Retirement Phase 2

I now get to celebrate being retired again.  No More shows.  Going to concentrate on skills, art and web page this year.  Next year after I have restored my inventory I will hit the shows again but  only 6.  It takes to long and is too stressful to make handmade items for a deadline.  I have 2 baby quilts, another 2 t-shirt quilts and 2 star quilts to complete.  Oh! How I love shopping for fabric.  Fondle, Fondle Fondle.  When I had a closet full of sweaters:  I used to say:  you can never have too many sweaters.  (especially when they are downy fresh: or stained w/ spaghetti).  I do miss sweater weather but I don't miss the snow and slush.  Now I believe you can never ever have too much fabric.  The problem is I have only scraps.  Time to make scrap quilts.

Walking do I hear "W" a four letter word

Never thought I would appreciate walking.  Always heard "it's so good for you".  Never took it serious.  I chose to swim instead.  But, now I have a walking buddy.  Yup!  Ms Maggie.  Whether it's sunny or icy:  she wants to go.  For the first 6wks I barely made a quarter mile.  Today me and Maggie made a mile in record time.  42 degrees and the old lady was panting.  Good for me.  My thighs hurt, my heals hurt, even my toes hurt but she insists every morning "Walk".  And, walk we do.  I'm stronger, have my gait back and almost have some of my back strength back.  May even try swimming again.  It has been a long battle

                                                            Maggie and Lily

            Baby's first broken puppy heart  :  George, Maggie and Uncle Max went on walk w/out her

Never thought I would say:

Gather around the laptop and watch:  Do you know Sandra Boynton.  Children's author and illustrator.  I have purchased many of her children's books for the library.  If you google her site or go to her facebook face and click on her links:  You will discover Josh Turner, Kevin Bacon, B.B. King all singing in videos.  A friend sent me her link for Christmas.  What a great present.  Happy Holidays and have a safe 2015

short days, cold days

I have a small sewing studio.  Me and George last year put 2 6 ft tables together so I would have a 6 x 6 cutting space.  Now I can lay out large quilts and keep them straight when adding the back.  However we have had some really cold days.  I can't believe I'm not sick.  I'd run outside and cut and cut :  sew and sew and back outside.  I guess its true :  you only get sick when you are a round sick people.  Good thing kids don't come and visit.  But the flaw in my outdoor cutting set-up is it gets dark awfully early.  But! tomorrow is the shortest day and then the days get longer an longer. 

Shortest day of year

Dec. 21 is only 3 days away.  Then the days start getting longer again.  Oh how we depend on this.  Lots of scientific reasons:  but I'm just glad not to wake up at the crack of dawn.  Puppy and Maggie are doing just fine.  No longer have to worry about Maggie hurting puppy.  Lily is pretty tough.  Can't wait until she is old enough to learn:  "take it outside"  "outside".   Raising puppy is full time job.  Housebreaking starts this week.  What a joy.  However, I want to give a shout out to Eleanor,  I just used her ruler for making perfect flying geese.  Can't wait to find her perfect ruler for "storm at sea".  I will need 2 to make this lovely quilt block.


   Go!  Eleanor Burns.

Recognition

We all need recognition.  I  have been to 3 shows in 2 months.  I am grateful that people like my art work.  It is rather rewarding.  Almost all  my quilts have sold.  I have only 1 table runner left. And, only a few pet items left.  I start an art class at MSU and have registered for the Jennifer Day Class in September.  I am so excited.  It's nice to be all about me.  I now have time for formal art training.  I wonder how my fiber art will transform beyond what I am doing now.

  made w/ only fiber :  cotton and thread

Meet Lily Miller

How much does a free puppy cost.  Well for starters nothing.  But, keep her out of sewing room.  She ate the cord on my new sewing foot.  $40 for cord.  $50 for labor.  Oh My!.  Now I have to move my sewing machine to back of house and all the cables before she eats more.  Having older pets you don't worry about such things.  My sewing table is next to the doggie door.  Now I have to puppy-proof the garage.  Yup!  One weekend I was out of town and my husband moved me and my sewing stuff to the garage.

what to do

Have 3 shows coming up.  Need to sew, sew, sew.  Have a friend flying in....need to play play play.  Have a new showing machine.  Need to mend, mend, mend....

Seams to me:

Brought home Big Sister today.  The new sewing machines:  computers that happen to sew.  Holy Cow!  It's been 13 years since I had a new sewing machine. Me and George hooked her up and re-allocated Baby Miller to the kitchen table. (she's so little) This one does not do embroidery but it is a monster of a machine and thinks for me.  I can do heirloom sewing w/ a push button:  but I had to give up my bunny stitch for a crazy cat stitch.  Seams there

                                                   only fabric and thread

are always trade-offs

more quilts from international quilt show

someday I will be this good.

Home from International Quilt Show

Quilts from Show.  More each day.  Took a class.  Learned hand:  heirloom quilting.  And learned to use stencil sheets from Sarah Ann.  Making a birds nest w/ robin's eggs.  Lots and lots to see and do.

