Tea Bag (reuse) Hexi's

 

Aren't they cool?! I just love these hexi's. I fuse two papers together to make papers more sturdy and stitch the hexi. It is like any other fabric. I am thinking honeycomb. 

The snow in Western NY has been relentless. This weekend calls for higher temps. The snow will melt. Flash floods and flooding is a real concern. 

I need a Saturday/Sunday respite. 

My "Green" Challenge Project

These are part of my current project. Tea bag papers. Used tea bag papers. Thank you Martha for supplying 99% of these. I am loving the organic look the papers have when sewn into hexi's! Yes, that's right. I am certainly intrigued by those little buggers. I fuse two papers together for a more substantial "fabric" and have sewn approximately 100 3/4" hexi's together already. They have a honeycomb effect.. Thinking how this project will turn.

I am feeling stagnant creatively. Not sure why. Need a challenge. My friends Julie and Val are running two challenges due in early 2015. One is Faces.  Faces that matter to you. I have 3 photo to fabric prints of very dear faces, and many ideas to make them whole. The other regards your universe. Must include black. Not hard for me, since black is my neutral. I know what I want to do for this also. Fleshing out these pieces is my next step. Hope this gets me back on track.

I have learned:

1.  Homeland, third season. So far worth the $19.99 price tag.
2.  15 months from today....I will retire!
3.  Save A Lot today. I know I did save a lot not shopping at Tops.
4.  Jagger Michael Zaporowski will be born in 23 days!

Breast Pockets for QA

This is the Breast Pocket I made yesterday at our Fiberista meeting for the current challenge from Quilting Arts magazine. Some people may remember the call Melanie Testa put out two years ago on her blog to bring attention to women with breast cancer that opted not to have reconstructive surgery. I made four of them then.
At our meeting we all sat and stitched chatted. It was wonderful! We had six in attendance and six breast pockets that Julie has kindly agreed to send in to QA.

Sue brought in her books from last month for show n tell. Her weaved binding is beautiful and the beads are so fun.

I will get pics of mine posted soon. I started working in one of them. Like a collage, this book will come together bit by bit. Because many missed the last meeting, we will be doing books again.

Maddi is 3 months now...

I love this pic! Jenn scared her and caught the priceless expression. If her current cooing and ahhing are any indication of the talking Maddi....she will be very loquacious

Mela is 15 months old....

New words are being added to her repertoire daily. She is a happy, very active and inquisitive toddler..

Baby boy is about five weeks away from moving out of his first apartment, Melissa's womb! Last I heard Reilly is the name on top of  list.

As you can see by my multi pic post I am working on my old laptop. This makes me happy. My pictures are still downloading differently but I finally figured out a way to see the images after I found them.

I have learned:

1.  Season 6 of Sons of Anarchy finally on Netflix. The season finale was gut ripping, tear bursting sad.

2.  Many months ago I mentioned I had gotten an email from Quarry books that something I had submitted many months before that was to be published in a book called "1000 Quilt Inspirations", coming out in February 2015. I have no idea what I sent. We will be surprised together.

3.  Think I have a Ganglion cyst on my right wrist. That is the hand that has had Dupuytrens contracture

CQ for VA

Our guild quilt show was this past weekend. Tracy J and I ran the silent auction again. This was my donation. Kaffe Fassett fabric crazy quilt. Mary Lowe was the successful bidder and I am happy she will be hanging it in her home! 

We raised over $1100.00 for the Batavia VA. 

Just started watching True Detective. Hardcore for sure. Good though. 

I have learned:

1.  Nothing. Absolutely nothing since last post. 

Hop the World...

My friend Diane of Dimity's Fiber Adventures, Diane's.wordpress.com ( I still don't know how to link to pages on this Blogger App), passed the Hop Around the World blog hop torch to me. The idea is to find new bloggers along the way and to answer these four questions.....

WHAT AM I WORKING ON RIGHT NOW?

Those that know me know I truly have no less than a dozen things going on one time. 

A Deployment quilt

A mono printed bag

A mermaid crazy quilt

A wool cat pincushion

A knitted sweater

Needle books

Baby boy quilt

Snowmen embroidery and blocks quilt

Small handmade book

Baby slings for Jenn and Melissa

Fiber PC for Michael's 26th birthday on the 23rd

Quilting a community service quilt

HOW DOES MY WORK DIFFER FROM OTHERS IN MY GENRE?

I don't think about me vs. others much. I know my quilts usually look like me because my recent Japanese Coins apparently does NOT look like me. It was fun none the less!

