yarn store would be fun but I've had a lot of stress lately so my legs are shot and I wont be going any-darn-where!

You're here though, you made it. So that's cool and in the *karendianne way please allow me a moment to acknowledge that. I'm grateful you're here because without you - it wouldn't be the same. It would be sorta lonely even though I freely admit to imagining friends landing here, passing by without comment. I make assumptions. Careful there. You know what they say about assumptions.

(Cabin Tracks coming right along)

My Cheddar blocks are seriously addictive so I put them away last night. They're 7.5" unfinished. I've made 17 [in recent days]. I was under a lot of emotional duress. The realm was under attack. Minding our own business. Happens that way.



Then I woke this morning with a new plan so I guess they'll come back out after I get another row put together on Cabin Tracks. We'll see how my legs hold up. These legs haven't exactly been wanting to play the past few days. I know how to work around that; wont be too much trouble.

Again, I would like to hear what you're doing today, this Black Friday! Any shopping planned, cooking, quilting, decorating!? And if you have any ideas how to set these Cheddar blocks I'd be interested. I did have an idea last night but it was just before bed, I didn't write it down and I lost it! Naturally it was a great idea. :)

Happy day after Thanksgiving! *karendianne. who is grateful and thankful for YOU!~

Little 16 Patch Cheddar Blocks

How many times has this happened to you? Was it a miscut, misread (pattern/plan) or a mis-measure? Mine was a complete misread. So much so that I actually thought the pattern was wrong! I mean, it couldn't be me, right? Have you ever experienced this, where you thought the PATTERN was wrong? Sheesh. Talk about Ego! (I must really trust you to be sharing this embarrassing fact) I mean, like, because I'm so completely known for my mathematician-like brain, too. Fooey on that. Not at all true. I'm not saying a pattern can't be wrong, it can, but not generally.


Once I found where I mathematically crashed I fixed it. It took about 30 minutes of brain gymnastics because mostly word problems flunk me. But I endured and these are the blocks I made to keep myself busy and mellow last night and even some tonight. I was inspired to think 16 patch over at J's Quilting Blog. ~ credit where credit is due.



It really has been high stress around here lately; the hits just keep on coming. We all have it like that from time to time though so this isn't about the struggles. It's just to share my blocks that were good therapy. The free and healthy kind. Do you think I should make some more?

75% of What Matters

Good Day friends. You showed up again!!! Is someone paying you for this? Well, don't answer that, lets not get into reasons why we're here - I'm grateful to have you! Please allow me to prioritize and get a little off message. I simply must share Jan's great Doll Quilt at What a Load a Scrap. I luv the quilt - and this is the most important part - she describes her use of fabrics in a way that pulled me into the quilt making. I was there. With her. Into it. I felt happy to be a Repro gal. Definitely check it out. Let her know I'm over here sending you her way if you feel so inclined.

Then there's Kingston and gosh doesn't this post feel like a housekeeping post? It's really about something more but I'm dragging you along to get to the meat of it. Sorry man. Scroll down, I'll never know. I'm cosmic but I'm not that cosmic! So Kingston is recovering. That's all I have to say there. Now I can get back to focusing on Karen and health, healing, soulfulness and water, water, water. Thank you Liz at Scrap Basket for keeping me on task with my water intake. You ROCK! and I want everyone to know Liz really did a great thing by caring for me in this way. I was worried about my cat and not paying attention to *karendianne. until Liz said "Hey! Water!!!" So can we move on now?


Yes we can but if you're interested in my most recent wordle take a look... I'm kinda partial to that word that stands out. I'll be quiet about it though so we can get on with this post. Gratitude.



I wanted to go back and share with you the comments from Why 75% Matters to Me and a little bit about what I learned. I thought maybe you might be interested in a run down.

I learned I'm not alone for one thing. Whew, thank goodness. Isn't it interesting how we often think we are the only one in the world with this problem or that problem? Speaking up and out sometimes does cool things like open the gates so please, read on...

We mostly all hit spots that trip us up. Not everyone and my respect to those of you who have that committed endurance to make it fully from start to finish without a snag or distraction. Some of us are made like that and it's a pleasure to watch you work and a real pleasure to know you. But back to what I learned...

