1/29/14

Miscellaneous Musings

Today I have a day at home...alone...and I'm luxuriating in it. That isn't to say that I don't love having my husband around, but it's the first day I've had to myself in more than a week, and so I'm going to be lazy and enjoy it.

Just before I came upstairs to write this blog post, I looked out the living room window to see this visitor just outside.


I imagine she was browsing her personal farmer's market looking for tulips. She'll have to come back in a few weeks and enjoy her feast then. For as long as we've lived here, I never tire of seeing the deer...even if they did destroy my rose garden...and even if they do eat the tulips down to the ground. I tried to defeat the deer by planting the tulip bulbs in whiskey barrels. That worked pretty well until the squirrels discovered them. They dug up every single bulb and had their own little buffet. There are a few tulips left scattered around that no one has eaten yet, but I imagine they'll disappear eventually too.

Yesterday morning, I had some time to sew, and then I had a little bit of time when I got home from PT. Before I go on, I'll just report that yesterday's session was my last in PT. I've been going since the beginning of October, so four months. It has helped quite a bit. My knee will never be pain free, but it's so much better now than it was at the end of summer. I can still go back if it flares up again, but I'm hoping that won't happen. I'll see the doctor on Thursday, and he can give me his final blessing. There are still a few things I wish were a little more improved, but I think PT has done all it can for me at this point. Maybe the doctor will feel another cortisone injection might get me over the top. I really don't know, but I'd be up for that if he suggested it.

So to get back to my sewing. I was working on the Outback Sunset table runner I started.


Yesterday, I made the strip sets:


Then I cut them into triangles using the 45° angle on my ruler. Depending on which way I was cutting, the strips of fabric were reversed in half of them.


Then I started sewing them together with the black and white stripes, and I sewed the center strips together.


Then I started sewing the blocks together. There are three of these, and two with the fabrics in reverse order. I was able to finish two of these before I had to quit for the day. 


I'll finish the rest of the blocks today, and then, depending on the time, I might finish the whole top or decide to move onto the next thing on January's to-do list. So that's today's sewing agenda. If I'm feeling really charitable, I might fit in some housework, but that's a big "If".

This morning I was thrilled to receive these pictures from my bloggy friend Sue L. One of her friends took them at the Road to California quilt show. This quilt was entered in Bird Brain Designs' Redwork Challenge. Since I was attending a show here in Oregon, I wasn't able to see my quilt in California. I would very much appreciate it if someone would send me a link with a tutorial that explains how to be in two places at the same time. I tried searching Google, but only came up with links to a lot of stuff about the laws of physics. Anyway...here's my quilt:


And here's the tag:


It's the next best thing to being there, so thanks, Sue...and please thank your friend who took these photos. 

Then, I was scrolling through my Newsfeed on Facebook this morning when I came across this!


I won! Along with three others, I won a $50 gift certificate to the Bird Brain Designs website for this. Holy Spit! The mind reels with possibilities. I LOVE their stuff! What a great way to start the day! And I just want to say here that I hope it doesn't seem like shameless self-promotion or boastful when I show stuff like this because, honestly, I am flabbergasted when a quilt I've made receives any sort of recognition. I just told someone this morning that I'm always expecting to see every mistake--and there are many!--circled with red ink like my math tests from back in high school. So, anyway, I figure we're all friends here. If you can't celebrate your little triumphs with friends, then who can you share them with?

So moving on, I have this "We Are the World" quilt on my calendar to be sewn together in the next couple of months, and I've been thinking about what fabric to use for the back.


I was wishing I could find some sort of paper dolls fabric somewhere, but I didn't like anything I saw. The closest I came was this new fabric called Handmaids from Quilting Treasures:


It comes in different colors, but only off-white...not white, which is what I wanted. Also, for my purposes, I didn't like that red postal stamp. What's up with that?

Anyway...I searched, and searched, and searched, and finally settled on these rainbow polka dots. They're fine, but I still wish I could have found what I was looking for. Can't designers read my mind? I mean, really.


Finally, I was taking some images off my phone and remembered these from Monday when I was on my way to Salem to visit the fabric store. I was stopped at several red lights following this car, which gave me plenty of opportunities to take this photo:


I briefly considered getting out my car, knocking on the window, and introducing myself as her new best friend, but then the light changed. Shoot. Oh well. A missed opportunity. Oh, and be sure to notice the license plate frame.

And then, right on the heels of this car's rear end, I walked past a jewelry store on my way to the fabric store and saw this:


Be still my beating heart! I went inside to see how much it was. The fact that the price wasn't posted should have been a clue, but I was dismayed to find it was about ten times out of my price range. Oh well. I texted a picture to Mike as a heavy-handed hint, but I'm not sure the message was received. I probably should have included the GPS coordinates, but I don't know how to do that.

