What doesn't kill you makes you stronger.

-I don't know who said this!

It is 11:54 pm on Monday night. We were printing 400 flyers for market at 8 pm.

I'm leaving for Houston at 6:00am Thursday morning. 

This is what my printer looks like right now. 

Seriously...only in my life would this happen.....

Chris my new computer guy is here...I knew him when he was a little boy. Now he has a computer business. If he can't fix it..I'm going to kill him and his first grade teacher. I know who she is and where she lives.

I'm going to go pull a beer or 6 out of the fridge in the garage and chase it with a bag of Cheetos. What else can possibly happen to me while preparing for market?? don't answer that question!

Pat

Cliff Notes Blogging

Holey Moley we are leaving for Houston One Week from today!

-Me at 4 am

Here is the truth...I've neglected my blog...I've neglected other stuff. I've left the planet..

This is a cliff notes blog just tryin to keep up.

1. Sleep is over rated.

2. Did you know that you can take a power nap on the screened porch and still multi task. Yup..10 minute nap while getting some fresh air and Vitamin D.

3. You can survive for days and weeks on Cheetos

4. You have a caller ID screen...pre market is a good time to use it.

5. When you need your scanner the most it probably won't work.

6. Brush your teeth in the shower. Time saved. 3 min.

7. Cut down on liquids. Time saved 30 minutes per day. More if you read while visiting the throne room.

8. No photos down loaded to blog. Time saved. TONS

9. No blog posting for days and days. Time saved 45 minutes per day. But depression ensues..

10. No TV no Radio..no books on tape. Time saved any hours per day. Good practice for when they take you way to the "Home".

11. Blog reading. Are you kidding me? Pioneer Woman has posted 182 times since I last read a blog. It is just wrong to read a blog when you can't post your own...That is just wrong on sooo many levels. So how are you?

12. Answering emails... see comment above about caller ID ...the same rules apply.

13. If the doctor calls about your annual visit. They can wait.

14. Don't be late for your hair appointment and mani pedi before market.

15. If the dentist calls to tell you that you missed your teeth cleaning. Tell them you love the new whitening  tooth paste and you will see them in November..prior to holiday photo time.

16. Put the dog in the shower with you...more multi tasking. 

17. Get an absentee ballot. TAKE BACK YOUR TIME! But you must vote..you are a patriot after all.

18. Coldwater Creek has 50% off and no shipping. Purchase new outfits for market. BAM! Shopping in your PJ's

19. If your daughter calls to say she passed her nursing exit exam and lets plan a college graduation party. Go get some Blistex because you are going to get a fever blister from the stress of all this.

20. If your other daughter calls and wants to talk about buying a new home and what design ideas do you have... tell her to watch HGTV.... you are tapped out of designs. 

21. If your son in law calls and tells you his football team is winning...tell him you are not watching world cup this year. (football? futbol?)

22. If your husband even speaks to you...the answer is....after market.

23. When you get to market...take fists full of cash to buy goodies for blogging friends..... because when you get home you are going to have a BIG BAMMA JAMMA give away to celebrate the success  survival of another trip to Houston and book manuscript delivered to Martingale Nov 12th.

Thanks for reading and hanging in there with me I will try to check in before we leave! I miss my blogging friends. (will take computer and camera for some on the scene updates...Silver Thimble Style(you know me I'll be looking in all the wrong places for interesting thoughts on market!).

Project Thimble, the book

You don't stop laughing because you grow old; you grow old because you stop laughing.

-Michael Pritchard

I think about blogging more than I actually have time to post right now. It is just that  "  market"   time of year. Additionally, I am racing toward the deadline for " Project Thimble"   the manuscript is due Nov 12th. Two huge events back to back. This would fall under the category of  " ain't life grand"  .  No sense thinking and whining about all that needs to be done, JUST GET ER DUN. 

There is so much that you don't see about a book when you make that book purchase. Behind the scenes work that the author and publishers do. I have been telling friends of this experience and the best way I can describe it is to say that...It is not like I'm an expert on Abraham Lincoln and I go to the libraries of the world and do some research and then write a book. (all due respect to those writing any book) There is the creative part of a book about quilting that has to go first. That process can be slow..painfully slow..or fast..amazingly fast. I love the process of thinking and working on new designs. I JUST LOVE IT. It makes my skirt fly up. (and sometimes my bra flies right off too, that may be too much information, sorry).

Over the last 6 months or so I have been deep deep deep in that process and have learned so much about myself as a designer and about relaxing and just going with what I felt was right. Remember, I have been designing and making projects for the book and market at the same time. I have roughly designed, written and finished 17 quilts in 6 months (and yes I have a team of angels lending a helping hand). sheeesh I never counted those quilts and projects until just now...hold on I konked my head when I fell out of the chair I need an ice pack. 

ok back to the design story...there are a couple of projects in the book (you know I can't show you!) that I'm so in love with I could just cry. I really love all of the projects but as with any collection there are some that stand out for me. Here is something I discovered. Sometimes the project at the pen and paper stage looks one way, at the fabric and construction stage it looks another. The design of one project in particular told ME what fabric to  choose. My first choice of fabric was waayyyyy wrong and I knew it from the start, my daughter saw some of the sample blocks on the design wall and said " Mom, that is dark and creepy"  when I showed the sample blocks to B,K, and B they pretty much confirmed what I already knew. Start over and get it right. The color and particularly the value choices were key. The design was there and good...but I had to rethink value.  When the quilt was finished and I put it on my design wall I almost cried. It was amazing. The quilt has soooo much movement and ACTION. It is super.

