Bloggers' Festival....

This small lap quilt is 36 by 51 inches. I made it during a difficult time that I am still recuperating from....a concussion...I have named this quilt, "Scrambled" or My Concussion Quilt.. We had put a chair lift into our home for my mother with Parkinson's Disease. She was never able to use it, but I like to take up the laundry with it. Five steps up, the screw came loose and I fell to the floor. I remember nothing... My husband came home from work to find me unconscious on the floor...and then the saga began...I couldn't work, multitask, sustain noise or light. I couldn't read or watch TV or listen to audio books. But, in the quiet of my room, I could sew. Four months later, I am 95% better. Every time I look at this quilt, I see my scrambled mind and the wonderful therapy of quilting and quilting friends. I see the miracle of healing and I am so grateful.

Today is the last day to enter the festival...I dropped my camera on its head and broke it...but my new I-pad to the rescue..and Sherry to teach me how..

Categories?  Scrap quilt, art quilt, throw quilt

More help needed...

Thank u Rachel for your help...I now have the button for the blogpost. As I try to upload my picture....I get this We're sorry, but you have exceeded your photo upload quota. For more information, check out this Blogger help page. Has anyone else seen this??? Oh, Lordy....I think I have to go to bed...

Two birds of a feather....

Evan and Me:)

A helper in the Halloween decorating dept...

Tooooo Night.....

From this tutorial comes the Charlotte MQG block of the month.  Last week I gave away all my strip scraps...a big basket full.  Why??  Because I was so done with all the potholders and my square scrap quilt. Also...I know that the basket will fill up again in the snap of a finger, or the cut of the blade...Looking around my mess, I fortuitously came upon another basket of scraps...solid scraps.  Serendipity...just what I needed and of course had forgotten all about.  Notice the empty thread spool....my favorite thing...Coats and Clark once again empty.  Tomorrow I am going to treat myself to one of my sale spools of Aurefil...lucky me.

As I finished off, I realized that I had not read the instructions to the end.  So, all the foundation is still on the block...Oh, well.....

Today the electrician came by to assess my lighting needs in my office.  Before he even started, I had him dispose of a dead Palmetto bug in my foyer...just ugh!  As he dutifully walked it to the yard...there was more.  There, on the sidewalk was a mole...the biggest mole I have ever seen...the size of a rat.  He disposed of that too.. I certainly hope that on his estimate, I am not charged for extra duty:).  

Tonight at my quilting group, my friends reorganized my living room.  Such good friends I have.  Just when I thought that all was well and was locking up the garage, I saw a flying bird or bat in the garage and my friends had all gone.  How it got in, I have no idea....guess it is just the season....ooooooo

I was going to forget Halloween this year.  Then my neice told me that one of her 6 year old students, who lives down our street, had told her that our house was haunted.  She said that every year she is scared to come to my  house, but she comes anyway.....Okay dokey....Now I have a reputation to uphold!!

The Day...of sorts..

Finally...after trying so many times and only finding long lines, getting bent out of shape..today I did it..I went to a different neighborhood..so nice, so efficient..in and out in 50 minutes..I am relieved to have this checked off my list...

 I found a package of terry bibs from forever ago....took some 2 inch strips of fabric and 1.75 inches of Wonderunder, did a blanket stitch and now I have my donation for the Guild bazaar gift shop..off my list that is... 

Just got a call from my mother. Her caregiver called for her.  She was in bed from her nap and was crying.  She said that she had thought it was Easter and that the children were there.  She was distraught when her caregiver told her that it was not Easter and that there were no children.  She hates to feel confused. She told me that the nurse helped her do the absentee ballot today.  Well, she has already voted...So, I had to check that one out..The nurse said ...it was the flu shot that she had...How does one confuse a flu shot with voting.??  Anyway, evidently confusion in the elderly happens sometimes when they wake up...sigh...They are bringing her chocolate ice cream and chocolate cake.  That would fix anything in my opinion.

Sit and Sew Process.....

This post is wordless.  I have no more energy.

 It has come to this.....again.....

Quilting with benefits...