Cabin Track in progress with sashing strips on display

Borders are a big one. Some of us work through it by making quilts without borders - planning from the start. I never liked that idea but I dig the messenger on this one and I'm going to open my mind, talk with my Rigid Quilter and see where that might lead in the future. Growth!? Well, lets call it a Seed.


Designers. I never thought of that! Design and draft but then the actual creation? This makes a lot of sense to me even though I'm not a designer. I think I can understand this. Leave it to Paula to communicate something I can really sort of "get" even though it's out of my league.


Thank the heavens, someone (Mary) finally said it. Blocks into Rows! Yep, this is another transition in quilting making. I'm glad she shared and I think I'll just be happy that I'm not alone the next time I see that step holding me up. I thought I was so alone and never mentioned it to anyone. Just sucked it up but now I can see this as a real transitional place in quiltmaking.

Then there are those of us, like me, that just go along and wait for the "Spirit" of the Quilt but Jennifer contributed her take which is that "genius can't be rushed" and that felt good to read because that's another good, healthy way to feel about it. But another great metaphor was Julie's comment which referred to it as the "Guardian Angel" and boy do I like that. Especially when you're working on some particularly particular!

And because I'm not a longarmer I didn't even think of that aspect of the quiltmaking so everyone that shared this aspect really made a big contribution. How you work with determining how to Quilt a Quilt is beyond me. That sort of thinking and designing and planning, well I think it would slay me so I really am "hats off" to you and say a big - THANK YOU. Learned here!

Meredith reflected back on what used to trip her up. That would be when things didn't go as planned. I thought that was actually and excellent point, don't you? She reflected back though and this is actually my current reality.


I learned so much from everyone's comments I can't thank you enough. If you didn't catch it, Sio (Scraps and Threadtales) cracked me up with "if I could just play in fabric and make blocks I'd be perfectly happy!"


I hope you've gleaned something from the sharing of info on getting through the Quiltmaking. I thought it was a good enough post to summarize and revisit. If you're interested enough you might want to take in the comments yourself as I could pull just a few that really hit me. There was a lot there to pull from. Well, not a ton but a good amount. So again, thank you for contributing. Your work and experience really made the topic fantastic!


“Experience is merely the name men gave to their mistakes.”

- Oscar Wilde

Cat Nurse

Kingston has Peritonitis so I'm being a Cat Nurse. I'm ensuring he's getting water into his system with a syringe, blending his bland diet and providing small amounts every 4-6 hrs. I'm actually doing every 6 hrs. He's taking the food so that's good. He's getting a lot of TLC as I believe in all that mind/body/soul stuff when it comes to healing.

...and my IV treatment is on Monday so I have to keep myself grounded in what's important because life feels a little tense and I don't want to walk in there on Monday like that.

There's been no quilting here today but I am going to get my haircut so that should help perk me up.

Why 75 Matters to Me

I front load my projects. I'm all power at the start. But most of my projects reach a snag at 75% completion. It's darn dang a cryin' shame!!! The Inauguration Quilt is a perfect example and not simply due to the fact that we're a little past Inauguration Day. I pulled up short, stopped, caught a snag and hit that near 75% mark. I stopped!!! How did I manage to work with this dastardly burnout demon of mine?



Well I put a hex on the demon and caught him in a jar with some formaldehyde of course. Wouldn't you? Then I put the quilt up and called a stop to the burn out. The seal on the jar is tight and the quilt doesn't smell. Whew, ha?



But seriously, I'm not into action plans and lists so I wait for the Spirit of the Quilt to call to me. I pay attention to friends that give me a "shout out" about this quilt or that quilt. I consider it a sign that I need to start thinking of restarting something when they do. I don't do pressure or deadlines but I can deal with committed endurance when the project is right.



Still, at 75% with this piecing the calls are falling on deaf ears. I do love the quilt and the pattern is pretty & mostly all mine. Although the thought of getting back to work on it slays me! I wonder if I'll get back at 75% on this and have the committed endurance to finish it. Do you have a place where you notice you have tendency to burnout similar to what I've just shared, do you have any demons in a jar of formaldehyde?


