Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Merry Christmas to All!

Just a quick holiday posting......Would like to wish happy holidays to all!!!

It's a very snowy Christmas in MI....my hand is now in a nice RED cast to go along with holiday cheer lol...3 weeks of this cast then one more will be put on, full recovery expected in 6 weeks.
I am missing my creative endeavors due to this surgery but know this time will pass quickly.




Tuesday, December 16, 2008

update.......


So revised report on my surgery...no fusing ;-))) which was kewl to hear....the pre-op girl gave wrong info. I had a bone on bone situation which was turned around by cleaning up the shred's of bone then a pillow was formed by gristle ;-0 (fat?) tendons rearranged to hold this all in place? who actually knows but my fave Doc Snyder? I trust him to do me right ;-)
The cast has me thrown....the orange fingers are lovely lol lol....and the purples,yellows and blue? Weds I get new cast? Then Thursday back to work.....hope my classroom is still there...never imagined having to take this long off.....;-( can you spell FRUSTRATION?

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Off to the hospital I go...

So today I have surgery on my hand...(minor I would think it is called?) I have to have a bone fused due to pain from bone on bone, getting old. Not looking forward to having a cast for 3-6 weeks? I am very glad the surgery is on my right hand and I AM left handed! I know though I am going to learn very quickly how much I use/need my right hand. ;-((( oh well........
Yesterday though was exciting.....took delivery of my new huge baby! HQ16.....wow the possibilities?? now to find the time to try them all...since we have the room right now I had it set up in full size which is wow!!! huge!!! sadly due to my surgery this morning I will probably be staring at it wishfully for a few weeks........

Saturday, December 6, 2008

Wow where did the time go?

So wow just noticed I have been sadly much to busy or tired to post! I've been teaching 6 classes a day of clay to the students this week, so I came home very tired. I am having surgery on my right hand next week (luckily I am left handed, I am having a bone fused that connects to my thumb) thus I have very busy getting clay lessons out of the way and then am having to plan lessons for my sub to present Tues -Friday.

Thanksgiving came and was so much fun! My children and grandson all came to VA for the first time for a holiday. It was so nice not having to be the one to have to pop in the car for a 9 hour drive to celebrate a family gathering. We had Thanksgiving dinner in the dining room then off to the family room for early Christmas since we will not all be able to gather together in MI this year. I gave each of the boys a Duck art creation....of course created by me....(This was a private joke between Brian and me that sort of bloomed...) What do you think?
Anyway this coming week is just as busy...besides my hand surgery I am also taking delivery of my new HQ16!!!! very excited about that though frustrated that I also will probably have to just stare at it for a few weeks till my hand recovers or at least I get rid of the cast.

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Yeah it's almost early Christmas....


So 'my son Brian and Heather' are on the road......driving in some lousy weather from MI to VA, (usually it's Bill and I driving up in the lousy weather but this year the kids gave us a reprieve) We are celebrating TG in VA for first time in 5 years and my grandson has already arrived from Denver! By tomorrow evening all my children with their other halves will be in VA to celebrate Thanksgiving AND Early Christmas!!!! We are soooooooo excited and feel so blessed! So here is my grandson getting ready to let loose a football to granny...then some pictures of my student's work this week.....we got to do some easel painting since my shop teacher and I got old easels I found in the art room jimmied up for use. ;-) notice our paintings are on recycled boards from KellyAnn's Quilt store in Warrenton..... ;-) Thanks Kelly

Sunday, November 23, 2008

Was a busy trip and last 4 days.....


So have been offline for a few days due to a fast trip up north to aid my mom.......she had full knee replacement surgery about a week ago so I got to play pajama party and stay over a few days to visit and help my mom and dad........ was a busy time but was fun getting the time with my parents! Hated to leave......


MI had many surprises....I got to see the new roof on my house up north....I got to see many closed retail outlets ;-((( economy is hurting in the Detroit area sadly.....Bill made it out to Harsen's Island and saw the ice already forming near the dock........now back to work tomorrow for two days then Thanksgiving break and my grandson comes to visit for our phony early Christmas! ;-) Cannot wait!

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Christmas Stockings the hard way ;-)

So this is when sewing experience would or could help! My daughter put in a wish order for Christmas Stockings for her family (which includes my only grandchild ;-)))) so.....

