DWMonday

The basement is the same with only my smaller design wall up. The carpet install is scheduled...May 29th boo-hoo... sooo  long to wait.  I'm getting antsy about it! :) 

I miss my big design wall terribly, hell; I miss all my stuff and knowing where 90% of it is.  

The part for my HQ came in and Paul installed it.  The stall lights are still on but it seems to work.  I haven't even had time to load anything to try it 'for real'.  Today is my 7th day in a row of work!  Tomorrow I have so many things to do--haha it's not even realistic but I will try!

The design on the wall is called Fire Escape. It's a Terry Atkinson design.  And as is typical with her stuff-clear directions and pictures. It's going together easily.

 I think if I were in my old sewing room (or the new one), I would have had the top cut and pieced in one day.

sigh....the good ole days of efficient sewing at long stretches of time...sigh

I've only had to un-sew one seam as I had one of the  the white 'steps' blocks turned...Easy for me to turn  a block on any day but way easier working on the table top. (yah, that was a little whine-I smacked myself and threatened time out if it happens again...which actually sounds rather appealing at this point)  

buwahahaa

 This quilt will be twin size so it has 12 rows.  The picture shows 4 but I did another late last night.

******

BIG NEWS AND MOMMY BRAGGING ALERT!!!

******

Meghan was offered and accepted a position in the CV/ICU unit where she is doing her preceptor (interning)!

She has worked several 12 hours shifts and a couple 8hr ones.  She says after the 12 hours ones the 8 hour ones seem to fly by!

Yesterday the family of her patient took her aside and thanked her and said she was the most compassionate nurse they've ever had. 

It made her day.

Mine too.  

Damn I am so proud of this girl!

the official graduation picture!

Prelude to a 'happy dance'

A design wall.....

with blocks on it....

also known as: the light at the end of the basement renovation tunnel is getting brighter.

The blocks above are granny square blocks with signatures of my co-workers.  A comfort quilt gift for another co-worker who was injured in a car accident. 

It is all together now but I can't quilt it as my HQ's power pod went bad.  A new one is on the way.  My nice HQ  dealer let me finish a customer quilt (with a deadline) yesterday on one of their display models. 

Dangerous!

 It was lovely. 

I told my husband I'm now dreaming of 

He said: 'keep dreamin baby, keep dreamin...'

gotta love a guy with a sense of humor ;)

and since he didn't flat out nix the idea...I'll take that as a 'sure honey'

communication is the key to any good relationship you just have to know how these things work.

j/k  j/k hahhahaa

almost there

The view from the back door looking in.  The door on the right is the laundry room. 

Notice on the wall there an extra outlet up high.  I was thinking the ironing board would go there, now not so sure.  There is also an outlet in the ceiling on the other side of the bulk head that I'm hoping will work for HQ.

See all those lights on the other side?  It's super bright over there.  No more dark dungeon-y feeling. 

I took this picture standing by the closet that you can see above.

I'm behind HQ table and it's really bright! The door on the right now is the powder room.

I pulled up the plastic that was covering the HQ table and it's very clean-whew!

I did bring the carriage and machine upstairs so safe keeping.

Today I go and order the carpet.

Yesterday after work, I came home and did some serious piecing!  

The partial blocks are ready for the signature pieces that will go in the center.

I am really missing my design wall!  I know I quilted for years with out one but once you get used to it. 

Wow.

It felt wonderful to sew and play with blocks!

*******  

 Yesterday at work a lady came in whom I've known for years.  She used to be the receptionist at our eye doctors. It was back then, probably late 80's that I went to her house after we made the connection that we were both hand quilters. 

I remember telling her a few years back when I ran into her that I was now a machine quilter...well let's just say she didn't jump up and down enthusiastically! wink!  

Her house is beautiful. She is a passionate antique collector in the early American style and primitive too.  I remember when I walked in her front door being blown away and thinking it was just how I'd do my house if I could. 

Well, back to yesterday. Dorothy came into the store and we started chatting.  I asked her if she was still quilting.  She said no it's too hard on her back bending over a quilting frame. But for the past several years she has become very involved with hooking!  My co-worker, of course, got wide-eyed and said "HOOKING!!"

ha ha.  I got all excited and started questioning her and yep she is a rug hooker-primitive style and wanted me to come over and see her rugs.  So after work at 3 I went straight over. I wish I would have had my camera.  Her work is fantastic.  