Loving on Sunny, Mom's cat of 8 years..everyone enjoying the snowball I made.

 My mother with her favorite Halloween bowl that squeals when you go for the candy....Mom, always the ham...

Sleeping at Grandma's under a Halloween quilt makes dreams the sweetest, maybe:)

Look at me!!! Organized:)

Project boxes from Michaels have made my life so much easier.

See how ready I am for the Sit and Sew on Monday!!  I am now making my neice, Alexis a birthday cake.  She is 26 tomorrow.

Pippin, I cannot find your email address.  My Milito is so happy to hear that your cat is on thyroid meds too...Milito just hated the thought of being alone!!

PS..Judy...remember when you got this for me when we finished grad school....?  I still have it and love it...hugs..

Coping......

1.  Thinking about yesterday's health relapse, tonight I ate all of my husband's ice cream.  And, I ate it right out of the carton:)

2.  I tried to vote early voting, but the line was way too long.

3.  I did some more no-think sewing......I made 20 of these happy string blocks......

 No breaking news....the scrap basket looks hardly touched!

So how did the evening hum along so well??.....all because of Sherry showing me how to do Pandora on my cool and awesome I-Pad...time just flew the no thinking way...  Coping just fine, thank you:)

Dear Emily

Daddy is just sooooooo  worried about his suitcase being overweight.   Daddy is fast asleep.  Guess who is really in charge....again...

My debate....to do or not to do

Next week on the 23rd I am going back to the pool.  Today I practiced just normal living to see what I could do.  I was very happy.  I spent two hours with my mother at her assisted living.  About an hour and a half was with her neurologist in a home visit.  My mother was right on the money.  We laughed and shared and had a great time.  Then I drove to the post office.  It was not till I was on the way home that I got symptoms.  I am not working yet and I am glad.  You know how it is when you feel so good one minute and  your psyche says it will last forever and it doesn't.  Still a great day.

Decided after all those potholders that I was giving away all my string scraps...just not doing it any more.  But, tonight I pulled out some pink batik squares already marked....from one of my project boxes.  Thought I would give it another try.  Here you see my scrap basket by the machine with my ever present helper.

 My Milito says I am disrupting him with all the picture taking!

 Pink squares already marked...you can see the faint lines down the middle.

 Three blocks made assembly line....and I am now re-thinking my former decision...I do love my scraps.  What a little rest will do!

The Good Luck Day...

From Debby comes the joy of the day...quite a surprise, let me tell you...in my mailbox this afternoon.  Not only is she a quilt blogging friend, but evidently she is quite the whiz with lettering and card making.  This handmade card...with....

 a set of these wonderful handmade cards.....all to cheer me up as I recover from my concussion.

Debby is a fine example of goodhearted quilters....just the best.  Thank you so much Debby.  You made my day.

The wise owl

The wise owl says that making 20 potholders at once is not fun.  It may be efficient, but fun is better and it is not fun.  Not fun, but done....TBTG...I see that the owl looks cross...fitting for today...

Went to the vet the other day with my Milito.  Age 14 is evidently the age of the thyroid.  He has lost 2 pounds and looks like a very old man.  Maybe a bit of cancer on the hip and maybe a bit of cancer on the tongue..or maybe not.  Today I was able to pick up a months supply of the thyroid pills to see if that would help my cat.  Sigh...and just sigh again....

Gratitude

Thank you Aunt Emily for sending the cool T-shirts from Ireland...

 I like to read.....

 I am always happy....

 Brothers....so special...

 Hiding from the big bad wolf....

 Big brothers are brave....

 So are little brothers....

 Mommy taught me how to swing myself, in and out...I just got the direction wrong....

I have such gratitude that after 4 long months....I could have this visit with no symptoms, just fatigue...My cup runneth over...

Saturdays Doings

Today was another great day...A fun baby shower (guess who was all ready with bibs and paci-holders and washcloths!!!)...A glorious fall day...and only minor symptoms...I cannot express the joy of even writing that.

 Tonight I have put together 12 potholders...all pinned to bind.  I have 8 more to go...and then I hope to go back to quilting...I am happy that there are project boxes prepared with UFO's...I will think of finishing off my quilts for our March show...later........

