A few odds and ends

First of all, Jim finished his painting and I have been neglecting to post pics of it!

It turned out wonderful and it's hanging in Jim's office. It's sharp. :-)

And at the quilt shop this past weekend we did another mystery quilt. It was alot of fun and they came out great. I will post pics of that in a later post, but a woman did bring her quilt in for Chris to quilt on her long arm machine. It was stunning.

This picture does not do it justice, the fabrics were wonderful and the workmanship was excellent!

What I want to accomplish this weekend

Yes, it's finally Friday. And we have a three day weekend. I have some goals for this weekend. Just things I want to get caught up on. Like get all the junk mail shredded that I have been putting on top of the shredder, and I want to shred some of the old bills. Time to clear out for the new year! I want to sew 10 more blocks for my Peace Quilt. I want to finish reading A Spoonful of Poison. I want to work on a prayer shawl. I want to work on the entrelac socks. We will also be going to 4 hockey games. I think I can work on the prayer shawl at the games, it's just K3P3. Oh, and I want to get ready for the mystery quilt class next weekend. There is some homework. Boy this list is getting long! We'll see what I accomplish by the time I go back to work on Tuesday. Stay tuned for pics!!!!

Entrelac knitting

I picked up the Winter issue of Knitter's, and the entrelac sock pattern just looked like a fun thing to try. The pattern is by Sandi Rosner, and it's good. I have never tried this technique before, and it's coming out very well. I wish I had used a different yarn, and I think I will try a handpaint next.

Up here in the north it is cold. And getting colder. Our new washer was delivered today, the old one died on Friday night. I have to let the new one sit over night to warm up before I use it. I have pulled all the curtains shut to keep the heat in the house. I'm bundled up with a quilt, sipping coffee and waiting for NCIS to come on. Shadow has discovered one of our Christmas gifts, a sherpa pillow. I had leaned it against the dresser and it slid down. Didn't take her long to figure out that was a good comfy spot.

Funny, when it's on the bed she doesn't pay any attention to it. Silly cat.

Finished up some projects today!

I finished up some projects today and it felt really good! I made new pillowcases for the boys, fish for Zac and hot wheels for Brad.

I made a purse,

And here is how far Jim got on his painting today,

I mended a sweater for Cheryl, 2 pair of pants and a t-shirt for Jim. I have no idea what got in to me today!

And then there were 8

I worked all day on blocks for my Peace Quilt yesterday, and I finished 8 total. 90 to go. And I am loving every minute of it, I don't know why, but I think part of it is that I have to slow down and think while I am sewing them. Who knew I had such patience!

Paige finished the quilt for Michael, talking about patience. It's very cool,

And then to finish out the day after I got to sew all day at The Quilted Moose (which now has a website, http://quiltedmooseshop.com/) I got to meet Bella.

She is the neighbor's new grand puppy, and she is just too cute. Golden Retriever, about 7 weeks old. And she's a cuddler. :-)

Happy New Year!

Well, it's 2009. I started off the morning with a new quilt. The Peace Quilt. I am using batiks for it, and a cream colored background. I have finished one block. It should go much quicker the more blocks I do, the first one was the hardest, figuring out how it all goes together.

Jim's painting is coming along very nicely. He might work on it today, we aren't planning on going anywhere.

The next picture shows the fog that we drove through to get home the Saturday after Christmas. I have never seen fog that thick. This was the view as we came off the Mackinac Bridge into St. Ignace.

And finally, the last of the Christmas quilts. This one was for my brother. He likes Peanuts, so I collected all the holiday fabrics for a year and made him a quilt with matching pillowcases.

I am hoping for peace in the new year, and also hoping that the economy picks up so that people in need of a job can get a good one, with benefits, a job that will enable them to take care of their families and have a good life.

Christmas Eve

All is quiet here, we've gotten plenty of snow and we are about to go pull the roof for the 2nd time this year. Jim has started a new painting and it's coming along nicely.

We had a nice Christmas Eve dinner, ham and Jim had mac & cheese with his. Kraft only of course. A nice surprise arrived in the mail today, I had ordered Jim a new coat, the one we had bought over Thanksgiving was defective, the zipper was coming out already. So I sent it back and once the credit hit I ordered the new one. It wasn't supposed to be here until next week so it was nice to get it early.

Almost done for Christmas

I am almost done making Christmas presents. And I want to get my knitting basket cleaned out so that I am ready for the new year. I want to get things off the needles, a fresh start in 2009. I doubt it will happen, but I can try. Only 2 more days of work before Christmas and I am very excited about that. It will be a busy 2 days, but it will be worth it. I haven't had 5 days off in a row since before I started working at the health dept. I just hope the weather straightens out so that the family planning clinic for tomorrow goes well. We are fully booked, that's for sure!

Bitter Cold

It is bitter cold here this morning and I would rather stay in than go out. But I shall venture out and get some work done. And it's secret santa this week at work, which is turning out to be more fun that I even thought.
Jim has the flu bug I had last week. He also has finals this week. So he will be on the couch most of the day, after he gives an exam this morning.

I learned something new

I learned something new. I learned what a "flash freeze event" is. And I'm glad that Pat got out of here when she did. It was a rain/snow mix yesterday morning. Which turned to a bit of snow. Went to bed last night knowing that today would be a mess. And it is. The temp dropped quickly and created a flash freeze event where all the water/snow mix on the roads froze. So that made tons of ice. And now they are saying lake effect snow with high winds (the Mackinac Bridge is closed today to high profile vehicles). I am going to get ready and get to work, have a feeling people aren't going to show for their appts anyway. I wouldn't go out if I didn't have to be to work! All the schools are closed except for the University and that is where Jim is. It's finals week and I'm sure the students are really ready to get out of here for the break.

