The sun is shining ... today!

The rain is slowly tapering off and (I hope) we are headed to spring.  Life is speeding up, gearing up for the end of school year and all that comes with it! We went on our first beach walk yesterday since DH's heart problem in December.  It was great being back on the beach!!

My DH is much better and back on the golf course.  He can even hit his woods and irons now.  Last weekend he golfed with his buddies and he was teased that he should be using the 'old man' tees since he was out-driven by them (very rare!)  But he's planning his revenge soon! 

When a family member expresses an interest in quilting - do you feel you have to 'hide the good stuff?'  Tee-hee!  A Lincoln Quilter's daughter was in mom's sewing room, came out and asked if she could use the plaids. Mom didn't get up and go see what she was asking about, and said yes.  It ended up her daughter cut the backs off all the plaid shirts in the ironing pile!!! Be careful!!!

Let's talk Retreats!   Always a favorite of mine from the beginning.  Oh, I like bus trips ... but shopping is too easy!  What I really enjoy is hours and hours of no responsibilities pulling at me.  Just me and my sewing machine, quilting friends around and no housework nagging me! Heaven on earth!

I run "Finishing School - a 5 day March retreat out here for 9 of us.  5 years ago I did research on where we could hold a retreat - the guild decided not to hold one, but 8 of us still were interested.  There's a pretty rustic 'retreat center' over the Bandon quilt shop and oh-boy, do we have fun.  A lot of shopping in our slippers!!  It's always been scheduled and filled for the next year before we leave each year. Here's the "Graduate Students" of Finishing School!

  

As you can see, the 3/4 inch finished log cabin blocks are still being worked on!!

It was my reward for finishing the Cancer donation quilt and some other 'at the last minute deadline work' during Finishing School!  But of course, this isn't finished yet - I need hundreds of blocks!!!!

The Brookings guild has a 4 day retreat in February up in Gold Beach at a Best Western.  We get hotel rooms(!) and take over the conference center.  We take turns making lunch and dinner using crock pots, etc.  

DH makes fun of us - we leave a town with two quilt shops to go to a town where there is none!  But he doesn't get it!!  It's just far enough away that we're 'out of touch' but some can come up for a day easily.  We had 35 this year.  Not bad for a guild of 60!!

We discovered the joys of command hooks!  The 'official project' was Blooming 9patch.  (I didn't do it of course!!! Some things don't change.) So the guild bought large packages of Command Hooks.  We fastened them to the walls (over vinyl wallpaper, doors, painted walls ...) and had design walls hung all over the room.  Worked out great - took them all down at the end and have the hooks to use again.  All you have to do is buy extra tape pads to hang them.  And then hang them right so you can pull them off!!!  Might be a good addition to to all retreats large and small!

My third retreat of the year is in April back in Bandon - both sides of a duplex right on the ocean.  Newport's "Bayshore Babes," a small group that I belonged to when I lived there. Two full kitchens, it sleeps 22. Alcoves for handwork; long dining tables for machine set up.  I've convinced them Brookings is a southern suburb of Newport (a mere 5 hours away!)  I get put on the waiting list so current members that meet weekly can get in.  But I usually make it - IF I promise to bring my lasagna!!!  That's coming up in April.

Meanwhile, I'm stressing out this spring. Our condo needs to have windows replaced by Summer.  I can't even get to the window in the sewing space!  And I really don't want to explain that room to a non-quilter.  I'll be on a Hoarders episode in a flash!! So, in an effort to get at the base of the problem, it's worse than ever!!!

AND I'm "honored guild member" at our Memorial Day Weekend show.  It used to be "featured quilter" but last year the hard-working guild member didn't really have any finished quilts!  She also didn't stay in her booth.  So - I figure that the pressure is lower than it was before!

What does it involve???  I have to be there all day for 2 days; have a "booth" display of me!  But still run the QOV presentation on Sunday - which is why I got the nomination.  A quilting friend I walk with wore me down to accept the nomination.  I was secretly hoping the other gal would win - I've never been an officer here and she had.  I had a small panic attack when they announced it.  And a bigger one at 2 am that night!!

I'd appreciate tips from those of you who have had this honor and lived through it to tell the tale!!  I already told the Finishing School crew they are my committee.  They have to check on me, make sure I'm drinking water, taking bathroom/stretch breaks and that no one has moved in to 'keep me company'??  Woolies is meeting here this month and I plan on them helping me decide what going into my space!  That will be fun - a one woman show at home - so to speak! 