WHY DO I DO WHAT I DO?

I love it. I think it all the time. I am cranky if I don't get a stitch in or ponder a project. 

HOW DOES MY WRITING/CREATING PROCESS WORK?

I'm not a planner. I never know what things will be in the end. I like to decide the next step as I go. Intuitively. 

Now I must pass the inquiries to a fellow blogger Thearica of Pig Tales and Quilt blog. She's my southern friend and an active blogger. (Pigtalesandquilts.com)

I have learned:

1.  Glasses.com. Thinking of trying this site out when I get my eyes examined. 

2.  Quilt show madness the next three days! Alexander Fire Hall. Friday 10-6. Saturday 10-5. 

3.  Check out Doug Seegers "Going Down to the River" on YouTube. Interesting story too. 

Jody's Altered Book

I have had jody's altered book for longer than I want to admit. I finally sat down this morning and finished it up! Feels good. On the left I thread sketched over vintage book pages and used water colors  on them. The right side is a bevy of tags stuck into pockets formed by tearing pages down and stitching the sides. Each tag has a sentiment....clarity, kindness, see magic, calm and hello. I truly love doing this mixed media work, it just makes such a mess.  You gather supplies, then think of something else and gather more!  I am hoping to get a couple of mine and Melissa's books back that are out there somewhere. The work put into these pages is very personal. Good fun. 

Yesterday Fiberistas met, just three of us, but what a grand day it was. Mary lead us in making books. Always intrigued by the process, I was excited to turn out four different pieces.  The first book we made signatures and added bits of cloth and papers in each section. Mary showed us how to make the holes and stitch a signature together, then how to weave a spine to make the book whole. Having time left to play I made another smaller book with the gorgeous cotton paper mary shared with us and vintage  scrapbook papers I had on hand. 

We also made two types of folded books from paper, that are perfect for a bit of embellishing and journaling. Loved every minute of our day together. 

Today I am not getting out of pajamas. I already made homemade sauce and roasted peppers. Now to sew the sleeve onto Japanese Coins and Nancy Crow quilt. I'll watch the Bills game, take a hot bath and read my book. I need my Sunday's to regroup and be homey. 

I have learned:  

1.  Mary recommended "Night Circus", by Erin Morgenstern, to me. Promises to be a good read. Has that ethereal element I love so much in Alice Hoffman's stories. 

2.  15 months 10 days to retirement 

3.  Melissa's baby boy is growing in gestation! She likes Eli this week. 

4.  Maddi smiles!

Paper Crafting

Last night I spent some time making this Halloween gift box and many cards in a class with Jen, a talented Batavia paper artist. I took a class with her a few years ago, making beautiful Christmas cards, but now she's offering classes for up to four in her truly comfy and enviable craft room. How nice it was. We learned to dry emboss using a Sissix machine (the Bingo numbered pumpkins, a Tim Holtz press). We got to work with pearl powders, embossing powders and distress ink. Jen had all the components cut and stacked, ready for us to follow along. Great fun!

I've been getting facings and sleeves on my quilt pieces for our guild quilt show in a month. I'm at a good point, not overwhelmed with all that's to be done. Also steadily stitching the Mermaid CQ bit. So enjoy doing that. 

I have learned:

1.  The Blacklist. Good. 

2.  35 years at same company. Awards dinner nice.  $225 gift card Sears. Thanks

3.  Mela is running! Trying to climb out of her crib. Showing a tenaciousness I like. 

4.  I took in a plant from Martha, and it's growing! I don't tend to greenery well. It is a succulent so it does stand a better chance. 

5.  Maddi is smiling! Such a sweet little peanut. Michael said its the best thing he's ever seen. 

Mermaid CQ

I pieced this mermaid CQ block using Kaffe Fassett shot cottons. They are thin, soft and the muted shades work well with the image I printed on silk. I haven't done crazy quilting in a while and miss it...miss the stitching...the opportunity for creativity...transforming a naked pieced block (which in all honesty, never looks appealing at this stage) into a treasure. 

This will be for a friends daughter. Apparently she fancy's herself a mermaid! Not sure if it will be a boho bag or wall hanging or pillow yet. I have time to come to that conclusion! 

Let the fun begin....

Melissa and Mela visited yesterday. She is all walk, no crawl now! Tantrums are rearing when she doesn't get what she wants. She is very strong. Love that girl. 

Face timed with Jenn and Madison this morning. Maddi is growing some hair, almost smiling and her infant face is turning into her baby face. Pretty daddy face!  Love that girl. 

