A day off

Yesterday I had the day off. 

I had so many things on 'the to do list' it was crazy.

I started doing gardening stuff in the morning and in a patch of myrtle along the AC unit at the side of the house I found the Poison Ivy that started my itching a couple weeks ago.  YIKES!

So into the house all clothes in washer-me in shower.  No new itchies so I guess I got it in time.  

I do believe all the ground cover in this area will be removed and mulch will take it's place.  I will not be doing this again!

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The weather was so lovely that I didn't want to be cooped up doing binding in the house.

I found that I hadn't finished sewing the binding to the back of this quilt when I had to move it out of the closet for the carpet install.

The label says finished Sept 2011!

oops!

I also spent some time practicing a new to me E2E quilting design. It's a free panto from Stone House quilting called raindrops. I already had it downloaded on my computer but forgot about it until I saw this post from Kathy over at Tamarack Shack.

Since I haven't taken the time to learn how to do pantos yet and I won't have the time for a while...I'm just going to freehand this one.  

It was fun to practice this and I should be ready to quilt with it this evening after work.

and here is the latest Libby quilt I forgot to post a picture with all the biking fun last week.

It's her Dr. Seuss quilt.  I did a meander with a squiggily ribbon candy type thing-y here and there.  

I found the idea in my Pajama quilter reloaded book. 

and another customer table runner

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although I don't like to blog about it (afraid of jinxing ya'know) I need to document a little on my walking routine.

I'm still walking.

that's all. 

ha ha

No seriously, 

I am still walking 3-4 miles most days.  I've also (I'm embarrassed to say) adding a little jogging to the walks.  I'm embarrassed because I was so adamant  that I would 'never run again' and walking was enough. But I'm now in pretty good walking shape and don't feel like I'm getting my heart rate up enough so I jog a little and then walk again.  

And dang it, I like it.  

I bought running shoes...well they were cute and on sale for $16-seriously Asics for $16. I just spied them and they fit and are comfy...sigh, I love a good bargain and I had really no intention of actually running in them.

You see a long, long time ago in a land far, far away (the 80's) I was a runner. I even ran in Pittsburgh's "10K Great Race"- ran the whole thing, which was my goal actually.

Then we moved and I could give you a whole slew of excuses but I twisted my ankle and got out of the habit and that was that.

I have no intention of becoming a runner again. My sister runs half marathons, not me. My other sister ice climbs mountains DEFINITELY not me.

I'm the walker who jogs a bit who has finally got her BMI well into the normal range for her height and is comfortable in her clothes and skin again. 

It's been over a year of walking and eating as healthy as I can without being crazy.

Changing the lifestyle has worked--who'd of thunk it!

Now just to maintain for the rest of my life...

always a catch isn't there.

Fun times, fun times.

Life is Good.  

DWMonday

My design wall is the same.  This is what it looks like when I'm piecing leftover batting together.  I got the bag out and started sewing just for my OB Wonder top and then it becomes like a game of how can I get these pieces to fit.  Then I get bored and  feel like I've wasted time.  I made a good dent with the big leftover pieces but I still have a pile of small pieces that would be better left alone until a little project comes along, which I'm sure will be soon.

First of all, I did get a script for the poison ivy and it has helped a lot, between Prednisone, liquid Benadryl and spray benadryl I was able to deal with the itch until is subsided.  

This past weekend was a bike trip!  fun-fun.

1st fuel/rest stop in Ohio

That's our bike on the left.  We went to Put-in-Bay Ohio

The weather was great.  We stayed in Port Clinton and took the Ferry's to the Island.

 Friday we rented a golf cart and toured around then on Saturday we took a different ferry with our bikes. They were parked mostly since we had brunch and then walked all around, looked in the shops, sat on a covered porch and had smoothies and relaxed. Oh my it was so lovely.  Saturday afternoon we had dinner    on the covered deck of a restaurant on one of the Marina's.  I'm not a big seafood person, but I had fresh yellow perch.  I have been trying to remember a better meal.  It was delicious.  I was so relaxed I could have melted into the chair.  

Um, and all I drink is water and iced tea. 

No alcohol was required.

I did spy a quilt shop and we stopped in.

The Nautical Needle. 

I enjoyed talking to the owner, who was working on a customer quilt. She was doing a panto and once again I'm thinking I really need to take some time (when?) and learn to use them. 

The guys were interested in the Gammill for about 3 minutes and then they just sat in the chairs and enjoyed the AC.  I bought a Schnibbles pattern "George" and a FQ bundle of Bar Harbor fabric (Minick and Simpson). 

