Yann-Tiersen - Comptine d'un autre ete L'apres midi

Signs of maturity

When I was younger, I remember my mom would always buy 'foods' like sweets, fruits, imported canned foods(cos they were expensive), even fresh vegetables & raw meats as gifts for our elderly friends and relatives especially during the new year season. I remember watching her and the servants sort & bag the shopping and then deliverying them accordingly.

As a child then I was wondering why she only bought food stuff........ as I was downsizing my collections..........I discovered the answer..........they did not need more clothes and 'toys'..... :)

When DH asked me what I wanted him to bring back for me on his trip back next week, I stop and smiled when I realized everything I requested was either food or health related......hmmmm

New laptop

I got back from visiting DH in SC and my computer(desktop) went completely out and so did the house alarm. So we went shopping for a new computer and I decided on a laptop instead. I had one long time ago but never got around to using it that much as it was heavy to carry around. But these new laptops are light even the 17" ones. Only thing is I have not been able to download anything from my old computer so I have to pretty much start over. Trying to remember old sites I frequent is trying..... :) Using the new software to blog is also trying...... I feel so ancient. I am a creature of habits and I am having a love/hate relationship with this new laptop. I love the speed.....yes, it is a very speedy laptop indeed......not having to wait for download to watch video or view photos is a big plus. I hate all the updates/downloads they force on you. I love that it is wireless but I have not got around to carrying it around the house to use it.......funny.

Anyway, being away from home is good therapy for the eyes cos when I got back, I was ashamed at how messy my study & studio was. So these three weeks before DH comes back for a visit, my goal would be to reorganize which will involve alot of downsizing my collection of books and stuff..... :) I have already discarded 5 garbage bags full so I am very proud of myself. But I need to let go of more.

While in SC, I watched the families who loss everything dued to the tornadoes(on TV) and I asked myself what would I miss most if it happened to me and surprisingly, I didn't miss much. So as I am downsizing my collection of stuff, I am constantly reminding myself of that revelation to make it easier for me to let go of them. It is working wonders cos more shelves are sitting empty now. Very proud of me..... :)

Mini Art

After finishing two lap size quilts, I decided to change gears and do something completely different. Something small, fun & limited sewing involved. I settle on applique using fusibles - no sewing whatsoever.....yeah......just tracing & lots of cutting........but thats good as I can sit in front of the tv while cutting. But before I can move forward, there was some shopping to do......I needed more colors and prints of fabric, teflon sheet for ironing, light table, wax paper, sharp small scissors, white background fabric and fusibles. I felt so lost without all my supplies and tools but thats ok, I am just grateful I can find them here in SC. I was very happy with my new stash of fat quarters(I forgot to take a picture before diving into them) and supplies. Not sure how I was going to start on this project, I went ahead and washed the fabrics first and fused 6 inches of each fabric with fusibles. Then I traced the patterns and moved along slowly at first cos I was not following the book's instructions. The book calls for hand stitching(turned applique) which I deemed will be a very slow progress for me. But after getting the first one done, I discovered new ways to progress faster than the traditional way of fusing. Hmmmm....what one can do without all her tools around.........I couldn't find the teflon sheet so I used parchment paper and it worked wonders. I just have to remind myself all the small tips I have discovered for my future projects.I am not sure what I am going to do with this or how many I am going to make but for now.....I will keep making them till I get bored ........:):).....maybe they can be an individual wall hanging ......or a big wall hanging with numerous blocks......hmmmm.......we shall see....

Trip Around the World Quilt

With enough fabrics leftover from my log cabin quilt, I eagerly got started on this quilt. Here it is laying on my bed. I had housekeeping take the hotel comforter away so I could audition my quilt top on my bed. I didn't want to make it too big. It is about 55x65 (lap size)I feel so blessed the hotel manager was so nice to let me use their meeting room to pin and tie my quilt at no additional charge. I used it from noon till ~9pm with breaks for dinner and a walk after dinner. It was fantastic that I had the whole room all to myself.Here it is ready for pinning.............finished pinning and ready for tying...................in the midst of tying.......I have attached the binding but have not finish turning them over. Will post picture of finished quilt later.

