Gone for awhile

I have been feeling very blue for the past few weeks. It is an awful feeling when depression hits you. It does not help that we have had several days where the sun was unable to break through the clouds and it SNOWED all day long. It also does not help that the cold weather makes my joints swell and ache. Aw heck, Who am I to complain? I have a house, 4 happy healthy kids (youngadults?) and a man that loves and cares for me. A time to be thankful in light of all the distruction in Haiti.

Well on to what has helped me to come out of my blues...My son and #3 daughter have had the last few days of for the NYState Regents Testing. DD#3 has no tests this time around so she has been hanging out with mom. We spent a few lovely hours working on her "Purple Passion" quilt. This is her first attempt at quilting so I have been bery impressed that she is sticking to it.

On the left I am showing her how to use a rotery cutter. We started out by cutting 4 1/2inch stripsFrom there we cut them into 4 1/2 inch  squares. On the right is DD#3 cutting squares. Notice that she is a lefty and I am a righty. It took us awhile to figure out that we needed to move the rueler to the opposit end of the strips in order for her to cut them more easily.

All of our hard work paid off though. We cut over 400 squares. The 10 colores that she picked out flow nicely. We played with them for a while until we found a pattern that we liked. We hung the completed strips from magnetic clips and hung them on our fridge to check our pattern. I especially like that they will be progressing in a stairstep pattern. The best part is that She did all of the sewing by herself on my machine. Her seams are very straight and, for the most part, are a very tight 1/4 inch

In other crafting: I completed this lovely granny square throw for DD#3. It is made up of my many odds and ends of yarn. I just crocheted each one until there was not enough to go another round. I used up quite a bit of my yarn stash. In all there are 9 different yarns in it. On the left you see DS haming it up. He felt that since his sis got to be on mom's blog he should be there too.

Long Extended Weekend

I had all of the kiddlets here at one point or another this weekend. It was nice for me since I was able to find some one-on-one time with all four of them. This does not happen very often!

With the 21yo DD up at Fort Drum (about 80 miles from home) I see her less and less often as she is starting to spread her wings and soar. She is enjoying her job and has settled into a routine (something that she sorely needed).

The 19yo DD is trying to spend some time with her bf. She will have very little time over the next few weeks. She started her internship for Dental Hygenest.  I expected her home around 5:oopm, but she texted me to letme know that the dentist had asked her to stay for an emergency visit. I was impressed that he put this much trust in her after only one day. When she finally did get home she was glowing and exhausted. LOL I would be dead if I had been on my feet for 12 plus hours.

The 16yo DS actually had this evening free. And to top it off, he actually had a conversation with me! I almost passed out! Teen-aged boys always have been a mystery to me.

The 14yo DD texted me after school. (She lives with her father) She wanted to tell me about her day...I wonder if there is something in the water around here???? We texted back and forth for over an hour (Again...be still my heart!!!!) We actually talked about "things" and did not get on one anothers nerves...We are definately to much alike at times. I think that the texting is a good way for us to communicate...Makes us think about what we are saying...No heated exchange of unintended words.

The SM (Sweet Man) left early this AM to return to his education. It makes the house really quiet when he leaves. He will be done with his Bachlors in Mechanical/Production  Engineering in May and we are both ready for graduation. ?He had a short day today, but tomorrow he will be in classes from 9-9, what a schedule. Even with breaks it is a long day.

Me...I spent most of the day sipping Tea and stitching as my ctitters lounged about the house. I have finished more of the snowmen blocks for the wall hanging but am being lazy about posting the pics. I promise I will have them up tomorrow.  For now it is off to slumberland.

First block stitched

I finally got my DS to get the scanner hooked up correctly so that I could scan my finished blocks. This is the first one that I have finished for the redwork wallhanging.

I really like how this block came out. All total I only spent about 4 hours doing this stitching. It amazes me how calming doing the outline stitch can be.

I am now working on the same block only this new one is in blue. There will be more pics as I continue to work on the blocks

Peace, Tina

long day

I spent the better part of my morning sitting and waiting at the Syracuse VA hospital. I knew that it was going to be a LONG wait so I went prepared. I have been working on redwork blocks for the "Snowfriends" Quilt, designed by Lynda Howell,  from the Nov/Dec issue of Quiltmaker magazine. I get to combine two of my favorite pastimes together into one (three) lovely wall hangings.

I absolutely LOVE my snowmen! I finished up one of the larger blocks and my doc was actually so nice as to tell me how much she liked my work. It is amazing to me that so many people are stitchers (or married to them). I have had so many lovely conversations with people about my work and what they are working on, are going to start, and what they have just finished. I love it.

You are going to have to wait for a pic of my finish (I have an actual WIP...LOL). I got home after noon and snuggled into my recliner and started to stitch another (the same???) block but in blue this time. I want to make three of the quilted wall hangings...one red, one blue, and one in color. I have my work cut out for me.

I should be in bed right now, but my arms both hurt. I got 2 shots...H1N1 and pnemonia. I'm greatful that I am able to get these, but at the same time I wish they wre not necessary! Ah, Well, my health is the most important thing. I need my strength to stitch.

Sweet dreams,

Tina

My First Biscornu

Well, I finally finished my first Biscornu. it is many small squares that I filled with DMC varagatied purple floss (number unknown) Blackwork patterns.

Each one is an experiment going from very little fill to dense fill.  Each of the squares is 14x14 squares on 14 count Adaia (did I spell that right?) so each is one inch square. The finished size is aproximately 5x5 inches and 1 1/2 inches high.

The buttons are a small green topped with an even smaller light purple.

As we begin 2010

I borrowed this from another blogger...and unfortunately I can't relocate it..if you know where it came from let me know. I thought that it was a great way to lookforward into the new year. So, with no further ado...

As I begin 2010……


I'm feeling… a sense of anticipation. I am looking forward to more blogging, taking part in some of the swaps and contests, and “meeting” more people in blogland.

I'm seeing... SNOW. It snowed again last night and the cars have about ½ inch covering.

I'm thinking... how nice it will be to snuggle under the afghan I am currently crocheting

I'm appreciating... the warmth of my home. It was just a year ago that my furnace died and now I have a lovely wood fire in the furnace and my whole home is comfy and warm. Also the fact that I have both my refrigerator freezer and my chest freezer full of food. It wasn’t all that long ago that I was wondering from day to day what I would be feeding my family.

I'm cooking... scalloped potatoes and ham the leftovers from last night’s dinner with our neighbor.

I'm planning... to begin stitching the blocks for “snowman collector” in lovely blues and another in reds

I'm reading... Nothing at present. I need to make a run to the library.

I'm wearing... A tee-shirt and sweatpants…comfy and cozy all the way!

I'm creating... Peaceful spaces in my home and lovely art to hang in my spaces.

I'm hearing...The Barrett-Jackson auto auction on Speed. It is a rerun, but my boyfriend is a lover of cars…There are a couple that I wish I could afford to bid on…. anyone have a '68 mustang in red?  LOL

I'm enjoying... The antics of my teacup Yorkshire terrier, Jack, as he tries to tear his “daddy”, my boyfriend, from his studies.

I'm sharing...My life with the best kids and a wonderful man.

Peace and blessings, Merry part

Tina