Tonight...

Tonight we had hockey, but before hockey we had chicken & dumplings made by Jim. Yum!

Then it was off to the game with toys.

Three stuffed animals. Then after our team scored their first goal, we ended up throwing them on the ice. The toys go to local charities. And we got to throw stuff on the ice. It's a win/win situation.

And of course the pic of me & Pat together.

And wouldn't you know it, we had matching socks! Opal...mine were made by Lorie when we first moved her, she was concerned that my feet would be cold.

Pat is here!

Pat drove up from Toledo yesterday and surprised me! We took her to dinner at the pub,And then off to a hockey game. Now we're slowly getting around and we'll be headed out to the Quilted Moose so Pat can see the shop, then to Joann's, and a few other places. Jim has promised us chicken & dumplings for dinner, so that's something to look forward to before we go out and go to another hockey game tonight!

Pictures from our travels

We had a great Thanksgiving, got to see family and friends and had good food. I have caught up on the laundry, made up with the cats, and now it's back to work tomorrow. But first, here are some pictures of the quilts I made for Christmas gifts this year. Jim's oldest sister and her husband received this one:
Justice didn't wish to be photographed. This is the back of the quilt, Chris at the Quilted Moose did a musical note pattern.

Next, Jim's second sister and her husband recevied this one:

Gorby has taken over as inspector, Justice was tired after the first quilt. The picture of the back didn't turn out, but it was a floral done in yellow thread. Of course by Chris at the Moose.

Last but not least, Jim's brother and his wife received this one:

All blues. I love blue. The quilts are all queen sized, and I am very glad to have them finished and delivered!

Bargello Mania

So yesterday we did Bargello quilts and it was fun! Spike supervised.

Here is mine, before:

And after:
Here are the others:

The last one is a mini that Sandy did. It was alot of fun, using novelty fabrics and they didn't take long at all. Lots of long seams.

TGIT

Yes, Thank Goodness It's Thursday. That means one more day to get up early this week, and tomorrow and Saturday are both hockey nights. YEAH! The Lakers are playing Bowling Green, OH this weekend, and I am hoping for 2 wins! Ialso have a quilt class at the Moose this weekend, I am making a wallhanging for the guest room.
It was warm enough last night to sleep with the window open, but this weekend we're supposed to get nasty weather. Winter is just around the corner. I am prepared. With yarn and books, I am ready.

Halloween, quilting, and the flu shot

So Halloween has come and gone, and here is my wonderful husband dressed for work.

Pretty sexy, huh? What's not to love. :-) I dressed for work in my Packer's pj pants, jersey and sprayed my hair green. I love green hair, what could be better? Alas, no pics of me.

Today I woke up with this:

That would be my arm after getting a flu shot. I didn't have this reaction last year, but the red area is actually hot, it feels very strange to have just the one spot that hot. A bit sore, but I should be good as new in a few days.

Had quilting at the shop today, and I arrived to find Judy's granddaughter there. She's 3 1/2 months old. A bit drooly, but I could see in her eyes that she appreciated the bolts of fabric.

Ahhhh a future quilter has been born.

Almost the weekend

Last night it snowed, and it was so pretty. I love to twirl around in the snow with my face to the sky. And I love to curl up under quilts and knit and watch movies. They say that when women are pregnant they "nest". I think I nest in the fall. I make sure we have extra's of various things, like hot cocoa, and I'm all set. We have a few movies we have purchased that we haven't watched yet, a puzzle or two tucked away. Plenty of yarn, and I'm ready for a blizzard!
Tomorrow is Thursday and it will be busy at work, and then before I know it, Friday, that magical day of the week where every minute takes you closer to the weekend and 2 days of sweet freedom from a schedule. Although I do have quilting on Saturday, we're making Christmas tree wall hangings. :-)

Feeling better, and HOCKEY!!

I am feeling much better, and now it's going to be Monday and back to work time. Went to see the hockey game today, and here is what happens when our team scores a goal:
(Make sure your sound is turned on!)

And yes, that is a foghorn! We had a good time, and I have been knitting on a scarf for a charity KAL. It feels good to make something for someone that I don't know, just knowing that it's going to keep them warm.

When I am sick...

When I am sick, this is how it is.

I hate to be sick, and Wednesday night I came down with a wicked flu bug. Thursday work was not an option, and today it wasn't either. I have come to the conclusion that there is NOTHING on tv during the day, but thank goodness for the free things to watch On Demand. Watched a very good special on Stonehenge today. Managed to get a shower even and feel a bit more human. Tonight this is what I am doing. Surrounded by cats,and yes, all 3 are on there with me, with my laptop and tea and knitting. Can't quite get warm, have the quilts piled on and the heat pack on my feet under that!

I did get a good surprise in the mail today, I got my prize for completing the Secret Stole. These are just gorgous.

SokBlokkers from Karat Stix. I would like to know what wood this is, so if anyone knows please post to the blog so I know? Thanks! My pictures definately do not do these justice, and I doubt I will ever put a sock on them. After my studio is gutted and remodeled these will hang on the wall so I can look at the pretty snowflakes all the time. I really did enjoy the KAL, and this was a huge bonus.

Now, this picture was taken last full moon. I didn't think any of them turned out, but I like the looks of this one.

I am well on the mend and to the point I am hungry even!

I am DONEEEEEEE

Yes, I have finished my first lace weight project, Secret of the Stole 3. I tried the first 2 and didn't finish them, but here it is, in all it's glory. I LOVE IT!!!

I am very excited and I have fallen in love with laceweight!