I kind of quilted today

Kind of but not really. I went to my quilters and picked up three quilts, two UFOs and one WIP which I hope to get the bindings on soon…. Then I can say I really quilted.

I did post the new BOM, Handy Andy.

As well as that I did some housekeeping, don’t faint! I mopped the kitchen and bathroom floors, amazing. They needed it.

And I did a lot of emailing and chatting about Relay, and some about quilting too. And I made some phone calls, and answered the phone a lot… it was one of those days.

What I am doing

Kathy asked me “What is it that you are doing that is taking you so long?”
Imagine someone asks you to organize their photo albums. Imagine them handing you a box with over 1800 photos in it. Just all thrown in one box, some with labels, some with dates, mostly just photos. Now try to imagine putting them in some order, something that makes sense.

Putting them in date order is important but almost impossible. It’s not like there are children in these photos, well not the same children all the time, so you can’t put the photos in order by their growth.

And the location is pretty much the same place in all the photos, over and over again, the same place, and it changes, but not so much and not significantly enough to put dates on those changes.

Well that’s what I am doing, only on line. I was handed a web site with about 50 pages of photos..... easy, just correct code where needed and put them back on line. I didn’t know about the 1800+ photos that were not used on any of those 50 pages. As of right now I have made 18 brand new pages…… and there are still 1435 unused photos to be taken care of.

Like I said, I might not get back to sewing until the Spring Retreat, just two long busy weeks away! We have a Relay committee meeting this week, I have orders to take care of before I leave for the retreat, we have Relay team captains meeting next week, which hopefully will mean money to be entered on line aka work... and my house... the dust bunnies are running wild! And sometime, hopefully tomorrow, I need to pick up some quilts from the quilter and get the bindings on them... HEY.. thats's quilting, yea!! AND it's the end of the month, time to update the BOM page again!

Today’s weather photo

Both photos taken today, just two hours apart. If you can’t tell, it was windy and rainy and then the sun came out… but it is still very w i n d y

I loved this spam…

· ARE YOU DEAD//ALIVE (CONFIRM URGENTLY) AND CALL THIS OFFICE‏

I’m dead so please don’t send me any more junk mail.
Wonder if sending that would work, LOL!

Sorry I'm not posting anything quilt related lately, but that's because I'm not doing anything quilt related. I'm working on a new web site which is testing my abilities. That, along with Relay work which comes in now and then and I am so far from quilting it's sad. I sit here in my sewing room surrounded by fabrics, patterns, UFOs and my sewing machine and work work work… but not on what I desire to work on.

The Spring Retreat can’t come soon enough for me!

Transferring the sum of ($39.5) million to your account

Gotta love SPAM sometimes. I found this one in my SPAM folder this morning. Yep, I was gonna get 39.5 million to my account number 123456789 after noon today. All I had to do was confirm my checking account number and include the routing number.

At least it would pay for the upcoming wedding, help son open his business, pay off our bills, pay off the mortgages, pay off the boys’ college loans, pay off their ladies’ college loans, buy them all new cars, buy them all homes, etc. etc. etc. etc.

I know they ask for those numbers so they can take what we have. What is funny is that unless they timed it on pay day they wouldn’t find much at all.

Quilt movie

I’d seen this before but my friend Candy sent it to me again today, so I decided to share it with you all too. There are some neat ideas in there if you look at it long enough!

Quilt by Gayle Thomas 1996
A tribute to the unique and long-established art form of patchwork quilting, this abstract animated film uses computer and experimental techniques to choreograph quilt motifs and designs to music.

And I love the music personally!

Weather report

If you follow me or even occasionally read my words you know that sometimes I use my deck as a weather photo. Here is a sample from last winter.

Here's today's weather report
and if you can't guess...


windy

IT happens…

Occasionally I am unable to sew. Things happen that keep me from getting at my fabrics and sewing machine and doing what I enjoy the most. Today is one of those days. I’ve been sitting here aching to do some sewing, but other work has priority. The sewing machine and fabrics are just off to my left, and I can’t get at them…

Today’s work is a new web site I’m working on. Well really it’s an old web site that needs updating horribly. The pages are old and antiquated and need a new lively twist on them. The server they use is more of a business server than they need and the lady who has been doing the updating just did it because no one else volunteered. She did her best, but the server and her knowledge have kept the site back in the old days.

I am not saying she doesn’t know a lot, because she does, about many many things… just not web pages. This lady amazes me, always jetting off to some exotic place on the planet and doing all kinds of things for so many people and organizations. I’m happy to be taking this responsibility off her hands.

