Do this in memory of me. . . . .

I just found this post while going through my blog roll:

http://hollyholderman.typepad.com/holly_blog/2008/11/my-favorite-things158puppy-love.html

If you love animals please read the post & let's get Oprah to use her influence to create a wide ranging understanding of what wonderful pets are available at animal shelters.

If you want to emphasize the terror that is puppy mills (which I will be doing) feel free. . . .Oprah can raise the consciousness of this country in ways that no other single person can.

I will be doing this in memory of my Bogart. . . . is there a pet in your memory that you would like to honor as well?




In peace and pieces,

Merry Christmas

DH & I attended the 11PM service at our church last night. Due to the bad weather it wasn't very crowded. The service was nice; although our commissioned lay pastor (CLP) keeps wanting to change the way things are done. . . .and she seems to like to "spring" these changes on us. That doesn't always make for a good situation.

Hopefully things will calm down once we have a permanent minister; our CLP only has a one year contract. . . and that runs out sometime in the summer, I believe.

It is still not easy having such a quiet house. . .and my mind just isn't working the way it should. . . I'm not remembering things that used to be second nature & have a habit of just sitting on the computer playing games so I don't have to think.

I'm sure this too will pass, but it is so very hard to be saying Merry Christmas when I just want to crawl into a ball & disappear.

Perhaps I'll get some sewing done between today & the weekend so I will have some pictures to post. . . but right now my heart just isn't into doing anything.

This is going to be a hard day to get through.


In peace and pieces,

Good Night, Sweet Prince

My four-legged son, Bogart, passed away on Friday evening. He was 15 years & 1 month old.

His health had been failing for quite some time. As I had previously written, he was an insulin dependent diabetic (5 years). He had developed arthritis in one of his back legs & had been getting anti-inflammatory meds to help with that.

However, he also had a tumor in that same leg that just kept growing. . . and it became increasingly hard for him to walk since his leg became almost too sore to use.

I had adopted Bogart when he was 4 years old. . . his former owner was a sales manager where I work & was going through a divorce. . .and the apartment that he was moving into would not allow dogs.

We met at a rest stop in the middle of Connecticut (the manager lived in Massachusetts) and Bogart went with me without complaint (he actually never even looked for his former owner). From the minute I wss given his leash he was my dog. . .to the point that he ignored my mother (she had gone with me in case I needed extra help).

From that day (I believe it was in February) until this past Friday, most of my thoughts and actions were geared around him. . . how long was I gone, who could check on him for me, where to board him when my sister got married in Las Vegas, running to the vet everytime something just "wasn't right" with him, etc.

He was my alarm clock (until recently 5:30AM was his time. . .even on the weekends), and if I was a little slow in getting his food ready he would let me know by barking up a storm. If I forgot to give him a cookie he would stand in front of the cabinet door and just wait until I got the "hint" & gave him a cookie!!

He used to love going for walks. . . until recently when it got too hard for him.

I purchased my home because of him. . . .the condo community where we originally lived was wonderful when I first got him. Unfortunately, as with many somewhat "transient" communities, the neighborhood started going a little downhill & I was concerned for my safety when walking him late at night. So, I bought a house, for him.

I can't believe how much his loss hurts. . . I knew that it would be bad, but this has been terrible. I realize that I am putting my husband, who is also hurting, through hell, but I just can't be strong anymore.

We aren't home. . .we left the house Saturday morning to get away. It hasn't helped, we are in Pennsylvania, where we have gone tons of times. . . and everywhere we go I have memories of Bogart --- "I always stopped here to bring him cookies home", "every time we were here I would call Mom to see how Bogart was when she went to check on him", etc.

This has not been as good an escape as I had hoped it would be.

And to top it off, I can't even put a picture of him on this post because I am on a hotel computer. . . and the upload from flickr is not working the way I thought that it would.

I'm probably not going to be on the computer very often. . . Bogie would always lay by my chair when I was on the computer so that I could lean over & pet him, or pick him up & cuddle while I was surfing the web.