                                                          $10,000 winner

                                                                     traditional quilts :  3 of 200

My oh My

It's beginning to look like Christmas.  These quilts will be available for sale soon.

at last a happy day.

Held 5 day old puppies in my hands today.  Yup.  4 of them look like my Maggie.  My neighbors thought they were "his" pups.  But, alas.  Maggie is a girl so she is not the culprit.  The husky over on the next block is the poppa.  Sunday me and my favorite science teacher friend are going to try and find the kittens.  Oh Happy day!  I need many more.  My doc's nurse while in Wichita lost her husband in Dallas and was unable to say good-bye.  Please drive without distractions.  Please hug your loved ones tonite.  Please enjoy dinner w/ friends and family and put the darn things away.  It is time for a happy day.

I hate it!!! Another sad day

Just finished watching Otter 501 on Netflex.  40 years later only 20% (that's 1 in 5) otters survive past one year in wild after being rescued.  This pup is number 501 rescued.   If you watch Otter 501:  I saw every otter, every rock and every wave that got filmed this summer.  The guy talking was the man that did the presentation I went to at the Aquarium:  so sad:  stay in wichita:  move to wolves: move to otters.  Irrevocable decisions.  Then at library I discovered 5 baby kittens living in sewer drain.  I can't reach them.  In about 4 days they will be to big to capture.  I've worried about them now for a week.  George won't help me.  And, its going to be 90 degrees this weekend:  How am I supposed to be happy and jolly working on these flippin snow man quilts.  check back this weekend..  Photos to follow. 

What a sad sad day.

Working on the cutest little owls - ever.  Hot pads.  My goal is 20.  Then, while, I was taking a shower I had this thought.  Not my first thought...But after being the honorary at Race for Cure (what an honor- that was)  I began to tremble.  What if its all a dream and I have to go back to work on Monday.  It has to be coming home from CA and being blessed  w/ the Sea Otters and driving home like a maniac in time for the Race:  I suppose:  It must be a psycho thing...  coming home and having to report.  What a nitemare.  Have had 50 summers of coming home and having to report.  My oh My!  And then after paint class:  I stopped by library and saw these baby kittens living in sewer street run-off.  I couldn't catch them.  So sad.  So sad.  They would fit in your hand.  I can't shake that either.  I ache for the lil' buggers.

 Can't wait to incorporate these skills from Art Class to Fabric

OK!!! I confess. I confess.

Most of you know me:  I'm starting year 4 of surviving breast cancer.  Yup!  I can put it in words now.  Before:  I could only share the process w/out saying the disease.  Yesterday I was honored to present a horse:  Miracle:  at this huge 3 day event at MPEC.    I swear she weighed 1200 lbs.  I had to walk her into a ring and tell her to "set-up"   What a MIracle.  She behaved.  Then the judge came over and I ended up on her Right Side.  Oh Crap!!!!  No longer a Miracle.  I gave her back to her owner Keith. (for you city folk:  never go to rt side of horse)    Tomorrow I am honored as the honorary survivor at the "Race For the Cure"  all funds stay local for the uninsured and low insured.  I can't wait to blow horn.  Check back tomorrow and I will share the experience.

If you think Lizzie is pudgy wait 'till you see me as a pink michelin doughboy tomorrow.

just me

awoke in my own bed today

Home safe.  But not uneventful.  Got a flippin ticket outside Seymour.  Crying out loud.  ONly 30 miles left.  Darn it.  And, I'm already on probation.  Might as well throw my money down the toilet!!!! Now i have to take driver safety class.  2 tickets less than 6 months.  I'm screwed!!!  Haven't had a ticket in 15 years.

                                                            maybe I was speeding like this guy?

                                                    punish me and send me back to wild horses.

Otters, Otters

Flew to Morro Beach today.   Still took 5 hours.  Speed limit less than 400.   The whales were less than a 1/4 mile off shore.  I'm so tired.  Ran into whale watching shop and asked to catch the last boat ride.  Nope. No whales.  They all left Sat.  Darn it.  So I took the $10 boat ride to see the otters.  Here are some + the ones I found in my favorite hidey-hole.  I am so sun burned.  my skin will never recover.

Vacation is hard work

I'm exhausted.  Up at dawn.  Supper at 8,  Asleep at midnight!  I hope the watchable wildlife appreciate this.  Went to lecture at Aquarium.  Met the top 3 incharge of protecting the sea otter.  Lots and lots of birds are back.  Otters are keystone in ecosystem. Estuaries are returning.  Spent day at Pebble Beach.  Found the squatters.  Their homes were only 1.5 mil.  The maid would have to sleep off the kitchen.  The other homes had maids in their own dorms and gardeners in their own cottage.  Maybe I could rent a closet next year.  They have their own "park".  10 bucks to drive through neighborhood to see deer, homes and bathroom.    And, then they have their own sanctuary:  dolphins, otters, seals and whales.  I want to live that way.

             abalone:  otter delight:  tried to pull one up:  needed a crane

                                                     personal dolphin from pebble beach

                                                  dinner w/ otters:  last nite in monterey