With the quilt show a month away and one quilt not even pieced (!!), three not bound and a bag awaiting a strap handle, we may be wondering why begin another project. It's what I do! I'm happiest when there are multiple pieces needing my hands and mind. I cannot work one project from beginning to end with no diversions along the way. And....it all gets done in their due time. 

I have learned: 

1.  A heroin/meth overdose in front apartment in the house that Melissa is in. They moved in a month ago. Absentee landlord doesn't vet her tenants very well. He has a record. Buffalo. Kaiser town. Not cool. 

2.  My seven year old cable modem has died. No Netflix today. Just can't get the connection to stream. I need to review the last season of Sons of Anarchy before watching the new episodes. To Time Warner I go tomorrow for a new one. 

3.  Even after working with a rotary cutter for 23 years, I managed to cut into my thumb this afternoon. I realized my blood coagulates quickly though. 

4.  Eggplant Parmesan. Mmmmmmm. 

5.  Buffalo Bills and western NY are thrilled the Pegulas have bought the team! They already own the Buffalo Sabres. They've committed to their success and no doubt to the Bills. So much talk over the last few years about the team being bought and moving the franchise to Toronto, Canada. No worries now. And...we look good!

Japanese Coins

I love this quilt! The Japanese fabrics are so beautifully muted. I wanted to highlight the colors so using black was a no brainer and it is my neutral. 

I believe it was my friend, Nicki, that sent me the Giesha girl scarf quite a while ago. She was perfect for this piece. 

After taking Jacquie Gerings Craftsy class, Quilting with your walking foot, the serpentine stitch was meant to be quilted on this quilt. 

If only I had a large enough wall tomhang this piec on. In the right room it would be stunning. 

Now to face, sleeve and label it for my guilds quilt show third weekend in October!

Melissa, Mela and I spent 8 hours at Mercy Hospital Tuesday night. Melissa had been sick for a few days and was severly dehydrated. 3 liters of intravenous fluid later she was released. Baby boy was checked out...he's 27 weeks now and active! All is swell now. 

I have learned:

1.  "Forsaken" was declined by Q=A=Q at Schweinfurth in Auburn NY.  I was I. Good company....280 others received their letters too. 77 artists will comprise the show this year. I WILL get a piece in there one day!

2.  Michael's deployment has been postponed til February. I will take that and cross the next bridge at that point. On another note, he graduated today from Fries/Spies Master Air Assualt school today. This from the boy that was afraid of Ferris wheel heights. 

3.  Mela is all about the walking!

4.  Madison is all about the slumbering!

5.  Homegrown peaches soaked in brandy. Mmmm. 

6.  Missing CQing. Starting a small mermaid piece for a friends daughter. Love. 

Fabric Collaging

Yesterday my Fiberista group met in Batavia. We had a go with Sue Carlson's fabric collage technique. We were a small but busy group, not even stopping for lunch! Too much fun. I had Frances, Diane and Steph working on the quarter moon pattern that Sue Carlson furnishes in her "Serendipity Quilts" book, an excellent book BTW. 

I worked on the Rolling Stones tongue emblem for my BIL, Bill. I volunteered to do this three years ago, such was the catalyst for my choosing this to entertain the girls this month! 

After enlarging the decal he gave me to work from, I traced the pattern to the cloth and started gluing the black, red and white bits. For me, a Zen-like experience. 

So far this is what it's looking like....

Sue Carlson also authored "Free Style Quilts". Good book as well. 

I have learned:

1.   Madison is 9 days old today. She was due this coming Thursday. A little sweet pea. 

2.   "Monarch of the Glen" on Netflix. Liking much. 

3.   Today is National Sister's Day! I have one of those!

4.   Uh oh. They are saying fracking responsible for more earthquakes in Oklahoma. 

5.   Still no name for the male embryo...Melissa is five months now. Gunnar? Benji? Joey? Mitchell? Thoughts? 

Madison's Here!

Madison Elizabeth Everett decided to arrive toe and a half weeks early last Friday! 

6 lbs 10 oz. 18" long. 

She and mama are home and all is well! 

Michael and his daughter. 

Dye Dye Dye

Just one of the many pieces from our dye weeekend! Julie and I spent hours mixing, dying and shibori-ing. We used the 20 yards of Prepared for dying fabric I bought from our dear friend Diane a bit ago. I can't wait to iron them up since that really makes the fabric colors vibrant. Delicious!

This was a 100% Egytian cotton sheet using the same dyes but the colors are all muted. I love it. In person it glows. 