Good bye, sweet friend. . . . I miss you desperately.


In peace and pieces,


Edited to add Mr. Bogie's picture.

We are home. . . .I have a new definition for Hell.

Hey, Margaret's got a new swap going!!!

If you are interested in getting into the second round of Four Season Quilt Swap you better head over to Margaret's blog NOW (http://fourseasonsquiltswap.blogspot.com/2008/11/sign-up-for-4sqs5.html).

It looks like she opened up the sign-ups for 4SQS5 yesterday. . . .and I don't know how many have already signed up. . . so get moving!!! LOL

I won't be joining this time around. . . I'm going to take a breather from swapping for a while so I can concentrate on the projects that I have "in-house". But, I can assure you that Margaret runs a tight ship and the work I have seen is absolutely top notch.

Good luck, if you choose to swap.

Until next time,

In peace and pieces,

Okay, I'm getting serious!

At least about busting my stash, that is.

I've decided to try to get myself under control when it comes to fabric, quilt books, quilt kits, quilt magazines, quilt supplies (over buying), etc.

You have to realize that this "revelation" comes after I purchased almost 18 yards of fabric last night! One was a print of scenes from "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" (and I love Cornelius!) and the other was a fabric that looks like flames. . .and I'm thinking that I would like to use that for my Black & White & 1 other color challenge (which can be found here: http://cvquiltworks.blogspot.com/2008/11/black-and-white-quilt-challenge-project.html).

And I have 30 fat quarters of black & white fabrics on order from Jane (http://janesfabrics.blogspot.com/). But since I do not have a large collection of black & white fabrics I'm not too concerned about that purchase.

Judy Laquidara has been an inspiration to me & I figure that it is time I got serious about getting something done around here. Of course, I have gotten alot of stuff done if you look at my side bar for projects completed & books read, but that is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to what I want to get done.

My stash busting goal for 2009 is as follows:

Number 1:

Complete my sister's wedding quilt. I would like to have the top at least done by her 8th anniversary in May.

Here's what 1 block looks like:


I think, if I remember correctly, I need over 80 of these.

Number 2:

Get my sewing area in the basement organized, set up & cleared out.

This will be a monumental task, but I'm thinking if I work on it a little at a time by the end of 2009 it should be exactly the way I want it to be.

Here are some pics (which I've posted before) to show you what a mess I have. . . it was alot more organized 3 years ago (before I got married) but once the DH came in with his stuff things just got tossed together & the basement resembles more of a "war zone" than anything else. But it won't look this way by this time next year if I have my way (which I usually do)! LOL




Number 3:

Work on UFO's and/or kits before starting anything brand new.

This will allow me to work on projects that I already liked and would like to get back to --- not to mention that they are further along toward completion than anything else I could dream up! LOL

I may try to work these in as a "leader & ender" project ala Bonnie Hunter (www.quiltville.com). . .but since I am sewing my sister's quilt by hand (I can't do curves on my sewing machine to my satisfaction) this may be a little difficult.


I think that working toward these three goals will be enough for me to start with. Of course I will also have to work in my crochet, knitting, cross stitch & reading in to my life as well, not to mention the DH, Bogart, my job, church, volunteer work, relaxation, etc.

If you'd like to join the crowd that is growing check out this entry on Judy's blog:
http://www.patchworktimes.com/stashbusting-in-2009/.

Until next time,

In peace and pieces,

Heading to a Warmer Climate

No, not me. . . . but my part of the Doll Quilt Swap #5. . . .where it is going is a warmer spot than here in NJ. . . here are a couple of pictures of the finished piece; I was trying to show the quilting & I wasn't sure that it showed on the picture of the front. . .so I put in a picture of the back.


So, now all my "big" swap obligations are completed. I just have the Birthday Block Swap to complete, which is a block a month for the next 8 months or so. . .and then all my obligations are completed.