I'm really interested to hear if you've noticed a place during the quiltmaking/piecing process that really could snag you if you thought about it.

Back Shouldering Cabin Tracks

Left hand on the mouse. Not a normal operation procedure for me so getting these photos up was a bit of a feat. Good for the brain to learn a new way to do things and I need to give my shoulder a rest. You may recall the strained back but what I missed was the strain in my shoulder and that's all about being a quilter.

This Hurricane water is the "stretch my shoulders" weight. You know, just kind of stand up and let the weight stretch that muscle that goes from you neck to your shoulder.

Looks like I've been overdoing myself a bit. Shocking, I know! But I still am going to be a quilter because a girl has to move around. I just wont be Wild Woman about it.



At some point in the past few days I was able to sew on sashing and Row 3 of the yet to be named quilt (have some grrrreat names on the list thanks to y'all!!!). Can I tell you how heavy this quilt is? Just these three rows are seriously heavy! Wow. Imagine pulling it all together - seriously heavy. Imagine quilting. Sheesh. I wont be doing the quilting. I'll have it done. I'm contemplating that.


Last post on this I was discussing the size (60-some-ish by 80-some-ish) but Mary mentioned this size makes for a good couch quilt. I never thought of that! I'm feeling better now; all is right with the world.




In between events I had to make some more Potato Chips. I look up and contemplate how beautiful it would be if I settled on a colorway. But I'm not into it so this is where we're going and I'm cool with it. The cutting is the thing with things. Gotta just do a bit at a time. My quilting is soooo slow quilter.



I know you'll want to feel sorry for Sagan, always having to deal with pushy Duke as in this photo. Here he's ready to get growly-bear but really, Sagan is a BEAST in his own right so don't let the picture fool ya. (the only thing wrong with his eyes btw, is my poor photo skills)



Sure appreciate the visit, even if you don't leave a comment and I don't have proof you were here. I'm cosmic. I get the vibe! ...okay, actually I'm not cosmic like that so I really don't know but I do have something pretty rockin' ~ faith. :)

Unknowns

This was an award bestowed upon me by my cousin Guy. He's a watercolorist and his work is really quite amazing. His website is on my sidebar and his blog is... well dang! Where is that. Let me go find it. brb... okay his Blog is here and this is one of my more recent works I really enjoyed. He's gave me this awared so I can share some things you may not know about me as well as pass this along to some other deserving bloggers. I've done that passing along incognito - y'all can do with as you will but I'll share my 7 "unknowns" here.


(1) My heart is out West right now with my Quilting Mentor. She's in the hospital right now with H1N1. I wish I could express how much she means to me but y'all probably have a Quilting Mentor, right? You know how much she means to me.

(2) At the age of 15 my Mom pisssssed me offff! So, I raised my right fist to punch her. Mom, being a born and raised a San Francisco "city girl" walked really close to me, looked me in the eye, dropped the tone in her voice and simply said: "If you think you can take me out, go right ahead." My GAWD! I didn't. I was scared.

(3) When I was over 16 but under 18 I took my Dad's really nice Ford pick up truck into town and went out with my girlfriend. We drove it down the "strip" in Reno, Nevada and rocked out like cool chicks. I figured he'd never find out. I was soooo wrong about that and I was sooo busted.

(4) When I was 16 I backed out of the garage and bent the track that the door comes down on with the front fender of the car. I tried to hide it by closing the garage door, which in turn bend the sh!t out of the door - ruined it really. That garage door was in baaaad shape and so was I.

(5) I used to tell my Mom I was spending the night with a girlfriend when in reality we were taking a trip over the hill (Sierra/Nevada Pass) into Sacramento and partying! At the tender age of 15 was I. That was so unsafe! I did it something like 3 times that I can remember. I don't think I tried this with my Dad but I might have.

(6) When I was a teenager our mail would go to the Post Office so I'd cut school then try to get home and hit the Post Office Box to pull my "cut card" out before my Dad got to it. Slick plan until I got caught. Then... Oh I was sooooo busted but my grades didn't suffer (as I recall).

