Blue Star Service Flag

I ordered a Blue Star Service Flag today from the American Legion. I will be hanging it in my front window soon. Michael is set to deploy to Afghanistan next week. This is much sooner than I had anticipated when he left for boot camp on February 7th. His bags are packed. Not sure if it will be Sunday, Monday or Tuesday. It is naturally, causing me much turmoil. He will be there for 9 months.
This emotional drain, coupled with my impending return to work in a few weeks, is taking a toll on my usually good coping skills. I have realized just how difficult it has been to deal with a vengeful manager for the last few years, that now has put me in his cross hairs. I am anxious about what will happen next.
With all this on my mind, the five weeks since my last post have slipped by.

Brown bag Challenge

My guilds 2nd Brown Bag Challenge. I had to use a natural colored coffee filter...traced the birdcage on it and stitched using as pattern, left inside cage. An unusual fabric was the second prompt we included...the gauze under the bird. I used green floss to cover the washers that were also in bag. I used the wine cork (in bag) to stamp the black circles.

A tassel, the cat fabric, the dryer sheet (I dyed with DynaFlow dye), were in the bag. This is also where I worked in the 1st prompt...Add a straight line. Oh, and the whiskers are from a gold cord in the bag.
I was one of the people responsible for gathering all the unusual bits for the challenge. Elaine and I admittedly made it quite a challenge. We had over half of the participants finish and what an creative bunch of projects! Seeing what others do, especially the ones I know that have a hard time going outside the box, is just thrilling for me! I give kudos to every brave woman!

I did hand quilt it..you can see a little of it in the sun streak. My sister likened it to Sylvester and Tweety. I don't like cartoons, so it will just be called "Harmony".

With the quilt show coming up in October, I think we will wait for the new year to run another challenge. We all have much finishing to do!

I have made much progress in the Leaning House challenge Thearica is hosting on HGTV message board. Loving it! I have quite a bit of work to do yet, but this could be a favorite for me. I have til August 15.

What a beautiful summer we are having. My little deck has been my living room every day, sitting out there reading. The bee's and hummingbirds are frequent visitors, checking out the trumpet vine blooms. 

Waking early and stressing about going back to work is already plaguing me. Being away from the unfortunate management treatment of employee's has made me realize how hard it has become to deal with the daily grind. Literal grind. Like a mortar and pestle. 3 years, 8 months and 1 week, minus vacation and holidays...til I am retired. In my 33 years I have never known the company to harbor and encourage anyone like this guy. I do however, remain hopeful he will get what comes around. 

I have learned:

1. Michael will be deploying to Afghanistan on September 3rd or 5th. He is glad to do his job. I am thinking like the mother of the boy that I comforted years ago.
2. Melissa had an interview in Buffalo for Special Ed in elementary grade level. Hopeful one of the many schools in the city call her.
3. Good Friday evening really talking with Sandy. She continues to feel well. 
4. The Glass Castle. Good read. 

creating my own free-form quilt

I have been looking at this book, create your own free-form quilts,  by Rayna Gillman for a little while now. Well, I bought it and read it from front to back. I already work the way she encourages us to...intuitively....improvisationally...with no plan when you begin. I was first exposed to a similar process in Nancy Crow's class 2 years ago, the making of "fabric" from other fabrics. Nancy Crow actually had formula's and we were more precise, using width of strips measurements. Rayna Gillman is more carefree. I love carefree! I love that she asks you to combine commercial fabrics, hand dyed and your own painted, altered fabrics. I grabbed all of them and sewed a dozen segments up in no time. If you look closely, I have used my own hand dyed fabrics, discharged fabric, painted and stamped fabric from a workshop, Nancy Derse fabrics and hand dyed fabrics I bought. Don't know what I will do with them. Rayna calls sewing these segments, therapy. Stitch some up and save them for just the right project.

Thearica challenged us on the HGTV message board, to do something with this picture...

Hmmmm. I signed on many months ago. Then I UNsigned up two months ago. Well, my name was still on the list, so I thought about it. I did have an idea. Will it work? I'll try. Trace, enlarge....and.....I can't say what I did next! I can say I like what I have done so far. The stickler here was that it had to be 36" x 36" minimum. For me, that is large. I do have the top done. I rather like it!

So You Think You Can Dance has stared another season. I love this show. Every show has at least one memorable routine. Shazam, the free iPhone app, is called in to duty at least 3 times per show. Good music. I love Amelia for the female winner. Will is adorable and I am hopeful he improves each week to be the male winner.

My foot is healing nicely after my heal release surgery to relieve pain from plantar fasciitis a month ago. I have a shoe on at all times now, no more big, luggy boot. I am still using crutches, but can put 80% of my weight on it. When I don't put my shoe on for my nighttime bathroom run, the incision pulls and I walk on the outside of the foot. The heal is still very sore and tender. I am attributing that to the trauma of slicing a bit of the muscle out.

Michael and Jenn are getting in to a routine as newlyweds at Fort Campbell. Michael has been informed he will be deploying in 2-3 months, to Afghanistan. This is his job.