Julie's new home is home. Comfortable, spacious and totally equipped for an artist. It is a pleasure being there. Her and Her son Robbie are easy. I feel lucky to have a friend that indulges the creative urge so like me. Great things shall come of it!

I have learned:

     1.  I love dying! Thanks to Julie and a class I took with Val, I am ready to do my thing. 

     2.  "House of Cards" second season. Just started. Good. Very good. 

     3.   Less than three weeks til Madison Elizabeth Everett arrives!

     4.  I have always wanted a server but the price tag too steep. Thanks to an old boss, I will have one. His wife is downsizing as they prepare to move to Florida upon his retirement soon. 

     5.  My Nancy Crow quilt didn't get into AQS Chatanooga show. But I do get to mail Ice Crystals to AQS Grand Rapids, MI, this week. 

Mela...

That face. I love that face. 

Looking forward to a creative weekend at Julie's new home up on the lake!

Deployment Quilt

Worked on this piece this morning. Needed to do some nip, tuck and clipping. The image of Michael in Afghanistan fits over the X'd and dated days background now. Since I never know what the next step will be til I get there, I must figure out how to meld the two layers. I want to get this finished before he deploys again in a few months. 

Wedding plans are coasting along so come Saturday, a beautiful weather day predicted, fun will be had by all!

Silkie Treasure

I 

I was thrilled to come across these spectacular silkies in the treasures from the old Polish woman's house I helped clean out, thanks to Maria. They are pristine. I must plan carefully. 

I will do them justice. 

I have learned:

     1.  Thanks to my good friend Tracy J's medicinal chicken noodle soup, I am feeling better. 

     2.  Little over two days til my daughter marries her old middle school love and father of Mela and the unknown embryo. Looking forward to the party!

     3.  Guacamole. Commercial for Chilis. Mmmmmm. 

Slumber

Sleep. Sweet rejuvenating sleep. As I grow older I realize the value of this commodity. I am not sure if I actually need more or if it's the fact that I can get more. With both kids on their own my house is all mine! I have the luxury of going to bed early and sleeping later than 6. I feel it's taken me 53 years to learn to love and appreciate sleep. Like a baby. 

Slumbering Mela. 

I have learned: 

1.  Thanks to Pam's Jim, my wifi printer prints! 

2.  Mailed an Etsy sale to Milan, Italy. I had to verify I wasn't mailing leather at post office. Apparently that's a no-no. 

3.  36 years ago today I took the bus downtown for my first day in NFG office.

So many changes over those years. Not all good. 

Tally Marks

I've been very busy with wedding prep over the last few weeks. All work and no play makes me cranky, so I've been hand stitching, improv style, on the improv cross piece I started in February. Feels good. Real good. 

After the bodice redo on the wedding dress, I need to take in that bodice a few inches and take out too much pouf in the skirt. Then there's that train to cut off. No problem. It'll be ready next Saturday!

I have learned:

     1.  The Rack Shack on Rt 63 in the town of Batavia is yummy! Order take out. Busy little joint. 

     2.  The Glades. Netflix. Like. 

     3.  Mela gives the open-mouth-tongue kiss now. A kiss is a kiss! Sweetie!

Wedding Prep...

Knotting loads of tulle strips to twine for a wedding garland. Need much. Loads of tulle! I have 3 weeks til Melissa and Dave's day. 

Wish me well on the wedding dress redo. Not sure I can make this work. (Reworking dress we bought few years ago to fit pregnant belly!) 

After having Mela tonight the weekend is dedicated to that task. 

I have learned:

1.  Sisters colon clean! We are both good for 5 years. 

2.  Disappointed in Joe Basil Chevrolet last night. Had appointment for service. No tech to look at it? Then they couldn't find my keys for 20 mins and 10 more minutes to find my car. 

3. Mela is 11 months today!

A Bitty Book Review

I'm a Flower Child artist! This from a new book by Lynn Krawczyk. 

I love books...creative endeavor books are the best. I especially like one that is a good read. Jane Sassanian and Rayna Gilman have books I've read and would reread. 

This is another one. 

Lynn is witty, down to earth and talented. She is generous with info and insight in Intentional Printing. 

Recommend. 

Vintage Wool Braided Rug

I am loving this vintage wool braided rug. A few pick up stitches and it will be good as new. It is airing out on the line for now. I even took an antique rug beater to it! It shall reside in my sewing room soon. 