(7) My ex-stepmom threw a box of empty Tide in my bedroom at me when I was 15/16 yelling at me telling me something about paying for my own laundry or something. I hated her. I snapped and had enough of her by then. My Dad was at work. I took that damn empty box of Tide, walked across the hall into their bedroom and threw it at her then walked up close to her and scared the sh!t out of HER! Made her cry. I was ready to take her out and beat her @$$! I don't hate her anymore but that's only because she's gone.


Whew, this was difficult because I couldn't share anything that I really wanted to. You know, like my position on Healthcare, Gay Marriage, Gitmo, Legalization of Marijuana, Sarah Palin or anything dicey! Of course, I like my Blog and my friends here so it was best I didn't do that, ha?

Cabin Tracks in Rows

During my Neurologist appointment Dr. S. mentioned something that caught my attention. An observation of my character. My gratitude in the context of MS and living I guess. I was blown away. It's one thing live in gratitude because it's true, I do feel that way and I don't have to go very far to practice that either. I truly feel gratitude to my core! But it's quite another to have a third party say it. Blew me away.


I don't know if this will be any fun for you but if you care to try, can you guess why I chose this as the first photo? (My Secret Sister is rolling her eyes right now, I can see it!!! Shhsh you. YOU only get one complaint per day and I've logged it! :P) It's totally about pride in the work and construction and has nothing to do with color - as a hint. There's no give-away here. I guess there could be but I'm too tired to pull that off. Just a glimpse into a prideful part of me when I tell you why I chose this photo after the guessing - if anyone plays along.




The opposite end of the quilt. Size! This Quilt is going to be 60-some-ish by 80-some-ish. I'll have to do some thinking about the size. I don't have it all here in front of me but its definitely going to be long in comparison with the width. Good thing I've been contemplating borders because I don't like that look. I'll have to mention this to my Style buddy because this narrow look isn't my style AT ALL.

Middle section because sometimes those get left out.

Up Close an Personal so you can see the piecing if you were so inclined.

Today:

• Blood and Mayo by 7:20. I was late which is really, really rare but I overslept.
• It was trash day and because I overslept and because I'm 2 weeks behind with trash it was hard to get the trash out.
• The morning trash rush caused me to re-injure my back. I'll return it to the healing-up state but sheesh.
• All this happened because I overslept, as I mentioned. That's a rare thing.
• My Neuro appointment was so filled with information, too filled actually for me to wrap myself around it all. I need a couple days for it to sink in.
• On the way home from Mayo I decided to stop and get groceries - just get it out of the way. I was totally sucking it up here on the chores!!!
• I made it home and the best thing is I don't have to go anywhere tomorrow.
• The next best thing is my hope that I'll bounce back later this afternoon/evening and get some sewing done.
  

Just an FYI: Cabin Tracks is the pattern name but not MY Name. I name all my Quilts and this one is going to change names and soon. I have nothing in the works yet but it's time. It's a masculine quilt, don't you think? Maybe we'll start there. A masculine name. If you've been reading my Blog you might know I'm into Kings, Queens, Knights and all things Historical. Maybe a Scottish Highland Man?

Wordless Wednesday

Blocks from the Stash

It always happens that way. When you're looking for one thing you find another. In this case it turned out kinda cool! I love this piece. As a matter of fact, I've forgotten just how much! I'm such a sucker for those little nine patches, too. Mmmm... Gosh though how I love these blocks.





I'll not get going on this though. Nope, not now - not yet. But it's so cute and happy. I do love it. Not today though, not anytime soon. Not when I made much progress pulling the first two rows together - with sashing - on the Cabin Tracks quilt. It's a really heavy quilt. Lisa mentioned it would be like this. Has to do with all the seams.


My back doesn't love this part of the quiltmaking but I'm giving it tender loving care. I'm sitting here and I'm not dying in pain so it can't be that bad. At least that's how I think about it. Anyway, have you hurt strained your back before? It just takes a while to heal.


The Van had to go into the shop today. Boy was I a lucky duck on this one. My neighbor Bobby took it into the shop for me and saved me so much money, not to mention DRAMA. Unbeknownst to me I had a belt situation that could have left me stranded at any time and I had a rusty water radiator situation that is bad in the "full system drama" way - if you understand my meaning. Then of course the tires and the other things that go along with all this car stuff. The final bill was fully within my price range. Whew.

