Sundays Must be my 'new' day to Post!

Have I managed to do the 21 days of not complaining yet?? No, not yet, but I have done 2 in a row!!! Today, I am on Day 1 again.... let me get to day 2 again!! And beyond.......

This is an older picutre, I will update it when I get back - but these blks are my leader/enders right now. It takes 30 to make a throw, and I have 30+ made... was thinking I would do 2 throws for my girls for Christmas this year. But yesterday in my room, I thought, make a twin size or bigger quilt...... hmmmmmmmm. Plus pillowcases to match!! Or stick with the 2 throws and make them pillowcaes to match. This is how I get myself to start new projects while in the middle of one!!

Speaking of that - Bonnie Hunter has a new mystery "Roll Roll Cotton Ball" that I was not to sure what I would do. I like her mysterys. Well, fact is, I like her patterns!! And so I told myself I could download the project how-to's but not work on it! What did I find myself doing yesterday?? Looking through my scraps, FQ's and fabrics for pinks and greens!!! The ones I found, I bundled up in a messy pile and shoved into a spot to keep them out of my line of sight!!!!

Right now, I am working on my Chrismas throws and my Halloween spider wall hanging. Period. I am ignoring the fact that suddenly a rope bowl looks like an interesting thing to try (WHAT!!!) and all the mug rugs patterns that I keep seeing would be a quick thing to do.. (for me!?! Quick???! Uh, not so much!!!!) And then I have already bought the Gemini pattern I had seen in the Keepsake magazine. I really like it, and when I went into my LQS and saw it there, I took it home with me! Now, as I sew, I keep seeing the different ways I could make it - Christmas fabrics, how bought Halloween fabrics??, what colours should I use? Bali's?? bright colours like they have on the pattern??? Would flowers work??? Flowers and a solid as it's twin??? I really need to stop thinking of future projects and focus on getting my on the go projects DONE!!! Wow, do I ever have alot of things I have started......... And so many more that I have ready to go. This is something I have to work on. Uh, not starting things, not doing the Projects waiting in the wings!!!!
This is my next project to go to my long arm quilter for quilting!!This is one of the projects that was on my bed before I made myself stop. I have to sew the backing for it anyway, so as I pick up a project, I am planning on having something ready to give her to do..... Get 'em done!!

And I made a comment on my going somewhere earlier in the post. Yes, I am going back to Kelowna. My little sis is going in for an operation and I am going to look after her house and kidlets for her. Granted, she only has the one that needs me, and her older daughter could have done it, if she hadn't had to go in for an emergency operation herself!!!!

So, I am leaving for a week - going tomorrow and doing what I can to help out. The only thing I am not liking much is, Tracey is in Vancouver for the operation, and won't even be home till a couple days before I come home again. And having to do this in Vancouver, away from home and family and friends... I am worried about her. But that is how it stands. Her operation? Removing a kidney. She had major back pain a couple weeks ago - actually had to call her daugher to come and get her, she couldn't drive anymore. Took her to the hospital, and they told her it was kidney stones, go home. She said no, it's not stones. Another Dr. came in, took a looked at her and said, "I am keeping you for tests".

They found a growth in her kindney. Only in her kidney, and 98% of the time it's cancer. The won't check it while inside, that has made the cancer spread, so removale is the only thing they will do and check it when it's outside the body. Why Vancouver for the removale? Faster heal time, no scar and they do it all through the belly button.

This is my fitness freak little sister, healthy from the get go, doesn't smoke or do things like that and is always working out.
And as she is finding out this stuff for herself, that is when her daugher had to go in and have an emergency apendix taken out!!! With complications after!!!! Not funny, but man, It will be nice when everyone is out of the woods health wise in that family. So, I don't know what I will do there, but I will make myself useful and keep things up and running while Tracey is away.
I was planning on going to day - flights didn't work out. Tracey is under the knife tomorrow and I will be at her house tomorrow just after lunch. Flying is fast. Now to rent a car for a week......

So, this is my lates update. Maybe I will get to day 3 of no compaints while away! I will see if I can check in on eveyone while I'm gone. Am not sure about the computer use down there - I heard that hers crashed!!! When it rains...... I do know that they don't have TV, only movies and DVD things. This is a cost relatated reason. I am going on an adventure!! Talk soon!

Another Sunday!!

I got a phone call today, asking if I would come into work - or, go to work I should say, since I opened the store!! So much for a day off!!! I went in and did my 4 hrs, and now I am home, to have the rest of my day - off!!