It has been an idyllic weekend. Spent time with Melissa & Mela yesterday, shopping and dining. I enjoy seeing the changes in her and how she thinks. She's a smart little girl! I especially liked seeing Mela crawl to her Mama, lay on her and her gestating sibling, and be at home. Those of us that have seen our children become parents will know of what I speak. Magicical. 

A dear online friend, Tammy, lost her 35 year old son week.  Melissa is 31. I can't even begin to imagine the feeling of loss. My thoughts are with you Tisme. 

Hexi Love

These

A few weeks ago my dear friend, Maria, invited me to help clean out a house. Her husband was hired to clear out a house of a recently deceased woman. Maria saw all the old junk and knew I'd be in heaven! I was. It was one of the best days of my life!!

I uncovered these silk, hand pieced hexi's yesterday. Wow. Really. I have 19 of these lovelies. How serendipitous is that?! I am mulling over all my options. Cool. 

These silkies are another of my treasures from Seneca Ave. omg. They are awesome. I will do them justice. 

Raining. Thunderstorms a-coming. I like it. 

Even in My Garden...

Things grow and thrive. Love the hardy hosta. 

2014 Allentown Art Festival

Love these funky earrings and necklace. One of a kind and I "see" the artist in them. I put them on immediately. She shared with me a blog that she shares with like minded artists called ilovemyartjewelry.blogspot.com. (Can't hook up to the link on my iPad, sorry) 

'Twas' a perfect sunny day for Sandy, Carol,Lauren and myself to spent five hours! I was especially pleased to see new exhibitors. I skipped last year partly because things seemed same old-same old. Good time. And mmmm the Lloyd's taco truck....taco....delish. 

Mela, my little precious, has a few issues due to congestion...ears, nose, sinus and eyes all troublesome. Melissa and Dave took her to MASH in Buffalo this afternoon to get her attended to. On the mend now. 

Michael and Jenn are traveling back to a Fort Campbell, KY, as I write this. I won't see Michael til next year since he deploys in October and next time I see Jenn at Thanksgiving in Cincinnati, Maddie will be 4 months old, not in utero! Always good to have them around, but I know they love their southern home. 

For fun,here is a manipulated pic of my heliotrope in front garden. Blooming is over now. 

I have learned:

1.  Those little four packs of White Russians and Mudslides...mmmmm. I love the brown bottles too. Cleaning them up for the wedding in July!

2.  My friends, Val and Julie have a new challenge for a show up. I am thrilled. I need that to get my thoughts and creativity going. I also pulled out my improv sewn cross piece from retreat in February and started moving that along. 

3.  Continental School of Beauty in Batavia. Excellent.  My color and cut were monitored closely by an instructor...the price was a third of a salon in city and I am pleased! I'm sold. 

4.  The Army Sgt, Shaina Schmigel, that died in Fort Bragg during an training jump, was waked in Batavia (my city) last week. The military representation in front of the funeral home and the flags lining the road brought tears to my yes and a heavy heart.  Buried down the road in next town. Sad. 

5.  Weight Watchers?  Again?  I think I must. Ugh. 

Mono printing Fabric

Last months guild program was a help my UFO thing. We were to bring in a piece we were having a hard time getting to the next step on and our friends would write (so we would not have to rely on memory) out thoughts on what to do next. 

I brought this piece of my mono printed fabrics for perusal. My guild is predominantly traditional so I understand their hesitation! But, I did get a great idea....make it into a bag. 

I spent some time free motion quilting it. I am planning to make a bag with a flap. Loving. 

I needed to do something creative that was all me. In the last few weeks I was intent on making favors and center pieces for Jenn's baby shower last Sunday. I like making things and was very happy with the results but it isn't my "hand", it's the "hand" that fits the theme. I am itching for a challenge. My friend Julie has planted seeds! 

I have learned:

1.  Ice Crystals was accepted into AQS Grand Rapids show at the end of August! 

2.  Mela is the happiest baby I have ever known. Ever. Truly. 

3.  So You Think You Can Dance. Watch it. 

4.  Michael deploying to Afghanistan again. October. 

5.  1 yr. 8 mos. 2 days to retirement. I dreamt I handed in my papers on Friday. I was elated....in my dream. Then I woke up. First word out of my mouth...you know it. 

Madison Elizabeth's Quilt.

I sewed for 7 1/2 hours today...piecing the improv star blocks...making the top...quilting the serpentine stitching with the walking foot. This is Madison's quilt. I do love it!

Closer look at the wavy quilting. 

It felt good to sit and sew for hours today. I haven't had much spare time of late. Each night this past week I got home late, took my beloved hot bath and went to bed.  I needed to make headway with creativity and I did! 