Sadly I always have ideas but sometimes lack the skills since I never sewed until I took up quilting.
I sometime lack the skills to make projects easy! lol lol....guess that is what makes this so interesting?


Oh well here are my stockings so far...still have to find the perfect materials to make collars for the stockings to add their names........so far I have a green fabric that might work, but not exactly what I envisioned......I have to head up to MI tomorrow to play nurse and visit with my mom who had a full knee replacement a week ago......she's in her 80's and is doing great! Maybe I can hit the local quilt store and see what they might have on hand? Deadline is Thanksgiving...it's when we have our phony early Christmas.

Saturday, November 15, 2008

It's been a busy week..now a busy Saturday!







So wow the week flew by with many obligations, work and otherwise.....but today was fun ......I took a day long class on the HQ16! Handi Quilter ;-) in fact was on my soon to be HQ16! I take delivery in early Dec. ;-)))))
Patchwork Plus of Dayton, VA brought in a Handi Quilter Educator and held the all day class. What a nice day! We all got to try different rulers and tips for using the HQ line of machines. I learned how to do some fun free motion quilting and other techniques! Got comfortable using my new machine. Now must go spend time with my hubby since he is the person who encourages me most in my quilting......(including to take the step and purchase the machine! so it's only fair to watch some "Rome" episodes with him tonight!
(The Christmas stocking was no pattern, drawn freehand then quilted and sewn together)



Saturday, November 8, 2008

Tyvek Day 2

So tyvek was fun and seems to have many possibilities.......I have not completely melted or altered the tyvek on the black quilt sample cause I wanted to wait and use my little hand iron.
Another new technique with much to offer.

So now I'm off to a movie and dinner with my hubby.

Friday, November 7, 2008

Tyvek here I come ;-)

So I get to try out Tyvek tomorrow with a quilting buddy.......she has spurred me on since she is taking a class and invited me over to play in her garage........
Here is some of my preparation so I am prepared to play tomorrow...in other words here is the first stage and tomorrow I add the heat.........stay tune tomorrow.......[The background of photo has some of my tyvek painted with some acrylic paint....the black is cloth with little squares or rectangles of tyvek sewed on w/muslin backing and batting.]

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Completed Carol Taylor Class Project

So here is my completed class project from the class with Carol Taylor.
Originally I planned on using one more color of yarn circles but I decided it was best to complete as is and move forward. ;-) I feel so behind and need to move forward with a few of the projects I have planned with deadlines....first some semi traditional quilting..meaning a set of Christmas stockings for my daughter's family? Time will tell.......lol
Semi traditional because I am making them up as I go along........ lol
Should prove interesting!

Value?

One thing that still ends up being hard for me is Value in cloth? Possibly due in part to my eye sight? One eye is nearsighted and one eye is farsighted? Basically I see flat, sort of hard to explain.....lol.....but one can adjust.
But anyway thank goodness for digital camera's and graphic programs.......
Want to see what I mean? Helps me improve what I see.......now I can make adjustments......

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

One day is not enough!


So I have voted! Took 1 hour and 15 minutes..... I am thrilled we got to do workday from home today! Now sadly I have so much to do RE: work obligations, home studio to clear up and I still want to sew! One day at home is not enough....... Tomorrow we know our new President and thankfully NO MORE political calls or commercials!

Monday, November 3, 2008

What a mess my work area is?

Well, thank goodness I have a work day from home tomorrow....... maybe I can actually get some stuff cleared away? check out this mess in my studio.
And how exciting? Wegmans has opened right around the corner from us ;-) I remember Wegmans from my kid's college days at Cornell and Lehigh.....anytime I went to visit them they wanted me to take them to Wegmans for dinner....... lol

Sunday, November 2, 2008

Want to stay focused today!

So trying to stay on task today! Need to try to write a grant proposal with deadline then want to sew!!!
Wish me luck...time to turn off computer till I get something done ;-) Have a GREAT Sunday!
Notice the fall colors are almost sadly done........ and can you see the golfers teeing off? (view from our deck)

Saturday, November 1, 2008

Virginia speed traps? ;-( shame on them!