So that's about it for me. Time to go luxuriate in my sewing room. I hope you have a lovely day.

40 comments:

carla said...

Hi!!! I love the cat necklace too!!!! Congrats on your win!!! I love your cat quilt!!! I love the dolls quilt too!!! I wonder if they make fabric with a globe theme or newpaper print from around the world?!!! Just thinking that might add to your theme but the polka dots are pretty!!!!

Linda M @ Pieceful Kingdom said...

Congratulations on the quilt! It's beautiful! The backing fabric you DON'T want looks like little robots to me. I think the polka dots will work well.

Marei said...

Congratulations Barbara on the recognition for your beautiful handwork on 'Love Me, Love My Cats'!!

gpc said...

Congrats on another win, and not only a win but a useful win! What a great prize! Love your new blocks, the runner will be beautiful. I'd be looking for that cat in sterling . . .

WoolenSails said...

I am so happy for you, congratulations and what fun to find a surprise like that on Facebook. That is a fun necklace. I used to collect cat jewelry, now i don't wear any, so it sits in a box.

Debbie

Vroomans' Quilts said...

Congratulations!! Oh, love the necklace and the car decor, too. Your runner is going to be stunning - great fabrics.

Andee said...

Congrats on winning...your quilt is beautiful!

Quilting Babcia said...

I just searched on eBay and there are over 400 listings for "paper doll fabric" - while there are probably lots of repeats, you might find something for a pieced backing along with the polka dots. Congrats on your new winning quilt!

Denise :) said...

Wow!! Congratulations to you!!! Love Me, Love My Cat was *definitely* win-worthy! Enjoy the winnings! Love the cat pendant...sorry the price was not so lovable!! :)

Janarama said...

WOO HOO, congrats on the win! Well deserved. Love the fabric you're using for your table runner. It's going to be beautiful when finished.

Jeanie said...

Congrats on your winnings! FREE shopping therapy is just the best!

Cherry said...

YAY!! Congrats on the well deserved win - it's a fabulous quilt! Love the necklace too. Maybe you need to print out the necklace picture and post it on the fridge? Happy shopping with your prize.

quiltzyx said...

The strips sets & blocks for your new table runner are great! Love the colors.

Hooray! I knew you'd be a winner with Love Me, Love My Cat!!! Perfect win for some retail therapy. I sent your thanks along to Bev, with a link to Cat Patches.

That is a cool cat necklace - too bad about the price. But Mike is a pretty smart fella from what I hear, so you never know.....!

Betty said...

Of course you should share your joy with us! Congrats on a well deserved win.
I love the cat necklace and the car sticker. My DIL gave me a magnetic sticker that says "I Love My Cat" with a picture of a cat on it. Hubby kinda frowns on bumper stickers and such, but I put it on my car anyway. It helps me find it in a parking lot and helps explain all the little foot prints all over the car!

Christine M said...

Congratulations on your win Barbara. How exciting for you.

Diane Wild said...

I saw that on FB earlier. Congrats to you. Another in the win-win column. I very much like the table runner. Hope you enjoyed your day off.

Junebug613 said...

Congratulations on your well deserved win! I don't think it's boasting, when you are excited and share your happy fortune. Besides, you are always so generous with giveaways and sharing information. I think its wonderful that you won! I adore your visitors! Sorry you couldn't find the fabric that you wanted for the ladies quilt back. That is frustrating. I like how the table runner blocks are coming together. The necklace and the car decal are adorable. I hope that your knee continues to be less painful for you.

Karen said...

I do so enjoy my alone time too. Looks like you really made the most of yours with a busy day.
Congrats on the win with your redwork!!

Brown Family said...

Congrats on the win! I do love that quilt!

Tami C said...

I was very happy to see your quilt show up with the other winners! You really did a lovely job on Love Me, Love My Cat! Congratulations on winning! Loved the picture of the Cat Car! The paw prints are so cute!

Kirsty said...

Congratulations! That redwork quilt is a triumph. Love the Deer in your garden. That's so cool.

liniecat said...

Id consider that such a privilige to see deer in my garden, yes and squirrels too.
Although many in Uk consider them vermin. Mostly I think because the immigrant greys have all but squeezed out our native red squirrels. Tho I bet if they had reds theyd then think of them as vermin too.
Id plant tulips in bowls in the house and put them at the windows to taunt the squirrels mind you and get my own back abit!

