Day 8

A picture that makes you laugh

This picture was taken last year when we went to Virginia Beach to visit our Daughter and Son in law. This was the end of the Nauticus museum and children's section. We had been "looking" for Atlantis. Silly pictures are great! Believe me there were hours of serious natulical pictures including an aircraft carrier, artifacts and the ocean.

Day 7

Most valuable treasure

I think that my violin has to be my valued treasure because it is one of a kind and not easily replaced. I can replace and upgrade other items I own. I don't really put much attachment to things. This was a more difficult challenge photo.
Each violin has its own tone and "personality." They mellow with age. I still have the violin that was my great grandmother's and it is playable. I actually played a bit this morning. I really enjoy playing fiddle music.
I need to play more even if it isn't great.

Day 6

Day 06 - A picture of a person you'd love to trade places with for a day




This picture challenge took a bit more thought on my part. I thought about many people both celebrity and ordinary. I decided that Pat Sloan was the person I would love to trade places with for one day. She is a quilter. She also does crochet.

She designs patterns, has her own fabric lines and sells book. She does public speaking, quilt work shops and blogs about all of this. She uses social media including face book, twitter, pinterest and Internet radio. Her web site is http://blog.patsloan.com/. Check it out, you will be happy you did. 

She recently started doing an Internet radio show called Creative Talk Radio and she interviews quilters. She became quite successful with this and a national quilt magazine now sponsors the show! She gets to interview everyone in the quilting world who is "big" and we get to know them better as fans. She does this all with a sense of fun and balance. No harsh words, only encouragement and finding creativity.

I would like to trade for a day to see the inner working of her business, to feel how much energy she has and to see how she keeps the creative process moving forward. She does all the things I would love to do, including interviewing people. I think Pat is quite talented and I would love to trade places with her for a day. Plus she does other creative media with yarn, another one of my areas of interest.

Thanks Pat for all you do. I hope to be able to see you in person and attend a workshop in the future. I need to support you and buy a book. I love the recent fabric line "Eat your Vegetables" and wish I had the money to buy it today! Until then I will have to update my ipod and listen to you next radio show!!

Day 5

Day 05 - A picture of your favorite memory






It is difficult to picture one favorite memory. I have my own wedding, the birth of children, my daughters wedding, graduations etc. But outside of those milestones of life which are very special, my favorite memories usually revolve around the holidays.

I love Christmas! I love the spiritual meaning and all the special services at church. I usually feel very close to God during this time of year. I think it is because I love the holiday music and years past I have played in several holiday plays and concerts. It is a season filled with parties, family get together and good cheer. I feel that we are all a bit kinder to each other.

I really enjoy shopping and making gifts for my family and friends. I don't cook much but making the special meal each year is fun! We have had turkey, prime rib, chicken parm, roast, and ham for the meal. The gathering of family is the most meaningful. Jay is head chef. He made Irish Soda bread last year as a new addition. I help and clean up.

Christmas time is filled is with my favorite memories. It isn't complete without watching "It's a Wonderful Life", "Home Alone", "White Christmas" and the classic "A Christmas Story." The first and last movie being the most important to me if I have to make some choices, and I watch some of the movies after Christmas but before New Year's to lengthen the season. I think the tradition is special. We also WILL be watching any NFL game that may be broad cast on that day!

Christmas is definitely a most wonderful time of the year . I look forward to seeing all of my family gathered on that day that can be at my house, rest assured Jay will be cooking. And I may try to get some cards out this year, like the one in the picture!!

Day 4

Day 04 - A picture of your night(something you did that night)

Last night was a typical week night after a few errands for homecoming. My son had a few initial pics for his senior pictures. I sewed a quilt block together and knit a few rows on my scarf. I even cooked sloppy Joe's for dinner.

But, what I spent the most time doing was exercising. I walked on the treadmill for 45 minutes and sadly I only went about 1.7 miles. If I walk faster, I have hip pain. I couldn't lift weights because I have had a migraine all week and weight lifting makes it worse. I am getting on the "the summer was too much fun and eating out" program to lose weight. I lose and eat healthier in the winter months.

I rounded off the evening with a bit of television watching and surfing the Internet. I have tied up my games in Words with Friends so today may determine the winners!

What a wonderful life!Tomorrow I am gonna go to the studio and start a quilt up on the long arm.