So we took a lovely drive today to Staunton VA in hopes of seeing some pretty fall colors. We did see some great fall colors though sadly the cold snap we had seems to have peaked some of our colors. An interesting thing is during my 5 years of living
in VA I have never witnessed as many parked and waiting police cars....Route 29 then Highway 33 or/and 81? nearby (Augusta County?) anyway we were driving a loaner from Ford a little (sadly RED car) with little or no pickup and go which since we were just out for a nice drive today in no hurry and not racing anywhere, we did not care.....anyway we noticed and even commented all morning on the police cars parked and sitting everywhere when suddenly we got stopped????? we were shocked....anyway to say the least Bill got a ticket?? I swear I know he could not have been going the 76 miles the policeman quoted? The policeman's comment was to have the car's speedometer checked or letter from Ford and to include it when we mailed in our fine?Yep just mail in the fine, Geeezzzzzzzz got to say very disappointed to feel the area of VA we drove though today was just out for funds today.....it was such a nice day and when you witnessed how and where they were parked???
Oh well otherwise was nice day....VA is a beautiful state and fall is a pretty site! Similar to upper MI or along I-75 in MI ;-)))) but the colors stay much longer in VA.




Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Quilt so far.....minus blue circles yet.......

So here is my quilt from workshop so far.......sadly it's grade week so work has to come first lol
AND I got my computer back from being reinstalled........so still trying to download programs I used to have? Sadly first I have to try to remember some of them first lol...also trying to get my favorite blogs back. So you get the drift?....I'm running in circles myself!
So what do you think????

Sunday, October 26, 2008

Busy but nice day......

So the sun was shining all day ;-)
My hard drive got picked up to be cleaned, sadly got some malware that was too hard to get rid of so will begin anew........will be back to semi normal by Tues.
Then got the base of my art quilt completed,
tomorrow I hope to add the circles ;-)
I am excited about my little quilt. Isn't the base kewl..almost could work by itself.
Looking forward to using couching in some of my future art quilts.

Saturday, October 25, 2008

Wow happy one year and a day to me!

Just n0ticed I missed the one year anniversary of my blog!!!!!
Happy one year to me began my blog one year and a day ago,Oct 24, 07!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks for keeping me on track!

Nice day even though the weather sucks! Carol Taylor Workshop

So today I attended a great workshop. Got to take a class with Carol Taylor.....what a neat technique she shared! Another UFO to add to a growing stack? lol .... I intend to complete this one tomorrow if possible. Next hope to start some quilted Christmas Stockings I have sort of promised my daughter... anyway one photo shows my quilt base..then next one shows my yarn choices for the future circles...then the next photo is my start of practicing the couching. The top row of photos are Carol demonstrating, one of her samples so you can see what I mean by circles and then our class picture. A great class..........highly recommend a class with Carol Taylor.
Also want to share some of my baby boy's engagement photos.....Recognize the city? http://www.kristentaylorblog.com/index.cfm?postID=85

Monday, October 20, 2008

Wow hope this is not a sign.....


Just took me 3 tries to get signed onto my own blog? lol hopefully it is not a sign of what my day will be....
Anyway realized I'm behind on posting! Sadly I have computer troubles so wasted allot of time last week trying to find my DVD and CD drivers??????lol I've given up and intend to reach out to a professional for help so I can get back to my stuff.......
So Bill is home after a 2 week business trip.......the longest he's had since we've been in VA.
I did get to do a little for myself yesterday......here are pics of the glorious day we had and my leaves baking in the sun ;-))))). They turned out nice I still have to iron the pieces of cloth but this morning as I noticed them hanging in Laundry room I am excited by the outcome.

Monday, October 13, 2008

I'm tired and have misplaced my daily calendar!

So somehow I have misplaced my daily calendar......you know the one that one would write their everyday very important appointments, meetings, etc! Oh well will try to relax for the evening, maybe do a little sewing and hope that it shows up at school tomorrow? I know it must be there..but you know the feeling of one has when you cannot find something?? well double that heck maybe even triple that and you will know how I feel!
But to share something kewl........remember I said I was experimenting the other day with an Ezscreen..well look how kewl they are! I made this screen the other day when I was working on my cyanotypes and today gave it a trail run! I am going to love this stuff.......Google it and check it out! What a great way to make a silk screen!
Just ran some acrylic liquid paint on black cloth.