Your cat quilt is similar to the one I posted on blog recently that was made by one of our club members! You may have mentioend about having done one come to think of it.
Very Well Done on winning with it and what fun to have 'spends' for a place you already know youll find plenty to buy from! Bonus.
Love the necklace!! was it in silver by any chance?
(All I can afford and all I wear these days anyway lol)
Fingers crossed for you that lovely hubby puts his hand in his pocket and saves it for a rainy day as a surprise lol
loved the gps comment LOLOL
I thought the dollish fabric was a helmeted robot too and the postage stamp does nothing to to the scooter rider? like design.
The bright cheerful blocks look great and I like the spotty backing fabric too.

You make me chuckle away and that would be enough reason to read your posts to be honest even if you didnt have other interesting stuff to show!

Lyndsey said...

Congratulations on your win for Love me love my cat. We all told you it should win before you sent it off.I'm interested in what you chose to spend you prize on as they have so many great designs. The cat necklace is brilliant. i'm currently looking for a cat necklace for older daughter's birthday. She loves cats but boyfriend who I think is becoming a permanent fixture is very allergic to them. So next best thing is cat necklace.

Meg said...

Congrats on your win. It's well deserved.

Very good post - everythng was interesting and entertaining.

How much was the cat necklace? How big was it? I liked it too, would really like it if it was smaller.

Have a good Thursday!

Doris Rice, The Quilting Queen said...

Congratulations on your win. I don't know which I'd be more excited about, the $50 or my name in lights on their FB page! A daily double!!

NancyA said...

Congrats! Well deserved--love that quilt. By the way, a fellow Oregon blogger, Woolie Mammmoth, has a slideshow of the Stitches in Bloom show--and got a couple of great pix of your quilt! They are about half-way through the slideshow.

Lynette said...

Aw, I love the deer, too, when they visit us. Like you, I consider it worth the trade-off of not having a marvelous flower garden. Totally laughed about the squirrels eating the bulbs out of the whisky barrels - (sorry)! Big congrats on your redwork win. It was so fun "watching" you work that one up.

Teresa in Music City said...

Congratulations on the win!!! Well deserved :) I think a blog is where we are supposed to share our happy accomplishments, right? One of the greatest joys in life is celebrating with our friends!

kathyinozarks said...

what a fun post to read-Congrats on the win-I think our blogs are the perfect place to share our achievments and or failures-so I don't think its boasting at all.
I love it too when I have some time alone-I think we all need that. and I love the cat necklace-how nifty is that? Had to laugh about putting in the gps coordinates-lol I would not know how to do that either.
enjoy your sewing day-Kathy

Anonymous said...

I love cheering with my friends--keep those announcements coming. Congrats! And what a gorgeous deer visiting you.

kc said...

Congrats on the win! Well deserved, I'd say. When we were doing our farming, we just always planted extra rows...for the deer, the racoons, the deer, the chickens, the deer, the storm, the neighbors, the deer, the girls' teachers, the market, oh, and the deer. Never minded & just considered their scat free fertilizer. (we had rabbits & chickens, so it wasn't like we were hurtin' for fertilizer or anything...)

I could totally see you hopping out to chat up the driver in front of you...certainly the cars behind you would understand, don'tcha think?

Cath said...

I am so thrilled for you to win a spot with your Cats on Quilts Redwork. How exciting!! From your post today I love the deer. How special to have them visit your yard. We don't get much wild life now that we live in suburbia :( and that kitty necklace would be purrfect for you.....damn it! when are men going to learn about hints
Cath @ Bits 'n Bobs

Beth said...

Congratulations on your Redwork Recognition! So glad you shared the news with us.

Lynne said...

Woohoo! congratulations! How exciting! And no I don't think it sounds like you're bragging! If you can't celebrate your victories on your own blog, where can you celebrate?

Judy1522 said...

That is fantastic that you won at the Redwork Quilt show. It deosn't seem like bragging for you to share that with us.
Must be the season for deer to be more visible. I was walking on the westside trail the other day and saw two deer going through someones yard. I am with you I am always thrilled to see deer.
The necklace and the car are great too. Actually I think the car owner is very clever that is the best car decor I have ever seen.

Cheryl's Teapots2Quilting said...

Congrats on your win! How cool is that?!?!

Michele said...

Fun musings and congrats on the win! I'm sure you are dancing on the clouds over that news.

Kate said...

Congrats on the win! It's a gorgeous quilt.

The table runner blocks are looking good. Is this for Halloween or is it intended to be for when you celebrate OSU football?

Dana Gaffney said...

I went back looking for the redwork quilt, SewCalGal is having a red and white quilt show right now for quilts made before 2014, I think you should enter this one, it's perfect and beautiful.

Dar said...

Congrats on your super win. That is real cool. I don't do FB, so I would never see any info there. That cat necklace is so cute. Maybe Mike will surprise you for a special occasion, you just never know. I think your dolls would be happy with the dots, but I know what you mean about having your heart set on a specific fabric and not being able to find it.