Noises.

Do you have some noises that you find enjoyable or soothing? I do. This time of year I love the sound of the acorns bouncing on my deck out back. It just makes me chuckle. I went out the other day to collect some. I got all the acorns that were on the deck and then started looking in the grass. None in the grass! I think maybe the squirrels just don't come up on the deck. I found all shapes and sizes.

Twins! hee hee

My daughter gave me this bowl for mother's day. I love the subtle little fish that are etched on it.

And check this out! What a happy surprise to see the fishy shadow!

Oh boy! An acorn hat. Who hasn't played with these at some point?

I decided to dress up my little garden man.

How about some other noises I like?

-lawnmowers, I just think it's a nice, soothing white noise and it makes me think of the smell of fresh cut grass, mmmmmm

- kids playing outside, I have two nephews next door and I get a kick out of hearing them hootin and hollerin as they make up games and climb on a fallen tree ( yes, the #@&*!% tree that took out our power lines a few months ago!)

- my hubby playing music, it means he's happy. He plays trumpet, piano, drums (conga and drum set), electic guitar and bass, saxaphone, valve trombone, and most recently the cello. I might have missed an instrument or two.

- my two kids downstairs talking and laughing, my daughter doesn't live at home any more so it's a happy occasion to hear them having fun together.

I'm going to have a fun weekend, I'll tell you all about it soon. Adios!

Almost time for Spooky things!

We still have some time yet but Halloween is coming. A week or so ago, I remembered that my mother got me this pattern and the fabric to make it. I've never made a row quilt but they always look like fun. So... I better get started! Last weekend I knocked out the first row. I had forgotton how fun log cabin blocks can be. I really like Halloween fabrics. Maybe it's the colors or that it reminds me of my favorite time of year. I really like this one with the words on it. How funny are those little eyeballs?

Today I worked on two of the applique rows. I need to sew them down and make some eyes for the bats.

I think I just might get this done in time. I don't really like being in between projects. There are so many patterns and quilts and techniques that I want to try, I just can't decide what to do next. It's a little like finishing a book. I love to read but it's always hard to choose the next book.

We had some nice weather today. It has been so hot and humid. I do NOT like humidity. It makes my hair frizzy and unruly and there's no way I'm going to turn on the A/C this late in the season. Today, however was just a tad cooler but breezy, yay! Just right to leaving the windows open all day. And awesome for sleeping. Ahhhh, who doesn't love this time of year?

P U

What is with all the stink bugs? They are everywhere outside and all over all of my screens. Some of my friends have them getting inside, eeeuw! My house is a mess right now, if I get stink bugs coming inside, I just might lose my mind!

Very happy to get to this weekend!

Feeling Fussy!!
I have been fussy cutting. Boy is it time consuming! Tile quilts have a lot of appeal for me. I decided to try one with raw edges. I am not using fusible and I'm not turning under the edges either, so I think I better use some tiny, tiny stitching.

I will probable do a fair amount of quilting to help out.

It's been fun poking through my scrap basket and other fabrics looking for designs to fussy cut. So far, I just have all the tiles pinned on. These blocks are 12 and a half inches square and I have no idea how big this quilt will end up. I'm really just playing around. I do think I should start stitching though because it may turn out to be a bit of a chore.

Feel free to give me any tips on how you would machine stitch these down.

I can't decide if I will use a skinny sashing or just piece the blocks together to look like a giant batch of tiles. What do you think?

On another note:

I work in the operating room at Johns Hopkins Hospital. If you saw the news on Thursday, you may have seen the story about the shooting in the hospital. Although it was an unnerving day, it was also a day to admire my employer and my co-workers. The level of professionalism was fantastic. We were on 'lockdown' for 2 and a half hours which meant we had to stay in place with the doors closed. I was in an operating room and we had just finished a case. The shooting occurred one floor above us but at no time did we feel in danger. The victim of the shooting was one of our own and was brought to the OR room next to mine. As soon as the lockdown was lifted, we went right back to work taking care of patients. The next day, there were several debriefings offered. At this time, we learned of the incredible job our security and administrative staff performed. After the Virginia Tech shootings, the security department made clear and detailed plans and procedures for just such an emergency. This Thursday, they put these plans into action and with the support of the Baltimore City police department, they smoothly and safely got everyone through a devastating event. I can't put into words the awe and pride I feel in knowing how efficiently and safely the incident was handled. I am proud to be a Hopkins nurse. Please keep the victim and the staff and patients of the floor that was directly involved in your positive thoughts and well wishes. Thank you and have a great weekend.