Melissa has an interview next Tuesday with Buffalo public schools for a Special Ed position. We went shopping to get an interview outfit today. In my heart I know she belongs in an urban setting. She would be an asset to their program.

I have learned:

1. Project Runway starts another season tomorrow night! Yay.
2. How to use itunes and download a CD to itunes to put on my iphone. 

Vintage Quilt & More...

This is just a portion of a vintage quilt I have hanging on my clothesline, airing out in the yard. It is truly beautiful. I ended up taking it home after our guild meeting in May. Someone had left it on our "Free" table. No one took it. I did. I left it in that bag for weeks, til one day I thought of it and pulled it out. It does have an unpleasant odor. I need to check out ways to clean it and purge that odor. If you know of a way, let me know. This quilt may be the inspiration for my next quilt using....these hand dyed fabrics!

Yesterday my guild held a dying workshop with Val Schultz. It was awesome! I have not dyed fabrics using Procion dyes before. I have used Rit Dyes and Koolaid! Each piece is approximately 1/2 yard, so I have many yards of very usable fabrics. I can understand how people get hooked into the dying thing. Some people used Mason jars and were able to get two colors in a piece of fabric. Mary Lu made a most wondrous piece that had a mustardy yellow and aqua. I covet it! Val left the remaining mixed dyes with us so we all are going to gather again soon to make more delicious fabrics. Thanks to Tracy and Lori, our workshops chairs, for scheduling this inspiring class.

I have been off work for a couple weeks. I had Heal Release foot surgery to hopefully eliminate the painful affects of Plantas Fascitiis. I am lugging around a glamorous black cast with crutches. My bathing routine is interesting, as I have had to keep the foot out of water. But, I can drive! It is not my right foot, thankfully. Using crutches is a tiring endeavor. I have weeks of recovery left. Yay! 

Jenn's 24th birthday was this past Friday. Her and Michael celebrated in nearby Nashville. After buying her a pair of  cowboy boots, they spent the night visiting the honkytonk's, including Coyote Ugly where Jenn danced on the bar and somewhere else that drew Michael to the stage 4 times to sing country karaoke! Jenn sent a video....it was the best thing I have ever seen! 

I finally made Jenn the bag she has been asking for using the fabrics I bought in February. They were Old World. I made the Charlotte (called this because she's the one that has shown all of us how to make the bag at guild)! bag. Not a good picture since I had to use my phone. Apparently I left my camera in Pam & Jim's car last weekend. 

I especially love the surprise of the lining fabric. These bags are relatively easy to make, but look complicated. Very useful. Jenn loved it.

I am taking advantage of my time by finishing my many UNfinished quilt projects for the fall quilt show. One quilt bound and sleeved....check. A couple more sleeves to tackle, a little more binding on my jacket and a few quilts that need more attention. I also have at least two items to complete for out silent auction. Tracy and I are in charge of that. The proceeds from it go to the VA in Batavia. We accept any handmade items. 

Mary Lee showed us her latest picture quilt a bit ago. It is her and her sister when they were young. It is incredible. She is a master at this technique. I love this. Notice the dimension on the dresses. 

There are pics of Noni & I floating around that look just like this!

Check the shoe detail.

Mary taught us the process earlier this year in a guild workshop. I need to revisit my piece.

I have learned:

1. Phoebe in Wonderland a charming movie.
2. Kill the Irishman, an excellent movie based on a true story in the mid 70's Cleveland. Mob wars.I love Mob stories.
3. Machine Gun Preacher, another story based on true life. Gerard Butler was the catalyst for picking that one, but a very interesting movie.
4. I need a couch. I have had a loveseat only, for over a year. Found one on Macy's on sale. I am a little hesitant however since Fiona tends to scratch. Thinking....
5. Finally closing on my refinancing tomorrow. I began the application in March. Going from 6.25% to 4.1%. Happy in the end. 
6. Your reminded you live in the country when awakened by a fox/coyote catching/killing a rabbit outside your bedroom window. Disturbing.
7. "Somebody That I Used to Know" Love this song...more for the playful sound than for the lyrics, but the lyrics are universal...we have all been there.

Wedding Day 6-8-12

We had a wedding! Michael & Jennifer Everett married on June 8th, 2012. Michael wore his Army dress uniform for the ceremony and pictures. Love this shot. They have a few on the tracks and along came a train...cool photo op.

Brandon, Bill. Alan, Michael, Connor, Colin and Matt.

Hard work being all dressed up....heels, ouch...hair styled...jewelry.  But I think it all worked out!

After much fun that night, Michael reported to Fort Campbell, Kentucky the next night.
Jenn will be joining him tomorrow in their new digs on base. I look forward to visiting soon!

The Keeper garter

Jenn asked me to make her keeper garter for the upcoming nuptials on Friday. I used tulle on either side of the upcycled light blue velvet belt. I was trying to come up with a way to make a charm quickly. Shrinky Dinks came to mind. Of course none was to be had in Batavia, but my friend Jody heard my mulling and so kindly found 2 sheets, a Celtic knot heart stamp and the dye that needs to be used on the plastic and mailed it, asap, to me from near Chicago!
I spent the morning last Sunday playing with it all and came up with these...

