Fourth post of the day?!?!?!?!?

Batman has the Joker. Spiderman has the Green Goblin. Flash Gordon has Ming the Merciless. I have this:

While hiking, I routinely go over, under, and around many fallen trees. This one, however, foils every attempt. There's really thick brush so going around it is out. It's too high to crawl over. And it's too low to crawl under while wearing my pack. I fight with this stupid tree every time I go hiking. Today, I crawled under and my pack got completely stuck. I wriggled and twisted my way loose and fell right over. Fortunately I was annoyed rather than injured. And fortunately, no one else watched me do what was surely a hilarious series of stunts.

On the way back, I took off my pack and crawled under without any problems. I may be slow, but I can be taught.

This is supposed to be a quilting blog, right?

Someone has fallen in love with Glitter thread from Superior. It might be me.



And if you have tricks on how to photograph irridescent thread on black fabric so that it doesn't wash out, I'm all ears. This one was taken with overhead lighting but no flash. The actual quilting is much more vibrant than the photo reveals.

RIP

This car has been parked in my driveway for 1-1/2 years. We bought it when it was 7 years old. It was my car for many years, and then it was the babe-mobile for my teenaged son. We got a better used car and this one was retired.



This is the last I will ever see of our old car:



Good-bye, old friend, I will not mourn thee.

And hopefully someone, somewhere, will give you the love you need.

SIng along with the Brady Bunch!

I've worked several weeks of 12-15 hours days without a break. My first chance at a day off was Monday. It was yukky and rainy. So I worked. Maybe I could take off Tuesday? Nope, yukky and rainy again. Since today looked like this...



...I found myself singing:

I think I'll go for a walk outside now
The summer sun's calling my name
(I hear you now)
I just can't stay inside all day
I gotta get out, get me some of those rays....

Wasn't Cindy cute in her little pigtails?

Anyway, I worked this morning and got some stuff done before I hit the trail. I was also waiting for it to warm up a bit. I'm not that hearty and 50 is cool in the shade. I knew my hike would be interrupted often by my runny nose. (It was.) I had 2 hours 45 minutes before I had to be a mom, so I went to visit some happy places.

They are a bit greener than they were 2-1/2 weeks ago.

Next week I hope to audition this place as another happy place. I didn't have enough time to get there and back today (it's another 75 minutes each way), but I'm checking the weather for next week already.

I met 5 people hiking today. That's unusually high, but I guess I wasn't the only one who noticed that the sun was shining.

The first two men shared my philosophy of hiking. (hint: I go out into the woods to be alone.) When we passed on the trail, there was a quick 'hello', no eye contact, and away we went. I was passed by two trail runners, so they had no time for conversation either.

The final young man was probably in high school or college and he stopped to chat. He asked about my trekking poles and I agreed that they were quite handy. He asked where I hiked to and I told him about the lake. He asked if the trail went to the next town over. I laughed and told him that the trail went to Georgia and that if he turned around and went the other way, he'd eventually hit Maine. He looked a little shocked. I sent him to the library to get information on the Appalachian Trail.

Today I did my part to educate the next generation.

Is it May yet?

I've known for a year that April would be crazy busy. Crazy busy in a good way, but crazy busy is still crazy busy. It's exceeding all expectations at that. Things should calm down to the normal chaotic roar after Sunday, but I decided that I really, really, really need a day off before I go back to the grindstone.

I think I should go hiking. Or get a pedicure. Or have a super sweet sewing day all to myself. Any other suggestions on how to spend a much-needed day off? Or several days off?

Please comment. 100% of my recent comments have been spam. I feel so unloved.

I'm clicking my heels together and saying.....

...There's no place like home!

I drove home from MQX on Sunday. My car was emptier coming home. Next year, hopefully I can get more shopping done. I chatted with some friends and listened to the end of Harry Potter: The Half-Blood Prince to keep me awake. The weather couldn't have been more perfect for a drive through New England. And I'm falling in love with my GPS. People have asked me the route I took, and I can only answer that I go wherever the little voices tell me to go!

The show was, as usual, amazing. The quilts were inspirational. The work was fun. I love the people I work with. I taught 5 classes and they were a hoot! I learn so much from my students and I hope to have the opportunity to teach there again.

I'm home now, quilting away for customers and putting the finishing touches on a quilt retreat that I'm teaching this weekend.

If anyone knows about a lost-and-found from the show, I lost my voice. Think I could get it back before this weekend?

One of these things is not like the other...

Dinner Monday: CLIF bar and a banana
Dinner Tuesday: CLIF bar and a banana
Dinner Wednesday: CLIF bar and a banana
Dinner Thursday: butternut squash ravioli and chicken cutlets with pancetta in a frangelica sauce with a taste of cinnamon. yum.