Tomorrow will be more sewing.  First thing I must do is do alterations on Jill's dress for her son, Alan's wedding in a few weeks. I have to take the lace bodice dump at the shoulders, shouldn't be a difficult job, just a bit time consuming. 

I really want to get a 16" x 16" piece done for the Quilt Alliance annual challenge. Hoping tomorrow I get inspired to get it done. 

Of course I have many, many, many UFO 's awaiting my hand and any one of them might find their way to the machine!

I have learned:

     1.  "Girls".  A very well written show. Like. 

      2.  CT scan didn't confirm diverticulitis diagnosis but did detect a possible 3 cm mass in my colon. 

           Great. Not really. Colonoscopy scheduled for Friday.  Prayers welcome my friends. 

      3.  Dave & Melissa will marry July 12. Good. 

      4.  I. Want. To. Go. To. NYC. Sooner. Than. Later. 

Half Inch Hexi's

I have been stitching, sporadically, on this snow dyed, 1/2" hexi's piece for some time. I love the color variation. 

While I like the front, I love the back! 

This piece is roughly 11" square. I have til June 1 to make it into 16" square to submit to Quilt Alliance's annual challenge, "Inspired By". Check their site for more info. Peruse the hoards of antique and less so, quilts, posted on their documentary pages. Use one as a springboard to create your own submission.  

Thanks to Pam's husband, Jim, I have my laptop back in service. Some things (my pics) are not easy to find though.  They are there and I stumble onto them, but don't remember how it happened. I need a load of patience working on it, thus this post using the crummy Blogger App on my IPad. 

I have learned:

     1.  Not sure if I posted this already but I'll say it again....Melissa & Dave are expecting this Fall! 

          Mela will be a big sister!

     2.  Jenn and Madison Elizabeth are both growing! Jenn & Michael will be home in a few weeks for 

          her baby shower

     3.  My two-hour-time-sucker, AKA mowing my lawn, has commenced. I've already wasted six

          hours this month. 

     

         

Cool App for that

I like finding new apps to enhance creativity. mybrushes pro app is very cool. I only played on to for a short time and came up with a bit I really like. 

Isn't that fun! This created with little knowledge about the app. I look forward or coming up with some other useful designs. 

I wish there were an app to keep you posted about apps that you would be interested in specifically. That would be helpful!

Tomorrow night I get to bring Mela home with me. Good thing she understands  NO now! My Fiberista group will have to endure her on Saturday. I'm sure they will be ok with it. 

Michael will be going to Fort Bragg on May 15-23. He is working to get chosen to be in a civil affairs in the Army. 40% chance only. He will give it his all. 

I have learned:

     1.  "The age of miracles" by Karen Thompson Walker is a compelling read. I have 40 pages to go.  

           It's definitely fatalistic so far. Hoping it is just a parable of the times. We will see. 

     2.  My sister, Noni, is acing her classes online with Empire College. Proud of her. She is one

          Busy woman with work, two high schoolers and and 2 jobs to keep them in private schools. 

     3.  Craftsy class , Quilting with your walking foot from Jacquie Gering is very good. We'll worth

           Money and time. 

Sweet Mela's Sundress

I fashioned this little sundress (the one Mela helped me make!) from a girls dress I found at Sally Ann's. It had a tank top with a wide elastic waist, but the skirt fabric was precious and the yellow tulle along bottom edge was the clincher. I knew I could make something with it! 

The ties are biased tape folded over and stitched. That was easy 

Mela will model this in a few months.....if it ever warms up around here. 

I have learned:

      1.  Mela will be a big sister by December 5th!!

      2.  "Room" by Emma Donoghue is interesting read on a subject. Think Alice Sebold's "The 

           Lovely Bones" 

      3.  Madison Elizabeth is making herself known daily! Moving and growing. Can't wait to see 

           her!

       4.  Finished all five seasons of " Sons of Anarchy". Gemma...bad. Clay...see ya. Jax...good

       5.  Laptop with a friend for past week. Hoping it makes a full recovery!

Spring Times

While I waited to talk to some people at Joe Basil Chevrolet this afternoon, I was visually and aromatically stimulated by the fresh flowers on every table. I have to hand it to the dealership, all the customer pandering is effective. With Tony Cich's agreeable assistance I bought another Trailblazer. My third one. Melissa buys my '08 for a good price and I get a Black Cherry Metallic '08 with less mileage, Bose system and a sunroof. Everyone is happy. 

Between the car shuffling decision and an active union rep week I am exhausted. 

