Last Finished Project 2011

She looks good as on a pillow! My oldest, best friend, Pam, claimed this CQ block from Nicki's summer challenge. I used a vintage trim and the backing is a piece of fabric from her MIL's stash. I will have to remember to get it back from her for the quilt show in October!

My charity raffle quilt has been the bane of my existence for a too many hours. I am ditching the replacement quilt. I am going to send my first one, the one I felt I just could not let go of. Karma. I want to tie it though. It suits the old wool penny design. Of course it is not a traditional penny quilt. Not sure if it will even be accepted by our host....I am late.

My Carnival challenge piece is coming along. I have decided to add to it. Can't show it yet! I have til the 21st to complete it for the reveal at quilt guild. Plenty of time.

And since I haven't enough projects to switch to and fro, I cut a large block of wool pieces for the first block in Susan Brubaker Knapp's pattern, Bohemian Bouquet. I bought this from her when she did a trunk show at our HGTV Retreat in North Carolina in April. What a trunk show it was too! She does great work and is very gracious.
I love to hand stitch wool and needed a night time project to pick up and work on, one ready to go with no decisions to be made.

The holiday's are over. Something was missing for me this year. My demeanor is not light and jolly. Maybe next year. 2012 will be a year of changes. Michael leaving in a month being the biggest one. I already cannot think about it. Tears every time. Melissa is in a new relationship that has, as it should, encompassed her fully. Dave has a little girl, Sophia. I get to meet her today! She is a little porcelain doll. I know this is how it goes in motherland. I expect I will embrace and combat the melancholy!

I read on a blog somewhere, about 30 day challenges. One of them was to get rid of something every day. I am doing that. I have way, way, way too much stuff. I have a bag of clothes ready for a yellow box. I have tossed some things from my sewing room that I will not use. I have bagged up some knitting mags and yarns for Dave's mom, an avid knitter. The garage is less consumed after a metal scrapping run that yielded $70. It is all metaphorical. Of course the energy required to complete these tasks are at a premium. Slow and steady has always been my motto. I am seeing a New Years resolution taking shape. Apply pressure.

I have learned:

1. Michael's graduation from boot camp land's on the day Bruce Springsteen is rumored to be in Buffalo.  
2. Found iPod. Charged it. Will learn to use it. Thanks to Sarah and Jim for loading it up for me!
3. I love Fibermania's blog. This is a technique, I will be trying out. Soon
4. Going to Bride's World bridal show in Buffalo Sunday. June 8th is the final answer! Sean Patricks. 
5. Radial Shock Wave Therapy on the foot. 1 down, 2 to go. Ouch.
6. Project Runway marathon! I could watch them all over and over.
7. Chester, the eldest of the three cats, loves this pet bed. The chair was my granmother's. She sat in it to knit. I covered it in this fabric many years ago. I need to cover it again.