But garsh… what a challenge it is! Sewing will wait, I will get back to it for sure. I know I’ll be sewing in March, I have a retreat coming up! YIPPEE!

My box is in the mail.

My box went in the mail yesterday, how about yours?

A note from the winner!

While surfing the net one evening in search of new quilt fabric/patterns, etc. I came across a website that also talked about finding a cure for cancer. It really struck home with me as I had recently lost a younger sister to melanoma. I really had no thought of winning, I just thought I was doing my small part to help in the funding for cancer research. I was shocked when I received word that I had won a Featherweight machine!! I'm going to name her "Sherry" in memory of my sister.

I also wanted to say thanks to Marge and Delaware Quilts for going above and beyond! It's people like you who will one day know their efforts and contributions made a difference.
Freddie


Thank YOU Freddie and everyone else who donated, together we are making a difference in someone's life who is fighting cancer and together we WILL find the cure!

The lucky winner is....

Freddie T from LA.

THANKS to EVERYONE who donated for a chance to win.

Pop

When I met that good looking guy who played the banjo which turned out to be a guitar's Father I wasn't very fond of him. Let's just say he was a little too pushy to me. He asked questions that I didn't think were any of his business. Few years later he asked another question that I thought was pushy, but a darn good suggestion and we followed his suggestion and got married. He's continued to ask questions and for that I am thankful.

Years have passed and I've seen him go through some hard times. But he has always been there to lend an ear or a word of advice whenever I needed it. When I wasn't sure where I stood with some people he was always there to tell me where I stood with him. Sometimes I haven't agreed with things he's done, other times I've been behind him 200%.

Friday morning Pop had a heart attack and it was very scarey. His family rushed to his side. I didn't have to, I am pretty sure that he knows I love him dearly and that I was thinking of him and saying my prayers. No sense in me being there, most likely the room was overflowing with people. People who didn't have time to visit him when he was healthy, people who were too busy to even call him once in a while.

He's doing better and hopefully will be home soon. I'll go visit him then and make sure he knows how I feel.

Two More Days!

Time is almost up to get in on this raffle. On Valentine's Day after the mail has come I will draw a winner for this little gem.

You may make your Featherweight donations by payment on my ACS web site. When you make a donation on the ACS site for the Featherweight raffle, please be sure to let me know by email that is what it was for. (Too late to mail a check now, sorry. Checks must arrive here on or before February 14th.)

I have decided the machine which will be given away is Featherweight # AJ639485 which was manufactured on or about June 1, 1950 in Elizabeth NJ. While she isn't the most perfect looking Featherweight, she is nonetheless in tip top sewing condition. She almost purrs as she stitches along. She comes with her own Featherweight case which is also in good condition, although it does have a sticky button latch (right side) but does fasten.

A $1 donation gets you one chance to win, a $5 donation gets you six chances to win and a $10 donation gets you fifteen chances to win! Good luck and thank you for donating!

The new owner will be chosen on Valentine's Day 2011. I will split the shipping costs with that person, and the machine will be shipped using UPS.
Thanks and good luck!

Yes, I forgot again

Yesterday was a crazy day. I worked my fingers to the bone yesterday morning, getting a lot of Relay work done. And it was worth it too, our team is now over $7000. It was mostly computer work, but it wore me out. As the afternoon began I got chills so I put on a sweatshirt. But it didn't help. Then I got tired... and then I knew if I was going to be any good for our Kick-Off I had to take a nap. So my work got put on hold and I crawled under the covers and fell fast asleep. John woke me up when he got home from work. I had just enough time to wash my face, brush my teeth and get to the meeting on time.

It was a good meeting, although not well attended. Then again we're down in numbers this year, so maybe it was well attended.

We came home and had a bite to eat before I settled down in the recliner... and fell back asleep again. I wasn't the only one who was tired, John's snoring woke me up. So I woke him up and we went to bed to sleep, much more comfortable.

So today I finished the work I started yesterday and now I'll wait for that donation to come in. I think they were pleased with what I did for them, at least I hope they are... haven't heard from them yet!

Eventually I'll get back to sewing, sooner or later.

Another day of no sewing!

When will this end? Another day of Relay work but I’ll admit today was a good one, several nice donations today which needed Thank You notes. I love writing thank you notes, especially to old friends. Today I got a donation from a sweetie who used to live here, but has moved further south to get away from the cold. Unfortunately this year the cold is down there too!