Now that's a Christmas gift, eh?

Potato Chips in the Cabin

Potato Chips

It's always fun to suddenly have a block party! I'm so glad Rose Marie reminded me to keep the pattern up so I'd remember to make a block when I was ready. hee!

Do you see what I see...

A row is about to come together. Looks like the sashing has to shaved a bit but not a big deal and now that I'm looking at this I can't believe I making this one. I dig it but it doesn't really look like me except it's scrappy. Gosh it's fun to make though, fun, fun, fun.

Sitting here at this time of night is sort of a ritual for me, a high use time - posting or reading. Interesting to check out my "Trends" via Google Reader. I'm not sure it's so funny to see my start time though, you might cringe unless you're an early bird, are you? I start around 5am and let dogs out, start up the pc because they take forever, clean the cat boxes, wash my hands, start the coffee, let dogs in and feed, feed the cats then have a cup of fruit and coffee. Finish feeding the cats (gotta keep 'em separated) and uncover the birds. You see what I mean? I hit the ground running.

A friend shared some interesting info about how this "early to rise & hit the ground running" habit likely reduces your life span. I've attempt to re-train myself though. It's easier to train a dog.

A Trip to the Confessional

I selfishly disrespected another person. It is necessary for us to fall and necessary for us to see it. For, I think, if we didn't make mistakes like the one I did, we wouldn't have the chance to be reminded that each and every person matters. Each and every person has a spirit worthy of honoring, giving time and love to and sharing moments of connection. I'm so sad I didn't make the time to love this person. I honor her with words this morning as she was my first thought and I honor her for being the kind, warm, loving human being she is.


All consumed by my storytelling I was so insensitive I didn't even see her. Eventually I did and acknowledged my shortcoming but Sue deserved SO MUCH BETTER. I was focused on MYSELF at that point. There were wrongs & frustrations that had to be shared (but did they really?). Naturally what had to be shared was my egoic weak points; otherwise it wouldn't be a lesson.


You'll want to know a couple of weak points, wont you? How about just one. When it comes to dogs: My head spins every time I come across folks that get a dog and don't know what the bloomin' heck they're doing and it turns into a mini train-wreck. And people don't want to hear what they need to do because their own egoic mind wont let them learn what they need to learn.


So you get it now. I was telling a story that included a person with a dog that didn't know what they were doing and it was challenging my sensibility. And this was more important than Sue? A woman of an understanding soul, heart and worthy of such better treatment than what I gave out.


I'm greatly ashamed of myself. This isn't the person I care to be. I had joy to share, kindness, something entirely different. And this rudeness is what she got for no reason at all. Except my Ego's desire to tell a story that brought nothing worthwhile to the day.

Playful Pyramid Patchwork

The fabrics are losers (in this combo) but the Block Rocks! I left the size large so you can click it. Rose Marie over at Applique 'n Patch kept the Sugarloaf Mountains on my mind when in a comment from a previous post. I mentioned there was a lot going on over here and she mentioned I put the pattern up so I can keep it on my mind. I liked that but this afternoon I was feeling well and really noticing that. I wanted to P.L.A.Y.



So I played with the design and the fabrics, obviously not playing attention to the fabrics, and came up with this little pyramid patchwork.

Fun. I might stay up and play with this some more! At least make one that's presentable, ha?

I also spent time today working on my DOUBLE SECRET STAR CHALLENGE as well as making a couple more stitches towards finishing the sashing needed for Cabin Track blocks.

It was a good day to be me! :)

Lothar of the Hill People and Cameos!

I have a cat. Well, more than one. Sometimes this cat is very funny. His legal name is Kipling. His snuggly and funny name is Kippy or Kippy-Kat! His in trouble name is not safe for publishing. In this photo he's showing off one of his favorite poses: Lothar of the Hill People!




I have another row of sashing cut so I think that's 5 of 11. There was more cutting today for the strips but it worked out well enough - meaning my body held up.