Meanwhile, QOV is doing great here.  Last year we had our first presentation at the quilt show.  We presented quilts to 17 veterans.  This year I already have 24 nominees - and 20 quilts promised.  Since I only have 18 members ... hard to push for more quilts.  I've reached out to State QOV to get 4 more finished quilts.  But I'll be glad when that's not on my mind 24-7!  I want it settled ASAP - I've lived thru the nightmare that can happen for delivery to  our little 'end of the world' location!

Meanwhile, the progression of tops coming into my sewing space; being paired, mailed out to quilters, coming back and going back to their makers ... well, let's just say I haven't lost track of anything quite yet ... but I've come close!!  I now put a placard with the quilters name on the quilt top before measuring and taking a picture of the top.  And in a small condo - the only space to do that is on our king size bed.  I also have to clear the nightstand (a pile of books and a box of Puffs does nothing for the ambiance!) cover the bed with a flat sheet so I'm not left with animal hair and threads in my bed!!  Stand on a kitchen chair to take the picture ... it's a hobby all on its own!!!

A Nebraska friend said she'd like to come out in May for the show, but I told her she'd be in charge of bringing me water and rubbing my feet!  She then said she was expecting company that weekend!! I was kidding, but I hope I don't have company because I'm not good after 'I'm "on" all day!?'  

Do you know what I mean?  Being social all day - well, it takes a toll.  The evening usually involves a Mikes Hard Lemonade, no tv, OR an old favorite Rom-Com; laying on the couch, reading a book, covered by a quilt, bonbons optional!!  I can't see anyone agreeing to that!

Well, that's what has been keeping me from blogging!!  I'll end with just one of our winter sunsets!  Yep, that's what keeps us here!!!

x

March 1!?! Time Marches on - indeed!

Life is getting back to normal, Heaven help us all!! I'm back at TaiChi and in the pool too. (Transpore tape was approved to wear in the pool)

I have a mission this year.  (I know, I have a mission every year, but it's usually forgotten about by now!!)  And this year I'm still working on it!!  The mission is to FIT in my SEWING SPACE!

Now I'm the first to admit I'm a wee bit spoiled by DH.  When I'm cranky he sends me to my room.  - The sewing room!  And our dining space has 3 Ikea cubby-book cases with 22 bins chock full of stash. (I magnanimously gave him TWO whole bins for paperwork!!)  Most visitors don't notice the horizontal bookcases and never suspect they hold fabric until a blabbermouth (me) tells them.

But I'm not talking about that space!!!  I'm talking about the 10x12 'spare' bedroom (we only have 2!) that is the designated sewing space.  Or as I like to call it "The Staging Area"!  It is so crowded in there that I have to move things from one flat surface to another to come up with room to sew.  Then I have to clear anything off the twin bed in there every night in case beloved insomniac DH wants to sleep in there during the wee morning hours. And yes, fabric overflow, any that doesn't fit into the 22 bins, is in there too.

Here's the problem:  Stuff - I have too much!!

Here's the other problems:  1) I am QOV chair in my guild.  That means I collect the QOV tops, send them to the long-armers, receive them back, give them back to the guild members.  This involves shipping boxes; piles going out, piles coming back.  And keeping track of paperwork!!!  I need a designated area for this category.

2) We try to see our grandchildren every month or so.  But my DIL is a school teacher with 5 and 3 year old boys.  Yep, they are busy.   My DD lives 6 hours away and her 8 and 10 year olds are in music and sports teams ... also busy.  So during winter months between the flu, the mountain pass, and trying to merge our schedules, we see them less.  So I start stockpiling things that need to go to both families.  I need a designated spot to stockpile those things so I don't forget any.  At Christmas I forgot the whole box!!!  (sigh)

So my plan of attack is to 'fix' the stuff in plain sight first!  Last fall, I was doing the great stash clean out.  I actually cut 30 some pillowcase kits for the DGKs and the Million Pillowcase for Kids charity project.  Then I got sick, busy, bored (who knows) ... and didn't actually make them.  I have been moving that box here, there and yonder in that room for months!  Monday, during Guild Fun Day I started sewing them.  My friend U helped and I turned in 12 pillowcases that night at meeting.  I have 12 more ready to finish and I actually sent the sad, floppy box that they were in to the recycling bin!