I have been busy. And it's good. Has anyone read the book "A Complaint Free World" by Will Bowen???

It has changed my life! I am taking the 21 day challange - it is to be complaint free for 21 days in a row. They have purple braclets that will help you with this challange. Every time you make a complaint out loud, you have to switch wrists - so if you were wearing your braclet on the right arm and complained about the weather, or anything!!!!, you have to take the braclet off and move it the the left arm. And start over right from there!!!! My purple braclet is still coming here, it's in the mail right now so I am using a rubber band right now and I have not had one complaint free day yet!!! Today, is still hopeful though!!! Today is day 12 of working on not complaining and since I have not uttered one compaint today I might have ,my first day...... it would be nice - with 20 m0re to go!!!! The days have to be consecutive, so even if I make 20 days, one complaint and I am back to zero!!!! It is a fun challange! And it sure makes you hear what you are saying, and how...... sometimes I have made myself switch arms just because I did not like the tone I used..... Tone of voice says alot of how you are feeling and if you are angry, frustrated, tone will let everyone know it!!!! When I first started wearing the rubber band, I was moving it almost every hour!!!! Wow!!! Now I get asked if I have had to move my band, and I love it when I can say 'No'!! (then i utter something and braclet gets moved!!!!)

What else have I been doing??? Well, last Sunday night, me, myself and I had a little chat - and Monday moring I phoned Barbara, my long arm quilter and I went over to her house. She now has 6 of my projects in her possession!!! And the really scary part of this is, I had 4 more on my bed, that I choose not to take to her + more in my room I had not uncovered yet........

I love to sew little pieces of fabric together, but the reality is, all I have done is made a mess of my room, my brain and my projects! That is the conversation I had with me, myself and I!!! Something has to change. I can not live like this anymore. I need to clear out the clutter and since ALOT of my clutter is projects 1/2 done, I have to fix that! Me, just watches and shakes her head and myself, just tries to keep the peace!!! But we all agreed that something had to be done, so Barbara got the call!!!

This is my Alien top!! it's the 4 patch posie pattern, done 'my' way and I love it!!! Nice and bright and just fun!!! For the backing, I sewed an orange and green strips of fabric long enough to cover the back of the top together - the same material used for the stars and sashing - then I cut a chuck of it off - about 1/3 down the lengh just so it's not in half - then I flipped the fabric over and re-sewed them together: this created a backing that is like an off set 4 patch!!! Now I have a really cook looking backing for this quilt!! (If I knew where I got the idea from, I would make a link!! As it is, it's just a page I printed off of somewhere and I hope I explained it right! I will take a pic when I get my quilt top back, and no Myra, I didn't complete the outside edge stars........

This is the top that started this whole thing going!! Bonnie Hunters project that she had in Quiltmaker magazine - I know I have this magazine with the 3 part project, I just looked at it, but right now, have no idea what the dates are for this mystery so you can go make one yourself!! The backing will be flannel, which when I so happily sewed together the other day to get it back to Barbara, I sewed wrong sides together!!!! Did you know it takes no time at all to sew a backing but it does take alot of time to 'fix' it!!! I am (very) happy to say, backing is ready to go and once I get the other two sewn (right this time!! lesson learned!!) They will all be where they should be!! And I will work on making binding for them!
Look!!! I have this at the quilter already and it's only been a few months!!! Uh, since I want to call this January Stars, now you know how long it's been!! But it's there and it is for me to use when watching movies!! And I love it!! So, only 3 more to go......

I am buying backing from Barbara for this one. And I am going to find the pattern for her too. She liked it, so I thought I would show her what I did!!

This was a fun top to do!!! STRIP TWIST - by Bonnie Hunter!!! http://www.quiltville.com/striptwist.shtml

Love this pattern!! Was looking through the Keepsake cataloge after I gave this to be quilted and found some jelly rolls that I thought would be good for this!! Then shut the book and told myself -"NO!!!" ;-)

(But it would be nice!!! yes, it's been circled in the book, but not right now!! lol!)

I can not find the pic of the last quilt top I have taken in!!! It's the Goose top, I was working on. I have no idea where they are - I know I took more than one picutue!! But, there is the link to some of the blks I made for the now finished quilt top - soon to be quilted!! And, Wow, I was going through my blog to find pictures, and my morning star, I made that in 2008??! WHAT????? Oh my, I really don't have a clue about what I am doing do I??? It is almost funny, but I thought I was working on it this past January..... not a year ago January. But when I think about it, Last year - 2009 - is the year I sewed 20 minutes every day. This year, even though I started out sewing my 20 min. a day, in May, I stopped, so how could I have been working on the star quilt this year!!

