Thoughts of a Grasshopper

I'm working on a quilt for my mother for her birthday in December.  It is a special year because she will be turning 70. I wanted to give her something special and living far away, it is a hard to make it a special day in person.  She is down-sizing planning to sell her house and move to another state in the next few years.  I decided to make her a quilt.  My mother knows I'm making a lot of quilts for Christmas this year, perhaps she speculates that she will be receiving one.  What cracked me up in one conversation was she asked if I had started my Christmas cards yet.  Nope.  While I need to be sewing 40-60 hours a week to be done by Thanksgiving, I haven't figured in time for the stamping that needs to happen.  Somehow, I didn't budget in enough time for Scouting either. The poinsettia and gold material is quite elegant in person.  There is a sheen to it with the gold thread that outlines the leaves/flowers and the print of the gold m...

I count myself very fortunate that I have a high tolerance of pain. I have to admit, I have wondered if that is a bad thing.  I had surgery on Tuesday.  I was told that my pain would probably be around a 5 or 6, if it reached a 7 or higher, they would give me pain medicine.  I don't even think it was a 1.  I got home around 6:00, my aunt called within minutes.  We talked for a while and then my son drove me to a meeting.  The funny part is when I talked with my aunt she mentioned she was going to send flowers but I didn't sound bad at all.  I told her to hang up and call me back and I'd do better at not sounding so good.  She laughed, as did I when I came home from my son's doctor appointment and saw flowers by the door. My biggest pain from the procedure was from the IV they put in.  It left a nasty bruise on my arm (2" x 1-7/8").  Ouch!

I've been so busy on another quilt that I put off working on this block.  I think I may have procrastinated on it because I wasn't looking forward to the doubling the triangle to get the 4 diamonds.  I should have pressed my seams open for it to lay better.  I managed to get it done in time for the Saturday Sampler.

I just experienced one of those needed do-over moments.  I made the card below first, recalling measurements but not the direction the card was supposed to be going.  I had to adjust the Old Olive CS, because that measurement seemed small.  I went to link up to the sketch and discovered my error.  I was going to go with it because it is late, I'm tired and there are dishes to do.  I couldn't do it.  I tried but I couldn't post it today of all days.  The above card is my do-over.  I like it.  I'm going to do the dishes and go to bed.  We've got 4 girls sleeping over but I will sleep through their laughs and chatter.  Enjoy! I used Sketch 175 to make this card.  Stamps:  Gently Falling, Chalk Talk CS:  Pear Pizzazz, VV, Early Espresso, Old Olive, Cajun Craze Misc.:  Brads, Woodgrain EF Click the image below to continue .