I am annoyed with my husband!!

 Well.....My yearly physical is coming up in a few weeks.  I have ascertained that my doctor loves to travel, to cruise and loves cats.  I brought this potholder to my husband and asked a simple, simple question.......hmmm...."Dear, Does this look like a manly potholder to you???"  Now, I ask you...is that not a simple question...would it need a smirk or an incredulous look????  Like potholder and manly were an oxymoron?  Then,  he backtracked...oh, yes it is very nice..he will really like it.....Lordy, I am a saint!!

Potholder craziness begins..

Really, the humble potholder is the perfect present.  If you like it, it can be a trivet or hang on the wall, or you can use it...If you hate the gift, it is still useful.  It uses scraps and allows creativity and making them is a no-brainer!!  Once again, my humble tute is here.  The one below is for Doc. D.  Her husband cooks, he is from India (elephant)...and check out the backing....he teaches economics at a prestigious university in town...

I like to leave the pins in the binding till all the potholders are made. Then I do not have to change threads so often. I can group them in colorways to sew down the binding.

Today was THE day....

All day long, it was THE day...First up PT.  I finished off and got my award for being a good patient (which was a big fat lie)  She said that if I need to whine more, I could call her...my kind of PT!!...Then right on to my concussion guru...who discharged me!!!!!  TBTG  I am 85% and she said I would get better and better..Monday she is leaving for Spain to give a lecture on brains..so I am .Praying here.that this is the truth and not a convenience..  I gave all of them a tissue holder in case they cry missing me... ha ha.

Next to gift this Butterchurn quilt to Dr. D....my mother's Parkinson's neurologist for the past 11 years...she is the best.  No doc on Friday so I left it with the secretary.  Within 45 minutes my cell rang and it was Dr. D....she was happy.... When the secretary called her, she got out of bed and came back to work to get it.   This quilt was made last October when my mother was given three days to live. . I was going to give the doctor the quilt then,....but, in my mother's words,  she missed the train.  Today was the day....Dr. D was down and out with a back injury...perfect timing for the giving of the quilt.  Her favorite color is yellow!

Chatting away with the doctor, she remarked that she was going to call me anyway because she loved the potholders so much, she was wondering if I would make her a few more.  Bingo!!!  Such flattery was just what I needed to start the potholder sewing that I had been avoiding.  This is why....

I have so many potholders to make for holiday giving...I have twenty ready to start now here....But, this is the MESS it makes in my sewing room.  Grandma taught me the clean as you go method, but it didn't take...

Sandy's not an IPad cover

Hi Sandy....I hope that you like the way I made the cover....I just had to jazz it up a bit with this antique button...All done...you can come and get it now....hugs

The Mother and the Daughter....

A little something for Mom and a little something for me!!!!

Thirteen freezer portions of homemade chicken soup for the mother who struggles swallowing with her Parkinsons.....Do I need to say more about the something for me??  !!

Oh Happy Night, Oh Happy Day.....

Last night we had a bday party for dear ol' friend Muggs.  It was a joke bag party since Muggs is an OCD bag lady....sort of like one who irons the Christmas paper and saves it till next year...there is no bag that Muggs doesn't just love...How to have a good time?....just ask our group!!!!

Terri got this bag crochet from grocery bags!!!  A wow moment...

A just any old bag WOW....keep going Muggs!!!

Four candles...I will let  you guess.....:)

And, our techi...Sherry...taking the pix with two IPads at once....you go Sherry...

Laughter makes the heart so much stronger...yeah!  And then as we were eating cake...what happened..that shut me up big time....My friends presented me with a huge basket of treats to help me heal...I mean like fabric and magazine and chocolates...how did they know?????  I told them that I was speechless and they clapped...ouch!!   Today I was better right away...all due to fabric and chocolate and love...I drove the cat to the vet and filled my car with gas and when my eyeglass fell out of the frame, I drove to have it fixed...all because of my friends cheering me up....Gotta rest from all the excitement...sitting in the sun in the Carolina blue....xxoo