Happy Wednesday Everyone!

Day 3

Day 03 - A picture of the cast from your favorite show

Cast of M*A*S*H

I really enjoy watching TV. I like to watch TV while doing other things like knit, crochet or sew. I find that there are many shows over the years that I really liked. Currently, I enjoy Go On on NBC. It is the first network show I have watched in years.

I also like Pawn Stars, Cajun Pawn Stars, Call of the Wild Man, Gator Boys and Swamp People. I watch about all football, the Olympics, History Channel, Old car shows and Travel shows. Who can forget Seinfeld, Friends and all of the old cartoons? But the best network TV show of all time in my book is MASH.

It was a very well written show. It had a cast that was incredibly talented. And I think it was way ahead of it's time. You can watch shows now and be just as entertained as you were the first time. In fact, it was such an ensemble cast there isn't one character I can say I liked as a favorite. There were times when other actors left and you wondered if the show would go on or be as good. It always was. I really was sad the day this show went off the air. And I was but a child at that time, ;).

 This picture is of the era that had most of my favorite episodes.

Day 2

Day 02 - A picture of you and the person you have been closest with the longest

I am closest to all the people in the photo. My parents, children and son in law. But I am closest to my husband (in the green shirt). I love my family. This picture was taken last Christmas.

After being married for 26 years, I don't have anyone I could name as being closer to. We are great friends. We have laughed, had adventures, shared times of joy and tears. It doesn't get any better. There are several pictures of us together but I like this picture better.

I am so thankful that he asked my mother, to give me a message to call him, when I got home from college. I was a bit difficult on the phone, "what do you mean you don't know who this is?" We went out on a date and the rest is history. We met when I moved to our school in the 8th grade. We were friends from the beginning but didn't date until after high school.

Now we go to Highland games on the weekends during the summer and early fall! One more this season!!

Design Wall Monday

The latest is the green pipe block in the upper l hand corner. I am running out of room in my house to show this quilt! 5 more to go in the free quilt along. Solids are rapidly becoming a favorite thing to work with.

I am doing a 30 day challenge in sharing photos. I started yesterday and will post daily for a month. It is a fun way to blog. I thought the blog needed a bit of a change for a month or two. It will be posted next.

Thirty Day Challenge

This is fun challenge going around on Face book. I thought it would be a good thing to do on the blog as well. I am looking for a way to change it up a bit and have some fun. I don't like going through old pictures because I get quite sentimental, however I do like to have them. Odd isn't it? 

Here is day one:
Day 01 - A picture of yourself with ten facts

photo taken today

Facts:

1. I have been married for 26 years, and I am the one that forgot our anniversary once.

2. I married a man that I met when I was 13 years old and never dated until we were out of school.

3. I have 2 children.

4. I love music of all genres.

5. I play violin, bass, mandolin and goof around with other instruments.

6. I love stories about magic, dragons and such.

7. I rarely re-read book or re-watch movies,  tend to be a bit hyperactive.
8. I enjoy sports.
9. I have had several illness in life that have been of great inconvenience and I don't like talking about them. However, they have had a huge impact on me.
10. I am an over thinking, introverted geek.
Bonus fact: I love to do crafts and quilting is my passion.

Here is to a fun 30 days! Thanks Les for reminding me of this challenge!



The days for my future reference
Day 01 - A picture of yourself with ten facts
Day 02 - A picture of you and the person you have been closest with the longest
Day 03 - A picture of the cast from your favorite show
Day 04 - A picture of your night(something you did that night)
Day 05 - A picture of your favorite memory
Day 06 - A picture of a person you'd love to trade places with for a day
Day 07 - A picture of your most treasured item
Day 08 - A picture that makes you laugh
Day 09 - A picture of the person who has gotten you through the most
Day 10 - A picture of the person you do the most screwed up things with
Day 11 - A picture of something you hate
Day 12 - A picture of something you love
Day 13 - A picture of your favorite band or artist
Day 14 - A picture of someone you could never imagine your life without
Day 15 - A picture of something you want to do before you die
Day 16 - A picture of someone who inspires you
Day 17 - A picture of something that has made a huge impact on your life recently
Day 18 - A picture of your biggest insecurity
Day 19 - A picture of a letter(like a letter you receive in the mail)
Day 20 - A picture of somewhere you'd love to travel
Day 21 - A picture of something you wish you could forget
Day 22 - A picture of something you wish you were better at
Day 23 - A picture of your favorite book
Day 24 - A picture of something you wish you could change
Day 25 - A picture of your day
Day 26 - A picture of something that means a lot to you
Day 27 - A picture of yourself and a family member
Day 28 - A picture of something you're afraid of
Day 29 - A picture that can always make you smile
Day 30 - A picture of someone you miss







.