Monday was also the box raffle at guild.  I made 4!  (1) A little black tray-like box with 3 spools of quilting thread; 1 spool of dark thread, the Christmas pin cushion I made this year for the PotLuck, a clear bobbin box, and a crochet-chain summer necklace.  (2) A small round red basket with  dark red FQs from my stash stuffed into it.  (3) A square cardboard box from $1 Tree filled with embroidery floss on the the little flat cardboard 'spools', another pincushion and embroidery needles. AND (4)a clear project bag filled with extra notions: a pin box of old buttons, needles, scissors case, tape measure, etc.  Felt good but did not noticeably help the problem!!  Must remember to take pix of these before given away!!!

This week I have to finish the Finishing School pin cushions.  But I have no wool roving to stuff them with!  I'm going to get them ready to stuff and pick up some roving on the way to FS and stuff them there!!  It simply isn't worth the 4 hour round trip drive to get the stuffing!  And having it mailed?? Small town to small town?? That's a whole 'nother crap shoot!  So-o they'll 'get what they get and don't have a fit'!!

I really wasn't going to make these fiddle-ly little things - but they begged me!! LOL! One week from today we retreat!  Nine crazy quilters headed for a retreat center above a quilt store!  Yep, it's heaven!!  We'll be there for FIVE days! (counting the travel day on both ends) It's going to be great.

I was busy last weekend trying to keep up the finishing of baby quilts.

Beach Ball baby is an UFO that I started after finishing my Pies & Tarts quilt.  It's quilted now and ready to make it's debut on my daughter's Etsy store! Pictures show front and the quilting from the back.

 "Mom, I need some fabric projects to show off the brass collections!"  That's how you get into this situation!

 

Jungle Babies is also completely finished.  5pointed stars in the large squares and simple diagonal lines through the 4patches. Front and pieced back shown above.

I also worked on the pastels Magic Numbers - including drawing up my own 'block' to incorporate the additional sizes I cut.  It still needs to be quilted. So stay tuned.

I machine quilted the squares and sashing baby quilt - waiting to be bound.

And  I machine quilted one of the Christmas log cabin table runners.  I love it, it still needs binding.

Add a 15" square Modern Design "Lines" assignment for ModSquad and I'm going to be busy this weekend too.

Ladies - time to party in the sewing room!!  Let the wild rumpus begin!!

Accck! TWO blog posts in one week ... what on earth??

I know, I know.  The Portland kids are coming back with us from Sisters.  They sleep in the sewing space.  They bring suitcases and stuff.  All the rest of the year, that room is not available for more stuff going in!  Today was the day!  The last time it was cleared and clean was when J from NE came out with P's new puppy!  I thought this occasion deserved pictures!

I haven't taken pictures of the room when it's a mess - who would??  But let me put it in perspective.  There is one twin bed in there.  My DH is an insomniac.  I get up early to go to water aerobics, usually not long after his best sleep time.  So he likes to go back to bed in the sewing space.

That means every night I need to check that the bed is clear.  Don't judge me!  It's a flat surface, yes, things get put on it!

One night DH asked me where the stuff on the bed comes from ... seriously???  Of course it comes from the ironing board and the sewing chair!  Everyone knows that!  And when I sew during the day, guess what is in the way ... the stuff piled on the ironing board and sewing chair so it gets moved to the bed.   I don't need to go on, do I!

My DH says cleaning the sewing room is like rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic!!  There's a lot of truth in that.

So-o the room can only be cleaned when I know I will be too busy to sew.  Enter grandkids at the beach!

So here is my sewing space - more of a staging area than a sewing room!!!  Caution - it does seem larger for these brief moments!!

Notice the clean bed!!  Design wall behind it.  In front is "Say Uncle" wool bouquet and "It's my favorite" challenge from this year.  Pinned behind those is the QuiltMania BOM by Yoko Saito in 2014??  The end of July there will be a sweatshop dedicated to getting the borders for this quilt done at last!!  The ironing board is folded and tucked behind my chest of drawers from my childhood.  Love those little drawers!

The wonderful window looking out at the forest and courtyard for our building.  Those shades are rarely open - the walkway is RIGHT THERE and who would want their neighbors to see this room in it's usual condition, neighbors who have no suspicion that you are this crazy and disorderly??

