Now where did I put that (insert item here...)????

OK - I am officially getting middle aged - I am starting to forget where I put things. I used to be so good - I could put my finger on something pretty quickly - even after 7 moves in 7 years (or perhaps because of 7 moves in 7 years???)

I don't know though - lately it has been tougher - I think with my craft space in the attic - but my primary work space in the dining room (easier with the toddler) a lot of things get shifted during transport up and down stairs.

My latest loss is tortoise-shell...not the contraband stuff, but extra shell blocks that I made for the two quilts. I had 25, and put 18 in the bag with the other blocks for each quilt, but decided I want to use 12 in one of the quilts - and now the extras are no where to be found. I've looked "upstairs, downstairs and in the lady's chamber" and have no clue...

I cannot remake them - but will look for a while until I declare them completely lost. Knowing my luck I will find them as I put the last stitch into the quilt.

mmmm - quilt sandwich

It is almost a quilt -the layers are sandwiched, the ends are hand basted, and the spots for tying are pinned...

Tonight is binding night -then I need to find a house with a/c so I can sit there and tie this thing without dying of heat.

Mythconception? Or not?

From a friend - who is Pegasus:

You Are a Centaur

In general, you are a very cautious and reserved person. However, you are also warm hearted, and you enjoy helping others in practical ways. You are a great teacher, and you are really good at helping people get their lives in order. You are very intuitive, and you go with your gut. You make good decisions easily.

What Mythological Creature Are You?

Boy - Oh - Boy

Little Paul is now home - so now I know which quilt moves up a level in the work pile. The graduation quilt HAS to be finished before Saturday, June 23 - so that one will stay on top until it is done.

I was at the fabric store again yesterday to find backing, border and binding for the "Orange Brick Road" - Plan A fell through, as the brown/gold was only in FQ. Plan B was a gorgeous tan/brown with chocolate brown vines and leaves - but I choked at the price, even with a coupon. Plan C was a peachy orange with tiny cream stars scattered throughout, and a burnt orange "tapestry" print fabric for the binding. It actually ends up lighter and more playful than Plan A would have - and the price was much much much easier to swallow.

Unfortunately - other than the fabric getting washed last night - no progress was made on any of the quilts. The munchkin had other plans for my time - and then I was just out of energy.

Tonight perhaps - because tomorrow is SCRAPBOOKING NIGHT!! Woo Hoo!!

Sneekers

Just had to share this picture - the munchkin and I were out back in his first experience with soap bubbles, and my first experience trying to blow bubbles, take pictures, and keep him safely in the yard, all at the same time.

He pulled me down to sit on the grass, then climbed in my lap to look at the photos we had taken so far. I am not sure if I pressed the shutter, or if he did - but I really like this picture for some reason.

I guess you had to be there...

Brick City

Last night was a productive one, and even though I had a few fat quarters that were a bit skinny, and one that had a flaw right down the middle, I managed to put together the 35 blocks needed for the lap quilt.

This is the rough layout on the living room floor, after some help from my husband in rearranging a few of the blocks. I have them stacked and ready to assemble - which will be tonight's project.

I am still not sure which fabric I want for the border, but have decided that the binding - and probably the backing - will be the chocolate brown with the gold (second row from bottom, middle block). I am putting one layer of soft flannel in the center (my batting of preference) and will tie this one for lack of time (and in deference to the limping walking foot on my machine).

I hope to know more on baby neighbor today - they should be coming home thisafternoon.

Another Brick in the Wall....

When you work at a college that is "affectionately" known as the Brick City - where ALL the buildings are made out of brick - and you have a relative graduating from High School who is coming here for college that you need a graduation present for...

...can you see where this is leading?

Yes - another "brick road" - this one is orange and brown (school colors - looks better than it sounds). Boy is this pattern ever paying for itself! I managed to hit the fabric store on a fat-quarter sale and have been chain piecing turtles and borders and bricks. I have even managed NOT to mix up the colors -but my ironing board is this wonderful rainbow of green and blue and pink and orange.

Still no word on the identity of baby neighbor -but I think s/he has arrived, because there has been no one at home.

So work on the blocks progresses - I will have one 5x5 round "Turtle Crossing" for the baby, one 5x6 "Trouble with Turtles" for the Matriarchal Sister, and one 5x7 "Orange Brick Road" for the "husband's-father's-cousin's-daughter"

Stay tuned...

The Fine Print

Since I think the Matriarchal (Matroniacal?) Sister missed the fine print in the last post...

the 2nd quilt is for my Quilt Teacher (who just happens to be my sister - my OLDEST sister)...

Got it now??? That is where you come in, sis!

(and YOUR quilt may or may not have pink in it - only the neighbor knows)

Show a Little Leg...

...otherwise known as teasing your sister unmercifully!

OK - so now we know that this is a quilting project...

...and the beauty of this pattern adaptation is that it gave me enough blocks to do not ONE, but TWO quilts!!! One for the new baby (the car has been gone since early early this morning - so perhaps we have baby?), and the other for my quilting teacher. They will be similar - but a bit different - and the baby will decide who gets which one, once I know if we have a buddy for Nathan or our very own "girl next door."

At a Turtle's Pace

So now I have the Matriarchal Sister intrigued - she who has developed a love of turtles recently in life, after a close encounter in Hawaii that I have yet to get all the details on...

...but alas, I am not yet at liberty to share. The project is moving at a turtle's pace - actually at a "household with toddler's pace" - a bit slowly - but actually not that far from a shareable stage.

I will throw out a hint... think "Turtle Crossing the Yellow Brick Road"...

And that grinding sound you hear from somewhere near Augusta, GA is the Matriarchal Sister grinding her teeth in impatient frustration!!!

Tee Hee!!!

(oh - and no neighbor baby yet)

Squishy Turtle and Friends

This is about a craft project in progress - but one with a story behind it.

I am quite sure I know when I started collecting turtles - I was living in Japan as an exchange student and had gone on a school trip. We were staying along the coast near a lighthouse one night, and the gift shop had these teeny tiny carved turtles made out of shell. White and purple, and no bigger than the tip of my pinky. I bought two - one to keep, and one that I gave to a friend.

Soon after I returned home, my mother found a wooden carved turtle - nearly identical in style to my tiny one - and about the size of the palm of my hand. And so the turtle collection began. When I returned to Japan, I added a soapstone one from Hong Kong, a jade one from a friend's visit to China, a bamboo one from another trip in Japan (that one comes apart and is all tiny spinning tops), ceramic ones, an incense burner - my rule was that they all had to be different and from that area (hence why I don't have an Austrian Crystal one yet - I have never been to Austria!).

When my son was born, on our first trip with him, we visited my brother and his family, and my sister-in-law and I made our annual trek to Filene's Basement and Marshalls (leaving the baby at home with the boys!). Squishy Turtle and Friends came home with us that day -and ended up being a favorite book for both baby and mommy.

Fast forward two years - and my neighbor is expecting her first child (tomorrow is her due date!) - so I decided to find a copy of Squishy Turtle and Friends for our neighbor-to-be. An over-the-back-fence-chat later, and come to find out my neighbor is a fan of turtles as well.

stay tuned for part 2 of the turtle saga - in which the Matriarchal Sister gets involved - and a peek at what all this turtle talk inspired me to create...