Just for fun

Hope you have a lovely day! I will return after my hospital visit. Please visit often, I promise to give updates!

Quilt in Process - Step 1

The actual first step is not pictured here, and it took a few months! 1, think of an idea. 2, shop for fabrics - in stores, and in my stash. 3, work out the details of the actual design. 4, procrastinate while working on other projects, waiting for the muse (see blog title) to hit me. 5, THEN, start cutting strips. This shows about half of the fabrics chosen for my project. I like scrap quilts, can you tell?

My finished quilt project will have very long (the length of the quilt) strips made up of crosswise short pieces. I have decided to piece the short pieces into little units of 2, 3, or 4 pieces, and then arrange them on my design wall into a pleasing arrangement. By doing this, I can chain piece! (see below)

Then, you cut the units apart...

...and press them flat, pressing the seam to one side. This is done many at a time.

This is the completed center of my quilt. I pressed the long seams, between the rows of pinks, open rather than to one side. Gave a much flatter appearance. I am pressing toward the pink, as I add on the white borders. Step One is complete!

My Grandma's Car

We spotted this beauty a few weeks ago, at a Friday night car show in our neighborhood. It is a DeSoto, I don't know the year, but I would guess late 50s/early 60s. And, it's just like one that my Grandma Johnson had - except hers was "midnight blue", sort of a deep blue-purple color. I remember that if you rubbed up against the car, some color might rub off on you! It is just an elegant car, with all of the great chrome on the front, and of course the finish on this car is polished to a mirror glow. I hope I drive a car this cool when I'm a grandma!

The background gives a bit of a glimpse into our nice little downtown area - a variety of shops and businesses, people walking about, walking their dogs, enjoying the evening. You can see the water tower in the background. We are lucky to live in a very nice town!

Studio - After and Before

Ok, so I am still learning adding photos to blogger - they don't always end up in my preferred order. This is the AFTER picture. I got these nifty new shelves just for my fabric. Everything is now orderly and not falling over!

This is also the AFTER picture. I have a nice batik curtain to keep out some of the dust and light. Cute photos of Hannah on top.

This before photo really shows why I needed an upgrade - my attempts at dividing the shelves worked for a while, but everything was about to tumble! Now, this taller shelving unit (which is super sturdy) is now used for books, and boxes of supplies.

Before shot. The AFTER is so much better!

The H Word

I have been avoiding talking about "this subject" for a while. One, it is not pleasant, and two, maybe then I wouldn't have to think about it. But no more time to but it off! I am having surgery tomorrow, perhaps the most common surgery for women of a certain age. Yes, that's it - a hysterectomy. It is elective, no cancer or bad stuff, it just becaue apparent that it needed to be done. And right away. So - tomorrow is the day, I like my doctor, I'm going to an excellent hospital, and all will be well. Mostly due to the folks you see below. I have a wonderful family, who will be sustaining me with their love and care. I have heard from old and new friends, some of whom are bringing in meals! I am truly blessed. And I just heard from a very special friend, who sent me the most beautiful and positive message of all. I know I will be ok, and while I will be off work for 4-6 weeks (!), I plan to keep blogging as much as I can.


My beautiful family: Mark (Hannah's boyfriend), me, Hannah (daughter), Scott (hubby), Emily (daughter), John (my brother), and Collin (my niece). Aren't they cute?

Time flies!

This is my younger daughter, Hannah, about 1 and 1/2. Isn't she a cutie? This is over 18 years ago! Hannah just turned 20 this month.

And here is Hannah today - still a cutie, but all grown up - happy and strong and confident. She is so talented, she is a singer, a junior, majoring in music education. I'm pretty proud of her, can you tell? So - does that mean that I am 20 years older, too?

Kristine's a Star!

Last Saturday night, we saw "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" at the Metroplis Theater in Arlington Heights. Starring in the role of Olive was our friend, Kristine Burdi. She was outstanding! It is a really fun show, with lots of great songs, and some audience participation, too. I did not know what to expect, as I had never seen the show before. It was really fun, and funny, and we loved it! The production was very professional, and I would highly recommend it to one and all. Go Kristine!