Ta dah!!

After searching high and low for a 30 inch zipper to make my Amy Butler Weekender Bag, I ended up ordering one online from Nancy's Notions. And even then, I had to order the 'make a zipper' kit. It's a 3 yard roll of zipper with about 8 or 9 zipper pulls. Just cut it to the size you need. I was so excited Saturday to get my delivery days early! Yahoo!! I got right down to business. Look what happened when I took a quick break for a late lunch. Daisy hopped right into the half-made bag. And.........done!! I finished it up Sunday evening. I filled it with towels and had my Mister take a picture of me so you could see it's size. It's great, definitely the right size to be called 'Weekender'. The zipper worked well too.

The inside lining is the pink polka dot fabric. There are front and back pockets (lined in the pink) under the piping. Also two very roomy side pockets.

See? I told ya. No pockets inside. I guess you could make some on the lining but I'm fine without. The bag is made with a fair amount of Timtex so it's very sturdy and firm. It could be used for a laptop and other stuff, although it's big for just a laptop.

I'm sorry for the terrible picture. I tried so hard to get a clear picture of this. After almost a year of thinking about it, I finally ordered some labels for my handmades.
I just got 30 of these labels from Jennifer's Jewels for a very reasonable price. They came fast fast fast too! The picture is so blurry, let me help you out. It says, 'Sewn with Love by Lisa' and has a little stick figure girl on the side. The font for the lettering is rustic and childlike, sooooo cute! Thanks Jennifer!

I procrasinated so long on labels because I really want to have my own logo. I need to pin my daughter down and have her design one. Until then, this will do nicely.

I feel really good about this bag. It was easier than I expected and definitely went together quicker than I expected. And yay for JoAnn's for having the home dec fabrics 50% off, woo hoo!

Don't be shy now, leave me a little comment. How was your weekend?

Remembering.

I remember when JFK was shot and Martin Luther King. As I grew up, there have been times when the conversations turned to those days. "I remember just where I was when I heard." is a common statement of my generation and my parents' and grandparents'.
Times are different now, we SEE and practically experience the events that will change us. There is almost nothing that isn't captured on video, live video, anymore.

9-11

Those numbers are burned into our memory along with the images of that day. I remember where I was, what I was doing, and even what I was thinking as I watched the terrible events unfold. I was at work in the pediatric oncology outpatient clinic. I had one patient so far, a five year old girl who came with her dad. I drew her bloodwork and sent it to the lab. As I returned to her bedside, her dad said, "My wife just called and said to turn on CNN, a plane crashed in New York." We both turned to look at the TV, and there were the towers, one with terrible black smoke billowing. We froze, and listened to the commentary about the plane crash, but still we didn't know the truth. Then, as we watched, the second plane hit. That is the moment, the instant, that I will truly never forget. The knowing, the realization, the TRUTH. The dad and I locked eyes, and we knew. We knew what everybody in America, and the world, was knowing......it was NOT an accident. Maybe we were silent, maybe we gasped, maybe we said, "oh my god,". That I don't remember. I do remember the little girl, looking at the screen, saying, "somebody should tell those planes to watch where they're going." Such a comic statement but really it was just so sad to me. I wished it were that simple. If only.

Wanna see some goodies?

Well, I decided to just spill the beans. This isn't finished but check it out, it's going to be Amy Butler's Weekender bag. Next month, my hubs and I are celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary, woo hoo!!, and we're going to New York for a weekend. I have had this pattern for a while and it seems like a good time to make it. The lining will be pink with dots too. I just have to wait for the zipper to be delivered. I bought material to make one for my daughter too. I'll show it to you soon. When she comes home for the weekend she seems to travel with everything in a plastic grocery sac. Like a little homeless girl. Maybe, just maybe, she'll actually use a real bag. I'll keep you posted, lol.