Saturday

Fall Asters in my garden, the last to bloom

There are weeks that more interesting than others.  I have been spending time doing the usual. You know work, sewing,  exercise but all with a migraine.  All week. The break from it started yesterday.

So we went to a high school  football game. Our team lost.  Really badly to another team with the same record. No wins. But the local oil man donated cool Jerseys to commemorate veterans. New fad, all the schools are doing it.

Special uniforms

playing around with instagram, the ground at RenFest

antique encyclopedias my son found at a yard sale

the exercising never ends

Today is shopping day. Maybe to the nearest Joeann's, just for fun.

 I am halfway through the Super Mario Quilt along. It is really turning out well. My son loves it. It is a free quilt along at Cut To Pieces, see side bar for link.

I enjoyed RenFest see yesterday's post. We have one more Highland Game in October. I have been knitting a striped scarf. I have watched some football. I have had another migraine and think it is going to be part of life until menopause! My last week in a quick little nutshell. :)

I love to see what everyone it working on and I will link up with Patchwork Times today!!

How do you watermark your photos? I am looking at the photo editing software I already have but want to know how you do yours.

Yesterday was RenFest!

My Husband competed in a Highland game at Ren Fest this year. I love this festival. we have gone several years.  It is in Holly, Michigan. I have never been there when so many people were attending. The parking was full and the lines were long everywhere. The energy! So many costumes and fun! I had a wonderful time with my family and today is a quiet day at home. (We keep saying we are going to make/buy costumes but haven't so far!)

Yesterday we had to get up by 5am to travel there and got home about 11pm. We are tired and all have the first fall cold of the season.

A nice day for church, sewing, cleaning up and football! The fantasy football league my husband runs is on hiatus for a year. It feels strange to not have a team but the free time is much needed this year. I am thinking that a rare nap is on the list of things to do this afternoon. :)

Feathers and simple living

Simple chores done often keep me on track. I hate dirty dishes so the dishwasher is usually loaded as i go. Mail is trashed weekly. I am finding that I stuff things in bins and bowls. I am pretty happy with the house. But it isn't organized like I think that others have theirs.
After all this time thinking about how it should be, I am OK with letting that idea (of how it should be ) go. I like the house and sewing space as is. This release has created a peace internally for me.
I have let the idea of a perfect yard go. Remind me next year as we prep for a grad  party!  I think a good thinning,  raking and a few annuals will make it look pretty.  No magazine cover but I keep telling g myself it isn't a real standard!
Sage advice from my grandmother that I remind myself of often:
Less is more

Here is a customer quilt that I had to apply this advice to when quilting it. The bold feathers made a big impact. Over quilting it would have been too over the top. I love this stitch and could do many quilts like it.
Next Thurs will be more sage advice from my grandmas!

Technical questions about blogging/blogger

I have had a few things come to my attention recently while rearranging the layout of this blog.

I have found a high level of traffic in and out of the blog as redirects from undesirable sites. Is this a problem? I did a bit of changes including word verify to stop it and spam going to everyone. I also tried to make things more secure.  Does that stop it?  Is it just a part of having a free blog?  Is it also coming from other forms of social media? 

I want to protect the privacy of others and myself from being harassed by undesirable email and sites.

Any info or education for me?  Am I being overly concerned? 

I have so many questions a can't seem to find a straight answer on this topic. I am thinking about getting a different site and need any info out there.

Link Party Tuesday

I am approaching the halfway mark with the Super Mario Quilt along. I am staying on target and hope to have this done in time for Christmas. I am really enjoying this quilt. I like sewing colored squares. Maybe a Legend of Zelda quilt will be next! I love the elf and fairy look, my favorites.

I am writing a pattern and I am learning so much about the process. Everything from using a computer program to expressing myself clearly. I am finding that I am enjoying the design process very much. Don't know if any of this will go anywhere but that's OK. I would still quilt and write patterns because I love to do it.