Her daughter, who is retired now, is also a hooker and she and a few friends are coming to Dorothy's in a few weeks for the weekend for a 'hook-in". If our schedules don't conflict, I'm going to stop over and see their work and get some pointers etc.  

And the next time I go I will take my camera!

OK the crazy busy train that is my life is about to leave the station so I gotta get my arse moving!!

Fun times, fun times!  Life is good.

the light at the end of the tunnel

could be a little brighter....but we're getting there.

Paul painted all weekend-what a guy!  

I asked him on Saturday, "Do you want me to help or stay out of the way?" 

"stay out of here." he said with a smile.   

And so I did.  

The carpet is ordered, someone should be coming this morning to measure.  I picked a Berber that is called 'cinnamon'. If you look at it squinty eyed you can tell that it's the same colors at muddy dog paw prints.  It was the same criteria when I picked the kitchen floor tile years ago and I've never been sorry.  

*smile*

*****

And to prove that I have been doing a little sewing (more thinking about it than doing it) but still. Everywhere is blanket stitched and will be quilted when the room it done.  The color is a bit washed out.

6x19

I blanket stitched the Dresden block on the right and the pile of blades is for 4 more blocks.

I sewed one more granny square block together. The 2 piles of 2.5 inch squares above it, I cut out for a signature quilt I'm making for a girl I work with who is recuperating after a car accident.  I've cut out 2 x 6 centers for all the rest of us to sign.  I bought a bundle of April Cornell fabrics-it had a couple different lines in it but they all go together and it will be real pretty.

Oh and then last week another girl I work with broke her kneecap.  --oh man it hurts my knee just to think about it.

So I think I have enough fabric in the bundle to make a lap quilt for her too. She'll be off 6-8 weeks...of course that means I'm now working 5 days a week for a while....

It's all good.

  

******

My dad, who is helping my brother with the work, is downstairs now. I can hear him muttering to himself measurements and then humming. (I guess while he's making cuts on the ceiling tile).  

  He was here a few days last week too.  He comes about a half hour early and has a cuppa coffee with me.  

It's nice.

Tom and Dad

whoa!

So Monday night everything was packed up and moved into the garage. The lonely long arm table is covered.  HQ is sitting up here in the living room with us.  I have stuff everywhere.  It sorta looks like we're moving.  The wiring is done....oh lordy I hope I've thought of every possible place I might need an outlet! and hope the lights will be in the right place as well.  Sheesh! the pressure!!

As of today the ceiling in 1/2 of the room has been dry walled as well.  The front 1/2 where all the pipes and stuff are will have a drop ceiling.  

I had to get out the sewing machine yesterday and sew.  I was in serious with drawl.  

 I AM NOT KIDDING. 

I made another granny square block-had to make several trips to the garage to look under the plastic covered pile of every thing and find a rotary cutter and a couple rulers, a seam ripper and my snips (the kids safety scissors I found up here just weren't cutting it --literally!!)  haha.

I blanket stitched another Dresden block and started chain piecing the blades for several more. 

 It sure is hard to sew at a table with a regular chair after being so spoiled for so long.

******

a very nice day

a birthday bike ride after a fun day of shopping...I got fabric for 2 quilts!

Forgot to take pictures of the haul.

and when I got home the laundry room wall is up and the door opening roughed in.

woo-hoo!

They also took out most of the old drop ceiling! Yikes. 

so excited to see this.  

An announcement....

My wonderful daughter, Meghan took and passed her FINAL final today in nursing school!

I'M SO PROUD OF HER I COULD SCREAM!

seriously, scream!  

But instead I just cry a little joy filled cry.  

She starts her internship next week in a CV/ICU (that's cardo ICU).  

It is where she hopes to get a job after graduation in June.

*
*

*

*

*

*

And now back to  regularly scheduled programming, which is quilting.

Not much to show.  The work is beginning again on the basement, tonight I pack everything up and cover it and hopefully in a few weeks (eternal optimist).  I will be back in business. sigh. that will be nice.

Tomorrow is my Bday-the big 4 - 9!  oooh

Libby and I are going to get our VIQ "very important quilter" passports for the upcoming Shop Hop in June.  And then lunch somewhere. I need a day out birthday or not.

*****

So much to look forward to.

So many blessings.

Have a great day my blogging friends. 

******

Fun times, fun times....Life is Good.