Monday, March 30, 2009

Twisted Bargello/Loser Monday


As promised, here is the completed Twisted Bargello panel. I still have not added borders. I have been so busy lately. I really want to finish it, but it may have to wait for summer break.
We have spring break coming up in two weeks, and I am really ready for it.
I finally got back to Weight Watchers. Good news.... I lost 4.4 more pounds .... for a total loss of 16 pounds! Wow!!
I hope you have a good week.
Julie

Thursday, March 26, 2009

Deb sent Joy a "Get Better Soon" package from New Zealand!!






Joy was thrilled to receive her very own package from Deb at Works in Progress. Deb sent this to help Joy feel better as she is recovering from her broken ankle. Joy has looked and looked at her magazines, and has almost completed her felt cat. Deb, that was so thoughtful of you. Joy couldn't wait to tell her friends that she had received a package from Christchurch, New Zealand!
An update on Joy's ankle. We went to the doctor today. They cut off the cast and did a new X-ray. Everything was looking good, and she now has a cast that she can remove for bathing or swimming. I am excited that I don't have to put the plastic trash bags on her cast anymore for showers. :-D
BTW, the candy did not last long at all! It was so good - I had a taste of it myself. The kids devoured it. LOL
I hope you are having a good week. It is almost the weekend, and I am really ready for it. I plan to go to Atlanta Saturday and visit Little Quilts and Red Hen. Fun!!
Julie

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Bagpipes!


Beth came to my Mom's house and played a private bagpipe concert for her today. We enjoyed it so much. Beth is a friend of the family. She couldn't have found a more appreciative audience, I don't think. We loved it!!Here is my son, John Owen, checking out how hard it is to push the air out of that air bag.


I hope you are having a great week. We are having loads of fun around here!
Julie

Twisted Bargello


Here is a picture of the bargello with all the strips done. This is before I put them all together. I have put them together now, and am waiting to put borders one. I haven't taken any pictures of that stage. The sewing machine and temporary design wall, and all the other sewing equipment, has been taken downstairs to my sewing studio finally. I gave my house a good cleaning this weekend and it looks so much better. I was tired of the quilt taking over the dining room.
Julie

Monday, March 23, 2009

Another Sisterhood Award/Loser Monday

I won another award from Peggy, of Musings of Meggie. It is actually another Sisterhood Award!! In fact, Peggy gave me her award first, but it came in that period of time when I was so out of touch with everything and super busy. I completely forgot that I had not posted about it! I am so glad to have met Peggy, she is one of the sweetest bloggers I know, and I feel that I have really gotten to know her. I do feel that she is a blogging sister to me. Thanks, Peggy!



I am not going to post the rules again, simply scroll down to my last post for those. Feel free to take this award for yourself if you are one of my blogging sisters!
Loser Monday, well, I have no idea really. The last two Mondays have been days when I simply could not attend the meetings of Weight Watchers. Tonight I had a school PAC (like PTA) meeting at the same time as the WW meeting. Last week I could have gone, but it was raining cats and dogs outside. No way was I getting out in that!! I just wanted to snuggle up and stay home. Now I have pretty much stuck to my diet, so I hope for a loss when I go back next week.
It has been a long day. We had a mandatory faculty meeting after school today, until 4:30, then had to come back to the school at 6:00 for the PAC meeting. The PAC meeting had several programs and wasn't over until about 7:30. I then had to do something about dinner. It is so good to just sit here and do a little blogging now.
I hope you are going to have a good week. I can say now that we only have 7 more Mondays until school is out for the summer!
Julie

Sunday, March 22, 2009

I Won a Sisterhood Award from Sunna!

I received the Sisterhood Award from Sunnyquilts today. Sunna lives in Iceland. I think Iceland is such an exotic place, and I would never have dreamed that I would have a friend from there. Sunna is truly a great blogger and is so faithful to comment on my blog. I try to be faithful and do the same for her.



In order to officially be the recipient of this prestigious award, a few things need to be done --

1. Put the logo on your blog or post.
2. Nominate at least 10 blogs which show great Attitude and/or Gratitude!
3. Be sure to link to your nominees within your post.
4. Let them know that they have received this award by commenting on their blog.
5. Share the love and link to the person from whom you received your award.

Well, I am going to take the coward's way out here. There are so many blogs that I feel deserve this award. I am going to say that if you are one of my "sisters" like Sunna, please feel free to take this award as your own.

Thanks so much Sunna!