The "Love Wish Dream" and the stars are from Tim Holtz stamps. The Jun 8 2012 is a cool new vintage style stamp from Smash, all of which I found at Michaels. The Celtic knot is a nod to our heritage. My dad Michael Darcy was from Leitrim, Ireland. The stars are for the Army. I wish for them love and always have a dream. Playing with this shrink plastic was a blast! I want to try so much more. I want to color it. In a recent issue of Country Living magazine I found this bracelet. It's what made me think of this charm idea in the first place.
My soldier is home for a week! Nice to be able to give him a big hug each day I see him. Each day is full of things that need to be done for the wedding Friday. Jenn's mom had both families over for a cookout, which turned into a cookin, since it rained all afternoon.

Michael and Jenn were pretty tired after Michael's bachelor party last night. Michael imbibed and Jenn was the DD for him and his buddies.
We are all looking forward to a good time Friday!

A friend of mine, Phil, brought this treasure for my viewing pleasure!

Back in the 1970"s a woman that patronized his family's diner in Batavia made this quilted wallhanging for his parents. It is a real gem. All the fabrics are corduroy and calico's. I imagine them to be repurposed. The woman recreated the layout of the diner, using satin stitch on a machine to applique all the features down.

This would be the cash register! Much work was put into this piece. The most disheartening thing is that the woman did not sign it. Makes me realize I have to make sure to go back and sign all the pieces I still have around. I just never get to that part. I hate the finishing! But it may matter to even one person in the future, that I made something. What a great memory keeper this wallhanging is.

Last month we had Mary Diamond give us a trunk show and workshop on threadpainting. Her work has been in magazines, books and national shows. You may recognize one of these.

She is a very gracious, talented woman. I love her work.
The workshop was an exercise in making a composition and threadpainting to finish the piece off. It was a fun day. Here is mine...

Mary provided the background and many floral fabrics to choose the flowers that made up each piece. I am very pleased with my choices and thread work. I am not a fan of the yellow backing. Not sure what this will become yet!

I have learned:

1. I love my iPhone every day! I found WordFoto, a cool app that lets you add words to a photo. Love this.
2. Contraband. Good movie with Mark Wahlberg.
3. All pre-op's done...EKG, bloodwork, physical and foot prodding done. I am putting all my hopes into this surgery, that I will be able to walk without foot pain and discomfort. June 15th, ready to roll.
4. Another great app.....Shazam. You know when you hear that awesome song in the movie your watching? Or your in a store and you hear something really catchy? Pull up Shazam and it listens and tells you the song, who sings it...you can even buy it off iTunes right away. So cool. I have used this app A Lot. 

Challenge #2

I participated in the 2nd challenge on HGTV message board in which Lori stashbusted and sent all of us a bag full of scraps in our chosen colorway. Of course, I chose black. I am very dark! She did include some white as well. The challenge was to use the scraps and only solid colored fabrics to make something quilted. My first idea was to improv piece 3'' X blocks. They were not working. Then I received an issue of Quilting Arts in the mail and read the article on quilt block therapy and knew I would use this technique of sewing strip blocks, slicing them willy-nilly and inserting a strip of color. This allowed me to use the smallish scraps too. When I put them together they resembled buildings. Why, you may ask, did you choose snot-gold-green as Mary Lee calls it, for the "sky"? Why not? I love the color and it was solid....adding the red strips gave height and definition to the skyline and much needed contrast. Since the green is a linen, I knew I wanted to do some of the Kantha stitching I love on it.

The buildings were machine quilted in close stitching lines.
This project was a fun exercise in creativity.
I call it "Smog"

Michael comes home for 10 days on June 2nd. Which is good since his wedding is the 8th. He will be going to Fort Campbell, Kentucky on the 11th or 12th. So much happening this year! He is looking forward to being home for a little bit. I do miss him being around. Maybe he can take a turn on the mower and weed whacker for me.

Guild day this past Saturday. I missed last month since I felt it more important I be in Oklahoma for Michael's boot camp graduation! I felt like I had missed so much in one month! We had Mary Diamond with a trunk show and a workshop on threadpainting after. Her work is beautiful. She has been published in books and magazines, showed in national shows. A retired high school teacher, she is very gracious. I will have pics soon.

I have learned:

1. Connor broke up with Darcy today. 7th grade heartache.
2. Refinancing is the pain in the arse I thought it would be. Appraiser came last week. I washed the letter from the bank's lawyer asking me for more info. And of course the rate is .3% lower than my lock-in rate. 
3. Today would have been my dad's 75th birthday. I actually miss him more now. 
4. I love my iPhone. I do need some tutoring on the music opportunities though.
5. I need Pillar & Post....massage, outdoor hot spring in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada. 
6. How cool is this light from Apartment Therapy? I love it.