Design Wall

I kept myself busy with sewing and quilting while visiting DH in SC. The first few days was spent visiting all the fabric shops and shopping for fabrics. As soon as I got back to the hotel, I washed all the fabrics and started generating ideas for a pattern. Because I have never done a log cabin quilt before and had always wanted to try one, I decided on a log cabin for these fabrics. But first, I had to reorganize the room so I could have space for my machine and cutting. I started running out of space and had to stack my rulers and fabrics. Any space I could find was filled with something. But praise the Lord, I was able to get myself situated and started cutting and sewing. I don't have a picture here but I had alot of fun playing with my new machine. This wall actually had a painting hanging on it but because I needed some kind of way to audition my blocks, after measuring this wall, it was a perfect size for a design wall so I took down the painting, went shopping for flannel and tada......I am so happy with my design wall.I feel the quilt top really brighten up the room so I have decided to leave it there for now.

....here I was starting on a new quilt as soon as I was finished with the log cabin quilt top. I realized I had enough fabric to make another quilt top and was so excited to get started on the next one. I decided on a bargello quilt.This is actually the dining area......

Vacation

Am currently on vacation visiting DH on his temporary work assignment in SC. He has been here since March and I just arrived a week ago. Praise God for positioning us here as we have never been to SC or NC or this part of the country and so far, I am loving it.

Over the weekend after church, we drove to Biltmore, NC to visit the Biltmore Estate, a place I had wanted to visit for a long time. Because we got there later in the afternoon and it will take a whole day to completely enjoy the estate, we decided to do some shopping and eating instead and go back this coming weekend. There was a Biltmore gift shop outside the gates and they happened to have wine tasting that weekend, so I got to sample some lovely wines and brought back a few bottles to enjoy at the hotel.

Of course I have visited all the fabric and quilt shops and made excuses to shop for more fabrics....:) Only problem is the tables in the room are limited in size to pin a quilt or do large projects. Because my machines were too bulky and heavy to fly with, I had ordered a new machine to be shipped to the hotel and it arrived before I did.....:)....sweet.....now I just got to get used to this new machine for a few weeks. This will be my future travel machine as it is much smaller and lighter.

Had started ironing some fabrics yesterday and will cut them today and start sewing soon hopefully. Bought lots of quilting magazines couple days ago for the patterns and can't wait to start on them. Only problem is I don't know which ones to start on ....hmmmm Some of the fabrics I have bought are so beautiful, I am not sure which pattern will be the perfect match for it or rather I don't have the heart to cut them up I think ....:)

Kid at heart

Some years back, I had invited a friend and her daughter to my pottery studio to have a fun day creating and making objects out of clay. They had never done handbuilding before and was excited to see and learn. Her daughter had brought a children's ceramic book she had borrowed from the library and I saw this cute little porcupine pencil holder and I just had to make one for myself.

Isn't this just the cutest little thing? It was a lot of fun making this. I hope to make time and energy to play in my pottery studio sometime this year so I can use some of the tools, molds, glazes and clay I have acquired.

What to do?

I have been watching Glenn Beck lately and he has been warning about stocking up on food dued to price increase and shortages. I have not act on it but ..... today's news about Tokyo rationing food and how it will affect us with as high as 100% price increase on certain groceries and shortages on others......hmmm....now I am starting to think should I go do some groceries tonight ......

I don't eat much anymore like I used to and I am a lazy eater.....I am the one that 'eat to live' type as compared to some who 'live to eat'......I can eat the same foods for long periods of time till I have cravings for something different.....

I used to cook and bake lots but I have not for a while. I am wondering what to stock up on if I decide to do grocery shopping. How long can canned foods last and what should I buy?

Hmmm

What happens when you tell a child not to do something? hmmmmm
I had told myself not to buy anymore fabrics.....hmmmmmmm

DH is out of town and I told him I went on a 'hot shopping date' with someone he knows very well.....his name is 'Visa'..... :)

*will post pics when I have the guts to take them. All the bags of fabric have found a home in my guest room.. :)