What is the lesson here for all quilters? Well, think about value and contrast when you choose fabrics for a quilt. Do you want "  sparkle." That is best achieved with HIGH contrast. It is not necessarily the design that makes the sparkle it is the fabric and contrast.

Later on Project Thimble....blended quilts ...There's a place for us...somewhere a place for us, deee dah dee dah dah.

Oh by the way...Thank you Lord for delivering those miners back to their lives and families..and thank you for the heros and heroines who worked tirelessly to bring them out!!!! OH HAPPY  DAY!

Experience is what you get when you don't get what you want.

-Dan Stanford

With sewing and writing and general work going on at breakneck speed I still have some great quilts/projects to share from SEPTEMBER Thimbles meeting....and I am about to start the October meetings. Can you send me 20 more hours to add to my day? It would be greatly appreciated.

This is a Santa pillow pattern I've had in my pattern notebook for YEARS. I want to do it soooo badly...maybe I'll just steal Pat B.'s yup that's it!!

Well lookie lookie the whole table seemed to be working on these applique blocks...cutie patootie that is not a panel people...make a note!

And here is one hanging on the quilt rack...aka personal design wall. I carry mine every where I go!

Baskets..oh my how I love baskets...and I'm totally over the moon about little baskets. Look Pat quilted it on her machine with the binding already attached. hmmmm food for thought!

 

 

 

I've got to get a grip on the meal planning around here. I've been so busy I eat while I'm standing up and walking through the kitchen. I never get outside. When I went to the doc yesterday they did blood work, the blood that was drawn was the color of cheetos. The only iron I get is when I'm ironing quilt blocks.. I need vegetables..I need to get some sleep too! Yup this is not so good, but then..I'll think about this tomorrow.(insert Gone With the Wind music) 

Monday Quilts and Computers

Wisdom doesn't  necessarily come with age. Sometimes age shows up all by itself.

-Tom Wilson

I decided to share some great quilts from Thimbles club which I had not posted. I don't understand what is up now, but my photos are taking up to 30 minutes to load onto my blog. I have been trying to get photos for hours. My computer issues are never ending. Facebook account got hacked, Emails are not going where they need to go. Debit card may have been messed with. YIKEES. PDF's are screwy and I can't print my photos and pattern covers...swell.

Oh well, I think I'll just sew and write.

 

This quilt is under construction...I love it, Sarah is making it. It is a cottagy looking Christmas quilt that would be fabulous in my house!! hahaha (look up there in the top left corner you can see the quilt sample from the photo below.

 

This is a not so great photo of 6 blocks we are doing in November. Little Quilts will be kitting the whole quilt for us in two color ways, Whittier Crossing fabrics (Mary Ellen's latest line from Henry Glass)  and batiks. The quilt is from the book "Scrap Basket Suprise"and is called Bali Star by Kim from Magnolia Bay Quilts. I love this book and plan to use some other patterns from the book in our club..in 2011!! Remember this is only 6 blocks the whole top will be ready to show in October. Just you wait it is fabboooo. 

 

I'll be right here if you need me. I'm chained to the computer. This is my punishment for behaving so badly in Best Buy.

A stumble may prevent a fall.

-English proverb

We interrupt this extensive to do list, book writing and fall market preparation.... with a wild goose chase. 

 This little doggie...this precious member of our family for 13 years decided to make a break for it and run like she was on a mission and she was on fire. Bad hips, arthritis, deaf as a door nail,semi blind she gets a crack in the front door and hauls hiney down the street....me on foot with no shoes and a leisure bra on trying to keep up with the little !@#$%^&*($%^&*. Cathy and Suzanne following in hot pursuit in their cars allll through the damn neighborhood.  I'm telling you people you should have seen it. All of us screaming Come here Sophie whistle whistle whistle to a deaf senile dog who was agitated nooo lets just say she was pissed off and confused. She peed in 20 lawns and pooped about 15 times. I still could not catch her. I was sweating and my feet were raw from trucking up the asphalt streets. We called animal control to come catch her (at that point I was going to tell them to KEEP HER AND GIVE HER THE ETERNAL DIRT NAP SHOT IN HER SORRY BUTT. I mellowed when I realized that I would have to explain this to my children. 

Suzanne drove me to my house because my feet were raw, I grabbed a Frosty Paw ice cream from the freezer, my cell phone and some more doggie treats..and got my car. So now we have three cars in the chase. Thank goodness no one had a video or I would be on a U-tube for sure. I really need to invest in some better bras.. 

The ice cream worked I was able to lure the sweetie pie in..snap the leash on her and drag her butt into the car. Went home, hot sweaty and exhausted, with the added bonus of a headache. Sophie collapsed on her pillow and woke up at the stroke of 5 and looked at me, as she does every day, with..." ok mom its 5 o'clock time for my dinner". 

Sir Quilt Dude had played in a charity golf tournament and came home to hear the above story. At eight o'clock he says to me.."  I don't suppose you picked up the poop in all the neighbors yards while you were out did you?"    

He is asleep right now on the porch.. with the dog.