Here's to hoping for dinner tonight. I'm enjoying the MQX diet.

We don't need no stinkin' SUVs!

Baby cars ROCK!

76 and sunny and I'm doing my taxes

Today's very short hike was very awesome, but this picture sums up my feelings about doing my taxes.



This outhouse is brought to you by the Boy Scouts of America. Thirty short minutes from my house you can have the honor of using this fine facility. OR, hike with your legs crossed for a while and enjoy my hideous harvest gold bathroom -- it may be ugly, but it flushes.

I wish I had a camera that captured sound. I was on the top of the mountain and it sounded like a fleet flock herd gaggle lot of helicopters were flying up from the valley. As the noise grew closer and louder, I realized that it was wind. Awesome warm gusts of wind.

I also wish I had a camera that could capture smell. We had thunderstorms overnight so there was a damp, sweet, warm smell that shouted spring.

Back to my taxes. Yuk.

Internal Conflict

Whereas there are areas of my life that need greening, I'm fairly conscious of my carbon footprint. My preferred recreation is hiking in my neighborhood (living along the Appalachian Trail is helpful). We eat fairly low on the food chain and we produce very little waste. We drive very small fuel-efficient cars, and that presents today's dilemma:

I have a large quantity of stuff to transport for my job this week and it won't fit in my little baby car. Am I no longer green if I lust after a large SUV?

It's now time to bore you with hiking photos. It's spring, but not very green yet.

Photo of my happy place (75 minute hike from home):

Photo of a different happy place (20 minute hike from home):

I am so incredibly blessed to live here.

Mother/Daughter time

Not to be confused with Hammer Time. But I digress....

My darling daughter usually remembers that I know how to sew about 2 hours before a birthday party that she has a) neglected to tell us about and b) neglected to buy a present for (I couldn't un-dangle those prepositions, sorry.) The conversation usually starts like, "Mom? What do you have in the house that can be easily embroidered?"

I usually suggest a tote bag or a hat or a t-shirt. Somehow, these are never what she has in mind. Today's simple embroidery project turned into a red metallic pillow with a flange, embroidered in gold. I measured, cut, hooped for embroidery, and my daughter did all the sewing. We're pleased. Hopefully Sarah will be as well.



Note my daughter's PJs. I usually have to be on my death bed to wear PJs at 2pm.

Speaking of death bed, my daughter finally got the plague. Very, very minor case on Thursday night. Who wants it next?

The Plague Spreads......

My son goes to college about 600 miles away from home. He's joined the list of the fallen.

Saturday -- dear husband

Monday -- me

Tuesday -- dear son

Who's next? And why is my daughter locked in her room refusing all contact with us?

What's your favorite color?

Mine is blue. Especially this shade.

We took a quick mid-week trip to celebrate our anniversary and stayed here:



and ate here:



Yes, it's a castle. Really. We ate there for two reasons: 1) it's good and 2) we couldn't afford to actually stay there.

Then we came home and my husband gave me the best present ever -- the stomach flu. I think my new necklace matches my pjs just fine, thank you.

I'm thinking toast now ... maybe?

I've got the power!

(insert dance moves here)

A quick run-down of my day:

Get up
Run a few quick errands
Go to work
Come home and eat dinner
Start laundry
Head to the studio to work some more (where o where are the soap operas and bonbons?)
Lose power
Set up a quilt by candlelight
Hook up generator (ok, so Mr. Man did that but I honestly know how)
Quilt that quilt
Decide to unhook generator and go to bed
Re-gain power
Re-start laundry (but it's still gonna sit overnight)
Check email
Blog
Finally hit the sack (that's next, I promise)

Electricity, I've got a crush on you.

Coming soon to a quilt show near you.......

Handi Quilter Educator? That would be me!

I love Handi Quilter -- the product and the people. I've worked with them a few times in the last year, but the position is now official.

I spent a week with the company in Salt Lake City, UT. I met five ah-ma-zing ladies who are also new Handi Quilter Educators and we had a blast! We learned all sorts of neat stuff about machines and we quilted every second we could.

My new job will be what is has been for the last year, just more so. I will be travelling to different quilt shows and events and teaching people how to use the Handi Quilter.

I am thrilled and honored to work with this great company.

One of the most important things I learned about my new job is...... always pack a change of clothes in your carry-on luggage. My suitcase caught up to me the next day. I wasn't too worried, but my favorite pair of pumps were in that suitcase!!!

Quilt Tales

My son is a music major at a Big-Ten school (go Bucks!) and had his junior recital. We made plans to fly out for the weekend. My son is a very responsible young man, but he's still a man and doesn't get girl details. I'm sure I drove him crazy with all my questions, like

1. "What are we supposed to wear?"

