Envelope Quilt!

Ta da! My Envelope quilt is done! I decided to make 3 more blocks to give me a nice 9 -block wallhanging. One of my favorite stores is Paper Source  and a picture from their catalogue was the inspiration for this quilt along with this quilt on flickr.

I think it would be adorable hanging over a console table in an entryway or in an office (a very cute office!)

The quilting was simple. Straight lines on the solid fabrics, a grid on the print and loopy-loops on the background. I found the perfect binding in a tiny zig-zag print from the Reunion collection by Sweetwater. 

I have to share with you my new tool that's been keeping me on track with my projects. I have a way of jumping from one thing to another, tidying up and putting things out of my way. Then I completely forget about them and you know what happens - UFO city. So I've been keeping an ever-changing list posted and somehow it keeps me on track. 

And finally a little splurge on Joel Dewberry's gorgeous new line - Notting Hill. Now this needs to be added to the list!!   . . . Cindy

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Sunshine everywhere.

 What a beautiful day out there.  Roy and I were down by the river walking early, so early that there was no one else around.  That is perfect if you ask me.
It always feels good to get our walk done as soon as I get up.  I don't always do that.  For a long time, mornings have been iffy, at best.  I would get up because my head hurt so bad, then I would sit on my end of the couch, with a cuppa tea, quietly, waiting for the Motrin to kick in, or for whatever was unhappy in my head, to settle down and let me function.

Today I feel more normal, and more like myself, than I have in a very long time.  Headache just a dull background noise. 
Doable, totally doable.

Then I went to the studio.  I am going to try to keep the studio open  10-4 on Saturdays and 10-3 on Sundays, until Christmas,  then I will take days off during the week.
It will be good for me in other ways.  I don't get much quiet at home, and being at the studio with the cats is good therapy.
L put the sectional beam on my Schacht for me.
It is ready to rock.
Don't get me wrong.  I have warping boards, and I have put on many a warp that way.
I teach it that way.

But once you have experienced a sectional warp beam, and realized how much less stressful it is, it's tough to love that board.
Yes, this is a Leclerc sectional beam I used, but I prefer them, because the threads don't hang up on those metal pieces shaped like a U.

Here are two of the Mobius shawls I have made recently.....I say recently...the truth of the matter is that I would weave about 10 inches at a time.....PER DAY.......they took forever, but it was the best I could do under the circumstances.
I made three, but one was purchased yesterday, when two ladies popped in to see what I was up to.

 Same warp, different weft.
I put the warp on using the warping board, and a PADDLE......so I only had enough for three of these......which prompted me to ask L to help me with the sectional beam which has been sitting on the floor next to the loom for some time.

  Picking out the colors for my warps is probably one of the things I LOVE the most.
Gets me pumped to weave.
Here is what's going on next.

 Only on this warp I will have enough to do SEVEN shawls.
Now that's what I'm talking about.
And no two will be exactly alike.

That's the Schacht, and where I will be weaving these shawls, a little at a time for sure.
Can you think of a sweeter spot to spend a morning?
The sun makes the floors just glow.
 I love this old house.

Have I told you lately how precious life is??  Every minute of every day??
Well, it is.

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The good, the bad, and no ugly.

 For a couple of weeks now, I have been having issues with my Mac Book Pro........and it has been very disturbing.
I am in LOVE with this laptop, and I've had it almost two years now.
So to suddenly have it be uncooperative, slow, and troublesome, was upsetting.
I have enough things in my life that are annoying, and I count on a calm experience when I sit down to blog, or work on my web site, or whatever.
So the other day, I called APPLE.  I had to pay $19 for their advice.  The girl I talked to was very nice, and clueless.   After a wasted hour, I was no further ahead.

Finally, just a while ago, I called my son in law.  He immediately said, "well, I noticed that you were using Safari."
OK.     "You should download Firefox, and FORGET Safari.  It has issues."
WTH????
So I promptly downloaded that little red fox, and then went to every web page that would not open for me with Safari, and yup, you guessed it, they all load immediately, and it is FIXED.
Don't ya love it when things come together, even more so when they have dogged you for a while???
Thank you, A.

At recent shower with my 3 daughters and adopted daughter:  from left,  Holly, ME( first picture post brain surgery) Johanna, Morgan, Brooke, and my mom.
I still look a little pale, but upright, and that's a good thing.
I am grateful for that.

It was a beautiful day today.  Not too warm, not too cold, sunny.  There was a golden hue over everything.
My headache has diminished with Flexeril, massage, more rest, more acceptance.
Just when you thought you had that 'acceptance' thing whipped, you find out that more is required.
Hmm.

Can I just tell you, that when my headache is only a THREE, I  am happy to be alive.
I'm blessed, I tell ya.

Roy, not so much.
It's bath time.
But as pained as he looks, he was totally cooperative.  I wouldn't have expected less.