Injustice is probably my biggest pet peeve. Watching it happen is like standing in quicksand. One year ten months seems like a sentence at this point. 

77 degrees today! Sat on the deck while I removed thread and papers from lots of hexis. Read a bit. Felt good to be outdoors listening to the spring peepers. 

My precious Mela is quite the curious critter. Crawling and standing and reaching and watching....a mind in constant motion. Love her so dearly. I am pleased to know she will be riding in a vehicle with some armor soon. Safe baby = peaceful gramma mind. 

Apparently I won a basket from the Amherst Quilt Guild quilt show I visited yesterday with Julie & Val! Naturally I spent over $50 at an awesome vendor booth. This booth is a favorite at shows. They sell international fabrics. I bought more of the subdued Japanese fabrics, a packet of colorful silks and a gorgeous piece of Mudclothe. They will be missed when they retire next month. 

I have learned:

     1.  Chevy makes the Trailblazer in

           Canada and Mexico still. 

           Appatently the emissions 

           standards don't meet the U.S. 

           guidelines. Too bad. Looks good s

           still. 

     2.  Chipmunks or mice made a cushy 

           little nest under my carberator

           with some garage insulation. 

           A few years ago they made a nest 

           in the glove box. Resourceful. 

     3.  I need an edgy challenge to make 

          art quilt. 

     4.  Bullet casings are the next addition 

          to my Deployment quilt. Cool. 

Today.

A Today's Fiberista meeting was def a good one! Sue lead us in tessallations. I wasn't so sure I was that interested in them but after today's lesson I'm sure I am! 

Sue introduced us to Tessellationmaniac.com ( think that's right) 

We all got to play and save some things we manipulated in the easy to use program. I can try yo poet some things I saved at a later date. 

Check out the free preview of that program. We are all investing in a CD to have and play with. Thank you Sue for introducing us to this coolness!

I made the trek to Penn Yan to pick up my cleaned and tuned up Bernina. Tracy J was kind enough to bring my dirty machine in to the Amish dealer a month ago. While I was there I indulged my desire to own the felting needle apparatus and the guided 1/4" foot. I am so happy to be in posessuon of the two of them!! 

Love this pic of Michael with his boy baby Ace! Ace is a very we'll behaved little Golden. I'd even consider having a dog if he could be Ace! Michael has been sucked in hook, line & sinker for this guy. Just wait til Madison comes along. Daddy won't know what hit him!

Mela, in two weeks, has grown... Crawling faster .... Makes more weird noises with those lip & tongue and become even more adorable in the last few weeks! I missed seeing her. I fed her and goodnighted her last night. Love holding her when she's down for the count. Moving and shaking is her primary goal now. 

I have learned:

      1.  Alice Hoffmans new book, " The Museum of Extraordinary Things" is proving to be a great read.       

           Love Hoffmans books. This one seems less ethereal than her usual. Love the early 20 th 

           Century NYC in this book. Makes me want to do research 

     2.   Stephen King makes an appearance in "Sons of Anarchy" season three, second episode I

           Believe. 

     3.  Still coughing. Ugh. 

     4.  Looking for more online quilt class info. 

     5.  Mmmm. Starburst. Old school. 

A Little Skulliness

Quick show of my skull piece progression for CPS challenge. It's a mixed media challenge so I know I must use something else besides fabric and thread. Not sure what?  A charm?  Paper?  Paint? I have decolourant stenciled skull and embroidery. Hmmmmm. Thinking. 

 

Home late Friday from Fort Campbell visit with Michael & Jenn. All week I tried to ward off an illness. Well Friday was the worst turning point. The pressure in the plane was not cool with my head. My ears cracked. I couldn't hear. Weird. Progress into lungs. Bronchitis. Again. Annually it appears. Meds. Sleep. Reparation. 

Winter winter go away. 

Mela is a Painter!

When I went to see Mela Wednesday after a meeting, I was gifted with her first painting!

I love it. It's hanging in my kitchen already. Seeing her little finger marks across the canvas make me smile. Mela's great grandma on Dave's side was a painter. I mentioned before that Mela will be creative. Fabric. Paint. Whatever. I want her to have that comfort and desire to make things. 

The last three days of work have nudged my medicated blood pressure up a titch. Locating gas lines is stressful. I cannot edit for the final day I spray yellow paint on the ground. 

I'm not sure who's more excited about my visit to Tennessee.... Me or jenn!? 

I arrive in Nashville tomorrow at 1:30 pm. 