By the way, I can't believe it has been over a week since my last post! I have been so busy. I usually get caught up on the weekends, but they too have been super busy lately. This weekend was dedicated to yardwork and housework. The weather has been fantastic, perfect for cleaning up the yard. It is amazing how much work I got done out there in this weather. The downside is the allergies. I have sneezed four times since typing the last sentence. I simply have to get to the store to buy me some more Claritin.
Tomorrow is another work/school day. I am going to say this, and I can't help myself:
Only 8 more Mondays until Summer Vacation!!! Woo Hoo!
Hope you have a great week.
Julie

Friday, March 13, 2009

More Twisted Bargello Progress

I have made some progress on my twisted bargello. I have been so busy with Joy. She needs to be waited on hand and foot. LOL. She is becoming a little more independent, but her ankle starts hurting her so much, and it hurts more when she hobbles around.


I will keep you up-to-date, I promise, as I go along. It is really fun, and I could sit and work on it until I was finished, if only I didn't have to stop to do other things. Life gets in the way. But it is a good life, and I am thankful for it. There now, it doesn't sound so much like complaining, does it?
Julie

Thursday, March 12, 2009

English Paper Piecing


Last week my friend Anne and I (Hi Anne!) took a class on English paper piecing. There was also a tea party. I am posting a photo of some of my progress. I have added to it since I took these photos. I took a photo of the reverse so that you can see the paper pieces that are still inside the shapes. I remove them as soon as they are completely surrounded by stitching. I am really enjoying this project.
Julie

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Twisted Bargello Workshop - progress

I am going to give you some very simple explanations of the photos. This first is the strip set. You cut 1 1/2" strips and sew them together. You have to have two colors that go from very light to very dark. I chose green and red as you can see.
This is the fabric chart that keeps you from getting mixed up with your pieces.
Ahhhh - is what you say when you first see this monster. This chart is the "map" of what goes where. Better pay attention here. No multi-tasking on this step.
You cut the strip sets into the proper widths and remove the sections you need and sew them together in the right order, as directed by the map above.
Here is what I had last weekend. Now I have done several more rows. I want to finish this one quickly because I have to get it out of the kitchen eating area and downstairs to my sewing room. I am afraid if I move it without finishing the strips I will get hopelessly lost. I think it will be pretty cool!
Julie

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

UPDATE ON JOY

Good news - no surgery! She has a fractured fibula and will wear a cast for the next 6-8 weeks. We go back after 2 weeks for a new cast because there is still some swelling which will go down in that amount of time and we will need a better fitting cast. Thank you all so much for asking about her and sending prayers.
Julie

SNOW DAY! (Last Week)

This is Jimmy and Cabalito outside in the snow. Snow is so rare in south Alabama. We close down everything and play outside, even if it is the wet, sticky, kind of snow. I am a little late posting this, the snow day was actually on March 1st. The interesting thing was that Saturday we had severe weather with lots of tornado damage in the area. Then Sunday was a snow day!
I took this photo above through my kitchen window. The snow transforms the yard and makes it look magical!

These last two were taken by John Owen, my son, as he was playing in the back yard.

What a difference a week can make. Today we have the windows open and the fans on to stay comfortable. Who knows what next week will bring?
Julie

Monday, March 9, 2009

Get Well Joy! Also, Loser Monday


As you know from my last post, Joy had a trampoline accident and injured her ankle. These are photos of her after we came home from the emergency room that day. Her ankle is all splinted up so that she cannot further injure it. It has greatly reduced the pain she feels since it has been immobilized. We go to see the orthopedic surgeon tomorrow. I had to cancel her school trip to Washington, D.C. and New York City. Luckily I had purchased the trip insurance and will receive a full refund. I will let you all know what the doctor says tomorrow. Wish us luck, and thank you all so much for the prayers.
Julie
It is Loser Monday. Since last Monday was a "snow day" here in the Deep South, the Weight Watcher's meeting was closed. I don't know how I did then, but at this week's meeting I had lost an additional 2.2 pounds, for a total of 11 point something pounds lost since starting.
Julie

Sunday, March 8, 2009

Joy's Accident


Here is Joy's poor ankle. She was jumping on a trampoline at a friend's house and "came down wrong" on her foot. By the time I got there she looked like this. There are torn ligaments, dislocated bones, and possibly a fracture of the fibula. Since the fracture is near a growth plate it is hard for them to tell. Because of this they told us to go to an orthopedic doctor Monday. We are anxious to see what he says because she is scheduled to go on a school trip Friday to Washington, DC and New York City. She will be heartbroken if she does not get to go. Please say a prayer for us. I will let you know what we find out.
Julie

Sunday, March 1, 2009

The Story of Edgar Sawtelle


This book is fantastic. I loved it so much, I listened to it on my iPod, and now I am going to buy the book and read it the old-fashioned way. If you love to read great novels, you will love this one.
Today my friend Anne and I went to Ellerslie, Georgia, to an English paper-piecing class and tea party at Sunday Best Quilt Works. It was a lot of fun. They have a nice little quilt shop there and it was my first visit to their shop. I was so disappointed to find that their block of the month quilt was sold out!!! I have now started a tiny tumbling blocks quilt. I have been wanting to try English paper piecing. This should be fun. :-D
Julie