already?

Can I just say, if this is the way Mondays are going to go that I need to skip them?  The saving graces were a chocolate milkshake and a bit of time at my sewing machine.  The walk helped too. 

The quilt top I laid out is all sewn together and ready to be basted and quilted.  I am looking forward to it.  I actually am looking forward to more quilt squares in the making.  I came a cross a bundle of fabrics I want to purchase at Purl Soho and work with in a quilt.  And I have been working on my quilt blocks from Alaska.  I just need to be in better shape after work.  No more clenching the jaw so hard my head and teeth hurt!

Four more days of this week to go.  I can do this!

quieting the strangeness

Can I say that last week was a very strange week?  It was just not all the bizarreness of work either.  There is a lot of stress going on with the falling of oil prices and more layoffs being announced which just makes work chaos theory in action.  Then add in illness and injury at home.  Very strange.

I found concentrating on this quilt really helped quiet all the strangeness.  Taking the time to lay it all out, move colors around with a cup of tea.  I have been using my Yeti cups to keep my tea hotter longer when I work at home.  Just a simple pleasure.

I have been wanting to put more quilts together.  I have enough squares at least one more right now.  It may be the action of quiet currently.  Knead dough helps too.

Christmas tree is hung

The Christmas tree is finally up!  And lighted!  I have to admit I really like it.  I was actually making some silver metallic crocheted ornaments to go on it and felt they were not needed.  Just lights.  But then I am the person who gets a live tree and just puts lights on that!  I am notorious for this behavior.  Which is really strange because I grew up with trees that were full of ornaments.  When I go home to my parents, the tree is still full of ornaments.

It even looks nice unlit.

I am thinking about taking the back lit picture of my Oregon evergreen tree I like and printing it on a piece of canvas to make another quilt.  There will be no definition of limbs and needles though because it is back lit.

Or . . . I could go looking for more trees to take pictures of to make quilts.  Yes, a bit crazy.

artificial Christmas tree

The Thanksgiving holiday did not turn out as planned.  We did not go camping.  The forecast for where we were going was thunderstorms, rain, and a cold front blowing through.  And where we were going always has wind so we would expect more wind.  The better part of valor was to stay warm and dry and healthy.

Thanksgiving dinner was what I had planned for camping:  smoked salmon chowder and potato bread.  It was so simple.  So lovely.  Full bellies.  

Because plans were changed, I spent a lot of the weekend at my sewing machine working on our artificial Christmas tree.  In another worlds, the Christmas tree quilt wall hanging.  The boyos had helped me pin it earlier in the week so the basting was done.  Stitching and binding was what was needed.

And that is what happened.  With an audio book on, I stitched.  I left the house twice to go to the grocery store and there was a need for slurping noodles once.  I could not tell you what happened in the world this weekend until today.  

I really like the colors and fabrics in the back of this quilt.  But it was pointed out to me that a whole quilt of this color is totally impractical for our lives.  I do not mean four year old Koda Bear.  Oh well.  At least I have a wall hanging if I wish. 

I still have not gotten it hung.  I am hoping later this week but I am already feeling the need for more sleep creeping up on me.  I was spoiled by sleeping in until the light woke me.  Waking in the dark is not a pleasant thing.  

Tree is beautiful.

working on a tree

I have recipes to share but I will admit that I am so tired that I do not have the concentration to write them down.  Believe me when I say I can bake and cook when I can barely stand but write about it?  That is much harder.  

Because of the tired, I am going to write about the tree I am making.  I had seen the Ikea Christmas tree fabric panel from a year or so ago.  I kept my eyes open and finally found one.  I probably payed more then the original price but I will use it for years. 

And because I do not seem to like to do anything the easy way.  I am piecing the back and making it into a quilted wall hanging.

It will be neutrals with an emphasis on white, silver, grey, and natural.  Koda Bear is helping with the pins, cutting, and the fly wheel.  That is what he does until planes or cars or Star Wars action figures grab his attention.  At least it is not either one of my button boxes.  I got teased because when we were cleaning, another button box was found.  I got looked at and the comment was made "you know most people now do not have even one button box let alone two!"  That is my life.

At this point, the piecing is almost two-thirds done.  Koda Bear will be four this weekend so there will be cake and presents to make but maybe I will get more of this done.  

More energy.  More concentration.  Less tired!  Wahoo!