Time sure flys! So this is what I am doing right now - November 2010!! (note to self - pay attention!!! lol!!)

What a Lazy Sunday and I am lovin' It!

I was tired last nigt - have been for days, so when I got off work, I was so glad to be done for a couple days! What I didn't expect was to basically sleep till 10 this morning!!! I do not do that!!! My kids were even amazed! (they weren't up yet either though, so them making noise didn't wake me!!! That would have!)

I just felt sorry for the dogs who are fed at 8 in the morning after already have been outside! oops!!

Anyways, I am really enjoying this lazy day, but it only feels like it's about noon - not the 3:30 that it really is - so I am hoping that is not going to be a problem for going to sleep tonight!!

Anyways, I just wanted to show you how much got done on my 'new' project this week!! (If I knew where my stabilizer was for my applique - I might have that done already too, but.......)

So, here is my fun project!! I am using up halloween fabrics plus ones that make me think fall and warmth - eh, I am just having fun!! My 'trick or treat' letters are in purple!! I am hoping I have enough of that orange for the binding, but we will see....... I don't have any other orange that is not really dark (very muddy, yucky!!) or way to bright! hmmm, it's a work in progress, so I will just keep playing. Proof, that I have been in my room!! Next pic, had better be the finished product, or you migh not see me again.....;-)

Guess Who's Back???

uh oh - I did something bad today (and yesterday - which is why I did it again today.....) I went on the computer and looked - I can't believe it, it's been so long..... at blogs. Yes, yes I did. I went and checked out some 'new to me bloggers' and - You won't believe what happened!!!

I found the project that got me into my sewing room!!! It's a Halloween project and I love Hallowen projects!! And this one is a very quick and easy one (which means - BRENDA GET IT DONE!!!!!!!) and I have already been working on it!!!

I will show you something:

It still likes me!!! And it still works!!

All my play things were more than ready to come and play with me when I finally entered the 'no zone' area today!!!

I felt so loved!!

And I had such a good time!!!

Yes, even though I got my big machine fixed I have not used it yet (how can you, when as soon as you get it home - you go on a 'no sewing frame of mind'???)

But I am in my room again, and lovin' it!!!

Do I feel bad for not doing more? No. I don't. I had other things to keep me company. I've started to read again. Which I do not let myself do enough of. Factual book, yes, but fiction??? No. I don't read 'for fun' very often. But I have been!!! I, the kid in me, the one who loves to go places, have adventures and some excitment, has been hidden away for to long. She is showing herself though!!!

This spring, a friend wanted hubby and me to stop at an RV place so he could look at trailers. Well, for the first time ever - I went into a beautiful motor home (I love motor homes!!!) and actually sat in the drivers seat........ Now, I want it!!! And I have been haveing fantasy's about where me and the motor home would go - or should I say, where wouldn't we go???!!

Anyways back to todays project!!!

This is where I went through a scraps pile to look for suitable fabrics for my new project!!

I Found alot of things that will work, and I am glad!! I want it to be fun, and colourful - But, I also want it to look good when it's done!! Some of my fabrics will not be used, but it was nice to look throught them.....

My spiders are going to be black, but black prints!! Each one is different!! I have not decided on the eyes yet - that will be fun!! And I ended up piecing the corners!! Same fabric, but pieces where smaller than needed so..... Waste not want not!! And they dont' have to be 'perfect'!! It's HALLOWEEN for crying out loud!! I want 'fun' not serious!!!

And here are the pieced corners:

And I like how they look. All kinda crazy and such!!

And I really need to lean how to get this to work for me!! When I previewed this post, it was awful, but being here I can't get the pieces to fit together right, or the cursor to be where I want!! Guess I need to blog more - get my skill up. but here is the last picture:

So, along with my long neglected but not forgotten project, Piece & Goodwill, (I was actually working on it as 'leader and enders' as I pieced my corner blocks together!! yeah me!!!) this is the center for my Trick or Treat project!!! And 2 - 2.5" blks to start my sides and top!! Yup, I am going to have fun!! And thanks for being here to share my joy!! I am off for dinner and some House and Lie To Me, them - cutting I guess!!! (my TV has been taken from my sewing room!! didn't miss it till today!!! Wounder why??) lol!! Bye!!