After being involved in so many time sensitive swaps I think I will just "lay low" for a bit. . . I have alot of UFO's that need to be completed; not to mention all the fabric that I have in the house!! Judy Laquidara's Stashbusting efforts (http://www.patchworktimes.com/2008/10/28/stashbusting-in-2009/) seem to be more in line with where & what I am into at the moment.

Gee, guess my #1 priority is to get the wedding gift for my sister done. . . their EIGHT year anniversary is May 2009. . . and I only have 1 row of a king sized quilt completed.

It's time to get that finished, don't you think??

Until next time,

In peace and pieces,

Here's something that I CAN show you. . . .

My husband & I spent our 3rd anniversary visiting my sister & her family in Strawberry Plains, Tennessee. We stayed at a time share in Gatlinburg. . . mileage wise not very far, but with driving time at least 1/2 hour (but usually more) away.

It was great to spend some time with my niece & 2 nephews. . . .since they moved I haven't had alot of contact with them. . . .not like my other sister's boy whom I get to see on a pretty regular basis.

We took the kids to an attraction called, if I remember correctly, Outback Adventure, and there were alot of exhibits of animals from Australia (unfortunately the kangaroos were sleeping out of the sun so we did not get to see them), Asia, Malaysia, etc.

Here are some pics:







One of the days we were in Tennessee we drove to Asheville, North Carolina to visit Biltmore House.

What a case of sticker shock!! They charge $55 per person to see just a portion of the rooms in this house.

A couple of years ago we went to Newport, Rhode Island & purchased tickets to see 5 different mansions and I don't think those tickets were much more than that. . . and we got to see the ENTIRE house, not just certain floors.

My DH had always wanted to see Biltmore, and we had spent 3 hours driving there, so we went. I can't say that I was disappointed, but I think the mansions in Newport were done up in a much grander style and the tour guides there were a bit more cordial to those that were going through on their own with audio tours.

When we came back home I got sick --- could you blame me? In Tennessee the temps were between 72 - 78 degrees, when we got back to New Jersey we had 40 degree weather -- that's a bit of a shock to the system!

Between battling a sinus infection & bronchitis (why just get one illness when you can get 2?) I have been a bit behind schedule in getting my projects completed. . . but my Twisted Mystery #4 project has been mailed & received by Lynn. . . so I should be able to post pictures here shortly of that project.

The other project that I am working on is for the Doll Quilt Swap #5 (http://dollquiltswap.wordpress.com/). . . .here is the top that I am now quilting:



My partner said that they like bright quilts. . . so I hope that they are happy with this. . .it is not something that is usually my style, but it is growing on me, and DH likes it, so I would say that it is working out well.

I had wanted to have this already in the mail & out the door, but being laid up for about 4 days put that plan right out the window. The quilts need to be at their final destinations by December 1st. . .I'm thinking that sending it priority mail on Friday should give it plenty of time to get to where it is going.

Well, enough babbling, I have to get ready for work & get the DH up so . . . .

Until next time,






In peace and pieces,

Quiltathon Weekend w/Judy Laquidara

I have been hand quilting for the past couple of days. . . the only problem is that I can't show you what I have been working on because it is my Twisted Mystery #4 project. . .and until the "great reveal" on the forum I can't show it here.

I am very pleased with the way the quilt & the quilting are turning out. . . I had wanted to have the quilt in the mail by yesterday (Saturday) but due to this dumb cold I have been sleeping more than I have been quilting. However, due to the deadline of the project it has to be in the mail by no later than Tuesday. Hopefully I will be able to stay awake enough to finish it.

I haven't downloaded the pics from our trip to Tennessee yet. . . but hope to have those here soon.

Until next time,


In peace and pieces,

My Angel received her package

This will just be a short post. . . .I'm a bit pressed for time. I heard from Fiona, who was the recipient of my Stitchers' Angel package, and my package has arrived at her home safe & secure. Yippee!!!

I'm always worried about packages not making it to their destinations in a timely fashion. . . but this is one more swap that has gone off without a hitch.

I'll be back. . . with news from our trip down south & pics of creatures (some are very small).

