May 7, 2017

A lot has happened to since my 61 birthday on April 25, 2017. My niece's little old puppy Teddy died. Dave found out his job will be ending June 25th.. He did not tell me until the 26 though.  So we are now looking for jobs.  Dave will be 60 on the 18th. We are lucky he is in the field he is in.  He is a broad certified nuclear pharmacist.  He had not worked retail in many years, so he is looking for a nuclear pharmacists position.  He might just work for Triad (if they choose to hire him) as a fill in pharm. He deals very well with people and learns very quickly.  Triad also has a job open in Mobile, Alabama. The positive things about Mobile, is homes are cheep compared to this area.  He had applied for a position in Albany, Ny. It is in a PET facility. He has never done that, but as I said he is a quick study.  He has applied for a couple of jobs here in St. George in retail, but has been told that the jobs has been removed and they are going over the numerous applications sent in. People love to live here.  So........ things are up in the air for us. Will we put the house on the market or will I stay here and Dave travel.  Who knows.  I only have two remaining client quilts to do. I am not taking anything that has to be done before the end of July.  That will give me time to think and not worry about finishing a job for a client. If we move, I will not want to have anyone's quilt on my hand. If Dave leaves me here to sell the house or he decided to be a fill in pharm. I will be here and have plenty of time on my hands.  Candice will be going to Moab on Wednesday. I haven't been alone in a very long time!

Candice graduated from DSU on Friday! We are so proud of her. I am going to miss having her here!

Candice and I got lunch after her graduation at the little restaurant in Kayenta. We got sangria and it was so good! I got my usually bacon blue burger and she got a salad with fish on it.  We had a nice time!

I have finished a quilt for Janet Moore. It is a custom lap size.  She will pick it up the end of this month. I am excited for her to see it.

 Nothing else has been going on here... just worrying about what the future holds for me and Dad and what this country. The USA seems to be heading down the wrong road.  I hope people wise up before there is no hope.  I have made my thoughts very clear on what I think of Trump and the republicans that are in line with him.  I will leave it at that. I need to get frosting made for a chocolate cake I have baked!  Happy  Quilting!

April 19th, 2017

I got my owl quilt finished.... today got 4 pillow cases made to go with it too. 

Two of my client's quilts won ribbons at our Dixie  Quilt Show this last week.

It has warmed up here in St. George  over the past couple of days. We had to turn the air on. 

I am ready for the warmer weather, so I won't complain.

April 12, 2017

April....... we finally have sun today. This week is a busy week for the Dixie Quilt Guild.  I am looking forward to the trunk show that is tonight from 5:30-8.  We will also find out who's quilts won prizes.  I did not enter anything this year and I am not taking any classes.  I am taking a class by Judith M Baker in June and it was costly before any accommodations has been added on. I am looking forward to being in Colorado for almost a week. I am sure I will learn a lot and have a great time with 2 of my friends. ........... That said, I am sure the classes offered here will be wonderful. The show will be Thursday and Friday. I need to check with the gals tomorrow morning to make sure that all the volunteer slots have been filled. I did not sign up for anything this year.

I have been busy, got my clients quilts done, started working on my own stuff. I picked up two quilts yesterday, one is a rush job. I will get it on my long arm as soon as I get my owl quilt off. I should have it done today.

My allergies have been worse this year than in previous years. We have had a lot of rain and the pollen count is really high.

I seem to have gotten the smell out of my basement carpet.... thanks to ODO Ban! I still need to get the floors in the basement replaced. I have so many things that need to be done. I am accomplishing things slowly. My husband got a part on my long arm replaced and it is re-timmed, all adjusted and running great! Thanks Dave...... I need to purchase leaders from Teryl, if she still has them. Mine are so dirty and when you wash them... they shrink. If she doesn't have any, I might purchase some canvas, wash the to pre-shrink them and put some kind of protective covering so I can clean them.

I finished Bonnie Campbell's quilt. It was challenging because of the black thread. But, I think it turned out lovely. Bonnie is an amazing piecer.

Finished my Art quilt.... "The Girls" will be in the upcoming show at the St. George Art Museum. Opening is April 28 and will run into August. I will be putting 'Reflections' (my red bridge) in also.

A few client quilts I have finished lately.... There is one more that will be in the quilt show. We are hoping that Lori's quilt wins big!

Lori's quilt!

It is time I get myself ready for my day and get going......... Happy quilting everyone!

