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Wednesday, July 19, 2017

Dog Days of Summer

It has been 4 months and Wow did time fly!  I have been working on improving my health and taking care of myself.  I've also been taking care of grandchildren. The new baby is 5 months old and looks like he is 9 -12 months. He is a big boy.  2 of the other grandsons are here while their dad works 2nd shift and their step mom picks them up on her way home. It's only and hour and a half but they keep me busy while they are here.

I actually haven't done a whole lot of quilting.  I have a few things that I need to get done, but the grands do keep me busy.  Dear Hubby took 2-1/2 weeks vacation and that threw a monkey wrench into some of my plans.  He surprised me(did not tell me) that he was on vacation and that we would be day tripping. I wouldn't have minded if I had known. Once we worked everything out, it was fun.

My guild had a garage sale and I picked up a dragon applique that someone had started.  It is reverse applique and twin size. It has 2 pieces that I will be removing and replacing with a different color.  Other than that it hadn't been worked on.  By the time I add borders it should be double /queen sized.  The other older grand son has changed his mind about 3 times for what he wants. I will work on the dragon and then go from there.

It is 85 degrees and partially sunny at the moment. The humidity is high also.  Thunderstorms and rain possible for tonight.  I'm hoping for less humidity later in the week.

Friday, March 31, 2017

Having fun 2

I may have hit on an idea for my older two grandsons. One likes dragons, I may see if I can have him draw me a dragon or find a free one that I could use and put it onto a quilt.  The other one enjoys my coloring books and likes a couple of the fractured animals.  I may see if I can enlarge and put the animal onto the quilt.  That way they would always know their quilt. 

I'm still working on a modern block and may have found an idea for that too.  I want to play some more and see if I can refine it to exactly what I'm looking for.  It would use 2-1/2" strips for the block.  It would need a sashing or negative space so it isn't so busy.  I'm still working on that issue for when it is all put together.  I may put some solid blocks around to rest the eyes. Back to playing!

Sunday, March 26, 2017

Having fun!

What fun I'm having!  I'm trying to design modern quilts that my grandsons will like.  I figured that it couldn't be that hard.  These boys don't like anything that I have done so far.  I'm getting close though.  One of them has asked me to add some elements and remove others.  I can deal with that.  Some of their color choices are another matter.  I 'm not fond of working with a lot of black.  I'd rather work with something that I can see to quilt on and isn't real gloomy to me.  My younger son just informed his boys that there will be no black.  Once I take them to pick out fabric, I'm sure that things will change anyways.
The whole thing is, that, his 2 younger boys are moving out of toddler beds.  The older boys have moved into bunk beds and the younger 2 will be moving into bunk beds, soon. The older boys swap so that they change every month so that they don't fight over who is in the top and who is in the bottom.  They both will need a full/queen and a twin. The younger two will have twin for right now.

My older son is in process of moving and his boys are going into bunk beds also.  They are also moving out of toddler beds. These 2 will be happy with whatever Grandma Kat makes them.  I hope to have theirs done within the month as they live with dad.  The other four are only there on weekends at the moment. 

Then I can work on new quilts for the granddaughters.  The oldest wants cats and the other two would like fairies.  Much easier than mine craft, wild patterns, seahorses and frogs.

Back to designing.

Monday, March 20, 2017

Happy Spring!

Spring is here!  I'm hoping that the weather will agree. We still have a few feet of snow but there is hope.  I have been dealing with depression this winter and the dark doesn't help.  I have changed all my lights to the daylight bulbs.  It is helping and so is the time change. I'm hoping that I will be able to go walking outdoors soon.  The robins have been very loud in the morning as have the mourning doves.  We put a feeder up to help them get through the cold and snow.  For some reason the birds seem to be a few weeks early this year. 

I haven't had much time to sit and quilt lately.  I'm hoping that I will be able to on Wednesday.  I have a few ideas on a modern wall hanging that I would like to work on.  It would be solids and tonals in swirls and waves.
I have been searching through some of my scraps trying to match a compass block that was given to me.  I would like to add it to a storm at sea quilt in the bottom right hand corner. I may also incorporate a heart into it. I'm just trying to find enough scraps that look good and give me a good vibe.
I also would like to do a pineapple quilt.  It is something that I've always wanted to try. Something else that I could accomplish if I put my mind to it. 

Wednesday, March 15, 2017

Snow

I would have told you a few days ago that spring was here.  My, what a change a few days can bring.  We have snow again.  I was happy that we had grass greening up and the trees were starting to bud.  The robins are back too.
It started yesterday in the wee hours. Snow.  We are at 2 feet and it is still falling.  I'm ready for spring and warmer temperatures.  I want to be able to walk outdoors again and not worry about slipping and falling on ice. The week of spring we had has me wanting more. I am ready for the flowers and leaves to awaken. 
I may have to make a quilt with flowers just so I can see them at the moment.  I'm trying to be patient but this winter seems like it wants to hang on. I'm thinking about putting in a vegetable garden this year.  Actually I think that I will do container gardening as that may be a good way for me to get back into it.  A couple pots of tomatoes & peppers, some carrots and potatoes, maybe some beets. Peas and green beans along the fence and I should be good.  DH doesn't care as long as he doesn't have to til the garden.  If I want that done than I have to have one of my sons do it. Its easier just to put them in pots and then I can take care of them just like my flowers.

A Long Time

It has been a long time since I last posted.  There has been a lot going on. Some good, some not. 
My father has been in and out of the hospital. At least now we know that he has some sort of a blood disorder.  We thought that we were going to lose him as he was giving up hope and didn't want to see any of us. He would ignore us. It has been very hard on me.  The doctors have put him on a new medicine and he is finally starting to feel better.

The older of my sons came home from Alaska. He and his girlfriend had lost their jobs in the oilfield. They worked a couple of part time jobs and they just couldn't make ends meet so they are back in NY. He is in the process of looking for a job again as he has been doing temporary  work. He is trying to go back to school and finish his degree as a paper engineer. I wish him luck.

We have a new grandson.  He arrived on my father's birthday. That means a lot to me. He is a big baby, 9lbs 14 oz. and 21.75" long. He is a little chunky and I love it.  DH held him the day he was born. He has never held any of the grands before they were a couple months old.  Times are changing.  Jaxon is our 10th grandchild and is my younger son's 5th son. His fiancee has a daughter and all those boys are a new experience for the two of them. He only has the other 4 on weekends or during school breaks.

I have had some health issues myself and have spent time in the hospital. I have had a bunch of tests done and I need to have more done. Apparently my heart has an issue and adds a beat sometimes. We will figure it out, I'm sure.

I am trying to get back into quilting. I have made a pretty wall hanging. I have a top done and it needs to be quilted. I'm working on two other tops that I hope to get done for our quilt show in October. I may try some paper piecing to take to doctor's appointments. I also want to start doing hand applique again. It is time to get out of the funk that I have been in and finish some of the projects that I have started. I hope to put up some pictures soon of some of the things that I have been working on soon.


Wednesday, February 17, 2016

Busy Week

It has been a very busy week.  One of my uncle's died and it has been a nightmare. My cousin lives in a different state.  He changed his phone number and we couldn't get a hold of him. He finally tried to get hold of his dad and my dad answered the phone and let him know what was going on.  Just not how we wanted to handle things.  I hope that I don't have to deal with this type of issue again for a while.

No sewing for me and I may not get a chance until Friday or Saturday as it looks right now.  I really need some me time but there is still a lot to deal with before my cousin goes back to Ohio on Thursday night.