Until then. . .

In peace and pieces,

Stitchers' Angel package received!!!

Today was a terrific mail day for me. . .and DH was pretty excited about it as well.

My Stitchers' Angel package arrived all the way from Norway!! Thank you, thank you, thank you Anne Heidi!

Here's what was waiting on my kitchen table when I got home:



I opened the package & here is what was waiting inside:



Inside the package was this:



What a wonderful little quilt tote. . . I love the fabrics & what I should have taken a picture of is the adorable buttons that Anne Heidi used on the side flaps of the tote.

When I opened the first little package I found this:



It is an adorable little needlebook. . .with needles & pins already inside. What fun fabrics!

Inside the next package I opened was this:



Three pieces of fabric (one with Paisleys. . .I adore paisley fabrics!!)

And wonderful little Halloween buttons of 2 different styles.

The last package I opened contained this:



A wonderful vinyl fronted case (could this be from the tutorial that Crazy Mom Quilts (http://crazymomquilts.blogspot.com) has?

There was also 3 skeins of embroidery floss and a package of darning needles.


I am so happy that this package arrived before I went on my trip. . . .now I can bring the tote & case with me in my luggage.

This was a wonderful swap. . . . and I hope that my partner is as happy with the items I sent her as I am.

Now I'm off the email Anne Heidi!

In peace and pieces,

New Patterns Announcement

If you are in the market for some wonderful new patterns you have to check out Helen's blog (http://hugsnkisses.typepad.com/hugsfromhelen/2008/10/finally-i-can-show-you-the-new-patterns.html).

Helen is the hostess of the Stitcher's Angels swap that will be ending next week. . .and she comes up with some wonderful patterns.

Enjoy,

In peace and pieces,

My Only Comment on the Coming Election

I am NOT voting for Obama. And I have been a die-hard Democrat for my entire life.

That is MY choice. . . . based on information that I have gotten from many, many sources.

One of my main concerns is discussed here:
http://money.cnn.com/2008/10/13/news/economy/voting_for.moneymag/index3.htm

While I may not fully agree with the "trickle down" effect that is the Republican party, I also do not agree with Obama's Socialist leaning rhetoric.

It is not enough to help those that are here illegally, or are making so little that they pay nearly no taxes. What about the Mom & Pop operations, like family farms, small businesses, etc.

Increasing the taxes on small businesses and/or families making $250,000 or more a year is just penalizing the backbone of this country.

Increasing the taxes on capital gains for "the little people" also penalizes those of us in this country that have busted our butts to live the American dream without the benefit of "bottomless pockets" based on our family backgrounds.

Educate yourself before you cast your ballot. . . . you will reap as you sow.

'Nuf said,

In peace and pieces,

More projects completed

As you know from the button on my sidebar, I am a Stitcher's Angel. . here are some pictures of the gifts that I sent out:

This first is a needlecase (the pattern came from www.quilterscache.com). . it was very easy to do



I did change the pattern just slightly. . . instead of using poster board to make the case sturdy I used heavy craft type fusible interfacing.

This picture shows all the items that I sent. . . a fabric basket (courtesy of a tutorial on Pink Penquin), the needlecase, a cathedral window chatelaine & a tissue holder.

I hope that my partner likes these items.



The next picture is of the Birthday Block for October. . . .I hope Ginger likes this. She had requested a star (the pattern is from Quilter's Cache) but each member of the birthday block swap could put in their own 6" block for the center. I'm partial to the propellor block that I used because it reminds me of the pinwheels I used to get as a child.



I've been moving right along with my projects. . . but I still don't have the Mystery Quilt top from Retreat done. . . but it should be shown here soon.

Until next time,


In peace and pieces,

Gee, I'm amazing myself!!

I just added the last book that I have read this year to my side bar listing.

I'm amazed, I've read more than 30 books so far in less than a year!!! That comes out to about 3 books a month. And most of the time I only read at lunch during work!