The day began with much tension in my back so I've been tending to the mind and the body. You do that by paying attention, something I wasn't doing early this week. And this "pay attention" is how I realized how much tension I'm carrying around. Sheesh! Don't ask me why. I'm working on that part. :)


I spent a lot of the day being grateful.


(ps: I did cave into temptation and ordered a pattern! Cameos by Fig Tree. This was totally due to Sherri at A Quilting Life. She made the first one and I loved it but it wasn't until she posted this and I saw the block. It looks so fun. Doesn't it? When will I make it and with what? Well, when would you? There's Cabin Tracks, Belle Meade (worked on that today), and my Challenge Quilt. You know the deal man!)

Challenge Fabric Peek

I keep saying sometimes I'm Cosmic and Fabric Grows on Trees. (sidebar: our tree below here is a "volunteer" from summer 2008. Yep, '08. It's a weed tree. Welcome to the South.) Anyway, this is part of my Challenge fabric. The other is a solid which didn't grow on the tree. Unfortunately. The only other part of the Challenge I can share is it must include something Stars. I know you know how I feel about Stars. This one's for me! Well, actually they all start off that way I've noticed. In my head I'm starting to find homes for them once they're bound ...but that's a story for another day.



Love this photo of Duke taken today while I was walking my back around.



No photo of Sagan. I started off with him, walking my back around and attempting to get a couple shots. He can be quite photogenic that Saganite! We began the yard amble together but that 10-year-old Elder self dog got high on the wind didn't feel 10 Years old anymore. He wasn't any fun to walk around with. Sagan never has had any respect for your person. If your not paying attention and keeping him on his commands - he's a beast! Today, I didn't feel like messing with it. Karen and the camera came in the house and Sagan had his out time alone. It's a hard knock life when you're a dog! ...really and when you're back hurts, too.

Milestone Day

I cannot believe it's 2:30. I can but I can't. Once again time is *snap* *whoosh* like that ~ gone. I wasn't present for any of it either and that's nothing to be proud of. If time allows I'd like to chat about all my day entailed but first and foremost let us share some quilty things. We've got to prioritize. We can always catch up on the dailies of life. Quilty things are the "it's it" when we have things to share and I have me some shares by golly by gosh...



A Milestone! I completed the Wave border. I finally had to toss out what I learned in class and re-learn my own way. Sometimes that's the best anyway. You can always take the class later to pick up some tips along the way if you're so inclined. I'm like that. Like me. I'm seriously thinking of taking the class again. This is one of those Quilting Skills I'd like to be proficient at. Just a personal quest.




Set A, B, C, D of the Cabin Tracks blocks are complete. A Milestone.


4 sets of 11 sets of sashing are complete.


Now it's time to pull out the pattern and think about the "pulling together" of it all. *smack* I realized the border is a piano key border. I almost (not quite) despise piano key borders for a variety of reasons, all of which are personal to the quilter - me. So I spent quite a bit of time studying the photo and visualizing a variety of border treatments. At the same time I had to ask myself why I disliked the piano key border. I've yet to get an answer but it's likely I'll just do the piano key. I really like that inner black border there though, don't you?



Once again I have serious fabric lust. Only this time it's really for real. Rouenneries by French General is dynamite but it's not Quilting Karen! Pennock Album from Windham... Now this is Quilting Karen!!! Don't you just think a couple of pieces in here are oh soooo yummy! Please, please tell me if you do. I want to know I'm not the only one that can see the potential.


Seriously, it's hard to be a Quilter!


And we're out of time. Sheesh! Well, it was fun while it lasted, ha? Don't forget to let me know if you love that Pennock Album like I do.


(ps: Back Pain is Evil and Must Be Stopped!)

Halloween Hilarity!!!

I woke this morning to find this. Here we have the reason my BACK is re-tweaked. I was laughing too, too hard! Here we have the Ultimate in creativity for Halloween.

Jon and Kate plus eight.

"Jon's" Mom is Whitney & she is my father's wife's daughter. (did I get the punctuation right?) So that means Brady (Jon) is like a... mmm... nephew? Oh it's all so complicated in the age of extended families.


Forget all that business. What this is, is just plain good clean hilarious fun and I absolutely had to share. Seriously, I laughed soooo hard!