March 20, 2017

This month is well underway! The weather here in St. George has been wonderful lately! Today I actually got hot, while shopping for plants and garden stuff. I am not complaining on bit. I got my tomato plants planted in huge pots. I am hoping for enough to eat this year. Last year I only got a couple of tomatoes total. I am not planting squash or anything like that. I have not had any luck at all with them.  I have been very busy digging out the flower bed under my studio window... I have dug it well down below where the stucco on the house ends.  I have filled it with gravel I raked up from the front yard. It does not look like any water got in there. That made me feel better. It appears that  the pool water came in under the wall in one area. I think i will be able to fix it so it will not ever happen again! The guest room there in the basement still does not smell great.  I have used the carpet cleaner with the heavy duty duty stuff again. I will do it one more time and then.... if the smell does not go away, I will just tear the carpet out and  paint or stain the  cement floor and live with it like that for a while.

Meanwhile....... I am keeping up with my client work. I don't have quilts waiting for me, but I am keeping busy. I have had time to work on the yard and do my own work a bit.  I have to finish binding a art piece that will be included in a show at the St. George Art Museum in April. I have a client bringing a quilt tomorrow and have a small edge to edge to get done as well. I have gotten my owl quilt blocks put together and now need to decide how to finish it. I am going to put to borders around the center and then decide how much more I need to add to make it work for a bedspread.  I love it. I also need to get another quilt going to have ready for a gift quilt. BUT....... It is just so hard to stay inside when the weather is so nice outside!

Barb picked up her two quilts and was very happy with them.  I already posted photos of the other one on the previous blog. This really turned out nice.  She was very happy with it and that makes me really happy!

I have another busy day so I guess it is time to call it a day!

Until next time..... Happy Quilting!

Saturday March 4

February was a busy month. March will be a little slower I think. I got three quilts for clients finished this past week.

Sometimes life can be so frustrating. My mind works so differently. I get things mixed up, get dates and names all mixed up. Then I find myself checking and then re-checking everything I do. I can read something that is totally different from what is actually there. I put a card in the mail for my youngest daughter and I am setting here thinking.... did I get the year of her birth correct. It is very frustrating always second guessing yourself. Everyone that knows me very well knows I have this issue though.... so I guess that is good. I just wish my mind worked differently.  I guess my odd mind helps me create the art I do, so I should be happy. We learn to work with what we have if we wish to create!

I am working on some of my own stuff this weekend. I will put the next client quilt on the frame on Monday. There must be a lot of people on line. I was going to try to add some photos of the little pieces I am working on, but they won't load. So............later.

Feb 23, 2017

Man what a month. We finally have had some sun! It is still pretty cold though. I want sun and warm temps.
 Last weekend's event was one of my favorite things each year. The Dixie Quilt Guild Annual retreat. I think they said there were 94 of us there. We stayed at a new motel in Zion. It was all pretty wonderful expect for one member's health issue. Cathie Purdy and I shared a room. The rooms were wonderfully large, the staff was great too! We were their first large group.  The conference room was large enough for all of us to be in the one room with lots of room to spare! I am sure this is where our next  retreat will be held!

I am back in my own space.... wishing I could repeat last weekend! We had such a great time. Quilters are the best people in the world!

I am currently working on a quilt for Margaret Miller. I though she was going to enter it into our quilt show that will be held in April. But she is going to use this one for display. The quilt pattern is designed by Marti Mitchel (I am not sure if I am spelling that correctly). She will be teaching a classes at the Dixie Quilt Guild quilt show in April.  I have just about  have the quilt finished it.  She and I both are apparently challenged when it comes to measuring backing.  I knew the fit was going to be close.... but really did think I could make it with the material she provided me. Well ...... I am about 2 inches short and we don't want to cut any of the quilt off. I had quilted a lot before I realized the problem. Margaret gave me some additional fabric. My plan is to quilt all but the last border. Once I have that done (and I am almost there), I will unload the quilt and add more fabric to the backing. My issue is I don't want a small amount on the very edge of the backing. It won't look right and will add to much bulk along the edge. I will have to cut a couple of inches off the backing and add the new fabric. Then I will reload the quilt and finish that border.  My Innova does not stitch well from right to left, so I will change the direction I have the quilt loaded right now. That will allow me to quilt from left to right. I really don't know what my machine's issue is, I have asked and get different explanations, nothing that fixes the problem.

  

If you are interested in taking a class taught by Marti..... check out the Dixie Quilt Guild's web site. All the classes are listed and I think there is still some space in some of the classes!

I must get back to me work. I have to get this done this week! I have other client quilts to quilt and a few of my own.

These owl blocks are what I worked on at the retreat this last weekend. I have 3 more to finish. These are sewn in the hoop on my embroidery machine. I have two pattern packs, each containing 10 owls. I think they are so cute.  I have the fabric to make another set of the blocks. I have other 'in the hoop' projects I want to complete. But... just haven't had time to even think about them.

The next event I need to get ready for is the Fiber Art show that will be held in April at the  ST. George Art Museum. Hopefully there will be a lot of entries. We hoped include other area fiber artists, along with the PHFA ladies work. I have two pieces I plan on putting in the show.

I need to get busy. It is already almost 2 p.m.! 

Happy Quilting