The number wouldn't be so surprising to me if they were mostly audio books. . . because I have been getting alot of sewing done & like to have something to keep my mind occupied while my hands are busy. . . but these were actually the written word that I have been reading.

Guess I really like to read, huh??!!

In peace and pieces,

30th year High School Reunion

Last night was the reunion to celebrate 30 years after graduation. I have attended each of these events, with the exception of one, as a way of catching up with "long lost" friends.

Last night I was finally able to catch up with someone that has always had a special place in my heart ---- ever since we were in school ---- after losing touch for 25 years.

Roy and I were in choir, together with quite a cast of characters. . . most of whom I have been unable to locate, or have reached out to & haven't heard from yet. He was, and is, the "guitar man" in my life (you should hear him play!!!)

Whenever there was a concert or something where music was involved you could bet that the "chorus room gang" would be involved! Roy, Denise, Vinny, Bobby (my birthday twin -- except for the 12 hour time difference), me, and several others would always be ready & willing to do our part to keep the music going.

It was so good to get to catch up with him again. . . and I wish it would have been less noisy so that we could have more time to have just talked.

He's in a band (Truth 2 Power)-- http://www.truth2powermusic.com -- and they have a demo out. . . and hopefully they will get a label soon --- he deserves it & I'm sure the other guys in the band do too (even though I don't know them yet).

We have both been through our share of bad patches. . . but he's not going to disappear on me again. . . . friendship is too precious to let slip away. . . and "old" (as in length of time, not age) friends are the best ones to have. . .they have known you when you were a jerk (and, at least for me, still a jerk at times) and when you were a saint (for me, not many times!!). . .and if they still like you YOU KEEP 'EM CLOSE!!!!

I'd post a picture, but I was a jerk & left the camera home last night. . . . so, no pictures for you today.

In peace and pieces,

Quilt Retreat News. . . .and one more project completed

Last weekend my DH & I went away for the 3rd Quilt Retreat Weekend at New Life Island near Frenchtown, NJ. The camp is rum through Baptist ministries as a summer camp and has lately branched out into offering Quilt Retreat and a Scrapbook Retreat weekends.

Two friends (who are husband & wife) had been involved in the camps when their children were young & have kept in touch with the camp all these years. It was through them that Steve & I got involved.

If you are interested in learning more about the camp here is their website: www.nli.org.

At retreat this year a Mystery Quilt program was presented. . . here's a picture of the first (and only) quilt top (sans borders) that was completed:



I think you can click on the picture for a closer look. It was really pretty in person. . . I don't think my photography does much to show it off.

My mystery quilt top hasn't been completed yet. . . .I have too many swap obligations to work on it full time. . .but I am hopeful that it will be done before Thanksgiving.

One of the swaps that I am in is a Forum Quilt program where each of us that signed up were given a 12" square of fabric & were to make a 12" quilt block from it adding fabric from our own stash.

Here is the block that I made:



The pattern is Antique Tile from Quilters Cache (www.quilterscache.com) and was very easy to make. . . I'm thinking that it would be a good choice for a leader/ender project as long as the colors were kept straight during piecing.

The lavender fabric with the gold flowers is the fabric that we were given; I added the gold & the cream fabrics. I think it came out pretty well.

Other than that I have been working on my Twisted Mystery and my Stitcher's Angel projects. . . but I can't show those off yet (which is really driving me NUTS).

Until next time,

In peace and pieces,

Oooppps, I did it again!!

No, I am NOT a Britney fan. . . .but I did it again! I signed up for another swap!

This time I signed up for the Doll Quilt Swap 5! This will be the first time that I am swapping with that group. . .and the sizes can be even smaller (12" x 12") than what I have worked with in other swaps.

It should be fun. . . I can't wait until I get the info on my partner so I can start planning.

Definitely won't have any eye candy until I get back from Retreat. . .but hopefully I will get lots of pics so I can make up for boring posts. Unfortunately, I won't be able to show you some of what I will be working on because it will be my Twisted Mystery swap piece.