Back to work. Exercising and weight training, following a diet, back to school and crisp fall weather. I may need to use my quilts to stay snugly warm soon!

Design Wall Monday

I finished a star block from the BOM. I have six more to make! I also finished a question mark block in the Super Mario Bros. quilt along. I did not have a finish  with the Long arm on a customer quilt. The backing is a bit short and I will have to unload it off the frame, add some fabric and reload. Sigh, I measured and knew it was gonna be close but... Oh well. I really like the feathers on it. Hopefully pics for next week!

Lots of changes with September rolling in. School has started. Our son is working more .We have two more Highland Games. I have developed migraine headaches and residual neck and back pain. I have been trying to figure out if there is anything that triggers them like food.  I am also not lifting weights thinking it may help. I am doing cardio. I am also doing neck and shoulder stretches.

Any suggestions about the migraines?

Friday!

Glad the work week is done. I only worked three days versus my usual five but it was busy. I worked out twice. Maybe more exercise tomorrow.  I would like to do that.

I didn't get much done around the house in my time off. Still have some stiffness in neck and back after the migraine.  I SHOULD straighten up the clutter around here but there is winter for that. Spring for the flower beds, ha! I am not motivated at all for those unpleasant activities.

I think I should get baking since it has cooled down. Or cook. Nah, I think I will stick with sewing! I am done with all of the I shoulds today!!!

Another customer quilt finished! It is a flannel quilt. The freehand feather is quilted in green thread that blends in nicely. I have another quilt that I am going to do a different feather on. I am getting more and more confident with the feather stitch!

My favorite block!

It is rotated 45 degrees but I like it!



Yeah, like the pattern 5" block

Not like the pattern but I am not in the mood to redo this very complicated block!

Here are the results of my quilting over the Labor Day weekend. I have made a few errors in block assembly. I am leaving them as is. The last few blocks are pretty hard. There are 7 more to go before I can assemble them and complete this Block of the Month. It was fun, challenging and stretched my comfort level. I think everything a new project should be! 

I bought more yarn for my weather diary scarf. I am not sure I will have enough scraps. So I added a few more yarns to the mix. I also have had back/neck pain so this was the perfect project to work on . Ok, so I cheated a bit by knitting ahead by using my creative lisence on the weather forecast, lol!! I think I am getting much better as the muscle soreness is working down my back from my neck. Ugh, trying new chairs, streching, and cardio only starting today for a week or two. Not sure where this injury came from, but it is mighty inconvienient. 

School starts today, gotta get my son to his first day of his senior year!  

Labor Day Weekend

A great question is posed by Gretchen Rubin of the Happiness Project: Is September the other January?
Ummm, yes. I think that I get more thoughts over Labor Day weekend about the ravages of time on my body, the marks of time passing with the final shopping and prep for school to start and all the talk of the new schedule and rides. Our Son picked up his varsity Jacket and senior pics will be soon. School starts Tuesday. Wow summer really did fly by!



All that to say, I am feeling old. Migraine headaches have started up a couple of weeks ago. It is better but now I have neck problems. I think I need to stop lifting weights and let it heal. Cardio only for a week or two. It is  frustrating because I need to push the reset button on weight loss. Summers are my time to gain weight with eating out and travelling. But yea! I did lose 3 pounds when I weighed myself this am. See yesterday's treadmill pic. That's where I am in my fitness program, now to continue in weight loss.

There is much discussion about the schedule for the next couple of months. College visits, maybe a college football game vs our usual NFL game and a couple of highland games left. And a day trip to RenFest. We are giving fantasy football league a year off due to the amount of things happening this year.

Labor Day weekend. I spent yesterday doing some shopping and sewing. I finished a block from the BOM. It was hard. The last 8 are the most difficult. See my BOO BOO in the first picture. Well, it is staying as is. I should probably stop sewing at 10pm. However,  I think I like it better anyway!!

I am entering in to the next exciting chapter of pattern writing. I think I have a way to sell my self published patterns, and I am very excited. I may need lessons from my resident teenager on how to make some of the programs work but so far I am figuring it out myself. Hey, I figured out blogging, I can do this!!


All that to say, that times are changing. The leaves are changing. And yes, I agree, September is the other January.