Missing in Action

I feel like I have been lurking around lately. I thought that maybe I would check in. No pics in this one.

The orthodontist office is furnishing me with morning caffeine on Monday mornings for 2 weeks in a row. Both mornings before 8am. I also started taking a Bible Study class on Mondays. I tend to post on Monday mornings after the weekend. One reason why I am MIA.

I have never taken a Bible Study class before. As a regular attendee at church, I help out occasionally. I thought it was time to add some more depth to my spiritual journey. My spiritual journey like any other has ups and downs. The age difference is apparent in this group. I am again quite a bit younger. This group has wonderfully accepted my viewpoint. Recently I was asked to be in a play to be put on during the Sunday service. I am working on memorizing my lines.

DH ordered me my own laptop. After longing over my daughter Lola's laptop that showed up last summer I now have one of my own. Little is set up on it yet. I am looking at setting up a new email address to get some of the Hancock's, Joann's, Herrschners, etc. mail out of the family email address. Any suggestions. Lola has lots of opinions but she doesn't like any of mine. Post me some ideas.

No one ever signed up for my class a couple weeks ago. It was a busy time and with the Rosemont show later in the week and Paducah the following weekend, I wasn't surprised. Poor planning on my part. I was a little disappointed, I wasn't surprised. I was however, approached about teaching the class in a neighboring town. I need to get the sample over to my neighbor so she can talk to the person that has pull! I will keep you updated. I still need to pick up the quilt from the shop.

I was home today from work as MJJR has started with migraines. She doesn't get them enough to hit the dr. yet. As the hormones are flowing in her 11 yr. old body, I think it is a matter of time until they get worse. She gets the nausea & vomitting with it.

I hope to be more active than of late.

The handquilting project is moving along well. The outer border needs to have the pattern blown up from the sashing. Haven't done that yet. The software to blow up the pattern is on the new computer, just need to try it out. Another flower needs to be drafted to put in the last light section of the quilt. On a good note, the binding was cut and pressed today.

Just Another Quilter

Design Wall Monday w/ a few extras thrown in

Well, it is Monday.

I am trying to get back into life. Here is my design wall. Looks the same from a couple weeks ago. It is storing my blocks that are pinned but haven't made it through the sewing machine yet. Why you ask? Because my walking foot is on the machine.

At the first of the year our sit n sew group decided to work on a group project. Unsure of where to look for a project, I suggested Quiltville.com. Bonnie has great instructions as we all know and several different string styles available. Our group has grown in the last couple years and with lots of newer quilters these are great projects. Since I was the one who suggested the project, I thought I better participate. A new project really wasn't needed right now, it won't be done any time soon, but it is a quilt that I wanted to make in the future. Most of the ladies are going full steam ahead. One is completely done, one needs binding, at least 1 other top is done. I have 10 blocks done. I decided to try to convert the pattern to a quilt as you go (don't need another top to finish--already have a stack of them). So I moved the current project to the floor. Check out the mess it makes at the machine. My plan is to have blue and white come together for hourglasses between the red stripes.

As always, more than one project is going at a time. The "Sister to the Lodge" is in the final stages of quilting. I don't feel like I have completed anything all year. The class sample is done, but this is the only one. The "Sister" quilt is getting close. Due to work, I don't hand quilt on Mondays and Tuesday, i.e. the need for other projects. After some thought, the beige thread called to me. It is scary putting all those stitches on the red where they will really show.

The other thing that has slowed me down is the need to do a little crocheting. The Sugar N Cream somehow jumped into the cart, 2 dishrags jumped into the drawer a few days later.

The sun is scheduled to arrive in the afternoon with highs in the 70's again. Better get my other work done. The paddle boat is calling for a spin once the sun arrives.

Stop over to Judy L. to see other Design Wall Mondays.

Just Another Quilter

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

Today was a beautiful day. We enjoyed the day with family and mother nature. Some of the yard work is getting done. The paddle boat went in yesterday. Took MJJR out for a boat ride. Got a little exercise. Also took the girls to the bowling alley. I had the top scores of 96 & 74. Enjoyed the morning at church. Service was about having faith. How some of us struggle with faith all our lives, others just take it at face value and just believe. It ties into the fact that Jesus rose. Who believed, who had to see it for themselves and who always questioned.

Here are some pics that show God touched my world today. When we first moved to the house, we put in a magnolia tree by the basement door. The tree was planted in the spring and didn't bloom the next year. We called back and the landscape company supplied us with a new tree. We decided to get a different variety and plant it some place it wouldn't be in the harsh winter elements. Above is the pic of the new magnolia tree planted 10 years ago. Here is the pic of the 1st magnolia tree. We decided not to go to the trouble of digging out the tree. It lost over half of the branches during that 1st winter. After about 6 years we decided that we would dig it up if it didn't bloom in the spring. Sure enough, that spring it started blooming again. Patience & Faith. It is just starting to get blooms. It looks like it will be full of blossoms in a few days!

Enjoy life. Have faith. The best things in life take time.

Just Another Quilter

Similar experiences to a recent post

Recently Windosm Windings of a Wayward Quilter talked of assumptions by others that she didn't have much quilting experience.

This brought me out of a 2 week quiet spell to talk on this subject.

I get this all the time. In March, I attended our guilds quilting retreat. I enjoy going: fellowship, learning techinques, sharing of ideas, making new friends, built in quilt show and getting away from the reality of my life. Who wouldn't love it? I only get to go about every 12-18 months. I really enjoy it when it does happen.

This retreat we had some new faces to me. A quilt shop owner and one of her customers. Our retreat is small and inexpensive. The owner brought half of her store (to sell) and hogged much of the space. This did rub me the wrong way so I do admit a slight bias from the beginning. As I was working on the sample for an upcoming class, I had to work out some glitches (whether mine or printed is still up for discussion) from a book, before I could teach the class. I often talk to myself (comes from working alone on 3rd shift). While discussing a problem with myself, this LQS owner decided that I needed her help because I am young (the youngest attendee at retreat) and inexperienced. Mind you I am into my 4th decade on earth. (I still look young for my age--however about 2 years ago I decided to go gray--I have earned every last gray hair I have.) I did not need help, just time to make the "right" decision. This irked me.
One other woman wanted to copy my book. I said sure you can look at the book but that I would really appreciate if you like the pattern to support me by taking the class. She offered to "proof" the pattern once I get it written. That way she could have a copy and I will have it proofed. What nerve!
Later, the LQS owner was concerned how the quilter I was going to pay was going to quilt around all those 3D mariners compass'. One of the retreat organizers (that has known me for at least 5 yrs.) stepped up and stated "JAQ will have no problem with the quilting, she always does a great job." HA! I just kept my mouth shut.
By the end of Saturday, the LQS was over asking me about fabric designers, design layouts, and weave. (What do I know about that!) I fudged a good answer and used common sense. Boy that makes you feel good.

I do see this in many parts of my life though. At work, I am still one of the youngest on my shift. There are now 3 younger, but only in the last 2 years. My husband is also the youngest at his level. Our friends have younger kids, but our coworkers have older kids. Some coworkers are old enough to be our parents.

I believe this is why I have the knowledge that I do. I go out and strive to gain more knowledge, any way I can. If someone gives me a hard time, I just say I have been quilting for more than 15 years, or that I joined the guild while I was still pregnant with my 11 yr old. When needing help, I try to ask specific questions, this helps curb the "our you lost oh young one".

I hope to get some pics of my current projects in the next couple days. Lola (15 yrs.) is taking drivers ed. She finishes on Wednesday!