We got home Sunday in the early afternoon and although I was doing laundry and getting everything ready for the week, we really tried to maintain the relaxation mode for the rest of the day.

ah.  

yea for summer.

DWMonday

Or should we call this post

"Well hot damn she finally posted something"

Here is Scrappy Happy.  I like the quilt, now that it's quilted better than the name. So that's a good thing -can always change the name.  I did wonky feathers on it and as usual while I'm quilting them I feel a dreadfulness that it's looking horrible and then when it's finished and off the frame it looks very good.

I'm not alone in this feeling w/Wonky feathers so it must be just the perspective while quilting them.  I have to work this afternoon but am hoping to get the binding made and dare I even say-sewn on. This is going to be a donation quilt that I hope to take to guild in a couple weeks and have it taken off  my hands --ie: outta my house!

(60 x 76)

and here is the backing-scrappy too!  Would you believe it took me 2+ hours to piece that all together!  I am always amazed at the time involved in piecing/quilting. I think it's because I lose all track of time when I'm doing it. :)

Here's a shot of the sewing room with my design wall is in full use.

7 Dresden blocks on the right; I have 3 more waiting for their blanket stitch  so they can join the others on the wall.

 19 granny square blocks on the left, there is another row down there that HQ's table is blocking.  I was going to make 20 blocks and arrange 4 x 5 but now am thinking I will make it 5 x 6.  

 

Now it's time to get some house stuff done, some sewing done but first to call the doctor.  I got poison ivy-don't know where/how and it's not horrible but it keeps popping up every day a new little patch of hellish itchiness. 

Everyone is telling me I need to get a shot or something to stop it.  So I am trying to be good and listen to 'everyone'.  Besides I don't know how much longer I can take the pink Benedryl stuff-it is helping the itch but it tastes so nasty-yikes. No wonder children have fits over taking medicine.  

gag, gag.

"Everywhere"

for NEXT Easter decorating. 

*smiles*

(9 x16)

Happy weekend to all.

I've been busy as a bee

the carpet was installed yesterday.  

I've had a migraine since Monday.

The weather is a changing so I'm expecting the headache to leave SOON

I've been moving furniture, rearranging furniture and trying to get everything to cooperate.

and the washing machine timer went last week...we ordered a new one and I did several loads today on the last one there came a loud thumping sorta noise...oh brother, can't wait to tell Paul when he gets home.

And somehow, some way I got poison ivy just a little on my leg and my wrist and under my chin.  Sheesh.

*******

On Memorial Day we went on a long bike ride to The Flight 93 Memorial

It is starting to look really beautiful.  The first time Paul and I went a few years back there wasn't much there, a chain link fence to keep you away from the site, I flag marking the impact area, people left momentos on the fence.  

It was just as emotional then as now.

The weather was beautiful and we were out for about 6 hours; rode with Paul's sister and her husband and one of Paul's friends from HS who just got a bike a few years back.

Me and Paul at Rt. 30 overlook

I've finished a couple quilts, thought I was having trouble again with HQ but I 'pretended' to quilt with it for about 5 minutes and no stalls so now I don't know what to think.  The last pass on this quilt it kept stalling and then I'd have trouble starting it again.

I think I'm going to load a small quilt and try it and see what happens.

Notice the cement floor!  I wanted to get this one done before we had to dismantle everything AGAIN for the carpet installers.

close up of quilting

and Otis inspecting my work!  Haha.

dwmonday

72 x 90

Fire Escape is all together-the color is off in this picture it's not drab at all.  The new lights in the basement are super bright, which is good for my eyes but I will have to figure out how to take better pictures. maybe.

HQ is working fine.  I called about the stall lights and they said it will not cause any problems. But if I want I can send the front handles in and they'll check it out further....hmmm maybe someday when I don't have a ton of quilting to do.  Or if I really get into panto's (after I re-learn how to do them).

I'm about oh 1/3 of the way done with this quilt.   It's going to be very pretty, if I do say so myself; very feminine.  

My work schedule has calmed down but that just means time to do stuff around here.  

And biking season is here finally.  We went for 5+ hours yesterday. (my butt hurt) and saw Cucumber Falls at Ohiopyle State Park.  

Lovely.

 I've been googling waterfalls, thinking that might be a fun destination idea for rides.  We've done covered bridges in the past.  

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.

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BIG NEWS AND MOMMY BRAGGING ALERT!!!

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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!