Get ready for some purty fabrics from the Hoppin Bobbin grand opening. I couldn't resist this red. I love polka dots, and the bubbles are so cheery. I saw these fabrics at the last moment. I think they are so cool. Subtle, but interesting. They have extra colors in them that are very subtle. I have never heard of STOF but I think I'll keep my eye on them.

The blue and green are beautiful, with hints of a purpley brown.

And this taupe also have some sort of purple and maroon in it. I think it will make a great background.

Now, do you want to hear what a dork I am? After I told you all about my little crush on the 'half bots' yesterday, I found out that they are actually 'half hops'. My mother checked out the Hoppin Bobbin today. She has a better memory than me, lol. I was showing off my treasures and she pointed out that they were 'half hops.' Oooooh yeah! That sound right. Yup, I'm a dork!

So! Aren't they cute? Short little baby bolts. I couldn't resist the stripes. Perfect for binding. And I'm getting to be a sucker for anything pink or with dots. Pink AND dots are irresistible!

My mom got me a little stack of Christmas fat quarters. I've been thinking about simple blocks, like bowties, flying geese, or just half-square triangles. Maybe a simple little xmas quilt.

I sure hope my zippers get here soon. And I sure hope the weekender bag works out. Have a great night people! Good night!

There's a new quilt shop in town!!

I made this little quilty for a friend at work who just had her first baby, a boy. Guess what his name is, ha ha! Well, today she finally came back to work and I gave it to her. I don't know about you guys but I get a little shy when a crowd of people ooh and aah over my quilts. So, I gave it to her in the boss's office. And what did she do? Went right out to shift report and showed everybody! Thanks Reyna. She was very excited and I'm glad this quilt is going to be appreciated. Within the hour, another work friend asked if I could make him a queen size quilt. Yikes! I really don't do that. Sorry. What do you say when people ask you to make a quilt? I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings but quilting is my hobby, my passion, not my business.
In more exciting news----
The local quilt shop near me was sold months ago. My friends and I were quite worried and have been anxiously waiting for the grand opening of the new shop. Today was the day and I went straight from work, credit card in hand, hoping and hoping that they would have 'my' kind of fabrics. The 'Hoppin Bobbin' did not disappoint! It was not bad, not bad at all! Walls had been knocked down and the place looks spacious and new. And I found more than a few fabrics that I liked. They sell the cutest little fabric cuts called 'half bots'. They are 2 yards or less wound around a half size bolt. I am pretty sure that they are half bots not half bolts. I think. Well, anyway, they are too cute and when I bought two of them, I asked if I could have the cardboard inserts too. I don't know why, I guess I just like things in miniature, plus I think they will store well on a shelf. The new owner, Kelly, said yes. She's very nice and personable. I hope the shop does well for her. I plan to do my part, lol. So, I found some great fabrics, they rang me up........and the total was........$162.00. Ouch!! Tonight at dinner, I told my pal, Mr. 9patch, that I had a confession to make. When I told him how I hightailed it straight to the new shop, and how much I spent, he didn't blink. Good man, huh? Then he asked what I got. I started to tell him, then I stopped, started again and stopped. Hmmm? I got 7 yards of fabric plus a pattern and 2 half bots which were 25% off. A hunnert and sixty-two dollars? No way! I pulled out my receipt and guess what!? I bought a 2 yard cut of a fabric and they accidentally charged me for 8 yards. Yippee!! I'll call tomorrow and straighten it out. Why am I happy? Yes, I'll get some money back, BUT, now I know I can go back. If I thought I couldn't get out of there without spending $162, I would NOT want to go very often. Looks like the coast is clear for a return visit. Ooohh yeah! Tomorrow I'll take some pics of the fabrics and those cutie patootie half bots, and show them to you.
And I got started on a new project this weekend. Maybe I'll show you a sneak peek. I can't finish until I get some needed supplies that I had to order online. I'll tease you a little by saying this, it isn't something I've ever tried before but I'm still very excited. And I think I'll make one for my daughter too. Ok, that's enough chatter. I'll fill you in tomorrow after I get home from work.

Bye! See ya! Sayonara! Adios! Ah-ree-ver-dare-chee!!