There is a shoe shine box on the floor between the table and drawers.  Awkward but sturdy storage for books.  The log cabin project is in a box lid on top of it.  A shopping bag full of log cabin blocks and pieces on the floor under the table.  On the table behind the Janome 4800 is DMC machine embroidery thread in a Snap Lock case.  Two sets of Target little drawers that hold all the little tools and notions that you need but might not use often!  PJ pants labels "Nana Loves You"; machine needles, hand needles, pins, left-over binding pieces, templates for blocks, scissors, you name it.

There are two office chairs - one to stack projects on!!  Hey! They don't have to be moved every day!!  And the regular chair moved to the corner to make room for the extra mattress and suitcases!

Here is the main storage in the room - gotta love IKEA!  There are 4 canvas cubbies that hold UFOs. 8 baskets that hold 1. Embroidery floss; 2. Wool projects and patterns; 3. Parts of plaid bear's paw UFO; 4. Stripe fabrics for the summer quilt just topped; 5&6. More miscellaneous tools, etc; 7&8. Stacks of pulled fabrics for projects hoping to do soon!  Ok - hoping someone else, mainly minions will come in and do my bidding by sewing/finishing these projects.

Quilt books on the bottom shelves.  A stack of magazines and two large notebooks with projects torn out of magazines! A file box of counted cross stitch patterns and leaflets.

Top of the bookcase???  Oh, my!  Buttons, CDs, beach glass, beach rocks - polished and not polished. wifi box, Bose music system, JoAnn ads!! Mom's spice cabinet, basket of pin cushions ... and who knows what else.

PS Under NO circumstances am I showing you the closet today!!!  Just saying!

These may or not be a surprise for the kiddos!  We all went to Disneyland in January and I found two panels at Road to CA.  They are short bunkbed size and hopefully perfect for wrapping up in!  Pictures next time when the kids hold them or pose in front of them!

Well, today was a busy day.  Water aerobics in the morning; Tai Chi over the lunch hour and a haircut right after TaiChi.  So I packed a peanut butter and jelly sandwich to snarf down in between.  I'm sitting in the parking lot and there is this plant in front of me.  Something attracts my attention and I look closer.  There are snails climbing up the plant!!  Several of them!  Blow this up on your computer, these are honking big snails!  Where are they going?  For what purpose???

They might be easier to see on this picture.  Look at the frond in the middle right above the background trees!

So I wonder - and look at the base of the plant - lots of little snails in que to climb up!!  Weird, right??

Last thing, then I have to get to bed!  When we were in Talent babysitting the little gkids - they had a library book I fell in love with!  Ninja Red Riding Hood!!

This book is a hoot!  I love their sense of humor.  Poor wolf - all his 'meals' are beating him up!  He has to sneak into Ninja school.  He's ready, he sets up Red Riding Hood and she's a better Ninja than he is!  Grandma comes home in her Gi from Tai Chi!!! And they make him swear off red meat!

Try it!!  And the author also wrote The Three Ninja Pigs.  I haven't seen it, but I'm looking!!

March Take It Further Challenge

March TIF challenge is challenging to me. It's "Detail" this month. There's a lot of crazy quilters on this list (okay - quit smirking - you know what I meant!) And I know what detail is involved in crazy quilting, but that didn't thrill.

Well, I looked hemmed and hawed and whined silently to myself about the theme but the month was flying by. I told myself that I didn't have time for this - there was so much stuff going on in my life this month. Then it dawned on me - that is "detail". We've all heard that Life is the journey - let's take it further - the detail is what makes your life. The "to do" list. The treasures you surround yourself with. The friends you spend time with and the activities that are important to you. Details all! I have my design and hope to "detail it out" this weekend.

I told you that we were remodeling the spare bedrooms and my sewing room is in one of them ... Well, no more! I have cleared it out - okay, almost! It's amazing how many boxes are marked "sewing room". My DH asked me where all this stuff was coming from - it was the smallest bedroom! Then he got cranky about it - muttering about how crazy I am!

The other thing was how dusty the room was! Okay, confession time. How many dust and really vacuum their sewing rooms on a regular basis? I straighten and vacuum the middle of the floor - but not the edges. The dust bunnies have been having a party on those edges! I'm allergic to dust and it's amazing that I could even work in there! Behind every box, storage container, under every shelf, behind every piece of furniture ... DUST and cobwebs!

I've got to figure out a way to keep it from happening again! Suggestions welcome!