Michael has a couple days off snd jenn is on break all week. She's already scoped out a new junky place for us to troll!

I have learned:

     1.  Eating no bread is not as dreadful

          as I thought it would be. 

     2.  Yume Asian Cuisine is open in 

           Batavia!  Sushi. Thai. Mmm

     3.  "The Interestings" by Meg Wolitzer  

          is proving to be a good read. 

     4.  Not sure if I mentioned this before..

          "Sons of Anarchy " is good. 

          

Lancaster AQS Show Adventure

TracyJ, Martha & I drove down to Amish country on Thursday, finally finding snowless roads quite a ways into Pennsylvania. We managed to get to the show that afternoon to see my Ice Crystals quilt and a bit of the show before they closed at 6 PM.

 I was not disappointed! While there were plenty of very intensely worked pieces I didn't feel like mine didn't belong. The winning quilts were spectacular. There were many entries I saw with no ribbons that I thought were equally deserving of a prize. I know judging is in the eyes of the three appointed judges. 

The show was a feast for the creative soul. SAQA had a great inspired display. The Quilts of Valor that hung on the second floor were awesome, at least two of which were made by men. A modern quilt challenge on third floor was another good special exhibit. I thought I was going to be able to see The Twntmakers of Cairo against but only their quilts were on display. 

The pic above is a time capsule diner in Lancaster. Delicious breakfast before we headed to Intercourse PA for a 2014 version of Amish country. Zooks, a well known Amish fabric store, nailed the last screw in our credit cards and a visit next door for a hot pretzel rounded out our quilty weekend. Fun was had by all!

My grandmother, Melissa's great grandmother, knit many a sweater for her when she was little. These two are still around and quite wearable! 

Melissa asked me to replace the buttons so our Mela can wear them! 

Each cardigan is missing one of the special buttons my grandmother picked for them. 

It am happy to see Melissa embracing some vintage baby style. 

Laptop still down but I realize I need to get it fixed. I prefer posting to this blog on it since the Blogger app is not all that user friendly and I cannot post links on it either. For now it will have to do. 

I have learned:

     1.  Just started reading "Grain Brain" as recommended to me by Tracy. I know I will learn much 

           about food and health. 

     2.  I found this email in my junk. I don't remember what I submitted!

     3.  An octopus has three hearts. 

     4.  A giraffe has the same amount of verteabre in its neck as a human does. Theirs are just bigger. 

     5.  A rhinoceros sweats red. 

     6.  The last three facts were imparted on us by a former South African as we were shuttled to our  

           car on Saturday. A quite interesting man. 

More Collages

               "When You Swim with the Sharks"

                       "Flocking Together"

              " In Touch with His Feminine Side".                                                                                            

Last weekends Quilt Away in Silver Lake was all I'd hoped it would be. I posted the Improv pieced cross piece I started already. Julie brought collaging materials that I couldn't resist! I spent hours cutting and pasting with her, creating the three finished collages on playing cards above. I love them! Love making them. 

Julie makes her collages with design elements in mind because she scans them into her computer to manipulate in Photoshop for her work. It's her forte. She is masterful at design. 

I make mine more as a narrative. 

So I have the iPad up and running. Easy. It's just like my iPhone. I do need to have laptop fixed since Linda & Laura Kempshal's DMTV is not iPad friendly yet. I also can't access all emails and junk emails. 

Living and learning. The graphics on the iPad are awesome. I love that. 

Melissa hit a pole at 30 MPH yesterday avoiding a collision with a woman that cut her off. Airbag deployed breaking her glasses. Seatbelt bruised her. Cuts on knee and hand but no concussion or internal bleeding. This was at 1in the afternoon. I watched Mela while Dave met her at hospital. When I left I told her I was glad she didn't die today! This is the humor of my family. We all get it. But, truly, I was glad. Mela needs her mommy. These are the calls no mother ever wants to get. 

I have learned:

        1.  Watching "Sons of Anarchy" on Netflix. Very good. 

        2.  Going to Lancaster AQS show with Martha & Tracy Thursday! I am excited to see " Ice 

             Crystals" hanging there. 

        3.  I am officially under two years til retirement!!!!!!! Then my real life begins. 

        4.  Madison is growing! I get to "feel" her in a couple weeks!

        5.  Michael has re-upped for three more years in the Army. He has a plan. 

        6.  Diana Anderson Radley is the best massage therapist around here. Do yourself a favor and 

             make an appointment. She is on West Main St near Tully's. When will insurance companies 

             realize massage in medicinal? I am going once a month for a better me.