But once dried, he snuggled down into 'one' of his fave spots.
He does look a little disgusted.
 And since DH gave him the bath, and used the body wash he found on the edge of the tub, now Roy smells like my mother.
Life is so unfair sometimes.

While I am convinced that I cannot weave much yet, nor can I do anything that requires me to bend my head forward for any length of time, I can still KNIT.

And it is appreciated, which makes it all the better.

I know that it is quite possible that my life may never be the same.
Strangely enough, and I can hardly believe it myself, I am ok with that premise.

 

I am here.  I am functional, still for the most part together.

Life has never been more precious.

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Courthouse Steps

My Courthouse Steps block is growing. Now 51" square heading to 63".

I hope to keep it growing. Do you think watering and fertilizing will help? . . . Cindy

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Spinning Stars Quilt

You may remember my Spinning Stars quilt. I posted a sneak peek a few weeks ago. One of my commenters hoped that I'd post a lot of pictures of the finished quilt. That was easy - a got some nice shots on this beautiful day!

The fabrics are primarily Field Study, with some Chicopee and a few prints from Anna Maria's earlier lines.

I love how the pattern forms 2 designs when the blocks are put together. This octagon shape...

And a 4-pointed star...

I struggled choosing a binding for this one. I tried all of these and the Chicopee in a purply-plum color won out. And I had just enough - about 1/8 inch leftover!

 The backing is one of my favorite prints from Field Study.

I hand-quilted with shades of blue, orange and gray just in the cream areas. The rest is machine-quilted with echoing lines in Gray Aurifil.

I think it makes a pretty Fall quilt! Don't you? . . . Cindy

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Trippin

A few of you mentioned that you would have no problem "relaxing" in that spot overlooking the lake.
Unfortunately, that was a place I visited, not where I live.
If I did live there, I would never leave.
You can bet that next spring I will be kayaking there.

Pictures to follow!

These photos are just ones I took along the way.
I take a lot of pictures, of anything that moves me.
Like this little trailer.  Why the heck fix the roof?
We'll just build this over the top.

I have always loved old barns.  My old barn had a roof like this.  I loved the way it looked, unfortunately the water ran through it like a sieve.

Some people prefer this.  Newly made, purchased as a package, and constructed on your site.

This is more my style.
A barn with history.  Personality.

The house is for sale,  and it is right on the brook, as well as right on the road. Problem is, the brook is about 60 ft straight down an embankment behind the house.
I now look at everything that could cause a fall.   Not so long ago, I would have just been scrambling down there, thinking I was invincible.
Huh.
I know better now.

There were a few places that looked like they were straight out of the movie "Deliverance".
Please stay in your car.

Speaking of cars..........this one caught my eye.  It has seen better days, but I love it.

Several of you asked about the doctor.  Did I call him?

Well, actually, I had his email address.  He told me to email him with any concern.

So I did.  And he said, "it's too soon to panic.  Give it some more time.   If the intense headache persists, we will do an MRI, but I think it will resolve on its own."

After a sluggo day yesterday, and not much more today, keeping a VERY low profile, my headache does seem to have lessened considerably.
I did try massaging my head, (thanks Susan and Bruce) but I have to do it very carefully.  The back of my head is still incredibly sensitive.

 So I am heeding the message, even though it has been 11 weeks, that just may be too darn soon to expect a full recovery from a very traumatic surgery.
I have to back up, and pay attention.  When I do, what I see is truly marvelous.

Mindfulness means paying attention in a particular way:
on purpose,
in the present moment,
and nonjudgmentally.
JON KABAT-ZINN

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Day off, again.

Looks like winter is coming.  Someone was very industrious.

Surely not me.

I spent the day on the couch with Roy.

I took Motrin and Flexeril, and slept half the morning.  Took Roy for a short walk, and back to the couch.
I drank tea.
I didn't read.
I didn't knit.
I didn't do one single thing, not even watch TV.

 It's a new definition of SLUG.
But I have been wondering if that's what I needed.
Maybe everyone is right, maybe I have been doing too much.
Nothing much moves me.

This does however.

I just got a total for my surgery......most of which is being paid by Medicare and United Health Care.

The total hospital cost, (not doctor fees) was $239,614.24.

The rods in my neck were $57, 747.90.  Geesh, they must be made of diamonds.
Is titanium that expensive???
Lord.

The physical therapist that walked me down the hall a couple of times, and up a flight of stairs.

$880.00

 Use of the operating room:   $23,300.00.
Intensive care ( I was there for 24 hours)   $10,142.00.
Semi private room for 3 nights: $16,950.00

A sunny day, an Adirondack Mountain lake, a good friend.
Pretty priceless.

Thanks to all of you for your kind words.  Pain makes you feel alone, even when you're clearly not.

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