Until next time,


In peace and pieces,

I've been working. . . . but I can't show you. . .

I have been busily working on my Twisted Mystery Quilt. . . .but I can't show you what I'm working on because the secret would be revealed.

Let's just say that I am wishing that I had the same set of fabrics because I am really liking the way this project is coming out.

It took me a while to figure out exactly what to do --- mainly because there were so many ideas & I was afraid to cut into the fabric before I was definitely sure what I was doing.

Other than that I have been working on a Mystery Quilt for a Quilter's Retreat that I will be attending this weekend. . . .and a little demo on making tissue holders.

I probably won't be posting here again until after I get back from the Retreat, but hope to have some pictures from there to show (as long as I can remember to take my camera)!



In peace and pieces,

4 Season Quilt Swap --- Summer received

I had participated in the 4 Season Quilt Swap program that Margaret Gunn had done. I was lucky enough to have been able to participate in all 4 seasons.

My swap partner for Summer was Zita and she had made me a beautiful quilt --- here's the link to the picture: http://hortenzia.freeblog.hu/archives/2008/06/24/3224272/#e3224272.

Unfortunately, the quilt has gone missing somewhere between Zita's house & mine. I do hope that it shows up somewhere soon. . . with the amount of work that she did it would be a shame if it was lost forever.

Margaret let me know that an "angel" was making a quilt for me so that I would have a Summer quilt.

My package came from Maine today. . . .here are pictures of the quilt I received:







The quilt is beautiful! And I have the same teacup fabric in my stash somewhere in the basement. Now I will have to find it so that I can make a matching quilt or throw to use in the living room when I have the wallhanging up.

Thank you, Mystery Angel, for making this quilt for me. . . .it is beautiful! Now, would you mind telling me what machine you used so I can get one for myself??? The decorative stitches are exquisite!


In peace and pieces,

I'm still working. . . . .

I have still be giving my sewing area a "work out". . .but today there is not all that much "eye candy" for everyone to see.

But here is my latest creation:



This is for the September "episode" of the Birthday Block Swap from the Quilting Forum on About.com. It will be winging it's way to Stacy in Connecticut later today (as soon as the PO opens).

The postal worker that helps me will be getting a work out also. . . . I'm mailing out 3 sets of swap envelopes. . . a total of 10 items!

It will feel good to get the swaps in the mail. . . more things I can check off of my "to do" list.

Now another topic. . . . CARS. . . . I am beginning to really, really, really dislike cars.

Part of the problem could be that right now I don't have one that works. My beloved Malibu has been having "issues". First it was the fender bender at work a couple of weeks ago (and the guy that hit me was a total jerk & liar, but I'm not going to rile myself all over again about that. . .I have my car back & it only cost me the deductible so I'll let God take care of liars.)

Now it appears that either the computer in the car, or the theft deterrent system has decided to go haywire.

My car doesn't recognize me! And, since it thinks I am a thief it won't run. This is now the THIRD time that this has happened. The first time the computer was completely wiped clean & a family friend (who's a mechanic) had to re-set the entire computer.

The second time it happened was two weeks ago, right before I was supposed to drop the car at the repair center to get the bumper & tail light fixed. So the repair center did "double duty" for me.

Now, just 2 weeks to the day later, the car has again decided that I am trying to steal it.

This is very frustrating. . . . especially in light of the fact that my DH and I both work full-time. . .plus he is on call 24/7 for emergencies at the schools.

So, today I am picking up a rental car for a week (my "baby" goes to the shop on Monday). . . and I hope that by the end of the rental contract I will have my own "ride" back.

Life has been very expensive lately. . . . and the stress from trying to figure out how to pay the bills & the way the stupid economy is going is really getting to me. . . . but at least when I am working on my swaps and other projects I can get my mind off things for a little while.

Hey, maybe that's why I've been able to get so much done lately??!! Maybe this aggravation is a "good thing" after all!! hehehehehehe

Like Maury Povich used to say: "Until next time, America". . . .

In peace and pieces,