2. "Do the parents host a reception?"

3. "Are we supposed to pay your accompanist (I really don't know how to spell that word)?"

Minor stuff. The answers were:

1. "Jeans" -- I think not

2. "Yes" -- I think I was looking for a few more details than that

3. "I don't think so, it's part of their grade" -- ok, but are we supposed to give them a gift?

My son and I spoke back and forth for a few weeks on some of these issues. One day he asked if I had a quilt I was willing to give his accompanyist. He happened to ask right after I finished this quilt:

I started this quilt about 2 years ago and packed it away. I finished the top over Christmas and took most of January to bind it. The pattern is from Nickel Quilts and a huge bonnet-tip to Bonnie at Quiltville for the pieced back idea.

I'm as prompt at taking photos as I am at all other things in life. The object to the left of the quilt in the photos isn't a grand piano in a classroom at the music school. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

The recipient of the quilt was a darling. She is a doctoral candidate and beyond a fantastic pianist. She is from Greece and really appreciated an American quilt. The music my son chose for her wasn't simple. She did wayyyyyyyy more than hammer out a few chords behind the trombone solos. The piano part was insanely intense and she was grateful to be done with it so she could get back to her own studies. I'm so glad she was a part of that wonderful day and so glad she enjoyed her American quilt.

Is it time for bed yet?

File this under 'Shoot me now!'.

At the local quilt shop, we were working on scrap quilts from Open A Can of Worms. The theme was supposed to be floral, so I of course brought polka dots. Dots are the new floral, right? Humor me here.

Now that the dot/floral matter is settled, I left the shop and went to the grocery store for arborio rice. What is life without risotto? Not worth much, in my opinion. Quick trip in an out and then I was headed to an evening church service.

So, the car wouldn't start. It wouldn't even pretend to start. I've been expecting this since last weekend when a gremlin hatched in my electrical system. Blinking lights, power steering outage, power brake outage, radio turning on and off, clock resetting to 12:00 every 2 minutes. Fun stuff. Once I turned the car off and restarted it, it was fine. I knew it wouldn't continue to be fine, though. How did I know this? My car has over 100,000 miles and is American-made. Need more explanation?

Mr. Man came to the grocery store to jump my car, and, gosh darn it, it worked. Color us shocked. I slammed my fingers in the door drove home with Mr. Man following me while the gremlins played with my electrical system again. My personal favorite was when the transmission suddenly went into neutral. That ROCKED!

Has anyone had the thought process that starts with "I should lose weight" and goes to "I really need to drink more water"? I took that path today. The inevitable end of that thought is "I really have to use the washroom" (just for you Meredyth).

Can you picture this yet? Fingers throbbing, car throbbing, bladder throbbing..... Fun ride home. As soon as I pulled into the driveway, I threw the car into park and ran to the bathroom fell on the ice. Yes, I had to do laundry, but only for the mud on my pants and (sob) new jacket. I took care of business then started the laundry then changed into my pajamas then grabbed my heating pad and laptop. Not much to be done for the sore wrists and nether-regions, but the herniated disc that I just aggravated? Heat and blogging are the best medicine. Funny, my smashed fingers din't hurt so much once I threw my back out.

Tomorrow, I get to call a tow truck and see how much the beast my cute little car will cost to de-gremlin. If I can get out of bed, that is.

Sing it with me now.....

Oh where, oh where has my luggage gone?
Oh where, oh where can it be?
With it's black handles and it's wheels that roll.....
Bring back my luggage to me.

Bring.... back
Bring.... back
Oh bring back my luggage to me, to me
Bring.... back
Bring.... back
Oh bring back my luggage to me!

______________________
I think I joined two separate songs from childhood together, but I'm wearing yesterday's clothes and don't really care! Wish me luck at my first day on my new job (in yesterday's clothes).

Didn't think I remembered, did ya?

Remembered how to quilt, that is. Well, at long last, I did.

I did a bit of sewing between Christmas and the New Year, but I didn't actually finish anything. I started wading through the UFOs in my sewing room and pulled out some long-forgotten treasures.

Remember this?

I pulled out a bag that I thought contained all the blocks. It did, but they were already sewn together!!!! And I put this away why?

I quickly added some borders and did a simple quilting job. An entire month later, I finally finished the binding.

Here it is:

This quilt is going in the gift pile. I don't know who will receive it yet, but I'm gonna enjoy looking at it a while longer. Ahhhhh, red.

A very good week!

It's been a rather interesting week.

First this. (scroll down to the wedding quilt. page 46 in real life).

Now this.

Check out page 80 of Quilter's Newsletter Magazine March 2008. You just might see another quilt that I quilted.