I also had to write up a bunch of tickets for the Featherweight raffle. Last minute donations are being made, just a few more days and I'll draw a winner!

And I attended a webinar, boring, but necessary. Thankfully it was over and done with in a little over a half hour, rather than the few hours they scheduled it for.

And I voted for Kelly and Michael, have you today? http://tinyurl.com/65ladd4 Please

And I donated a quilt to Relay for a silent auction. If you would like to make a bid on it, send me an email and I’ll give you the details.

Hopefully tomorrow will go smoothly and then I can resume sewing! My fingers are itching to get at it!

Busy day

Retreat pages updated, Relay work taken care of, and more Relay work taken care of. Busy busy but no sewing at all.... maybe tomorrow.

Thanks Ginny

Ginny not only sent me an email, but when I didn’t reply to her in an hour, she called, worried about me. I laughed at her and said not to worry, I am fine. I have found however that I have a slight flare up every time the Doc changes my dose of the prednisone. It dragged me down a few days, but I am fine and ready to hit the sewing room today. But that’s not the reason I haven’t posted, I just plain forgot!

I’ve pretty much finished my quilts photo journal, as far as I can go unless someone sends me old photos, and I doubt that will happen. Of my over 400 quilts that I have finished I only have photos of 235. Some of the ones I don’t have photos of are in my UFO pile so I can get a few more there, just a few.

I’m pleased with what I have and will certainly photograph and document all the rest of the quilts I make for sure.


Don’t forget to vote for Kelly and Michael please! http://tinyurl.com/65ladd4

Contest

A few people have asked me to tell them more about the clicking contest I posted about a few days ago. Michael is my baby (and he will always be my baby) and Kelly is his darling bride to be. They’ve entered this contest to win a 4 day, 3 night all inclusive trip to any of the Sandals resorts in Antigua, Jamaica, St. Lucia, or the Bahamas. Food, drinks, transportation, gratuity, even snorkeling and scuba are included. Since John and I are footing much of their honeymoon bill as our gift to them, this prize would be terrific for us and them. If we’re paying they probably will have to stay at Hotel 2 on the docks, LOL!

Anyway, you can vote here, http://tinyurl.com/65ladd4
Or http://dc.metromix.com/events/photo_poll_gallery/metromixs-cutest-couple-contest/2432818/photo/2433510

Click on Kelly and Michael and scroll down and submit.

THANKS!

Photo Journal

I’ve been working on a photo journal of all of my quilts… well all the ones I have photos of at least. I really wish I knew way back when I started to take pictures, but I really had no idea how far I would go. I only volunteered to make a few samples for a demonstration, and here I am 37 years later still making samples.

While doing this photo journal I added some of my miniatures and wall hangings to my inventory list. I haven’t added any of the landscapes I’ve made, which is somewhere between 25 and 30… I have photos of 18 I think.

So my quilt number has gone up and I’ve gotten several ideas for mysteries while working on this.... those numbers will keep on climbing, for a long time I hope!

Charity quilts

Do you ever wonder when you send your quilts to some charity on the internet what really happens to them? I sometimes imagined finding one of my quilts up for auction on eBay, but it’s never happened. I guess it is a matter trust. I have several charities that I donate quilts to because they are causes that are near and dear to my heart. Tonight while blog hopping I was reading one of those charities blogs and there were photos of quilts being given away. I was looking at the pictures, enjoying all the happy faces on the children when… there was one of my quilts. And my heart sang a happy song and my eyes leaked just a little bit… trust is a marvelous thing.

Help save me some $

My baby and his bride-to-be have entered a contest to win a free honeymoon. Since I am footing part of the bill for the honeymoon, if they win it will be saving ME money.

Go to http://dc.metromix.com/events/photo_poll_gallery/metromixs-cutest-couple-contest/2432818/content or Tiny Url
http://tinyurl.com/5r7nsmo

OK, they can’t make it any harder, but the prize is worth the effort. You can look at the photos if you want, there are some very interesting ones in there. And honestly, I have NO idea why Kelly picked the photo she picked.. they are a handsome couple, she is darling and he’s…well he’s my son so I think he is the cutest guy in his age bracket. (and honestly, that photo is horrible!)

Want to make it easy, just scroll all the way to the end and click on the final photo. Once you do that it will give you a list of names to vote for. Click and Kelly and Michael and scroll down and hit submit.

Please vote once a day for the next two weeks, and spread the word… save me some money and help me send Kelly and Mike on a super honeymoon!
THANKS,